Expedition Reviews
Expedition Reviews
Our guests are the most important people in OneLife - below are a selection of unsolicited testimonials and reviews from delighted guests who have undertaken one of the 4x4 adventures in our itinerary. Many of our clients regularly embark on further adventures with OneLife, which is a strong reference in itself ! Customer service and satisfaction is our first priority and we are proud of the enviable reputation we have gained.
A few years ago we met two very special people who decided to set out on a journey. Like most it had good and difficult times in the early days. Not only did they decide to travel overland but also to make a business guiding small, select groups into the wilderness. Today they now have a thriving enterprise, One Life Adventure ,which has built a first class reputation for organising and guiding 4x4 overland trips..
One thing will always stick in our minds. When leadership is required you need to know that the expedition leader will lead. This was done with extreme professionalism when we managed to find ourselves in an awkward position on the Cirque de Jaffar. With the edge of the road, loose from the previous night's rain, collapsing under us, we found ourselves in a precarious position, leaning over the edge. Going forward was not an option. Paul, using a winch and various strops, managed to save the day, not once but twice. He then managed to reverse us back up the pass for about half a mile to the top of the mountain. When we were sitting drinking tea with the experience behind us, I can assure anyone who might be looking for the cheaper option to consider the following - when you're sitting on the top of a mountain and you looking at 300ft drop, you don't worry about the cost. You hope that you made the right decision in expertise.
- Did we have a good time ?
- Did we get the most out of ourselves and vehicle ?
- Did we enjoy the diverse culture of Morocco, from the mountains to cities and towns?
- Did we enjoy the different types of driving ?
The answer to these questions is a definite yes. But I have to ask one more important question.
- Did we get value for the money we paid ?
The answer is a total yes. "With the best leadership being demonstrated when it's needed, the price is irrelevant".
Feedback On Our Previous Adventures:
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We would love to get your feedback on your experiences with us. Please send us your review using the form below. Please don't forget to state the expedition location and date, thank you.
Hi Paul, Thank you very much for organising a great trip the past weekend. The 3 expat South African vehicles had a blast…and their owners. Please pass this onto Dave as well. He did a great job and added to the enjoyment we had. We are looking forward to the trip through Wales…this time with more boerewors and biltong ;-) Thanks again for everything!
Hi Paul - firstly thank you as always for a great fun weekend, and thank you for the video. Although I missed the birth it is fantastic to have seen the lambing video and Molly was chatting about it all the way home (all 7 hours of it!!!!!) I am sure you get told this every time but it is such a treat to meet such nice generous people who are really interested in life. Do you happen to have an e-mail address for Elaine so Molly can write them a thankyou note? It was an awesome day and we are more and more in love with Trucky every trip. Thank you again for a fab weekend. We are really excited about Portugal and if you have a chance to send us the beach location (everyone loved the idea of a bit of wild beach camping to start the holiday) that would be great. See you soon Jonathan, Pernilla and Molly
Thanks for a brilliant weekend. Very well organised, fun lanes and great company! It's great seeing what kind of setups people have for longer journeys and has given me lots of ideas. Tyler had loads of fun despite the weather and we're looking forward to booking the next trip with you very soon. Thanks, Justin
Hi, Paul,It was a tough weekend indeed, but my tent did not disintegrate, my glasses are intact, my bumpers are there, and you looked after me exceptionally well - porridge and all! But I get the feeling that all enjoyed the sense of achievement in the eye of adversity ;-) Thanks for a well organised and very enjoyable weekend, Paul. Also thanks to Charlotte for the photo-coverage together with you. Brilliant mementos! I'd be interested in doing the Pyrenees with you in 2017. I'll also try and get a Lakes or Yorkshire weekend plugged in next Autumn. I hope all goes well for the OneLife Adventure team and all who travel with you. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Cheers, Des
Well another wonderful weekend in Wales – even the weather made an effort with a few second of sun, mixed in with rain, hail, sleet and snow. Happy Valley as always a challenge for everyone; both the newbies and the old hands. Good to see a mix of both prepped and standard trucks out and a few ‘youngsters’ out for the first time getting the OnelifeAdventure off-road experience. Only one very major point to raise for the next February trip – build a bigger fire and I think hot mulled wine would be more suitable than cold beer. Jezzzz – it was cold but that all part of the fun.
