It’s always comforting when I come across other overlanders mad enough to choose the Vanagon Syncro as their around-the-world rig. It might just be something about strength in numbers… or breakdowns. I’ve interviewed a number of these fools and featured stunning expedition-ready examples from Guanabana Overland and Alika Vaquer. If you’re interested in my personal money pit then you can check out The Apocatron – 1986 Volkswagen Syncro or watch my Journey to the Arctic. With all that background, you can imagine I was excited to hear that Vanagon super-fans Ned and Kat of Charlottamiles are back on the road, but this time in Europe, and with an all-new rig.
Back on the road? Indeed. Ned and Kat are no strangers to the Vanagon game. In 2013, after months of preparation, the couple embarked on a journey to overland the Americas in Charlotte, their beloved Vanagon Syncro.. They drove first to the southern tip of South America,“turning the 10,000 crow-fly miles from Ushuaia, Argentina, to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, into 40,000 circuitous ones.” This extraordinary 14-month journey is documented in their book Charlottamiles, South to North. This remarkable tale shares countless impressions from the road less traveled and features 2,300 photos. Once that adventure had concluded, Ned and Kat set their sights on Europe; but when the time came to finally ship their Vanagon overseas the pandemic put a hard stop to their plans.
At long last they’re able to continue where they left off, but with one major change. Instead of shipping Charlotte, they purchased a stunning 1990 Volkswagen Westfalia Syncro in Amsterdam, which will now act as their “vacation home” in Europe. The new rig is now “packed, prepped, and ready to roll,” and will head to Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and France. From there the plan is to take a brief hiatus, and return at a later date to explore eastern Europe, the Balkans, and Mongolia. Follow this exciting new chapter on Instagram at ned_and_kat or head over to charlottamiles.com.
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