Australian couple’s road trip reaches Karnataka’s Ullal with tales of a gentler world

Mangaluru: Home is where you park it — and on Tuesday, Brisbane couple Sylvia and Frederic Bossenmeyer parked theirs in Ullal of Dakshina Kannada after nine months, nine countries and 42,000 km in their customised camper Bruce.The journey is part of ‘Boss Adventures 79', a dream the couple spent eight years planning. Sylvia, who works in the administration department at the University of Queensland, took a two-year break to make it possible.
Fred, a pastry chef who once ran two bakeries, sold his business in 2021 and stepped away from work completely two years later to pursue the long-planned expedition. Married for 10 years and knowing each other for 15, they have been living on the road since.Their vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser 79 Series, is both a means of transport and a home. Shipped to Timor-Leste in April last year, it rolled through Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, China, Nepal, and now India, where it has been for the past two months. The vehicle needed to be shipped twice, including from Borneo to Kuala Lumpur, while Indonesia's island geography meant relying on roll-on, roll-off ferries.Built for endurance, the camper has a chassis extended by 300mm to better distribute weight and an upgraded gross vehicle mass (GMV) of 3.8 tonnes. Heavy-duty brakes, dual diesel tanks with a 240-litre capacity, and a 140-litre water tank help them cover long stretches. Solar panels power the onboard batteries. Inside, the compact unit holds a bed, table, sink, stove, fridge, storage cabinets and even an indoor shower — used only once in minus 15 degrees in Tibet. There is no toilet, a deliberate choice, as they find public facilities widely available across Asia. There is no air-conditioning; fans and a heater help manage temperatures, Sylvia explained."The locals made the journey amazing. They guide us on where to eat and what to see. We drive about 4 to 5 hours a day, roughly 150km, preferring slow travel and conversations over rushing destinations," Fred said.India has been both rewarding and challenging, they said. They loved Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Kolkata and Hampi, and celebrated Christmas in Goa. From Nepal, they travelled through Varanasi, Patna, Odisha, Vijayawada, Hyderabad and Kanyakumari. Driving, especially in Varanasi, was their biggest test. "If you can drive in India, you can drive anywhere," Sylvia laughed.They budget about Australian $500 a week to cover visas, fuel, insurance, and shipping. Their plan is to continue through Nepal, China and Mongolia, eventually ending the tour in France at Christmas 2027 before shipping the vehicle back to Australia."The smell of curry on Indian streets" mesmerises Fred. But they said the warmth of people has defined their journey as an eye-opening experience, far removed from headlines and social media impressions. The four-wheel pop-up camper is modular, and the container unit can be separated from the vehicle.