Our Hobo Home

According to our requirements a tent, rooftop tent or off-road caravan is the second most important item you require to do true overlanding. You need somewhere safe and comfortable to sleep, that will protect you from the extreme elements of the African continent. As this would be your bed for days, weeks or even months. Especially after a long day of arduous travel over rough terrain. It's always nice to be able to climb into your own comfy bed and rest your weary bones.  After careful consideration we decided that a roof top tent would be best for us from a budget friendly, safety, versatility and ease of use perspective.

As mentioned previously, a brand-new rooftop tent was unattainable due to budget constraints, so we resorted to Facebook Marketplace. We were really lucky to obtain 'Our Hobo Home', an Eezi-Awn rooftop tent and Challenger 4x4 trailer. As a hobo is defined as someone who does not have a job or a house and moves from place to place. While a home is defined as a place to live, we felt the name was fitting. We love the tranquility of being in wild open spaces and sleeping under a billion stars, as opposed to 5-star accommodation. 

Versatility of having the option of the rooftop tent on roof on the Landcruiser or the Challenger trailer is ideal. It is safer on the roof of the Land cruiser as it is higher off the ground, so wild animals and poisonous reptiles can't get to you as easily. It is always good to not get too complacent as it is possible for a leopard to climb up the ladder, as this has happened before in the Kgalagadi. Our plan B is to escape out the side window of the tent and drop into the car via the sunroof. When wild camping it is very dangerous to walk around at night, as this is when the predators like to hunt. as humans cannot see as well. As we suffer with renal failure, we need to go to the toilet multiple times a night. We came up with a plan and keep a funnel and plastic pipe in the tent in case of emergencies. It is also nice to have the option of placing the rooftop tent on the Landcruiser, especially if we know we are going to overland really tough terrain or are moving each day to a new camp.

We do however prefer the option of the rooftop tent on the Challenger trailer, as we can leave it in camp and not have to pack up the tent if we want to go on a game drive. It also reserves your campsite if you are not assigned a specific site when booking. It is also slightly easier to get in and out of the tent when it is on the trailer and the ladder easily adjusts. The trailer also gives us loads more space for our equipment. Setting up or breaking down camp is super quick and easy. 

Eezi-Awn is the first South African manufacturer to produce roof-top tents in South Africa, out of the finest materials and we can vouch for their ruggedness, no matter the weather. We just love the windows and doors of the tent and enjoy lying in the rooftop tent and staring at the scenery from the comfort of the bed. The netting is a must to allow cool air through, especially when it's hot and to keep out reptiles and insects like the pesky mosquitos. We added a convoluted mattress, that we bought from Camp and Climb, on top of the original mattress and just cover it with a sheet. We also bought a K-way Mammoth sleeping bag from Cape Union Mart, we called Manny, which when unzipped covers both of us and keeps us really warm. We just need to remember to pack in our favorite pillows and we are ready to go.

Our latest addition was to add a reflective sheet and poles, from Camp and Climb, to give us even more shelter from the rain and sun, especially in Summer. Just to be clear, we have not been sponsored at all by anyone.                                                          

We love our Hobo Home so much and have had so many memorable adventures! We would like to get the tent waterproofed again and maybe replace the cover. If by some miracle we won the lotto, would we consider upgrading to a Mobi Lodge Continental, so we at least have a toilet inside.

WTF

The most important thing you will require in order to be able to do overlanding is having a capable and reliable vehicle. Preferably a 4x4 with high ground clearance, in order to handle off-roading and long-distance travel. Like Australia and many other continents, Africa has some of the most challenging roads and 4x4 routes from sand dunes, climbing rocky mountain paths to crossing flooding rivers.

After many hours of research and then deciding to buy a Toyota Landcruiser due to its reliability and parts availability, we went on a hunt, viewing and test-driving multiple types of Landcruiser's. Unfortunately, due to budget constraints we could not afford a brand-new car. We were keen on getting an old 76, 79, 80 or 100 Landcruiser, that was until we tried out the 200 model. Even though this was a real stretch for what we could afford, even after our trade in. We however did not give up hope and continued on with our search. This eventually paid off and we found a 2009 Landcruiser 200 VX diesel model that we could afford. It was love at first sight and after a quick test drive, we knew that we had found the car of our dreams. 

