Edinburgh to Uganda

yes its doable, uganda is almost a country we go into ( we go kenya, tanzania ethiopia so we drive alongside it)

if you have the drive, the committment and the dream anything is doable

I'm in Ethiopia now having come from Uganda. The road from Isiolo (280km N Nairobi) to Moyale (Kenya/Ethiopia border) is a bitch. It's 500km and at least 14 hours of driving although they are tarring some of it.

Coincidently about half way between Moyale and Addis on Thursday we came across a couple driving down from Edinburgh to Rwanda in a Disco. It had taken them 5 weeks to get there. You could get to Uganda in ten days from this point max.

Anyway, they'd blown what I believe was the head gasket but he was a bit vague and so we watched as about 100 locals were attempting to push it on to the back of a little truck to drive it 400km back to Addis to get it fixed. I'll post some photos in a bit when I find my cable for the camera.

He didn't seem to be bothered about it at all - but then he has god on his side. They were moving their church down to Kigali or something.

But I hope his god can help with the vehicle importation - I'm sure his disco was RHD and it's illegal to permanently import a right hooker into Rwanda, and they're planning on living there. Of course in Uganda they drive on the left so it's not a problem but still worth looking at the importation aspect if you're planning on leaving them there.

One thought on the sponsorship - Kingsley Holgate, the bearded wonder of overlanding reckons it is by far in a way the hardest aspect of the trip. He's written untold books on it, is the (hairy) face of Captain Morgan in S.A. and still can't manage to get much sponsorship. Mike Copeland who wrote the reasonably useful Cape to Cairo says the same - try the village fete?

Not great photos but you can see the folly of Cape to Cairo in a disco even with god on your side.

Hi Guys thanks for all the input and about the website we are going to change the colours probably for a white background.

We can't come down through Sudan we need to go around via the Sahara as we offended the Sudanese government a couple of years ago and they have very long memories. Not our fault someone called Tony Blair (whatever happened to him?) thought it was a good idea to invade Iraq and we went from being lecturers at Khartoum Uni to public enemy no one in 30 minutes which was the time we were allowed to leave the country or be put in jail!!! Seriously weird country.

Uganda lived there 7 years (shot at and robbed few times but loved the country and the people in general), Lived in Malawi for two years bunch of sneaky devious people in general. The trip is to help raise awareness for the former child soldiers in Northern Uganda and HIV AIDS and malaria (which I nearly died from).

Just a dream but would love to do it. Sponsorship is a bitch I agree.

Firecat

You personally offended Sudan or you think you can't because of political reasons? I'm writing this from the Al Salam Rotana hotel in Khartoum, Sudan. it took me 36 hours and $100 to get my visa and it's no problem at all - as long as you get a Transit visa from Cairo or Addis. It is for 14 days and I believe can be extended once.

Well done Rhubarb.

No we were in the wrong place at the wrong time :-( and we were using residency permits so we could teach at Khartoum University for 1-2 years. Lovely City Khartoum some nice hotels and restaurants (Turkish especially), nice people only the Government officials were the b*stards to us. Nice Korean restaurant at Hotel Africa on the Airport Road.

I nearly went to the Korean place but instead went 100m up the road to a new place the Royal Cafe. Was all right but ate there, spent 3 hours at the Afra mall shouting at banks in SA then drove 17 hours straight through the night to Wadi Halfa. BTW it was another $50 each for registration.

The Africa Hotel is the place to get a good beer in Khartoum they sell Korean beer as spring water as the Sudanese cannot read Korean very clever and much appreciated. Best of luck Rhubarb on your travels.