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Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 04/11/2002 - Jonathan Besley
The K2CT video continues to sell well and we are still hoping to have the documentary broadcast on Channel 5. We need to raise the funds needed for production though and have not yet managed to do this.
We are in regular touch with Demelza House and the three projects with which we worked in Africa. All are well. We gave our final donation of £3500 to Demelza House last week and continue to raise funds for the African projects.
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 24/10/2002 - Jonathan Besley
The K2CT video continues to sell well and we are still hoping to have the documentary broadcast on Channel 5. We need to raise the funds needed for production though and have not yet managed to do this.
We are in regular touch with Demelza House and the three projects with which we worked in Africa. All are well. We gave our final donation of £3500 to Demelza House last week and continue to raise funds for the African projects.
Mark and I are currently in the process of registering a new charity that will allow us to help generate more support for the African Projects. We are hoping to call this 'Out There'. O U T standing for 'Orphans Under Threat'. The registration process is complex to say the least!
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 15/07/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We have sold the Land Rovers! We advertised them in 'Auto Trader' and sold them privately for £7,000 in hard cash!
We are also attracting a great deal of interest in the K2CT documentary. Channel 5 have expressed an interest and we have a production company, 'Explore International' who plan to help us get it on TV. We are looking into getting a charity registered, giving talks about our experiences to school children and trying to raise further funds from UK companies.
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 24/05/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Things are as busy as ever. We are spending a great deal of time touring the country to give talks and show slides to school pupils. Not only is this a superb opportunity to generate funds for our chosen charities but also creates valuable awareness amongst the young.
We are also busy meeting production and broadcasting companies in the attempt to find a buyer for the documentary. It is currently being produced in Cape Town. We hope to find a sponsor willing to cover these production costs.
Finaly, we have a superb 35 minute video of our journey and the humanitarian work we undertook. They cost £10.00. Postage and packing is £3.00 Please order one by sending £13.00 to:
Jonathan Besley
Highcroft House, Wethersfield Road, Finchingfield, Braintree, Essex, CM7 4NX.
Alternatively you can contact me on 07818 444591
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 13/05/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Things are as busy as ever. Our Land Rovers did not leave Cape Town on time due to complications with the customs documentation. They should have left today though and, if so, will be home at the end of the month.
We are busy touring schools to give talks and show slides, writing articles for various publications and trying to rouse interest in the sale of the rights to our documentary. Helen arrives in UK on 18th and we will meet with various production companies. We are also planning to attempt to gain more corporate sponsorship/donations and will, in due course, sell our equipment. All funds raised will go to our chosen causes.
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 07/05/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We have been back in England for about five weeks now.
Helen is still in Cape Town working with her production company, Kryptonite, to put together a five minute 'promo' and a short video. She will arrive in England on 18th of May and set about trying to sell the documentary to the highest bidder.
I am busy writing magazine articles and giving talks to various schools. In addition to this I am about to start contacting companies to ask for continuing charitable donations/sponsorship. We are still awaiting the arrival of our vehicles which are currently being shipped home from Cape Town.
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 31/03/2002 - Jonathan Besley
The majority of the team arrived home earlier this week and are currently trying to settle back into life in England. We all agree that the expedition was an awesome and life changing experience. It was extremely hard work at times and emotionaly challenging but worth every minute of hard work both during the 13 month preperation stage and the eight month expedition itself.
Project Kent2Capetown.com is, however, far from over. We intend to busy ourselves during the next few months raising further funds for Demelza House and the three African projects. This will be done in a number of ways. Helen, our South African documentary maker is busy editing a promotional video with which to try attract a buyer for the documentary. We intend to give manny talks and slide shows, attract further corporate sponsorship and auction the vehicles and other equipment we used. We will also be selling articles and pictures to various publications. It is possible that future support will be given to the African orphanages through setting up a registered charity. What do you think of 'Orphan Aid' as a name?
Finish, Cape Town (South Africa) 21/03/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We have arrived in Cape Town and successfuly completed our expedition!!!
We came over the brow of the hill on Monday evening to see Table Mountain looming majesticaly before us as the sun set. Yesterday afternoon was spent with Bytes Technology, a sponsor, who laid on a superb welcome with food and drinks at the city's 'Waterfront'. They have invited us to join them in their corporate box for saturday's rugby match. The Stormers V The ACT Brumbies. We are due to have another official welcome to Cape Town on Friday at the Civic Centre. We hope to meet with journalists, more sponsors and the city Mayor amongst others.
Almost eight months and 35,000 kilometres after having left England it is an incredible feeling to have finaly arrived. We arrive home at 6.30am on Tuesday 26th. We are looking forward to returning to family and friends yet have very mixed feelings now that the expedition is so nerly over. The enormity of what we have achieved will probably not sink in for quite some time.
Port Elizabeth (South Africa) 18/03/2002 - Rory
We left Project Gateway and Duduza Home on Friday, the day of their ten year celebrations, and have now begun the final leg of our journey from England. The 'Garden Route' of the coast is beautiful and we have already seen some signs for Cape Town, now only a few hundred kilometres distant. We plan to arrive on Wednesday and have several busy days attending receptions, organising paperwork and shipping and of course celebrating the end of the expedition. Jon, Mark and myself leave South Africa a week from today and then begin the third phase of kent2capetown.com; the support of our projects from the UK.
But for now we are staying in Sue Bennett's beautiful beach house in Knysna. Yesterday Jon was brave enough to to the world's highest bungy jump, 216 metres high! Today we are relaxing having covered more than 1500km in two days and resting up before the final week of the expedition gets underway.
East London (South Africa) 18/03/2002 - Rory
Travelling towards Knysna
Umtata (South Africa) 18/03/2002 - Rory
Travelling towards Knysna.....
Port Shepstone (South Africa) 18/03/2002 - Rory
nothing to report
Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) 11/03/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Charlie and I have both recovered from Malaria. It was a very unpleasant illness which 'knocked us out' for a week. The symtoms were fever, aching joints, dizziness and headaches. The effects of the Quinine (used to treat the illnss) were almost as bad resulting in sickness, confusion and poor hearing. We had our first day back at work today and, although tired now, managed well.
Whilst we were away the others worked hard decorating the baby home 'Deduza House' and we spent today painting the original prison block in time for the 10 year celebrations which start on Thursday.
We had a party at the baby home today to celebrate the birthdays off all those born in March. It was great fun and is sad to think that we only have four days remaining in Pietermaritzberg.
Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) 04/03/2002 - Mark Judson
Having been at Project Gateway for a little over a week it is fair to say that they have us working hard. We have been busy painting rooms and walls at Duduza House (formaly the Baby Haven) as well as getting to know the delightful children that Duduza cares for so well. We are presently in the process of painting murals on the compound wall. Such African beasts as the Lion, Elepant and Hippo now glow brightly on the wall.
