tip of africa to london england

ridgerunner · Apr 20, 2005

Alacrity said:
Was going to suggest that, many links are dead - least they were last I checked. General info is good regardless of time, but make sure they have a good handle on current conditions. Not from some website 5 years old. Conditions change quickly.

As of 2:54 pacific standard time, only one link is dead-"Peter & Kay Forwood Round The World Trip." Conditions may change and the sites may be old, but they still have some good ideas on how to setup a vehicle.

Alacrity · Apr 21, 2005

ridgerunner said:
As of 2:54 pacific standard time, only one link is dead-"Peter & Kay Forwood Round The World Trip." Conditions may change and the sites may be old, but they still have some good ideas on how to setup a vehicle.

Ridge:

Last I was there (fall) I musta googled up this page - so much for my awareness:

http://www.africa-overland.net/lost_links.html

We're on the same page about the usefulness of net info for vehicles - why I indicated general info was good regardless of time - but take other info with a grain of salt. My comment was directed more towards political, infrastructure, etc.

Like the ease or severity of particular border crossings (or even the policies or experiences regarding a particlar countries entry policies). Or the condition or existence of roads. Ive found people rely on/get scared off due to anecdotal or plain dated information. My experiences in N Africa nearly 20 years ago arent of much planning value now. But my understanding concerning Bolivia is much different than one would take away from common media coverage - tho I didnt get down there this winter.

The most likely issue affecting an overlanders enjoyment of the trip is political chicanery - graft, custom delays and "misunderstandings" - as anyone who's travled through Muhammed Murtala can attest. Tho I'm told by recent travelers the semi-official graft and inefficiencies have been reduced to a mere annoyance - perhaps it finally migrated to Abuja.

Im not saying you need a formal assessment from Oatman, but some timely, eyes-on info, along with some guidance from, assuming Canadian, Consular Affairs, will help make what more than likely a once in a lifetime adventure much more enjoyable. Hope they have enjoyable trek.

Luck
Alac

crushers · Apr 21, 2005

ridgerunner said:
Here's one most have probably seen:
http://www.africa-overland.net/world.html

excellent site,
thanks

Jim_Phillips · Apr 21, 2005

I have done the same trip several times -

Which route will your client be taking? There are really two possibilities - up to Tanzania / Kenya and then turn left into central Africa and on up through West Africa and the Sahara. Or, straight up heading for Egypt. If he is heading into central Africa then he is taking on a big challenge. He will need to be pretty much self reliant with most spares. Fuel will also be an issue. If he is heading for Egypt then spares are more accessable. (He would be better in a Landrover as LR spares are more plentiful and cheaper + plenty of locals that know how to fix them) But a Cruiser won't brake down... or so the argument goes!

Southern and Eastern Africa can be crossed in almost any vehicle nowadays. North and West of Kenya and you need 4x4. Kit him out with a good roof tent. Plenty of storage, spares, medical. Teach him how to mend puctures. Sand ladders are indispensible if you don't have a winch. Actually, he should have sand ladders for either route as well as a winch. Water purification systems are good. Rig up lights from seperate battery system for night time. An axe is very important (self defence and wood chopping) Box of flares can be useful against scary animals. Weld a safe somewhere to the vehicle. Better make that 2 safes - one for stuff he can afford to lose (if made to) and one for the really important stuff (like majority of cash etc) Take a couple of comfy armchairs and a good supply of scotch.

Wish him luck, Jim

crushers · Apr 21, 2005

very good advice.
he is getting setup for 2 weeks of self sufficiency in case of emergency. he will have a sat phone as well as GPS.
2 spares, we are looking at Goodyear G171 tires that have the steel belted sidewall and 10 ply base as well as a special sand tire, not sure which way he is going yet on the tires.
as for the route the wife can rhyme off all the stops and directions faster than i can hear them.
in the planning is provision for 100L of water, 1000 km of fuel, full parts supply, 2 spares, roof top tent of maybe interior depending on whether he is going with a complete fibeglass custom back.
armour shield on all the glass.
i will post more if they get me to build the unit or not.
please keep the suggestions coming.
cheers and thanks

