Little know about this incredible travel story, it is telling us about how a little adventure can turn into a lifestyle.
In 1989 a couple from Germany, Christine and Gunther Holtlorf, decided to go on a road trip to Africa. They set off with their new Mercedes G Wagen, a sturdy 4-wheel drive, for what was to become a 26-year long trip covering over 885000km and 177 countries.
The couple really got bitten from the travel bug after realising that 2 years would not be enough to tour the African continent, exploring some of its untouched natural areas. Once they had been to all the countries where it was safely possible to travel by car then, they decided to continue with South America, then the whole American continent, and continued from there on.
Decisive in adopting this lifestyle was in fact the 3rd protagonist in this incredible travel story: Otto, as they affectionately named their car. Otto was not only their means transport; it also provided them with warm food, sleep and all the comfort they needed during their trip. Christine and Gunther never stayed in a hotel while on tour and mostly cooked fresh food bought from local markets. According to Gunther Holtlorf, Otto is the true star from their adventure because, due to its incredible itinerary, it opened them the doors to unique opportunities, such as special permissions to travel to Cuba and North Korea, driving across China – including staying in Tibet at Everest base – and without ever having a serious breakdown. The future of Otto is safe. Once Gunther will have finished his trip, it will find its place in the Mercedes museum in Stuttgart.
Read more about their story on the travelblog edited by BBC