Once again a well organised trip - There is only three things to say about Western Sahara - it's big, vast and empty. I know when you look on Google Earth it looks empty, big spaces and empty - travelling for 5 days with 4 nights wild camping in a tight supportive group and only seeing dead camels tells you this is a tough location to travel. As ever Paul, you were a font of knowledge about our location and the journey. This was my third North Africa trip with yourself and each one gets better. All the best Denis
Paul/Anne, I just wanted to write and let you know what a brilliant weekend we have had, the weather only made it more of an adventure for my kids and they loved being on gate duty. We have really enjoyed the tracks and especially your helpfulness and guidance, we will be booking again in the future. Once again many thanks and I look forward to seeing your photos, especially if you have one of me in that deep river crossing.
Having just returned from OneLife's UK explorer in Wales, it is to be thoroughly recommended. With Paul Blackburn as your host and team leader you are in good hands for a weekend packed with both enjoyable and technical tracks, guaranteed. Paul's meticulous planning, attention to detail and experience also ensure safe passage and advice is always on hand. We look forward to joining OneLife next year on another 4x4 adventure further afield...
Hi Paul
I just wanted to say that the Wales trip was fantastic, it was well organised and great fun. I'm very proud of our Surf which did a great job for an old truck and we are planning our next trip with you to Yorkshire in June. It was nice to be able to bring our dogs along as so many places exclude them these days, I'm sure they enjoyed it but not quite as much as us!!
Hi Paul, just a few lines to say how much we enjoyed Iceland, enjoyed is not a strong enough word to express our feelings about the trip. Iceland is a marvellous country and we were completely gob smacked by the constantly changing scenery, We will recommend the Iceland trip by Onelife Adventure to any one. Your knowledge of the geography, history, terrain and the tracks are second to none. To be able to produce Puffins, Whales( many, many whales), polar bears, snails, caribou etc. was nothing short of miraculous !!!!
We are also most grateful for your mechanical skills as we had a couple of problems on our journey round Iceland which were ably solved by yourself. Looking forward to our next trip with OneLife
Thanks so much
Thanks for such a fab adventure, it was way beyond what I was hoping for, I think everyone must be fed up of me telling them what I did and what we saw and how much fun it was. Angus wants to go to Greece the year after - you won't get rid of us till we are black listed!!
Thanks Rachel and Angus
Hi Paul
Cheers for the pics and a fab weekend in sunny Wales..... We found it a great group way of sharing new experiences with others and an opportunity of learning in safety. I would like to take the opportunity of a 1:1 tuition weekend with you soon...... Meanwhile many thanks for a thoroughly professionally run weekend by your self.
All I have to do now is start saving up for off road trips :)
Cheers. Harry
Paul,
I would just like to thank you for organising the Anti Atlas Explorer, this was truly a great trip as was the Sahara Occidental Explorer last year. As always your company and support were second to none, and you always had the answer when things didn't quite go to plan.
I look forward to seeing your 2014 itinerary.
As always Paul, a great trip. Interesting, varied and the unexpected ! If you ever do the " Long Way Down " I'd like to go with you.
This was Ken's 8th consecutive trip with us.........
Great weekend - cold but good fun. As always it's a huge surprise on what a normal 4x4 can do.
Hi Paul
Firstly, thanks for organising a fantastic trip over the weekend. Great lanes and spectacular surroundings and a good group of like minded people! This week will feel very mundane by comparison for me.
Hi Paul
Thanks for a great weekend in Yorkshire, we still enjoying the memories and are looking forward to seeing & sharing our photos. Please find attached our booking form for the Pyrenees Adventure in July 2013
Just to say a big thank you for the Pyrenees trip. It was a really well structured & carefully planned route that revealed new landscapes and gave us a taste of the different cultures throughout the journey. The pace was just right and it felt like more like a holiday than a military campaign. We all thoroughly enjoyed it & are looking forward to planning for the next one.
