Overlanding is one of the few types of travel that have the potential to flourish during a recession. The long trips offer a solution to those looking to escape, to achieve something with their redundancy cash or year off.

I'd heard that the biggest overlanding company, Dragoman, did well out of the last recession in the early 90s. I asked managing director, Adam Dixon-Smith, if that was true: "I think overlanding in general is more recession-proof than some sectors of the travel market.

"Since last November we have seen our overall bookings increase significantly - while the average length of trip has increased from just over four weeks to approximately six weeks. Part of the reason must be that many people are using the downturn and/or redundancy to take time off for mind-broadening travel and adventures."

One of the company's routes runs from Istanbul to Beijing, and earlier this year I dropped in for a couple of weeks, picking up the trail between Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Were my companions escaping from something? Or someone?

Overlanding through Turkmenistan

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The group ranged in age from 19 to 67, averaging early to mid-thirties (overlanding in South East Asia and Latin America usually attracts younger travellers, according to our trip leader) and many would have travelled independently but for the logistics.

It included a few who had lost jobs or chosen to take a payoff. Others had retired and there was one younger guy on a year out. Some took these kind of trips as part of their annual leave.

Among them were an artist, travel agent, nanny to an A-list Hollywood actor and an army wife filling time while her husband was in Iraq. There was just one couple, and a sociable one at that.

Hear their stories:

THE LEADER
Anthony Thompson, 30 - Guildford, Surrey, UK
Anthony hadn't travelled much before taking up his first overlanding job. This trip saw him driving with Adam to Istanbul from the UK, then taking a group all the way to Beijing, before picking up another trip through Mongolia and Russia to finish in Helsinki, then they'll drive back to the UK for a well-earned month off. "I wanted to do something different and travel but also give something back to the world. Overlanding is the best way to see the world up close and personal. A lot of the leaders and drivers travel for 11 months of the year, and if we have no base at home we're able to stay in the company headquarters in Suffolk, so it's like family.

"I've travelled in the Middle East, Far East, South East Asia, South America, North Africa, Sudan, Ethiopia and spent a long time in Tibet. My heart lies in Asia. Next year I'll be going all the all way down to Cape Town - the northern bit is harder but I've never been south of Nairobi so I'm looking forward to that."

THE DRIVER
Adam Tomlin, 35 - London, UK
"I first got into travelling when teaching English in China. When I came back I was looking to save money and travel. I met a lot of people in Beijing and wanted to do the Trans-Siberian tour. I saw Dragoman on the internet and applied, thought it would be a good way to see the world. So far I've been to India and Nepal as well as the East and South Africa milk run from Nairobi to Cape Town. I missed Tibet because of the troubles so would like to go back. Dragoman has a great family feel, I like going home to see everyone."

THE HIPPY TRAIL SURVIVOR
Diane Dean, 59, retired - Tucson, Arizona, USA
"I did Europe first for 3 months when I was 22. I saved up and did London to Kathmandu in 1976 - it was pretty hard because it was mostly rough camping and our driver was a little odd, he got caught trying to smuggle pistachios into India from Peshawar so we had to wait a few days for him to go to court. It wasn't totally hippies but it was kind of freeform and young - many of the companies didn't allow anyone over 35. In the '80s I did a lot of Africa where I met my husband, but I'd missed out on a bit, so I decided to get on a Dragoman trip to southern Africa a couple of years ago and now I can't seem to stop again. My husband feels he's seen what he wants to see so we take trips around the US and Canada together, but I do these myself.

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