In this episode of the OverlandEurope Podcast, we don’t retell the headline story for the hundredth time. We talk about what followed: the real aftermath, the real value, and the parts most people skip.

Elspeth opens up about how dyslexia shaped her early life, being labelled “stupid,” learning to adapt, learning to fight, and learning to stand on her own feet.

That thread runs right through the ride … and through everything she did afterwards.

We also dig into her second career as an architect specialising in extreme conversions: water towers, unusual listed buildings, projects that “no other architect wanted to touch.” She explains how the problem-solving and negotiation skills from long-distance travel translated directly into planning battles, regulations, and the constant push to find a way through.

And then there’s the modern angle: social media, GPS, over-planning, and the quiet loss of that rare feeling of being truly alone in the world, untracked, unbuffered, living off your decisions. Elspeth doesn’t romanticise danger, but she makes a clear case for simplicity, spontaneity, and one idea every traveller should carry: go and get lost.

If you travel, want to travel, or have ever come home from a big trip and felt oddly displaced, this one is worth your time.

ELSPETH BEARD

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK

SPONSOR: This episode is brought to you by Taking the Pea

The post Podcast #22: Elspeth Beard – The Ride Ended, The Lessons Never Really Let Go appeared first on overland-europe.

In this episode, I sit down with Sam Manicom, traveller, writer, and quiet instigator of adventure, to talk about what really sits behind long journeys. Not routes or gear lists, but perspective. The slow accumulation of moments. The people met by chance. The mistakes that turn into stories worth keeping.

We talk about learning to travel without fear, why books still matter in a world of endless video, how little you actually need to go far, and why the best plans leave room for serendipity. Sam reflects on decades of overland travel by motorcycle, the bikes that became companions, and the idea that journeys don’t repeat themselves … because no traveller ever does.

It’s a thoughtful, generous conversation. Less about ticking destinations off a map, more about paying attention while you’re there.

SAM MANICOM

Facebook | Instagram

SPONSOR: This episode is brought to you by Taking the Pea

The post Podcast #21: Motorcycles, Maps and Moments with Sam Manicom appeared first on overland-europe.

In this episode of the OverlandEurope podcast, Mike speaks with Sherri Jo Wilkins, a traveller whose life has unfolded through movement rather than plans.

Born in the United States and later based in Australia, Sherri Jo’s journey began with a deep pull toward travel that eventually led her to sell everything and ride a motorcycle around the world … solo. What started as an 18-month plan stretched into three and a half years, not because she got lost, but because she chose to slow down.

We talk about that first leap: choosing a lightweight KTM, learning on the road, navigating visas, fear, logistics, and the mental shift required to stop “doing distance” and start paying attention. From there, the conversation moves into her transition from two wheels to four—life in a 4×4 motorhome in Australia—and the lessons that only come when things go wrong far from help.

Flat tyres on the Birdsville Track. Unexpected kindness in the outback. Knowing when an adventure has run its course.

Most recently, Sherri Jo has returned to motorcycles, this time on three wheels, riding a BMW GS with a sidecar built around travelling with her dog, Cody. We talk honestly about why vans didn’t fit her, why Europe changed the equation, and how travelling lighter again feels like coming home.

This is a conversation about listening to instinct, adapting when something no longer fits, and understanding that adventure isn’t linear … it evolves.

Follow Sherri Jo on Instagram | Facebook

The post Podcast #18: 2 wheels, 4 wheels and now 3, with Sherri Jo Wilkins appeared first on overland-europe.

Thérèse-Marie’s story begins with van life and climbing, shaped by physical limits, curiosity, and a refusal to sit still. It evolves through years of self-built interiors, field repairs, and learning mechanics the hard way — before arriving at a quieter, more deliberate form of overlanding inside classic Land Rovers. No rooftop tents. No stickers. Just practical systems, discretion, and muscle memory born from time on the road.

