Meet the Monster
Our overland truck—the Monster.
Meet the Monster—our overland truck. She’s a 2001 Scania that started life with Hanson UK, the main supplier of heavy building materials to the UK’s construction industry. So after a complete makeover that was completed in 2010, she’s gone from hauling rocks and gravel to being a chariot for adventurous travellers.
She’s huge—12.5m long (including the cab) and 4m tall—and powerful with 380 horsepower. Believe me, she has no trouble going uphill. She is an 8×4, so we should be able to manage very well off-road. There are seats for 40 passengers (although we will only have 23 for most of this trip), with 10 large storage compartments below and small overhead luggage racks that go the length of the truck.
Some other detail. There are four axles, 12 tyres (plus two spares), two wood racks on the back, six sand mats (for traction), one 500-litre water tank and two 500-litre diesel tanks. Wil—please correct anything I got wrong.
This isn’t the Monster’s first overland, but it is the first time Wil, our driver and owner of the company, has taken her for a long spin. Not surprisingly, she draws a lot of stares whether we driving on the highway or through a small village. Our passenger seats ride so high that we look down into normal passenger busses and most lorries.
Off to visit Ephesus now. Will write more tonight.
Where to next? 
Hi Peggy,
I would love to go to Ephesus one day. As a practising Catholic it really resonates with me because it’s believed to be the place where the Blessed Virgin is believed to have lived out her life after Our Lord was crucified. Apparently there is at least one beautiful church there; probably more than one. Enjoy!
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