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| ashley's Diary |
| Date |
18 Sep 2006 |
| Country |
South Africa (Cape Agulhas) |
| Weather |
Windy |
| Diary |
LR 110 CSW WRITES: I am now at the southern most tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas and it is a little bit on the windy side. Namibia came as a bit of a shock to the system with 1000s of miles of dirt roads. As my owner has mentioned, Namibia was stuffed full of Italians in rented Toyota and Nissan 4X4s. I have the highest regard for Italian drivers in general. They have a natural ability and flair which I must say is totally lacking in my sad pathetic excuse for an owner. I often catch him leaning round corners and making motorbike sounds…totally mad! Just wish he would let Ella drive all the time, has to be safer than Mr Clumsy. Anyway, most of the Italians were quite good but I wish someone would teach them how to drive on dirt! as I now have a crack in my windscreen. Driving on dirt roads is quite easy if you follow a bit of simple advice. When approaching another vehicle slow down and pull over to the left as much as possible so rocks are not thrown into the path of the oncoming car. Don’t use the rear view mirror to apply moisturiser as this has a detrimental effect on your concentration. Try to keep to a maximum speed of 100kph and do slow down for bends as the rocks act like marbles meaning you go straight on despite turning the steering wheel. Let your tyre pressures down a little for good dirt and go down as low as 1 bar for sand (lower if weight permits) Remember to pump them up once back on good dirt as the cornering force will tear the a tyre off the rim and running very low tyre pressures at speed will quickly overheat and destroy your tyres. Ashley with his golden tongue keeps promising me a return to our green and pleasant land.. What his plans are for me after this remains to be seen ..I just don’t trust him any further than I can throw him.
There are far too many Land Cruisers in Southern Africa for my liking .These started life in the 1950s as the Toyota BJ (I kid you not) but Toyota were forced to semi-copy someone else’s name after complaints by lonely Australian and South African farmers who sued under the trade descriptions act. I suppose a Willy’s Jeep and Toyota BJ combined franchise would have been a perfect combination! I now have about 33000 miles on the clock and have gone through a couple more tyres which just seem to be reaching the end of their natural lives. I left the UK with 6 new tyres (two spares) and now have three of the original ones left, these should all be replaced, but my owner doesn’t believe spending money on footwear unnecessarily (see his Converse All Stars) Apart from the “incident” in Moremi NP in Botswana I’ve been 100% reliable which seems to surprise all the Toyotas I talk to. Still don’t know if I’m going to be driven home or shipped back yet….have to wait to Cape Town for a decision I suppose. PIC SHOWS: ASHLEY DOES LIKE TO GET VALUE FOR MONEY OUT OF HIS FOOTWEAR.
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