About Us

From Germany to Australia, and lots of travelling in between

We grew up in Germany, Matt in Albstadt and Steph in Langenargen, lived in Karlsruhe and Frankfurt for a while, and somehow built a life on the other side of the world. These days most people in Australia know us as Matt and Steph. Back home, we are still Matze and Steffi. After many years on Sydney's Northern Beaches, mostly around Manly and Freshwater, Australia feels like home. We are Australian citizens now, but plenty of German habits, references and instincts have come along for the ride.

What we're doing

Currently, we're driving around Australia in Roger, our Ford Ranger. The rough plan is about a year on the road, travelling anti-clockwise around the country. It is not a rigid route, but the idea is to make it to Perth, pause there, fly to Germany and possibly Asia, then return to Perth and continue back towards Sydney.

We love the basic camping life, and we struggle with it too: cooking outside, setting up the tent, getting sand everywhere, fixing small problems as they appear. It is not always shiny. We also appreciate a proper bed, a good restaurant, good wine, a warm shower and a bit of comfort when it appears. We are at home in both worlds, which is probably the honest version.

Why we write about it

Our families and friends are still back in Germany, and we miss them. This site is partly a way for them to come along from a distance, and partly a record for us, because trips like this quickly become a blur if you do not write things down.

We are not doing this as a brand project. We are not trying to turn the trip into a job. We're not trying to make this look more beautiful or more perfect than it is. Some days are extraordinary. Some days are just long drives on bad roads, or being eaten up by the mozzies or midges. We'll write about both.

Who's Roger?

Roger carries the rooftop tent, kitchen, water, recovery gear, shelves, boxes and the daily mess of life on the road. The setup is practical rather than flashy. We wanted something we could live with, repair, adjust and keep simple.

Matt did a lot of the DIY work: shelves, storage decisions, small modifications, and the constant question of what we actually need versus what only looks useful in theory.

Steph did a lot of the actual trip planning: where we go, when we move, which places are worth building the route around, and what belongs on the must-see or must-do list.

Who's Matt?

Matt is a technical founder and engineer - building software. After many years in the startup world, most recently as technical co-founder of Trade Ledger, the end of that chapter created space for something slower, less scheduled and much further from a laptop.

On the road, Matt is usually the driver, photographer and person trying to make the setup work better. He likes driving, partly because he enjoys it and partly because he is a bad passenger. He gets the drone out, takes too many photos, fixes small things, and talks to strangers when curiosity wins over introversion.

He likes being active, cooking, good food, practical gear, and ideas that make life a little more sustainable.

Who's Steph?

Steph is a management consultant and has swapped corporate outfits for camp clothes, at least for now. She loves an adventure but also cooking, knitting, reading, staying active and staying fit. She also spends a lot of time understanding how to eat well and live healthily, which is useful when your kitchen is a box in the back of a ute.

How fixed is the plan?

Fixed enough to give the trip shape, loose enough to change it. We have a rough loop and a rough timeframe, but we also know that weather, campsites, family visits and how we feel on the road will make some decisions for us.