Suddenly, it’s getting very real.
After months of planning, researching routes, buying equipment, checking the vehicle, studying border crossings and generally trying to think of everything that could possibly go wrong, Travels With Tau is now only about one month away.
And while I feel reasonably well prepared, there is still quite a lot to do.
This next month is probably going to be less about buying things and more about making sure that everything I already have actually works together.
Because there is a big difference between owning all the equipment you need for an overlanding trip and being properly organised to use it.
The Paperwork Nobody Gets Excited About
Before Tau points south, there are several administrative jobs that still need to be completed.
First is insurance.
I’ll be outside Zambia for roughly seven to eight weeks, travelling through several countries, so I need confirmation from my insurance company that Tau remains covered during the trip. I also want that confirmation in writing.
When you’re standing at a border post hundreds or thousands of kilometres from home, “I’m pretty sure my insurance covers me” isn’t really the answer you want to be giving.
Then there is the Interpol vehicle clearance.
I’ve previously written about the paperwork involved when taking a vehicle across international borders, and this is another item that needs to be completed before departure.
Tau’s vehicle fitness also expires while I’m away, which creates another little administrative problem. I don’t particularly fancy arriving back in Zambia after nearly two months on the road only to discover that one of my vehicle documents expired somewhere in Namibia.
So a visit to RTSA is also on the list.
None of this is particularly exciting.
But getting the boring things right before departure can prevent some very exciting problems later.
The Maps Are Coming… But Not Yet
Another major job still waiting is the navigation system.
I already have my Garmin nüvi and have been using Tracks4Africa for much of the route planning, but I still need to install the appropriate maps onto the Garmin.
I’m deliberately leaving that until reasonably close to departure because the maps I’m purchasing are licensed for twelve months.
If the clock is going to start ticking, I’d rather it starts as close to departure as possible.
I’ll also be carrying paper maps.
Electronics are wonderful—right up until they aren’t.
For a trip through remote parts of Botswana and Namibia, I don’t want my entire navigation strategy dependent upon a single electronic device.
This Isn’t My First Rodeo
Although this will be my first major overlanding journey in Tau, living in a confined space for weeks at a time is certainly not new to me.
I’ve travelled around South Africa in a camper van, so I already know what happens when your vehicle becomes your bedroom, kitchen, storeroom and home.
I’ve also spent 32 days crossing the Atlantic Ocean on a 42-foot yacht. Out there, you can’t simply pop down to the shops because you’ve forgotten something, and you quickly learn the importance of knowing exactly what you have—and exactly where it is.
Then there were my years working aboard superyachts, where one principle was drilled into us:
Everything has a place.
If you take something out, you put it back in exactly the same place.
Not somewhere close to where it belongs.
Not in a box because you’ll “sort it out later.”
Exactly where it belongs.
There was a very practical reason for that. If somebody else needed that piece of equipment, they had to know exactly where to find it. At sea, particularly when something goes wrong, searching through cupboards for something that should be immediately accessible isn’t merely frustrating—it can become a serious problem.
That lesson has stayed with me.
Now I Have to Apply It to Tau
Tau obviously isn’t a 42-foot yacht or a superyacht, but the principle is exactly the same.
For seven or eight weeks, this Hilux is going to be my transport, storeroom, kitchen and home.
The difference is that I don’t have a sophisticated drawer system in the back. Most of my equipment will be stored in boxes, which makes the organisation even more important.
So I’ve already started packing.
And unpacking.
And repacking.
And moving things from one box to another.
It’s not because I don’t know how to live in a small space. It’s because I’m trying to work out the best system for this particular small space.
I don’t want to arrive at camp after a long day on the road and discover that the coffee is underneath three boxes, the stove is behind the recovery gear and the teaspoon I need has apparently emigrated to Botswana without telling me.
Everything needs a logical home.
More importantly, that home needs to reflect how often I actually use it.
Accessibility Matters
Recovery equipment needs to be accessible, particularly if Tau gets stuck somewhere awkward, but hopefully most of it will spend the entire trip gathering dust.
The compressor is different.
Once I’m regularly moving between tar, gravel and sand, I’ll be adjusting tyre pressures frequently. The compressor, tyre gauge and deflator therefore need to be somewhere I can reach quickly.
The same applies to everyday camp equipment.
Coffee. Food. Cooking equipment. Plates. Knives and forks. Water.
If I use something every morning and every evening, it shouldn’t require a complete archaeological excavation of the back of Tau to find it.
That’s what these final few weeks are about.
I’m not simply trying to fit everything into the vehicle.
I’m trying to create a system.
Because whether you’re crossing the Atlantic on a yacht or crossing Namibia in a Hilux, one lesson remains exactly the same:
Everything has its place—and when you’ve finished using it, put it back there
Packing According to How Often I Need It
I’m starting to think about packing Tau in terms of frequency of use rather than simply categories.
Recovery equipment, for example, needs to be accessible—but hopefully I won’t be using it very often.
In fact, I’m hoping it enjoys a very relaxing holiday.
The compressor is different.
Once I start driving gravel, sand and rougher tracks, tyre pressures will be adjusted regularly. That means the compressor and tyre equipment need to be somewhere I can reach quickly without dismantling half the vehicle.
The same applies to everyday camp equipment.
Coffee.
Cooking equipment.
Plates and cutlery.
Food.
Water.
The things I use every morning and every evening shouldn’t be buried underneath equipment that I might use once during the entire trip.
There will probably be a lot more packing and unpacking before I finally find a system that works.
Every Item Needs a Home
One thing I’ve realised during the preparation phase is that organisation isn’t simply about making the vehicle look tidy.
It’s about reducing frustration.
After six or seven hours behind the wheel, perhaps after a difficult section of road, the last thing I want to do is arrive at camp and spend twenty minutes looking for something I know is somewhere inside Tau.
In a house, losing something is irritating.
In an overlanding vehicle, losing something usually means pulling half your house out onto the ground.
So the goal for the next few weeks is simple:
Everything needs a home, and I need to know where that home is.
One Month From Departure
The preparation phase is slowly coming to an end.
The major equipment is largely sorted.
The tools and vehicle spares are coming together.
Recovery equipment is ready.
The route is taking shape.
Now comes the final administrative work, navigation setup, vehicle checks and probably several more rounds of packing Tau.
There will undoubtedly be things I’ve forgotten.
There will probably be things I take that I never use.
And I’m almost certain that somewhere along the journey I’ll look at something and think:
“Why on earth did I pack this?”
But that’s part of the adventure.
A few months ago, Travels With Tau was an idea.
Then it became a route on a map.
Then came the equipment, preparation, research and endless lists.
Now we’re one month away from actually turning the key and going.
And I can’t wait.
What Am I Forgetting?
This is where I’d really like to hear from experienced overlanders.
What are the things you do during the final month before a long trip?
Not necessarily the obvious equipment—the little things that experience has taught you to check, organise or prepare before departure.
And if you live out of boxes rather than a drawer system, I’d especially like to hear how you organise your vehicle so you’re not unpacking the entire campsite every time you need the coffee.
Drop your suggestions in the comments. I’m sure there are a few things I haven’t thought of yet.
Follow Travels With Tau
The countdown has officially started.
Follow the preparation and the journey through Botswana, Namibia and South Africa as Tau and I finally take this adventure from the planning stage onto the road.
YouTube: Follow the journey as I start documenting the preparation—and eventually life on the road.
One month to go.
