Article about the trip from a post-return interview with Conrad Sutcliffe
Article about the trip, from a post return interview with Conrad Sutcliffe
RICHARD HARRIS has faced many challenges since breaking his neck playing rugby in 1986 – some of his own making.
He has bungee jumped from the Bloukans Bridge in South Africa. Flown a light aircraft designed for a man with no legs and taken a microlight flight as a passenger.
None have been quite so challenging for the former Torquay Athletic rugby player than driving the length of Africa with wife Rachel in a Land Rover specially converted for the rigours of the job and Richard’s special requirements as a disabled person.
Since that fateful day in November 1986 when he damaged his spinal cord irreparably, Richard has got around using a combination of walking sticks, wheelchairs and a handcycle.
This is a man who doesn’t let a small thing like disability get in his way, which was just as well given the challenges a seven-month drive across Africa entailed.
Richard and Rachel undertook the journey to raise awareness for the charity Motivation, which works all over the developing world to improve the lives of people with mobility disabilities.
Because he lives in this country, 45-year-old Richard can expect to enjoy a normal lifespan.
In parts of Africa someone with Richard’s disabilities is lucky to survive three years from the time they become paralysed.
Rachel, 43, and Richard weren’t on an out-and-out fundraiser for Motivation, having said that they did raise more than £4,000, although they did drop in on a project run by the charity in the Tanzanian town of Moshi to see their work at close quarters.
Richard said one of the things he noticed was how few disabled people he saw, as he crossed Africa, had the means to get around.
“Somewhere like Addis, you see some people dragging themselves around with flip-flops on their hands, but you don’t see too many wheelchairs,” said Richard.
“Motivation can get appropriate wheelchairs made in the People’s Republic of China for around £140 and some of those are starting to appear.
“The things we take for granted in this country, such as our National Health Service, are largely unknown in most of Africa.
“People have to pay for their own medicines and appliances. In one country we visited, we were told the price of meds had gone up 400 per cent. To save money, people were re-using catheters, which isn’t hygienic and could lead to all sorts of complications.
“You have to know how to live with your disability and how to keep yourself mobile.
“Things like wheelchair skills and toileting have to be learned. It all helps to make you a viable member of society.”
Richard and Rachel set off for South Africa in May last year where they were due to collect their converted Land Rover at the quayside in Durban.
Kingsteignton firm OEC had equipped the Land Rover with sleeping accommodation, a mini kitchen and toilet – a real home from home in the African bush.
There was only one problem – the Land Rover arrived a week late!
“There are worse places to while away a couple of weeks than Durban, but having to stay in hotels and not being able to cater for ourselves was making a dent in our finances,” said Richard.
Once the Land Rover arrived and had been checked over, it was time to hit the road. Namibia was the first country Richard and Rachel visited.
“For someone from this country it is hard to imagine the scale of things in countries like that,” said Richard.
“Farms can be 80, 100 or 150 kilometres across and you can drive all day without seeing anyone.”
After a quick transit through Botswana, the next port of call was Zimbabwe, where the local welcome and incredibly friendly people were let down by the irritation of greasing the palms of a few public servants.
“Zimbabwe wasn’t what we expected in many respects as the shops had food in them and there were not queues around the corner,” said Richard.
“We know from our TV screens that Zimbabwe has not been in good shape economically – and we were reminded of that when we visited the natural history museum in Bulawayo and the electricity went off. But it is much better now that they have unofficially adopted US Dollars as currency.
“What you do find is you are likely to be pulled over on the road at a roadblock by an off-duty officer, who will be looking for a fee to not detain you further.
“All said and done though, with regards to corruption in Zimbabwe, we parted with the princely sum of $8 in three weeks – a bargain for the entertainment you get at such meetings,” said Richard.
“Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe: it was something we ran into a few times, but I guess it’s not surprising, poor people are just trying to make ends meet. I think the perception is that all visitors have money to spare. They need to learn that it’s not the case with overlanders though.”
Four countries into the trip the Land Rover had performed faultlessly. Other than a few running repairs with pry bar after bending the tail lift, no work had been needed.
