Kapp 2 Cape - Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas 2012

Tom Mc wrote:

Don't blame you. As I've said many times before, we only pass this way once, so a boring job is something that should be avoided at all costs!

I whole heartedly agree!

Hi everyone!

Just a short update this week! Enjoy!

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Aaahh … the glorious sunshine finally arrived this week!  About time … we were starting to grow mould between the toes.

The communication plan (OK - the emails) have been spreading further as we inform people of our adventure.  Again, mainly positive reactions, a bit of envy and a few people who either don’t get it, or think we are mad.

On the preparation front, all the varnishing that has been waiting to be done was taken care of … in 1 week!  Fantastic progress!  The construction behind the front seats has had its mandatory 2 coats, and additional other smaller storage nooks and crannies have been created and varnished.  Every conceivable space is being used!!

In spite of the credit card protesting, we have also been ordering more items that we need for the trip.  The cooker should arrive soon, a new antenna for the car will help with radio reception.  We are edging closer to a fridge.

To be fair, we also took time to enjoy the sun!  It doesn’t appear that often in the UK

A Big Milestone this week - on Friday we crossed the 100 days until we go mark.  Hooray!

14 weeks to go ...

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Until next time!
Have a great week!

kind regards
African GirlChild

GirlChild wrote:

Hi everyone!

Just a short update this week! Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aaahh … the glorious sunshine finally arrived this week!  About time … we were starting to grow mould between the toes.

The communication plan (OK - the emails) have been spreading further as we inform people of our adventure.  Again, mainly positive reactions, a bit of envy and a few people who either don’t get it, or think we are mad.

On the preparation front, all the varnishing that has been waiting to be done was taken care of … in 1 week!  Fantastic progress!  The construction behind the front seats has had its mandatory 2 coats, and additional other smaller storage nooks and crannies have been created and varnished.  Every conceivable space is being used!!

In spite of the credit card protesting, we have also been ordering more items that we need for the trip.  The cooker should arrive soon, a new antenna for the car will help with radio reception.  We are edging closer to a fridge.

To be fair, we also took time to enjoy the sun!  It doesn’t appear that often in the UK


A Big Milestone this week - on Friday we crossed the 100 days until we go mark.  Hooray!

14 weeks to go ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Until next time!
Have a great week!

kind regards
African GirlChild

About a fridge, Peter and Eileen Crichton, from Belton, recently returned from a 20,000-mile expedition during their retirement. Peter thinks electric frigde is waste of money, Peter got a cool box made a small hole in bottom made a bung with tap, put in a false floor then as they travelled around the world 3 times, they used to buy dry ice and put it in the bottom, when melted drain out water. They also made thier own roof tent. If you can get thier book, Chasing Rainbows, isbn O-9549481-O-6.

Surely can't beat an Engel or similar?

Tom Mc wrote:

Surely can't beat an Engel or similar?

Well it has worked for them for 3 around the world trips,
when you think about it Tom, engel or waco or other, it is haavy also realy need a 2nd battry again heavy, so cool box is lighter and takes up less space than a engel + battry.

All depends on what you think is good for your travel requirments,
and yes we have an engel, but did buy it before I read his book, but we don't have a second battry.

Good points, going light is definitely the key. We (well, 95 % of us) always take too much gear. I'm just as bad I have to say, but I like to be self-reliant, but of course that will effect fuel economy and the ability to extract oneself from the mire when the going gets sticky.

Trouble is I can't seem to break the cycle. If I ran a Unimog camper or an even larger expedition truck nothing would change - the on-board compressor would bigger/heavier, the recovery gear would be bigger/heavier, the fridge would be bigger/heavier as there would be more room to invite friends in out of the cold so you'd need more beers ... need I go on?

roamingman wrote:

About a fridge, Peter and Eileen Crichton, from Belton, recently returned from a 20,000-mile expedition during their retirement. Peter thinks electric frigde is waste of money, Peter got a cool box made a small hole in bottom made a bung with tap, put in a false floor then as they travelled around the world 3 times, they used to buy dry ice and put it in the bottom, when melted drain out water. They also made thier own roof tent. If you can get thier book, Chasing Rainbows, isbn O-9549481-O-6.

This ISBN number is wrong and the book appears to be out of print according to Amazon.