The big news however is that Charlie and John have come down with Malaria. We think that Mozambique was the country of origin but i am pleased to say that after two visits to the doctor, some good medication and plently of rest they are both on the road to recovery. We are monitoring their progress carefully and are confident that before too long we will have then back to some hard work at the project!
We have plenty of work too complete and with only a little over a week before we depart from Gateway we have lots to do.
Pietermaritzburg (South Africa) 22/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
After a 500 kilometre drive from Johanasberg we arrived at Project Gateway (Pietermaritzberg) today at about 3.00. We were warmly welcomed by the staff and some of the children who presented us each with a very cute teddy bear. We had a quick tour of the project headquarters (based in the old prison) and were then shown to the house in which we will be staying. Mr and Mrs Vermaak have kindly agreed to accomodate us and we are enormously greatful for their hospitality. It will be a delight not to be living in the tents and vehicles for a few weeks!
The past week has been a reall treat. We arrived in South Africa and, after having all our passports and vehicle documents stolen, spent two wonderful nights in a country lodge in Hazyview near Nelspruit. after this we drove on to the Sabi Sands game park, next to the Kruger National Park. We drove on to the luxurious Simbambili game lodge where we were to spend three relaxing and unforgettable days. We were lucky enough to see all the animals we hoped to including Leopard, Lion, Rhino, Elephand and Buffalo. All this was possible thanks to Sue Bennett.
Now at Project Gateway we are preparing ourselves for hard work. We start tomorrow with a 'work party' starting at 8.00 am. Sounds fun!
Durban (South Africa) 22/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We arived in Pietermaritzberg today having driven directly from johanasberg. we hope to visit Durban soon.
Richards Bay (South Africa) 22/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Due to the change in route we had to bypass Richards Bay
Lavumisa (Swaziland) 22/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Again,no passports so no Swaziland.
Mbabane (Swaziland) 22/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Unfortunately, due to having our passports stolen we were unable to pass through Swaziland. Instead we spent the night in Johanasberg and drove directly to Pietermaritzberg the following day.
Nelspruit (South Africa) 17/02/2002 - Mark Judson
Yesterday morning the Kent to CapeTown team crossed into South Africa, our fifteenth and final country. Having spent over six months travelling through Europe, the Middle East and the lenght of Africa the spirits of the team were very high. It was therfore with some disappointment that we discovered our passports and vehicle carnets had been stolen in Nelspruit. Thankfully nothing was taken that cannot be replaced but it is never the less an inconvenience.
We are now staying in a lovely country lodge not far from Nelspruit while we await our three day stay in the Kruger National Park. All of this is due to the kindness of Sue Bennett, Helens mother who has gone to enormous lenghts to ensure that we send five days of pure relaxation before our work starts at Project Gateway in a few days time. We are all grateful to her and are enjoying this time immensely.
Despite our recent security problems all is well, the vehicles are running on all cylinders and thanks to the generosity of some of our sponsors we have just enough money to complete our journey. Thanks to them again.
With only a relatively short period of time remaining before the team returns home we all feel rather proud that we have made it this far.
Lobatse (Botswana) 17/02/2002 -
Gaborone (Botswana) 17/02/2002 -
Francistown (Botswana) 17/02/2002 -
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Kazungula (Zambia) 17/02/2002 -
Livingstone (Zambia) 17/02/2002 -
Choma (Zambia) 17/02/2002 -
Lusaka (Zambia) 17/02/2002 -
Chipata (Zambia) 17/02/2002 -
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Lilongwe (Malawi) 17/02/2002 -
Samima (Malawi) 17/02/2002 -
Mzuzu (Malawi) 13/02/2002 - Rory
We are now relaxing on the beautiful coast of Mozambique after our sprint down from Nairobi.
After travelling over 500 km per day, we all feel we deserve a rest! What a place to do it.
Tofo Beach is clean, remote with good surf and fresh fish to eat every evening.
We plan to move on to Maputo on Friday then cross our final border into South Africa on Saturday.
Despite being on an extremely tight budget, morale is high in the Team and we are all enjoying the last rest before our work begins at Project Gateway in Pietermaritzburg.
Mzuzu (Malawi) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Amazingly we managed to drive all the way down Tanzania in two and a half days! We reached the outskirts of Mbaya late on 2nd and then, the following morning, got up early and headed into the city. Our intention was to find a bank or a hotel which would agree to change travellers cheques. Unfortunately it was a Sunday and no one knew what a Visa card was!
We set off for the border with our fingers crossed. We had a grand total of $75 to get us through customs and buy enough fuel to take us to the first bank (about 300 kilometres away)
We didn't have enough money but, as luck would have it, we met some friends from Kenya who were also travelling down through Malawi. They lent us the extra $15 we needed to buy road permits and in return we gave them a lift south to Mzuzu.
Now in Mzuzu, on the edge of lake Malawi, we are spending a day washing our clothes and ourselves in preperation for the next leg, down into Mozambique.
Karonga (Malawi) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Sped past on the way south to Muzuzu
Iringa (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Again, there is very little to report. We sped through stopping only to buy a loaf of mouldy bread!
Morogoro (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We reached Mogorogoro on the evening of our second day in Tanzania. Due to our delay in Nairobi (caused by engine failure) we had to make very fast time. We slept by the side of the road, got up at dawn the next day and carried on south towards the border with Malawi.
Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
Passed by on the way to Mogorogoro
Zanzibar (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We had to miss out Zanzibar due to a shortage of money and time. We sped past, south of Dar es salam and on towards Mogorogoro.
Arusha (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We arrived in Arusha from the border crossing between Kenya and Tanzania. The vehicle seems to be performing well now and we expect to make a good distance tomorrow
Mwanza (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan besley
Didn't stop here either
Geita (Tanzania) 04/02/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We didn't stop here. Keep going.
Masaka (Uganda) 30/01/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We have been experiencing some serious problems recently. The engine in one of the landies has been experiencing fundamental problems. We have tried to leave nairobi three times during the last week and make our way into Tanzania. Each time the engine has 'packed up' and we have had to tow the faulty vehicle back 'with our tails between our legs.'It is proving to be expensive and has set us a week behind schedule. We still hope to start work in South Africa on 21st february but it will be a VERY solid drive!
On the bright side, we couldn't have had this problem in a better place. We are beeing superbly looked after by Lucy and Tiny Haywood, a coung couple living in the Karen district of Nairobi. They have been so kind and have made a potantialy very depressing week extremely enjoyable.
With a bit of luck the engine will have been re-built by tomorrow morning and we will set off for our fourth attempt at crossing the border into Tanzania. Wish us luck!!!