Its Amanda, I accompanied Janice on your Wales trip last weekend. I just wanted to say thank you for a cracking time I really was impressed with the trip and your professionalism. Not one part of that trip was boring, always something to see and a lovely normal bunch of people. Keep up the good work and I hope to join you again in the not to distant future with my husband and family :-)
Thanks for a fantastic weekend in the Yorkshire Dales last weekend. Charlie and Georgie had a great time and it was good to see other children along as well - Charlie is still saying 'Paul........ bumpity bump........... off road..... tent........ car' so expect to see him out with you again soon ! I was also surprised at how well the standard Discovery and Colorado did - I suspect that quite a few friends with half decent standard 4x4s would be up for a play in the future, it's certainly a great way to see some of the wilder and beautiful parts of the UK.
Keep up the great work :-)
Hi Paul - just to say thank you for a very enjoyable weekend, I cannot wait for the next one in September.
Hi Paul, just to let you know how much we both enjoyed OneLife Adventure's trip to Portugal. Everything about the trip was first class, the lanes we drove, the fantastic group of people we were with, the evenings round the fire, Mary even couldn't believe how much she enjoyed the wild camping. So much so that we are very much looking forward to Iceland next year.
So, first I want to thank you all for a great holiday, and for being so kind and easy to be around, I really really enjoyed your company during the entire trip. So thanks !!
Privileged to have made the trip and the memories get better by the day. Would do the trip again without hesitation. Coming back to blighty and back to work straight away was the hard bit. The gloomy, cold and windy weather doesn't help either. Just keep thinking of those beautiful clear skies, the warmth of the sun and sand....
Thanks again Paul for arranging a very memorable, exciting, interesting and most of all an enjoyable trip.
A few words of thanks to you, Paul, for a truly excellent expedition through the Pyrenees this Summer. Your professionalism, friendliness, enthusiasm and attention to detail was matched by the experience and amazing scenery throughout the journey. The dip in the 'Med' was a fitting end to the trip and a chance to say goodbye to a great group of fellow travellers.
Many thanks, Dave and Vicki August 2011.
Just a quick note to say a big THANK YOU for a fantastic 12 day trip over the Pyrenees. Both Ellie and I enjoyed every minute (except for the time we had to leave the lovely Med behind and go home).The trip was everything I expected and the people we were with were all very nice.
As I hope we expressed during our trip both Rhian and I really did enjoy our time with you and the group. It was well matched and the experience exceeded our expectations. I was a little concerned when members of the team discussed all the spares they were carrying but fortunately I did not need to dip into my meagre stock !
Your enthusiasm and personality played a huge part and we enjoyed being along for the experience.
And yet again Paul I want to thank you for a brilliant weekend! As you know, Chris joined me last year in Yorkshire, but it was a first event like this for my other brother-in-law Ian and he loved it too, and we are now planning to join you again for Yorkshire in 2012. The three of us were unanimous in our agreement that you created a brilliant weekend - the pace was just right, the route and views were excellent, but most importantly we all felt relaxed on the trip. For those of us with very limited experience it's good to be led by someone who is relaxed and who we know will take the time to spot us through and give guidance where we need it.
You have an excellent company there Paul and we really hope that at some point in the future (when the kids are older basically!) that we can join you on a longer trip.
Thank you again
This is just a quick message to say thank you for a fantastic weekend in Wales last week. Steve and I both had a fantastic time, and aim to join you in Yorkshire next year.
I've finally had chance to go through the 200 odd photos that Steve and I managed to take, and found a couple that may or may not be of interest. Good luck with your forthcoming wedding, although I still think there should be a 4 wheel drive there somewhere!.
Thanks again Chris
P.S. If there is ever a job for the convoy rear, or gate shutter, with a company vehicle provided give me a call! ... Please!
