At the Ecuator in Kenya
(Gulin, Jody, Sally, and Jeff)
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About the Team
It wasn't the best way
to assemble a team, put an ad on the Lonely Planet website and pick
companions sight unseen, but as the bubble burst in the spring of
2001 and my portfolio value plunged like a shot pheasant - it was
the only way I could think to
make the $100,000 trip budget. I was lucky. Our crew of 4 stuck
it out quite a while, we met some great people along the way, and
it was certainly a trip to remember.
A special shout out to some of the folks who joined
us along the way; Devy Santiago & Rob Smoot (Southern Africa),
Mike Faulkner (East Africa), Janet Porter (East Europe), Kathryn
Mertes (China-India), Stacey Madge (Middle East).
This was a particularly memorable expedition for
me because I met and fell in love with Stacey - we were married
a year later. A pretty great way to finish a trip.
____________________________________
Jeff
Willner (Canada)
Expedition
Leader
jeffwillner@yahoo.com
OTHER
EXPEDITIONS
1999 - Six month, 28,000km, expedition through southern
Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya,
Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, Malawi), Land Rover 110 Defender
2003 - Two month, 12,000km, drive from Guyaquil,
Equador to Ushuaia, Argentina on the PanAmerican highway down the
west coast of South America.
Before
the Trip...
"The frustrations and hassle of planning an expedition sometimes make me
wonder if it's worth it - this latest trip has taken over a year to put together.
But then I remember a few of the "moments" from previous adventures,
times when it all seems to come together and life overwhelms you with its immediate
beauty - twilight bush camp in the Okavango with unseen lions roaring, unexpectedly
exquisite french cuisine in a tiny Rwandan restaurant, swaping jokes with the
locals over midnight tea at a Tanzanian truck stop. I hope you sign up to share
our triumphs, challenges, and "moments", it should be a great year
of journals!"
After the Trip...
"In some ways we did this trip at the worst possible time. We
didn't get a single sponsor because the economy was so bad. The 9/11 tragedy
occurred when we were in the Middle East and we had to alter our itinerary.
And because I was short of cash we had to advertise for team members who
would be willing to pay their way - in order to cut costs. It's not a crew
selection process I would really recommend.
But in other ways it was
the perfect time. Life was tough on consultants in 2001/02, we skipped
the worst of the job market and had the trip of a lifetime instead. Even
through the trip meant a ton more debt, it was an irreplaceable experience.
Despite political unrest, riots, bad roads, breakdowns, a disastrous
wreck in Patagonia, and a never-ending shortage of cash, we managed to
pull it off. Along the way we met some remarkable people, had some amazing
experiences, and saw ... well ... the world. And despite a rocky start
I made some friends for life. Around the world by Land Rover! Enough
stories for a lifetime."
____________________________________
Sally
deFina (Australia)
sallydefina@hotmail.com
Before
the Trip...
What do
I like most about visiting foreign countries? The opportunity to experience
diverse and unusual cultures. As an avid adventure traveler, one of my
goals has always been to complete an around-the-world trip. I look forward
to writing to you about the wonderful people and their traditions as well
as the beautiful scenery we will surely discover.
After the Trip...
When I informed my fellow University of Chicago, GSB classmates that
I was planning on joining a Land Rover expedition instead of immediately
starting my business career following graduation, many told me that I was
absolutely insane. But not four months later, when passing through the
US after the European portion of the trip, those same classmates were telling
me that I picked the perfect time to temporarily “avoid” the job market.
While we were seeing new countries, meeting new people, and discovering
new and beautiful scenery, our friends and family in the west were going
through the worst economic downturn in decades (not to mention the worst
terrorist attack in history).
Now that the expedition is finished, I too am out looking for work. And the
economy still has not recovered. Sometimes I feel like just chucking in the
whole job search and heading off for another year of travel. Max (our Land
Rover) is fitted for expedition travel, and there are friends who are willing
and able to just take off for exotic locations at the drop of a hat (anyone
want to join a Land Rover expedition in South America for 6 months?). Oh, If
only I hadn’t spent all my money! Alas! I need a job. But despite not having
work at the moment, when interviewers ask me whether I would do the same thing
again, I tell them most definitely “Yes!. I would not trade the experience
for the world!” I will be back.
____________________________________
Jody
Finver (US)
finverjody@hotmail.com
Before the Trip...
What would
possess someone who has already traveled plenty, already seen enough sights
to last a lifetime, to drop out of the working world and travel overland,
in a truck, for a year -- with strangers? Maybe it's because once the travel
bug bites it works like a virus through your body, with no cure. Maybe
it's because I think there's more to the world than the 15 minutes dedicated
to it on the nightly news. Or maybe, just maybe, I needed a really good
excuse to finally learn how to drive stick shift.
After the Trip...
____________________________________
Gulin
Akoz (Turkey)
Before the Trip...
After the Trip...
____________________________________
Other Travelers
Devy
Santiago (Sri Lanka) / Rob Smoot (US)
Southern Africa
Three weeks through Zambia, Botswana, Namibia,
South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Highlights - climbing the
Great Zimbabwe in the middle of the night and watching
the stars while the hyenas howled below.
Mike
Faulkner (Australia)
East Africa
Joined the team for three weeks in East Africa
because he couldn't bear to be parted from his sweetie,
Sally DeFina. Drives a mean curve in a loaded Land Rover.
Excellent CD collection. Managed to talk Sally into marrying
him four years later.
Viktor
(Slovakia)
Ethiopia
In Addis we met up with a young Slovak Count, Viktor (last name
withheld by request). Educated in the finest English prep schools (what,
what) he was an interesting addition to the team and often had a different
perspective on things. On the unrelenting misery of kids badgering us with
their two words of English, “You” and “Money”,
he commented, “I wonder if one could acquire a permit to export urchins
by the kilo. They seem to have quite a surplus here.” Today he's
a banker in London.
Janet
Porter (Canada)
Eastern Europe, Scandinavia,
West Europe
Met a cute Canadian while touring Vlad's castle
in Romania and offered her a ride to the next village.
Sally and Jody adopted her, I had no arguments, she stayed
with us for the rest of Europe. We were gutted that she
couldn't continue with the expedition in South America.
She would go on to work for a non-profit in South America,
and is now doing anti-AIDS work in Malawi.
Kathryn
Mertes (US)
China to India
"What can I say, I love adventure! Whether it
is crossing the Andes alone, hitchhiking through South America, sailing
in the Caribbean, or climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, I LOVE adventure. So when
offered the Chance to meet up with Sally and join the expedition through
China, Tibet, Nepal & Northern India, I was more than game. I look forward
to truly being on the road again -- free to explore and learn about new
geographies and cultures while taking some time off from the rat race back
home. My only regret is that my husband cannot be here to share in this
wonderful adventure with me."
Stacey
Madge (Canada)
Nepal, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey - Europe
Talked a friend of mine from Toronto into meeting
us in Nepal to see the sights. Found out she was single
when she arrived... we were dating shortly after that.
She extended her trip from three weeks to six and traveled
through the end of the expedition. We were married a
year and a half later - and today have a baby boy "Max".
A pretty great way to end an expedition!