Masaka (Uganda) 27/01/2002 - Charlie & Helen
We arrived in Nairobi five days ago. Expecting to pick up Rory and leave 36 hours later for Tanzania. We are still here. 60km from Nairobi our intercoms failed and one of the landies broke down. We used the other landie to tow us back to Spanneright Auto Garage. On closer inspection we found that one of the valve rockers had fractured and broken causing the vehicle to sound like a tractor. We trundled back to Lucy and Tiny Haywood who very kindly looked after us for a few more nights while we waited for the parts to be fitted. Setting off for Tanzania yesterday we lost power again, in the same landie, this time just 10km down the road! Back at Spanneright it turned out that the fractured rocker had caused a crack in a push rod, which had sheared. The engine was dismantled, a new push rod found and with any luck we’ll be at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro this evening. Keep your fingers crossed!
Masaka (Uganda) 26/01/2002 - Rachel Hainsworth
The team were supposed to be heading off towards Tanzania last Thursday. Though the last i heard they were in Kenya and experiencing some engine trouble!
I had the pleasure of speaking to all but 2 of them the other night and caught up on all the news. Mark is suffering from a cold and is fed up with lack of sympathy from certain team members, ie all of them! Jon is busy planning what can be done for Rushere now that he has had the chance to find out exactly how it runs, and Helen is busy sifting through the documentary footage in preparation for her return to Cape Town and the real world of work and her production company.
ps. they are unaware of me writing any of this so, guys i hope you dont mind?!
I miss you lots!!
Masaka (Uganda) 19/01/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We are in Kampala now staying with some American friends after having completed our work at Rushere Hospital. Rory has flown home to attend his sister's wedding and will return to Nairobi where we will meet him on 24th. Our time at Rushere was extremely productive and rewarding. The hospital is now properly organized and is in a position to get on with its next goal...getting on a firm financial footing.
We are looking forward to getting on the road again and have given ourselves the target of getting down to South Africa by 16th February!
Masaka (Uganda) 10/01/2002 - Mark
“The last few days at Rushere have been both eventful and positive for the team. Our continued efforts to organise the hospital stores are paying dividends and the equipment inventory is almost complete. We have been fortunate enough to find some equipment that is going to prove to be very useful to the hospital and the community. It would seem that when the hospital was opened there was various items of equipment that the hospital could not accommodate in its early stages. Now that the project has matured this equipment is needed and will no doubt save a considerable sum of money.
On Tuesday the 8th the team and the senior management of the hospital were honoured to meet Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s President. It was great to meet the man who has transformed Uganda and lifted it from the chaos it was left in following its brutal civil war. The Hospital management has secured a meeting with the President and the Minister of Health to discuss future government support.
With only one week remaining at Rushere Hospital we are all working hard to finalise the various tasks we have been set. We are looking forward to the final leg of the journey. After over two months of project work it will feel good to be on the road again!
Masaka (Uganda) 04/01/2002 - Jonathan Besley
We returned from our Christmas break on 2nd (Rory's birthday). We are feeling very relaxed and ready for some hard work at Rushere Hospital. Due to a shortage of cash for buying food, Charlie and I set off for Kampala; 250 KM from the hospital. Barclay's in Kampala is the only place in the country that allows us to use our visa card. It has also been a superb opportunity to stock up on food and provisions, collect post and send photographs home. The team are getting on with sorting out the hospital's store room and cataloguing their equipment. We are due to meet Uganda's president tomorrow which will be a great honour. The meeting will be filmed and so this evening will be spent comming up with suitable interview questions.
Masaka (Uganda) 04/01/2002 - Jon Besley
Masaka is very close to the hospital in Rushere
Kampala (Uganda) 04/01/2002 - Jon Besley
Stayed for a night in Backpackers hostel before pushing south
Jinja (Uganda) 04/01/2002 - Jon Besley
Passed through on the way south to Rushere Hospital.
Tororo (Uganda) 01/01/2002 - Helen & Charlie
Lake Bunyonyi has proved to be the perfect spot for a game of "Survivor".
Each day the team splits into two sides; the schnizen grobuens and the hoffen shloffens. The sides compete against each other to avoid nasty daily chores that include cooking and washing up. It's good fun and we've lured in a few unsuspecting American campers to join us in trying to knock each other off a teatering jetty (using chair bags filled with wet towels).
There are more challenges in store for us today but because it is the eve of New Year they are likely to be a bit more leisurely and involve a local tipple or two! We are due back at the hospital on the 2nd of January when we'll begin to re-organise the store room.
Happy New Year all!
Tororo (Uganda) 31/12/2001 - Jonathan
Rachel set off from Kisumu on a small plane bound for Nairobi. From there
she continued to London and has enjoyed Christmas at home. Her return to
England has been very sad for us all but it was the best decision and we
all hope that she recovers from her depression soon.
I rode in a lorry full of chickens as far as Kampala where I met with Joan
Hall, the administrator of Rushere Hospital. When I arrived the rest of the
team had spent four days sorting out the hospital medical records, filing
them and boxing them up. With Christmas fast approaching the hospital began
to slow down and we were advised to head off to enjoy Christmas and New
Year elsewhere. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas in Lake Mburo National
Park. It was strange to spend Christmas in the heat surrounded by animals
such as Hippo, Zebra and Buffalo. We set about cooking up a great meal of
barbequed beef and vegetables and enjoyed crackers, Christmas fairy lights
and a few presents.
We are now camping in the superb Overland Camping site at Lake Bunyonyi; an
extremely beautiful area on the border between Uganda and Rwanda. We plan
to remain here until 2nd January when we are due to continue work at
Rushere Hospital."
Tororo (Uganda) 20/12/2001 - Mark
Rushere, the location for our second project is set high in the rural hills of Uganda. It is a truly beautiful place.
Famed for the long horned cattle that are traditionally reared in this area, it offers fantastic scenery, peace and tranquillity, a real marked contrast to the busy hustle and bustle of Kisumu (the location of our last project.)
The welcome that we have received from Joan Hall and her hospital team has been extremely warm and we are set to start work tomorrow morning. The hospital is set in a 60-acre plot although the hospital buildings only occupy a fraction of this land. The land and buildings where originally donated by the Ugandan government and other sponsors some eight years ago. The hospital now offers a wide variety of services to the rural community including an outpatient clinic, dispensary, family planning centre, maternity ward, and vaccination centre and much more besides. We have lots to learn about the requirements and needs of this hospital and are looking forward to working here over the next four weeks. We will of course keep you updated on how it goes
Tororo (Uganda) 18/12/2001 - Jonathan Besley
The group have now left the Pillar of Faith Home for Needy Children in Kisumu and are en route for Rushere Hospital in south west Uganda. They are due to arrive at this second project later tonight.
