Watch: SA shows love to trio travelling from London to Cape Town after vehicle snaps in half
Three Londoners have been making their way through Africa in their trusty Hilux – and thousands of South Africans are following their journey.
Three friends travelling from London to Cape Town have been showered with good wishes by South Africans along every step of their bumpy trip – with Toyota South Africa even offering them a replacement vehicle when their trusty steed ‘snapped in half’ a few days ago.
The trio, known only by their first names – Karen, James and Spence – set off on an epic journey in their beloved Toyota Hilux, Edna, on March 13. They have been documenting their travels on social media (handle @london.2.capetown).
Since their very first post, thousands of South Africans have been watching their journey and wishing them well, with many enquiring when they would reach the country so that they can be warmly welcomed.
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“Please come over for a braai at my house once you get to Cape Town,” commented Instagram user Lana Norton when the trio announced their journey.
However, tragedy struck during their crossing from Nigeria to Cameroon.
“We’ve encountered the worst roads of our trip so far. This put huge strain on Edna’s already compromised chassis. Whilst driving, even at low speeds, we noticed the back (of the vehicle) was moving back more and more, to the point where it was almost hanging off,” explained Karen in a recent video.
When they stopped to assess the damage, they realised that the vehicle had snapped in half.
The friends were unsure whether they would be able to complete their trip, with over 6 000km to go before they reach Cape Town.
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After posting about the breakdown on Instagram, asking for donations to do repairs, Toyota South Africa offered to send them a replacement vehicle to finish their journey.
Edna stays
The travellers have since responded, thanking them for the offer, but saying that they could unfortunately not leave Edna behind, as she was such an important part of their journey.
“We started our journey with her (Edna) and we aim to complete the journey with her. We can’t give up on her now. She is struggling but she will get through this.”
The outlook of them continuing their journey is positive, however, as many people have been making donations to fund the repair work.
The trio’s journey has been filled with amazing adventures and some nervous moments.
In Guinea-Bissau, they planned on taking a trip to a nearby island. After choosing a cheaper option to charter a boat, the boat’s engine stopped working a mere 30 minutes into the journey.
“The boat was also slightly flooded and sinking in the back,” Karen explained.
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They were eventually dropped off at an alternative destination – or ‘muddy swamp’, as Karen called it. On their return journey, they got stuck again, this time without fuel, and had to be rescued by local fishermen.
After the ordeal, Instagram user Anele Mashalaba commented: “South Africans, how about we organise a warm welcome for them? Once they reach South Africa, we need to welcome.”
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The travellers also rescued a cute puppy from being sold at a so-called voodoo market in Benin and named him Ibie. They took the puppy with them to Nigeria, where they ensured he got a loving home with one of the locals.
You can follow their journey on Instagram.
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