Indeed, the Land Rover barely missed a beat until Richard arrived in Italy on a ferry from Egypt on the way home and it conked out.
“Fuel in Egypt was something like 11p a litre and so cheap it made sense before driving back up through Europe and back to this country,” said Richard.
“There was something in the fuel which disagreed with the Land Rover and having got us through 11 counties and 17,000 miles it broke down for good not far from Geneva.
“I had to fly home and get the Land Rover brought back.”
All that was in the future though when Richard and Rachel crossed the border from Zimbabwe into Zambia, where they encountered true African city driving for the first time.
“They have traffic lights, but no one takes any notice,” said Richard. “The traffic seems to get around fine, unless the police try to direct it and then it all grinds to a halt!”
Rachel and Richard filled up their diesel tanks and Jerry cans in Zambia before moving on to Malawi en-route to Tanzania.
“There is no diesel in Malawi – they don’t have the hard currency to buy any – so we had to make sure we had enough to get us all the way to Tanzania,” said Richard.
After spending time in Tanzania, it was off to Kenya for six weeks in Nairobi.
Richard and Rachel stayed with friends for six weeks, resting up while watching the Rugby World Cup on TV. It was from Nairobi five months after leaving Durban that Rachel flew home to get back to work. Richard’s former Torquay Athletic team-mate Maurice Dunn came out to join the expedition, as did friend Richard Hale.
The first assignment for the travelling trio was to get across north Kenya and south-west Ethiopia in one piece, which with bandit infested countryside and boulder-strewn roads is easier said than done.
“We went through in convoy with a South African couple and a Dutch guy in a truck as it was safer that way,” said Richard.
“A lot of people in ‘the Badlands’ walk around carrying Kalashnikov AK47s – it is a reminder of what a brutal place Africa can be,” said Richard. Sudan brought some new motoring experiences – one of which was driving through a railway station in the Land Rover.
“There are two roads through Sudan to Egypt – a sand piste and a metalled road finished last year,” said Richard.
“The railway wasn’t the most direct route or the quickest, but at least you couldn’t get lost – and with only one goods train a week you weren’t going to meet much traffic coming the other way.”
A ferry trip from Wadi Halfa – delayed several days until the boat was full – took Harris and Hale across Lake Nasser and into Egypt on the last leg of the African adventure.
“We spent a week in Aswan haggling in souks then drove up to Luxor to do some sightseeing with all the other tourists,” said Richard.
“The underground tombs in the Valley of the Kings were not designed with wheelchair access in mind, but Luxor has plenty of temples and historic sights to see.”
The plan was to drive back through Egypt to Alexandria, take a ferry to Venice then drive through Italy and France back to the UK in time for Christmas.
Part one went to plan, but the trying to save money with cheap diesel definitely backfired.
“The system was cleaned out when we got to Italy, but the van finally gave up the ghost in France and had to be trailered home from near the Swiss border,” said Richard.
Richard arrived home in time for the Christmas party season having spent around £100,000 buying and converting the Land Rover as well as covering the travel costs.
The couple re-mortgaged their Torquay home to pay for the trip – and Richard believes it was worth every penny.
“It is easy to say ‘I couldn’t possibly do that because I don’t have the money’, but there are ways of finding it,” said Richard.
“It has to be paid back and to do that we are relying on the value of our home going up in future years. Both of us are glad we did it.
“Would I do something like that again? Who knows? I have always fancied going to Australia… “
River Camp, Tsauchab, near Sesriem, Namibia
Last night’s site must rank as one of the most spectacular places that I stayed or camped at to date. Our bird companions were the incredibly chirpy and chuntery African Red Eyed Bulbuls, as a pair made friendly ingress into our camp. They were melodic and they helped us tidy up as we went about cooking. More secretive desert rats ducked in from the darkness, just to see what we were up to.
As we were getting ready in the morning, Rachel was going about the van checks when the bonnet release lever broke in the cab. Tracks for Africa (GPS) revealed that there was a Land Rover garage near Sesriem some 3 to 4 hours away.