Hi Paul, just to say thanks again for a great weekend in Wales, we both throughly enjoyed the experience (despite the rain on Sunday). We are interested in the proposed trip to Portugal next year
Thanks again
Many thanks for the great photos. We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend driving experience and learnt lots, more so driving on different surfaces. We also appreciated the tracks we did as each one offered different views and surfaces.
As discussed i would like to do the September Yorkshire Explorer if theres availability
Thanks again
Many thanks for the superb weekend of green laning - Tom & I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was a dramatic start to go from camp straight into the swollen waters of Strata Florida - couldn't be better. Sunday's lanes around the Shropshire Hills were especially interesting due to our connection with the area.
Wife and daughter are keen to do a trip as well. If any places become available on the summer trips, please let us know.
Thanks for a really super trip. I rate the trip as one of my top holidays. It has left me with a desire to see more of the Pyrenees.
I'm not sure that there was one particular highlight, but the Alpine meadow has to be one, the Army training area another, although in the photos the steepness is lost. Whizzing down one of the mountain tracks following Charlotte and yourself on one occasion, and Bill on another were great fun. The storm at Lles de Cerdanya, the double rainbow and the light show on the Sierra del Cadi afterwards was another special event.
Thanks, my very best wishes
Well, what can I say? What a superb weekend..! :o)
I wanted to say how very impressed Chris and I were with the Yorkshire Off-Road weekend - we absolutely loved it! I know that what we did was pretty mild for you (a chicken korma perhaps, compared to your usual vindaloo!), but we loved it. I've completed a couple of Land Rover Experience days, and they certainly were of benefit to me on this weekend, but I have come away from this weekend with a lot more confidence in my own ability, and also the huge ability of the car itself. A great bunch of people too..!
I've certainly "got the bug" now and will be hoping to do more in the future.
Thanks again Paul for a superb weekend.
Paul , thank you for organising and leading a fantastic OneLife Adventure to the Western Sahara. This was my 3rd trip with you and I enjoyed it as much as Morocco and Tunisia. Your leadership skills - whether finding a safe and quiet spot to camp, using mapping software to find small tracks in a remote and little known part of the world or getting and keeping the group together - are impressive. I particularly appreciated the hotel options when they were available. The daily satellite message to relatives back home giving our location and a reassurance that all is well is a valuable innovation and I hope you will continue with this.
I am already looking forward to the Libyan trip later in this year, also, could you please reserve a provisional place on both 2011 Algerian trips
Linda and I wanted to drop you a line to thank you for a truly excellent weekend. We enjoyed all the runs (difficult and easy) the company and despite some bad weather, some stunning countryside. Thanks also for taking the extra time to cover Happy Valley which was well worth it from our perspective. The format that you provide of camping with basic facilities or even wild camping with some time in the evening to chat to like minded individuals round a camp fire is something we particularly enjoyed over other weekends we have participated in with the competition.
Thanks again for a brilliant weekend end and we look forward to joining you again when holidays and work permit it !!!!
Dear Paul
Thank you for organising and leading another excellent and well-planned adventure. I am already looking forward to my trips with you next year.
Paul,
Thanks for a fantastic three weeks, the chance to see the huge diversity of the country in landscape & culture. We both already have a love for Africa & it has wetted our appetite to see more.
We were impressed with your exceptional knowledge and facts which you provided throughout the trip. As well as the amazing changing scenery we really enjoyed the opportunities to met people in their native environment - the breakfast delivered by the farmer in the Rif and the visit to Nima's village will be lasting memories.
Hi Paul and Anne,
Thank you for an "awesome" holiday ( Connors` choice of word!) The two weeks were excellent fun, fantastic scenery and made even better by a great crowd of people. The kids both enjoyed it more than we thought they would. The only problem is now that we cannot wait to start planning the next adventure. You organised everything so well and your enthusiasm and joy of travelling was contagious. Thank you again for a memory making holiday and we will see you soon on another trip, unless we are on the blacklist!!
