Life on the Road

In Life on the Road, Leander Nardin and Maria Zehentner offer more than a travelogue, they present an ode to freedom, family, and the enduring human spirit of exploration.

This visually stunning book chronicles the couple’s dreamy seven-year overland journey around the globe, living in a converted military truck with their growing family. Spanning continents and cultures, it is as much a celebration of the road as it is a tribute to resilience, curiosity, and the beauty of slow travel.

From Europe to Central Asia, through the deserts of the Middle East to the coastlines of Australia and the vast open landscapes of North America, the book immerses readers in breathtaking vistas and the stories behind them. But Life on the Road is not merely a glossy portrayal of exotic locales, it’s grounded in the practical and often gritty realities of life on the move. Readers are given an intimate glimpse into life aboard “Akela,” the couple’s 129-square-foot mobile home: a wood-paneled sanctuary equipped with just enough to sustain a life full of joy, challenges, and discovery.

The writing is heartfelt and candid, offering reflections on border crossings, local encounters, parenting in motion, and the simple beauty of waking up somewhere new. The authors' passion for nature and sustainable living quietly weaves through each page, making this book resonate with a deeper environmental consciousness. Nardin’s evocative photography enriches the narrative, capturing both sweeping landscapes and small, tender moments of daily life.

One of the book’s most symbolic moments comes at the very start: the transformation of a border-monitoring military truck into a vessel for borderless exploration. This poetic twist captures the book’s deeper message, about dismantling boundaries, not only geographically but also mentally, emotionally, and socially.

Published by Gestalten, known for its impeccably designed titles, Life on the Road is both a coffee table treasure and a wellspring of inspiration. It will appeal to dreamers, travelers, families, and anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to trade routine for the road.