Rachel has decided to go home for the last 3 1/2 months of the expedition. For the past year she has been strugling with depression and, although she has been a key member of the team and contributed invaluably to its success so far, has decided that she would benefit from some time at home. It is extremely sad for all of us and she will be greatly missed. she will, however, put herself to good use at home organizing school talks for our return, magazine articles and raising funds. She has been extremely brave and made a very hard decision. I am currently waiting with her in Kisumu and will stay here until she departs on Thursday evening. I will then hitch hike to meet the rest of the team.
Kisumu (Kenya) 14/12/2001 - Jonathan Besley
Tomorrow is our final day at the Pillar of Faith Home for Needy Children in Kisumu, Kenya. Today we have been talking to the children about HIV and AIDS, about how it is spread and how it can be prevented. It was a thoroughly constructive talk and one that would have been extremely educational to the children. Many Kenyans are embarrased to talk about issues such as condoms and others see AIDS as God's punishment for the wicked. It was invaluable to present them with the facts and the children were eager to ask questions.
The chicken house has been completed on time and now contains almost 150 young chickens. We are all looking forward to taking part in Kisumu's centinary celebrations tomorrow and then setting off for Uganda where we are due to spend a month working at Rushere Hospital. It will be a sad farewell but we look forward to getting involved in Kent2capeTown.com's next phase.
Please go to the section on the website which talks about the three African projects. There is up to date information about the Pillar of Faith, photographs and suggestions of how you can lend your support.
Kisumu (Kenya) 10/12/2001 - Mark Judson
As we approach our last few days at the Pillar of Faith for Needy Children we feel we have a lot to be thankful for. The carol service, that both Helen and Charlie worked so hard to orgainise was a great success. The weather was kind, the location perfect and the children's performance both in the nativity play and in the songs they sang was superb. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourself and the donations collected are enough to allow the children to have a special Christmas.
In addition the chicken house that the other members of the team have been constructing is on the verge of completion. I know that Nelson is very happy with it and is looking forward to moving some 145 fledgling chickens into their new home on Thursday.
Leaving the Pillar of faith won't be easy (Sunday 16th), we all feel that we have some great friends that we will dearly miss. Having said this, Uganda is calling and we are all looking forward to what Rushere Hospitial holds in store for us.
Kisumu (Kenya) 04/12/2001 - Rory
Our progress on both the carol service and the chicken house has come along well in the past few days with children and chickens growing more excited as our plans come close to completion.
The carol service is to be held by candlelight on the shores of Lake Victoria at the Kisumu Beach Resort this Saturday evening. Helens marketing campaign in town will doubtless draw in the crowds and most of those thatw e have spoken to have seemed very interested in the service and the orphanage. The children are practicing a selection of English and Swahili songs and a short nativity play is also on the program.
Meanwhile the chicken house now has a roof and floor and should be completed by the time we move on to Uganda at the end of next week. We shall definately be sad to have to say goodbye to everyone at Pillar of Faith, but will be busy until our departure getting everything finished.
Kisumu (Kenya) 27/11/2001 - Mark Judson
The Pillar of Faith is proving to be a great and wonderful place. We have all been very busy, Rachel and Helen are in the process of organising a carol service to be held on the 8th of December; the children here at the orphanage have fantastic voices and we are sure that the evening will be both entertaining and a great opportunity to raise some much needed funds.
As for Jon, Charlie, Rory and I, we have been building a new chicken house that will enable the home to raise poultry and help provide a sustained income for the children. We are all rather proud of our chicken hut, but you'll just have to wait for the article photographs to see if you agree!
In addition we've met the town mayor who is keen to involve the children and us in the forthcoming Kisumu centenery celebrations. This celebration is to be attended my many influential figures including our very own Queen. Who knows perhaps we'll get to meet them all!
Kisumu (Kenya) 21/11/2001 - Helen B.
Considering the circumstances of the children at the Pillar of Faith orphanage, it is unbelievable how loving and considerate they are. Always keen to help and always apologising when we bump or bruise ourselves, as if it was their fault. I have no doubt that given a month we will be much too attached to them for our own good (and theirs). Now that we have spent almost a week at the orphanage it has given us a chance to look around and decide where we can help.
Aside from playing with the children or helping them out on a daily basis, we decided to build a chicken hutch that is to house between about 200 and 300 chickens! The hutch is beginning to take shape, although that shape is admittedly a little wonky (¡®tis to be expected with the wood that we are using). We have set up a meeting with the Mayor of Kisumu for Friday, when we hope to convince to him to endorse a carol service that we would like to hold on our last Sunday afternoon. There certainly is no shortage of things for us to do. Wish us luck.
Kisumu (Kenya) 16/11/2001 - Jonathan Besley
After spending five wonderful days with friends in Nairobi enjoying showers, a proper kitchen and television, we set off for Gillgil. We spent a night at Pembrook School and arrived in Kisumu yesterday afternoon meet Nelson Ayaga (the founder of the home and surrogate father of the 34 children) We drove with him to the Pillar of Faith home and met the children for the first time. They are all very happy children and were very excited to meet us. That evening they gathered together to sing to us. Nelson has great planns in store for the development of the project. He wants to buy a large piece of land just outside Kisumu where he will have space to expand and offer the children a better life. For now we are getting to know the children and working out how best to spend our month here.
The weather in Kisumu is very warm and we are all happy to have a break from the road!
Nakuru (Kenya) 16/11/2001 - Jonathan Besley
Didn't stop here
Naivasha (Kenya) 16/11/2001 - Jonathan Besley
We passed through Naivasha very quickly whilst on the way to Kisumu.
Nairobi (Kenya) 11/11/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
We have finally arrived in Nairobi after a day fraught with misfortune. Our shock absorbers have completely gone, leaving our landy resembling a bouncy chair when it goes over the slightest bump! This is certainly not what we had hoped for, however we have been driving on some of the worst roads in the world, so it is not totally unexpected. This means that we are going to be in Nairobi until we can get the shocks replaced, a task that we hope will not be too expensive. Then once that work is done we will have too move on quickly to our first project, as we are supposed to be there on the 15 November. Kenya is proving to be a great country. It is fascinating to be driving along and suddenly come accros Masai Tribesmen, wearing thier traditional dress and carrying very sharp double ended spears with them everywhere they go... even on the bus! I am hopeful that our stay in Kenya will be a memorable one and am looking forward to starting work at the project this week. It will be nice for all of us to have a month out of the landies and to be able to set up a base and get to know people properly.
