[imagesource:instagram/london.2.capetown]

Three friends took on the monster task of road-tripping from London, all the way through Africa, and have finally made it to their final destination, the Mother City.

It’s been over three months since the trio – doctors James Weller, Karen Chang and James Spence – set off in a Toyota Hilux affectionately named Edna, which provided a host of challenges along the way.

But after 179 hours of travel over around 90 days, they managed to cover a distance of 13,378 kilometres and arrived in Cape Town intact.

TimesLIVE notes this as a feat of remarkable endurance and determination as the trip almost ended in Nigeria when the 2010 Toyota Hilux D-4D double-cab split in two.

Edna had her fair share of challenges while travelling through the continent, being in the middle of bribes from shoddy officials in some countries, navigating wild terrain, and crossing rivers and deserts. So after covering more than 11,000 kilometres and landing on the west coast of Africa, the trio hit the hardest hurdle of their then 59-day trip when Edna snapped in half under the pressure of the journey.

 

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A post shared by Karen, James & Spence (@london.2.capetown)

While some of their 482,000 Instagram followers thought the trio were being too idealistic in thinking Edna would ever get back on track, they managed to find mechanics that put the car back together to complete the last leg of the trip.

“Edna made it to Cape Town. Thank you so much for your love and support throughout our journey,” the trio posted on Instagram.

The last post shows Weller, Karen and Spence in Angola, but their stories showed them arriving in the shadow of Table Mountain a few days later.

 

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A post shared by Karen, James & Spence (@london.2.capetown)

They acknowledged being behind on their daily posts but promised to catch up and keep their followers updated with real-time stories during their stay in South Africa.

Fans were super excited that they’d finally arrived safely:

Edna, baby, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS! 😭😭😭♥️😩 pic.twitter.com/zsCS6pfzUr

— melokuhle. (@_misslue_) June 24, 2024

Edna is my inspiration for 2024. You have to make it against all odds.

— SKINDEEP (@SkindeepJD) June 24, 2024

Their epic journey had tons of highs and lows, which they shared with their followers every step of the way. Among the highlights were spectacular sunset views in the Sahara Desert, being stranded at sea in Guinea-Bissau, voodoo rituals in Benin and the taste of African cuisine. There were even a few days with a puppy they found at a voodoo market in Benin, which they had to give up.

Then, they faced numerous dangers, such as threats from insects and wildlife, intense weather and the hostility of humans. One of the most harrowing experiences occurred in Ghana when Karen was sexually assaulted by a man who masturbated while watching her sleep, underscoring the potential risk of their expedition.

Edna, although cracking, was a trusty stead and the trio was not going to let her go. That is mostly because the team made significant modifications to the vehicle, including a large roof rack with an inflatable cave tent, mud tyres, spare wheels, a modified canopy, additional fuel tanks, a pull-out awning, a mounted 13kg gas bottle and a pull-out kitchen and fridge.

But, now that the trip is done and dusted, they’re ready to move on from Edna.

We’ll have to wait and see what else is in the cards for Karen, Spence and Weller.

[source:timeslive]