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How do I bring that African feeling to Germany? With Landy!
Meet Landy: a Land Rover Series IIA, 88″, built 1967, right hand drive, in classic Bronze Green & Limestone Truckcab Roof, open load floor, small round wing mirrors and lots of patina.
When we realised after the first two years of my self-employment that it would probably no longer be so easy to go on long, far journeys due to ongoing projects and financially, we thought about how we could bring the adventure and Africa feeling to Germany a bit until it was possible again - and the best way to do that is with a Land Rover! It's not for nothing that Land Rover's motto is: ONE LIFE LIVE IT!
In a sales portal we found a promising specimen in Iserlohn - so off we went to Iserlohn. We came across a beautiful country estate and there it was: it was love at first sight! Even after a test drive and a conversation with the competent and friendly salesman, a classic car expert, it was quickly clear - this "Daktari" Landy is ours!
The purchase was the beginning of a 12-year loving relationship 🙂 characterised by unforgettable, exciting, exhilarating rides across our home region, the Swabian Alb. Rattling along field and forest paths, mostly off the beaten track - at the end of the day, to a classic car meeting or as a day trip - was for us an immersion in nature, an exchange with like-minded people and pure relaxation. And what's more: we were free! Without a truck cap, without side windows, without seatbelts, just sitting completely open in this beautiful old vehicle and letting ourselves drift - be wild & free! Just driving the Landy was an adventure in itself: as a right-hand drive vehicle and in contrast to modern vehicles, you always had to keep Landy on track with small steering movements and shift the first two gears with intermediate throttle.
Why he was so important for us
As soon as I sat in the Landy, smelled its vintage mineral oil and Stefan started the engine, I was in another world:
I loved sitting next to Stefan, mostly as a passenger, driving towards the sun, feeling the wind in my face and soaking up the landscape, colours and light around me. Or sitting in the open Landy with a rain jacket during a sudden thunderstorm and then being showered from above while standing at a red light. Or standing in a lonely place somewhere in the middle of nowhere, enjoying our togetherness, the view and sundowners. Or driving over rough terrain and not really knowing where to get out. All these big and small moments are what I need and what we also remember with our many journeys. That's why it was so important for us.
Our friend Babs once said: "As soon as you sit in the Landy, your whole face lights up!" So, as I suspected, I was probably always driving around with a big grin on my face 😉
Realise the vision Step 1 - "Pretend" (to act as if)
After our decision to embark on our new adventure, we really realised that it was Landy who had accompanied and guided us to greater things over the last few years. This may sound strange, but we decided against reason and only with our hearts when we bought him. Because we felt that he was good for us. He never let us forget our longing for adventure and freedom and let us live it over and over again. He was the first step in realising our vision and encouraged us to listen to the call of our soul.
I once read in a book about "pretending". Meaning: to bring to life what one wishes for, even now, within the possible framework. And that's what we did with Landy - we pretended with him that we were already travelling in Africa as free overlanders and enjoyed the freedom of the present - we implemented our vision in the first small step and thus never lost sight of it in everyday life.
Goodbye dear friend
Letting go of our Landy was therefore also the hardest step our decision demanded. However, in Thomas, the brother-in-law of a friend, we found a perfect buyer. A classic car owner with love and a garage for such a vehicle. Only discussing the purchase over the phone, he came from northern Germany to Hohenstadt for the handover with trailer. We wanted to take him for an extensive test drive over the Alb, but it was raining cats and dogs that day. For me, sentimentally speaking, it was as if the sky was also crying goodbye. After a short round of driving, the time had come: Stefan drove our Landy onto the trailer for the last time and then it rolled, strapped down, the long way from Swabia to its new home in Oldenburg. Saying goodbye hurts like hell - even if it is "only" to a vehicle.
That day marked the start of the big downsizing and letting go for our lust for life adventure - you can find out what happened next and what this did to us in the blog article "Old life in 4 suitcases & off into the adventure joy of life" read.
Possible questions for your personal journey of discovery:
How could you start to implement your vision in a first small step?
Can you imagine how it feels to live your vision?
What does it take for you to do that?
Have you ever "pretended"?
Possible questions for your personal journey of discovery:
How could you start to implement your vision in a first small step?
Can you imagine how it feels to live your vision?
What does it take for you to do that?
Have you ever "pretended"?
