When I first heard about the coronavirus, I was thinking it was just another flu virus that is a bit more serious than the normal flu virus. At that time, I was not paying much attention nor taking the news report seriously. Then when China lockdown one of her big city, I was thinking it was just an epidemic affecting that particular city. The next thing I knew, it has become a worldwide pandemic thing affecting nations all over the world.

When it was our nation’s turn to implement the lockdown, we were not well prepared. We were without the basic necessity such as facial masks and hand sanitizer. Everyone was rushing to buy these items and these items were out of stock everywhere. Even the shelves in the supermarkets were empty because of panic buying. Our lives were turn upside down and most of us were called to work from home. We could choose to do home cooking or order online and have the food delivered to us.

As the days went by, some were able to adapt during this period of self-quarantine but many of us started to feel restless and bored. Staying home means having more time to reflect on my life and my busyness. I begin to realize that there are more to life than being a workaholic. I missed taking the overlanding trials that I used to take before I immersed myself in my work. Since I have all the time, I started to go online shop for some of my jeep overlanding accessories from online stores.

As I was in the garage checking out my jeep, I noticed that the truck awnings need replacing in preparation for the overlanding trials I am planning to take after the quarantine period is over. I have been checking out on different website stores and comparing the prices. I too have been staying in touch with my buddies who have the same interest and intention as mine. We have been discussing on some of the best trials that we want to take when the pandemic is over. We have checked and the 7 best overlanding trials in Asia are 1) Lhasa to Khatmandu, 2) Caucasus to Kyrgyzstan, 3) G tour in Oman, 4) Khatmandu to Lhasa, 5) Caucasus and the Silk Road, 6) Tibet tour and, 7) Bishkek to Singapore.

I have meant to replace the roof rack of my truck but the idea was shelved after I started to work hard to build my career. Here are some tips when checking out the right roof rack for truck:

• The roof rack has to be strong enough to be able to haul all your gear such as a roof top tent, your bike, extra equipment and/or even a kayak.
• A modular rack would be a good choice which allows for easy assembly and able to accommodate all the necessary essentials.
• Go for metal roof rack that is durable and can withstand the extreme weather condition.
• Always buy from trusted companies and check out their customers’ reviews.
• Do not go for cheap and poor quality roof rack. Most important be prepared to invest in good quality accessories for your overlanding truck.