We took a road trip to Iraq via 21 countries – and ended up staying longer than expected…
Two adventurers have told how they embarked on an epic road trip across 21 countries, including Iraq, where they defied travel warnings and ended up staying much longer than expected.
They enjoyed a range of wonders, from the Dead Sea to a strange mirror building in the desert, but there were also low points.
Johannes and Anna converted a 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser into a habitable home and left their home in the Netherlands for a nine-month journey, eventually ending up in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Their Instagram @jatonergens documents the stunning highlights, but in an ‘ask me anything’ format Reddit threadJohn reveals some of the hardships that took place behind the scenes.
When asked if there was an “emergency” by a Redditor, Johannes told a story about getting a flat tire while isolated in the desert.
The couple captioned this photo taken in Saudi Arabia: ‘We are a big fan of these rock formations… This one is our favorite because of its thin trunk’
Johannes and Anna, seen above in the Wadi Rum, converted a 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser into a livable home and set off from their home in the Netherlands
While in Jordan, the travelers stopped for a dip in the Dead Sea and experienced its unique floating properties
He wrote: ‘At one point, after driving 25 miles deep into the desert and not seeing a single car along the way, we got a flat tire. When we tried to check it with our compressor, the compressor hose itself also blew a hole, Murphy’s law at its best.
‘But in the end we were able to just change our tire and continue the remaining 50 miles [through the] desert, fortunately without further problems. We do have a satellite communications device for emergencies.”
Many commenters wanted to know if the couple felt unsafe anywhere.
Although they never felt threatened, Johannes said if he had to pick one place that felt dangerous, it would be Iraq.
He explained: ‘That was mainly because we have a red travel advice and because we had less experience. But in the end, “most unsafe” was still safe.
“We came in with an open mind, ready to race across the country in three days if we didn’t feel comfortable, but we ended up staying for three weeks.
‘My impression is that most of the fighting in the country is very focused… Ultimately I think it’s not easy to accidentally get caught in someone’s crossfire, but of course the chance of something going wrong is not zero, and that’s also the reason why the Dutch government advises against travelling.
“And ultimately, this back-and-forth army is the only risk I see when I travel there. All the people you meet on the street are only friendly and curious. You’re like a VIP.’
In addition to keeping their wits about them, the couple also had to manage their finances.
They spent about $1,600 “all-in” in the cheapest months, but more than $3,200 in the more expensive months, “mainly driven up by hotel costs or depending on fuel prices.”
Before traveling, the duo worked around the clock to save money, with Anna working as a veterinarian and Johanne as an engineer.
They also sold most of their belongings and terminated the lease on their home.
To save money on the car conversion, they did everything themselves, although the pop-up roof required an expert approach.
Johannes wrote about the space inside: ‘The Toyota Landcruiser, [for us, offers the] best compromise between capacity, reliability and interior space.
Along the way, the couple managed to gain access to the world’s largest mirror building. The Maraya Concert Hall is located in Saudi Arabia
After their trip, Johannes and Anna flew back to the Netherlands and had their 4X4 shipped to Kenya
The epic road trip took them through 21 countries
According to the couple, the biggest surprise in Oman was ‘how much water and greenery there is.’ They found that a mix of swimming and walking was a ‘perfect activity for warm summer weather’
The duo said of this photo: ‘With a quick walk to the top of the Red Valley we had an amazing view of Cappadocia’
To save money on their car conversion, they did everything themselves. However, the lifting roof required an expert approach
‘Inside we have a full-fledged, albeit very small, living space.’
On Instagram, alongside photos of the van’s interior, the couple explains that “this is what our little house looks like from the inside, where we can eat, sit, lounge and sleep.”
They add: ‘The storage space we have is just enough, but getting stuff in and out feels a bit like playing with Lego.’
John said Saudi Arabia was their favorite country, “because of its sheer size, diversity and wonderful people.”
One of the highlights there was the visit to Maraya, the largest mirror-clad building in the world.
Johannes says that “you normally need some tricks to visit as the building is in a closed area.”
However, while they were there, there was a free art exhibit that allowed them to get in without any problems.
At the other end of the scale, Johannes said the UAE was potentially their least favorite place: they found “Dubai disappointing after other Gulf cities.”
However, he admitted that they “didn’t visit any of the mountains and dunes in the country due to time constraints, so we can’t really judge.”
Meanwhile, Bahrain was the country that surprised them most during their trip.
About the island country on the Persian Gulf, he said: ‘It’s just a big city on a small island, but the atmosphere and the amazingly friendly people made it a little adventure for us, so we stayed much longer than expected.’
After completing their trip, Johannes and Anna flew back to the Netherlands and had their 4X4 shipped to Kenya, where they plan to move on to the next destination and continue their journey to South Africa.
Reflecting on their recent trip, Johannes said the coolest things they remember most were “experiences with local people who invited us and took us on completely unexpected adventures.”
He concludes: ‘We are not the most extroverted ourselves, so when reading travel stories we always thought that this would happen less to us. But the people throughout the Middle East are incredibly friendly and hospitable.
‘To the extent that at one point we ended up in a five-star hotel in one of the Gulf countries, with compliments from the Ministry of Tourism, again the family of some guys we met earlier in the day who showed us around the city because they saw our Instagram handle on our car and invited us via DM. And that’s just one of many examples.’