Imagine, just for a moment, we were aliens lucky enough to have landed on this wonderful planet. We would see it with the bright eyes of a curious child just discovering the world. So many plants, so many animals, all the water and the mountains… How would we go through life?

I was lucky to live abroad as a child, travel to many countries and spend my summers on a sailboat. My desire to get out and see more of the world led to my choice of career in the cockpit of a jet airliner. Being paid to travel sounds perfect, but after no more than three days, I always have to head back home.

So I roam the planet in my free time, too. My bucket list is long: total solar eclipses around the world, the northern lights in Scandinavia, hike the Pacific Crest Trail, drive the Panamericana, know what the rainforest smells like and ultimately, every single day stand somewhere, feeling and knowing: “This is it!”

I prefer to travel with light baggage, as it’s not our possessions that makes us happy, but the experiences and the people with whom we share them. Always in my bag are my notebook and camera to capture experiences, thoughts and insights – and share them with you!

Sirius is a Volvo XC60. With this series production car, I’ve already explored some impressive places, even off-road. It got its name from my love for astronomy. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky and very close to Orion (more on this in the next section).

In the summer, it carries an Autohome Airtop rooftop tent with 205×145 cm (81″x57″) of sleeping space and in the trunk a DIY kitchen with twin-burner stove, fridge, electrical water supply (enough for showering!) and lots of storage space. The water supply is 90 l (24 gal) and electricity comes from a 100 Ah Lithium battery, which is charged while driving, via solar panels or with shore power. Only the bathroom is something I have to find when I need it.

The newest member of the family is a 35-year-old Steyr 12M18, a military transport truck from the Austrian army. The truck has already been completely restored – tried and tested technology in a simple, modern shell.

The next step is flexibly mounting an isolated box to the chassis. It will become a tiny house with all the amenities: kitchen, bathroom, large bed and even a wood-burning stove – all in a modern chalet style.

Living like Thoreau on 12 square meters (130 square feet) with everything I need to travel the whole world. Are you coming?