Rory and Lucy Macdiarmid and The Van Plan
Adventure before Dementia
Having just been told there doesn’t seem to be a plan I tend to agree.
Here is the plan. To drive around the North coast of Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt then down the Nile to Sudan into Ethiopia, Kenya and on South via Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe,Mozambique Botswana and Namibia to South Africa.
Well we have done Morocco which was great, given up on Algeria, too complicated to enter from the South ( the border with Morocco is closed) so via Spain and a boat to Tunisia where we ran into a revolution and spent time with friends then onto Libya, Egypt ( who sent us back to Libya ..because of the Revolution) back to Egypt thankfully missing the Libyan Revolution…. but catching the end of the Egyptian one! Into Sudan with 100’s of Sudanese construction workers from Libya who were being repatriated. From there to Ethiopia where we hit some rain and then into Kenya and the Marsabit road which was as bad as everyone says…so we are had pause in Nairobi. Back on the road in May and on South via Tanzania, where friends Bruce and Madeleine joined us for 2 weeks. Malawi where we drifted down the lake very aware that there was no fuel and in a land locked country that seemed bound to lead to trouble ( it did, rioting shortly after we left).
Zambia where we had the best game viewing in Flatdogs South Lauangua of the whole trip and then Zimbabwe where we were made so welcome by so many people.
My goodness everyone deserves a break there. Wonderful time in Namibia where our children joined us for a couple of weeks ( end of August) Van was still going well but constant shock absorber trouble caused by an altercation on the Marsabit road was still a nuisance but hopefully the Mercedes shock fitted in Maun will do the job.
South Africa is like a breath of fresh air. Everything works and you can “buy stuff” like at home in England. The roads are pretty good too. Shock absorbers behaved perfectly!
The Van is now on the high seas due back in Southampton (Uk) on the 11th October. Cheaper than you may think!
Background
We both love to travel and have enjoyed family holidays in Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas. We were also fortunate enough to spend many years living overseas and after another short spell in Hong Kong in 2007/08 Lucy and I decided to make a real go of it and travel round the world for an extended period whilst we were both young enough to enjoy it.
Initially we thought that a boat was the answer but over a bottle of wine Lucy announced, you can’t see the Taj Mahal or Machu Pichu from a boat and the van plan was born.
After a lot of soul searching and a couple of false starts in the UK employment market we decided to put our home on the market in the spring of 2010, a difficult time to sell and with the additional emotional turmoil that comes with a working water mill reputedly dating from 1460, not an easy decision. We both felt that now our 3 children were employed and making their own way in the world that the house was far too big and too much work for the two of us. We sold the house over the summer and both of us gave notice at work. Phase 1 is Somerset to South Africa and we are on our way!
Well done you two reaching SA. What a wonderful achievement.
Piers x
Congratulations getting to Cape Town, looks like an estimate might be needed from the barbors shop…………….
What happens next? all well at the Tandy end
Love\rgds
Simon
Hey guys,
I know this is a bit of a cheeky question but myself and my fiance are planning a similar trip in our Sprinter and we were wondering if you could give any information on costs for you on the trip. Particularly on the 4×4 conversion and overall costs of fuel water etc for the trip down.
Thanks in advance,
Jay and Maebh from Ireland
Morning!!
All well, the sun is shining again, we survived all the food, now to survive the next week of family!!!!
We also had a white Christmas, although the beach sand was wet!!
Merry Christmas to all!
Larry
Flatdog friends! How are you both? Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and all that. I hope you are both well and enjoying yourselves.
How was the rest of your trip? I hope the run of bad luck I caused (broken gear sticks, flat tires etc) ended as soon as I’d departed.
It was really great meeting you both. I have very fond memories of those few days. What I wouldn’t give to be sipping a glass or two of vino at the bar overlooking hippos and crocs now.
All the very best
Lewis
Hi. Your African travels look fantastic. I am from South Africa and would like to do a similar trip in 2016. Then my children would be 5 and 6 years old. Do you have more detail about your planning, cost and if it will be appropriate and safe to take children on a adventure like this. Is it possible to do it in 6 months?
Regards Stephaan
Hello, I am from Canada and I just stumbled upon your website.
I just wanted to say hi and congratulate you on a fantastic and courageous journey.
Be safe!
Vraiment dommage que je ne puisse pas lire votre site en francais
Bonnes aventures à vous
john
Bonjour a vous,
Nous avons un projet de partir en Camping Car pour 2 a 3 mois , turquie,egypte,maroc.
