RE: 5 road trips to inspire you to just keep driving
Saturday 22nd October 2016
Ben Coombs is not your average petrolhead. When every sign points toward the journey being impossible, he defies logic and makes it anyway. From driving a Corvette to Vietnam to coaxing a Rover P6 to Morocco, there likely aren't many combinations of car and destination that he hasn't considered. Here he details his trips, past and future, and shares his advice for undertaking an epic road trip of your very own!
1) V8Nam - England to Vietnam, with a V8
Everyone can recall at least one of those times when a friend's had an idea for an adventure so outlandish that it'll never happen, but so brilliant that you wish it would. V8Nam was one of those times - get a car with a V8; drive it to Vietnam. So a few years ago I found myself setting off for the far side of the world, in a convoy consisting only of a C4 Corvette and a 1978 Rolls Royce. 14,000 miles and five months later, having made it to Vietnam, journey's end was in fact reached in Singapore. The key to taking on a road trip of this scale was to ensure we broke the journey down into manageable legs! For V8Nam, this meant researching each individual leg of the journey to pre-empt any issues we'd need to overcome. These ranged from the simple - UK to Ukraine, which is basically a normal Euro road trip - to the preposterous: China needed three months of pre-arrival paperwork, £3,500 per car and the border crossing took four days! By effectively breaking the journey into a series of smaller road trips you make it more manageable, and therefore more achievable.
2) The African Porsche Expedition
This involved driving a Porsche from the UK to South Africa, via the Middle East... Even in 2008 this was the toughest prospect on the list, certainly not for the faint hearted, and with the current political situation in the Middle East it may not be so wise to attempt now. At the time, paperwork aside, the biggest challenges on this drive were reserved for the car. Despite raised suspension, the roads in The Sudan and Northern Kenya were sufficiently bad to almost defeat the long-suffering Porsche, which endured 27 separate breakdowns on the journey to Cape Town. The lesson here was not only the need for thorough vehicle preparation; but also what to take, with bodging materials being just as valuable as specific spares. It's amazing what predicaments you can solve armed with only duct tape, cable ties, silicon sealant and some lateral thinking.
3) The Mongol Rally
If you like the idea of making a big overland journey in a rubbish car, but are unsure of where to begin, this brilliant event is the place to start. The gist of it is this: buy a random car, keep preparation to the bare minimum, then, along with about 400 likeminded folk, drive it 10,000 miles from Europe to Mongolia. The event takes place every summer and has developed a cult-like following. I won't give any further advice on completing the rally, as the whole point is to set off into the unknown totally unprepared and figure everything out as you go along! But for further information you can head to www.mongolrally.com.
4) Morocco V8
If you're not in the position to be able to set aside a month or more for your road trip, then fear not! In only two weeks door-to-door, you too can drive from the UK to the Sahara and back and, what's more, you can do it at the helm of your very own V8 Rover P6. A round trip from southern England to Morocco comes in at under 3,000 miles, and with very straightforward borders and frequent ferry crossings via the Straits of Gibraltar, you can get to Africa quickly and explore Morocco's exotic vistas in style. The easiest route for this trans-continental caper is to take the ferry from Algeciras to Ceuta. The only unfamiliar paperwork you'll need in Africa being a customs document, which you'll get at the border, and insurance, which you can buy cheaply at the first town you reach. Inspired? The best source of further information for road tripping in this corner of Africa is 'Morocco Overland', by Doug Scott.
5 road trips to inspire you to just keep driving
Remember the PHer who took a Corvette to Vietnam? Here's what else he's been up to!
Have you ever been out for a drive in your pride and joy, and just wanted to keep going? To simply not go home, but instead watch the scenery roll past as you cruise towards the horizon, mile after mile, corner after corner, country after country?
I'm willing to bet that as you're currently reading PistonHeads, the answer is most likely yes. But just how far can you go in the sort of car owned by the average PHer? Well put simply, very far indeed! And you don't need a 4x4 to reach the ends of the Earth, either. Here are a few of my favourite trips I've undertaken so far, with the inside line on how you can make them happen as well.
Everyone can recall at least one of those times when a friend's had an idea for an adventure so outlandish that it'll never happen, but so brilliant that you wish it would. V8Nam was one of those times - get a car with a V8; drive it to Vietnam. So a few years ago I found myself setting off for the far side of the world, in a convoy consisting only of a C4 Corvette and a 1978 Rolls Royce. 14,000 miles and five months later, having made it to Vietnam, journey's end was in fact reached in Singapore. The key to taking on a road trip of this scale was to ensure we broke the journey down into manageable legs! For V8Nam, this meant researching each individual leg of the journey to pre-empt any issues we'd need to overcome. These ranged from the simple - UK to Ukraine, which is basically a normal Euro road trip - to the preposterous: China needed three months of pre-arrival paperwork, £3,500 per car and the border crossing took four days! By effectively breaking the journey into a series of smaller road trips you make it more manageable, and therefore more achievable.
This involved driving a Porsche from the UK to South Africa, via the Middle East... Even in 2008 this was the toughest prospect on the list, certainly not for the faint hearted, and with the current political situation in the Middle East it may not be so wise to attempt now. At the time, paperwork aside, the biggest challenges on this drive were reserved for the car. Despite raised suspension, the roads in The Sudan and Northern Kenya were sufficiently bad to almost defeat the long-suffering Porsche, which endured 27 separate breakdowns on the journey to Cape Town. The lesson here was not only the need for thorough vehicle preparation; but also what to take, with bodging materials being just as valuable as specific spares. It's amazing what predicaments you can solve armed with only duct tape, cable ties, silicon sealant and some lateral thinking.
