Anne and Michael might look like your average German middle-class couple: get up, go to their teaching or AE nursing jobs, come home, sleep, and repeat. But they are anything but average. When in work mode, they pause their global adventures, save their pennies, put in the hours, and plan their next big getaway in their fully kitted-out Defender. “This is the lifestyle we choose, and we truly love it. We often feel quite trapped in our everyday routines, and travelling gives us that sense of freedom again. It has given us so many incredible experiences and moments that we appreciate more than anything,” says Anne.
We asked Anne and Michael why they enjoyed hitting the road to remote locations so much, as we all have different reasons for adventuring and exploring. “For us, the love of travel comes from a very simple feeling: when we’re out there, life just feels more real. Every day is different and full of the unknown. You pack up camp in the morning without knowing where you’ll sleep that night, what the landscape will look like, or what the day will bring.”
While Land Rover Defenders might have a reputation for being unreliable, slow, prone to breakdowns, and expensive to repair, when it was Michael’s turn to choose their new camping vehicle, he narrowed the choice to two: the Mercedes G-Wagon or a Defender, as this would allow them to explore places inaccessible without a 4x4. They opted for the latter, and the modification process began straight away.
“Of course, we were aware of its flaws. Owning a Defender is like being in a slightly irrational love story. It’s not always logical, and sometimes it feels complicated, but it also offers a unique lifestyle and feeling that’s hard to describe. We’re sure Land Rover Defender owners around the world would concur. ”
One of the first things they did with their Defender was convert it from a passenger-focused vehicle into a camper. The biggest transformation was installing a pop-top roof themselves, which they say was the most challenging part of the build. With a place to sleep sorted, they painstakingly designed and built an ultra-lightweight wooden interior. As space is the biggest Achilles heel in a vehicle, every square centimetre was planned for and used to best effect.
The result is a cabin that feels less like a car and more like a minimalist, cosy living room. Michael spent months obsessing over the ergonomics; the design needed to provide access to the fridge and storage from both inside and outside, with a frictionless layout that prevents the frustration of moving ten things just to reach a bag of coffee. Michael is over the moon with the result. “It’s one of those setups where you rarely feel the need to improve anything because it just works.”
But the custom living room layout is only half the battle when you’re living on the road; the other half is ensuring the vehicle beneath it doesn't let you down. Over the years, the couple has refined a meticulous preparation routine. This includes upgrading to BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres, installing a reliable water purification system, and setting up an independent dual-battery system powered by solar. Reliability and self-sufficiency were non-negotiables.
Yet their cleverest mechanical troubleshooting tool is missing from their actual Defender. “You can fix some things yourself on the road, but many issues require a proper workshop,” Michael explains. To cope with the unpredictability of Defender ownership, they rely on a digital lifeline: a global Facebook community of Land Rover owners who crowd-sourced a custom Google Maps overlay of trusted workshops worldwide. Combined with the must-have emergency fund, this gives them the peace of mind to push deep into the wild.
And pushing into the wild is exactly what they do. While their early travel days began with a massive two-year journey around Australia in a Toyota Hi-Ace, the last five years have been dedicated to exploring Europe's most remote corners. From the sun-drenched coasts of Sardinia to the dramatic high-altitude tracks of the Western Alps, they’ve seen it all. But if you ask them for the ultimate European destination, they won’t point you south.
“Scandinavia, especially Norway and Sweden, is hard to beat. In the summer you can hike, swim in the sea, and enjoy the midnight sun, when it never really gets dark. The landscapes are breathtaking, and the freedom to camp wild makes travelling there especially special.”
It was during these northern expeditions that the couple discovered their deepest passion: the Arctic. While most overlanders head south to Greece or Turkey when the weather turns, Anne and Michael point the Defender directly towards the polar darkness of the Arctic winter.
Preparing for an Arctic winter is a high-stakes game. The summer water system gets completely ripped out to prevent freezing, the lithium batteries are insulated, and the fluids are swapped for extreme-cold variants. They run specialised Nokian winter tyres, carry Arctic-grade sleeping gear, switch to gasoline stoves, and have even integrated a smoke detector after a close call with their interior heater.
So why endure the brutal conditions and biting cold? "We keep coming back to the Arctic because the kind of magic you find up there is something we’ve rarely experienced anywhere else," Anne smiles. "The cold feels different, almost cleaner, and we would choose snowy landscapes, pink skies, and short days over long, grey, rainy days any time. When the light appears, it's incredibly intense. There’s a stillness that comes with it. Your mind quiets, life naturally slows, and it grounds you in a way that’s hard to describe. It’s not just a place, it’s a different world."
That craving for clarity and self-reliance has also inspired them to venture out on solo trips. For Anne, travelling without Michael isn't about isolation; it’s about discovery. "After 19 years together, we naturally shape ourselves in relation to each other," she reflects. "Solo trips give me clarity. Handling challenges independently, especially as a woman in a remote setting, gives me a unique energy and confidence. It reminds me that I am enough on my own."
This passion for female empowerment on the trail led Anne to create She Overland, a ladies-only overland meetup designed to inspire, educate, and give women the confidence to step into the unknown. Featuring off-road driving instructors, wildlife conservationists, and travel photographers, the event offers a safe space away from everyday societal pressures. "It’s a weekend where the little girl inside me and I can just exist," Anne says. "It’s our space to breathe, laugh, be wild, and be free."
As for the future, the horizon remains wide open for Anne and Michael. Once their current European chapters close, they plan to ship the Defender to Australia and New Zealand, explore Africa, and tackle a long-held dream: driving the legendary Pamir Highway all the way to Mongolia.
For Anne and Michael, the journey isn't just about ticking countries off a bucket list. It’s about preserving the very wildness they seek. "We hope to grow into the kind of people who help the planet thrive," they reflect, "so that these adventures remain possible for generations to come."
You can follow Anne and Michael’s incredible global journeys and get updates on the She Overland event on Instagram at @jonny_the_butterfly (opens in new tab).
