Wanderlust: Stories from the Road

With a wide range of stories, we hear about Kartik Vasan and Sim Bhadoria and @thebrownvanlife, as well as Kim Kingsman and her wish for others to be able to get their own passports, as well as Nicole Sutten in NZ and the confidence to go out on her bike with others. Lastly, we hear from James Agombar in Samoa.

https://www.instagram.com/thebrownvanlife/

https://theawkwardtraveller.com/all-about-kay-kingsman/

https://womanmoto.com/get-off-the-couch

https://wanderlust-journal.com/2018/04/16/is-this-the-end-of-the-world-by-james-agombar/

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

We have a range of excerpts today with a kayak from California to Hawaii, a solo biker in Iran, a couple of fellas in boxers, and a burro in the rain of Baja.  

Including

Dave Shively:

The Pacific Alone: The Untold Story of Kayaking's Boldest Voyage

Lois Pryce: https://www.loispryce.com/about/

George Mahood: https://www.georgemahood.com/books/free-country-a-penniless-adventure-the-length-of-britain/

Graham Mackintosh: https://grahammackintosh.com

Last Thoughts: The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

WHAT IS OVERLANDING?

Thinking about definitions, history, and the vehicles needed for Overlanding. 

Recorded in Baja California Sur, Mexico in 2023

Definitions: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlanding

The Camel Trophy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel_Trophy

Overland Expo: https://www.overlandexpo.com/compass/what-does-overlanding-mean/

The Best Vehicle? Haha… https://www.overlandexpo.com/compass/the-best-vehicle-for-overlanding/

Scott, Chris (2017) [2011]. Overlanders Handbook (2nd ed.). Surrey, UK: Trailblazer Publications. ISBN 978-1-905864-87-4.

Use what you have.

Make it reliable.

Balance time and money, which is more accessible to you? Can you save or work on the road? Do you really need all that shit hanging off the back of the 4x4? Nope. So, take what you have, and explore. Then publish. And inspire!

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

S1E9: What’s in a name? Part One. OVERLANDING

Thinking about our travelers’ identity, self-label, trends and what Overlanding is.  

Recorded in Baja California Sur, Mexico in 2023

FB poll as the initial motivation to talk about this topic. The various names we call ourselves include overlander, traveler, wanderer, nomad, van lifer, adventurer, adventure biker and through hiker, or as Katie says, camper:

Definitions of Overlanding from:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overlanding

Inspirational Travelers include:

Graham and Connie Rodham: story here https://7p.io/2015/09/25/legendofcampsix/

Ray and Marianne Hyland:  London to Singapore in a 1954 Land Rover With a Family of 5, story here https://expeditionportal.com/london-to-singapore/

Roseann and Jonathon Hanson: https://www.exploringoverland.com/about

Events past and upcoming

Overland Expo

NW Rallies.

Escapar a Baja:

Cheap RV/Homes on Wheels alliance events

Skills building/ training/ vehicle sympathy: 7p.io with the Camel Trophy team, the various rallies, many states have private companies offering such workshops and hands-on.

Recommended books:

Last Thoughts: The purpose of life is to live it, to taste it, to experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

— Eleanor Roosevelt

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

A little tongue in cheek as I record this from Baja California, Mexico, bitching about the night lows of 52 degrees Fahrenheit! I know, I know…poor me.

House Calls by Dogsled by Keith Billington set in the Northwest Territories of Canada from the 1960s.

PolarPreet and her incredibly inspiring solo exploration of Antarctica. Click on her map to hear her latest daily check-ins, support her if you can.

Song, a short piece from the memoir STAY to be published by Madville Publishing in 2023.

Lastly, an offering for a sunnier and warmer event: https://www.escaparalabaja.com

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

Roadtrips (Not All Who Wander Are Lost10

On location in Gonzaga Bay, Baja California

Today’s links are:

Kim Sosin and Janet Rives: https://wanderlust-journal.com/shop/

Sarah Leamy, Bring a Chainsaw: https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=Sarah+Leamy

William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways: https://bookshop.org/p/books/blue-highways-a-journey-into-america-william-least-heat-moon/

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

In today's episode, you'll hear more on the topic of solo travelers. Since my early twenties, I’ve been inspired by many of the following names. With this episode in mind, I did more research and came up with this how-to, taken from a few articles and presentations of mine on how I have wandered off the beaten track alone and kept my safe (so far)…

Inspiration. Laurie Lee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_I_Walked_Out_One_Midsummer_Morning

Research/Preparation. Languages, routes, culture, health, etc

Sarah Marquis: https://www.explorationconnections.com/blog/wild-by-nature-interview-with-sarah-marquis

Budget/Financials/Timing: Tiffany Coates (re hair) https://www.globalwomenwhoride.com

Packing. Vehicle dependent, planes, tourist destinations (you can buy what you didn't bring!)

Tools and Skills. Apps, maps, GPS. A mix of all. iOverlander.com and The Dyrt, as well as printed maps such as Benchmark (USA).

Responses from society/family: Joan Wamayu-Ndarathi and her mother

https://www.globalwomenwhoride.com/joan-wamayu-ndarathi/

Food/social engagement. How to meet people? Know yourself!

Focus. What are you focused on while in new places?

Motivation. Skills, challenges, mindset.

