FREE & WILD OVERLANDING
my personal story
I was born on the 23rd of January 1988 in the infamous suburb of Paris 'Le Blanc-Mesnil' from a French overprotective mother and a very strict dad from Italian descent. I'm the oldest of four kids and all of us have been half raised on a tiny sailboat, profoundly grown in the Italian culture. I used to change schools almost every year because of this and of my dad's work activity.
At the age of 15, I discovered the fragility of life when I got to see my dad having a heart attack in front of my eyes, on a quiet Sunday evening. Luckily, the Universe gave me my dad back but challenged all my siblings with mental diseases for years until now. I quickly understood that I would have to be strong so I can help my family, and me as well. I started to work, to work, and to work. I almost became the second mum of my youngest brother, and the clown of the family in order to win their smiles...
Although this was necessary, it was time to protect me. As soon as I could, I flew away to take a deep breathe. Completely moved by the movie 'Into The Wild' I chose Vancouver, in Canada, to work as an Au Pair, even if illegal at the time. This first experience abroad literally shaped my life. Since then, I had a few side jobs and studied in different countries until I destiny made me settle down in London.
But after almost 6 years in the British capital, I felt things weren't right. And when I lost my close cousin when he was just 25 from a motorbike accident, I realised that I was not living the life which truly belongs to me. In December 2019, I quit my job to go traveling around the world, starting with Africa...
Let's go to Africa!
I flew straight to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia where I met Mamaru, a young man of 21 years old from the Banna tribe who got noticed by a tourist a year earlier and who was busy launching his travel agency. Mamaru drove me to the Omo Valley, in South West Ethiopia, where I got to meet with eleven tribal communities.
Six weeks later, I flew to Johannesburg, in South Africa, where I got introduced to overlanding and where I rented my first expedition vehicle: a single cab Toyota Hilux equipped with a canopy and a rooftop tent.
This was the very first time I felt deeply free and wild, and where I could be who I truly am, and to let expressing this inner child burning in me. I crossed South Africa, from Joburg to Cape Town, I then drove to Namibia where I explored most of the scenic country, to finally enter Botswana.
Until one day...
I had to stop at many checkpoints while crossing the country.
But I had no idea that destiny had another plan for me, again. While I was busy feeling alive deep in the African bush, a pandemic was spreading across the globe.
A few days after I figured it out (end of April!), I drove straight to the capital, Gaborone. I had to give the rental Hilux back and to find somewhere to hide... I didn't want to go back to Europe, and I refused 13 repatriations.
I spent most of my days writing words from my heart about this experience in Africa so far. Until I realise I was completely and madly falling in love with Africa and the overlanding lifestyle...
Trying to keep smiling while unloading the Hilux.
In July 2020, I finally accepted another repatriation -which was insanely expensive (the plane was packed and we all had to pay around 2,500E!) - to go back to Europe. I lost eight flights booked for the rest of my world tour as well as other bookings. I chose to isolate in London and to got back to work at the same time. I was lucky enough to have worked for the same company for almost 15 years, the UK being their new base since 2015, and my boss needed me back urgently.
French TV wanted to know more about my situation. I got repatriated by bus from Gaborone to Pretoria, then by plane to Amsterdam, and London.
It was the worst time of my life. I felt terribly sad and lonely. I knew I left my heart in Africa, and I was building a strong rage to get it back.
The Solo Overland Expedition
Meet RAFIKI
I started to work as much as possible, late at night, in the weekends, my boss quickly knew I had something on my mind. I put strategies in place in order to save money. I was now renting a small and dirty shared flat with youngsters, I stopped my monthly subscription with the subway and walked to work every single day, in heavy rain or hot humid sun (3h30 return), to finally move to my parents in 2021 and to work remotely. I obviously explained my new plan to my boss, my family, and my friend. All of them thought I was crazy although they totally supported me since the very first day.
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Me new plan: to drive back to Africa with my own expedition car. The pandemic shortened my first experience, and I won't let it win. Never.
I bought a Toyota Hilux Xtra cab on 13th of February 2021, my first investment ever and first car at the age of 34. I spent months and I made a thousand of sketches of the overland 4x4 of my dream: RAFIKI was born.
I also spent the whole year of 2021 preparing the biggest adventure of my life which I call: my Solo Overland Expedition.
Africa's calling, again
On the 26th of January 2022, I was finally ready to hit the road. The initial plan was to drive from France to somewhere in the Middle East to ship Rafiki to East Africa -the ferry between Spain and Morocco still being closed because of the pandemic.
A last goodbye to my family, and I started to drive from the city of Lyon, in France, and I cross Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece to reach Turkiye on the 14th of February 2022. I had to amend the planned main route so many times already that I knew I would have to be patient, adaptable, and resilient.
First big challenge...
While I was exploring beautiful Cappadocia covered with snow, I couldn't receive accurate information from the shipping companies anymore. The Ukraine war just got worse and the maritime freight very uncertain. On the 9th of March, I received an attractive quote to ship Rafiki to Africa. The only thing: the cargo ship was planned to depart on the 25th of March from Hamburg, North of Germany.
Anyway, I took the risk and I spent ten more days to explore some other parts of Turkiye. On the 20th, I left Istanbul and I drove through Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia and Czechia to arrive to Hamburg on the 24th. The day after, Rafiki was safely locked into that Rhino blue container and ready to sail to South Africa on the 5th of May.
I had to wait a total of 6.5 weeks (48 days) before I got reunited with my beloved truck again. On the 7th of May, Rafiki arrived in Cape Town and I could collect it at the warehouse the day after. And on the 10th of May, it was the first day of the life which truly belongs to me, alone, with my Rafiki.
I spent more than 18 months overlanding across Southern and Eastern Africa. I traveled eleven countries: South Africa (4 times), Botswana (3 times), Zambia (twice), Tanzania (twice), Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe.
On September 2023, and because I couldn't drive further North to Ethiopia (when I was in Kenya), I decided to ship Rafiki to the other region which always appealed my heart: the Middle East. 13 days later, early October, I got reunited with Rafiki for the second time, in Dubai. I could explore the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, and Turkiye (for the second time).
Back to France
Today, I drove back to France, where I left my life behind a while ago now...
But I'm happy to say that I fought to live the biggest expedition of my life, on my own, with my truck Rafiki, and my dreams. Life's too fragile to wait for somebody, and that's the reason why, I'm busy planning the next one already.
Remember: it's so powerful to experience life in its full meaning and purest beauty. And in the waves of change, we always find our true direction...
Charline
