Time to reflect...

With only a couple of days to go before we set off, I thought I'd better get some of the behind-the-scenes detail down (as well as trying to upload some photies).


1. Vehicle Selection



Very tough decision and taken in soft whispers so as not to let our trusty 10-year old Landrover Discovery know that, after 283 000 kms, it was about to be replaced as our expedition vehicle by a, wait for it, LandCruiser 4.2 diesel pick-up.
Why? I suppose because Toyota is well represented all over Africa, used by the UN, accessibility of spares, lack of electronic stuff, and the ongoing niggle about LandRover quality although luckily not ever really experienced by us.





2. Modifications





The pick-up was bought new, BF Goodrich AT tyres replacing the split-rimmed marie biscuits, and delivered to Meano & Sons in Krugersdorp to be turned into a double cab.


Couple of pics showing work in progess.


Ouch!!

That's looking better.

(oh, so that's how you get a bigger picture!!) The almost finished article.

3. Mods II

Then it was off to Alu-cab in Kempton Park to add some more touches. Oh yes, while all this was going on we were trying to get it registered in the Free State. Marius from Mortimer toyota was valiantly trying to get the licensing authorities to use the new Natis number to register as a double-cab. Result...misery! Bureaucrats 1 James's 0

Their answer, No, you cannot have it registered as a "Toyota double cab", you can register it as a "Toyota Meano", now that in our opinion would alert all customs officials from here to Cairo and beyond.

Alu-cab then got stuck into (very slowly) adding the following (from front to back):

Onca bull bar with T-max Winch, IPF spotlights, dual battery system, Outback roof rack, Howling Moon 1.6 m tent, 70 W solar panel, 2 safes under back seat, Alu-cab canopy, 55l water tank, Outback drawer system, table, kitchen compartment, hi-lift jack and spade carriers, 2 jerry can brackets, IEF back bumper with dual spare wheel carriers.

4. Mods III

Tom Cruiser (aka The Beast) is currently being fitted with a radio (no, not standard equipment) and having his windows tinted, what a poser.

Sorry, no more photos on my flash drive to add at the moment.

5. What else have we done while waiting for the vehicle to be sorted?

Got jabs for yellow fever, Hep A & B, Rebecca got a cocktail of all sorts of stuff. Packets and packets of malaria tabs.

Organised carnet for the vehicle, travel insurance, foreign exchange, new digital camera Canon 400D, (Mr. Gradwell, how about lending me your lenses for 7 months??), tried to sort out Parkhurst house, sold the Noddy car (Renault Clio) to Kaz's dad (it's already talking with a Cape Town accent apparently). Taken stuff down to store in Clarens and delivered some stuff to the orphanage there. A lot of cyber squatting at Triba and anywhere else I can find a fast internet connection, thanks Sheens!

What do I miss about the bank...? Oh yes, fast network connections and my guys!!

6. What do we still need to do?

A lot!! Get Arabic translations of our passports for Libya and get the visa thing moving, visit Alu-cab to sort out some minor mods and Rob to get a list of spares to take and a crash course in fixing cars (oh, I forgot, it's not a LandRover)

Get a haircut and start packing!!