Photos!!
// November 6th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Hi!
We hebben foto’s op de website gezet! Klik op Photos! 
Archive for Uncategorized
Willy’s been sold
// November 1st, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Hi all,
Yesterday, October 31, our car’s been sold at the auction in Banjul. This means that the Antwerp-Banjul Challenge 2010 is completed for us, team Paladines del Desierto! The amount we got for our car is €1550, this will be donated to our project, Microcredits for Women.
We’re extremely grateful we’ve been given this opportunity. A big thank you for you, who supported us in whatever way, to get this car to Banjul and support this awesome project, helping women in the Gambia to build up a future.
Pictures and little updates will follow the coming week(s), for now please take a look at www.antwerpenbanjul.com, the organization’s website.
Thank you, also on behalf of all those in the Gambia profiting from your donations,
Jan&Pauline
Finish!
// October 22nd, 2010 // 3 Comments » // Uncategorized
Hello!
We made it! Two days ago, on October 20, we arrived in Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia, as well as the finish of our rally! After spending the night in Njawarra, a small town on the north bank where we ate, hang out and stayed with the locals, we left early the following morning for the ferry to Banjul. It took us 2 times to get all the cars across due to the very small and slow ferries. After arriving in Banjul we drove in convoy to our final destination; the Lemon Creek hotel, a few kilometes below Banjul. We all enjoyed some cold beers and a dive in the hotel pool.
The days after we really had to cool down. The vibe of high speed, fast jumps, sand and short nights in the last weeks slowly disappears. We already miss the sand, sweat and diesel. The thrills of racing trough so many different countries, cultures and climates. The people that became darker every day.
Now we have some days left to relax, visit villages and projects.
Day 16
// October 17th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Hello all!
We got safe and sound in St. Louis, Senegal last night. After hours of waiting at the border, we finally got through. We’ll be staying in St. Louis for an extra day, as we will be skipping our day in Dakar due to circumstances. It’s extremely warm here, our tents are pitched in the sand, we’re enjoying a cold coke and the Atlantic is right in our back yard. We had a swim this morning, then cleaned our car.
Yesterday we drove to the border of Senegal after a very bumpy road. Willy tested his flying skills, landed on the front and is a little bit shorter now. Thanks to the construction of the bullbar, attached by Francisco Streng, the car is hardly scratched. Only thing is that the bullbar is now placed a few centimeters to the back.
If you’re interested in reading updates that teams put on the official website, please click on the following link;
http://antwerpenbanjul.com/smsboard.html
That’s all for now, as our chicken sandwich has just been served. :)
On the road… day 14!
// October 16th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Hello!
It’s been a whole week since our last post, but to us it seems like only a day.. So much we’ve seen and done in the meantime.
It’s a little difficult to give a brief summary of this past week, but I hope it suffices to say we’re both still enjoying our trip to the fullest. We’ve spent a few nights in the middle of the Sahara desert, escorted by militaries and hundreds of butterflyish bugs. We only got stuck a few times, the car is still in good shape.
Here’s a little info i put on an email;
We got as far as Nouakchott, Mauretania today, after 3 days of freewheeling through the desert. It’s been great so far, and the car is still in perfect condition!
t’s been a week since our last update, we’ve done/seen so much since. Jan got chased by a shark while swimming in the Atlantic (I didn’t see anything as i was too busy eating a piece of cheese) and we got one flat tire when we had to do the last few kilometers through the Sahara in the dark > we all got stuck in a really sandy area, even the 4×4’s had trouble, so it took the whole group a long time to get out, by that time it was dark already and we still had to go a while to get to that one specific pile of sand where our guide wanted us to spend the night. Funny detail; we’ve been escorted all the way from the border of Mauretania onwards, as the Belgian ambassy demanded this. This meant that we got a miltary stand next to us every time we needed to pee at night.
We’re great, in good health, enjoying the trip to the fullest and excited for what’s next.
We leave tomorrow morning early for the border with Senegal. It’s still unsure whether they’ll let us pass and drive to Dakar, as the situation got worse over the last few days there, but we’ll see what happens.