Yours ( feeling really pissed off about being at work and being at home and not being able to come to Morocco in September and hating living in a house not a tent...)
Carol, Kevin , Connor ( better known as Cub) and Shannon.
Hi Paul , I would just like to say a huge thankyou for your hospitality on your Pyrenees explorer. I think I can speak for both me and John when I say we had a truly awesome experience.
Also, I have written an article about the trip and have forwarded it to Total Off Road. Emily has got back to me and said that they hope to run it in the future.
Anyway, many thanks again, I look forward to travelling with you again soon
Dear Paul - just to let you know we have just returned to Cumbria after a wonderful trip, very good itinerary and lovely people, thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - thank you for making it such a good trip.
Hi Paul,
Our tour with you was just terrific and exceeded our expectations. The choice of tracks and driving was just right with an excellent mix of terrain and difficulty. The campsites where also perfect. One of the best adventures we have had.
Hi Paul and Anne,
We would both like to thank you for a fantastic weekend last week. We really enjoyed the driving, views, weather and the company. It was a great starter for us into the world of expedition and convoy driving. the driving was just what we wanted and we both got a good chance to test our driving skills, and we are currently making alterations to our good old 200 TDI, which, by the way is still better than a Land Cruiser !!!!!!!!!!
See you in October
Paul & Anne,
Just a quick note to thank you once again for organising another awesome trip, great company, well chosen routes, fantastic views, glorious sunshine, and perhaps one of the coldest nights sleeping out since I kipped on the side of Mont Blanc !
Who said you can't find it all in the UK, although on Saturday it was a bit 'four seasons in a day' !
Thanks for the pictures posted on the web site, and yes Paul, you are quite right, it was all the car that got me through !!
(note to self, next time realise that the diff lock would be a good idea at the rock step!)
Thanks again , and hope to be joining you again soon
Just a few lines to say thanks for the weekend. Bearing in mind that it was my first every off road experience as a complete 4X4 novice - (the car was better prepared than me) I can honestly say it was a driving test for myself more than a capability test for the car - it was an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed - I probably learnt more about the capability of my car - and how to drive it - over 'your weekend' than over the past two years road & track driving. It was also interesting to see completely standard 4X4's on the event and how well they performed and that everyone finished. One of my other aims was to look at some of the equipment people were using 'inside' the cars - cookers/seats/tents/water carriers/ sat nav stuff, etc- to see what was needed and what worked for a longer off road experience.
The routes were great and the scenery was stunning. I will be finishing off the few things I need to do on the car and I'll be with you later this year in Morocco
Paul
I would like to thank you for leading the Tunisian trip and say how much I enjoyed it. The organisation was excellent and your professionalism and experience are second to none. The equipment you carried was very impressive - the moving map display on your laptop, for example, was particularly reassuring when the weather deteriorated in the sand storm. It was also good to have a satellite phone available.
I hope you have a successful 2009 and look forward to joining you in Morocco later in the year.
Hi Paul
We would like to thank you for One Great Trip, One Great Adventure, One Fantastic Holiday, lead by a True Professional. Totally faultless.
When you get compliments from a Yorkshireman you must have got it right!!!
A. lgeria 2008
L. oved every second
G. reat fun
E. xcellent
R. iding the dunes
I. ncredible scenery
A. nd finally..........Hotel Kasbah
Thanks Again
Looking forward to 2009
Paul
We had a truely memorable and enjoyable trip, and the photos and stories have been distributed far and wide. Your organisation and professionalism are of the highest order, and your unfailing courtesy and patience were commendable. Thank you also for the CD with all the trips photos, which were top class and have been widely admired. We'll definitely would like to do another trip and are thinking already of when and where.
