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Um, there are plenty of places you're headed where there are no apartments to rent online. While Africa has embraced the mobile phone/smartphone far more than a lot of people realize, there are lots of places on your route that are still fully off the grid.
Also take a significant auto repair course that goes far beyond just how to change a tyre. There is no Auto Club out there to help if you've got a mechanical issue, and your proposed route is rough on even a new car.
I understand wanting to have the grand adventure before adult life really sets in but there are also some significant risks to what you want to do. I'd look into trying to find a bigger caravan of people who also have the same idea and can help each other out along the way, as well as there being safety and broader knowledge with greater numbers. Just looking at a road map isn't going to tell you which parts of Kenya are safe enough for tourism purposes and which parts are currently no-go for even most locals because of concerns about Al-Shabaab terrorism attacks.
Last edited by beachmouse; 02-19-2019 at 12:19 PM..
I haven't passed my test yet, I aim to pass in June this year. So I haven't driven in any foreign countries. Yes I am going to travel alone. I will rent apartments online and use google translate for non English speaking countries. And yes I am going in a Mini because I want something with relatively low carbon emissions.
OP, you are looking at a drive of over 6,000 miles in each direction. You would be traveling across multiple countries; passing through war zones, arid deserts, and regions of extreme poverty; passing through countries where they don't speak English and don't use our alphabet; and using "highways" that, in some cases, would be something that you would know as a "dirt path." If your primary concern in choosing a vehicle is its carbon emissions, you are too naive to be contemplating this trip.
OP, you are looking at a drive of over 6,000 miles in each direction. You would be traveling across multiple countries; passing through war zones, arid deserts, and regions of extreme poverty; passing through countries where they don't speak English and don't use our alphabet; and using "highways" that, in some cases, would be something that you would know as a "dirt path." If your primary concern in choosing a vehicle is its carbon emissions, you are too naive to be contemplating this trip.
I completely disagree. As you said it is over 6000 miles each way so carbon emission are important. If it's 6782 miles from Bidford to Nanyuki as I have calculated, then that X2 is 13564, or 21829 km. The Mini Countryman Hybrid has co2 emissions of 55g/km. So 55 x 21829 is 1200595 g of co2. So over 1 million grams of co2 for the trip. If I had a vehicle with 110g/km of co2 then the emissions would be almost 2.5 million grams of co2. Climate change is more important than the ideal vehicle for a trip.
I completely disagree. As you said it is over 6000 miles each way so carbon emission are important. If it's 6782 miles from Bidford to Nanyuki as I have calculated, then that X2 is 13564, or 21829 km. The Mini Countryman Hybrid has co2 emissions of 55g/km. So 55 x 21829 is 1200595 g of co2. So over 1 million grams of co2 for the trip. If I had a vehicle with 110g/km of co2 then the emissions would be almost 2.5 million grams of co2. Climate change is more important than the ideal vehicle for a trip.
If you don't make the trip at all, your emissions would be 0 grams of co2. And if you make the trip in the wrong vehicle, you might not make it back. You need to prioritize.
Edit to add, I'm not at all suggesting that you should forgo the trip just to save some carbon emissions. This trip has the potential to be one of the defining moments of your entire lifetime. The question is, do you want it to be defining in a positive way, or a negative way?
If fighting climate change is your highest priority, then don't go on this trip, or any other trip for that matter. But if you've decided that taking this trip is worth the hit to the environment, then do it in such a way as to maximize your chances of success.
Um, there are plenty of places you're headed where there are no apartments to rent online. While Africa has embraced the mobile phone/smartphone far more than a lot of people realize, there are lots of places on your route that are still fully off the grid.
Also take a significant auto repair course that goes far beyond just hoe to change a tyre. There is no Auto Club out there to help if you've got a mechanical issue, and your proposed route is rough on even a new car.
I understand wanting to have the grand adventure before adult life really sets in but there are also some significant risks to what you want to do. I'd look into trying to find a bigger caravan of people who also have the same idea and can help each other out along the way, as well as there being safety and broader knowledge with greater numbers. Just looking at a road map isn't going to tell you which parts of Kenya are safe enough for tourism purposes and which parts are currently no-go for even most locals because of concerns about Al-Shabaab terrorism attacks.
