London to capetown in 11 days

[crash]

3 guys, one disco and a record breaking run from London to cape town. Well done to them.
London to Cape Town in 11 days (http://www.driving.ca/regina/London+Cape+Town+days/3924851/story.html)

[bob10]

The English Rugby team Beats us, Their Cricket team is looking good , they are convinced they will do better than us at the Olympics, now they do this drive, what is this-- the Empire makers strike back? I'm going to put my xxxx down, get off my chair, and do somethig!!! [ anyone got any ideas?] Bob :D

[Ivan]

That's very good going. It can take over half a day just to pass through some of the border controls. When we went to Morroco (sp?) it took us 4 hours to get into North Africa and Libya took us 6 hours to get out of!!!
Just realised (when I got the site open) I went to Morroco with Steve. He is an ex squaddie who injured his back and is now on a disability pension. A very nice bloke.

Ivan

[spudboy]

They must have been very well organised, and been lucky at all the border posts. One grumpy border guard could have ruined things pretty easily. Good effort for sure.

Me - I'd be taking about a year to do that trip.....

[3toes]

Last time they did it in a Ford Cortina. This time it required a Land-Rover Discovery. Thats automotive progress for you.

[crash]

I remember reading an article about a couple of americans driving through South america, where border crossings could take hours aswell. They had a ute with a canopy on, and this was when the longlife milk in the tetra packs just came out. There trick was to have some porno magazines with them and be reading them when they came to the border, sipping on some chilled milk with some milk in the esky beside them, and in the back of the canopy they made sure that there was a couple of spilled milk containers in the back. When they got to the border they handed over the magazines, some chilled milk and when the gaurds smelled the back of the ute they did not search it and let them through the border without any dramas - worked everytime for them.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

One of my work colleagues back in 1979 went on an organised African tour in the back of an old RL Bedford. When they crossed Lake Tanganyika from Tanzania to Congo they were refused entry by border guards in Moba, even though they had the correct documents for Congo. Unfortunately their Visas prevented them from returning to Tanzania.

After several hours the tour guides approached the border guards again and they were given the word, that if the guides left the guards with the tall blonde woman (my friend) the tour would be allowed to pass. :o Of course the deal was rejected. The impass in no-mans land continued for almost 36 hours untill they were eventually allowed entry to Congo.

[sashadidi]

One of my work colleagues back in 1979 went on an organised African tour in the back of an old RL Bedford. When they crossed Lake Tanganyika from Tanzania to Congo they were refused entry by border guards in Moba, even though they had the correct documents for Congo. Unfortunately their Visas prevented them from returning to Tanzania.

After several hours the tour guides approached the border guards again and they were given the word, that if the guides left the guards with the tall blonde woman (my friend) the tour would be allowed to pass. :o Of course the deal was rejected. The impass in no-mans land continued for almost 36 hours untill they were eventually allowed entry to Congo.

yep sounds about right, try 2 days wait because you refuse to "donne moi un cadeau" (give a present)
All you do is act like you do not care, do not scream and yell and be as African as they are and they will tire of you and go for more easy pickings from a silly frenchman who yells and screams about his rights etc
its normal in Africa and you are considered a good mark because you are very rich in their eyes.
Asking for "parking money" extra fees, diesel tax, Uk rego!!!! the list goes on.
I suspect they had "fixers" arranged at each border or paid someone off. I would imagine that the roads were much better all those years ago as the colonial powers maintained the roads to a very high standard, unlike after they left eg Congo Main highway in this picture:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/115216-main-road-zaire-congo-1980s-series-2a.html