Declan Coyle from Garrison is among 39 passengers on board the first ever bus service between Ireland and Australia, taking him on a 13-week trip through 20 countries, three Continents and a lifetime of unforgettable experiences.
Based on the old saying, 'the journey is as important as the destination', this unique service really is quite unlike any other method of travel between here and Australia.
Declan, a 29-year-old pharmacist, and his travelling companions, nine of whom are Irish, departed from Dublin last Friday and, already they have taken in the sights of London, North France, and Belgium, with the first night stop in medieval Bruges.
Speaking from Heidelburg in Germany on Monday night, Declan reported that despite one technical hitch with the bus, all was going well so far.
"It's going the best. We are in Germany at the minute.
"There is a good bit of driving involved, five or six hours every day and we have seen some great places, including Bruges in Belgium.
"The bus is not too bad, we had a bit of a problem in England with the radiator overheating but other than that everything has been fine."
Declan heard about the OzBus on the radio a year ago and, fed up with the humdrum of working life, decided to seek out his adventurous streak and opt for a unique way of viewing the world.
"I was working in Navan in Meath doing pharmacy and getting a bit fed up. I had been to Australia before, but I always wanted to go back. This way, it is more about the different countries I will see along the way.
"So, I heard about it on the radio, and then about six months ago I decided to go for it."
The Ozbus involves a 20,000km trip Down Under and a mammoth expedition enroute. Spanning every type of landscape imaginable, the route varies from deserted beaches to rainforests, waterfalls to deserts, and medieval villages to futuristic cities.
The highlights are set to include Istanbul, the Taj Mahal, the Corbett Tiger Reserves in India, Kathmandu, Mount Everest and Ayers Rock.
Declan's driver is Australian and his tour leader is from the North.
It's a solo experience for the zealous voyager who, prior to this didn't know any of the passengers, most of whom are aged 25 to 35. Eight are over 50.
The highlight from bussing it across the world is of course, that rather than the passengers spending hours waiting and watching their baggage float from one airport to another, they are escaping, having chosen the ultimate alternative to flying. They will also see much more on land than by air.
"The place I am most looking forward to seeing is base camp at Mount Everest," Declan says. "We have been told we might get flights when we are there, so we can look around it that way. Iran and Pakistan are going to be interesting places as well."
The overland adventure journey concludes in Sydney in May, and what with its stunning harbour, Opera House, harbour bridge and celebrated Bondi Beach, Declan is guaranteed to complete the trip in style in one of the world's greatest cities.
