Lessons from the Desert: What Our Convoy Adventure Taught Us

After weeks of rolling across Moroccan dunes and gravel roads, we’ve now landed in Meerbusch. The truck is fully emptied, deep-cleaned, and prepped for its winter break. Water tanks are drained, storage compartments are cleared, and even the cab is sparkling clean. With all the logistics handled, it's time to reflect on one of the most intense legs of our journey: the convoy expedition through Morocco.

We joined a group of 10 other trucks under the guidance of Nancy and Hans from Expedition for Trucks, two seasoned overlanders who have been traveling the world in their truck since 2006. Their experience shaped the route and the tone of the trip, creating a space for shared learning and exploration.

For us, this trip was all about putting our home on wheels to the test in the desert. We wanted to know: How does it perform in soft sand? How do we change a 120 kg tire in these conditions? What do we do when we get stuck? And perhaps most importantly, how does recovery work in a group setting? This convoy allowed us to practice all of this in a controlled and supportive environment.

The group was remarkably diverse and cohesive. Our truck was the third-smallest in the convoy. The smallest was an Iveco Daily with a box build, followed by two lightweight custom builds, one under 7.5 tons with an agile 3.2-meter wheelbase. Most others were in the 12–16-ton range, with two axles and massive 13.00R20 tires. Three vehicles were 6x6 beasts, one of which had enormous 14.00R20 tires. As impressive as those were, they came with drawbacks such as a much larger turning radius due to reduced steering clearance.

We traveled with people from all over: a Dutch couple with the Iveco, a British pair heading towards South Africa, a Danish couple, Finnish travelers living in Switzerland, and several German teams. Skill levels ranged from first-timers to lifelong adventurers. Despite these differences, the team spirit was strong. We still stay in touch with most of them.

Along the way, we compiled a long shopping list of upgrades, many inspired by the other rigs. For example, we ordered two wooden pickaxe handles to help lever tires back onto the rims. At 120 kg per tire, every bit of leverage counts. We also discovered ultra-compact fire extinguishers, and added to our recovery gear. Initially, we carried an 8m kinetic rope and two 10m straps, only about 28 meters total. That’s roughly three truck lengths. We’ve now doubled our reach with two more 10m straps and two 6m ones. Safety and self-reliance matter, especially when traveling solo.

In the end, the trip was a major success. We learned a ton, pushed our vehicle to new limits, and experienced the stunning landscapes of Morocco. But we also realized something important: group travel isn’t really for us. When we’re on our own, we like to pause spontaneously, sip tea at roadside cafes, and soak in local culture. Convoy life requires structure, schedules, and consensus, which sometimes gets in the way of the free-spirited travel we love. So while we’re grateful for the shared experiences, we’ve decided that future big journeys will be not in a convoy.

Now, we’re settling into a slower pace for a while. We’ll be based in one place until the end of January, enjoying Christmas, reconnecting with friends, and taking a break from the road. We'll try to stick to a weekly blog post schedule, but if there’s no new travel to share, we might skip a week.

Explore. Dream. Discover.