I have been meaning to update the blog since the last blog (back in September?!), and have been nagging Charles to write down the technical stuff so I can copy and paste into this post.. this has not yet been done so I will write down what we have been doing from my viewpoint!!
So it all started when Charles finally got around to varnishing and carpeting the car, all is now finished and it looks really good (I will post photos of this when I get some!). Charles bought some more boxes so now we can store everything neatly and tidy (not sure how that works considering our house is normally a tip!) - and it means no crates sliding about in the back! At the same time Rob (I think) fixed the sagging driver seat so no more complaining!
After this the ever lasting search for a fridge came to an end when Charles found one (again technical details to follow) - he managed to get one for Rob as well with a sneaky discount which always helps! The boys spent a long evening fixing various things but they fitted a second battery (technical to follow) and also the fridges on sliders. I just now need to buy a stool so I can actually see what is inside! On our recent trip to the rugby in Cardiff it was tested (only on beer!) and works really well!
I think that is most of the car stuff out the way - Charles is now spending his evenings researching water systems... (as opposed to fridges!). So hopefully in the new few months we will have one installed.
Regarding the route we now have a more specific one planned... I can't remember exactly but it involves Morocco,...! Again I am sure in time we will get it up into the blog! We spent an evening with Rob and Mandy talking about this and talking about jobs as we move forwards.
From this evening my main jobs were to sort out injections needed and also First Aid courses/kits. Having researched every African country (not just the ones we are expecting to go to) it was evident we need yellow fever and many many more!
The ending conclusion was to get to our doctors, see what we already have, their advice and get ordering because injections can take a while to order in. It is safe to say we will be feeling like a pin cushion for a while! I have also been in contact with Oxford Collage of First Aid (http://www.oxfordcollegefirstaid.co.uk/) who have been amazing and are providing us with an outdoor personalised first aid course in February for a very reasonable price. We will then speak to them about what we should be taking with us medical supplies wise!
Last week we we camping in Cardiff to watch South Africa v Wales... we won't talk about the crushing score (in case Charles has a strop!) but it was successful in other ways! The temperature was not as cold as expected however, it was great to try out sleeping bags etc in minus temperatures. We also were able to use the fridge (as talked about already) and add to our ever lasting list of things we need/need to do! The next thing is a magnetic plate under the roof tent to attach lights to when it is dark and we need to get to the back. After the rugby, on the Sunday, we went green laning somewhere further into Wales, it was good fun- it is safe to say I need far more practice (without Charles to begin with), however the car was great - go to the facebook page (see below) for videos and more pictures!
Since this trip we have been waiting for a sunny day to dry out and clean the tent - sadly during the very un-summer holiday to Scotland it got damp and began to go a little mouldy, so yesterday we were at my parents' house scrubbing and drying! Fingers crossed that will be the last time!
Now on the count down to Christmas (and snowboarding in Austria!), there are still many things we will be needing to get and now plan for - I am hoping Charles will get all the technical bits into a blog after he sees I have done the main writing.. I may well have forgotten 90% of what we have done!
Have a lovely Christmas and if you have not already like our face book page: Where to next Africa. Rob is very good at updating the page especially with the technical stuff and photos of what he is doing to his car!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Where-to-next-Africa/301927936647306?fref=ts
