TOUCH DOWN // Spring 2017
CHARLIE HUMAN : What inspired you to take such a big leap into the unknown ? SAM PEARCE : We always wanted to travel , but the death of Mark ’ s father before he could fulfil his dream of sailing across the Atlantic with his sons inspired us to get moving a bit earlier . Plus I have M . E . ( also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ) and needed to find an alternative lifestyle that would release me from the physical demands of having to earn a living .
Tell us a little bit about your family and how they all feel about the trip My husband is a comedian , and I ran an NGO before we left . We have two children , Ruby and Zola , who were 12 and 9 when we set off in 2013 . They ’ ve spent three years travelling through 20 countries up the west coast of Africa . We love the adventure and are closer now than we have ever have been .
What have your kids learned from their travels ? And what have you learned about parenting ? Our kids are far more flexible and resilient than when we left . Having learned to handle regular breakdowns , sickness and border police , they are not easily intimidated . They know how to make a tasty meal on one gas ring and how to wash in a cupful of water when necessary – both useful skills in a resource-strapped world . During the Ebola pandemic , when the truck was stranded in Monrovia behind
TRAVEL FOR A PURPOSE closed borders for over a year , the kids went back to school and were getting better grades than before we left . I have learned to worry less about what I ’ m supposed to be teaching them and appreciate the quality time more .
Your “ Big Green Truck ” has been your home for three years . What is your daily routine like ? No matter where we are , we start the day with exercise : surfing , walking , yoga or Tai Chi . It ’ s impossible to get kids to settle to school inside a three-metre-square space without flushing some of the restlessness out of them first . In the afternoon we drive for a couple of hours , maybe stopping at a market to stock up on rice , eggs and vegetables . Between 4 and 5pm we pull over at a quiet place in the bush between villages , if possible , to avoid curious crowds . We ’ re always in behind the mosquito screens before dark .
How are you financing your adventure ? We have more than 70 magnificent sponsors-in-kind who have given us products to road test , from our brand new Michelin tyres to our super-reliable Treetops Renewable Energy Systems solar panels . We also couldn ’ t have got this far without Tractafric Motors , who serviced the Big Green Truck for free across West Africa . We have no cash sponsor so our main thanks go to the family renting our house in Cape Town – the
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
Keep up to date with the eco-nomads as they journey through East Africa by visiting www . africaclockwise . wordpress . com most wonderful tenants an absent landlord could wish for .
Advice for aspiring nomads ? Just do it . The hardest thing for us was leaving . It took three years from committing to the idea to implementing : converting the truck , getting all the paperwork in order , buying the schoolbooks , packing up the house . I thought we would never get away . Travelling through Africa was relatively easy after that !
You must have had some incredible experiences on your journey . Tell us about your favourite ones . Surfing secret spots in Angola , Côte d ’ Ivoire and Liberia , being treated as VIP guests at the spectacular Calabar Carnival in Nigeria , spending a few weeks chilling on a deserted beach outside the President of Burkina Faso ’ s holiday home in Ghana , and the four of us holding hands and floating , giggling , down River No . 2 to the sea in beautiful Sierra Leone .
What ’ s the scariest thing that ’ s happened on your trip ? For my son ’ s 10th birthday we had a wonderful party with local kids in Côte d ’ Ivoire . The next day we decided to treat him to his favourite , roast chicken . On the way to town we swerved to avoid a low wire and the Big Green Truck fell into a gigantic pothole pretending to be a puddle , tipping over at a 45˚ angle . Mark was convinced we were never going to get out of it . But four hours later 15 guys managed to dig us out .
And the most amazing ? I love the natural rhythm of truck life : eating when hungry , sleeping when tired and moving on whenever the mood takes us .
The most amazing thing we have learned is that no matter how isolated you are on this great continent of ours , someone will always come to help . Our 15 breakdowns ( so far ) have mostly been opportunities to meet an astonishing array of friendly people . Travelling the continent has given us a great reverence for the traditional hospitality of Africa . Try it – it will restore your faith in humanity .
60 // MAKE MEMORIES FOR LIFE