As for those of you who follow the Where to Next Africa you may have read that myself, Charles and Rob are taking a day off of worrying about the trip to complete Roughrunner, a 5K cross country obstacle course on 17th May.
We are doing it for Clean Slate a charity near to us (in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire), which works with adults and children who have suffered through mental, physical, sexual and emotional abuse. I volunteer with the Youth Service which runs sessions focusing on key points and self esteem. It is a charity which does amazing work- please click the link to see their website and find out more Clean Slate.
We are looking for donations so anything donated would be much appreciated - even just to ensure Rob and Charles are running over those obstacles!!!
Please click the link to donate.
Donate!
Thank you!
Tuesday, 31 March 2015
Sunday, 29 March 2015
Housekeeping!
We have been thinking and also beginning to buy different bits and pieces to make life a little more comfortable in the landrover...
The first thing was the sleeping.. We have been debating over different sleeping bags etc for months - how many seasons, double or single (luckily not the colour!). We ended up going back to our standard GoOutdoors.. Mandy and Rob had already bought two sleeping bags from there that could be zipped together so we knew we couldn't go wrong. Off we trotted and spoke to a very informative employee and ended up buying two Vango starlight SQ sleeping bags which can be zipped together. We chose them mainly because of the tog, the season and also the feel of them. We firstly used them in the house (not the best idea in a heated house!) and then last weekend. It is safe to say they are great - warm, comfortable and easy to pack. We did also buy a mosquito net, however it was forgotten.. That will be fixed next week when we drive along the North Coast of Cornwall!
The second thing we are thinking of getting is a duel fuel cooker - again Rob being he organised self has bought one which we used to cook breakfast last week. It was great, so we have been researching and looking out for one! Hopefully we will have one by next week!
I am on my Easter break now - perks of the job - so I am getting on with buying the First aid kit, we have a long list from Peter who undertook our first aid course (see earlier post for details to book him!), so I will be taking a close look! Also charles and I have been talking about clothing and sun cream... Watch this space..
Any way we are heading out with Mandy and Rob next week for some camping along the North coast of Cornwall. Please feel free to follow our trip on our Facebook page - where to next africa - or suggest places for us to camp/visit. If you are in the area please also come arrange to meet us!
The first thing was the sleeping.. We have been debating over different sleeping bags etc for months - how many seasons, double or single (luckily not the colour!). We ended up going back to our standard GoOutdoors.. Mandy and Rob had already bought two sleeping bags from there that could be zipped together so we knew we couldn't go wrong. Off we trotted and spoke to a very informative employee and ended up buying two Vango starlight SQ sleeping bags which can be zipped together. We chose them mainly because of the tog, the season and also the feel of them. We firstly used them in the house (not the best idea in a heated house!) and then last weekend. It is safe to say they are great - warm, comfortable and easy to pack. We did also buy a mosquito net, however it was forgotten.. That will be fixed next week when we drive along the North Coast of Cornwall!
The second thing we are thinking of getting is a duel fuel cooker - again Rob being he organised self has bought one which we used to cook breakfast last week. It was great, so we have been researching and looking out for one! Hopefully we will have one by next week!
I am on my Easter break now - perks of the job - so I am getting on with buying the First aid kit, we have a long list from Peter who undertook our first aid course (see earlier post for details to book him!), so I will be taking a close look! Also charles and I have been talking about clothing and sun cream... Watch this space..
Any way we are heading out with Mandy and Rob next week for some camping along the North coast of Cornwall. Please feel free to follow our trip on our Facebook page - where to next africa - or suggest places for us to camp/visit. If you are in the area please also come arrange to meet us!
Monday, 16 March 2015
Drives like a dream (C.Cooper 2015)
So as Charles sits in front of the TV fixing my laminator - which I broke... and I ply him with ice cream to keep him happy .. and fixing my laminator, I felt I should do something useful..
So if you have been reading/keeping up with our facebook page - Where to Next Africa https://www.facebook.com/pages/Where-to-next-Africa/301927936647306?fref=ts - you may be aware that the boys bought new wheels and tires last week and proceeded to fit them at the weekend. We also had a new clutch put in our disco so according to Charles she now drives like a dream... I have yet to verify this spurious claim.... We are going camping at the weekend so watch this space...
The boys have been in contact with two guys who are about to leave to do the same trip as us, Key2Africa. We are meeting up with them on Saturday for their leaving do, however they have provided us with some great information and insights to their travel plans. They were going to do a similar route as us however due to certain boarders being closed they have had to think about alternate routes - they gave us a great website which shows current boarder restrictions and also an alternate shipping route if things carry on in a similar way.
Africa boarder monitor - http://www.africabordermonitor.com/
Blog with the shipping info - http://www.africabordermonitor.com/
Apart from these events not much has been going on, we have been playing around with a new camera, bought mosquito nets and double sleeping bags (Go Outdoors) and have been testing them out (a bit hot however in a heated house with a 3 season sleeping bag!). We have a moving out date (27th July), a vague leaving date and 3 lots of injections to have!
My next job is to sort out the medical kit which is something I aim to do when I am on Easter Holidays which are in the next 2 weeks! We spoke to a family friend who told us to ring the Hospital of Tropical Medicine's travel helpline to help us with Malaria tablets- which type to take and when - so that is also a job for me to do! They apparently will also advise on the drugs to get out through a private prescription - mainly involving stomach problems... I say no more!!
So lots of things still to do, a few less on the car but more to do admin wise! Just now got to wait for the passports...!
So if you have been reading/keeping up with our facebook page - Where to Next Africa https://www.facebook.com/pages/Where-to-next-Africa/301927936647306?fref=ts - you may be aware that the boys bought new wheels and tires last week and proceeded to fit them at the weekend. We also had a new clutch put in our disco so according to Charles she now drives like a dream... I have yet to verify this spurious claim.... We are going camping at the weekend so watch this space...
The boys have been in contact with two guys who are about to leave to do the same trip as us, Key2Africa. We are meeting up with them on Saturday for their leaving do, however they have provided us with some great information and insights to their travel plans. They were going to do a similar route as us however due to certain boarders being closed they have had to think about alternate routes - they gave us a great website which shows current boarder restrictions and also an alternate shipping route if things carry on in a similar way.
Africa boarder monitor - http://www.africabordermonitor.com/
Blog with the shipping info - http://www.africabordermonitor.com/
Apart from these events not much has been going on, we have been playing around with a new camera, bought mosquito nets and double sleeping bags (Go Outdoors) and have been testing them out (a bit hot however in a heated house with a 3 season sleeping bag!). We have a moving out date (27th July), a vague leaving date and 3 lots of injections to have!
My next job is to sort out the medical kit which is something I aim to do when I am on Easter Holidays which are in the next 2 weeks! We spoke to a family friend who told us to ring the Hospital of Tropical Medicine's travel helpline to help us with Malaria tablets- which type to take and when - so that is also a job for me to do! They apparently will also advise on the drugs to get out through a private prescription - mainly involving stomach problems... I say no more!!
So lots of things still to do, a few less on the car but more to do admin wise! Just now got to wait for the passports...!
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