First Leg of the Journey
We finally started the journey on the truck from Fez to our bushcamp this evening in the Atlas mountains. The journey itself was pleasant enough and fairly uneventful. The main process was getting used to the truck and the people I would be traveling with. I met some of them in fairs during meal time but now I will be with them for the next 3 months.
There is a good policy on the bus that nobody has their own seat and we change places every day. Although I would like the certainty and the security of one constant in this ever changing world, I understand the reasoning behind this policy. It makes sense to get to know somebody on a deeper level when you share a seat, as a sort of forced intimacy. The person I was sharing with on my first day I got to know them quite well and vice versa.
This is my fourth overlander trip on a converted truck and this is the first one where there was an open space between us and the crew. It’s really nice to be able to look out and see the driver and the group leader and through them, through the windscreen, to see the road ahead.
Overlander trucks are interesting engineering designs. It’s a basic commercial truck, ours it is a six-wheel drive but you can also get eight-wheel drive or sometimes a four-wheel drive. They strip the original down to the bare base of the truck and on top of that they build a two level box. The lower section is storage where we keep our tents are sleeping bags and stuff as well as our luggage. There are also sections for food etc etc. There is a section where the crew, particularly the driver, keeps his tools and spare parts in case of breakdown. There’s also an area to store wood for camp fires. Everything is stored in labelled large plastic boxes so everything is easily accessible.
Over the years, the crew have evolved a very efficient system to access food etc as soon as the truck stops. Everything is on hand and we could set up kitchen and have the cooking started in a jiffy. If it rains, that does happen in Africa, there is a huge awning that stretches out about 8 to 10 m from is this side of the truck.
The top half is basically a bus. Our version of the truck, and there are many different types of variations, there are 24 airline type seats. They are very comfortable and okay for a long road trip. In a way it’s like being on a transatlantic plane journey except we get out every now and again to stretch our legs. Probably couldn’t do that in a 747. You could try though!
The second and third last seats on both sides of the aisles are reversed and there is a table in between. This is useful for playing cards or writing. This part of the bus is usually used by the younger ones who want to party or play cards and have the craic with their enviable youthful energy. We old ones prefer to be near the front where we can sit in solitude and fall asleep. Just joking!
There are eight or maybe 10 speakers in the ceiling of the truck so we can listen to music. Every speaker has an individual switch so it can be switched on or off, mercifully. It can be a bit tricky to find music appreciated by the wide range of people on our truck. We have people from, I think, their 20s to their 70s and from lots of different cultures and traditions.
The side panels have all been removed and there are windows all around so you get a great view. This is very different to my first two trucks where the seating was arranged in two parallel rows along the side of the van and were basically benches with a cushion attached to the back. They were not very comfortable and were not sprung so you had to be very careful on the bad African roads or you would bang your head off the roof during one of the many bumps
Inside the truck, there is a fridge for perishable food and at the back there are refrigeration boxes where the guys and girls keep their beers and wines cool. However, ice is not provided by the company so we have to buy our own ice. Needless to say, I don’t bother with this. I’m quite happy to drink my water lukewarm. There is also a hidden safe where we can keep our passports and cash should we be raided or should bandits board the truck. This is also important when the truck is parked up and nobody is on board.
There is no air conditioning on board but we don’t really need this because all the windows drop down so we can get a good breeze on our faces when the truck is moving. Of course, when we are stationary, this doesn’t happen.
There are overhead luggage racks where we can store our day packs and any snacks or food that we consume during the trip. It’s also useful to store jackets and clothes for colder weather. There is space under the seat for more storage. They have already saw true the whole issue of storage on long distance overland trips.
We have several hundred liters of treated water in an underslung tank and this is accessible from the outside. This is useful for topping up our water bottles. Although bottled water is extremely cheap, I hate the idea of discarding plastic so i use the treated water whenever I can.
There is a good 5v and 12v charging system on board so we can keep our devices up and running. I have a 30,000 mAh power bank which charges my phone up a few times so I can be independent for a couple of days. Much longer if I turn the internet or my SIM off. This is attached to a battery bank powered by the truck alternator so we can use it even when the engine is switched off. This is very useful for charging our devices overnight.
That’s it, possums. This is just an overview of the truck.
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