Thanks Rosco! More details:
Things worked out (just!) with us collecting the vehicle and getting at put back together in WB (Walvis Bay) in a container yard and with malaria (not fun)
Luckily the only damage was my 'helpers' that assisted in putting back the roof tent - the paintwork has a "bit" more patina now!!!!
It was then 3 days to get down to Luderitz and on the way testing a lot of things
We had hoped to have a final shakedown trip in Ghana, but that was not to be so a few issues had to be sorted out sharpish on the road. Heading south we stayed in Hauchabfontein for two nights and spend a day sorting out the car and packing arrangements as well as a mysterious electrical fault. Hauchab was great - very nicely laid out site with great ablutions and a real friendly owner.
From their the next stay was Namtib Farm - great place too, but the weather was more like my home country of Scotland, with us waking up to driving rain. Anyway at least we know the Hanibal Impi is relatively weather tight!
From Namtib it was then on to Luderitz where we stocked up on beer, water and firewood for the next 6 days and met our group at Obelix Guest House (where we also stayed). A great bunch of people comprising a group of South Africans who all go on trips together:
3 x 80 series 4.5L Petrol
1 x 105 series 4.5L Petrol
And a German/Dutch couple in a rented 4.0L Petrol Hilux....
This petrol bias coupled with a few sardonic groans when the troopy was mentioned got me thinking! Okay the mention of the turbo seemed to satisfy them a bit Our guides were driving (surprise) 4.5L Petrol cruiser p/ups. So to sum it up we were the heaviest car with the least power - and a LOT of the weight (longranger, IEF bumper, two tyres, fridge etc...) either just on or behind the rear axle.
To sum it up the trip was really, really something! The dunes were huge and despite our weight and power we were not the most rescued car. The group gelled so well and we made some real friends. For us the most frightening was going up the dunes - most times Julia was reading and calling the EGTs while we absolutely thrashed the old 1HZ to make it up. The only time we really got stuck we were REALLY stuck... 3.5 tonnes, lockers and 0.6 bar means "proper stuck"!
One of the most amazing driving experiences was Len (lead guide in white 70 series) taking myself and Julia for a blast in a huge 'bowl' for fun in his cruiser - 140k per hour and weightless on a dip was amazing... I have scared myself silly in fast road cars and bikes but NOTHING compared to the 20 mins with Len. Utterly addictive!
Airing down as we hit the sand. I was very apprehensive on the first day... the weight, the self done mods, the turbo (and EGTs!). If you have a problem out there that you cannot repair then you are in for a VERY long and VERY expensive recovery - remember this is 650kms of dunes with no roads, no exits and no way out... I also had absolutely minimal sand experience - plenty of everything else, just no sand! Anyway we soon found our way and got into a bit of a grooove.
The guides (Len and Piet) were excellent, and they and their helpers did a fantastic job of guiding, recovery as well as meals!
Ottmar and Christine in their hired Hilux did really well. Their vehicle was probably the most suited to the trip, being a 4.0L and very lightly laden... Certainly power was not lacking and it did sound good howling up the dunes!
The petrol 79s really impressed me (not just the adrenaline ride with Len!), but also their ability despite carrying BIG weight. I worked with cruiser 75 & 79s for years, but they were all diesel and hey there's no sand in Ghana. Having said all this, the turbo troopy did really well, and we only got really stuck the once.
After the first day we were moved to the spot immediately behind Len in the lead cruiser. This was a good thing (previously we had been at the very back) as the sand was not so churned and in general the pace was a lot faster. As we gained experience and confidence (in the car as much as ourselves) it was fun to chase him, especially as he sometimes got a bit exuberant!
As I said we did get properly bogged the once Strangely Piet the night before had mentioned we as a group were not getting stuck enough. Hopefully this one made up for that!
We had seen Namib dunes before, but never imagined driving them... absolutely fantastic.
The trip was nicely broken up and planned, with it not being full on dunes and adrenaline the whole time. For a few of the group this was a good thing, I am not saying people were not enjoying it, but for some of us it was enough slip faces by the end of the day! We had the opposite problems in that we were relishing the slips and dreading the climbs. Often we were shouting at the troopy and delighted to reach the top, praying for hard sand. Many times I must have turned and said "we are not going to make it up that one" Surprisingly we mostly did, however without an EGT I suspect the troopy might still be there! Utterly essential...
But this meant that at times we could relax and enjoy the scenery, the sights and the wildlife. Utterly captivating.
Of course soon it was back to dunes
All too soon it was drawing to an end. Every night was a great laugh with fantastic company and food. Julia also loved every minute of it, and in fact the only time she got a bit stressed was because I wanted to drive and she also did She was banging the troopy over the dunes no problem. In fact after the trip we both felt really sad it was over. The next few days we were a bit flat and down that such an experience was over.
Anyway we soon consolled ourselves with the thought that this was only the beginning of the trip for us So since then we have done a lot more, but that's for more reports later.
In summation - absolutely amazing and Uri (Len & Piet & Seth and Johnny) did an absolutely fantastic job.
Gil
roscoFJ73
regrettfully SOLD:(
60 TDIC 81'
Linear Mode