I just want to say a big thanks to you for such a great trip weekend. As I am sure you could tell...I am certainly no camper. Although it was torrential rain with gale force winds, and I was cold, wet, muddy, hungry and tired with no sign of a toilet or shower for days.....I had the best time ever! Thanks to everyone for being so nice and making the trip absolutely brilliant. On a very sunny (how ironic) Monday morning in Leeds I was sat on the M1 for an hour in traffic on my daily commute, surrounded by grumpy drivers. All I could do was smile, as I knew I was surrounded by people who had spent their weekend cleaning, shopping or just being hungover....whereas I on the other hand was driving through rivers, up rocks and across mountains wearing bright pink wellies with a great bunch of people. My colleagues and friends cannot believe I actually went on the trip....let alone have such a good time. We are planning to go again later on this year. Thanks to Paul and Anne...aka "The Oracles of the Mountains", you guys are ace :oD
Hi Paul and Anne
We had a great time despite the weather this weekend; it was really good to finally see some of what the car is capable of doing after spending so many hours working on it! Seeing all the other vehicles on the weekend also gave us a few ideas of improvements to make to ours before we head for Australia
Hi Paul
Thanks for a great weekend - it was really good to put our new toy (and me) to a bit of a test and I am starting to feel a bit more confident (dangerous!).
Cheers,
Jerry
Hi Paul
Thank you for a fantastic weekend in North Yorkshire, a very good mixture of lanes throughout the weekend and some very testing ones too but the main thing is I managed to complete them without any damage (or bits falling off as some of the group commented) or the need to be recovered (bonus), believe me it was great fun in the Freelander (that underbody protection was worth the investment) and thanks for the jubilee clips for the minor adjustment needed to keep the exhaust from vibrating on the guard after it had a few encounters with the local stone!
Good choice of camp sites especially the second night.....what a view and the landlord, what a character, but at least he served good ale and good food. I'm looking forward to the next adventure, so I'd be greatful if you could keep me posted and let me know which ones would be best suited for the Freelander.
Best Regards,
David and Graeme
Dear Anne and Paul,
Last weekend was extremely enjoyable for all. Even Charlotte and Jamie managed not to squabble for three days which is not often done. I must admit I was not sure what we letting ourselves in for, but all turned out well and exceeded expectations. Certainly something to repeat as soon as time allows and I'll make sure my wife Caroline comes along also next time. I certainly learnt a lot in a few days in Wales. My thanks to both of you for your organisation and help over the weekend and hopefully see you again soon.
Regards, Julian
Anne and Paul,
Sorry for the delay in responding but I would just like to say both Judy and myself enjoyed the weekend. From my point of view the whole thing is pitched just right, it was also very informative. The level of support provided by yourselves and Eddie is also very commendable given the odd vehicular hiccup. I am unlikely to be away again this year because of the dreaded "W" word, but we will no doubt see you again, and wish you well with your travels.
Phil
Ps... I would recommend Onelife Adventures to any of your future clients pls. feel free to pass on my recommendations.
Thank you very much for the lovely photos and a fantastic weekend. The whole family had a great time especially the children. We very much appreciated the effort you both made to look after us and the car. We will definately be going with you on another weekend later in the year.
Many thanks again for a superb weekend
Regards, Chris
We all had a great time - well done for planning it so well. We thought the combination of routes, campsites, scenery and the good company all added to a great weekend. We've arrived home with lots of ideas of future things to do and lots of places to go.
Many thanks for everything, look forward to meeting you again soon.
We had a great time and really found it a learning experience, whet we can or can't do and equally what we would like to do in the future, in terms of the vehicle and our travel plans !
Hope fully if its not fully booked we would like to join you in August.
Once again thanks for the weekend, thoroughly enjoyed it.