Allez vous continue votre blog, tres bien
Peu etre un jour sur une route ……….
Bon Voyage
William
We have ordered a sprinter and were interested in your floor plan
Thanks
I have just spent 2 hours going through our blog of Namibia and came across a link to yours that our bloger DHG., had put in and went to it and caught up with your journey. What wonderful memories. BUT what of you 2? where are you now? what happened to your next trip?….The US of A.
Olivier.
just checking if the van is for sale by any chance?
My wife and I are South Africans and we love to travel Africa. I had a look at your pictures and are so unbelievable jealous of your adventures!
We currently tour around in a VW Transporter 4 motion motor home but just paid the deposit on a Sprinter 4×4 motorhome. Needless to say we are extremely exited and can’t wait to take possession of it.
We did several trips to Kenya and with one of the trips we turned around in Uganda. When we get to Dar we leave our vehicle at the hotel were we camp and take a ferry to Zanzibar.
This year again we will be doing a trip to Hwange Nat. Park and some of our adult children will accompany us there and after that we then intend to do a trip to the Serengeti. The biggest problem we face at this point in time is GRAND CHILDREN!!!!..They are toddlers and we hope to “out grow” them soon although it is not going to be that easy…
Enjoy your travels and we will be watching you!!!!
Hi great to see and read about your adventures,
I just want a bit of advice. I have just got myself a sprinter 4×4 mwb van low roof and I want to turn it into a camper for me and my wife. could you give me any advice on the build?
regards
Tom
Hi, would be great to hear from you. I live in the uk and have just bought a 4×4 sprinter, just had a few questions? thanks gerry
Hello,
I’ve read your posts with much interest. I own a Sprinter Westfalia James Cook here in the United States. From the day I bought it 9 years ago, I’ve wanted four wheel drive. But no one does such a conversion here in the USA.
I am now desperate enough that I am looking into shipping the vehicle overseas to Iglhaut, and having it done, price tag be damned! They haven’t said “no”, yet…
Anyway,, it seems like you have definitely put the conversion through it’s paces; did you find any weakness in the system? Anything you with it had, or wish you had done different?
If you had your van built, what made you choose Iglhaut over Oberaigner or JamesX4?
Regarding the winch in front… did you need to use it much? What capacity is it? It looks like you had it spooled with wire. Did you consider the synthetic lines at all? How did you wire it? Did you have a second battery for the winch, or did it draw from the “coach” batteries?
So much to ask you… I am hoping to build a similar unit for travels to the American West. The James Cook layout has been perfect for the three of us, and when my little girl grows up, I think it will still serve my wife and I very well.
Thank you for any insights you might share.
Regards,
Pat Hambly
Connecticut, USA
Hello
I tracked down your blog after seeing the photo of your van on a forum. It looks perfect and just the sort of thing I am looking to do. Im 33, English, living in Dubai for 8 years and planning to live and travel around the world in a T1N Sprinter van asap.
I am hoping you may be able to give me some advice or some pointers given the fact that youre also British and we can relate to each other easily.
I notice your van is a left hand drive and is registered to the UK. Is it better to go twith a Left hand or right hand drive van? My main thoughts in order are the sliding door would b great to have on the side that the beach, pavements, shops etc will tend to be on for easy access in and out and great views, but also for stealth if parking so the camping/dwelling side is less obvious to people driving by.
I dont know whether to go to Germany or somewhere in Europe and buy the Sprinter there or succumb to a right hand drive one from the UK. Im also planning on fitting an extra high roof with a sleeper section above. It will be for myself and my best friend, sleeping in separate beds.
Im planing to go with the 4×4 because I just dont know what I would do if I got stuck somewhere off the beaten track. For Europe/Asia do you think a winch is necessary? Did you use it much? What can you do if theres no tree or car around to attach the winch to?
I love the bull bars that you have. Where did you find them and did you have any problems with legal permission driving it in some countries with that?
How is the reliability, is there a particular engine size/type you recommend?
Also if you happen to be selling the van please let me know. I noticed its been a few years since your trip ended now. Great blog, I look forward to reading in detail.
Nick
Good day, I’m working on a plan to build a van similar to yours and was wondering if you could elaborate on some of the particulars of your van and how in retrospect you might do things a little differently or not! I’m wondering if you had to consider the type of diesel you would encounter on the road. Many (or all) diesel engines in the US require low sulphur diesel which is not available everywhere in Mexico and Central America so I am considering getting a gas engine. I’m also wondering about how adequate you feel your solar capacity was for your needs. Cheers!