The Lads were separately thinking and reading about this trip for about three years before AD emailed Ranger asking him about his thoughts in January 2004. Ranger’s response was ‘I do not need this type of temptation at this stage of my life!’ – then a text two days later ‘I’m in!’ …… they were off to Africa! Considering most folk prepare and plan a trip of this scale for at least over a year beforehand and they had decided/were restricted to a departure date of May 3rd 2004, they could be thought of as slightly mad!!

Vehicle Preparation

Initial plan was to purchase a second-hand, late 80’s Defender 110 or III series Landrover and fully prepare it for over-landing. Many were found in Autotrader, LRO magazine and on the web and a 1984 Defender in Derby was almost bought.
By chance, a specialist vehicle company in Essex was contacted and it turned out they were in the midst of a project to fully prep a 1996 Defender 110 300Tdi Station Wagon and ship it to their sister company in Zambia. Before they knew it, they were hiring the vehicle from Foley Specialist Vehicles and wherever their trip finished, someone would fly out from Zambia to collect it. No hassles of insurance, carnet de passages, or selling the thing - awesome.

6/3/04 - Visit to Foley Specialist Vehicles Ltd., Essex

“And this will be YOUR vehicle, sir......sir??!"

The engine and gearbox had already been reconditioned and only had 49,000 miles of use.

4/4/04 – Second visit to Foley’s after vehicle had been in paint shop.

Ah, much better……

All the modifications and equipment listed on the Vehicle Page would be carried out before running the vehicle for three weeks to resolve slight problems, if any.

Visas

http://www.fco.gov.uk/

Europe x
Tunisia x
Libya Khalifa Hamed (visaservices45@aol.com) in Hammersmith will sort visas, tour operator/guide and translation service (4 wks)
Egypt £18 multiple entry (1 day)
Sudan 6 wks, a letter of introduction from a hotel would help
Ethiopia £43 tourist visa http://www.ethioembassy.org.uk/ (4 days)
Kenya £70 multiple entry (5days)
Uganda obtained in Nairobi
Rwanda free at borders
Tanzania obtained in Nairobi
Malawi x
Zambia £45 multiple entry obtained at border
Botswana x
South Africa x

Documentation

- International Driving License
- Carnet de Passages (stamped at each border as proof of import/export)
- International Certificate for Motor Vehicles
- Letter of Authorisation for vehicle from Foleys
- Passports
- Yellow fever certificates
- Travel and Medical Insurance
- PADI diving certificate
- Many passport-size photographs printed on our HP Deskjet on glossy paper
- Travellers cheques, Dollars and Euro, Mastercard & Visa

All of the documents were photocopied three times and stored in different places on the vehicle. All details of passports, travellers cheques, insurance etc. were saved on a UK email account and given to family at home.

Vaccinations

HepA, HepB (3 doses), Thyphoid, Diphtheria/Tetanus, Yellow Fever, Rabies (3 doses), Meningitis(A+C)

In car (cockpit)

- books
- thermos flask
- small first aid kit
- sunglasses
- mosquito-repellent
- binoculars
- cricket hat & baseball cap
- soap
- toilet paper
- knife & leatherman
- fire extinguisher
- surgeon gloves
- compass
- shortwave radio
- tape
- sunglasses
- CD’s
- maps
- water bottle
- Motorola 9500 satellite phone

Gifts

- small gifts for border crossings, kids etc. like cigarettes, biros etc.

Camping gear

- tent
- tent poles
- tent pegs
- ground sheet
- spade
- plastic for roof rack
- hammock
- ropes
- basin
- mosquito net
- mattress
- quilt
- quilt-sheets
- blankets
- pillows
- sleeping bags
- earplugs
- tube lamp
- spare tube lights Coleman lamp
- camping-gaz lamp
- batteries
- camping chairs
- table
- carpet to sit on
- windscreen cover
- pans, lids etc.
- water bottles
- sponge
- cutting board
- emery sponge
- dishwash brush
- waste disposal bags
- clothes-line
- clothes-pegs
- bucket
- detergent (washing-up and clothes)
- tea towels
- mosquito repellent
- soap
- tin-opener
- corkscrew
- scissors
- plates
- bowls
- mugs
- cutlery
- bread-knife/meat-knife
- serving spoons
- plastic bags
- cotton bags for vegetables etc
- kettle
- Braii
- charcoal
- aluminium foil
- pan-gloves
- kindling
- lighter
- matches
- candles
- jerry cans for water 80 litre min
- water filter
- water purifier tablets
- cool bag
- little plastic boxes
- toilet paper

Food

- rice
- pasta
- tins with vegetables, fish, beans, sauce etc.
- spices
- sugar
- olive oil
- mustard
- coffee
- tea
- powder soup
- cheese
- powder milk
- cookies
- dried fruits
- peanuts
- crackers

Computer bag

- Laptop with extra battery and CD-ROM
- CD burner and CD-Rs to send photos home as back up
- USB 256Mb memory stick to transfer updates in internet cafe
- USB flash card memory reader
- leads

Camera Equipment

- Canon Ixus 400
- Canon EOS 300D with 28-55mm & 70–300mm lenses and filters
- tripod
- battery charger

Medical Kit

(Naomi, a friend of AD’s, was a great help in providing most of this comprehensive med kit)

- 1 IV giving set
- 2 bags gelofusin plasma expander
- 1 ET tube
- green needles
- tegaderm
- sterets
- butterfly needles
- steristrips
- sutures
- IV cannulae
- blood gas needles
- syringes
- surgical gloves
- disposable scalpel
- assorted plasters
- safety pins
- scissors
- tweezers
- thermometer
- Aspirin for sore throat and mild pain
- Paracetamol for mild pain and temperature
- Ibuprofen for joint inflammation and pain
- Doxycycline anti-malerial capsules
- Biltracide against bilharzia
- buccastem for severe nausea, vomiting and vertigo
- loperamide for acute diarrhoea
- oral dehydration sachets for rehydration
- indigestion tablets
- loratidine for allergies
- daktarin cream for fungal infections
- eye wash
- iodine
- burn cream
- stings cream
- anti-histamine
- vaccination certificate

Personal things

- Merrell Chamelion Stretch Shoes
- Merrell Kona Convertible Sandals
- gloves
- scarf
- cap and cricket hat
- swimming shorts
- pyjamas
- waterproofs
- fleece
- light jeans
- light combat pants
- polo shirts
- t-shirts
- warm jumper
- socks
- boxers
- shoe-lace
- toiletries
- towel quick dry
- nail scissors
- backpack
- daypack
- laundry bin bag
- hat
- sunscreen
- sunblock
- lipbalm
- hair clippers !!

Various

- Nokia 6310 mobile phone
- pen + paper
- wallet
- money belt
- diary
- documentation
- list of current exchange rates
- calculator
- address book / contacts
- maps & things to read
-money (dollars, euro, travellers cheques, mastercard/visa)