The route started from Cape Town with a big sendoff at Sun International’s Table Bay Hotel on the Cape Town Waterfront, including a skydive by the JumpGarmin team. A fleet of Rolls Royces then convoyed to Le Jardin in Stellenbosch where Stormhoek Wine put on a wonderful picnic. The following day the Adventure travelled to the famous Lord Milner Hotel at Matjiesfontein and then on to the Big Hole at Kimberley and the Kimberley Museum. Next came Johannesburg and a second South African sendoff from Southern Sun’s Palazzo Hotel at Montecasino.

The Silver Spirit Adventure left South Africa on 3 April and travelled through Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. The two vehicles were then put on the ferry from Alexandria to Naples and the last leg was across Italy and France to London.

The trip covered 17 800 kilometers. It was to have lasted some 52 days but was extended to 60 days to take in some extra stops in South Africa and Egypt and because of Sudanese visa delays and ferries at Wadi Halfa and Alexandria.

From South Africa the Adventure crossed into Botswana and travelled to Francistown, Botswana’s second city. Then into Zambia by ferry at Kazangula and a night at Victoria Falls. Then onto Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, and Mutinondo. On day 9 the adventurers crossed into Tanzania and spent two days traversing the mountains and highlands.

Crossing into Kenya the team caught a sight of Mount Kilimanjaro in the clouds on their way to Nairobi. 7 days to cross Kenya, including the notorious Marsabit Mud, then the frustration of reaching Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in good time but waiting several days for Sudanese visas.

Next was Khartoum in Sudan for several days while they waited for the appalling ferry from Wad Halfa into Egypt. In Egypt they had to travel in convoys, sometimes several hundred vehicles strong. Next stop Luxor and then Port Ghalib on the Red Sea for a few days R&R. Then on to Cairo, the pyramids and a meeting with the Governor, where they presented a letter of goodwill from the Mayor of Cape Town. Finally, on to Alexandria, where the cars were put on a ferry while the team flew to Naples to await their arrival.

From Italy the Adventure crossed France, including the spectacular Millau bridge, through the Channel tunnel, reaching Goodwood, home of Rolls Royce, on day 60.