Chris and I first met at YasWaterworld’s Survival of the Fittest team competition in 2013—a fitting beginning for two of the most competitive souls on the planet. Shortly after meeting, Chris told me about his plans to drive his car back to Durban via the east coast of Africa; a dream that was slowly becoming a reality after purchasing his Toyota Prado and a large world map. I was in! After a spontaneous trip to Nepal, the relationship status changed and my hopes of tagging along were looking up.
Three years later and we found ourselves married! Slowly, the plans started coming together and I was able to add in my two cents about the route. Suddenly, the trip went from East Africa to most of Africa and Southern Europe, and from six months to one year.
And so the DEAD2 (Dubai—Europe—Africa—Durban) journey was born. Thirty-six countries over one year. The route and timeline have changed almost regularly and both are likely to change further. Starting 22 July from Durban, the road trip loops through East Africa before cutting across Zambia and Angola. We then head north throughout West Africa, detouring to the islands of Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde.We finish our trip crossing Southern Europe, ultimately returning to Dubai via the ferry from Iran.
As mentioned, the purchase of a brand new Toyota Pradogot the ball rolling for the DEAD2 journey. Growing up, Chris was fortunate enough to be exposed to some of the harshest offroad environments in the world. In his experience it was very clear: Toyota was king. Choosing a model would be the only deciding factor. After several offroad trips in the UAE and Oman, it was decided that this integral part of our trip would need a name. Read more about Magellan and all of the modifications required for our journey in next month’s article.
For a trip of this extent, careful planning was required. We considered such factors as migration patterns, regional weather, safety concerns, and the most popular times for the fish to bite. From this point, a tentative route was mapped out in order to estimate total kilometers and fuel costs. This would help to create one of the most important aspects of the trip: the budget. Included in our budget was the carnet du passage (a very expensive passport for the car), visas, fuel costs, accommodation, national park fees, food, and bucket list activities.
Step two in the planning stage was to research all of the necessary requirements for visas. Being tasked with arranging visas for an American and South African passport holder would require a certain degree of organisation. When I was reminded of the definition of organised: adj. arranged in a systematic way, especially on a large scale—I started to panic. After copious amounts of research and a number of visits / phone calls to embassies, an extensive document was created with all of the requirements necessary for visa obtainment.
And then came the bucket list! As a fishing addict, the main reason Chris had planned this trip was to fish in areas too far or too expensive to reach from Durban. Nembwe, tiger fish, tarpon,Jack Crevalle, marlin, and caberra snapper are included on his fishing wish list. We would also like to take in as many African sunrises and sunsets as possible, hike Mount Kenya and the GR20, scuba dive with Whale Sharks, witness miniature elephants on the beaches of Gabon, and visit the Dogon Country in Mali.
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES
While all of the planning and budgeting had been completed, it wasn’t until an exact departure date had been set that we became serious about saving. Once it became more of a “do or die” attitude, the account quickly started growing. Some tips we found to be most successful for our savings included:
1. Just Say No!: Whether it be to the birthday brunch once a month or the long weekend getaway, saying no helped us save big time. Yes, it was extremely hard. Yes, our weekends were quiet. Yes, we saved.
2. Pay Day—Put it Away!: The thrills of payday no longer existed…the minute the SMS came in from the bank was the minute the transfer to the savings account took place.
We feel beyond fortunate to take part in an adventure like this. Our journey will have us traveling to some of the most untouched areas in Africa. To show our gratitude, we want to give back, even if on a small scale. As a teacher, I believe it is important that all children have access to schools and resources to enhance their learning; therefore, we will be stocking up on educational supplies in major cities to deliver to these remote areas along our journey.
Words + Photos By: Chris and Amanda Fraser
Learn more about our small charity, Books for the Bush on our website www.dead2travel.com, www.facebook.com/dead2travel.