Found this copy on a British site - www.abebooks.co.uk/Circling-Home-Journey-Round-World-Saudi/4850441502/bd

And a picture of the book on American Amazon - www.amazon.com/Circling-Home-Journey-Arabia-Discovery/dp/9960400182

Tom Mc wrote:

Trouble is I can't seem to break the cycle. If I ran a Unimog camper or an even larger expedition truck nothing would change - the on-board compressor would bigger/heavier, the recovery gear would be bigger/heavier, the fridge would be bigger/heavier as there would be more room to invite friends in out of the cold so you'd need more beers ... need I go on?

Im hearing ya. I too stick to that principle. When I went from a pick up to the Terry I upped the scale of the equipment and gear.

Jas

Just tryed on ebay, looking for the isbn number, it found the book ok, not sure about wheather it is an leter O or a number 0 I tryed the number o on ebay it worked, the letter O did not. Hope that helps,

roamingman wrote:

Tom Mc wrote:

Surely can't beat an Engel or similar?

Well it has worked for them for 3 around the world trips,
when you think about it Tom, engel or waco or other, it is haavy also realy need a 2nd battry again heavy, so cool box is lighter and takes up less space than a engel + battry.

All depends on what you think is good for your travel requirments,
and yes we have an engel, but did buy it before I read his book, but we don't have a second battry.

Wow - that is seriously impressive! I didn't realise you could lay your hand on dry ice that readily worldwide!

However, we'll be going with the heavy, 2nd battery reliant, National Luna. And yes, gone for the freezer option too!

When we were on our 3 week trip in Zambia, we had 9 days in a national park away from civilisation (virtually wild camping). Using an Engel fridge, we had perishables throughout, but meat / chicken only for about 6 days, then onto the tinned variety.

How long did the dry ice cool box option need replenishing? I'll have to see if I can track down a copy of the book!

rgds
African GirlChild

WOW! has this week ever flown!

Latest weekly update - enjoy!

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It is official - it is 3 months and counting …

It is exciting. It is real. But above all, we are going to have fun and enjoy ourselves on this trip. I think at some point we forgot we were supposed to also have fun, but we have reminded ourselves of this ...

We have been learning a lot about ourselves, and other people too, as we continue to tell people about our adventure. We’d love people to see us following our own dream, and be inspired to follow their own dreams - however big or small they may be.

We also want to reassure people that we will be sensible and pragmatic on our trip - we don’t want trouble any more than anyone else does! We have some basic rules about not driving at night, using the trusty ‘bush telegraph’ to find out what is going on at ground level, being conscious of general safety and security.
And while we are out there exploring, we hope to meet many people - those who are also travelling, exploring, adventuring, and those who live in communities we will be passing through along the way. We want to live in 3D colour and break out of 2D black & white! We want to feel alive! Make sense?

There is a creeping sense of so much to do and so little time, that we have just had to get going. Items that need purchasing … well, let’s get ‘em purchased! (Subject to credit card exploding …) So this week has been a rather productive week:
our fridge has been ordered: a National Luna Weekender 50l which has the ‘luxury’ of a freezer compartment.
new vehicle batteries ordered (absolutely great customer service - please see our links page)
the aerial order got lost, and then was found again (less impressive customer service)
MOT booked for the vehicle

Hubby also spent a bit of time getting to grips with Google Maps this week - he is very much still in learning phase, but do check out the maps for Europe here
Europe

and for Africa here.
Africa

He’ll be experimenting and discovering the functionality more in the coming weeks.

Very Helpful Friend is coming over in 2 weeks time to give some expert assistance on the vehicle (he has the Big tools!!). He always injects common sense into the conversations, asks the tough questions, and provides impartial advice. He is also infinitely more knowledgeable than both of us combined when it comes to vehicles!

Anyway, we are taking a week of R&R - something that we have discovered is essential during our preparations. It feels rather intense to be living, breathing, thinking about the trip all the time, and does become mentally and emotionally draining. So, this week we’ll just relax, recharge, rejuvenate and return refreshed to continue the preparations.

And so, time rushes on ...
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Have a great jubilee weekend to those in the UK!

until next time!
kind regards

African GirlChild

Hi all!

Time for a weekly update on our preparations! Hope you are enjoying my musings ...

