Ultimate adventure for EarthCruiser

New Zealand sheep farmers, Michael and Sara Whyte, picked up their EarthCruiserExp overland vehicle from Brisbane-based EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles in early-2010, before setting off on their ultimate escape holiday which will take in four continents and some of the most rugged and remote regions of the world.

So far, Michael and Sara's excellent outback adventure has taken them from Brisbane to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China and Tibet.  From Mongolia they drove up into Russia, where they container shipped the EarthCruiser to Los Angeles.

The second leg of their world adventure will take in South America, Africa and Europe over the next two years, before eventually arriving back in Australia and home to New Zealand.

With a starting price of $215,000, the EarthCruiserExp is based on the Mitsubishi Canter 4x4, powered by a 117kW/471Nm/ 4.9-litre, turbo-diesel engine. It has a five-speed gearbox and two speed transfer case and the rear axle has a limited slip differential.

The soft-riding suspension is backed up by military specification 36-inch Michelin XZL super single tyres designed to perform in harsh terrain.

"With a vehicle like the EarthCruiser, the world's your oyster,’’ claimed Michael Whyte, who has extensive four-wheel-driving experience, has raced off road and competed in winching competitions.

"Travelling through Asia was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to anyone. We had to travel on many rough roads and camp in some very isolated places and I have to say that the comfort, safety and security of the vehicle in all these situations was great."

One of the reasons Whyte chose the fibreglass-bodied EarthCruiser for the trip was that it weighs less than 4500kg fully loaded, so can be driven on a standard car licence.

"For me I chose EarthCruiser because I enjoy visiting remote parts and prefer to do it in my own vehicle," he said.

"Also the big attraction was that EarthCruiser fits into a 20 foot container which makes shipping cheaper and in foreign countries easier to drive around the small villages and get parking to stock up on supplies, in many places this would be very difficult with a large vehicle."

For Sara, the attraction was that "you can visit remote parts of the country at your pace, and see some wonderful sights that most tourists could simply never venture too".
 
"I find traveling in my own vehicle very rewarding and a great sense of achievement because getting there is half the fun," she said. "I enjoy going to remote places, it's vastly different from traditional  holidays where everything is already laid out for you with organised tours, your next meal already on the menu and  the destination you will be staying at each night set in stone." 

Michael said that driving through foreign countries had been a real eye opener.

"You have no real idea of the local road rules and there is also the language barrier. Trying to get road information was a great challenge but also added to the thrill of the journey, because every road you take, you hope will actually get you to your destination."

Sara also praised the all-terrain motorhome's interior, which features home-away-from-home comforts including a full size shower, flushing toilet, fitted kitchen, and double bed. It also has solar panels, a diesel powered water heater, air conditioning, room heater and a diesel ceramic cooktop.

"The layout in the EarthCruiser is also very good, we have lots of storage space, a very comfortable bed, a great shower, heating and air conditioning, a good cooker, 120 litre fridge freezer, table and chairs and a place to wash  up the dishes and even a fully flushing toilet," she said. "That’s all you need when you are wandering the world off the beaten track."