Africa 2012 - 2013

[Olazz]

Hi guys, we're finally back in Cape Town after over 11,000kms and 6 countries.

What an adventure, death threats, craned out of quicksand, falling through a concrete bridge, deserted beaches, wilderness bush camps, flat tyres, smoking wires, Tropical thunderstorms, and 45º heat !!

Children in Northern Mozambique selling mangoes and coconuts.

Gt Zimbabwe Ruins

Deserted beach in Quelimane N Moz

A few buddies from SA in Xai-Xai

Ilha de Mozambique

Blog of full trip to follow in the next few weeks.

Oh and a Happy new year to all.

 

[Ben]

Sounds like an epic adventure!

Getting recovered from quick sand with a crane. Falling through a concrete bridge and death threats.

Looking forward to the trip report.

 

[Chas]

Happy New Year Lazz, looking forward to the blog and more pics perhaps? when will you be back in the UK?

 

[TonyP]

Welcome back Lazz, can't wait to read your report!

 

[Bat21]

Looking forward to reading the latest episode. What happened to your existing blog, it's all vanished

What's with the new roof tent, please don't tell me the Howling Moon let you down

 

[Olazz]

What happened to your existing blog, it's all vanished

What's with the new roof tent, please don't tell me the Howling Moon let you down

Paul, updating blog and its painfully slow in the hotel as they limit bandwidth... TIA.
Howling moon tent was a real PIA to unzip/open/fold/recover/zip..couldn't keep bedding inside and was generally an irritation. It also had no internal pockets for storage and no power feed.

Sold it in SA and got Hannibal to make impi with lighting, power, internal fan (essential in 45º heat), storage pockets (for stuff we don't want left in car when we sleep). Bedding and even soft bags can be left in tent. It takes literally 10 secs to open and about 20 secs to close.

We arrive in camp and whilst others are getting divorced setting up camp, we are sitting round the table with a beer in less than 5 minutes! We can pack away equally quickly.

 

[Olazz]

Happy New Year Lazz, looking forward to the blog and more pics perhaps? when will you be back in the UK?

Thanks Chas, lots more pics and videos in blog. Not back till Jan 17.

 

[Bat21]

Paul, updating blog and its painfully slow in the hotel as they limit bandwidth... TIA.

I know keeping it updated can be a real pain, but just wondered why the existing content had gone.

Howling moon tent was a real PIA to unzip/open/fold/recover/zip..couldn't keep bedding inside and was generally an irritation. It also had no internal pockets for storage and no power feed.

We arrive in camp and whilst others are getting divorced setting up camp, we are sitting round the table with a beer in less than 5 minutes! We can pack away equally quickly.

Having just bought 2 HM roof tents, I was hoping you weren't going to say that but it's not the first time I have heard that they can be a right pain in the proverbial to put up and take down.

I have been looking at the James Baroud Explorer Evolution.... very nice indeed, and as you say, only seconds to set up.

 

[Olazz]

I was hoping you weren't going to say that but it's not the first time I have heard that they can be a right pain in the proverbial to put up and take down.

I have been looking at the James Baroud Explorer Evolution.... very nice indeed, and as you say, only seconds to set up.

Sadly it was enough of an issue to get rid of the tent. Doesn't help though that my truck is so tall, so getting to the RR also didn't help.

The Explorer looks good, and even the impi is a bit of a compromise. I needed to have a bigger RR made to accommodate both the tent and the spare wheel.. and the tent is quite hot as it has a glass fibre shell.

I have a mixture of Australian, South African, & English stuff added to the truck and what has been interesting, in over 20,000kms of African travel, NOTHING Australian Made, has warped/bent/rattled/broken or required servicing...most of the rest has, and the SA made stuff is no where near good enough quality to compare!!

I'd happily refit whole truck with kit from AUS!

In fact I'm thinking of doing 100 series as my next little project vehicle, so am working on some ideas.

 

[Bat21]

I have a mixture of Australian, South African, & English stuff added to the truck and what has been interesting, in over 20,000kms of African travel, NOTHING Australian Made, has warped/bent/rattled/broken or required servicing...most of the rest has, and the SA made stuff is no where near good enough quality to compare!!

I'd happily refit whole truck with kit from AUS!

In fact I'm thinking of doing 100 series as my next little project vehicle, so am working on some ideas.

That's an interesting revelation there Olazz, I always thought the SA made HM tents were the best.

I know what you mean ref the Aus kit, those guys really do give their trucks a hard time, so if it copes with their treatment it should be good enough for the the rest of the world.

