Traveling around the world - that is the dream of many people. Ursula Forster and Oskar Lehner are living exactly this dream. With their WorldCruiser 1, a Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ 78 converted into an expedition vehicle by Tom's Fahrzeugtechnik, they have been traveling for almost ten years - from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska, through the volcanic landscapes of Iceland and along the Silk Road to Southeast Asia.
Their total distance covered has accumulated to a whopping 189,755 km. And yet their desire to travel remains unquenched. After a short breather, they will be traveling through Africa for two years from 2026.
Their philosophy is simple: ‘Together we want to get to know the world in all its diversity, in terms of landscapes, people, cultures, religions, lifestyles, languages, food, flavors...’.
Anyone who spends a long time traveling inevitably gathers a wealth of experiences. We are delighted that Ursula and Oskar are sharing their unforgettable experiences with us here:
Oskar, you have had a very eventful professional life. You spent 23 years working for the United Nations, the OSCE, and the EU in conflict countries - from election observation missions in Sierra Leone, Pakistan, and Nigeria to working for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Somalia. What experiences have had a significant impact on you?
Oskar: Through my work in these countries, I have learned above all to be open to foreign cultures and to understand that what is foreign to us can be normal there. In addition, my assignments in conflict countries have taught me to realistically assess risks, to get through critical situations safely, and, in particular, how to avoid danger.
Some people would think you've had enough adventures in your job. When did the plan to travel the world come about?
Oskar: I actually had enough adventures during my professional career! However, I already had the idea of traveling around the world when I was young. The dream was awakened by an excellent geography teacher at grammar school, who described the Panamericana to us in such a colorful and interesting way that I said to myself: You have to drive it yourself one day! Somehow it never worked out after my studies and so I started planning four years before I retired: choosing a car, planning the route around the world in broad strokes, organizing shipping and insurance, choosing equipment, saving money, reading travel reports from other travelers...
Good preparation is needed for such an extended journey. What was particularly important to you when choosing a vehicle?
Oskar: At the UN, I almost always drove a Toyota in the field. So I already had a connection to the Land Cruiser and knew that it is a very robust vehicle. During the missions, however, I also learned how important it is to have a car whose spare parts are available worldwide.
Choosing the right car for a trip around the world is always a tricky business. There is no such thing as the ‘jack of all trades’, even when it comes to off-road vehicles. Everyone has to find the right compromise between space and comfort on the one hand and maneuverability and speed on the other. The larger the vehicle - let's say in the direction of a large camper or even a truck - the more comfort you have, of course, but the more immobile you also become. Many narrow mountain roads, challenging off-road routes, or narrow alleyways in historic towns are then closed to you. Shipping the car from one continent to another also becomes more difficult and, above all, more expensive. For me, the decision was clear: I wanted a car that was compact enough to fit into a high-cube container and robust enough that I could drive it to the far corners of the earth.
I also learned that a simple car with a minimum of electronics is best. To exaggerate a little: I wanted a car that any provincial mechanic in the remotest village could repair. An example: I once broke a rubber sleeve on the left rear shock absorber in the mountains in Bolivia. The mechanic at a farm in a small village milled a new sleeve out of a block of rubber and after 30 minutes we were able to continue our journey.
It is also important that the engine can cope with the often significantly poorer fuel quality in third-world countries, especially at high altitudes. All of this led me to put my trust in the Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ 78 10 years ago. It's not the fastest, the most powerful or the most modern, but it's just right for the kind of traveling we have in mind.
When traveling in an expedition vehicle, the world is at your feet. The vehicle is both a means of transport and a home-from-home. How do you organize your life on four square meters?
Ursula & Oskar: Our four square meters tend to be a bit cramped. When the weather is nice, we're outside. We unfold the camping table and have enough space. In bad weather or when it's cold, it's more difficult. When Ursula is cooking downstairs, I'm up in the roof tent. When I'm working on my laptop, it's the other way round. You have to be a good match and not get on each other's nerves. It's sometimes a test for the relationship because we live together for months in a confined space and always have to coordinate what we do (together).
Travelers like you are often lucky enough to wake up in beautiful places. Which sleeping places do you particularly remember?
