Howling At The Moon

Reprinted with permission from ACP Media. (Motorhomes and Caravans)

When Doug Sim, the current CEO of Trek Overland NZ, was just a youngster his parents moved from England to Saudi Arabia.

Not surprisingly, the experience created his lifelong love affair with tents and sand. Years later, after graduating from university with a degree in engineering, Doug worked in England and often travelled.

On a visit to Egypt he fell in love with North Africa and this was followed by many extended Land Rover trips through Spain to Morocco, Tunisia and the Sahara Desert.

Over the years, Doug learned to appreciate good camping equipment and especially a good night’s sleep. When he visited South Africa he made a fortuitous discovery. He was on a safari through the country’s game reserves with a firm called Trek Overland when he found what he considered to be the Rolls Royce of safari camping gear.

This heavyweight, durable camping equipment was the very finest of Trek Overland’s kit. The tents were roof mounted on 4WD vehicles and fitted with a spring loaded system that made the tents quick and simple to erect and lower.

The units came with one or two sleeping compartments and the off-road trailers that the vehicles towed proved virtually indestructible.

The equipment that so impressed Doug was manufactured by Howling Moon, a South African firm that had been in the safari business for over 30 years. Their products incorporated the very latest technology and used the most robust heavy duty fabric.

Doug was so confident with the equipment that he was ready to take on the challenge of the Namibian Skeleton Coast.

There, on a barren stretch of West African Coastline, he discovered a vast, breathtaking wilderness of exceptional beauty, littered with the bones of every kind of whale imaginable. It was then that he began planning his next safari, from one end of Africa to the other, and this time he planned to take his wife Karen.

Back in England, Doug bought two Land Rovers and kitted them out with the Howling Moon flip over roof tents that he had come to appreciate on his safaris with Trek Overland.

But fate had a whole different trip planned for the couple. Out of the blue, Karen was offered a job in New Zealand. The two of them talked it over.

Figuring that they could still do the African safari some time in the future, Karen accepted the position in New Zealand. The two completely fitted out Land Rovers were shipped to New Zealand by container while Doug and Karen boarded a plane bound for Nelson.

Once the trucks arrived in Nelson, the couple travelled the South Island with their Trek Overland-equipped Land Rovers. They were the centre of attention everywhere they camped. Now resident in New Zealand, Doug has begun to import these remarkable rooftop camping systems that are designed to fit on any 4WD vehicle.

Of special interest to me as a motorhome owner, is the extremely robust Trek Overland awning system. These heavyweight side-mounted awnings come in a range of sizes to fit most vehicles.

The awning sides Velcro into place and are guaranteed to be windproof and virtually bullet proof. You will never have to get up in the middle of the night to take the awning down when the wind picks up.

Doug also imports the amazing 4X4 off-road camping trailer that has all the mod cons for a Kiwi safari. His equipment is especially popular with hunters, fishermen, photographers and backcountry explorers. No matter where you travel, Trek Overland products will be a great adjunct to any Kiwi adventure.

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