I had a fantastic trip, well organised to the point of being practically perfect, intelligently hosted by experienced Expedition leaders who have travelled extensively, often informing us of geological, ecological, biological and cultural issues along the way, they handled everything, involving us as and when group decisions were needed. They sorted complicated passport and vehicle documentation problems, they communicated with the local people to make our trip unique rather than following the well established and published tourist routes. The route planning was exceptional including a sensible amount of previously un-reccyed off road routes making our trip even more special, these routes just happened to be exceptional in terms of off road and scenery. The distances travelled each day were carefully calculated to ensure we were not unnessarily fatigued and to enable us to reach camp in good time. They even cooked for us all on a couple of occaisions. I can say that I doubt very much that any other UK based tour operator could have provided anywhere near the whole 'Morocco Experience' that we had. There were a couple of mechanical problems to be overcome on the trip and Paul was willing and able to get stuck in and turn the problems into an educational exersize, as of course "these things happen on expedition". There are a number of requirements to becoming a good expedition leader, most of which are obvious, but to me vital qualities include being a good comminicator and an entertainer, to be able to appreciate the requirements of a mix of characters and their abilities and to tune the trip regardless of the itinerary to suit them.
Onelife Adventure/Paul and Anne........ second to none!
Paul and Anne!
Thanks for an ace weekend and for being such welcoming hosts. Despite lacking the experience of the other drivers, you still made our group of young folk feel welcome! It was quite an eye opener, as both off roading and expeditions always seemed like one of those things other people did, but obviously not! You've given me a taster of what I'd like to experience before I tie myself down to real grown up life!
Hope to see you again in 2007- somewhere with more sand, heat and mossies!
Thanks again from both myself and Olly
Sam
We have just enjoyed true adventure, perhaps the only real life adventure left open to ordinary folks like us. The Moroccan scenery - majestic and ever changing. The routes challenging but managable with just that hint of excitement.
Thanks from Jeniffer & I for your care and attention and for our most memorable time with OneLife Adventure
Andrew & Jen.
Thank you for an exceptional, fantastic, mind blowing holiday. You have not seen the last of us !.
What OneLife Adventure means to me, Beth
O. nly one life
N. ormality left behind
E. xcitement
L. asting Impressions
I. solation from the maddening crowd
F. un
E. nthusiastic fellow passengers
A. man on board
D. aring to be different
V. ariety of challnges, cultures, scenery
E. xperience of tour leaders
N. ew skills learnt
T. rust in guides/tour leaders
U. nusual places, photos
R. eassurance with Paul and Anne
E. xcellence
Many thanks for an excellent weekend and the best off road track we've driven.
Despite the torrents and gales it was an experience for all of us. We thoroughly enjoyed your company too!
We are very interested in more "adventures", both in Wales and further afield.
Regards and Best Wishes,
Martin, Hannah, Ella, Lydia and Lowell
Just wanted to let you know that we both had a wonderful time once again with the best company, some beautiful lanes and a good happy time.
Can't wait for the next one and keep in touch! If we don't see you soon, then very safe travels!!
Cheers
Steve and Lou
We had a fantastic time, and are really looking forward to the next Welsh Explorer. I am sure we are going to be regulars on your weekend trips, and are now looking at timing for some longer trips next year.......I wish we could do them all.
Best Regards,
From all of us...
Just like to say thanks for a brilliant weekend!! We will definately be back!
Stuart also thoroughly enjoyed himself and has already said he'll be back!
Thanks again,
Tony and family
This is the fourth OneLife Adventure expedition we have done with Paul and Anne - the only difference about this one is that we are now on our own, having said goodbye to them in Niger, on the edge of the Sahara, back in April 2006 as we travel to the other side of the world - New Zealand. Without their knowledge and experience we would not be here now, they have guided us from the early days of vehicle selection and preparation to shake down tests in Iceland and Tunisia. Both Red and I gained so much knowledge from Paul, not least on how to create impromptu roadblocks when faced with border officials demanding bribes in Senegal - their company and humour is sorely missed - book us in for another expedition in 2007 !
From a woman's point of view I can sympathise with those who have never been involved in 4x4 expeditions and who probably regard this as another 'boys toys' activity, but I have to say that since that initial weekend 2 years ago I have had many more trips with Geoff, my husband and have enjoyed every one - from two one week trips in the Pyrenees, two weeks in Iceland, and more recently four weeks travelling around the Western Sahara. For 2007 we plan to do Morocco, Rumania and also a circumnavigation of the Sahara - in the safe hands of OneLife Adventures of course.