The drive is one of the most scenic yet. We went through the Namibrand reserve, where vast plains yielded lots of Springbok and not too shy either. No luck in spotting any rare Hartman’s (Mountain) though.
The transmission did get hot at 121°C. I drove as far as I could and in the end needed Rachel to do the last half-hour (a diversion from the Sesriem road to River Camp). She later said “Hats off to you for driving on that stuff, I was scared.” On the unmade gravel surfaces you don’t feel fully in control and probably aren’t. It is a tricky and stressful balance and limits sensible distances attainable. Anyway just before sunset we arrived at Tsauchab River Lodge, only to find that it is not a Land Rover garage, rather it is a quirky and exclusive i.e. expensive, camping lodge, decorated at and around reception with lots of iron scrap ‘art’ pieces.
Nonetheless Nicky Steyn called her husband Johan (who creates the art pieces), and duly with his oppo Paul they had a look. “Yah we are not mechanics but we have experience.” In the end they jury rigged a wire release that pulled on the catch and could be accessed via the radiator grille it works so well we might not get it repaired beyond this!
We decided to stay and we were in the ‘drongo pitch’ where the ablutions were built into the trunk of a fig tree! No electricity (for the third day) so no computer restore. All very nice though and another example of very hospitable and helpful people. Again we have complete solitude and the stars.
One point to note from last night: As we had phone signal, Rachel called Cora, her mother. It’d been a while. We then asked her to let my mother know that we were in range and it was nice when they in turn phoned. Mum let my Aunty Barbara and Nan and Gramps know so they both called. Cora, at the same time let Rachel’s sisters Caroline and Lisa know the same. so Lisa called. My brother did also! It was a busy night and frustrating for them as they were all trying the same time. To boot my brother and grandfather said they heard Afrikaans people answer and hang up! Not sure what that was about.
Remoteness and Koiimasis
I am becoming very fed-up with driving (4 hours today) to arrive just in time for dark and cold, especially when there is no electricity. We are on the edge of the Namib desert on our way to Sesriem, staying on Koiimasis Ranch. Such places, even by Namibian standards, are somewhat ‘tucked away’. On the road we saw just 2 cars all day and with die-straight stretches’s of 7 miles or so without requiring any turn of the wheel. Koiimasis’ ‘driveway’ from that road is 19 km long. Remote + Remote = Very Remote indeed! Of course we’re not supposed to be here. We were looking to stay with Hermes, Ina’s son (from Steinfeld Farm), on his adjoining estate. We found the farm, but no-one was in – it was another 50km return trip up and down his driveway, just to knock on the door!. Without the additional 70km on peoples’ driveways (generally grassy lanes) we should have been pitching-up at 1330h – as it was it was 1600 and dusk!
Here is quite spectacular though set against a red rocky scarp, with the four camp pitches, nestled into and incorporating huge boulders, that hopefully a long while ago, fell from the mountain.
No electricity of course but phone signal. It feels like I am being taunted, given the laptop needs restoring from the backup. Whilst it’s out of service we can’t test the dongle. I’m feeling rather anxious that the blog is so behind. A week in writing and more in what’s been published to the web.
Earlier, we visited the World War I prisoner of war graves at Aus. Based on this, we reached the conclusion that Aus is the sort of place a vindictive sort would build a prisoner of war camp. (Germany surrendered to South African forces in 1914). It was just 5°C and thick mist and fog at sunup. We only saw snippets of the eclipse. The rest of Namibia was in clear skies of course.
I feel the need for some civilisation for a while, not so much for us, but for catching up with folks back home.
We need to do some more considered route planning before the sun and heat goes in roughly 15 min behind an enclosing mountain. The local squadron of sociable weavers have already dropped in. These habituated and opportunistic birds appear as if by magic campsites in the hope of human crumbs and detritus. Entertaining to watch they all bicker and bully as they divvy up their spoils between them. It passes as a replacement for TV. Nature gives nothing for free though and in Klein Aus Vista, they in turn attracted goshawks!