We’ll keep you updated whenever we have internet.
Day 7
// October 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Today is a rest day to get our cars fixed. We’re still in Tafraoute, Morocco, a small town in the mountains. It was great to be able to sleep in this morning (we pitched our tent on the hotel roof), and we’re using this day to get a tan beside the swimming pool, double check our car, and get our supplies for the desert.
We just wanted to say ‘hi’ again, now that it’s still possible.
On the road… day 6!
// October 8th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Uncategorized
Where to begin..
It’s been a few days since we left Sotogrande, Spain. Early day 4 we left in convoi for the boat to Africa, Willy’s new home continent. After a spectacular boat trip of 45 minutes and seeing dolphins following the boat, we arrived in Ceuta. After a few thrilling moments at the border, we all got through safely, and entered Morocco! We’ve been crossing this amazing country since, and got as far as Tafraoute late this afternoon. It’s been an amazing trip so far, with so many impressions… Kids running up to our car to shake hands, men spitting at us/throwing rocks for passing by (for whatever reason, we smiled and smiled as hard as we could). The views, landscapes, it’s a whole different and new world for both of us, and it takes time to take it all in.
The most amazing place so far was a place in the sand dunes (http://www.aubergedusud.com/nl), where we stayed in Berbers’ tents right where the Sahara desert begins. Camels, red dunes, delicious food , carpets, colors, Berbers playing jembes around the camp fire at night, and the brightest starry sky ever.. We watched the sunset in the morning at 6, so beautiful..
Of course you’re all only interested in how the car is doing . Well, you won’t believe this but Willy’s is so very much alive.. We’re astonished, really. We had a flat tire this morning, but Jan got it fixed in no time, and that’s really the only trouble we’ve experienced so far.
On the road… day 3!
// October 4th, 2010 // 5 Comments » // Uncategorized
Hiii!
We arrived safely in Sotogrande, the far south of Spain! Willy ’s still alive and kicking, and so are we. We’re enjoying a nice cold beer on the terrace of some hotel, with a beautiful view on the Mediterranean! Today is day 3, we’re getting ready for an early wake up tomorrow morning, as we’re heading off for Morocco by sunset. We just got our spare tiers fixed, did some breakfast shopping for tomorrow, and are waiting for the ferry guy to get our tickets. Then it’s time for a nice late Spanish dinner and some finalizing of our car.
There’s been quite a few teams already who had to pull over for repairs. Of one team it’s still unsure whether they’ll be able to catch up in Morocco, the others have managed to get their cars on the road again. We’ve been extremely lucky to have made it so far without a SINGLE incident..
Although . We just got back from the garage where we got our tiers fixed (only €8 for the both of them, how we love Spain), where, upon leaving, one of us (… ) knocked over a scooter. It took only one friendly smile to get us out without paying (and you may guess who was driving -this time).
We’re super duper excited about this trip already, although we’ve not left Europe left. This is a once in a lifetime experience (or maybe not. we’re planning to save up money for a 4×4 :p) and we’re so happy we got the chance. We’ll try to keep you all posted!
Jan & Pauline
Nog 2 dagen..
// September 29th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Vandaag echt n supertoffe bijdrage gekregen van Kater FunSports B.V., www.kater.nl ; een hele tas vol met campingmaterialen! Heel erg bedankt vanaf deze plaats!
Nog 8 dagen…
// September 24th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Vandaag, as we speak, wordt er een prachtig bodemplaatje onder de auto getimmerd! Dit is nodig om de auto te beschermen tegen stenen, hopen verharde kamelenstront, ladingen zand in de motor, en wat al niet meer op ons pad zal komen. Onze dank aan Acico Yachts BV, Enkhuizen, die materialen en ruimte beschikbaar stelde om dit zeer belangrijke onderdeel onder de auto bevestigen.
Een onwijze bullbar ligt achterin de auto te wachten op installatie, een bakkie wordt van de week ingebouwd en getuned, en ja.. dan zijn we echt nóg klaarder voor vertrek..
