And so it happened that, being past the halfway mark to 100, my husband and I embarked on a new chapter—overlanding.

After years of enjoying timeshare holidays at top destinations, I never imagined that I would find myself camping in the wild with just the essentials. To be honest, I didn’t even know the difference between camping and overlanding, and I wasn’t thrilled about the idea at first.

But my husband, Johnny, was determined. He spent countless hours watching overlanding videos, researching, and planning for our first trip. After about four months of preparation, he had mapped out the route, including towns, landmarks, 4x4 trails, and key attractions. He wanted it to be perfect.

Starting with his trusty Toyota, he fitted it out with Iron Man equipment, but soon we decided a camping trailer would be a game-changer. Each new item—from washing lines to plastic toilets—sparked his excitement. It struck me that just as little girls play house with dollhouses, grown men get to “play house” while building their ultimate camping setup.

Our first trip was truly an experience! Not everything went as planned, but that was part of the adventure. We set out from Delmas, South Africa’s “Town of the Year 2023,” heading toward Rustenburg for our first stop with family. My sister and brother-in-law, seasoned campers themselves, joined us for the journey. For Johnny and me, it was like boarding the Starship Enterprise to explore new frontiers.

After dealing with an unexpected issue—a tire with an expired “best before” date—we headed onward through Kuruman to Red Sands, where we spent our first night in the camping trailer. With the help and patience of our family, everything went smoothly, and our excitement for the days ahead only grew. Overlanding was turning into an adventure of its own, and we couldn’t wait to see what else awaited us on this journey.