Little Aus on the Prairie – Aus-Kline-Vista Camping
We are sat in the freezing cold at nearly 1500m on a night where everyone else in Namibia was probably watching the total lunar eclipse in more moderate temperatures. Last night was 14.5°C. Here in the late afternoon, it has already dropped to 8°C and it is bloody windy.
My mood is foul It was a tiring, four-hour, drive here, into the teeth of a prevailing gale, with the cruise control dropping out frequently. A nap has helped, but only a little. On waking I tried our new dongle to see if e-mails and news from home would help. ‘No signal’ and red lights all around. Then the Mac Book refused to restart. I am confronted with a vivid, livid prompt of how much I hate computers and IT. (This is a paradox, as is almost inevitable for a mobility compromised person, I have always ended-up gravitating towards jobs on computers and IT.) I need to go back to the calm of outdoors, lighting and cooking on the fire and writing this journal; there, I am feeling better already.
On the plus side we have met some nice people. At Quiver Tree Forest, Karin and Thom, a Swiss couple returning home, gave us their unused food. It was a veritable bounty of pasta, sauces, muesli, seasoning and other goodies.
Seventy something Mr and Mrs Muhl, South Africans of German ancestry from northern Kwa Zulu Natal, were on holiday in a rather nice ‘bakkie’ camper. They wished us well for our trip as we left Quiver Tree Forest, only to see them again at the petrol station in Aus. They too struggled with the wind and were relieved to reach here with fuel to spare (the first since Keetmanshoop).
The drive has had its pluses too. At one point the high plain, as far as one could see, was a blend of orange soil, yellow wheat like grasses, set against vivid blue skies, and from these, rising as though floating above a golden mirage sea, ranges of koppies and mountains.
Aus is known as an area of weather. It is in range of Cape climate patterns and cloud as well as cold threatens eclipse viewing. The computer still will not start. Time to light the fire – the Mac will be lucky if it doesn’t end up on it.
Note the gathering cloud as "A weather system from the Cape" moves in ahead of a total lunar eclipse.
Quiver Tree Lodge, Camping and Cheetahs
……A protracted goodbye from and with all at Steinfeld Farm, like the best of friends with handshakes and kisses all round.
However, within 20km, were overtaken by Johann and Ina on their way to town, they roared past on the dusty gravel, leaving us in their dust as they waved. I thought it best to leave driving at those speeds to those who knew the road, especially after our bottoming out yesterday in the hollow. In the town, we stocked up on supplies in the Spar and bought a “Netman” dongle to update the blog. We were assured that it would work with the Mac.
Keetmanshoop is a small town with a disproportionately big dot on the map. Lots of touts and polite begging; sunglasses, biltong, knives, aftershave, with only the biltong looking remotely genuine!
We camped at nearby Quiver Tree Forest Camp. They have cheetah compounds so we went off to watch feeding and take photos, together with the largest band of fellow campers yet. Apparently it is quite safe to approach them whilst they are eating, as due to the need to bolt a meal in the wild, before competing carnivores steal their kill, they concentrate so much on speed-eating, they ignore your presence by and large. (The girl feeding the cheetahs, one of the farm owner’s daughters, did recount how her father had been attacked by one though, and left with some nasty claw scars as a souvenir.)
Ultimately it is quite a special thing to be able to get so close to these endangered animals.
Most of our compadres were travelling in South African hired overland campers, including Natalie and Mauen from Belgium as our friendly neighbours. We failed to make plans of where to travel tomorrow, as a sociable night and a sunset tour of the weird quiver tree forest got in the way.
The next morning we went to have a quick look at ‘The Giants’ Playground. Granite rocks teetered on top of each other in Jenga like towers – impressive enough if you’re passing – although the Bradt guide said that if you should go to Matopos in Zimbabwe, then you wouldn’t be missing anything if you skipped this smaller scale geology.
Anyway, as it was included in the coast of the camping, and it was just up the road, it was probably worth the quick half-hour diversion. We then headed west towards Aus….
