What has worked for us and what has not worked.

The Chevy

We opted for the Chevy 1 ton over other platforms solely because the Chevy 6.0L gas engine is sold in South Africa in the Chevy Lumina, and therefore parts, for the engine, would be available. Now if this was sound thinking or not I can’t say as having anything major going wrong with any modern day engine is mush less likely than say 15 or 20 years ago. I think the harsh conditions here in Africa are more likely to cause peripheral parts to fail, i.e. drive train or suspension.

After 3 months and about 9,000 miles and easily 2,500 of them on dirt, the Chevy has exceeded our expectations. It has carried the load of the XP over and through everything and anything including axle deep sticky mud in Etosha, soft slippery sand in Alexander Bay, Etosha & the Kgalagadi and not once has she given up and said no more. Now probably any platform would have done the same, but we know what the Chevy can do and we are pleased.

We did receive a fair amount of criticism from naysayers pointing out, amongst other things, that the gearbox was going to fail, that the front suspension was not built for what we are asking it to do, and then we had the examples of others who have done similar Overland journeys in their Chevys and encouraged us to be brave and, as Nike says, just do it! Rick & Kathy of Travelling Tortuga fame www.travelin-tortuga.com have taken their Chevy from Alaska to the tip of South America and back to Texas, shipped it to Europe, explored the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and then traveled to Eastern Europe. There is also The White Acorn who rode the Ice Road of Alaska before completing a similar journey to the tip of South America in their Chevy.

We did modify the suspension a little including adding Super Springs at the back. They have worked great as they not only help carry the load (our springs are a good 1/8 inch off the helper springs) but they also help control the rocking and rolling which could have been severe on the off-road situations. We installed Bilstiens all round and everyone swears by them, as do we. We also raised the front-end about 2 inches by having Central 4 Wheel Drive in Sacramento install a new key. We had Suma Springs installed in the front which I think was a waste as the new key did all the real raising of the front end. Then of course, we installed the Rickson steel wheels and Michelin XDS tires. I can’t express how much peace of mind these babies have given me. The roads, both dirt and black-top, can be very rough and knowing the problems others have had with stock wheels and having the steel wheels between us and disaster is such a relief. The Rickson’s are not all sweetness and light as they do give you a stiffer ride and restrict how much you can air-down, however this does not compare to the benefits we have received.

Our modifications to the cab, removing the back seat and installing the 4 drawers on each side have worked great.

The Dometic fridge/freezer, we have between the drawer systems in the cab, has been brilliant. We have it running 24/7 at 0 degrees (the lowest setting) and use it as our freezer. We easily have 2 weeks of meat in there at any one time, which is great as you can never be sure when you are going to get good meat again. Actually that hasn’t been much of a problem except in Kgalagadi, but just having multiple choices of what to cook for supper is such a luxury. It also has a small shelf that doesn’t freeze and that is where the day’s beer lives. We have a sealable ice-tray and the freezer makes ice everyday. Oh what luxury in the 116 degrees of the Namib Desert.

Seat covers have been O.K. but I guess we haven’t been out long enough to give an honest opinion on their usefulness, but we have them and like them.

Dash Mat on the other hand is really something you should not do without, especially if you have a black dashboard like us.

Front window shades have been great and again necessary.

Layne’s extremely large front bumper sure looks cool and gets a ton of attention here, but thankfully it hasn’t been put to use yet. Again peace-of-mind can’t be measured.

We have not used the sand-ladders yet. The locking diff and low 4 wheel drive has gotten us out of all of our sticky situations. I think I tend to run in 2 wheel drive a little too long where a more prudent fellow would have switched to 4 wheel drive a little earlier and not have got stuck in the sand or mud. All is well that ends well.

At this stage not having a winch has not presented a problem. I have sat and chatted with many other Overlanders here in Africa and most don’t have winches, many used to carry them and now don’t and those that do haven’t used them much if at all. I think the cool factor for winches is the main selling point. Maybe we will regret it but so far I am happy with our decision to save the weight. We have one on the Xplorer and after 9 years we didn’t use it once to help us, did use it a couple of other times to help others though.

Biggest regret is not getting a new windscreen in the USA before leaving after getting a small star crack. This decision is going to bite me in the ass real soon.

