Around Africa in a Shorty - Now includes Australia in an older Shorty

[Cruisn]

Good evening,

As some of you know I started building a 07 NS shorty wagon for a weekend warrior, and as usual I have a blow out. anyways, why not actually use it as it was intended, like going around Africa.

In January I put the little beast in a container and headed to work in the DRC, end of march it finally arrived in Maputo.

Ill try to keep the writing to a minimum and let the pictures tell the story.

The ship leaving port while I enjoyed the process of getting it out. I shipped to maputo to avoid a carnet, basically you mention carnet in OZ and people try to charge bulk coin for any paper work.

IMG_5679 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

And finally on the streets in Maputo!!
IMG_5694 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr


We quickly made a run for ponto for a night to get sorted:

IMG_5699 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

Where I found a giant snail:
IMG_5698 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

Heading out:
IMG_5711 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

The we headed onto the Maputo special reserve, no cats here though:
IMG_4156 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_4206 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_4161 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5725 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5729 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

Dinner and camp:

IMG_5735 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5738 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5739 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

We had a short deadline this time so we only headed north of Maputo about 60kms to a place called Lugar De Cel, stunning place. and had it to ourselves. the managers were great.

IMG_5780 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5781 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

Found this guy:
IMG_5783 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5795 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

 

[Cruisn]

20kms of sandy track south lead us to El Paso where we had lunch
IMG_5803 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5805 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

Leaving the area:
IMG_5819 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5824 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

We aired up jsut to air down again with a short cut straight across the country.

IMG_5826 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5827 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

Those photos are the nice exit and entry roads.. it went to sand track and tight bush
IMG_4305 (2) by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

but then we headed into town for a feed, found a great spot in the market.
IMG_4318 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

And into South Africa!!!
IMG_4330 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

IMG_5849 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

And thats all for now:
IMG_5860 by Matthew Allen, on Flickr

 

[Arjan]

very nice !

 

[Sierra Valley]

Cool man! Look forward to seeing more

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

following, thanks for taking us along!

 

[aussie outback]

fun! thanks for sharing the adventure

 

[Arjan]

Thanks - keep it coming !

 

[Cruisn]

Small update I guess, we have changed our plans and instead of small jaunts and locking it up, we have commited to at least 4 months of straight travel starting july 4th. How Exciting! Just need to finish a bit of packing in oz, finish work and gone.

In the mean time though I have had the wagon sent to Mitsi Tech in Joburg for some routine maintenance as now we are doing a larger trip with more time away form the cities and after my stint in Moz I found that getting parts would be a little trickier than i figured. Just having a few basics done, wheel bearings as a precaution, sway bar links, and a few small touch ups.

The girl gets collected:


And into it:

 

[lumpskie]

I really like your style of letting the pictures tell the story. I'm also enjoying seeing a Pajero involved, as you don't see as many of them on the boards. Keep up the good work!

 

[mike morrison]

Check out 4x4community.co.za - lots of info re Southern Africa travel

 

[Cruisn]

I have been super lazy, more posts on my instagram if anything, check it out @wrongturnadventures

But here are some animal photos, and a heap of the pajero, cause its the star of the show

Botswana:






Salt flats:







The rest are from around Namibia:















On top of Van zyls pass:


After van zyls:


On the road to Epupa:


We drove from the brandeberg mountains all the way to the coast via the Ugab river





Posing in the dunes south of Walvis Bay:

 

[C p weinberger]

Recommendation, check with local expats, typically extra protection is added to lights, mirrors, plastic body panels, ie riveted to car, to prevent theft. You don’t want to be wandering around the local market trying to buy back your taillights that were “liberated” while you were eating lunch

 

[Cruisn]

Recommendation, check with local expats, typically extra protection is added to lights, mirrors, plastic body panels, ie riveted to car, to prevent theft. You don’t want to be wandering around the local market trying to buy back your taillights that were “liberated” while you were eating lunch

I am an expat. Also you cant rip anything off a pajero without opening doors. the rest is already locked down. been on the road 70 plus days without a single issue.

I have heard this rumor about parts being taken but never from someone it happened to personally. did you get soemthing pinched?

 

[Sierra Valley]

Please keep the pics coming of your trip. Epic

 

[C p weinberger]

Indeed, newer

I am an expat. Also you cant rip anything off a pajero without opening doors. the rest is already locked down. been on the road 70 plus days without a single issue.

I have heard this rumor about parts being taken but never from someone it happened to personally. did you get soemthing pinched?

Glad to hear it’s going well.
I’m not trying to bring you down, just encouraging you to be cautious.
Stuff stolen? Every country, all the time. I loved Africa and African people, mix people and extreme poverty and as the locals say “everything is born with a set of legs”
I’ve been back living in USA for 8 yrs but lived for a long time in Africa, drove thru all of Southern Africa at one time or another. Was back for three weeks in northern Mozambique last year.
I’ve had to buy many stolen things back over the years. If you get something knicked, lose the anger real quick, smile and be polite to the people around, ask if they know anybody around who is “selling” the exact same thing you just lost. Offer a reward to those around. Leave your phone number with local shop near theft point, they may “find” item after you left. Do not involve police.
Your new tires are worth their weight in food in the rural areas, we had our car emptied of everything while swimming in ocean near Pemba, Mozambique. We could see the locked car parked sideways to us while we swam. Thieves broke window away from us and took everything, we never suspected anything, big learning curve!
You mentioned you realized getting spare parts would be problematic. Try and locate/ purchase all wearable spares ahead of time. Some may need to be purchased abroad.
You mentioned you’re heading to the Congo? Never been, my wife was in the capital last year for work, are you heading to mining areas?
Again, loved Africa, (adopted my three kids from there) but be realistic and don’t put blinders on or you will be hurt emotionally and possibly physically. South Africa, southern Mozambique is not the rest of Africa, Congo is a whole different world.
Last suggestion, carry a very good and complete medical kit in your car
Surgical gloves, lidocaine, skin stapler, all basic antibiotics, diarrhea meds, etc
The number one cause of expats deaths in Africa is car accidents. Be beyond cautious. Never drive at night.
Keep a pack of cigarettes on the dash, cold drinks in the fridge, good way to get thru police road blocks quicker and without paying bribe
Always smile and be friendly, it will help ten fold.
Be cautious parking/ sleeping in remote areas, it is no longer safe in many areas, stay near a village, rural Africans are always friendly.
Enjoy!!
I’m jealous as hell!!, hope to be back in three yrs.