If you're thinking of making your own roof rack, I made mine from Rino Bars and this stuff, it is very strong but also very light. The beauty is you can build it to suit your needs. As it also has the channel for the 8mm coach bolts you can bolt to it almost anywhere.

Apologies for the thread hijack here.

 

[warrenpfo]

Hey Lazz good to hear you have had a good trip and made some interesting finds along the way as to what works and what does not.

How about a slide show and talk from you about the trip with a Q&A at the end over a braai and a bear in the summer??

Seen as I am in the process of setting up my 100 I would be very keen to hear what your thoughts/plans are.

Cant wait for more pictures and videos.

 

[Olazz]

That's an interesting revelation there Olazz, I always thought the SA made HM tents were the best.

I know what you mean ref the Aus kit, those guys really do give their trucks a hard time, so if it copes with their treatment it should be good enough for the the rest of the world.

If you're thinking of making your own roof rack, I made mine from Rino Bars and this stuff, it is very strong but also very light. The beauty is you can build it to suit your needs. As it also has the channel for the 8mm coach bolts you can bolt to it almost anywhere.

Apologies for the thread hijack here.

Thanks Paul, good stuff to get as it may come in useful. What lift on your truck as it looks similar to mine? The RR stuff looks good. I'm sure you'll be happy with the HM tents, its just I'm not a fan of anything that isn't simple, and easy to use. Will be making a few more changes to the 80 as a result of this trip. Its now 90% prefect for what I want, so these will be the last few mods!

 

[Olazz]

Hey Lazz good to hear you have had a good trip and made some interesting finds along the way as to what works and what does not.

How about a slide show and talk from you about the trip with a Q&A at the end over a braai and a bear in the summer??

Seen as I am in the process of setting up my 100 I would be very keen to hear what your thoughts/plans are.

Cant wait for more pictures and videos.

Happy to oblige Warren, and a summer braai is a great idea, but I'm not sure too many people will want to listen to me drone on about my trip.

 

[Bat21]

What lift on your truck as it looks similar to mine?

No idea, I think it is about 3". It was 3" higher when I bought it but the steering was very vague so I removed the 3" spacers that were on it. She originaly looked like this:-

I'm sure you'll be happy with the HM tents, its just I'm not a fan of anything that isn't simple, and easy to use. Will be making a few more changes to the 80 as a result of this trip. Its now 90% prefect for what I want, so these will be the last few mods!

I will probably run with the HM RTT for this year and if I don't get on with it (or if WW3 breaks out between me and Mrs Bat while setting up/folding away) go for the James Baroud. I have seen a James Baroud in the flesh and they are well made + I like the fact you can strap a spare tyre on the top of it.

Yes these trucks and the way we kit them is an ever changing evolution

 

[Chas]

Happy to oblige Warren, and a summer braai is a great idea, but I'm not sure too many people will want to listen to me drone on about my trip.

You do yourself an injustice Lazz, take my word for it there will be a scramble, with me one of the front-runners.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

our Hannibal fold over tent does take a bit longer to put away than the Maggiolina's we've had but not much really and the extra time is worth it for us compared to being cramped up in a mag. You should have been able to keep your bedding in the HM though surely? We had a ridiculous amount of bedding in our tent when folded up and it was no trouble.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Without going too far of topic, what's the diggs between the James Baroud tents and the Maggiolina's?

And unless you had 20 pillows in the boudoir Lolly you should have been able to keep it all in the tent? I've not had an issue, and, believe me, SWMBO can take an amazing amount of bedding in the HM!

Glad you're back in CT ok - got more shopping for you. Are you going to meet up with Matt?

Cheers


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Bat21]

.... and the extra time is worth it for us compared to being cramped up in a mag....

That's made me feel better already

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

just passing on the advice I was given that has worked for us but you really need a good way of getting on and off the tent once folded then there's no straining at anything, just let your weight squash all the air out and do the straps up cover on job done but really just how much of a hurry are you in?

 

[Olazz]

Without going too far of topic, what's the diggs between the James Baroud tents and the Maggiolina's?

And unless you had 20 pillows in the boudoir Lolly you should have been able to keep it all in the tent? I've not had an issue, and, believe me, SWMBO can take an amazing amount of bedding in the HM!

Glad you're back in CT ok - got more shopping for you. Are you going to meet up with Matt?

Cheers

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Was just too much hassle having to get all air out and faff around to squash closed and fit the cover over. Then the zip wouldn't close properly etc etc... now its pull, and clip/clip... 20 secs every time. And like I said, storage pockets, power/lights/fan.... NOW its a boudoir with 20 pillows!

Just spent a great evening with Grahame and Colleen and I have your stuff safely wrapped. What do you need from Matt Doily? Have you got a contact number?