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We have returned from a week of relaxing and recharging. Through our preparation, we have realised the value of taking time out to let the body and mind recover, and restore energy levels. Although we still chatted about our journey, we specifically took time out to enjoy other activities! While the initial instinct is to keep going - and taking a week out seem sacrilegious when every minute seems to count - giving yourself space to rest allows you to come back with even more energy and excitement. I highly recommend it.

Another important part of our trip is about inspiring people to follow their own dreams. And it can be any dream - whether to start learning a new language, learn a new skill, take a trip of a lifetime or move country!

This Kapp2Cape adventure has been a dream of ours for a long time, but we repeatedly came up with every reason available why it wasn’t a good idea to follow. But one day, we really sat down and thought through every reason why we couldn’t do it and found a solution: Stable job? We’ll find another one - it is only a job. House? Let’s rent it out. Belongings? Sell or store. Then we asked ourselves what was really standing in our way. It was painful to admit that it was ourselves - our own perceptions.

As we have started talking to people about our trip, we have been met with mixed reactions. But, there are people who are already being inspired to explore what is standing in the way of them realising their own dreams.

This means the whole world to us.
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Preparations to continue in the coming week.

Until next time,
African GirlChild

GirlChild wrote:

Time for a weekly update on our preparations! Hope you are enjoying my musings ...

We're listening okay. Have to say it's an interesting insight of the planning stage ... and the anxiety and frustrations that are inevitable with such a huge undertaking. With you all the way!!!

Tom Mc wrote:

We're listening okay. Have to say it's an interesting insight of the planning stage ... and the anxiety and frustrations that are inevitable with such a huge undertaking. With you all the way!!!

Thanks Tom! I don't think I ever appreciated the emotional side of preparing!

This week, we have been selling items through online marketplaces. My first mountain bike - which I haven't ridden for 5 years and has been replaced with a better model - has been sold. I told hubby I needed to give it a kiss goodbye before it was collected ... Ridiculous!!

But I also know when we return from our adventure, that I will look at what we packed and left behind and wonder why I was sooo attached to it and why I didn't just get rid of it!!!

And so we continue ...

rgds
African GirlChild

Hi all!

What a productive week! The week off certainly gave us energy this past week.

Enjoy!

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After a week of rest, we certainly had a very busy, very productive week!  It didn’t really feel it at the time, but we managed to accomplish rather a lot!

Our “kitchen” is now packed.  Well, at least the pots & pans, crockery & cutlery, and cooking utensils are packed.  We had most items already, but these have now been packed into 2 boxes, with a small number of items needing purchasing.  The fridge also arrived this week (currently living in the lounge!).

We had a long chat to Vicki on Skype about their trip (Langebaan Sunset) and gathered lots of useful information.  Many thanks to Vicki - and yet another demonstration of what a wonderful community this Overland community is.

The clearout continued with 11 items going online for sale.  We managed to sell 8 and the funds are helping with our trip preparation costs.  The unsold items plus a few more have been listed online for sale this week.

Very Helpful Friend lent a hand over the weekend, with preparations for the vehicle to go through it’s MOT. Nothing earth-shattering to be done, but learning to fix our own vehicle is invaluable experience.  In addition, we spent some time discussing the next level of the drawer system.  We have realised that we need to start packing some of the boxes in the other levels to understand what storage shapes and spaces we still need.

I also spent time on the less visible aspects of trip preparation.  We have now found an insurance company for our travel insurance.  This comes recommended, and the prices are more tolerable than other quotes (see our Paperwork preparation pages for more information).  I also chatted to an estate agent about renting out our house, and that is progressing.  Our final appointment at the travel clinic is booked for next month (final Hep B shot) and we need to start our oral Cholera vaccination this week.

The website has had a bit more information added to it.  There is a map of the currencies in Africa and more content on other pages. Do have a look!

Our departure date is drawing rapidly closer!  We have a sense of urgency to get packed up - our house still doesn’t really look like we are departing in 11 weeks!  In the coming weeks, we may start taking a day’s leave each week to keep momentum on preparation.

The excitement is tangible!
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Have a great week!

kind regards
African GirlChild

Hi everyone!

After a long period of posts without photos I have made sure to add in a few to this week's edition. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

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This week, Brodie officially became "Brodie". We thought it was only fair that he displayed his name proudly!



