Overland Journal – August 01, 2019

OVERLANDJOURNAL FALL 2019

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lunch one day and found the bag of rice full

of weevils, and decided to cook it up anyway

with that extra dose of protein.

We were dry camping, and to not run out

of water was a particularly persistent chal-

lenge, plus all water was hand carried by jerry

can. ere were no water hook-ups in Africa.

Nick’s father, Andy, worked with Wally

at Lockheed in WWII and eventually joined

the Airstream company. Prior to Africa, he

had read an article on setting up water filtra-

tion systems, and installed them on all three

auxiliary vehicles. Warnings for schistoso-

miasis were everywhere, but we never boiled

water or used chemicals. e doctors along

the tour were livid, but no one got sick.

Did your parents ever have any concerns

about your safety? Going to Africa for 11

months as a young man was a long time.

Did they wonder that you might not return

to college?

Yes, my parents had some apprehensions

about the trip. is was tempered by their

complete faith in Wally’s leadership and

planning. Probably more so for my mother

than my father, having the knowledge about

my four other caravans, personally knowing

several seasoned caravanners, and recogniz-

ing that Wally needed someone to assist

during tough times.

What advice do you have for parents who

are thinking of pulling their kids out of tradi-

tional school and overlanding the world?

To everyone that can do that with their

child, do it. Because memories can fade,

have them keep a journal to chronicle their

adventures. It will be a gift to them later;

not only is it important for the child to look

back, but to be able to share these memories

with future generations. Parents should also

keep a journal as it is interesting to see dif-

ferent perceptions from the same day.

You became a history major, like Wally,

and ended up in business, like Wally. His

influence is evident, but how do you think

your caravan experiences changed you?

e caravans taught me how to deal with

and understand people, to read most peo-

ple’s character within a short period after

meeting them. is became an asset when

making friends or made me leery about

some new acquaintances.

In Africa, looking back, I found that I

understood diplomacy after having to use

it on several occasions. When the roads

needed rebuilding, everyone from children

to adults pitched in as a team, showing that

we could overcome obstacles together. at

hard work paid dividends.

ere is so much involved in our lives

that the complexities and learning curves

create not only who we are, but what we do.

How did it feel to have all of these

extraordinary travels under your belt

at such a young age? I imagine camping

next to the Great Pyramids would give

a guy some clout. Did you feel different

from your peers?

I suppose that there was some discussion

when I returned to the eighth grade about

my travels, but seeing as I lived in Bakers-

field, California, with such a large middle-

class family base, the average student proba-

bly didn’t grasp what I had just done for four

months. And I probably didn’t want to have

a high profile.

My main difference was in associating

with people in their late 50s or early 60s.

Looking back, I had more in common with

adults. is did not set me aside from my

peers, it just was part of my life.

Did the Byam motto, “We Byams can do

anything,” often voiced by your mother

and Wally, take hold of you as well?

Yes, but not in the context that my mother

and Wally shared. The Schwamborns and

the Byams were both strong believers in the

power of positive thinking. When you are

raised in a loving home you are less likely

to have roadblocks created within your own

imagination. Today, I truly believe there is no

glass that is half-full or half-empty—your

glass must always be full. Is that an illusion?

Maybe. But challenges must be met head-on

knowing what outcome you must have. en

you base your course to that end. When your

objective meets failure, you pick up where you

left off and resume your goals. Never give up

or fail because you have just begun.

You’ve mentioned that one of the reasons

you have been so active giving talks on Air-

stream is because you can never give back

what you received. How did the company

frame your life?

It was wonderful to have a working relation-

ship with Wally Byam and my mother. I

watched Airstream’s growth and expansion,

and the creation of the WBCCI. I’ve made

Caravannerstour the LuxorTemplein Egypt.

Upon docking in Cape Town, South Africa, the

holds were opened, and dock cranes began

unloading the Airstreams and tow vehicles.

CHALLENGES MUST BE MET HEAD-ON

KNOWING WHAT OUTCOME YOU MUST

HAVE. THEN YOU BASE YOUR COURSE TO

THAT END. WHEN YOUR OBJECTIVE MEETS

FAILURE, YOU PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT

OFF AND RESUME YOUR GOALS.

Photo by Dale Schwamborn