A funny expression to use you might think when talking about the trip we intend to attempt. We aren't really going to pack a suitcase as you would going on holiday. No, we use the expression to cover everything we need to have with us in the vehicle, before departing from Denmark.
Africa is without doubt a beautiful continent with a fantastic culture and an unrivalled wild life, but you need to be both mentally and physically prepared to embark on a trip that could take over a year to complete. The list below covers the main areas of "baggage" you need to think about, which will help with our physical preparation. The mental preparation will come at a later stage!
Food and water
Clothes
Personal documents
Vehicle documents
Emergency equipment
Fuel
Camping equipment
Spare parts
Items fitted to the vehicle will be covered under preparation of vehicle
Food and water are probably the two most important items we are going to have with us. Africa is both enticing and foreboding and the lack of either fuel or water could have catastrophic consequences.
Water
To ensure that we always have an adequate water supply, we have fitted a 73 litre water tank in the vehicle. It dominates the landscape inside the hardtop, but that is a problem we will have to accept. The tank cannot be fitted on top of the vehicle or underneath, both because of the lack of space to fit it and access to the water when we need it.
The water in the tank will only be drinkable for a short time after departure from Capetown, because filling the tank up while we are travelling will rarely be done with water fit to drink. It will need to be boiled and cooled down before we can drink without problems.
To make sure we have enough water to drink at all times, a routine of boiling and cooling has to be carried out every day. Last job of the day - boil water and let it cool off under the vehicle during the night and then into the fridge to achieve a pleasent drinking temperature.
Fuel
To ensure we don't run out of fuel in the middle of nowhere, a 140 litre diesel tank will be fitted under the vehicle. This will replace the existing tank, which only has a capacity of 80 litres. In a country where petrol stations can be as scarce as a national lotto win, the ability to be able to drive at least 1000 kilometres without tanking up is a must. We will also enlist the aid of three "jerry cans" to make sure Karen doesn't have to push us the last 100 kilometres!!!
The equipment we need for the trip we intend to undertake is quite similar to what you would use on an ordinary camping trip- well nearly!!! One thing that stands out is the roof tent you can see on the left. The advantages with this set up are, no water runs into you tent when you get a bout of torrential Africa rain, it's easy to set up (five minutes) and the beds already made, because you leave your bedding in the tent. You also have a bit of distance between yourself and the Africa habitat.
Another thing is that you always have your tent with you - you simply cannot forget it!
Many people when they see a roof tent for the first time think it's a crazy idea - "you just cannot sleep in that cramped space - and on the roof". You do change your mind though when you have tried it a couple of times. We wouldn't be without it now.