Land Rover Dispatch #2: Fighting an ancient disease
It’s a race against time getting the three Landies ready for shipping. Today we prepare the big Land Rover 130 Defender – it’s called the United Against Malaria mother ship. In it we load the first consignment of life saving mosquito nets supplied by PermaNet. There’s also boxes of LifeStraws, spectacles for the poor sighted, food supplies, Nando’s sauce for tough village fowls, tents, medical kit, bedrolls and a jerry can of Captain Morgan.
Apart from the big 130 Defender, we load up the two new Land Rover Discovery 4’s – we’re going to use state of the art technology to fight the ancient disease of malaria – it is even said that the Egyptian boy king Tutankhamen died of malaria as did Alexander the Great and it continues to kill over a million people a year in Africa – we hope to make a difference.
Land Rover Dispatch #3: Messina to the rescue
Lots of excitement! Just five days to go to the shipping date. The Ignazio Messina shipping line invite us to attend the company’s 90th birthday celebration at the Oyster Box Hotel in Durban. Well-wishers endorse the Scroll of Peace and Goodwill and Stefano Messina, grandson of the founder, scribbles: ‘My grandfather Ignazio was a man full of passion… for the sea and for Africa… your expedition will be hard, but the Rift Valley will welcome you.’
Land Rover Dispatch #4: Dotting the i’s
The expedition logo shows the countries of the Great Rift, the colourful dots that outline Mama Afrika symbolise the All Afrika nature of previous expeditions and the circle of beads around the UAM logo represent the Relate Trust beaded bracelets crafted by mamas in Kayelitsha, the sale of which help fund life saving mosquito nets.
Land Rover Dispatch #5: Pray God no pirates
Security at Durban harbour is tight, so in hard hats, covered shoes, reflective vests, breathalysed and with flashing lights, our 3 expedition Landies, loaded with life saving mosquito nets, LifeStraws and Rite to Sight spectacles, are escorted onto the ‘Jolly Marrone’ for shipping around the dangerous Horn of Africa – pray God no pirates. Thanks Land Rover for the support – we’ll keep you posted…
