The Long Way Down – 10 practical tips for getting around Africa by 4×4

Traveling to the great African continent in your own vehicle is a very liberating experience. But it always helps if you have some inside knowledge of those who have been doing this for years.

Here are the top 10 practical tips for getting around Africa by 4×4.

1. The biggest mistake travelers make is packing too much. No need to pack a 6-month supply of shampoo, toilet paper, and soap; no 3-month supply of dehydrated military rations. Yes, Africans use toiletries and eat too. Okay, your 6-ply extra soft toilet paper may not be available everywhere, but you can surely survive on 2-ply.

2. Africa is not like being at home. So don’t expect it to be like this and don’t complain or make stupid comments about it being different. Of course it is different, which is why he chose to travel in Africa.

3. “You whites have a watch; we Africans have time” This statement was made to me years ago in Dar es Salaam by a very wise old man. If they tell you something will take 10 minutes, put the kettle on heat and make a cup of tea; it will be at least an hour.

4. “It is at the end of the road” can mean anything from 3 km to 300 km in an African distance. Whenever you ask for directions, get a second and third opinion and then you may be lucky enough to find the place you want to go. Most places do not have street names or numbers, but are described in terms of landmarks. Don’t bother asking a local in a town for directions to a place 200 km away; It has most likely never been there, but to save face it will tell you convincingly how to get there (it will send you in the wrong direction).

5. Police checkpoints are the norm across Africa (as is weaponry); It is not uncommon for the police to stop you simply to say hello. As in all parts of the world, the police can be very friendly or very grumpy. When a policeman asks for some money for Chai (cup of tea), he doesn’t really want a cup of tea, he wants something from you. Unless you know you’ve done something wrong and want to get out of it, don’t pay the police bribes.

6. Coming from Europe, Australia or the United States we assume that gas stations are the ideal place to make a quick stop to go to the bathroom. Unless it’s southern Africa, don’t bother; Even if you don’t pass out from the smell 10 meters before reaching the bathroom, the clutter in and around the bathroom is sure to give you some kind of seizure. Do your business in the bush; is the best advice I can give. But if you do this, there is a golden rule; Stop the car and get out immediately, go behind the bush and do your thing. The reason; There are always dozens of kids intrigued by Mzungus (white people) and they are not shy to approach you and watch while you do your business. The longer it takes to get out of the vehicle, the greater the chances of a crowd of spectators.

7. Locally purchased maps are not always accurate. A few months ago I bought the new edition of the map of Nairobi (the capital of Kenya) only to find that either half of the roads had not yet been built or simply did not exist. Another catch is that quite often the roads will be renamed, but the new edition map still has the old names.

8. Put it on Visa. Credit cards should only be considered as emergency backup. Most places between Cairo and Cape do not accept credit cards. In reality, you will be met with very blank stares if you apply to pay for fuel with Visa / MasterCard. Traveler’s checks are also good as an emergency backup, and regardless of what Thomas Cook or AMEX tell you, they attract steep fees. A couple of years ago I was leading a West African Trans when one of my clients in Cameroon went to the bank to exchange USD $ 50 in CFA. The cashier took a good 5 minutes pressing the buttons on his calculator before turning to my client and saying, “I can cash this $ 50 traveler’s check, but doing so will cost you $ 56 in fees and charges.” Cash is king.

9. Never believe everything you read. In 2000 I left my home in Australia armed with a backpack and a lonely planet guide to South America. It wasn’t long before I discovered that while it was a practical guide, it wasn’t always accurate. The route I wanted to take on this particular day seemed too easy (according to Lonely Planet) and it should have been 1 bus and ferry trip, but it turned into 7 modes of transport (bus, back of a truck with farm animals, rental leaking canister). , ferry, donkey cart, back of a truck and the last 2 km on foot). The reality is that the writers cannot visit all the places in the guide and in this case the service referenced in the LP was stopped 5 years before my arrival.

10. “Shorts and T-shirts to the end.” A poor virgin traveler arrived in Nairobi to embark on her 8-week trip to Cape Town in August dressed only in shorts and shorts. I asked him if he was cold. “Freezing” was her reply, but an agent in the UK had told her that Africa was hot and she didn’t need warm clothes. That day it was raining, windy and no more than 13 degrees Celsius!

For those who want more information, they can take a look at http://www.AfricaExpeditionSupport.com