Logsplitter’s travels in his Grenadier.

[AWo]

Do you have to get the car shiny and clean before you enter the UK again? Like when entering Canada? They are very strict at that.

AWo

 

[Jean Mercier]

We intend to along with South America. Looking forward to it.

I know I am becoming quite old ...
I travelled about 40 years ago during 1,5 years with my rucksack in South-America (7 countries), and loved it: only public transport and hitch-hiking. And I lived afterwards during 3.5 years in Ecuador.
Sometimes I met travelers who had been in the "3 less developed" continents (with due respect to these continents and their people)..
And when asking for their preference, I almost always got as an answer ... Africa!
It was 40 years ago, but ... I remember slightly their arguments. Therefore, be prepared to a slight deception concerning South-America, especially the culture, the same as "ours".
The continent is anyway splendid.

I have not really travelled in Africa therefore I don't know, but I never forgot these arguments (but I have been for business in Burundi, Liberia (twice), Algeria, Morocco (many times), and Tunisia - also lived there - , but that is a totally different experience, although also valuable).
I was also a few times in Asia, business and travel. I was (travelling) very impressed by Nepal.

 

[Tazzieman]

My wife does not agree with this algorithm

 

[Logsplitter]

I know I am becoming quite old ...
I travelled about 40 years ago during 1,5 years with my rucksack in South-America (7 countries), and loved it: only public transport and hitch-hiking. And I lived afterwards during 3.5 years in Ecuador.
Sometimes I met travelers who had been in the "3 less developed" continents (with due respect to these continents and their people)..
And when asking for their preference, I almost always got as an answer ... Africa!
It was 40 years ago, but ... I remember slightly their arguments. Therefore, be prepared to a slight deception concerning South-America, especially the culture, the same as "ours".
The continent is anyway splendid.

I have not really travelled in Africa therefore I don't know, but I never forgot these arguments (but I have been for business in Burundi, Liberia (twice), Algeria, Morocco (many times), and Tunisia - also lived there - , but that is a totally different experience, although also valuable).
I was also a few times in Asia, business and travel. I was (travelling) very impressed by Nepal.

I get you. I’ve travelled around Central America and lots in India ,Nepal , Thailand, Pakistan Cambodia etc. But nothing quite as exciting as Africa which is where I keep getting drawn back. I think Africa gets into your blood

 

[Logsplitter]

Do you have to get the car shiny and clean before you enter the UK again? Like when entering Canada? They are very strict at that.

AWo

I don’t know the rules but we will clean the vehicle anyway . when we shipped our Defender back from SA 4yrs ago no one checked anything and when we got home we had a tree frog in our tent. Dehydrated but still alive . We took it to a local menagerie where it turns out that it was the first recorded incidence of this species coming into the UK unannounced. And that it was an invasive species in some places.
I will clean the vehicle inside and out just incase.

 

[AWo]

I don't believe that with the frog...come on...that was a Defender...an elephant could walk through without someone noticing it....

AWo

 

[Logsplitter]

I don't believe that with the frog...come on...that was a Defender...an elephant could walk through without someone noticing it....

AWo

Here’s the frog I can’t remember the species but it changed to more vibrant colours once rehydrated

 

[BigJock2024]

They may have just thought that out of the 45,000 produced a year only 10% are going to areas that have spinifex.
Out of that 10% only 5% will be driving across desert tracks that have spinifex on them.
So is it worth changing 100% of vehicles to solve a problem only a potential 0.5% will face.
The handles on the other hand is just a silly thing to ignore.

Very unfortunate story here:

ADVICE: Beware of spinifex when in the desert

There are a number of reasons a vehicle can catch fire, but when travelling in desert country there is one cause that far outweighs any other

www.whichcar.com.au

 

[Shaky]

I only speak from received wisdom here and not personal experience but I thought that when in country where Spinifex and other tall vegetation is being driven through it was on the daily check list for drivers to ensure it doesn’t build up and then catch fire.

 

[Krabby]

I don't believe that with the frog...come on...that was a Defender...an elephant could walk through without someone noticing it....

AWo

He was trapped in a high quality tent inside the Rover.

 

[Logsplitter]

Talking of seeds and dust build up. I decided to check my HVAC filter for the air con as I kept sneezing and getting a musty smell in the cab. It certainly needed changing . Good job I took a spare with me

 

[Shaky]

Wow, that looks like you have had that filter mounted on the front bumper

It is crazy how hard the driving conditions on any vehicle are, when navigating these types of places.

It still amazes me that anything works for more than a few days and doesn’t just shake itself apart or block up.

It also amazes me how many think they can throw money at the GOAT 4x4 rig and drive across a continent without as much as checking the oil level !!

As a kid I remember my dad going over his vehicle with a fine tooth comb, and we were only going 250 miles to Devon (UK) on holiday

 

[Logsplitter]

A couple of links. I’ll update travels later

 

[Logsplitter]

View: https://youtu.be/0541-esLr40?si=omZh6rxzdITedeXn

View: https://youtu.be/QPVV32ua44Q?si=19IG6NXatuV8gxJa

 

[Logsplitter]

It also amazes me how many think they can throw money at the GOAT 4x4 rig and drive across a continent without as much as checking the oil level

I haven’t been on level enough ground to check the oil level

 

[Karearea]

View: https://youtu.be/0541-esLr40?si=omZh6rxzdITedeXn

View: https://youtu.be/QPVV32ua44Q?si=19IG6NXatuV8gxJa

Man that looked challenging, especially in such a wide vehicle

 

[Logsplitter]

Van Joubert’s Pass
The next stage of our travels was to drive south, down the western side of the Marienfluss which is a spectacular landscape and the over Van Joubert’s/Rooidrom pass with a couple of nights at Marble Mine ,House on the Hill. From there we head towards Puros following the Khumib and Hoarusib river beds. Fantastic but tough driving as the rivers although now dry had been in flood , so no visible trails and lots of debris, tree trunks and boulders across the riverbeds making slow going. Not so much animal life was seen except for springbok and giraffes. Elephants had all moved south west since the rains. This is truly a remote region where we had only seen two other vehicles in three days.
Grenadier doing great although the rear bash plate got a proper battering on this section.

 

[Logsplitter]

Van Joubert’s Pass was particularly challenging and one of only a few places where I’ve needed the additional rear diff lock to proceed up the steep and very narrow pass, the loose rocks on the uphill sections made it quite tricky as you couldn’t choose an alternative route as only just wide enough for the Grendadier.

 

[Logsplitter]

The Khumib and Hoarusib riverbed trail to Puros

 

[Logsplitter]

The bash plate is bashed But it’s done its job and protected what needed to be protected.
Thinking twice about putting an auxiliary petrol tank in that position