Nairobi (Kenya) 11/11/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
We have finally arrived in Nairobi after a day fraught with misfortune. Our have completely gone, leaving our landy resembling a bouncy chair when it goes over the slightest bump! This is certainly not what we had hoped for, however we have been driving on some of the worst roads in the world, so it is not totally unexpected. This means that we are going to be in Nairobi until we can get the shocks replaced, a task that we hope will not be too expensive. Then once that work is done we will have too move on quickly to our first project, as we are supposed to be there on the 15 November. Kenya is proving to be a great country. It is fascinating to be driving along and suddenly come accros Masai Tribesmen, wearing thier traditional dress and carrying very sharp double ended spears with them everywhere they go... even on the bus! I am hopeful that our stay in Kenya will be a memorable one and am looking forward to starting work at the project this week. It will be nice for all of us to have a month out of the landies and to be able to set up a base and get to know people properly.
Isiolo (Kenya) 11/11/2001 -
Marsabit (Kenya) 11/11/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
We arrived in this lovely town of Marsabit after a long day of driving. After reviving our spirits in the local pub, Jon and I thought that we would try some of the local delicassies and order a meal of Goat and thier maze bread. Lets just say that we will certainly not be going for that option again. It had more fat on it than it did meat! Today we set off for Nairobi at the crack of dawn, something that i am still not used too, and will hopefully be there before the end of the day
Moyale (Ethiopia) 11/11/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
We arrived in the border town of Moyale too late to process our departure from Ethiopia and so had to wait until the morning before crossing over into Kenya. After waiting for the officials to arrive we were finally able to set off into country Number 10 and towards Nairobi.
Adis Adeba (Ethiopia) 06/11/2001 - Mark Judson
The drive from Bahir Dar to Addis Ababa, a distance of nearly five hundred kilometers proved to be an exetremely challenging one. As we are keen to reach the Pillar of Faith for Needy Children as soon as possible we decided to cover this distance in one day. The Ethiopian Highlands provided us with a new challenge. With the attitude reaching over 10,000 feet, and our diesel engines lossing 3% of effiency for every 1000 feet climbed above sea level, the going was extremely slow.
The scenery was breathtaking as we caught glimpses of the Great Rift Valley for the first time. Negotiating these mountain passes, avoiding cattle, children and potholes was an experience we shall not forget.
With over 600 kilometers to Moyale and the Kenyan border we are keen to push on without further delay. We hope to be in Kenya within two days. We will keep you updated of our progress.
Debre Markos (Ethiopia) 06/11/2001 - Mark Judson
We did not visit Debre Markos
Bahir Dar (Ethiopia) 06/11/2001 - Mark Judson
Bahir Dar, a small town South West of Gonder, nestled on the shores of Lake Tana provided us with a much needed break from the "road". Camping at a hotel, set in tropical gardens served as an ideal base for our visit to the Blue Nile Falls. As Africa's second largest waterfall it was very impressive. This was despite the fact that the rains are over and there is nothing like the flow of water that there was only a few weeks ago. In addition the Ethiopian goverment have invested heavily in a Hydro Electric power station at the site of the falls which further reduces the flow over the falls. We had a great day exploring the area by foot and making many friends with the local children.
Gonder (Ethiopia) 04/11/2001 - Jonathan Besley
We arrived in Ethiopia at the border town of Metema. It was an increadible feeling as we approached the border and the dry flat Sudanese desert gave way to the lush and mountainous Ethiopian highlands. Ethiopia is a truly beautiful country. As we drive through the green hills we see colourful birds and are warmly greated by inquisitive cattle herders. The long rains are over now but the tracks have been badly cdhurned up. The vehicles are covered in mud and we have had to turn to our hydraulic winch in order to escape the thick mud (much to Mark's delight) We expect to reach the Blue Nile falls later today and arrive in Addis Abeba tomorrow evening. All being well we hope to arrive at our first project, The Pillar of Faith Home for Needy Children on 17th November.
Wad Madani (Sudan) 04/11/2001 - Jonathan Besley
We pushed on from Khartoum with our newly serviced vehicles. The roads south were in far better condition than the stretch from Wadi Halfa to Khartoum. again, due to having no guide books or detailed maps we relied heavily on our GPS (Global Positioning System) donated by H.S. Elmac in order to ensure heading in the correct direction.
Al-Khartum (Sudan) 30/10/2001 - Jonathan Besley
We have spent a productive few days in Khartoum. We have stocked up on provisions, sorted out the paperwork neccessary for our onward journey and had the vehicles serviced by a Land Rover dealer.
Khartoum is a wonderful place as is the Sudan as a whole. despite the stigma attached to this country it is an amazing place to travell and the people are the most hospitable we have encountered.
Later today we are meeting the Minister of Tourism to be filmed discussing the state of Sudan and its planns for opening up to tourists in the near future. Later today we plan to embark on the long slog south to Ethiopia.
Al-Khartum (Sudan) 28/10/2001 - Rory
The drive from Wadi Halfa to Khartoum (Al-Khartum) really put the vehicles adn the team through their paces. For most of the way the road was at best a badly eroded and corrugated track and in many places we were forced to negotiate our own way through boulder fields and soft sand, all the time using the green belt of land by the Nile as our guide and our GPS to full effect. At night we camped in the desert, enjoying the peace and stillness that such a vast unspoilt area allows and after three hard days driving, we entered Khartoum yesterday exhausted but happy! We have befriended a local Sudanese man who is helping us with our red tape and generally making us feel right at home, even with some 'western' refreshments...! The Sudanese have proved to be the most welcoming people that we have met so far on our travels. As one man said to me on the street yesterday, "You are welcome here! Strangers to us are only friends that we haven't met!" What's more, I knew that he meant every word. We are camped on the banks of the Blue Nile, next to the old steamship that General Kitchener once used. It's a strange place Khartoum, but a city that definitely has more to offer than any of us expected.
Wadi Halfa (Egypt) 28/10/2001 - Rory
The car ferry to wadi Halfa proved to be an excellent way to travel down Lake Nasser. We had enough room behind the Land Rovers and other cargo to set up a small campsite, complete with table, chairs and even the hammock! As darkness fell each night, the boat would pull into a small cove and we would enjoy our supper in complete silence with only the stars to illuminate us. It was simply beautiful. We managed to get out of the Wadi Halfa port in record time on Tuesday and met up quickly with Jon and Mark at the Nile Hotel where we stayed for the night. The paperwork the next day took several hours, but with that completed we set off, eager to be on the road again and to take on the notoriously tough desert terrain.
Aswan (Egypt) 21/10/2001 - Jonathan Besley
During the last month we have only driven for two days! It has been a frustrating time but we now have all our visas in place and are at last on our way to The Sudan.
The two Land Rovers along with Rory, Rachel, Charlie and Helen set off this morning with a cargo of cement. Their jorney down Lake Nassar is expected to take three days. Mark and I will go on the passenger boat and are due to leave tomorrow.
