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Utrecht - Lhasa


In addition to our Packing and Advice list we'll show you on this page how we got all this stuff in the LandCruiser and ready to use. The photos were taken in January 2004 after a year and a half of traveling. Needless to say, our stuff moved around in the car somewhat during this period, not least after the purchase of the roof rack and the solar panel. Initially we even had one spare wheel inside The Toolbox! Even though there is always something to be desired (more light, more electricity, more space...) the present configuration suits us fine.


Ready to use The LandCruiser in Camping Mode.
A look into the back door of our home reveals the mess on the floor in the middle: we want to keep it free to sit more easily but the 'kitchen' always ends up there: the red basket with veggies, the Pakistani gas cooker, water supplies and also the red spare fuel container which we tied secure to the front wooden panel so it won't move while off-road driving. The cooker and water bottles are kept in place with elastic bands during driving. On the left backside is our first aid kit, on the right the control-unit of the solar panel including some cigarette lighter plugs.
On the ceiling in the front is one of our special inventions (at least we haven't seen it anywhere else): the attick. We can easily store our mattresses, pillows and sheets here.
To the left are two sacks to stuff everything you're sure you'll need again tomorrow, but can't leave lying around (books, mosquito repellent, radio, binoculars, etc.). They are tied to the side with elastic rope so they won't move during bumpy rides.
Right behind the chairs is a narrow box with all our shoes, the spade, foot pumps, a fire extinguisher, and sometimes spare fuel.

The kitchen
The kitchen
The Kitchen. On the right hand side at the back of the car, we have our 'kitchen'. Everything we need daily while camping is easily accessible. Closest to the door are pots and pans, cutlery and the water filter. Further to the front of the car is our supply of food: pasta, rice, sauce, spices etc. Underneath the box with food are supplies for longer term (coffee, chocolate or milk powder, more spices) as well as a box with medicins and spare toiletries. Bottles of cooking oil, vinegar, a thermos, big pans etc. all take up most of the back half.

The library
The library
The Library and Hobby box. Furthest to the back of the car our daily reading stuff, recent photos, Lonely Planets and a biscuit container with games. In the middle a small closable box with precious things such as presents from friends and family, and more photos. At the front end a closable box with electronic equipment such as battery chargers and universal plugs, a multimeter etc. On the loose in the box are a 12-220V DC-AC inverter, a bag with souvenirs, juggling balls and other toys, and all other junk we can't fit anywhere else. Below the boxes is a second set of the same boxes. The one in the back contains the rest of the library and photos. The closable box in the middle contains hobby-necessities such as glue, scissors, needle and thread, tape in several kinds and an incredible stack of things-you-never-knew-you-needed such as wooden sticks, pipettes and the like. At the front again a closable box mainly for small camera-thingies: batteries, chargers, spare parts, cleaning stuff, manuals, CD-roms and floppies etc.

The safe
The safe
The Safe. Bolted to the car and locked with indestructible locks, we keep all our most valued things in this old army explosives box. This includes exposed films, CD-Roms with digital photos, old diaries and of course camera equipment. Wonder why it's diagonal? We wish it wasn't but it didn't fit otherwise... In the corners we stuff empty bags and sacks, and winter clothes. And on top more of this. The lids are the only ones with magnets instead of hinges. This way the safe is easier to access and we couldn't have the sacks hanging above it otherwise.

The toolbox
The toolbox
The Toolbox. Everything we brought for the car is in here, and a little more. A selection of the things that have earned their place at the top of the stack: battery water, engine oil, grease, gear- and transmission oil, spare filters, the mouthpiece for filling diesel from the spare container, wheel spanners, battery cables, a hydraulic jack. Also some tools are close at hand: the yellow toolbox contains basic spanners and screwdrivers, and a hammer, good tape, saw, as well as spare bolts and nails etc. Deeper down are less needed but still handy things: tow-rope, tree trunk protector, some old parts (the old fluid coupling for example), a jack for the spare wheel, a handwinch etc. Our tent and hammock are also in here. At the bottom is our stack of books and paperwork that we won't need until we're back in Holland.

Bastienne Wentzel, Nederland, Juli 2004