Satamax · Apr 21, 2005

Wayne, a thousand kilometer fuel might be a tad short in some case, well depends on the route and how much sand they'll see (thousand kils of sand doubles the fuel consumption at least!) , and how heavy the rig is! 150 litre tank and 150 in cans and they'll be all right i'd say. Daft thing but i've heard of people inflating the spares with water as an extra reserve, thought the water is tasting horible after that! If they go the west african route, tell them to be carefull, there's a few countries wich are "hot" Tell them to carry some t shirts, shoes etc of fairly good quality, old car spares, inner tubes, semi worn tyres are good to have too, bribing with thoses is a good idea, use bribing money the least they can and always barter! If you don't barter, you'r ejust asking them to peel the skin of your balls! As well, it's better in some countries to spend a night in a cell, than paying, as every 20 to 40 kilometers you'll end up paying because they will have told their cousins, relatives, friends coleagues. Alcool, like pastis or whisky is good to carry too, dangerous in some muslim countries, and a perfect pasport/visa with some of the custom officers of thoses countries!

Best regards.

Max.

sandcruiser · Apr 21, 2005

based on my experience in mexico/central america---

speed is unlikely to be as important at reliability. I would think twice before adding a turbo.
7.50r16 tires are a good choice- easy to find spares if needed.
If needed for weight concerns, you can carry one spare tire unmounted.

Keep water and fuel low. I know you know that.

Rooftop tent is less water-proof than inside the vehicle, but it will be damn hot inside most nights. Provide for an awning of some sort off the tent and you'll have the best solution.

Cooking under an awning beats the heck out of inside the vehicle too. The folks at www.newcruiser.ca had a great awning solution taken from the boating industry-- a C-chanel mounted to varoius areas of the vehicle into which you could slide a tarp. Basically- a lot like a sail. It worked great till they had it stolen (note: a grommet w/lock would be a good idea)

On the topic of stolen stuff: locked storage for little things is only useful if it is A) easy to access/open/close from driver & passenger position and B) fairly difficult to see when closed. Tuffy consoles are excellent in both regards. Locking glove compartments are also good. A custom designed overhead console would be awesome as well.

Something that many overlook but is super important: 12v Fans. one or two for the tent, one or two in the vehicle (you can use the same fans). Hella makes some awesome 2-speed turbo fans that are small and light and move a ton of air at milliamps of draw. We used ours every single night while travelling and usually would have been happy to have had a second fan.
Two light sources in the tent is also a nice idea so that one can read without the other getting grumpy.

I'l think of some more stuff later, i 'm sure. Sounds like a fun trip!

Mike S · Apr 21, 2005

A rooftop tent is a very good idea - pratically essential. Here is a hardtop tent that has been to Africa a lot...

http://www.loftyshelters.com/IndexFrame.htm

M

Jim_Phillips · Apr 22, 2005

I must stress again how important it is that you know the route. I travelled from Cairo to Cape town in a VW camper van - no 4x4 and no extra fuel. It can easily be done. The roads are tarred most of the way and just a little rough where they are not. The alternative route is hardcore. They will get info on the road from people coming the other way and that is always the best advice. If there is no one coming out of where they intend to go - then it is for a reason.

The vehicle prep that you are proposing sounds fine to me. I would take some of the earlier advice about not looking too rich... Sat phones, Laptops etc make you a target. Best to try to look even porer than the locals. Paint some rust on the vehicle if it doesn't have any. Seriously. Also, no guns. In 10 years of travelling in Africa I never once had a gun. To be caught with an illegal weapon in an African country is deed deep trouble. A rubber snake is a good guard against vehicle theft. Leave it where it can just be seen. The locals love it when you climb in and stroke it..

cruiser_guy · Apr 22, 2005

sandcruiser said:
based on my experience in mexico/central america---

speed is unlikely to be as important at reliability. I would think twice before adding a turbo.

Steve, I know turbo's are frowned upon here in Central America and many diesels don't have them but I'm convinced that's due to improper care, set up and maintenance and not an issue of the turbo itself being unreliable (several mechanics have basically said the same thing). I know myself that I need to make SURE that I allow time for the engine to cool prior to shutting off and that turning up the fuel (to the point of laying out a smoke screen) like so many trucks and buses do is a recipe for SURE disaster.

