--- product_id: 48438388 title: "First Overland: London-Singapore by Land Rover" price: "FREE" currency: EUR in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/48438388-first-overland-london-singapore-by-land-rover store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # First Overland: London-Singapore by Land Rover **Price:** FREE **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** First Overland: London-Singapore by Land Rover - **How much does it cost?** FREE with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/48438388-first-overland-london-singapore-by-land-rover) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Why not? After all, no-one had ever done it before. It would be one of the longest of all overland journeys-half-way round the world, from the English Channel to Singapore. They knew that several expeditions had already tried it. Some had got as far as the deserts of Persia; a few had even reached the plains of India. But no-one had managed to go on from there: over the jungle-clad mountains of Assam and across northern Burma to Thailand and Malaya. Over the last 3,000 miles it seemed there were "just too many rivers and too few roads". But no-one really knew... In fact, their problems began much earlier than that. As mere undergraduates, they had no money, no cars, no nothing. But with a cool audacity, which was to become characteristic, they set to work-wheedling and cajoling. First, they coaxed the BBC to come up with some film for a possible TV series. Then they gently "persuaded" Rover to lend them two factory-fresh Land Rovers. A publisher was even sweet-talked into giving them an advance on a book. By the time they were ready to go, their sponsors (more than 80 of them) ranged from whiskey distillers to the makers of collapsible buckets. In late 1955, they set off. Seven months and 12,000 miles later, two very weary Land Rovers, escorted by police outriders, rolled into Singapore-to flash-bulbs and champagne. Now, fifty years on, their bestselling book, First Overland, is republished-with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough. After all, it was he who gave them that film. Review: Most Excellent Book - Most definitely the first time this journey was made! This really is a must read. People are obsessed with Landrovers but that really isn't the point. The point is the spirit of the journey by young University students who had never attempted anything like it but did it anyway. It paints a picture, albeit these days of times past, of the world where people step up and give support to the traveller. It reflects very much that kindness which I experienced in the early 70s travelling overland. It is interesting that as it was made less than 10 years after British colonial rule in India and Pakistan had come to an end much of the post colonial relationships seem to have assisted the first overland guys. They were frequently greeted by, for example, Brook Bond Tea staff and others who were left behind after the British left. If you like travel you must read this book for sure. Review: A great read both for travel and end-of-empire attitudes. - I'm a Land Rover fan and from the Land Rover Series Once Club forums heard about the re-creation attempt. This got me interested in the original trip and so I got hold of a copy. It was a very interesting read. As an off-road driving instructor I do get people who want to drive in far flung places and the planning aspect is often forgotten. In this book Tim discusses the selection process as well as the overall planning. The book is well written and engrossing - I have now lent it to several other people who also enjoyed it. The one aspect that may seem alien to those of us later than the baby-boom. The trappings of faded Empire are there as well as attitudes that are distinctly non-PC. For example calling many of the people they met "Charlie" as they couldn't remember their names seems bad now. I also bought the Eric Edis, 'The impossible takes a little longer' which details a later trip and a completely different way of doing things. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 345,538 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 304 in Road Travel 1,982 in Food & Travel Writing 2,468 in Travel Writing (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 505 Reviews | ## Images ![First Overland: London-Singapore by Land Rover - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71k9iFNvhLL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most Excellent Book *by K***T on 26 August 2024* Most definitely the first time this journey was made! This really is a must read. People are obsessed with Landrovers but that really isn't the point. The point is the spirit of the journey by young University students who had never attempted anything like it but did it anyway. It paints a picture, albeit these days of times past, of the world where people step up and give support to the traveller. It reflects very much that kindness which I experienced in the early 70s travelling overland. It is interesting that as it was made less than 10 years after British colonial rule in India and Pakistan had come to an end much of the post colonial relationships seem to have assisted the first overland guys. They were frequently greeted by, for example, Brook Bond Tea staff and others who were left behind after the British left. If you like travel you must read this book for sure. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A great read both for travel and end-of-empire attitudes. *by K***H on 27 June 2012* I'm a Land Rover fan and from the Land Rover Series Once Club forums heard about the re-creation attempt. This got me interested in the original trip and so I got hold of a copy. It was a very interesting read. As an off-road driving instructor I do get people who want to drive in far flung places and the planning aspect is often forgotten. In this book Tim discusses the selection process as well as the overall planning. The book is well written and engrossing - I have now lent it to several other people who also enjoyed it. The one aspect that may seem alien to those of us later than the baby-boom. The trappings of faded Empire are there as well as attitudes that are distinctly non-PC. For example calling many of the people they met "Charlie" as they couldn't remember their names seems bad now. I also bought the Eric Edis, 'The impossible takes a little longer' which details a later trip and a completely different way of doing things. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoyable read *by S***3 on 11 March 2024* A good story - recommended if you like travel writing from the period --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/48438388-first-overland-london-singapore-by-land-rover](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/48438388-first-overland-london-singapore-by-land-rover) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-11-13*