Vanlife

Who hasn't experienced it, the next trip is planned - and you start thinking about whether the gas bottle will still be able to cope with this trip. Is the gas bottle half full or already empty? Or whether you should replace it as a precaution. There are many travel blogs where motorhome travellers with Campinggaz gas cylinders such as the R904, R907 or R901 report problems with purchasing or replacing the cylinder. You don't even have to travel far away for this, even in Europe the search can take a long time depending on the country you are travelling to. Or consider whether you really need to carry a spare bottle. Despite my good research skills, I had to search a little longer until I found a remedy. Because what is available in DIY stores almost all over the world? These small gas cartridges with DIN EN 417 connection. The small cartridge gas bottles usually offer a better price/performance ratio. I am not primarily concerned with saving money. ...

Travel tip: a 4x4 adventure in Thailand by rental car

Years ago we were on the road in Thailand for a few weeks with a rental car. Unlike our rental offroad adventure in Laos , there was a wide range of rental companies and a Toyota Fortuner was quite affordable. As it turned out, the vehicle was only conditionally suitable for the terrain we encountered. But even with road configuration, with 4x4 and gear reduction you get further than you think. Thailand is especially off the beaten tourist track beautiful, pristine and offers plenty for the off-roader heart. Away from the very well developed and maintained highways and main roads, there are plenty of dirt tracks, river fords and remote mountain villages, some still only accessible via single-trail ie actually only via motorcycle. Perhaps the travels in Asia also explains why my travelogue to Iceland did not degenerate into exuberant reports on the subject of fords, water crossings and offroad. Thailand and Laos offer more here and even outside the rain...

Calculating the cost of a trip around the world by car

Many people ask what a world trip in a van, camper or motorhome costs and how to finance it. Many travel blogs report on this, but I always find the comparison a little difficult. Many are looking for a "cost per travel day" figure so they can calculate and budget for themselves. World travel costs broken down by travel country as a self-driver in a 4x4Not only the speed of travel determines the costs, but also the costs when you treat yourself, eat out, hotel, tours, entrance fees and much more. Some have high repair bills, others do gorilla tracking, scuba diving, rafting, Antarctica expeditions, helicopter tours - there are variables. And definitely there are more expensive countries to travel to (cost of petrol/diesel/food) - and the length of stay does become crucial. So you have countless options to generate completely different costs for the same travel distance. Take the example of a trans-Africa trip via the western route with the van/camper (Zurich Capetown) and shi...

In the wrong place at the wrong time - pure adrenaline

In April/May 2022 we were on the road in Andalusia for 2.5 weeks. One of our more intense experiences occurred while wild camping - something that really got under our skin. In the last third of our journey, we reached Cabo De Gata, on the recommendation of our research queen and also on the recommendation of Juan, an employee of a hotel in Seville. The last kilometres of the journey were quite desolate, endless vegetable fields covered with fabric roofs, unusually littered roadsides - and then one of the most unadorned places "Cabo de Gata" did not really invite us to linger. But we stopped at the restaurant "Goleta Cabo de Gata" and had an extremely delicious lunch, I had mussels and then swordfish steaks on the table - both exceptionally tasty. On arrival, we had already marked a branching track in the sat nav, which, according to satellite image research, led directly to the beach, between Almeria and Cabo de Gata. After lunch, we ploughed about 1-2 km along ...

10-Day Emergency Survival Guide: Solar Power, Essential Gear & Supplies Preparation

When it comes to prepping, it's easy to get lost in extremes — bunker fantasies here, end-of-the-world scenarios there. It's more sensible to stay pragmatic. If you want to be prepared, you should consider the following three scenarios and decide what is truly necessary for each. Adapt your gear as needed so it can be helpful in several or all scenarios. Starting Point Let's assume the supply situation has collapsed: no electricity, no water, no food supplies, gas stations closed. The cause doesn't matter — natural disaster, sabotage, war, or terrorist attack. Public order is severely restricted. After a short time, even mobile internet (4G/LTE) stops working (based on recent experience from the ANTIFA attack in Berlin , September 11, 2025). Let's leave aside uncertainties, like being away from home during the crisis (e.g., on vacation, at work, visiting friends) and unable to reach your base. Goal: Survive ten days until the situation normalizes. Our Action Options...