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  • 2009
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      • DAY FIFTY SIX
        01/31/09
        Charlie arrives in Cape Town and prepares to fly north to Windhoek, Namibia. Then the drive North to the Etosha National Park to meet George and Martins.



        Hemisphere Frieght very kindly donated some pens which we handed out at this Catholic Mision at morning prayers and assem

      • Bottle Neck at the Angolan High Commission in the Congo DRC
        01/30/09

        After a great bush camp somewhere between Kinshasa and Matadi we find our way to the Angolan High Commission. There we meet The over Landers that we last saw in Brazzaville in the Congo.
        We met up with three bikers, Geoff from the UK, Mego from Germany and Mark from the States, also wai

      • DAY FIFTY FOUR
        01/29/09
        Ferry crossing over the River Congo into Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa.

        This wasn’t the best of days, up early and off to the Russian embassy where the money changers accumulate outside. Then to the Port at eight thirty, after going through Customs and immigration

      • A quiet celebration
        01/28/09
        We are early for our 10.00hrs appointment arriving at 9.30

        The consulate calls us in for an interview just after one. With my limited french not helping very much, we do manage to convey where we will be staying an the reason for our visit to the Congo DRC.
        His secretary reminds me

      • DAY FIFTY TWO
        01/27/09
        George and Martins have now spent 3 nights in the Congo the people are great, friendly, the road and the weather are not nearly so good.

        Tonight they hope to reach Brazzaville where they will try again to get there remaining visas.

        Thank you Keith.

        We spent another n

      • After a night at the Border Akou we present Emela King a french bible
        01/26/09
        158 miles achieved today, 117 in deep sand.
        This border was the cleanest, most friendly border we have come across. Because the roads are so difficult there is not much traffic.





        Ivan and Maureen Jacklin had given us a Bible printed in French and this mornin

      • Trying for the Congo Border post
        01/25/09
        Many of the bridges have potholes in front of them, but with the recent rains, it is difficult to tell how deep they are. Some you could call axle breakers. A slow approach is a wise one.

        Leaving the Gabon was a very easy business. Gabon for us had been brief, the towns of Fransville and

      • Last night in Gabon
        01/24/09
        The Gabon appears a much friendlier country although we did encounter two very tricky roadblocks. For 18 roadblocks and only two bad ones that isn’t bad. We were asked for driving licence, insurance, carnet, passport, fire extinguisher, medical records, in the end I got the computer out and provid

      • Goodbye Yaounde
        01/23/09
        Achieved 250 miles, fantastic scenery.
        Very disappointed we left Yaoundé with out our Congo DRC visas, but will explain in full at a later date. Our South African friends have been asked to meet again today and hopefully will get a result.

        Out of the Cameroon and into the Gabon.
      • Slowly Slowly catch your Monkey..
        01/22/09
        An old expression John Buchan once told me.
        Giles made a phone call from the British High commission in Yaoundé and we now have an appointment with his opposite at the Congo DRC at 3pm this afternoon to revisit our application.
        The south Africans have been asked to resubmit with reference

      • Dissapointment at DRC
        01/21/09
        The south Africans and ourselves were disappointed when we returned to the Congo DRC Embassy to be told that we should try again at Brazzaville. After taking the administration fee, we were given no reason why it was not possible to gain our visas here in Yaoundé.
        The South Africans SA Embassy

      • Important Day..
        01/20/09
        Yes a New President of America, Susie and Mothers Birthday.
        Obviously we celebrated all three events in the evening. But the first event delayed us obtaining our Gabon Visas. The Gabon consulate was busy at a party at the American Embassy and didnt make the 1st or 2nd appointment. Therfore dela

      • DAY FORTY FOUR
        01/19/09
        Today George and Martins arrived in Yaoundé.

        After a night below the Botanical Gardens in Limbe we head off follwing Jean Hannelise and their two boys William (3) and Jean Pier (5).

        Last night we stayed at the Mirimar, right on the coast, with stunning views of the offshore

      • Night beside the road.
        01/18/09
        After passing Kumba last night it got dark and as the tiredness set in, we realised our target of reaching the coastal town of Limbe was just to much. Bush camping here is not very safe and there are few places to pull off the road, as the vegetation is thick and tropical . However, we found a place

      • Cross into the Cameroon
        01/17/09
        We had another early start, and two rigerous police border checks before the border. It took us over two and a half hours to complete this and then we crossed a bridge over the Cross River into the Cameroon.