Due to its unusual number plate we decided to call it "WTF".  I will leave this up to your interpretation. The car had immense power compared to the other 200's we had tested. It was only once we had purchased and brought our new baby home, did we realise that the reason it had so much more power was due to its 5 stage Uni chip. To our surprise it also had an additional 60l long-range fuel tank and Bilstein aftermarket shocks. Besides the obvious Snorkel, Road rage rims and Cooper ST Max tires. All these extra's saved us so much money as we did not have to do these costly upgrades in order to get it overland ready.

After using the vehicle for a few years and many kilometers behind the wheel, we can honestly say that some of its best features are as follows. The sunroof, as this has allowed us to capture some extraordinary photos of wildlife., especially when the grass is very tall, or we were stuck in a long que of cars to get to a sighting. The aircon has kept us cool even when the temperatures soared over 40 degrees Celsius. Not to mention the center consol fridge which works almost instantaneously to cool down our water and refreshments to almost teeth shattering, just above freezing temperature. For the days when the temperatures where minus 8 degrees Celsius, the heated leather seats kept us nice and toasty. We have just loved the way the back door opens and have used the tail gate as a welcome place to sit or as a table to make some much need coffee or a bite to eat. The huge space in the back has given us the opportunity to design and build our own fridge slider and ammo box holder. This idea was more cost-effective than installing a build in cupboard and free's up space for loading other things in the back when we are not overlanding. This vehicle is so versatile and easy to modify.  We love the comfort and style no matter if we are on or off road, for everyday use or overlanding.

We were forced to get the vehicle new shoes as the Cooper Max tires that came with the vehicle when we purchased it started cracking along the side wall even though there was still 8mm tread left. After doing extensive research we decided to go with BF Goodridge's KO2 tires, due to its extra thick side wall and have never looked back. 

We decided to upgrade the front brakes to grooved brake disc with EBC green pads. This improved the stopping power dramatically.

Fuel consumption for a V8 engine has not been as heavy as we expected, especially dragging almost 5 tons or even when driving through thick sand. Injector cleaner is a must as the vehicle has high mileage. We always carry a spare diesel filter as the 200 Landcruiser does not appreciate dirty diesel. Which seems to be freely available throughout Southern Africa. 

We purchased the following from either Front Runner direct or through Facebook marketplace. Front runner roof rack, jerry cans and holder, gas bottle holder, roof tent brackets and fishing pole light holder, Sandtracks and brackets. The light bar and Tentco 2,4m awning we purchased elsewhere. The potjie holder was designed and made by us.

We added an awesome new 3mm steel bumper designed and manufactured by Danie van Rooyen at Maximum Effort.

After our trip to Namibia, we luckily found out that Mike M Suspension services Billstein shocks as we had to fix our front shocks as one had burst. They did a superb job at a fraction of the cost of replacing them.

As the vehicle came with a full-service history done mainly by Toyota, we continued servicing the vehicle at Toyota in Midrand. We unfortunately started experiencing steering issues and needed to replace the steering rack. The part alone was around R 40 000.00 excluding labour. After more research we came across N1 4x4 who had an original part for us from Australia at a fraction of the cost. We are eternally grateful for all their assistance and will definitely make use of them again. We can highly recommend them for all things Landcruiser in Gauteng.    

Besides the routine services we have a wish list of things we would still like to do to the Landcruiser, starting with servicing the back shocks. Rear disc upgrade discs and pads (same as front). Getting some front seat covers. To Fit a De Graaf performance exhaust. We would also love to add a 4x4 winch to our beautiful bumper. We would love to get a pangolin wrap, to protect the paint work from scratches especially when overlanding. Install a 16-inch touch screen with usb. Fit a back bumper with spare wheel holder. We look forward to making this wish list a reality and will tackle it as and when the budget allows, as we have always done.

Our dream

Southern Africa is a dream destination for overlanders, with its diverse and extraordinary landscapes with an abundance of spectacular wildlife. This section of Africa offers some of the most breathtaking overlanding for anyone seeking a journey of discovery and adventure. Being based in Midrand, South Africa has been the ideal gateway to travel the whole of South Africa and its neighboring countries like Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and into the rest of Africa. 

