A Team of 8 Sets Off On A 100-Day Drive from S’pore to London

When I was a kid, Grandpa would always share his life story with me – while we were watching TV, or before I head to bed.

One day, he shared with me a story where he took part in an extremely exhausting trek from London to Singapore with a Land Rover, together with five other friends.

With no Google maps and 3G connections back in the days, Grandpa only arrived at Singapore after five months.

Sounds like a story worth sharing – except that it did not happen to my Grandpa.

But somebody’s grandfather actually did it. And he’s not the only one.

Inspired by His Grandfather

Mr George’s Grandfather, Mr Tim Slessor, was part of the six Oxford and Cambridge university students who made history when they completed the 6-months long overland expedition.

According to TNP, Mr George grew up listening to his Grandfather’s stories about his overland expedition experiences, making it a quick and easy decision for him when he was asked to join an expedition.

He is now one of the eight adventurers to embark on the 100-day drive from Singapore to London.

Restored Land Rover

The expedition, which was flagged off yesterday, 25th August 2019, involves driving three vehicles from Singapore to London, across deserts, jungles and mountains.

The Land Rover Series 1, which was used in the original expedition, was said to have been dismantled, and was only restored in 2017 by vehicle restoration expert Adam Bennett, who then gifted it to Mr Slessor – which is now one of the three vehicles being used for this trip!

Mr Slessor is also said to be joining the team on the road shortly as the ninth member!

And yes, it’s the Land Rover the SAF uses, just a lot older.

What is Overland?

According to Overland Journey, Overlanding is a self-reliant adventure which involves travelling to a remote destination with the use of off-the-road vehicles.

Such journeys often last for an extended period of time, ranging from months to years. The goal of such a trip is to explore and learn about the world.

A few months back, I accompanied my dad to JB.

He drove in, we had a cheap and filling meal before heading back to Singapore.

All was good until we were stuck in a 4-hour jam. Ever since then, I’ve never entered JB.

That being said, the spirit of these adventurers are definitely remarkable!