The rest of the week continued its frantic pace. 　

The first aid / medical box was tackled this week. We have allocated a maximum of 1 wolf box. We had created an early medical list, and this was enhanced with the advice from the outdoor first aid course we completed in February. Then - we raided the bathroom cabinet, and discovered many items that were unopened and ready for use on the trip. (We also found many expired items, and while common sense it always implemented, we decided that anything that expired in 2007 really should be retired!). 　Next, a trip to the pharmacy to top up on day to day items. Lastly, the first aid items were ordered online. Hopefully these will arrive soon, and we can close the box! (I’ll be adding a full medical list / first aid list to the website - please keep an eye out on the Medical page.)



We have been trying to wrap our heads around the paperwork for the car. We are struggling to understand the interaction between keeping the MOT valid, keeping the vehicle taxed and insured (to avoid fines in the UK) and the carnet. I have been in contact with RAC and await their response in the coming week.

Similar to the medical kit, the vehicle spares have an allocated capacity of 1 wolf box. 　The spares list for the vehicle was finalised this past week, and the majority ordered online. There are a few items remaining which need to be ordered from Toyota directly. Again, hopefully these will arrive soon and another box can be finalised.

We also need to consider spares and tools for the mountain bikes which are joining us. 　A list has been drawn up for this.

The sewing machine continues to be in operation. This week I have added a few more pouches to the collection, as we continue to implement a sense of order to the cables and chargers!

The hard work on the vehicle last weekend and during the week meant that Brodie passed the MOT! Hooray. Of course, more work is always waiting! The fridge, which has been standing in its box for a week or so, emerged! The base plate has been fixed in place, and the fridge fitted. Great progress.



On the house front, we made slow progress with online selling of our listed items. 　We’ll keep adding more items as we really do need to start emptying the house. In addition, we have another car boot sale planned for 2 weeks time. Our aim this week is to spend time every evening in one room of the house and find more items to add to the pile. In addition, we’ll start packing some boxes of books etc that will ultimately head for storage (exact location still to be decided).

Anyway, another busy week. A scarce 10 to go.

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See you all next week! Same place, same time ...

rgds
African GirlChild

The first boot sale I ever did went really well. Took home almost £700!!! I thought - this is brilliant, beats working for a living! Obviously the following week I returned with high hopes and only took home £100, next week £30. Suddenly the penny dropped that the first week consisted of selling power drills, etc. Following weeks with all the really good stuff gone I was selling rubbish by comparison. Doh!

Never bothered since.

Tom Mc wrote:

The first boot sale I ever did went really well. Took home almost £700!!! I thought - this is brilliant, beats working for a living! Obviously the following week I returned with high hopes and only took home £100, next week £30. Suddenly the penny dropped that the first week consisted of selling power drills, etc. Following weeks with all the really good stuff gone I was selling rubbish by comparison. Doh!

Never bothered since.

Tom - I hear ya! And believe you me - we sold an unbelievable amount of rubbish!

The car boot sale has 2 purposes really
(1) I was taught from very young never to throw anything away (and create more landfill) because there is always someone else who can put something to good use.
(2) Any few pennies make our adventure last longer and longer!

The best sales we had at our first car boot sale: an outdoor tap set without the outdoor tap!! Just all the hoses and other fixtures! about 40 L brackets for mounting shelves on a wall - the guy said he didn't want them, but since it was such a good deal he would take them!

Anyway, it is good entertainment value!

kind regards,
African GirlChild

It is amazing what people buy and at ridiculous prices at times. Sometimes you just have to shake you head in disbelief as next you someone will buy a manky old used toaster for £15 when you darn well know they sell the exact same thing in Tescos or Asda brand new for almost half the price!

One man's junk is another man's treasure - how very true.

Hi all!

It is July already! Wow! Here is the latest weekly installment ...

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Stop the clock!

No, don’t worry, we are still embarking on the Big Adventure.

In case we didn’t have enough to deal with in preparing for the big adventure,  there has been an additional thread woven into the fabric.  This thread, in many ways, has been an important one, because it has been a little nudge towards ensuring that we do indeed embark on our adventure.