Overlanding is a budget friendly way to travel, as camp sites are much more affordable than staying in resorts, hotels or even timeshare. An added bonus is having your own bed to sleep in. Traveling by car is usually cheaper than flying and having to hire a car and the journey becomes part of the whole experience. For those international guests, there are various companies where you can hire a fully equipped overlanding rig if needed. There are companies that can organise your trip for you, or you can join a tour. Having a diploma in Travel and Tourism has really come in handy in planning and organizing all our trips.

As with most of us we believed in the impossible dream and did everything we could to achieve an unattainable way of life. Our hard work and constant stress resulted in us falling incredibly ill, leaving both of us burnt out and on the brink of death in hospital. We came to the realization that our hard work had been meaningless, unrewarding and we could not appreciate what little was left. Our plan for traveling once we retired was shattered when we lost many loved ones that had worked their entire lives and once they retired were too sick and old to travel. Realising this disastrous method and understanding that we barely had time for each other let alone our children, something had to change.

And so, the story begins.

We were lucky enough to be invited to join friends of ours for an overland adventure to the Kgalagadi. We booked a year in advance for Nossob and Mata Mata camps on the South African side of the park. This adventure is what really set the wheels in motion and where the overlanding bug bit us hard. It was due to Sim Racing that we decided to go to Namibia and meet all the legends that formed part of the online community. It even got us traveling near and far within South Africa from Pretoria to Cape Saint Francis, Jeffreys Bay and Clarens making some amazing friends along the way.

In order to do overlanding you firstly require a 4x4 and secondly a rooftop or ground tent, or else a offroad caravan/trailer. After careful consideration we decided that a rooftop tent would be best for us from a safety, budget friendly, versatility and ease of use perspective. Thirdly is all of essential equipment you need. and last but not least is consumables like water, food and fuel.

We purchased a brand new 4x4 and completed a 4x4 course. Anticipating a great start to our adventures as we headed off to Ponte de Ouro in Mozambique. Unbeknownst to us we had purchased the wrong choice of vehicle for our needs leaving us with a rough start. We learned from our costly mistake and now own "The King of Africa" a Toyota Landcruiser. 

This choice was inspired by our long-term dream of traveling to the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro crater in Kenya, as Toyota's are renowned for their reliability, and their availability of parts throughout Africa. We love our vehicle and would not change it for the world. It has taken us all over Southern Africa and we have never once gotten stuck.

Since an offroad caravan or offroad trailer was out of our budget and a ground tent not a safe option for wild camping. We decided to look at a roof top tent. A brand new one was really expensive, so we resorted to Facebook Marketplace. We spotted a reasonably priced Eezi-Awn rooftop tent not far from where we stay. When viewing the rooftop tent, we noticed that it was sitting on top of an old Challenger 4x4 trailer. We made an offer for the trailer as well, which was accepted and so 'Our Hobo Home' was born. We kept looking behind us on the way home for police as this deal was a real steal. Setting up or breaking down camp is quick and easy. The tent has managed to survive severe storms with lighting, hail, rain, gale force winds and extreme temperatures from minus 8 to 38 degrees Celsius. We sleep like babies through it all as we added a convoluted mattress on top of the original mattress. Now it's even more comfortable than our bed at home.

Besides Our Hobo Home, we have managed to acquire a lot of our camping gear via Facebook Marketplace for half the price, from our Roof rack, Nikon camera and Lenses, Mavic mini drone, solar panel, porta-potti, diesel jerry cans etc. We took our time to look out for specials and slowly built up our inventory.

You Tube and Face Book are great sources of information and Google Maps is always great for plotting the route and calculating traveling times and fuel costs. Another great source of information, great ideas and products is the various 4x4 expos. We visited the 4x4 & Outdoor show held at Zwartkops Raceway, were we purchased a 75l water tank and air compressor at great show special prices. This is where we also fell in love with the Mobi Lodge and still dream of owning one in the future, especially as we get older, and it becomes difficult to climb in and out of the tent and we need to go to the bathroom multiple times a night.

We really hope that by sharing our story and experiences we inspire other like-minded people to achieve their dreams and live better, healthier and happier lives. With proper preparation and a spirit of adventure, your overlanding journey could be life changing!

The overwhelming sense of being while in nature and our ultimate goal to see the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater is what drives us to travel and continue the never-ending adventure.