Have not used the small 1000 watt Yamaha generator and probably won’t. That was a waste I think.

Haven’t needed the engine code reader yet, but that was a good investment.

The converter from 220 to 110 has worked great and I would recommend getting one for when you have the chance to get power. They call them power-points here and they are readily available at most campgrounds.

Interesting enough the solar panels are a dilemma here in Africa as the sun is so hot that you always look for the biggest tree to park under for the shade and then of course block the solar panels. We are very glad to have them though.

The XP

We love our XP and know we made the right decision in our choice of campers regardless of what vehicle is carrying it. With that said lets get the very few things that we have problems with out the way.

Stove Control Switch. On our camper the switch is located beneath the stove right next to the bed and because the switch is a push button affair it is real easy to turn the stove on accidently while making the bed or accessing the clothes storage under the bed. We both have turned the stove on accidentally, once with almost disastrous results as I had left the cloth curtain that Annie had made, on the stove while I was changing the sheets on the bed and the curtain smoldered and caught on fire and if I hadn’t returned to the camper with more just washed laundry right about then, we could have lost everything. We now switch the stove on and off with the toggle fuse switch and we haven’t had any more problems. I believe Marc has moved the stove switch on newer builds.

Go-Lights on the rear of the camper. We haven’t used them once and really are unlikely to. The intention was that they would work great for game viewing in the dark as they are remote controlled and we could sit at the dinette and watch game. Not so much. They do draw a tremendous amount of power and if you intend to use them over about say 5 minutes you have to run the engine or you will surely have a flat battery. All except one campsite in the game parks are fenced in to protect you from the animals so therefore no animals to watch and when we wild camped in The Kgalagadi we heard lions in the distance but nothing came close. We find the back-up lights on the flatbed more than adequate if we need to park after sunset which is very seldom. Others might find these lights invaluable, but for us they just haven’t been used and therefore a waste other than for the “cool factor”.

The Grey Water Drain. On our build the drain is poorly located and we need to park with the left side higher than the right for it to be able to drain. This definitely has been fixed on later builds. Marc installed a water pump for us which has helped but still we need to raise the left side on blocks when we want to drain the water. Really not a big deal, but needs, mentioning.

Now for what we like in no particular order.

Diesel stove. Works every time and we use it every day even if it is just to make coffee in the morning. It takes some getting used to, but we both like it and would get it again.

Diesel Dual Top hot water heater and furnace. Furnace is unbelievable, it heats our little home in minutes and it is really very quiet compared to the propane versions we have owned. Hot water heater has worked well for us as well. It too has been used every day as Annie only showers in the XP and we do dishes most times in the XP too. There are some excellent sculleries available at some campgrounds and we will use those when given the chance.

Fridge. 12 volt compressor is great and the positive lock on the door is invaluable.  After spending all day on real rough roads we have come back to chaos in the camper with stuff getting dislodged, but the fridge door has always stayed closed.

Cabin after a particularly bad road.

Water Filter System. The R.O. system with the ceramic filter in front of it for all our drinking water is great and again gives us tremendous peace of mind. The pressure switch that turns it off when the holding tank is full is a little faulty and temperamental but the system works.

Under floor storage and actually all the storage has been more than adequate.

Shower and Cassette toilet. I would never get another rig without a cassette toilet again. Have dumped the cassette in pit toilets, regular toilets and chemical toilet drains without ever having a spill. The system is great.

The Froli mattress system is brilliant. As matter of fact it is the thing that gets the most comments when we show the XP to others, and we have shown it many, many times. It is comfortable and extremely functional. Keeping the foam mattress away from the fiberglass and any moisture that can cause mildew is what it is all about.

Hydraulic System. Never failed and really a big wow factor. It has sat a little uneven when we have lowered it a couple of times and we spoke to the manufacture in Kentucky about this and he said not to worry as it would correct itself after a couple of times of lifting and lowering it. He was absolutely right.

Table under the flatbed with the storage bin light. Love it and use it almost daily to BBQ on.

Table out with Cobb grill doing its stuff.

  

Dual fans. The location and idea is great, I just wish they were Fantastic Vents as we never had problems with them which I can’t say is true for these ones.

