wikioverland.org/Overland_Frequently_Asked_Questions
> Do you need a drivers license?
The one from your home country is enough, sometimes you will be asked for an International Driving Permit, so you may as well get one from your home country (the AAA, or CAA or whoever in your country will issue it for about $10)
> Are you in communication with the local governemnts about your travel.
Local ones? no. They don't care.
> How do you know what areas are ok to travel to?
Talk to locals, talk to travelers, read online from other travelers, read government travel warnings - i.e. checkout Mauritania right now - mostly OK, some red. I'll stay out of the red :)
> Do you have to register your vehicle in these countries?
No. It stays registered in it's home country, and I'm given permission at each country to "temporarily" be there with the vehicle. Usually 30, 60 or 90 days. I MUST take the car out again.
> Who do you ask for permission to park your car.
Depends where I am, but in cities there are paid lots just the same as you are used to.
> How are you on the internet right now?
There is a lot of infrastructure here - 3G is everywhere so I caved and bought a $20 smart phone that I now tether to. I'll buy a new Sim for $1 in each country.
> How do you communicate with locals, do they know English or do you speak what ever local language there is?
I'm trying to learn French as fast as possible, which is the generic language of West Africa. I can say a few words in a few local languages, but it keeps changing when I change countries. I want to learn more Swahili, which I'm told will be useful in many countries in South/East.
> Have you hooked up with any other travelers?
(assuming you mean met/hungout with) Yep, there are other people getting around in cars and on bikes and motorbikes, and there are backpackers, and tons of UN ex-pats.
> How about any of these tribal women?
Dude, keep the questions SFW please.
> How do you pay from stuff. Do they take U.S. Dollars or Euros or do you have to get a billion Zimbabwe dollars for candy.
There are ATMs in the capitals where I can take out the local currency, otherwise I'm changing USD and Euro to the local currency on the street - getting the black market rate is fun :)
> What are you eating.
I'm trying to cook as much as possible to save money - so oats, toast for breakfast, usually buy rice with some kind of sauce for lunch from a street vendor, and maybe cheap street food or cook rice/pasta for dinner. Food is a couple of bucks a meal when you eat on the street.
> When you get sick from eating local food what do you do?
Suffer. I'll be writing about the worst case I've ever had on my blog soon...
> Are you armed?
No. crossing an international border with a firearm is a serious, serious no no. I would spend many years in jail if they found it, and they've searched well enough already to find all my "hidden" stuff like my money stash, so they would find it.
If so did you have a license for your weapons?
> How do you cross the Sahara. Do those sand dunes move around and block roads or do they just stay in one spot. Or are these trucks able to ride over them without sinking into the sand.
There is a road from Morocco to Mauritania - the sand blows onto it (think drifting snow) it's passable.
> If you are in Sahara and water runs out what do you do?
Why would it run out? why does water magically run out because I happen to be somewhere hot? I have a 13 gallon tank, I make sure it's full as often as I can. Also there is traffic on the roads, I would flag someone down if I had major trouble.
