Camper surviving guide #2: driving

Driving is certainly the most critical part of overlanding. It’s literally a matter of life and death, as it is in everyday life. 

Published on Quattroruote magazine (Greek edition), April 2021
text & images: Akis Temperidis

Life in a camper (for Europeans) or RV (for Americans), is exciting, even if it’s only about summer holidays. But what about living permanently on four wheels day in – day out and in the remotest parts of the planet? You need to behave yourself to survive in a motorhome, which is always on the road. 

How do we prepare our Iveco for a trip? Where do we sleep? How do we find drinking water? What about our black waters. How do we get refreshed by summer and kept warm in winter? How can we make it for living, three people in strict space for so long? How do we connect to the internet? 

Yoy can read our tips, which are written in personal style, in a series of articles like this on our website. This time, let’s talk about the road. This is how The World Offroad drives around folks. 

ON THE ROAD (AND OFF-ROAD)

1. We always respect local laws and road regulations.
2. We drive in reverse or maneuvre the vehicle only with external guidance by the co-driver. Our camper is not fitted with any fancy parking cameras.
3. We are very careful with signs referring on permitted vehicle height in tunnels and bridges (our Iveco is 3.2 metres high). 
4. We take care in towns and especially historic villages. We look for lateral obstacles like tents, balconies, lights, etc. 
5. We avoid motorways, highways, not only to save toll money but also for the joy of driving on local roads, through villages and little towns. So, our way, not the highway. 
6. We drive off-road when needed, not just for the fun. And we take care of natural environment, never drive in forests or along rivers, for example. 
7. We drive defensively without setting ETA (estimated time of arrival. No stress – no danger. 
8. We roughly calculate the average speed on a route deducting 20 kmh from our cruise speed. If we drive at 70 kmh, we are calculate at least 4 hours driving for 200 kms. Without inconveniences and traffic jams. 
9. None of us sits at the back of the driving cabin. And all three we always wear our seatbelts. 
10. In Europe we keep our lights on, all day. And not only in Europe. 
11. We avoid driving downtown large cities. 
12. We use Google Maps for navigation, if we have unlimited internet data. If not, we download local maps and navigate the same way on maps.me app.

Follows Camper Surviving Guide #3: Organised campsites.