Windows with integrated blinds and mossie nets. Great…. Especially the large window in the back. Really missed it when it broke and we had to have garbage bags taped over it to keep the rain out.

Annie says she loves the shower and cassette toilet and really wouldn’t know what she would have done without them. Plus she really likes the big skylight over the bed for the all light it lets in.

Peripheral stuff like the collapsible bucket and Cobb Grill are both indispensible. It is funny how the little stuff makes life on the road easier.

Driving down the road I don’t even know we have the XP on the truck. Everything is very balanced and feels very safe. Parked we have more than enough room and seldom get in each others way. Having hard sides in the living area makes us feel very safe at night and yes we have soft sides around the bed but it is pretty high off the ground and also feels very safe. Not having a crawl-through from the cab to the cabin is a bit of an issue, I think, in a very dangerous situation but hopefully we will never find out. The remote start of the Chevy engine might be an interesting ploy……

We do not regret any decisions we have made and are truly happy with both the XP and the Chevy. If we haven’t made ourselves clear on anything, please comment as we will do our best to explain things a little better. Once again we are not sponsored by anyone and as such are free from restraints. 

Our Beloved Cape Town.

On the way to Cape Town on the North side of False Bay.

 So much has been written about this amazingly beautiful city it seems silly for me to say anything, but of course I will! There are so many ways to enjoy Cape Town, tourists came in by the thousands on cruise ships, dock in the restored Victoria & Albert Basin and get taken on great excursions to the Cable Car which whisks them up to the top of Table Mountain where they enjoy unparallel views of the city and its two oceans. Other excursions include visits to Stellenbosch and the wine country, Cape Point Nature Reserve, the penguins at Boulders, City Tours, a boat ride to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and unforgettable walks through the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Then there are the hundreds of tourists who came to Cape Town on organized Tours from all over the world and enjoy much of the same sights included in their tours.

Then of course there are the few Overlanders who camp right next to the famous beaches, like Fish Hoek, Bloubergstrand & Kommetjie and get to do early morning walks along these beaches and interact with the locals like the surf fisherman which row out into the surf with their nets and then row back and pull the nets back in with help of anyone who wishes to join in the fun.  

Early morning walk on Fish Hoek beach

Surf fisherman's boat with its net and rope ready

Beach huts for changing and the shark
warning flag. Black means the water is not clear
 enough for the shark spotters on the mountain to see the
 sharks so swim at your own risk!

We, as Overlanders also do all the same sights but at a much more leisurely pace and maybe at times before the tourist’s busses get there. But then we also have to put up with the troops of baboons which come down off the mountain and raid the garbage cans at some campsites. These nuisances, which are protected by law, have worked out how to open “Baboon Proof” garbage cans. They can’t get the lids off as there are two latches that must be held back simultaneously and they just can’t do that! But they have worked out if they charge the cans with enough force they will knock the can flying and the lid will pop off. They will also attempt to enter any unattended camper and steal eggs and fruit out of the refrigerator which they have found much easier to open than the garbage cans. We had one jump up to our side window and bear its teeth at me, but I stood my ground with my trusty broom stick and snarled and growled at it. Thankfully it jumped off and looked for easier pickings.  Ah, the joys of Overlanding!

Baboons

We spent a glorious day at Kistenbosch Gardens enjoying the quiet beauty framed by Table Mountain. As Annie says everywhere you go in Cape Town the mountain is always there and then you are also never far from the ocean. The day was topped off with tea and scones at the Kirstenbosch tearoom. I have been waiting a lifetime to enjoy these treats again. Of course there was homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream. My mouth waters, just thinking about scones, jam and cream.

Kirstenbosch

Back side of Table Mountain from Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosch

Sunbird at Kirstenbosch

Kirstenbosch

We spent 3 glorious weeks in Cape Town and probably will find someway to return real soon.

Groot Constantia

The courtyard at Groot Constantia

Slave bell at Spier Winery, Stellenbosch
The bell was used to call the salves in from the fields

Ostrich traffic jam at Cape Point.
They walk slowly in front of the cars. I told you they were stupid.

