Thread: My family's crazy gap year - ABC1. Driving from Sth Africa to Cairo.

I watched it too. It was funny because when they were in Capetown and the Dad was preparing their first LC, in the background of the workshop was a Defender. I commented to my wife that they'd picked the wrong vehicle - they should have kitted the Defender. Then later a Defender rescued them. Classic!

A bit of a shame they didn't make it all the way to Cairo as planned. As a kid I loved the trips we did as a family in the back-blocks of Kenya in a VW Combi Microbus kitted out for camping. I think those kids need to stay in London! "Portia" just didn't click with it at all - sulked the whole way almost.

We did a few comparisons with our Bris FNQ-NT-SA-Syd- Bris trip a couple of years ago/ OMG.
Seems like they hada a great idea but little 4WD/ trailer experience knowledge. SWMBO beat me to the 'F'n idiot' call when it was said he was watching the GPS ("It said the road was straight!") not the road just before they flipped. Seems like he over corrected then decellerated when the trailer went pendulem.

RE the LR's: did you catch the glimpse of several Series recovery vehicles as the entered one of the towns in Ethiopa.
Catch the bemused looks on the Defender couples faces as the restarted them : ))
Dave.

Originally Posted by JayBoRover

... I think those kids need to stay in London! "Portia" just didn't click with it at all - sulked the whole way almost.

Well to be fair, I think it would have been hard going with any younger child. She was only 6 or 7 I think, and it's a pretty big ask for a young kid to do all those hours in the back seat.

Probably not the right trip to do with kids that young.

We used to take our son all around Kenya when he was little (under 2) but at that age they sleep a lot and don't need to be amused so much. We wouldn't try day after day of 10 hour drives though....

Hubby and I had the same thoughts when they rolled it... Silly bugger, Who looks at the GPS to drive! Noticed his wife drove to the dunes after that Was so pleased a defender turned up to save them

I think they should have stayed at the school for longer, they seemed to be enjoying it there and could have done short camps from it to 'camp in Africa'. Long days in the car aren't much of a holiday, for kids or adults. Isn't there a saying about the journey rather than destination?

Re. the series recovery trucks, looked like the place that BBC has on the Employment Opportunities thread? And same market place?

It's an interesting series, see the yacht one last week?

The yacht one was really good. Was worried that they were all going to die when they ate that poisonous fish though. That would have been a BAD night. No way to get to help and 3 of the 4 of them poisoned.

Kids seemed a lot happier on that voyage.

Originally Posted by JayBoRover

....when they were in Capetown and the Dad was preparing their first LC, in the background of the workshop was a Defender. I commented to my wife that they'd picked the wrong vehicle....

I wonder whether they took a sponsored vehicle over a practical one.