Jul
HELLO + WELOME as we attempt to drive from Sydney to London via Africa.
It’s Kirsty here with the regular Wrap Up of stuff that’s happening outside the main stories.
OUR ROUTE SO FAR
The above pic shows our exact route so far recorded by our Garmin GPS.
Since driving from the Sydney Harbour Bridge back in March 2013
:: We have driven 53,982 kilometres
:: Pumped 7457 litres of diesel into the Troopy
:: Driven across and experienced 12 countries. Including: Australia, South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya.
Going North from Nyeri marks a new stage of our expedition. And we are so pumped… and a little apprehensive.
FOOD INVENTIONS
One of the things I love about travelling in the Troopy is how creative it forces us to become with food. Exhibit A and B below.
There are also some things have snuck their way into our pantry that were most definatley never ther when we lived in a bricks and motor home. Like… UHT milk, four blocks of the one kind of cheese (because who knows where we will next be able to buy it next), tinned veges, EAT-SUM-MOR short bread biscuits, SALTICRAX and, of course, gin.
^ Feel like a pie. Don’t have an oven.
^ Ohh yes we do!
^ Nachos with melted cheese courtesy of G’s Blow Torch
HAIR CUTS
Hair products and beauty regimes are not high on the agenda, as you can imagine. I last found a hairdresser who ‘knew’ white person hair back in Zimbabwe. Whereas the last haircut Gareth received was from me in Malawi! Our mops needed some attention. So we found ourselves an expensive hairdresser in Nairobi.
We must have been so busy appreciating our new do’s in the mirror that we forgot to take a photo. But here are the before shots.
Yikes.
CAR STUFF
The Troops is all sorted for another 5000 kilometres of Africa’s roads. The cost of labour is at such a low that there’s no point in us getting our hands dirty. G supervises the guys to make sure everything is tightened, and nothing goes missing.
In Uganda we stopped over some pits to get a small service and the labour costs $4.20. We fetched the guys some cold drinks afterwards.
^ This fellow soon drained the oil accidentally all over himself
^ $4.20 in labour and a few cold drinks to say thanks
^ We stocked up on extra spare filters in Nairobi. Including, this elusive secondary fuel filter we have fitted underneath the Troops.
NAIROBI FUN
Most of our time in Nairobi was consumed with visa stuff, but we made space in our mad schedules for some fun.
Eating our best meal since Cape Town at the Talisman restaurant. I do believe the words “Best burger I have ever had’ and ‘Best Somosas EVA…” were spoken.
We also visited the Flip Flop Centre where discarded thongs are collected, cleaned, recycled and crafted into animal sculptures. The sales floor had a great collection of fair trade crafts and we both found it really inspiring.
^ Burgers at Talisman restaurant in Nairobi
^ Mushroom Gnocchi at Talisman restaurant in Nairobi
^ Flip Flop Centre carving at work
^ Flip Flop Centre wares. An elephant crafted from recycled thongs.
CROSSING THE EQUATOR SIX TIMES, AND COUNTING
We’ve crossed the equator 6 times now! I particularly loved crossing down into the Western area of Kenya with the Lions Club sign. My granddad is a longstanding member of the Lions (In fact, he has the World’s highest Lions honours. Go Grandad!) so it really made me smile to feel like he was by my side.
NORTH BOUND
The next stage of the trip has finally arrived. Our Sudan visas are in our passports and after waiting 4 weeks and spending about $1200 we finally have our Ethiopian visas.
As I write this we are in Nyeri, in Northern Kenya. Driving North of here is a huge marker in our trip. Roads and cultures become more remote and challenging.
Notthern Kenya. Sudan. Egypt. Here we come.
After all this dreaming, here we go…
Thanks for reading guys, pleave us a comment in the section below. We would love to hear from you.
Cheers,
Love following your blog.
Stay safe, post Pic’s… 🙂
Cheers Bergum! Appreciate it mate
Wombat and Kirsty have fun on the next leg of the journey of a lifetime and stay safe. Love you heaps from the Walnut
Love you Walnut xx
good luck.
Thanks Feng! Appreciate it! 🙂 kxx
Inspiring as always guys. Wow you have had to jump through some hoops!! Glad you are finally on your way. Can’t wait to hear what you find.
Cheers Matt + Jess! Hope you are both doing really well with the red beast. It was quite the mission to get the visas…. lucky Ethiopia delivered in spades 🙂 In Egypt now; nearly crossed the continent. Just a little further to go. Kxx
OHH.MY.GAWD. Just saw the choc + macadamia nut recipe on your site. Send some here…. NOW! 🙂