VW Bus Convoy Road Trips 20 000 km from Malaysia To Germany

Fact: Volkswagen Type 2 bus owners love to take their beloved rides on road trips. That's what led three Malaysian VW bus owners to embark on a 12,500-mile journey, spanning several countries and two continents. Their destination was Volkswagen's Commercial Vehicles assembly plant in Hannover, Germany, where many T-series vehicles were made. For good measure, the trio of Type 2 Bullis were joined by a couple in a classic Beetle, and to answer the question everyone is asking right now, yes everyone arrived with their vehicles intact.

Which leads us to the second fact: A proper VW bus owner never, ever embarks on such a journey without spare parts. That holds especially true when the convoy consists of two 1967 models and one from 1978. We say this not to dig at the reliability of these old rigs, but to honor the enthusiasts who embrace not only these iconic rides, but the entire lifestyle that makes them special. The sheer simplicity of the air-cooled Type 2 means just about any mechanical malady can be handled with a basic set of tools, and though we don't know how many hours of the three-month journey were devoted to roadside repairs, the group was indeed packing the necessary components to handle just about anything.

12,500 miles (20 000 km) over three months works out to roughly 138 miles per day (223 km), so speed certainly wasn't part of the agenda. The route took the caravan through Thailand, Laos, China, and Russia before finally making it to Europe. We'll admit to being extremely jealous of the sights these travelers must've along their journey.

That journey, however, is only half over.

Having made it to Germany with their Bulli - Beetle fleet, the VW road-trippers are headed onward to Belgium, France, and Scandinavia, visiting orphanages and participating in various charitable events along the way. Eventually the trip will conclude back in Malaysia, at which point the vintage air-cooled Volkswagens will have covered 31,000 miles (50 000 km).

It sounds like one hell of an awesome adventure.