It is with relief that we are finally leaving Egypt. Beautiful though it is, we have been stranded here for too long and the constant hounding from people wanting to make money becomes wearing. Although Sudan is incredibly sensitive the people are said to be some of the most hospitable in the world. Time will tell!
Aswan (Egypt) 14/10/2001 - Jonathan Besley
We are still based in a grotty government run campsite on the outskirts of Aswan. We have made enquiries into chartering a boat to take us and the two Land Rovers into The Sudan. It seems that Rachel, Rory, Helen and Charlie will travell as husbands and wives with the vehicles and a cargo of cement. The boat will be ready to leave once the cement has arrived, when this will be is currently uncertain. Their boat will take three days to cross Lake Nassar and arrive the border town of Wadi Halfa. Once the vehicles have embarked Mark and I will take the sixteen hour passenger ferry.
For now we are enjoying watching the Felucas sail on the Nile and spend most of the day shading from the baking sun. We are told that Sudan has an average temperature of 50 degrees at this time of year. How will we cope!?
Be sure to read the latest article and do keep following our progress.
Aswan (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Mark Judson
Finally after fifteen days trying to secure both the Sudanese and Ethiopian visas we left Cairo in high spirits. Our determination has payed off and we should now encounter fewer delays until we reach Kenya.
Originally we had planned to drive to Aswan down the Nile valley. For safety reasons this was not possible, instead we travelled to Port Safaga on the Red Sea coast and headed inland to Luxor and Aswan in a police convoy. Having covered well over 1000 kms since Wednesday morning we are all glad to be resting up in this hot Nile town. Hopefully the boat to Sudan will be oraginised within a few days, in the mean time we are to enjoy a Nile cruise on a small Felucca as we watch the sun go down.
Al-Uqsur (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Ream
Nothing to Report
Qina (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Mark Judson
We travelled in Convoy passing through this small Egyptian Town. The drive was both pleasant and scary.
Asyut (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to report
Asyut (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to report
Asyut (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to report
Al-Minya (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to report
Al-Minya (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to report
Bani Suwayf (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to Report
Cairo (Egypt) 12/10/2001 - Team
Nothing to report
Cairo (Egypt) 05/10/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
After over a week of waiting for our visas to be approved we have finally come close to being able to leave Cairo. With the help of our contact in Sudan, President Ismat of the Rotary Club, our visas should be ready to pick up on Sunday. This will mean that we will be on the road again on Monday (fingers crossed!) It is a blessed relief for us all, we were beginning to get bored of our daily routine of reading (I have got through 3 books in the past week!) and waiting for any news from the embassy! I think we are all too used to moving around so much and find it frustrating being stuck in one place for too long. It has been nice though as we have made friends with the children at the campsite ( they are all adorable!)and it will be sad to leave them behind. Maybe i could sneak a little one into the Landie......
Cairo (Egypt) 02/10/2001 - Rory
With President Ismit of the Khartoum Rotary Club helping our application through the various Government departments in Khartoum, we are optimistic that we may get our visas for Sudan soon. Until then we have plenty to see and do to keep busy in this bustling city! Another Pyriamid complex at Sakara 20 km needs to be explored, articles need to be written and small running repairs on the faithful Land Rovers must be done. We all hope that we may be able to get on the road soon though!
Cairo (Egypt) 30/09/2001 - Jonathan Besley
After 5 days in the hectic concrete jungle that is Cairo we are itching to move on. After 3 consecutive days of visiting the Sudanese Embassy only to be told 'come back tomorrow' we have finally managed to steal 5 minuits of the ambassador's time. Our $30 bribe money was rejected but we have been in touch with our Rotary Club contact in Khartoum, President Ismat Mahaimed who assured us that he would call the embassy and to what he can to make the application go smoothly. Some westerners have been waiting for over 2 months for permission to enter Sudan so I just hope our diplomatic charms work their magic. On a plus point, the pyramids of Giza are incridible and the Cairo museum was an unforgettable experience. In 4 hours we hadn't even seen half the exhibits.
Cairo (Egypt) 27/09/2001 - Jonathan Besley
Well we have finaly reached Cairo which, with its 17
million inhabitants, is the largest city on the African
continent. We have made camp in the garden of a lovely
family who keep donkeys in Giza to the south of town.
Looking up from the tents we can see the famous
pyramids of Giza, the only remaining of the seven
wonders of the ancient world.
We visited the Sudanese Embassy today and were relieved
to hear that we are likely to be allowed into their
country. It seems that we will have to take a military
convoy as far south as Aswan from where we can take a
boat to the river border at Wadi Halfa. How long it will
take to receive these visas and arrange for a safe
passage we can only guess at. There are worse places to
be stranded though; the weather is hot and the sights
are plentiful.
Al-Aqabah (Jordan) 22/09/2001 - Charlie Bridges
After our stop off in the capital Amman we decided to get further off the beaten track and head through the dusty mountainous regions of west Jordan towards the Dead Sea coastline. The Dead Sea should be re-named wierd sea. The feeling of floating in a sea that's 33% solid, that stings your eyes and mouth beyond belief, and literally rubs salt in any wound will never be forgotten.
The next day, after an amazing Wadi Rum sunrise we set sail for the African continent from Aqaba in high spirits. Unfortunately on arrival at the Egyptian port of Nuweiba we dicovered we had paperwork problems! 8 hours later we crawled from the Port exhausted and are now camping in Dahab city on the eastern coastline of south Sinai. We have 2 days to relax before our trip to Cairo and we really need it this time!
Ma'an (Jordan) 22/09/2001 - your name
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Amman (Jordan) 22/09/2001 - Charlie Bridges- Expedition Team
After our stop off in the capital Amman we decided to get further off the beaten track and head through the dusty mountainous regions of west Jordan towards the Dead Sea coastline. The Dead Sea should be re-named wierd sea. The feeling of floating in a sea that's 33% solid, that stings your eyes and mouth beyond belief, and literally rubs salt in any wound will never be forgotten.
The next day, after an amazing Wadi Rum sunrise we set sail for the African continent from Aqaba in high spirits. Unfortunately on arrival at the Egyptian port of Nuweiba we dicovered we had paperwork problems! 8 hours later we crawled from the Port exhausted and are now camping in Dahab city on the eastern coastline of south Sinai. We have 2 days to relax before our trip to Cairo and we really need it this time!
Amman (Jordan) 19/09/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
We made it with no real difficulties through the Jordanian border, and three hours later we were on the road again. We noticed the difference straight away between Jordon and Syria. Jordon being notably richer than the latter. As the sun was setting over the desert we decided it was time to set up camp, and with no campsites at our desposal it was the desert that was to be our base for the night. After some off roading ( which Mark enjoyed very much!) up and down the sand dunes we came across a suitable spot and watched the sun going down behind the dunes. An amazing site. After a supper of rice and salad we all got an early night and fell asleep beneath a blanket of stars. It was easily the best campsite i have ever been too.
