Epic Journeys

We used to own a motorhome. She (and she was a she, built on a Peugeot Boxer, whose engine moo-ed when it cooled down after a long journey) was part of the family. She carried us on many adventures, touring various parts of the UK, as well as the Netherlands and Germany. They were some of the happiest times of my life, and I rue the day we were tempted by a big flash new van, taking out a ridiculous loan that completely destroyed the magic. We sold it after a year and left the world of motorhoming. I hope one day to return to it, finding another motorhome to love, but it will be an old one, not some over-teched, over-engineered, palace on wheels. I want another one like our first old girl - one with soul!
She might have been a little bit tired, but she did have a comfy bed, a cooker, a shower. Not like the touring vehicle of choice for one German couple whose story is told on the BBC website today. They set out in 1989 on what was supposed to be an 18 month tour, but never went home. Gunther Holtorf is still touring the world in his dependable old Mercedes, having promised to continue his journey when his wife passed away.
The story is told in a five minute video, five minutes well worth setting aside in my opinion!
Gunther's Epic Journey
It certainly got me thinking: would I ever be brave enough to do even a fraction of that? how do you fund such a lifestyle? how could they manage without a proper bed for all those years? how would a Peugeot Boxer fare on some of those roads? how do you sort out visas? how many languages can I learn at the local evening college?
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it reinforces the idea that we have far more stuff than we need. The Holtorf's could fit their lives into one car!