The biggest challenge for some is driving a left hooker.The farther back you go the less training, lads had to figure it out for themselves, no sat-navs, mobiles or other gadgets. I started the continent at the dawn of mobiles, which were very scarce here but the Italian depot of Intel had a mobile for every truck pulling their trailers. As @Sheebadog says there was only paper maps and your gob to ask directions. I found the Italians very helpful and manys the time someone hopped in their car or on to a scooter and led me to where I wanted to be.
I’d recommend anyone to do some Continent truckin. You’re up high and you quickly get an idea of the lie of the land across lots of countries. I got to see pretty much all of the EU and the Maghreb. N Africa was fierce interesting. I took quite a lot of beef to Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. The quality of diesel there was atrocious...you always had to bring about 6 spare diesel filters.
I got to see most of the US from the cab of a truck also.
A while ago we were talking about which mode of transport would we prefer to drive from here to Moscow and without any hesitation I can say I’d prefer an artic, good and heavy, for a spin like that. Cruising.