First Overland: London-Singapore by Land Rover Kindle Edition

This reprinted book, "First Overland: London-Singapore by Land Rover" recounts the Expedition from London to Singapore undertaken by six twenty-something lads from Oxford and Cambridge Universities in 1955 and 56. Because they were young they didn't know enough to worry that it might not be possible, they managed to get sponsorship from the BBC and the still-young Land-Rover Company (the obvious and only commercial vehicles at the time rugged enough to undertake the trip). Their avowed purpose was to study irrigation techniques being developed in the very new country, Pakistan. The other reasons were to document travel in countries very much unknown to the average traveler in 1955, and produce a film and photographs for the BBC. Their sponsor representative for the BBC was Sir David Attenborough, famous for his nature documentaries. The adventure was very much a lark for the young men, but their organizational skills helped keep them out of trouble, and their jolly attitude and camraderie made them attractive to all the many people they encountered. Another virtue of this account is a view into a world now much changed and not always for the better. The most serious difficulties driving through Iran and Iraq were a lot of local hospitality that often delayed their departure, the mountainous terrain and crazy desert traffic. Otherwise, the people in those areas were kind and welcoming, and the kids - well, like kids everywhere. For the Land-Rover enthusiast, the vehicles, named "Oxford" and Cambridge", were a pair of brand-new Series One 86-inch wheelbase standard vehicles. This journey helped solidify Land-Rover's reputation as the best Any-Terrain vehicle built up to that time, and for many years to come. Any reader who enjoys adventures in a world now mostly fraught with danger and political insanity will really love going along on this ride, with a group of buddies who nearly always were cheerful and ready for anything.

This is a wonderful travelogue documenting a “mad English plan” to drive from London to Singapore AND BACK! For anyone interested in travel or even what the Middle East and South Asia were like in the 1950s, it is a must read.

Interesting read. Like a top gear episode set in the 1950's

I really enjoyed this book - the colonial British persnickety-ness combined with the college student campout mentality - back in a time when you could drive through Muslim and Arab countries without political implications.

I love the idea as well as the act of exploring. Unfortunately I do more of the former than the latter. This book does a great job telling the story from an earlier time when much of the world was unknown and communication was hard. Amusing anecdotes and lovely British humor. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended.

If you like travel adventure, this book is among the best. Must read.

A great read that will keep you engaged and reading on. Loved the story; takes you back in time to a point where everyone was prepared to have a go and the word "risk" wasn't automatically paired with the word ''aversion", "management" or "mitigation". If you like travel and getting off the beaten track, this is the book for you.

Definitely recommend this book for anyone interested in overlanding or Land Rover vehicle exploits. Great blend of geography, history, adventure, and human interaction.

This is one of the best travel books that I have had the pleasure to read. Tim Slessor writes with a light and candid style that is very entertaining and takes the reader on this incredible journey. I had the honour to meet Mr. Slessor at a Land Rover show in May that featured "Oxford", one of the two Land Rovers that completed this overland journey. He is one of the kindest and most entertaining people I have ever met. This story tells of a journey that could not be completed today.

A great read: an adventure impossible nowadays!

A fascinating and well written story of adventure. Tim Slessor is a clever wordsmith and uses lovely expressive language that give you a clear feeling for what is going on.

The adventure of a lifetime.These days its common to take a year out before Uni "Traveling" to get some independent experience.These guys did it differently (bar one Oxford man), and passed their degree courses before setting out.In the year that it took them to complete this one-off adventure, they are exposed to some hardship and some opulence; influence and power, humility and grace, fun, friendship and responsibility, heat, cold and general discomfort. But mainly they learned to work as a team to achieve their ultimate goal.Some very different personalities, temperaments and early life experiences with a cross section of skills, worked together as one team, sometimes two and always ably supported by the home team. They made it through to the end of land (Singapore) in two early Land Rover vehicles. In doing so, they directly influence what they would eventually do with their lives. Something that many still find hard to decide on completing their degree. End of Empire? Yes, that too.Would highly recommend reading this re-print of Tim Slessor's excellent book.

Wenn man Landy Verückt ist, muß man dieses Buch einfach haben.Es gehört genauso in den Schrank, wie das Werkstatt Handbuch !!