The conversation touches on what it really means to live out of a vehicle, why simplicity often beats comfort, and how problem-solving becomes a mindset rather than a skill. We talk Range Rover P38s, Defenders, learning to wrench out of necessity, and why some of the most capable vehicles are also the most misunderstood.

Beyond the vehicles, the episode explores Land Rovers & Campfires — a small, human-scale gathering built around stories rather than specs — and a deeply personal upcoming winter journey into the Carpathian Mountains, documenting remote communities on the edge of disappearance.

This is a conversation about movement, restraint, and paying attention — to machines, landscapes, and people.

The post Podcast #17: Living Light, Thinking Deep, Overlanding, Craft, and Community with Thérèse-Marie Becker appeared first on overland-europe.

Stream the episode here, or search for @overlandeurope on your favourite podcast platform.

In this episode, I am honoured to be joined by one of the most imaginative and daring adventurers of our time: Dylan Wickrama.

Dylan is know for his globe-spanning motorcycle odyssey, including a legendary crossing of the Darién Gap on a self-built raft powered by his bike. He then embraced a vanlife existence, travelling slowly and purposefully. And now, he’s preparing to embark on a new, audacious journey: a Fiat Panda 4×4 world tour, beginning just weeks away.

During our conversation we explore the meaning of life, the mindset behind choosing small vehicles for big journeys and lessons learned from past extremes.

Watch Dylan’s documentary film here.

The post Podcast #16: The Meaning of Motion with Dylan Wickrama appeared first on overland-europe.

Stream the episode here, or search for @overlandeurope on your favourite podcast platform.

Anton Poplett is back on the show — humanitarian, Land Rover enthusiast, conservationist, and open-fire cook. Our friendship has long been built on a shared passion for Land Rovers and the adventures they enable. But whether you drive a Defender, a Toyota, or something entirely different, one truth remains: we rely on our vehicles to take us into the wild and bring us home again.

In this episode, we talk about the tools that keep those vehicles alive when the inevitable breakdowns happen — whether it’s deep in the bush or in the middle of a French supermarket car park. From essential kit to hard-earned lessons, Anton and I share stories, practical advice, and a few laughs along the way.

If you’re into overlanding, expedition travel, or just want to be better prepared when the unexpected strikes, this conversation is for you.

The post Podcast #15: Tools and Breakdowns with Anton. appeared first on overland-europe.

Stream the episode here, or search for @overlandeurope on your favourite podcast platform.

Not everybody in Europe is aware of Big Agnes, the outdoor specialist whose products span tents, sleeping bags and pads, furniture, backpacks, clothing and accessories.

They proudly call themselves The Mother of Comfort, with a mission to get us outside and help us share their love of the backcountry.

Based in Steamboat Springs, deep in Colorado’s Mount Zirkel Wilderness, the company takes its name from one of the area’s highest peaks—Big Agnes.

Today my guest is co-founder Bill Gamber. We discuss what drives him and his team, and how they’ve built a brand whose pioneering gear has become some of the most sought-after in its field.

Listen on your favourite platform or here.

BIG AGNES

The post Podcast #14: All About Big Agnes with co-founder Bill Gamber appeared first on overland-europe.

Stream the episode here, or search for @overlandeurope on your favourite podcast platform.

The intrepid explorer Mikael Strandberg has countless expeditions behind him. In recent years, he’s often travelled with his two daughters. Right now, they’re preparing for their next foot march into the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

We cover a lot in this conversation—so much that I think we’d have gone on endlessly if technology hadn’t cut us short. A sudden power cut in Sweden ended things mid-sentence.

One of the highlights is Mikael’s kit list. It’s everything he and his daughters are packing for the Tien Shan. In fact, it’s a great starting point for anyone planning to backpack remotely while filming along the way.

Follow Mikael:

Facebook | Instagram | Substack | LinkedIn

The post Podcast #13: Preparation for Kyrgyzstan and a Power Cut with Mikael Strandberg appeared first on overland-europe.