Condos in Sea Point.
The light blue on top of the building is the glass wall to a roof-top swimming pool

Beautiful bay at Cape Point.

Tidal swimming pool. Each new high tide refreshes the water inside the pool

Cape Point. View of both oceans.

Beach at sunset.

Parking security guard on top of his innovate guard post.

Campsite at Miller's Point with the full moon raising

Tortoise at Cape Point. Its brain is surly bigger than its eyeball

Kelp beds at Cape Point

Cape Point

Hundreds of Cormorants.

Cape of Good Hope. The most South Western point of the African continent.

Lunch stop view out our door.

Recent ship wreck on the stormy Atlantic side

Just real pretty flowers

Protea

Muizenberg Beach from Kalk Bay Mountain

Biggest tent-peg I have ever seen!

Huguenot Memorial, Franschhoek

Huguenot Memorial, Franschhoek

Huguenot Memorial, Franschhoek

Our mascot. Wire bicycle bought for $5.00

Storms River to Cape Town.

            

Storms River Mouth

From Addo we went down the coast to The Tstitskamma National Park. This is one of South Africa’s premium National Parks as your campsite is right on the ocean affording some really spectacular sunsets. We did the walk to the river’s mouth and a great view of the suspension bridge over the Storms River. While we were there a river dolphin swam under the bridge giving us a real nice memory.

Like a rock.

Our campsite was visited by a family of Rock Hyrax or as they are called in Afrikaans Dassies. When one of the young ones climbed on our front wheel we imagined all sorts of advertising slogans like: ”Even a Rock Hyrax knows that a Chevy is Built like a Rock!” or “The Rock Hyrax approves of Rickson wheels as they are Rock-Solid!” but that seemed too silly.

Bushbuck

In the morning we were surprised by a Bushbuck exploring around our site. We later found out that they are really very shy and we were lucky to have seen it.

We also paid a visit to the Big Tree which in Afrikaans is Die Groot Boom which definitely has a nice ring to it.

Start of Baviaanskloof. Little did we know.

We then went inland to Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area. This remote drive transverses 3 Hair Raising mountain passes on a very narrow (one car wide) dirt road. I really don’t know what we would have done if another car had been coming in the opposite direction while we were on the pass as there wasn’t any room for more than 1 car and no guard rail with a sheer drop-off to the bottom. What little hair I have left definitely stood up and why we don’t have any photo’s is anyone’s guess or was it because of Annie’s white knuckling it.

Farm workers house on Route 62

Street sellers in Oudtshoorn selling Ostrich feather dusters. 

On to Oudtshoorn via the scenic Route 62. Oudtshoorn is famous for its Ostrich Farms and The Cango Caves. We visited both and the Ostrich Farm was much more interesting than the caves which are really showing the abuse of years of over exposure to human contact. We were told by the guide that in its heyday the caves would have over 1,000 people in each group and there would be a group every hour from 9am to 4pm. Our group that day consisted of about 15 to 20 people. I can’t imagine a group of 1,000. The most memorable fact I took away from the Ostrich Farm was that an Ostrich is really stupid and that its brain is smaller than its eyeball….

Smaller than its eye-ball, really?

The boat

Back to the coast for a couple of days at the pleasant town of George and then further down the coast to Mossel Bay where we visited the Bartholomew Diaz museum where they house a replica of his ship which was rebuilt a couple of years back in Portugal and then they sailed his exact route to Mossel Bay and donated the boat to the museum.

Cape Agulhas

The Oceans meet

Then we continued further south to Cape Agulhas which is the Southernmost point of Africa and where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. 

We feel so little.

There was an Overland Tour Truck there at the same time filled with young people from all over the world which was really cool. After an overnight at a campground right on the beach we went on to Gansbaai where most of the White Shark tour boats depart. It was fun to see them prepare the shark cage for the next trip and then we watched them load up with the tour takers and head out to the off shore seal islands where the Great Whites hang out. Not for me though!

Waves breaking at Klienmond.

A couple of nights in Klienmond and then around the mountain and the little town of Rooiels and we were on the north side of False Bay and across the bay was the fabulous city of Cape Town where we spent the next 3 or 4 weeks. 

Famous Table Mountain and Bush Baby