We are now in Amman, a hot and busy city, where after a spot of lunch we will head south towards Aquaba and the boat crossing to the Siani Desert.
Damascus (Syria) 19/09/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
Today we visited Damascus. An extremely bustling and hectic city. Despite the heat we managed to enjoy looking around the old city and to visit one of the oldest Mosques in the world, which houses the tomb of St John the Baptist.
This afternoon we head on to the border of Jordon, where hopefully we will be able to cross with no difficulty. Rory is looking forward to it immensly... .. he does love border crossings!
Hamah (Syria) 19/09/2001 -
No Update
Aleppo (Syria) 19/09/2001 -
No Update
Antakya (Turkey) 19/09/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
No update.
Adana (Turkey) 19/09/2001 -
Adana (Turkey) 14/09/2001 - Rory
Following the horrendous terrorist acts in the United States on Tuesday, we have spent the past few days on the Turkish coast, staying up to date with developments and working out how best to continue the expedition. Having looked at various sources, we feel that it will be safe to continue on into Syria and Jordan. Tomorrow we are going to approach the Syrian border near Aleppo. We hope that we should be able to travel quickly through both Syria and Jordan and be in Egypt by the end of next week. Safety if course paramount and we shall move quickly and quietly, staying abreast of developments as they happen.
Aksaray (Turkey) 12/09/2001 - Helen Bennett
Yesterday afternoon we were racing towards the Syrian border. A short stop at a cafe had us confused and nervous. When we looked up from the Pepsi fridge at the images on the Turkish news channel we could not believe our eyes, the world trade centre was in flames. We had very little idea as to what it was that we were witnessıng and wasted no time in calling parents to help us put the puzzle pieces together. The first step was to find an English news channel at a hotel, the second to find a camp site, and the third to sıt and waıt.
Needless to say the terrorist attacks in America will profoundly affect our trip. Until we know who the perpetrators are and what America plans to do in retaliation, the team can only speculate and stay put. Perhaps it is very fortunate that we are behind schedule, for had we not been running late we would have been in the heart of the Arab world. Whatever the repercussions of yesterday's attack on the United States you can be sure that we will proceed with caution.
Aksaray (Turkey) 09/09/2001 - Mark Judson
Oludeniz, having been described as " The jewel in Turkey's coast" certainly lives up to its reputation. A golden beach and turquiose lagoon are appealing after a day of hard driving from İzmir, only stopping to admire the ancient city of Ephesus. As one of the best preserved classical settlements in the world it felt strange to be walking on the same ground that Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, St. John and St Paul once trod.
As for tomorrow we have another hard days driving east toward Antalya and beyond. Wıth over eight hundred kilometers to the Syrian Border we need to get a move on. Lets hope it holds no major problems!
Ankara (Turkey) 06/09/2001 - Jonathan Besley
After having picked the short straws, Helen and İ were given the duty of going to İstanbul to collect Charlie. Spending two nights in a garage car park and then the ferry port, it was quite a hard few days but rewarding. We saw the sights such as the Blue Mosque and carpet bazars and soaked in some of the busteling atmosphere.
Charlie arrived on time for once and we set off on the return leg. We spent half an hour or so playing with some street children and feeding them biscuits. Afterwards we all agreed that this was certainly a taste of things to come. We push on further towards Syria today and so further into the unknown.
Adapazari (Turkey) 04/09/2001 - Rachel
We are currently ın the small fıshıng town of Ayvalik beside the medditeranean sea. İt is nice to be based somewhere for a couple of days rather than to be constantly ın the Land Rovers.
On Sunday we visıted the hıstorıc remaıns of Troy which proved to be an extremely interestıng day out, ıf not a little too hot!
Charlie gets back from England today so we will once agaın be a complete team. I have unfortunatly been struck wıth illness these past couple of days but the rest of the team are well and enjoying the warmth and hospitallitly of the Turkish people.
Tomorrow we are plannıng to hit the road again where we will contınue down the coast towards Syria.
Adapazari (Turkey) 01/09/2001 - Jonathan Besley
After a difficult border crossing from Greece we have arrived in Turkey and so entered Asia. We are currently resting up in Ayvalik, a town on the west coast between Istanbul and Adana. The sudden cultural contrast between the eastern and western worlds is quite remarkable. Horses pull carts of wood and vegetables and old women can be seen working in the fields during the heat of the day.
Stopping at a fuel station on Thursday we met a man named Sezgin. He now lives in Kent and runs a chain of kebab shops. He took us into his home, showed us his village and bought us supper before putting us up in a hotel for the night. His hospitality is typical of the Turkish people, all of whome are overwhelmingly friendly.
Thessaloniki (Greece) 25/08/2001 - Rory
We're still on Sithonia, the middle peninsular of Haldiki in northern Greece. The coast and countryside are stunning and Mark and I went exploring two days ago, testing the Land Rover's offroad metal and going to some really remote areas in the mountains. Yesterday we all enjoyed a day long boat trip around the monastic peninsular of Mt. Athos where monks have been staying since the ninth century - it still remains a place of great beauty and solitude. After a long day in the sun, we cooled off last night in the sea, illuminated by the sparkling plankton and a distant thunderstorm. We shall be sad to have to say goodbye to Greece next week.
Thessaloniki (Greece) 21/08/2001 - Helen
After a beautiful sunset and a couple of beers we're beginning to wonder if we're not the luckiest people on the planet. We've left the Kassandra penninsular and are have moved to a lovely campsite on Siphonia called Castello. One Eyed Tikka (Mark) and Giant Sea Monster (Rory) were subjected to interviews earlier. Which they survived. The team are adapting to the presence of the camera which will be sure to follow them tomorrow on their boat ride to the monastic penninsular of Mount Athos. Life is good.....
Thessaloniki (Greece) 18/08/2001 - Charlie Bridges
Kent 2 Cape Town team depart Lechos camping site on 15th August
Setting out across mainland Greece, we planned to cross the Notia Pindhos mountains towards Thessaloniki and Jonathans brief flight home for his sister's wedding.
The journey through the mountains was demanding for both the vehicles and the drivers. A stop at Metéora for the first night proved a blessed relief from the hard days driving and a perfect place to celebrate my 23rd birthday.
The next morning we decided to take the drive through the huge rock columns at Metéora. The rocks are famous for the James Bond scenes in For Your Eyes Only but more traditionally for the monasteries which lie on their summits, hundreds of feet above the surrounding landscape. In just two days we had crossed the mainland of Greece and camped just south of Limani on the east coast.