Set the turbo up properly with moderate boost and not overfuelling and the turbo will NOT detract significantly from the overall engine life or reliability. Check the boost and fuel with a set of gages (turbo and pyrometer) and know how to use them and when to back out of the throttle.

I think if you had the opportunity to drive a turbo equipped diesel back to back with a naturally aspirated in the same vehicle you'd come to the same conclusion. I'll NEVER have a non-turbocharged diesel again. Like someone on the list said, a naturally aspirated diesel is only 1/2 an engine!

sandcruiser · Apr 22, 2005

hey, I'm not saying that a turbo is bad. No way. I'd love one. I'm just saying that for an overland trip like they are doing.... I wouldn't *add* a turbo. I'd just leave the motor as close to stock as possible. Makes bush repairs much much easier.

cruiser_guy · Apr 22, 2005

Steve, that's part of the beauty of the AXT kit. If I want to return to stock all I'd need to do is pull the turbo and related piping, reinstall my OEM exhaust manifold and a new hose from the air cleaner to the intake and I'd be back where I started. I found I did not need to adjust my fuel delivery or anything else. Granted, my exhaust would not hook up so I might be deaf

after driving for a few miles but it would be doable.

crushers · Apr 22, 2005

with the way i turbo the 1HZ it is a 20 min job to back to stock...
cheers (off to play in the mud)

Alacrity · Apr 22, 2005

Jim:

When you went Cairo to Capetown how was the stretch between Addis and Khartoum? I know it may have been a while but Im curious - worse of the stretch?

I agree with Jims Rover statement, I like Series trucks - and sure they are good at fixing them they get lots of opportunity.

Im surprised pens havnt been mentioned - everyone wants pens. Some pens or better, some colored pencils for children, and paper. Dont take crayons.

Nice to have a solar option - what kind of fridge are you thinking. If theres no provision for a hard mount, some success with thisIowa Thin Film

Luck
Alac

Rvl · Apr 23, 2005

I built a camper out of a Nissan micro-bus (22ft) and sold it 2 years ago
Since then I have been using my HZJ73

I dont envy anyone using a LC for long term camping and I love camping and my LC

I will be getting a 4wd Toyota micro-bus (18ft and a 1HZ) in the future and travelling from Japan to the tip of Africa when I retire.

crushers · Apr 24, 2005

can you shoot me off a pic of a micro bus?
wayne@crushersrule.com
cheers

Rvl · Apr 24, 2005

Missing the DVD I stored all my bus photos on
Here is one I found of a Toyota Coaster micro-bus

http://www.cmca.net.au/motorhoming/newGallery/mh2004/images/Coaster1.jpg

crushers · Apr 24, 2005

if the bus is anything like in the pic then i would say you are going to have a comfortable trip...
thanks for the link
cheers

Rvl · Apr 24, 2005

They are available in 4wd and a couple companies in Australia have modified them for beach touring loaded with Swampers.
That photo is of a long version and they are available in short , medium and long.

Length and height are their downfalls.

expat · Apr 28, 2005

A little bit of reading...

Sorry to resurect this post, but am posting for reference sake if nothing else. I wanted to post while this thread was still active, but I was just too busy...

Here is a little list for those people who live vicariously on the internet while stuck in hotel rooms on business trips. Enjoy...

Yes, there are bound to be some dead links here...

tip of africa to london england

More options

ridgerunner

Alacrity

crushers

post ho

Jim_Phillips

crushers

post ho

Satamax

sandcruiser

....back in the saddle again....

Mike S

Jim_Phillips

cruiser_guy

Out of Africa / North Africa

sandcruiser

....back in the saddle again....

cruiser_guy

Out of Africa / North Africa

crushers

post ho

Alacrity

Rvl

crushers

post ho

Rvl

crushers

post ho

Rvl

expat

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tip of africa to london england

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....back in the saddle again....

Out of Africa / North Africa

....back in the saddle again....

Out of Africa / North Africa

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