How one family travelled from Singapore to Norway in their Land Rover Defender and the life-changing realization that followed

For Ritesh Angural and his wife, Nisha Hari Singh, the dream of travelling the world became a reality in a way they had never imagined.
Each time Mr Ritesh Angural and his wife, Ms Nisha Hari Singh, both 38, drove their trusty 2002 Land Rover Defender across a land checkpoint and into a new country, their doe-eyed toddler Arisha would ask: “Will I see snow here?”
Featured in an article published by Straits Times, the couple, with their young daughter Arisha in tow, embarked on an epic journey that would take them across six countries and over 32,000 kilometres—driving from Singapore to Norway by land.
Their trusty 2002 Land Rover Defender, affectionately named “Durian” after its previous owner, a durian picker, became their home on wheels.
Four months and six countries into the couple’s epic mission for their family of three to travel from Singapore to Norway by land, Arisha’s wish came true – on her fourth birthday, in June.
It started snowing in Ulaanbaatar for just one day of their 42-day stay in Mongolia.
Arisha later celebrated her birthday at a Mongolian abode with locals – who also gifted her a Mongolian deel (a traditional tunic) – they befriended while fixing their converted camper vehicle in the country.
Since February, the family has covered more than 32,000km across 17 countries, and experienced temperatures ranging from -4 deg C, in Cappadocia in Turkey, to 41 deg C, in Don Det, Laos. They document their travels on their Instagram page @sabbatical.living.

From their starting point in Singapore, they have meandered their way through countries such as Cambodia and Afghanistan, and were mesmerised by views of spectacular mountains in Central Asia. 
They will end their odyssey in North Cape in Norway, the northernmost point of mainland Europe.
Mr Ritesh said he will never forget a Kazakh car mechanic named Rustam, who helped the family fix their camper in his garage for almost a week. 
Rustam even invited them to dinners with his family, dining on fish they caught and the vegetables they grew.
He later helped the Singaporeans find a tool they needed to repair the car, even after they had parted ways.
 The mechanic went to Almaty airport to find if anyone could help to take it to Mr Ritesh and his family, who were in Tajikistan.
 A passenger agreed and the tool was eventually handed over in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.
(Mr Ritesh said he will never forget a Kazakh car mechanic named Rustam, who helped the family fix their camper in his garage for almost a week.PHOTO: RITESH ANGURAL)
(Places the family is expected to travel to Places the family has covered)
(After saving up for two years, Mr Ritesh and Ms Nisha bought a Land Rover Defender in Malaysia in February 2023 and converted it into a motorhome.PHOTO: HAREN KHATAU)
The couple had quit their jobs in Singapore to see the world.
“We each came up with a list of five things we would regret if we do not achieve them in the next 10 years,” said Ms Nisha, who left her job as a user-experience (UX) designer. “Travelling the world was on both of our lists.”
Besides spending about $90,000 to buy the vehicle and fitting it out, the couple also set aside some $60,000 for the expenses on the road.
(Arisha, four, saw snow for the first time in Ulaanbaatar when it fell for only one day of their 42-day stay in Mongolia.PHOTO: RITESH ANGURAL)

Ref: How one family travelled from Singapore to Norway in their Land Rover Defender and the life-changing realization that followed
Photo Credit- RITESH ANGURAL, Haren Khatau