We are two old folks, who like to think of ourselves as seasoned travellers, with a yearning for adventure (well, one has the yearning for adventure and the other a keen sense of caution, but desperately doesn’t want to miss out), about to embark on our third big trip, together with Buster (or Betty) our wonderful mighty 4X4 Mercedes T2 who is just one year short of being officially classed as a “historical” vehicle, bless him/her!
Personae non grata (I mean personae dramatis – sorry I did say we are old!)
The leading man is Bruce and he really is a seasoned traveller having started trotting around the globe aged 19 in 1977, with no intention of hanging up his boots any time soon! By the time Bruce and Jo met in 1984 he had already trotted round Europe, the Americas (north, central and south), Asia, Australia and New Zealand and East Africa! Bruce is a trucker back home so driving Miss Daisy (sorry, I mean Buster/Betty) will be a piece of cake to him.
Our leading lady is Jo, Joey, Josie (take your pick) who first got a taste for travel when she signed up for a London to Jo’Burg overland trip in 1983 and had her mind blown by the wonders of Africa. Jo is a dog lady (walker/carer) back home and will no doubt be wanting to pick up every stray she meets en route.
Together, we have undertaken a couple of major trips, the first was 6 months round West Africa and the second was 6 months circumnavigating the Med (through eastern Europe, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia) in 2006 with Bronco our 4×4 Iveco Turbo Daily.
Our supporting act on this occasion is Buster/Betty the mighty Merc.
(We haven’t been able to decide on his/her true identity yet so we are waiting for this to be revealed on the road. It took Bruce two years to find our Mercedes (registered in 1993), eventually acquiring her in Norway, where she had been used as a police surveillance vehicle. It has taken another two years to convert the Merc to a camper (well, one and a half years sitting in a barn, five months hard graft and a month of utter panic and calling on talented, willing friends to help) ready for shipping down to Walvis Bay in Namibia.
She’s off! Bruce has delivered our van to Sheerness where she will embark on a ship to Namibia. Safe journey Betty Buster! See you on the quayside of Walvis Bay on 4th November.
That’s the scene set – wait for the next Act, once we’re on the road!
If anyone wants more detailed information about the van, the conversion, the trip preparation, the paperwork or any other aspect, please contact us (once I’ve sussed how to put up a Contact page!).
Old Folks' Boogie Tour 
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