The Cast and Crew of the Big Brother Truck
Trip Start
Oct 29, 2003
1
69
116
Trip End
Ongoing
Iringa,
Tanzania
Friday, October 6, 2006
Seems like a good opportunity to introduce you to my fellow passengers:
Swiss Susy
The only passenger my age! Lives in Basel and works for the Red Cross so bit of a Bloody Do-Gooder. Five years ago she lived in the Sudan and Cameroon for 2 years so knows a bit about Africa. Good laugh and easy to wind up. Only going as far as Victoria Falls as has to go back to work and wait for some awful disaster to happen.
Dawn (Australia) aka Mamma Africa
Widowed grandma, former florist/farmer/sailor. Very interesting and obviously young at heart. Going all the way to Cape Town. Locals seem to sense her gentle kindness and call her Mamma Africa. Great negotiator with the throngs of sellers.
Ken & Lyn (Australia)
More retired Aussies. Ken is never afraid to take a video of anything. They like to wear matching silly wicker hats they got in China. Has a great bag filled with medical stuff which I've had cause to use already. Only going as far as Vic Falls but means only 3 weeks of listening to stories of when they broke down in the outback only for their car to be fixed by a blind man.
Bruce and Mary (Canada)
Retired Vancouverites who call each other 'Luvvie.' Never camped before so thought they'd start off gently with a 6 week trip through Africa.
The Crew
Bruce is the slowest walking person in the world. Everything he sees is described as wonderful: a lion stalking a zebra is wonderful. A shoeless, fly-ridden, dirt poor kid is also wonderful. We have to stop the truck every 2 hours because of his bladder. Not so wonderful.KC and Eric (Canada)
The dullest couple in the world. Eric (38) works in IT but he is so dull they fired him. KC is 8 years older and treats him like a schoolkid. She's a teacher. Eric can't be trusted with money as he likes to buy everything. Hates to say no to people trying to sell him crap. He shaves his legs and is not allowed to drink. On a 6 month trip and hope to get married at the end. For his sake I hope he sees the light and pushes her off Table Mountain. If he doesn't I might.
Gayle the Loon (Australia)
Think you know enough about her already, but just wait till I tell you about what happens in Malawi!
Morgan (Guide & Chef) and Rino (Driver) (Zimbabwe)
Been working these tours for 5 years. Morgan is a bit of geezer. He knows everyone wherever we go. They both speak good English as well as about 5 tribal languages which is invaluable in some of the places we go. Morgie is a great cook and organiser, and they are both fun to hang out with after the oldies have gone to sleep (9.30) and talk about the troubles of Africa. Rino is a Chelsea fan. We don't talk much.
New Moon (The Truck) (Germany)
For all you petrolheads: it's big Mercedes with 4 wheels and 3 doors. Goes up to 95kph on the highway but I think prefers the unmade roads. Can carry 20 people with tents and food. Has a 1000 litre gas tank with 200 litre reserve. Also carries 2 spare wheels, sand tracks and shovels (for when we get bogged in the desert). Has a cooler for food but the ice melts after half an hour. Seats don't recline and there is no DVD player.
Comments
Shared your log with your mates?
i hope not....quite a story, but it would be bold to have them write their update on you!
Hope all is well....just missed Madonna in Malawi..