It`s always easy to tell about the good old times. Are they really that nice? Is everything newer that bad?
I`m not shure, if I had enjoyed my 110`000km / 68`000 Miles trip through africa, south america that much in one of these old camel trophy cars.
No aircon means open Windows, means a higher chance of getting sick with malaria / dengue and so on. Are you really in that shape, that you are able to cross the sahara by 48 degrees celsius? I guess I am, but hell - i was happy to have a 4zone Aircon who is able to give constantly a temperature at 22 Celisus. Was very very happy to get into the car after digging in the sand!
Compared to a FJ Cruiser in Dubai, where we did play in the dunes with a standard Single Aircon who just was able to set the temperature inside to 35 Celsius at maximum Settings - guess how happy I was to be able to get out after 3-4 hours of drving....
How often has the electric helpers did save my ass on my journey - when I was not aware to enable my triple lockers in front of a easy looking passage?
Are jou able to remember back to holidays at 1980, 4 persons and a dog for a 1000 kilometer trip? Possible - but hell afterwards you was mostly completely done for a while. With my Land Cruiser I am able to do two 1000km spints in 2 days to reach a point - getting out relaxed, rested / refreshed.
What is the comfort difference? An excellent noise cancellation (Mercedes S-Class like), constant temperatures, nice ride, comfortable seats.
Which car would you choose? Again, not theoretically. Which car would you choose for the Silkroad, an 1 year journey with hot desert till frosty snow environment?
All of thosse who says this roads are well known, there is no adventures anymore. True for the usual tracks on a Panamaricana or Transafrica because the road quality gets better any year. But it is up 2 you. You dont had to use the "good" roads with tarmac. You can choose the amount of adventure you need.
Dont cry about old times who have passed. You can buy one of these old cars, you can do that challange anytime. You can just cry, because you dont do it.
But ok, i forgot that many here did choose another adventure than overland journeys - kids, family, a house - what maybe is the bigger challenge at the end.
Surfy