Carbon emissions may be important to you, but you will be travelling in some very rough areas, I think personal safety should be first, & I agree about travelling with others. You will be an easy target.
Um, there are plenty of places you're headed where there are no apartments to rent online. While Africa has embraced the mobile phone/smartphone far more than a lot of people realize, there are lots of places on your route that are still fully off the grid.
Also take a significant auto repair course that goes far beyond just hoe to change a tyre. There is no Auto Club out there to help if you've got a mechanical issue, and your proposed route is rough on even a new car.
I understand wanting to have the grand adventure before adult life really sets in but there are also some significant risks to what you want to do. I'd look into trying to find a bigger caravan of people who also have the same idea and can help each other out along the way, as well as there being safety and broader knowledge with greater numbers. Just looking at a road map isn't going to tell you which parts of Kenya are safe enough for tourism purposes and which parts are currently no-go for even most locals because of concerns about Al-Shabaab terrorism attacks.
Well lets have a look at apartments online then. Paris is stop 1 and they definitely have places to stay. San Sebastian is stop 2. Granada is stop 3. Ghazaouet is stop 4. Ghardaia is stop 5. Ain Salah is stop 6. Tamanrasset is stop 7. Agadez is stop 8. Zinder is stop 9. Gombe is stop 10. Panzama is stop 11. Bangui is stop 12. Kisangani is stop 13. Gambo is stop 14, could camp. Bamboli is stop 15, could camp. Juba is stop 16. Mbale is stop 17. Nyahururu is stop 18. I would arrive in Nanyuki on day 19. I would only have to camp in Gambo and Bamboli so that's a total of 2 nights. Mean minimum temperature is 19.1°C in Gambo in September and 18.2°C in October so it would be comfortable. About 22-23°C at night in Bamboli so a bit hot but nothing unbearable. The apartments would have air con, I assume.
Renting car in Germany - Rental Qualifications and Requirements:
This is for Hertz, but its very much possible that other rental car agencies have the same rules. Hertz vehicles cannot be driven into and/or dropped off in any African, Asian or Middle-East countries. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/reser...TIONS&EOAG=AAL
and this: Taking a car across Africa takes quite a bit of planning and is not cheap. For many countries, especially north of Kenya, you need a carnet, or passport for the car which usually involves making a fairly substantial deposit/bank guarantee or insurance policy to cover any customs liabilities. This will depend on where the car itself is registered and where it's going but to give you the worst case scenario we had to provide a bank guarantee to our home motoring association (the RAC in the UK) for 8 times the value of our car (which is UK registered) to be able to temporarily import it into Egypt. You lose this money if you don't/can't export it again so buying a wreck you are happy to write off isn't an option. You have to buy insurance in each country as well as other road and carbon taxes. Fuel can also be very expensive in parts - not far off European prices. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntr...nya-to-morocco https://www.asabbatical.com/article/...verland-by-car
So... how is your planning going so far?
Do you have experiences traveling in Africa or any countries other than Europe?
What do you know about the English speaking population in Africa? What other languages do you speak?
Hint: Pretty much people of all of northern Africa and Francophone Africa don't speak English. https://africa-facts.org/english-spe...ies-in-africa/
What about renting a hotel room?
Ordering food?
Vaccination requirements?
And a bonus question:
what is your budget for the 7 weeks trip across Africa?
Damn, with all the research you've already done in the above post and a few others, you should go with the OP.
If you don't make the trip at all, your emissions would be 0 grams of co2. And if you make the trip in the wrong vehicle, you might not make it back. You need to prioritize.
Edit to add, I'm not at all suggesting that you should forgo the trip just to save some carbon emissions. This trip has the potential to be one of the defining moments of your entire lifetime. The question is, do you want it to be defining in a positive way, or a negative way?
If fighting climate change is your highest priority, then don't go on this trip, or any other trip for that matter. But if you've decided that taking this trip is worth the hit to the environment, then do it in such a way as to maximize your chances of success.
Clearly I'm not going to do that.
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