Overlander's Handbook
Trip Reports
Trans Africa - Land Rover 110 300tdi
| Who | ADRIAN SEWELL ~ website |
| Profession | MECHANICAL ENGINEER |
| Born 1976 | Nationality BRITISH |
| Previous travel experience | EUROPE, THAILAND, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA |
| This trip | LONDON - CAPE TOWN - WINDHOEK - LIVINGSTONE |
| Departure date | May 04 |
| Number in group | 2 |
| Trip duration | 6 MONTHS |
| Distance covered | 40,000KM |
| Cost of trip (not incl. vehicle) | ?5000 |
| Best day | REALISING OUR TRIP WASN'T OVER AFTER FIVE DAYS OF HELL LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN NO MAN'S LAND BETWEEN LIBYA AND EGYPT WHILST TRAVELLING BY TAXI, BUS AND TRAIN TO CAIRO AND BACK TO SORT OUT CARNET DOCUMENTS. |
| Worst/ hardest day | TRAVELLING BACK FROM CAIRO ON A 13 HR BUS (EXPLAINED ABOVE) The first three hours of the bus journey back to the border, resembled a Japanese endurance test where we were forced to stay awake to the screeching Islamic prayer songs blasting from the speake |
| Favourite place | Epupa Falls, Kaokoland, northern Namibia on the Angola border. |
| Biggest headache | waking up after a night of socialising in the Nairobi rugby club after a mostly t-total two months in north africa. |
| Wish I hadn't | dropped a lens cap at a floodlit watering hole in Etosha National Park which was, until the incident, surrounded by giraffe, rhino and elephant. |
| Most pleasant surprise | the Nubian kindness - being treated as family in Wadi Halfa for five days whilst waiting for our vehicle to arrive after being washed up onto the rocks of Lake Nassa, Sudan, on a broken cargo pontoon full of plastics, sacks, chairs and fridges. |
| Any illness | amazingly no. |
| Other trips planned | same again after retirement |
| One overlanding tip | don't just dream it. |
| Type of Vehicle | landrover defender 110 300tdi |
| Age/ mileage on departure | 1996 80,000miles |
| Modifications | split charge, 184l tank capacity, 40l water tank, full rack, roof tent, awning, 40l fridge, shelving, dog guard, safe, rock sliders, two spare wheels, heavy duty springs, twin shocks, snorkel, wheel carrier etc |
| Most useful accessory | inverter for charging phones, laptop and cameras |
| Mods you wish you'd done | reinforcing bonnet to carry spare over corrogation of north africa tracks. |
| Tyres used | Mich XZY 12 ply |
| Number of punctures |
| Vehicle's weak point | bonnet, water tank and waterpump |
| Vehicle's strong point | everything - other than it's weakest! |
| Vehicle problems | water pump (failed in southern egypt 53 degrees C), three punctures, bonnet flexing collapse |
| Same vehicle again? | definately |
| One driving tip | go steady, learn and respect the vehicle and where you drive and remember the effectiveness of lowering tyre pressures in deep sand. |