If you’re wondering – yes, he did drive through Malaysia but he has unfortunately had to leave his fully electric Volkswagen (which we suspect has been converted) with a 200 km range in Johor due to costly permits and insurance for his car to enter Singapore.
Currently in the City State which he entered by bus to seek further sponsorship and donors, he aims to be united with his car in Australia as he hopes to have it shipped directly Down Under from Malaysia where he has been for three months, sometimes resorting to sleeping in his car. Who’s this guy and what’s his deal then?
This tenacious Dutchman is Wiebe Wakker (pronounced as Weee-ber), a 29 year old who has just graduated with an Event Management degree. His goal? To drive from the Netherlands to Australia, without a single cent in his pocket.
How you ask? Well, by optimistically relying on good samaritans to “plug him in” by locking in their locations along his route – offering electricity for his car, spare a few meals and some lodging space. It has proven to be a heck of a challenge but a rather fruitful one until he came to a stumbling block at the borders with our neighbours down south.
Embarking on this once-in-a-lifetime journey, with a primary goal to promote sustainable mobility and raise awareness for other sustainable initiatives, Wiebe has been on the road since mid-March 2016 and has driven across a staggering 28 different countries, covering over 51,000 km.
In his Plug Me In blog, you can read about his past adventures, check out his videos – several of which have been recorded in Malaysia and offer contributions in whatever way you can. Oh, and in return, he will compensate with a gift of a sustainable water bottle!