At the end of 2011, it was announced that Viking Explorer’s company would be bought out by a competitor.  Even at those early stages, it was made very clear that there would be job losses. It took a little while for the legalities to be completed and the acquisition to proceed, so it was only in April that ownership formally passed over.

At this stage, the formal consultation period started, and Viking Explorer’s entire department was highlighted as being at risk of redundancy.  Initially, we had anticipated that his end date would allow us to proceed with our planned departure date, but it seems that there may be a few weeks delay. The upside of this - (i) more time to prepare (never a bad thing) (ii) we may be able to attend the Overland Show (a very good thing!)

And so, we pause the countdown clock while we keep progressing on the preparations.  New departure date to follow ...

In the meantime, though, I have handed in my resignation (in anticipation of a departure date of end of September).  Hooray!

So, what have we been up to this past week?

Grand Central Station it was this week, as numerous orders were delivered.  The medical / first aid kit is now practically complete.  The vehicle spares box is bulging!

Much time has been spent investigating how to keep the vehicle legal after we have been on the road for more than 12 months.   I have been in contact with RAC, dropped a note to DVLA and trying to make contact with other travellers who have travelled from more than a year.  More info to follow.

The house has looked far too lived in for 2 people who are leaving in a few months.  So, I put all the furniture from the spare room up for sale!  We plan to turn the spare room into Adventure HQ and put everything for the trip in one place (rather than some under the stairs, some in the shed, some in the lounge ...).  Then, to continue the momentum, we packed 4 boxes of books!  Two are headed for storage, one is off to the car boot sale, and the final small one will become our library on the trip.  Let’s make sure the right box ends up in the right place!!

In the vehicle, the creation of storage boxes continues: one box has been installed (it required the fitting of the fridge last weekend) and another box has been built and first coat of varnish applied.

And so we continue in earnest ...

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Have a fabulous week!

See you next time!
African GirlChild

Well, due to what's been happening in the workplace, as mentioned their start may have to be delayed a tad - meaning they will be able to make it to ADVENTURE OVERLAND in October after all.

If this occurs, and I stress it is still IF at this stage, I have already been in contact with African GirlChild via PM to say that their Kapp 2 Cape - Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas 2012 adventure will take centre stage at the show ... especially as the plan is to start their epic trip from the show itself! Needless to say this will give us the opportunity to give them a rousing send off, something they are not likely to forget in a hurry.

'Watch this space' as they say.

Tom Mc wrote:

Well, due to what's been happening in the workplace, as mentioned their start may have to be delayed a tad - meaning they will be able to make it to ADVENTURE OVERLAND in October after all.

If this occurs, and I stress it is still IF at this stage, I have already been in contact with African GirlChild via PM to say that their Kapp 2 Cape - Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas 2012 adventure will take centre stage at the show ... especially as the plan is to start their epic trip from the show itself! Needless to say this will give us the opportunity to give them a rousing send off, something they are not likely to forget in a hurry.

'Watch this space' as they say.

Well Tom you now have your excuse for the nees up and party, will be good to meet them and wish them luck on ther travels, been good reading about there challanges, been following ther prep, and doing are own for next year.

As you say, it'll be good to meet them and give 'em a great send off - plus there is the bonus of show visitors being able to pick their brains about preperation for an African adventure.

It's interesting that they are travelling down the west coast whereas I still see a lot of folk heading down the east coast - how come nobody ever seems to travel down the centre?

Tom Mc wrote:

It's interesting that they are travelling down the west coast whereas I still see a lot of folk heading down the east coast - how come nobody ever seems to travel down the centre?

When we first started planning our route 2 years ago - i.e. do we travel east coast or west coast - very few people had been down the west coast. Enough had made it through that we were happy to give it a go.

When we started more detailed planning last year, it seemed more and more people were going west and it was less of a novelty.

It seems to me that east coast really is becoming quite touristy, a lot more tar, lots of overland companies, and consequently more hassling of independant travellers. This is somewhat a simplistic view (I know) but my dad and aunt & uncle recently did a 3 month trip from SA to Tanzania. Having been travelling in southern Africa for the last 10 years in an overland fashion, they said this trip had the most border challenge, most hassles, extra 'fees' etc.

As for central? Yeah ... have you checked out FCO lately?!?!?!!! :shock: I am sure it can be done ...

rgds
African GirlChild