We completed our work at Rushere Hospital in Uganda on 16th January and set off for Kampala, its capital, on 17th. The staff at the hospital were delighted with our efforts and we left feeling that our month had been used productively. We spent our time organizing the hospital's records archive, sorting through their equipment stores (which had been untouched for ten years) and producing a detailed inventory. In addition to this we spent time talking to Joan Hall, the administrator, and the hospital staff about how best to lend our support once we return home. It was decided that our continued fund raising efforts will be dedicated to raising the money required to build a much needed children's ward and operating theatre.

Joan Hall from Rushere Hospital

The store room - Rushere Hospital

Helen hard at work clearing the storeroom

Rory and landrover helping to move a 1950's X ray machine

Relaying storeroom floor (Mark and Rory)

We reached Kampala, put Rory on a plane bound for England, where he was due to attend his sisters wedding, and met up with some new found American friends. We enjoyed a much-deserved three-day break in the capital and then set off to visit our friends at The Pillar of Faith Home for Needy Children in Kisumu, Kenya. The cheers and shouts of excited children who were delighted to see us again signalled our arrival. Two more nights here and it was time to head on to Nairobi and meet Rory in preparation for our last leg of driving, south towards our final project at Pietermaritzberg in South Africa. We spent two nights with Tiny and Lucy Haywood, replaced the windscreen which Mark shattered in his attempt to squash a fly, met Rory and set off as planned. Then it happened.

Tiny and Lucy Haywood

After about thirty-five kilometres we heard a thumping sound from the engine in one of our vehicles. We lost power and ground to a halt. Unable to diagnose the problem we were forced to limp back to Nairobi, the working vehicle towing the other. We took the broken landie to Spanneright Autos and returned to Lucy and Tiny's house for another night. We soon discovered that three of the valve rockers had sheered. They were replaced and we were told that the problem was resolved and that we could continue the next day.

Broken down again, oh dear what can the matter be ?

Getting to work on the problem

Broken valve rocker

Morning came, we collected the vehicle, set off again and broke down again after ten kilometres. The problem this time, we were told, was that excess pressure had been put on the push rods when the first problem arose; it had caused one push rod to snap. It was replaced and the next day we set off again. This time we managed sixty-five kilometres before hearing the familiar thumping from under the bonnet. At this stage we were getting worried. We correctly assumed that there was a fundamental problem with the engine. Not only were we running short of time and feeling awkward about outstaying our welcome with our hosts in Nairobi, but also, more importantly, we were running short of money. Having ones engine fixed repeatedly is an expensive habit! We got out the towrope and, much to the amusement of the villagers en route, who had seen us come and go each time, crawled back to Nairobi again. This time we consulted a variety of mechanics including CMC Motors, the Land Rover franchise in Nairobi. After three days of stripping the engine down to its basic components and a great deal of scratching of heads with oily fingers we discovered the source of the problem. The cam followers had become so badly warn that the push rods no longer fitted tightly in their allocated housing. It was this that had led to all the earlier problems. In addition to this it seemed that the engine's timing may have been slightly out for a long time. A week behind schedule and £800 worse off, we were finally ready to head south. On the eve of our departure we got out our account records, did some calculations and realised that our financial situation was looking bleak. We estimated that, allowing adequate funds for fuel, visa costs, driving insurance, tax etc. we were left with £1.00 per person a day for all living costs. We wrote to some of our more generous sponsors telling them of our predicament and, with the resolve to live off rice and vegetables for the next two months, prepared to set off. Just before we were due to leave, Tiny 's grandmother (wife to the late Sir Michael Woods, founder of AMREF) kindly presented us with $200. With the prospect of the odd tin of tuna and an occasional skinny chicken, we set off in high spirits. Tiny and Lucy Haywood and their family and friends were overwhelmingly kind to us and made a potentially very unpleasant week a lovely stay in Nairobi. A great cheer went up when we passed the sixty five kilometre mark and the 'yellow perils' , as our Land Rovers have come to be affectionately known, drove on in as good a form as we have known them. Upon arriving in Tanzania we had a message on Mark's mobile from the Overland Freight Forwarding Company, based in Kent. They had heard of our financial plight and decided to come to our rescue. How much they are donating we are not yet sure. We reached the border at Namanga, persuaded the officials to overlook the $80.00 we owed for road permits, and at last crossed into Tanzania, our twelfth country so far. We drove on until sunset passing breathtaking scenery and Massai warriors wandering by the road. Reaching Arusha we pitched camp under a tree by the edge of a dusty track.

Landrovers, team and local tea pickers

We rose with the sun the next morning and, eager to make up for lost time, set out to cover as much ground as possible. We were delighted to be 'on the road' again and the drive was wonderful. We passed dramatic mountains to our left (of which Mt Kilimanjiro is perhaps the most spectacular) and later the wide-open plains of the Massai Steppe to our right. Stopping only for a brief lunch and later to find water, we managed to cover six hundred and fifty kilometres before the sky began to bruise and we were forced to camp. Today we rose again at the crack of dawn. It is now twelve O'clock; we have covered two hundred and fifty kilometres and are going strong. We hope to reach Mbeya this evening ready to push on into Malawi early on Sunday. The drive is truly spectacular. The road stretches far into the distance where it is lost amongst misty mountains. The view to either side is thick with vegetation, baboons occasionally wander into the road and the air is filled with the song of exotic sounding birds. We passed through the Mikumi National Park an hour ago and were awed by the sight of Giraffe, Elephant, Zebra and Lion lazing in the sun on the edge of the road. Mark's mobile has just sounded again. We have a message from another sponsor, this time AngloAmerican PLC. They too have decided to come to our rescue with £250.00. The day is getting better and better, perhaps we can afford to dig into a couple of tins of tuna this evening.

Tea Picker

Arkola Cows

We have less than two weeks in which to reach South Africa but on current form we are set to achieve this. Our proposed route will take us through Malawi and Mozambique and allow us to cross into South Africa near Maputo. The alternative route via Zimbabwe is currently unfeasible due to the current political climate. Before we start work at the Baby Haven in Pietermaritzberg (a scheme run by Project Gateway to care for babies born with HIV) we have three days to look forward to in a game lodge in the Kruger National Park. This has been kindly arranged for us by Helen's mother, Susan Bennett, and will cost us nothing.

We have a great deal of driving still to do and a month's hard work in South Africa. The team are in high spirits, Helen continues to gather some superb footage for the documentary and Cape Town is starting to beckon.

Jonathan Besley - Project Leader

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