Overlander's Handbook
Trip Reports

Surrey to Guinea and back - LR 101 6WD

Who David French ~ email ~ website
ProfessionTeacher
Born 1976Nationality British
Previous travel experienceSouth America, Europe, Asia, Indonesia
This tripSurrey to Guinea and back
Departure dateApril 2006
Number in group3
Trip duration3 months
Distance covered14,000km
Cost of trip (not incl. vehicle)Around £5000
Best dayDriving non-stop for 24 hours from the Guinean mountains, through Senegal and the whole length of Gambia, then running into the sea at the end of it!
Worst/ hardest dayCrossing the Rosso border into Mauritania; we couldn't go through the much-more-pleasant Diama as we only had one of the two visas.
Favourite placeGuinea
Biggest headacheHaving to reverse the truck down the side of a precarious mountain on the M13 route in Western Sahara, having lost 6 wheel drive.
Wish I hadn't...bothered stopping in Fes, where the tendency for the locals to fleece you was highly irritating.
Most pleasant surpriseMauritania - it gets bad press sometimes but was enchanting.
Any illnessNone
Other trips plannedSadly no
One overlanding tipTake all the negative information about West Africa with a big pinch of salt. Some people thrive on spreading gloom, but often know nothing of reality.
Type of VehicleLand Rover 101 6x6
Age/ mileage on departure30 years old, 18,000km
ModificationsCamper converted, lengthened, extra axle added, 6wd, plenty of jerry cans in holders, awning, roll cage.
Most useful accessoryDouble bed in the back - much easier than setting up camp each night!
Mods you wish you'd doneMore windows roof hatches to improve air circulation, plus mosquito nets on all windows so we could have left them open.
Tyres usedCzech-made MPT-05s on the front 4, bar-grips on the back 2
Number of punctures
Vehicle's weak pointFuel economy
Vehicle's strong pointAccommodation
Vehicle problemsPlenty of wear-and-tear items such as clutch cylinders, gearbox mounts etc. 2 tyres shredded.
Same vehicle again?Yes, but I'd consider a big diesel engine.
One driving tipGet to know your vehicle as well as possible before you set out.