        Once over the bridge we completed some lenghty paperwork and one hour later we we

      • Trip to Ikom
        01/16/09
        Not looking forward to leaving the relative security of Abujar we leave for Ikom which is situated 20km before the Cameroon Border post.
        Once on the road, we started the police and millitary roadblocks.

        The countyside we passed was stunning, but as we sped away from the capital, the

      • Congo visa in pocket
        01/15/09
        Picked up the Congo visas this morning, tried to obtain Congo DRC had a flat no from the Ambassador.
        Air conditioning, sounds like a luxury item, but at 31+ degrees and 300+ miles it is very helpful in keeping fatigue to a min. No lookers out here, so off to the bush mechanics to get the air co

      • Life Abuja
        01/14/09
        Starting with another photo from Robert


        Abuja is a new city with most amenities, the people are friendly and for the first time in Nigeria we can relax.
        Currency. Here the local currency is the Naira, the change rate varies significantly, from 177 to the pound at the Sheraton

      • The Journey from Ibudan continues
        01/13/09
        This picture Robert shot as we entered Ghana


        Mean while George and Martins continued their Journey to xxxxxxxx.
        Road blocks by Police, Military and the National drug enforcement agency slowed down the journey considerably. After a stop in one village some men appeared with 8f

      • Togo, Benin and Nigeria...
        01/12/09
        George and Martins update.
        After Ghana, the 3hr border crossing into Togo was horrendous. With low spirits anyway, the last thing we wanted was a long and stressful entry into Togo.
        However Benin was completely different, and we were greeted with some friendly and helpfull immigration and

      • DAY THIRTY SEVEN
        01/12/09
        Peter Hume of Hemisphere begins preparations for the return of two of the LAND ROVERS from Accra, Ghana.

      • Team Update
        01/11/09
        Uncertainty in the following countries; Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo and Congo DRC and also differing views on the unknown, main concerns being delays with road blocks, obtaining visas, other and people’s time restraints. Taking all this into account, it was decided this morning that two vehicles will

      • Water Aid visit
        01/10/09
        After a noisey night at a water aid site for George and Martins the rest of the team join them for a practicle visit.



        Last night was the end of a 3 day fast and this was celebrated by an all night church service. After attending the local church service for an hour, Martins

      • WaterAid HQ visit
        01/09/09
        George and Martins Pick up the visas for Nigeria and then head to the WaterAid head quarters in Accra.
        Attah Arhen is the Fundraising and Donar contracts officer at the HQ. Shown below.


        Stephen Ntow is the county representative for Water Aid and is shown below. The headquarters

      • DAY THIRTY ONE
        01/06/09
        TEN THOUSAND BROKEN

        Today the Team Total passed £10,000.00. The new total is,

        £10,193.39


      • Ghana here we come
        01/04/09
        Mick, Martin, Robert and Sam made it through the border to Ghana yesterday and confirmed that George and Martins could obtain their visa at the border rather than wait until Monday.
        Having recovered from the laundry bill, we will make our way to the Ghana border and join the rest of the team.
      • Goodbye as the team split again.
        01/03/09
        After a check out, George and Martins join the rest of the team for Breakfast at the Mercure. Michael, Robert, Sam and Martin have their visas for Ghana and are planning to depart after lunch for the Mole Game Reserve in Ghana. George and Martins have to get their visas on Monday when the Embassy op

      • Robert Macs Birthday
        01/02/09
        Up early and pulled away as a local Shepherd drove his cattle through. The air cleaner had been cleaned out and the props had been greased, for some reason the engine had been cutting out at 60 mph can't quite work out why. Rads clean, but after confirmation from Kevin at Lookers later in the d

      • Gao (Gowoo).
        01/01/09
        Last night Martins and George enjoyed a dusty New Year in the town of Gao, that has one of the largest Cattle Markets in Mali (reputed). At midnight a trail of vehicles drove into the central sports field, (no grass) with hooters blazing, creating donaughts, we watched from the mud rooftop of the ca

  • 2008