An early start meant a long day to find camping and we are now at The Blue Dream Campsite. The team are lending their hands to the vehicles fitting and painting bits and pieces so preparing the Land Rovers for Turkey, Syria and Jordan.
Loannina (Greece) 14/08/2001 - Mark Judson
Well we've made it to Greece but not without a few minor problems. Approximatly one hundred kilometers from Rome we stopped to buy some local Italian cuisine and discovered that one of the Land Rovers was unwilling to start. The management allowed us to stay the night and kindly supplied free food and beer. After a few hours of problem solving, and with the help of a local auto electrican, we had the ignition system patched up. Before long we were back on the road heading for the port of Brindisi and Greece.
The night crossing from Italy to Greece takes ten hours. With our sleeping bags on deck, passengers and crew felt sick as the ferry pitched and rolled in the high seas. By Morning calmer seas welcomed us to Igoumenitsa. Now we are all taking a few days break from the road in a beautiful campsite just south of Parga on the west coast. The sun is shining , the sea is warm and the sand is hot enough to fry an egg on!! Surounded by beautiful mountains its not hard to take in easy for a while.
Torino (Italy) 11/08/2001 - Rachel Hainsworth
We have now completed our first week on the road, and are all enjoying it immensly! We have now reached Rome; which is beautiful, but extremely hot! Spirits are still high and we are yet to have our first fall out of the group, although Marks snoring has caused some arguing when deciding who is going to be sharing a tent with him! The next few days will be spent driving down to Brindisi where we will catch a boat across to Greece. We expect temperatures to get hotter still as we progress towards the Middle East. Great for the tan but not for the tempers!
Grenable (France) 08/08/2001 - Jonathan
After four long days on the road and some stunning scenery whilst crossing the southern Alpes, we have made it as far as Nice on the south eastern coast of France. Rory arrived here yesterday and, as a complete team, we plan to cross the border into Italy this afternoon. We all enjoyed the send off and are currently in high spirits. Life on the road is hard work and we are just starting to realise how demanding our challenge will prove to be. Stay posted.
The Launch Event, Kent (UK) 04/08/2001 - Jonathan
Our official send off from Demelza House on Saturday was a great success. Not only did many of our friends and family turn up to bid us farewell but we were also surrounded by our patrons, sponsors, the local press, Land Rover Monthly Magazine (in which we have a four page feature article this month), Meridian Television and the local radio. All went well and after some brief speeches by Commander Bawtree, OBE, Ray Partridge (coordinator of Project Gateway in South Africa, the third project we are due to stop at and give assistance to) and Derek Phillips (founding Chairman of Demelza House), we finally set off on the long road to Cape Town.
Preparation, Kent (UK) 02/08/2001 - Jonathan Besley
We are set to leave the day after tomorrow. It is hard to believe that after a year of carefull and painstaking planning we are finaly on the verge of setting off. All six team members are working flat out to complete preperations on time. Storage boxes are being made, final sponsors' stickers are going on, last muinite donations are being chased up, the raffle has just been drawn and people are getting nervous. This time in 48 hours we will be arriving in France.
Preparation, Kent (UK) 27/07/01 - Jonathan Besley
With just 9 days left before we are due to set off on our journey to Cape Town, we are all rushing around like madmen trying to complete final preparations. The complicated documents necessary to cross borders with our filming and communication equipment are almost ready, funds are nearly all in and the media interest is building. We are having to work every hour God sends to complete the vehicles and are currently dust-proofing them in anticipation for the wooden storage units to go in. Roll bars are in, the electrics are being completed and sponsors' stickers are going on. The tension mounts...
Preparation, Kent (UK) 13/07/01 - Jonathan Besley
With three weeks until we are due to set off for Cape Town, things are getting truly manic! We still have funds to raise, publicity to gain and final touches to put on our vehicles. The red tape is proving to be more complicated that we first thought and we are still deciding who to choose as a replacement camerawoman. The interest we have had for this position has been staggering with phone calls from New York, Canada and Australia! The Land Rovers have begun to look like true expedition vehicles complete with sand ladders, spotlights, bull bars etc. We predict a stressful few weeks ahead but are hopeful that all will run smoothly.
Preparation, Kent (UK) 12/06/01 - Jonathan Besley
A month and a half before we leave and our HQ is a hive of activity. The two Land Rovers are looking superb with their roof racks, bull bars, winch, rear windows, seating and VHF radios all fitted. We have met our patron, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, KCVO at Kensington Palace and have received a great deal of publicity. Meridian Television failed to turn up on the weekend but are due to come and film us for a feature later this month. Land Rover Monthly magazine are coming to interview us and take photographs on Friday and the KMG continues to follow our progress with interest. Money is arriving steadily from schools, companies, sale of T-shirts, raffle tickets and individuals. Station Africa Telecoms have agreed to supply our satellite phones and are keen to set up permanent satellite links in the three hospices we are due to visit in Africa. Preparations and filming for the documentary are going well and we now have the interest of a production company. Work is very much in progress...
Preparation, Kent (UK) 12/06/01 - Jonathan Besley
Mark and Rory are currently in Exeter having Bull bars, roof racks and a hydraulic winch fitted to our Land Rovers. Back at our base in St Margaret's Bay the task of fund raising and attracting publicity continues with greater urgency than ever. We are due to meet our patron, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, KCVO at Kensington Palace tomorrow for photographs for the press and expect Meridian Television to film us on Friday for southeastern television. Progress is good but, as always, there is much to do and time is running out. The search for a major sponsor continues...
Preparation, Kent (UK) 01/06/01 - Rory Morison
The first Land Rover has returned form ‘Panel and Paint’ near Folkestone in its bright yellow expedition colours! We certainly won’t be lost in the crowd! Also the new seating from SPI arrived today and will be fitted to the vehicles over the next few days – this should help to make the journey much more comfortable. The team have recently met lots of other hospice supporters including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Martyn Lewis and Bob Holness! Keep logging on for all the news as it happens.
Preparation, Kent (UK) 18/05/01 - Jonathan Besley
Things are really starting to take shape now; we have less than 80 days untill we set off, however, and there is much to still do. Our two Land Rovers have proved to be more expensive than we imagined. They both needed new gear boxes and other minor work. We are having trouble deciding what colour they should be. Yellow, light blue, silver...any suggestions?
Anyway, money is comming in, our profile is constantly growing and we are getting very excited. Raffle tickets and T-shirts are ready to sell so order them now!
Preparation, Kent (UK) 06/04/01 - Jonathan Besley
From now on this space will be regularly updated to give you all the latest news on our progress. Please check it regularly to keep up to date.
Things have been busy! Since writing the latest feature article we have received more corporate sponsorship and had even more media attention.
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