After years of working a desk, I realized that life wasn’t making me happy and I needed to make a change. I began dreaming, saving, and planning, and finally quit my job and sold all my stuff. Back in 2009, I wound up driving 40,000 miles from Alaska to Argentina, and I’ve been hopelessly hooked on Overland travel ever since.
Read Dan’s Articles on Expedition Portal HERE
About Dan Grec (Interview) HERE
With little choice, I returned to a desk job and started from nothing to again build a savings account. Years later I quit and sold all my stuff so I could hit the road, this time setting my
sights on the entire African continent, aiming to live an even bigger adventure.
Over the course of three years, I drove 54,000 miles through 35 unique African nations as I circumnavigated the entire continent.
I knew it would be big, though the adventure turned out to be a thousand times bigger than I ever dreamed possible. I was once again sucked in by the thrill of learning new languages, trying exotic foods, exploring stunning landscapes, and meeting interesting characters with an entirely new outlook on life. I wanted to do all of this on my own schedule, in my own vehicle, so I built my Jeep into a house on wheels to enable my dreams.
Through all the ups and downs, the elation and despair, I gained a new perspective of what it truly means to be alive. Not driven by the endless accumulation of wealth, African people have a different set of priorities that bubble to the surface in every aspect of daily life. As the months turned into years, I was able to view the world through African eyes, and I was pulled in by the endless joy, laughter, and kindness I found at every turn. Though the landscapes and wildlife are undeniably breathtaking, it is the natural warmth of the African people that is truly unforgettable. All across the continent, the loving and generous people of Africa welcomed me like a family member, and without them, the expedition would never have been a success.
Now I’m putting the finishing touches on my written account of the expedition, called The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa, and I’ve launched a
Kickstarter to help get the book printed. The Kickstarter will produce a limited edition copy with 30 full-color images in the interior, and this edition will never be for
sale again.
The book includes stories of the adventures, the misadventures, and a ton of details I’ve never written about or talked about publicly. And it also dives into the lessons I learned from the wonderful people of Africa, the world’s perception of Africa, and how that compares to the reality on the ground.
Beyond just the book, there are plenty of other rewards on offer through Kickstarter including stickers, patches, my Africa photography book, The Road Chose Me Volume 1, and a limited edition canvas print of my favourite photo from the expedition.
Support the Kickstarter HERE to secure your limited edition copy!
-Dan Grec
