London and Around
The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa
From the first time I dreamed of this adventure I’ve been looking forward to a stopover in the UK to spend time with my sister Liz and her Fiancé Simon. The Jeep will take 2 weeks to cross the Atlantic on a container ship, so I have time to be a backpacker! We have an amazing time hiking in the Peak District, camping and hiking the Lake District and hanging out cooking great food.
I’m blown away by how green and beautiful the UK is, and how being more compact makes it feel much for friendly and “village like”.
Dan Liz and Simon camping in the Lake District
Hiking the beautiful trails of the lake district
Liz Simon and Dan ontop of the world!
I also head down into London for a few days to catch up with really great friends I have not seen in too many years. The city is great, catching up with friends made it amazing!
London Bridge with the city in the background
The Millennium Bridge
Parliament House
I loved the contrast at the Tower of London between old and new
I was tempted to setup camp for the night!
The wall at The Tower of London
London Bridge with the city in the background
I also saw Prince Charles and the Queen, as you do 
Prince Charles hanging out
-Dan
That’s Buckingham Palace, old boy, not Parliament House… Welcome to the UK. Saw your Jeep build on Reddit – enjoy your voyage.
Also Tower Bridge, not London Bridge – if you need a guide, let me know 😉
Glad you like the UK! Your pictures are beautiful and I am really looking forward to following your trip around Africa. Can’t wait to see photos of the the Jeep in action!
Thanks Julia, I appreciate the comment on my photography. I’ve been working on it for years!
-Dan
That’s not Parliament House, it’s Buckingham Palace.
Hope you enjoyed London.
Thanks Simon!
Saw your beautiful conversion job on Reddit, well done and good luck on your adventure. Please be careful round Northern Africa!
P.S. Just to let you know the picture labeled “Parliament House” is actually Buckingham Palace. And the picture labeled “London Bridge with the city in the background” is actually Tower Bridge
Thanks!
What you describe as “Parliament House” looks suspiciously to me like Buckingham Palace. Westminster might be called Parliament House.
Good luck with your travels. Just finished looking through your photo album from Reddit.
In case you want to be sure your photos are labeled properly for posterity, the picture of the bridge you have posted here is actually Tower Bridge, not London Bridge. Also, the one labeled “Parliament House” is instead Buckingham Palace.
Cheers.
Thanks Jason!
I’m pretty sure that’s tower bridge and buckingham palace, that are incorrectly identified.
Thanks, sorry, I got them all wrong
-Dan
Hey mate, englishman here, sorry but just to tell you its Buckingham Palace not the houses of Parliament and the bridge is the tower bridge not london. Glad you enjoyed the peaks!
Haha, whoops, sorry.
I was wondering when I labeled them all, and was in a hurry. My bad
Thanks,
-Dan
Congratulations on the trip! The hardest part is setting off. I did a few marathon overland trips in my trusty Land Rover Defender including a 1 year around the world drive through 5 continents. Happy to give you some thoughts on Africa.
I also own a tour company called Kensington Tours. We have a few offices in Africa that may be helpful for a bit of r and r.
Congrats again.
Hi Jeff,
That’s fantastic, thanks, I just sent you an email!
-Dan
We hope you have a marvelous time in G.B.! We are coming up on our 1 year anniversary of our epic trip there, and we are still enjoying the great memories (though we didn’t see the Queen and Prince Charles – just the Queen and the Duke of Cambridge 😉 Some of our favorite places in London were the Churchill War Rooms and the food at The Radjoot on Queen Street. Thank you for sharing your adventures.
Thanks Elizabeth,
I really had a fantastic time, and I know for sure I’ll be going back to the UK. I need to see more of it!
All the best,
-Dan
Excellent job with the jeep. Stay safe.
Good luck for your trip!! I live in South Africa and can assist with any advice on travelling around our country (the easy part
and on what is available to restock.
I am interested to know why you have chosen not to drive through Mozambique.. It is one of our favourite places to drive through..
All the best.
Hi Eric,
Thanks very much, I really appreciate that.
The map there is extremely provisional, and I don’t expect to follow that route at all. I’m getting advice from people (like you!) and will go where you tell me to. Mozambique is now on the list, thanks to you!
-Dan
Excited to read about your trip. Living my dreams. Funny I have challenged my staff to do a 1 month trip into other African countries by car and I didnt get an exciting response. Im going to use your trip to get them thinking. I cant get them to all stop working. If they do we will have no business but I sure will work hard to get them to do a 1 month trip. Safe Journey.
What an amasing path you’ve set into motion for yourself Dan! Living and traveling abroad is an unparalleled life experience. I was fortunate to have lived in England, Italy, and Turkey whilst in the USAF.. and having traveled to numerous European countries as well. I’ve not been to Africa, so I intend to experience it vicariously via your posts. Much success as you continue along your exciting journey Dan!
Hi Deborah,
Thanks very much for the kind words of support
-Dan
Dan, are there any film production companies / documentary crews following your trip?
Hi Jeff,
No, it’s just myself and the Jeep.
I’m filming a YouTube series if that’s of interest to you. http://youtube.com/c/theroadchoseme
-Dan
We should connect. I’ve been a producer / director / shooter / editor for about 20 years, have experience directing docu-promos (www.wycliffe.org/arop) and am a Jeep lover to boot! I used to owner a Wrangler YJ. Anyway, email me if you are interested in talking.
Hi Jeff,
I just sent you an email.
Thanks,
-Dan
Hi Dan, I loved finding your info. Sounds sooo great! I am wondering, how do you get your income while traveling? Please email me, if you will. Thanks so much. Kay in Az, Usa.
I hope you have an amazing adventure in Africa. Would love to see pics of all the animals, esp. Wild cats and giraffes, and of daily living in your jeep home. Just wondering how great it all works. Sure Looks neat like you did a really good job and developed neat ideas. I Love the solar and emergency stuff.
Anyway, do you work for a company while traveling? I would love to know. Thank you. Kay.
Hi Kay,
I basically work and save until I think I have enough money to go, then I quit my job and travel for as long as I am able to.
I hope to earn some money on the road writing for magazines, selling photos and things like that, but I really don’t know if it will work out.
You can see how I save money here: Work Less to Live Your Dreams
Thanks,
-Dan
Thanks for taking us all along.
Loving the pics and I don’t really care if you labeled the wrong. It’s funny, I never think of any new buildings when I think of London. They have some very interesting looking new architecture, like the one that’s looks suspiciously like a bullet. Enjoy your trip and stay safe.
Thanks Catherine, I appreciate the comments and support
-Dan