NO PARTICULAR WAY THERE.
Sydney to Goodwood. A rough route, a few borders and plenty of opportunities to get lost.
The plan is to take the quieter roads whenever possible. Through small towns and villages, over mountain passes, across deserts and into places I probably wouldn’t have found if I had taken the sensible route.
There is a date and destination to aim for but nothing in between is set in stone.
THE PLAN IS TO HAVE A PLAN. AND THEN SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
THE JOURNEY, STAGE BY STAGE.
Five chapters. Thousands of miles. One very old Land Rover
The route is a rough idea rather than a fixed itinerary. Borders change, ferries come and go, and sometimes the best road is the one you weren’t planning to take.
01 / Australia
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS.
Sydney to Brisbane
THE FIRST MILES.
Before heading overseas, there’s the small matter of getting from Sydney to Brisbane.
The plan is to leave Sydney Harbour behind and take the quieter roads through country New South Wales, winding my way north through familiar towns, a few favourite places and probably several unnecessary detours.
There’ll be time to visit friends, enjoy some proper Australian backroads and hopefully discover anything that’s likely to fall off the Land Rover before it gets shipped overseas.
A little time on K’gari (Fraser Island), a few final preparations in Brisbane, and then the Series will be loaded onto a ship bound for Singapore.
That’s when things start getting interesting.
02 / SOUTHEAST ASIA
INTO THE UNKNOWN.
Singapore → Malaysia → Thailand → Laos
This is where the journey really starts to feel different. The Land Rover will arrive by ship in Singapore, and from there I’ll head north through Malaysia, Thailand and Laos.
The plan is to take things slowly. Avoid the main highways, explore smaller towns and villages, and follow the interesting roads rather than the quickest ones.
There’ll be tropical heat, mountain roads, unfamiliar border crossings and probably a fair bit of roadside tinkering.
No particular rush. Just a general direction and a very old Land Rover.
03 / THE MOUNTAINS & THE STANS
THE LONG WAY WEST.
China → India (possibly) → Nepal → Central Asia
Beyond Southeast Asia, the journey heads towards some of the most spectacular landscapes on the planet.
The route is still very much a work in progress. There are borders to negotiate, permits to arrange and a few rather large mountain ranges standing between the Land Rover and Europe.
The hope is to travel through parts of China, possibly India and Nepal, before heading into Central Asia.
From there, it’s a journey through countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Ancient Silk Road towns, high mountain passes, wide-open landscapes and roads that might not always deserve the name.
Somewhere along the way, I suspect the Land Rover and I will both be questioning the wisdom of this whole idea.
But that’s rather the point.
04 / ACROSS THE CASPIAN
THE ROAD TO EUROPE.
Kazakhstan → Azerbaijan → Georgia → Turkey
After crossing Central Asia, the plan is to reach the shores of the Caspian Sea in Kazakhstan.
From there, the Land Rover and I will hopefully board a ferry bound for Azerbaijan. Exactly when that ferry leaves is another matter entirely.
Once across, the journey continues through Azerbaijan and into Georgia, a country of mountains, winding roads and plenty of reasons to take a detour.
Then it’s on to Turkey, where the road begins to lead towards Europe.
By this point, I’ll have crossed deserts, mountains and more borders than I care to count.
And hopefully the Land Rover will still be running.
05 / THE FINAL STRETCH
THE LONG WAY TO GOODWOOD.
Turkey → Europe → England
After thousands of miles, countless border crossings and more than a few unexpected detours, the Land Rover will finally be heading towards Western Europe.
But there’s no intention of taking the quickest route.
The plan is to zigzag through Europe, exploring quieter roads, small villages and places I’ve always wanted to visit. There’ll be mountains to cross, friends to catch up with and hopefully a few more adventures before reaching England.
The destination is Goodwood Revival, one of the world’s great celebrations of historic motoring.
Arriving in a 1965 Land Rover Series IIA after driving all the way from Australia seems like a fitting way to finish this part of the journey.
The aim is to arrive in time for the event in September 2027.
And if everything goes according to plan?
Well, that would be a first.