Ursula & Oskar: We have spent the night in many outstanding places. Of course, it's most beautiful when we're somewhere lonely. It was wonderful in the desert in Iran and in Mongolia under a magnificent starry sky. It was also great in front of ruined castles and churches in Armenia and Georgia or on the high plateau of La Puna in Argentina and in lonely bays along the Chilean coast. One place in particular sticks in our minds: the overnight stay at an altitude of 4,000 meters on Lake Karakol on the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan.
The greatest adventures are experienced off the beaten track. What's the most adventurous off-road track you've ridden so far?
Oskar: Wherever possible, we try to drive on interesting off-road roads. Unfortunately, we don't have many of them left in Europe. A great experience was the six-day crossing of the Dasht-e-Kavir and Rig-e-Jin deserts in Iran, where we drove off the beaten track through the dune landscape. The completely deserted La Puna region in northern Argentina, where I drove the car up to over 5,000 meters, and the lagoon route in southern Bolivia was also particularly great. The exhaust smoked quite a bit, but our HZJ78 worked perfectly even at this altitude despite poor diesel and difficult terrain. Other great experiences were the off-road tracks in Iceland, traveling the Pamir Highway, and the 2,000 km through the Gobi Desert.
For longer desert crossings, we usually take a local guide who drives ahead of us in a second vehicle. The off-road route over the Steel Pass in Death Valley, USA, was an adventure. As we later read in an off-road book, it was a category 3 route. The Americans have a kind of rating system, similar to the one for climbing routes. From category 4 upwards, it is recommended to take a welding machine and a generator with you.
The trip in Argentina from the village of Famatina to Mina Mexicana at 5,000 meters was also great. We drove up the mountain in a streambed for a while. That was quite an adventure. I had a local sitting next to me who showed me the way.
No journey goes completely smoothly, but mishaps can create unforgettable memories. What went wrong for you and what did you learn from it?
Oskar & Ursula: Fortunately, we haven't had any real mishaps so far. Border crossings are sometimes a bit problematic. The worst one happened to us when we left Russia for Kazakhstan. I had a large Bowie knife in the side compartment of the car door and was interrogated for four hours by the criminal investigation department on the accusation of possessing a prohibited weapon. In the end, however, we were allowed to leave the country. Since then, we have prepared better for every border crossing.
You don't travel ‘full time’, but return to Austria occasionally for rest breaks. Does that always help you to recharge your batteries?
Oskar & Ursula: The longest we've traveled together in one go was eleven months, but it's usually only seven or eight months. We've learned that you get pretty tired after so many months - we're already 69 and 59 years old respectively. After a stage like that, we park the car in a safe place, take a break, fly home, and then drive on again after a few months. We're in no rush. We usually follow the course of the seasons, which in some parts of the world you have to take into account. Traveling in winter is not something we do.
From 2026, you'll be traveling to Africa. What are you particularly looking forward to?
Oskar & Ursula: Every continent has its own special features. Latin America offers mountains, history, and old cities. In North America, it was the huge forests and unique national parks. In Asia, the high mountains and vast plains and deserts. In Africa, we are particularly looking forward to the fauna. Unlike in the Amazon jungle, where you can't see the animals for all the trees, we are already looking forward to many interesting wildlife encounters in the African savannah.
Were there any problems with the car? Are you a skillful mechanic?
Oskar: As a lawyer, I don't know much about cars. That's why I was looking for a car that is reliable and can be repaired anywhere. We've never actually got stuck anywhere. If there were any minor problems anywhere, we simply contacted Tom and he replied within a few hours and usually had a solution. We have had some minor repairs carried out by local garages.
Last but not least: Do you have any helpful tips for people who are struggling with the decision to go on a big trip? Does it take more than ‘the courage to set off and go?’
Ursula & Oskar: Our tip is to simply dare to do it. It's easier than you think and you gradually grow with the task. The hardest part for us was actually setting off. Many of our friends warned us about the impending dangers and difficulties and saw problems everywhere. Once you set off, you just have to take it one step at a time. Essentially, we only plan the next two to four weeks ahead.
But you should be aware of one thing: a trip like this is by no means a ‘holiday’. Traveling can be exhausting because it involves a lot of work in terms of research, planning, organization, and follow-up. Looking back, we first had to learn many things in practice: Which navigation apps are the best? How do we find a safe place to sleep? How do we deal with the authorities, etc.?
One more tip: language skills are a great advantage. If you speak the language of the country or one that is spoken there as a second language, then everything is much easier.
If you would like to read more about Ursula and Oskar's travels, you will find a large selection of reports and pictures on their website.
