A Family’s Epic Mid-century Journey Overlanding Africa in a 1200cc Volkswagen
A true story of faith, wit and the will to keep going.
Embark on the extraordinary 1956 adventure from the Belgian Congo to Brussels in a classic Volkswagen Beetle. Discover the captivating true story.
‘Smile and wave. If we look like we mean it, they might not notice we’re idiots.’
A family sets out to drive across Africa, convinced careful planning and shared resolve will carry them home.
With one child wedged into the back seat and another left behind at a church institute, they set off north. The route takes them through deserts, uncertain borders and long stretches where progress depends less on planning than on patience. Along the way, the journey leaves its marks: stamps on paper, tyre tracks in sand, dents on the bonnet, bruises on shins.
What unfolds is not an adventure in the traditional sense, but a quiet unravelling of expectation. As choices narrow and control slips away, endurance loses its heroics. The journey continues increasingly on terms not their own, and arrival loses its promise.
Beetling Beyond Borders is an account of a family learning what remains when insistence gives way to acceptance, and how continuation, rather than arrival, becomes the only durable measure of a journey.
Experience a journey like no other
Beetling Beyond Borders captures authentic moments with vivid storytelling to carry readers from the Elizabethville to Brussels in a faithful little Volkswagen Beetle.
- A true story that inspires wanderlust
- A nostalgic glimpse into classic mid-century travel culture
- A blend of suave dryness and witty, cinematic humour
Not every journey follows the path it sets out to take.
For some, there is a quiet pull towards adventure that is hard to ignore. Beetling Beyond Borders is a tribute to those who follow it, leaving comfort behind, getting lost, and finding beauty in the most unexpected places.
ISBN13 : 9789090421391
ISBN10 : 9090421394
€45
Premiere Edition
Be among the first readers to own this special, limited early edition.
Order directly from the author and enjoy a few thoughtful early-supporter keepsakes as a thank-you.
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Other editions and pricing choices
By registering your interest in the Standard Editions now, you’ll get notified at launch, receive 10% off and enjoy first dibs when pre-orders open.
€35
Standard Hardback
Expected delivery: Winter 2026.
Tell me when it’s bound
€20
Standard Paperback
Expected delivery: Winter 2026.
send word when in print
€15
Audio/Digital Edition
Expected delivery: Spring 2027.
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Foreword from the author
On 10 October 2009, while I was living in London, I met my aunt, Ruth Hötzinger, and her friend, Helen Sheridan, in a Starbucks in Bayswater during their holiday visit. On that rare occasion, I was urged—perhaps even commissioned—to commit this remarkable story to paper and share it in English. Aunt Ruth didn’t exactly give me a gentle nudge; it was more of a “write it or else” glare across the table, the sort that makes you think twice about saying no.
— Carel Meganck
Reflections from ‘Little Marc’
‘I was eight years old when we set out. The journey has never left me — the heat, the laughter, the fear, the faith. I remember quicksand, kindness, and my courage as a child watching his parents face the impossible.’
— Marc Meganck, age 78
Read on →
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