Category: World

Since my last post Bridget has undergone further serious surgery. It started with my decision to replace the front springs and finished with completely replacing the springs, wishbones and king pins! One of the pins was so badly worn is wobbled around like a loose tooth, except when upright when it appeared to have minimal play. Anyway now the work is completed she handles very much more positively when cornering. Our plans for the "Into Africa" adventure next year are progressing well. We now stand at five MG Midgets and seven people, including one very intrepid lady owner/driver. Unfortunately we have not to-date had anyone from Australia or New Zealand sign up but we live in hopes. We have held our first official meeting and now have a confirmed route that will take us from Abingdon through France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Macedonia, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and finally into South Africa. We will be leaving during...

The early responses from Midget owners keen to join the “Into Africa” adventure had me worried. Several times during that week I went to the front door of my house to check that the doorbell still actually worked! It was devilishly quiet. Still it takes time for word to spread with something like this. I am making good use of my time however and have started preparation work on Bridget. Her original wheels, she had Minilites on for the world drive, have been sat out in the elements for almost three years and so I have cleaned them, removed all traces of rust and repainted them. Steel wheels are far more suitable for African roads, I am told. I have also fitted an upgraded anti-role bar on her steering and this week fitted Spax telescopic dampers to her rear suspension. Both of these things have improved her handling and should assist the rear springs to cope with the additional weight we carry...

Turning out my loft this week I came across my old stamp collection from my childhood. I collected only stamps of Great Britain and the Commonwealth many of which kept me, as a child, captivated by their exotic pictures and I often thought of travelling to some of those places when I grew up. I never did grow up, but then I had one of those Eureka moments, why not drive Bridget the Midget to Cape Town in South Africa? We could drive to Turkey then down through the Middle East into Egypt. Heading south we drive through Sudan, skirting Abyssinia into Kenya. Maintaining our heading we will go into Nyasaland, through part of Rhodesia into Tanganyika, and finally South Africa. Can’t seem to find some of these countries on Google Maps but never mind the details. I plan to embark on this adventure in 2011 leaving around the beginning of September and invite any Midget owner interested in joining me to...