However there's another moral to this story - that almost anything is possible. If a humble Porsche 944 can make it across some of Africa's worst roads, then there aren't many places on the planet that can't be reached in a normal car. Research the road conditions for any proposed journey and, nine times out of 10, you'll find there's no reason why a normal car can't make the trip.
If you like the idea of making a big overland journey in a rubbish car, but are unsure of where to begin, this brilliant event is the place to start. The gist of it is this: buy a random car, keep preparation to the bare minimum, then, along with about 400 likeminded folk, drive it 10,000 miles from Europe to Mongolia. The event takes place every summer and has developed a cult-like following. I won't give any further advice on completing the rally, as the whole point is to set off into the unknown totally unprepared and figure everything out as you go along! But for further information you can head to www.mongolrally.com.
If you're not in the position to be able to set aside a month or more for your road trip, then fear not! In only two weeks door-to-door, you too can drive from the UK to the Sahara and back and, what's more, you can do it at the helm of your very own V8 Rover P6. A round trip from southern England to Morocco comes in at under 3,000 miles, and with very straightforward borders and frequent ferry crossings via the Straits of Gibraltar, you can get to Africa quickly and explore Morocco's exotic vistas in style. The easiest route for this trans-continental caper is to take the ferry from Algeciras to Ceuta. The only unfamiliar paperwork you'll need in Africa being a customs document, which you'll get at the border, and insurance, which you can buy cheaply at the first town you reach. Inspired? The best source of further information for road tripping in this corner of Africa is 'Morocco Overland', by Doug Scott.
5) Pub2Pub
The problem I've found with epic road trips is that they're dangerously addictive. It's for this reason that next year will see me setting off on my grandest undertaking yet - a 30,000-mile journey from the northernmost bar on the planet to the southernmost! From the Arctic to the Antarctic, with the overland legs being undertaken in a sports car. I plan to detail the trip here on the site to keep you updated with our progress, and with all the lessons I learn along the way.
So there you have it - armed only with a car and a sense of adventure, the world can be your oyster. Any other suggestions or dream road trip plans of your own? Let's hear them!
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Discussion
Oh my, I remove my hat in acknowledgement of your achievements and massive kahunas Ben.
Is it that pathological spanner monkeyness in you that makes you always choose aged or fragile old cars that are bound to cause you strife but then seem to come good and pull though for you?
Makes my 2.5k trek with work across rural New South Wales and a'little' bit of red dust outback this week in my Land Cruiser a tad 'ghey'
I have said it before, but never did I think that whilst working for a bank I would need a vehicle that could drive up the side of a house and require the services of a Shoo Roo (sonic sound emitting box to deter wildlife).
Off to do some push ups and catch/eat a live, raw fish, Bear Grills style, to compete with your manliness!
Bravo sir, bravo.
(Have got some decent car breaking trips planned for the Land Cruiser down here so may be able to come back with a legit response to this post soon, just need to make sure the Bank don't find out I am trying to break my company car, lol)
Is it that pathological spanner monkeyness in you that makes you always choose aged or fragile old cars that are bound to cause you strife but then seem to come good and pull though for you?
Makes my 2.5k trek with work across rural New South Wales and a'little' bit of red dust outback this week in my Land Cruiser a tad 'ghey'
I have said it before, but never did I think that whilst working for a bank I would need a vehicle that could drive up the side of a house and require the services of a Shoo Roo (sonic sound emitting box to deter wildlife).
Off to do some push ups and catch/eat a live, raw fish, Bear Grills style, to compete with your manliness!
Bravo sir, bravo.
(Have got some decent car breaking trips planned for the Land Cruiser down here so may be able to come back with a legit response to this post soon, just need to make sure the Bank don't find out I am trying to break my company car, lol)
Edited by Dafuq on Saturday 22 October 08:52
Edited by Dafuq on Saturday 22 October 08:55
fivetenben said:
Cheers! I have to say, roaming the outback in a Land Cruiser sounds a pretty sweet way to pass time; I'm rather jealous. Still never made it over to Australia for a road trip, but it's certainly on the list - one of these years!.
It has its moments 
Still regularly makes me chuckle when I remember they are actually paying me for what I do.Well, there is plenty of lunacy and strife you could get in to over here and lots and lots of space to do it in. Give me a shout when you are ready, I could ring in sick for say, 6 months? I am sure my team would be reet....., probably wouldn't notice I had gone, or as many of them often do, just look at me blankly and shake their heads.
Dafuq said:
fivetenben said:
McFarnsworth said:
Another trip that's worth adding, and that Ben's also partially sort of done, is to drive to the North Cape in winter. Take the most unsuitable vehicle you can find and go find the most northern tip of Europe at the worst (best?) possible time of year. You'll get to see the northern lights, swerve around moose and reindeer, not see the sun for a week, and the last hour of the way to the North cape is like driving on Hoth. You can visit Santa in the most touristy place on the Arctic circle, and enjoy his amusement park built in his nuclear fallout shelter (yes, really). You don't need any paperwork for this trip, it takes around two weeks, and is utterly amazing.
These are very true words - you can't get much more adventurous while staying within the confines of Europe, than a trip up the Arctic Highway in winter. I can't recommend it enough; just remember that you'll need to fit winter tyres by law... and for common sense reasons too. We did this drive 3-up in a Fiat 126. Here are a few pics:[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/9lue3LHY[/url
...and a trip report: http://bencoombs.net/hell_tripreport1.html
fivetenben said:
Dafuq said:
Ha ha ha, this trip looks like it was epic, and the Fiat 126 was the only car for the job. It would be the first vehicle any serious petrolhead would consider for the task surely. I bet the three of you didn't know what to do with all that space
I'll have you know it was a positively decadent 4,000 miles we spent in that Fiat - more space than we knew what to do with! 
And who needs roof lining when you have an upside down duck, good work.
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