Safety: Consider that in the US, 70% of rapes are done by men who know the female victims. And yes, there’s that other 30%. (eg me on train in France at 18.) Tell your friends, hosts, rangers. Spot/GPS trackers. Walkie-talkies (eg Motorola T600). Camping solo tricks. Self-defense training opportunities.

The Art of Solo Travels: https://fempotential.com/web/20170302035117/http/www.fempotential.com/scared-solo-female-traveler/index.htm

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

In today's episode, we’re focused on the topic of solo travelers. Since my early twenties, I’ve been inspired by women who went out on their own, despite cultural expectations to stay home as wives and mothers. With this episode in mind, I did more research and came up with this list of incredible adventurers of all ages, countries, and modes of travel. Here is a sample.

Anna Oberg, On Lostness.  https://wanderlust-journal.com/2020/08/01/oberg/

Amelia Earhart -  20hrs 40 mins (one of the books of her travels) - as the first female pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean/ first pilot to cross both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. 

Bessie Coleman – 1921, first African-American woman, and also the first woman of Native-American descent, to hold a pilot’s license. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any direct quotes or writings of hers.

Karen Darke: https://www.karendarke.com/blog/ paralysed by a rockclimbing accident – wheelchair bikes, kayaks, sleds and inspirational mindset coach.

Sarah Marquis: Between 2010 and 2013 she walked alone from Russia to Australia and since then many other long walks…Wild by Nature – Links to an interview with her.

The Art of Solo Travels: https://fempotential.com/web/20170302035117/http/www.fempotential.com/scared-solo-female-traveler/index.htm

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

In today's episode, you'll hear passages on the topic of through-hiking, that is the day-to-day challenge of following your feet across mountains and deserts. We’ll read what motivates folks to do just that, the people met along the way, and some of the ups and downs that come with it. For one writer, it was her knickers…

Megan Okkerse: https://meganokkerse.substack.com/p/everyone-cries-on-the-camino

Rahawa Haile: https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/hiking-appalachian-trail-rahawa-haile/

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/exit-interview-i-was-a-black-female-thru-hiker-on-the-appalachian-trail

“Fear and Loathing on the Camino Santiago” by Mark West. The fuller post was published on the Wanderlust website a few years ago and itself is an excerpt from a larger piece. https://wanderlust-journal.com/2018/12/01/fear-and-self-loathing-on-the-camino-de-santiago-by-mark-west/

Tramping: A Journey Through New Zealand with Captain Cook. Sam Brakely. Soon to be published by Wild Dog Press: https://wilddogpress.com

Bill Bryson, Cheryl Strayed, and for Brits of a certain age (!) Laurie Lee.

Resources: For hiking across the world, here’s a great website for you to read, https://www.thehikinglife.com/hikes/asia/

For queer POC hikers, there’s a great community in the PNW (USA): https://qpochikers.com

(They might have ideas for other such groups outside of the States, it’s worth asking.)

For a US based community that helps planning and logistics etc: https://thru-hiking.com

For a list of 100 hiking and outdoor social media/ resources: https://www.fieldmag.com/articles/black-indigenous-poc-outdoor-instagram-accounts

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers. 

On Modes of Travel: You Can Go Far with Whatever You Have

In today's episode, we are focused on the various modes of travel. My advice, use what you have. Feet, bikes, motorcycles, 2WD, 4x4, cars, vans, and trucks of all sizes can take you where you want to go – for the most part. With that in mind, I’ll be reading from trip reports from each of those options, to inspire you to appreciate the vehicle you have and how far you can go. We’ll have a full episode on each of these versions of exploring the world later in the season.

Hiking: Anne-Marie Wells Happiness in Iceland

Rafting: Chris Wiewiora https://wanderlust-journal.com/shop/

Motorcycle: Tiffany Coates http://tiffanystravels.co.uk

Roshni Sharma https://www.tripoto.com/india/trips/roshni-sharma

Michelle Lamphere on https://adventureriderradio.com/michelle-lamphere

Bicycle: Ruth McIntosh https://wanderlust-journal.com/shop/

2WD: Me in a 1972 VW semi automatic Beetle going across the Continental Divide in July. More recently in a 2003 Dodge van, over 65,000 miles exploring the States and into Baja with pets (more another time on doing that) https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=Sarah+Leamy

4x4: Carla King in Baja  https://www.discoverbaja.com/2019/02/04/trip-bahia-concepcion-la-purisma-san-juanico/

Resources: Overland Expo, Online forums, FB groups, Instagram, YouTube: stories and videos of all kinds of travel. Information, community, inspiration. https://www.youtube.com/user/sarahleamy/videoshttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf13FVNsn3m7IfwOLDHjvXw

The best advice is to build ‘vehicle sympathy’ (Graham Jackson), know your vehicle, get trained, take basic recovery gear and know how to use it. If in doubt, get out and walk the section. It bears repeating, we’ll have a full episode on each of these versions of exploring the world later in the season as well as training opportunities.

Music by Sofia Nehama Avery https://nehamamusic.com

To find out more about your host and her own writing and adventures: https://sarahleamy.com

To read the cartoon version of my experiences as a campground host, get a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Camphost-Diaries-Sarah-Leamy/dp/B0DFTRQJPP

Excuse the reference to episode numbers as I've since edited out to make a more concise set of stories for you. Cheers.