In summary I have to admit that I am now converted to overland travel by vehicle, and eagerly look forward to our next outing wherever it may be. Yes, from a woman's point of view, you may not always get a shower and may have to rely on wet wipes, you will get dusty and dirty at times, but the experiences gained on the journey far outweigh any temporary inconveniences and I have had a new door in my life opened to reveal people and places I would never have otherwise visited. I am now firmly of the view that you only have one life so live it!
Sue Daulman
Thanks for a great time last weekend - everyone made us feel very welcome.
The driving was excellent 'although personally I would have loved to be able to do more, thanks for sorting out our 110 and getting us home! I would have never attempted anything like we did on my own without the help and support of OneLife Adventure.
Cheers,
Graham
Not a common sight in Norwich, a Camel Trophy land rover and a bright yellow Unimog in a supermarket car park at 9am on a Friday morning. Tee hee. The owner of the Land Rover being Paul Blackburn of One Life Adventure. Our aim for the day, to learn how to use our new Warn 15 series winch and get some valuable tips for our adventure ahead.
After a quick chat about general safety and the basics of winching we set about seeing how much rope we had and learning to pull the Moog along the flat whilst attached to Paul's LR. This worked smoothly, with little drama and so we moved on to winching around an obstacle, which enabled us to get used to handling all the various strops, shackles, snatch block etc.
When we started again after lunch there was a small delay.. The end of the plasma rope suddenly appeared in my hand! It turned out the grub screw was missing from the winch barrel, oops. So Paul set about manufacturing one out of the back of his LR, handy man to have on an expedition, maybe that's why he does it for a living?
Now it was time to pick Paul's brains about some rather large holes in our knowledge. It turns out he's got a rather handy acquaintance in the form of Dr Dick Morgan (www.expedition-medical-services.co.uk) who will hopefully be able to supply us with the necessary antibiotics and advice on our medical kit. Paul also gave us some very useful advice about diving in foot wells etc but I wont bore you or worry you with that..
Overall a damn good day - got a tan, got some good piccys and it definitely did wonders for Janey's confidence in the Moog as she hadn't seen her in real action before. All in all, we were both happy as a pig in shit
Just a quick note to thank you for an excellent Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August this year.
Gemma and I enjoyed ourselves immensely, and agreed that it beat the hell out of spending the Bank Holiday wrecked in a pub as tends to be the norm! I have no doubt we will join you for more adventures and excellent company at some point in the future.
All the best, and regards to the family
Dan and Gemma
"To prepare ourselves for the challenging driving conditions we anticipate, we joined 'OneLife Adventure' in July on their Wales Explorer adventure weekend. The weekend is designed for people who plan to, or have done any kind of 4x4 adventure travel with their own vehicles. It's about travel preparation, the sharing of ideas, knowledge and solutions, meeting new people and having a laugh. This was our first taste of "proper" off-roading travel in our own 4x4 ... and we loved it!!!!
We strongly recommend anyone planning their own vehicle dependent expedition - regardless of the length of time or destination - to book themselves on a OneLife Adventure weekend. The experience, knowledge and confidence gained just in 2 days by participating in the Wales Explorer was tremendous. The weekend will far exceed your expectations, but be warned, it's addictive!"
Lee and Emma
I have been wanting to get involved in vehicle dependant travel for some time but never found the opportunity or people to go with. Your mini 4x4 adventure in the Peak district gave me the confidence to use my 110 in all sorts of circumstances and provided me with really useful experience. Also the other people were really friendly.
Some of the routes we managed really blew me away - I have tremendous respect for the 110 and OneLife after this weekend and i will definitely be organising to come along to other destinations. Next time further afield! Many thanks Paul....
"I am just dropping you a line to thank you for the holiday, we had a great time and it exceeded our expectations"
"Your commentary and knowledge of the country and its people was excellent, for me it was great to be able to have questions answered about the area we were travelling through."
"I'm very impressed by OneLife Adventure and how you work with people. I was particularly impressed with how you managed our trip and the personal attributes and skills that you brought to bear."