Doctors driving from London to Cape Town make it in three months

In a tale of remarkable endurance and determination, doctors James Weller, Karen Chang and James Spence have completed their journey driving from London to Cape Town.

It's been more than three months since the trio set off in a Toyota Hilux affectionately named Edna.

After 179 hours of travel, covering a distance of 13,378km, they arrived in the Mother City.

The trip almost ended in Nigeria when Edna took strain and split in half.

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

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.

“We are still around two weeks behind our daily reels/picture posts. We will do regular stories in real time to keep you up to date! We look forward to our time exploring South Africa and can't wait for you to see what we get up to,” they said.

The journey garnered 477,000 Instagram followers who shared in the highs and lows of the trip. Among the highlights shared 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.

Another moment was when the trio found a puppy at a voodoo market in Benin.

“We named Ibie after the voodoo spirit Ibeji. We found him in the voodoo sacrifice market and couldn't bear the thought of him being killed. We would love to keep him but unfortunately it wouldn't be possible for us with the border crossing,” they shared.

Fortunately, Ibie found a forever home with Kunle, a worker they met at a mine.

“They bonded immediately and Kunle already had two friendly good boys at home.”

The journey was not without danger. They faced threats from wildlife, harsh weather and human hostility. One of the most harrowing experiences occurred in Ghana when Karen was sexually assaulted by a man who masturbated while watching her sleep. This incident underscored the unpredictable and sometimes perilous nature of their expedition.

Edna, the star of the journey, was equipped for the gruelling trip from day one and played a pivotal role. The team made significant modifications to their vehicle, including a large roof rack with an inflatable cave tent, mud tires, spare wheels, a modified canopy, additional fuel tanks, pull out awning, mounted 13kg gas bottle and pull-out kitchen and fridge.

They crossed multiple time zones and terrains, almost ending after mechanical problems while driving from Nigeria to Cameroon.

“Edna snapped in half and we're unsure if we can continue our trip. During the crossing from Nigeria to Cameroon we encountered the worst roads of the trip so far. This put a huge strain on Edna's already compromised chassis,” they posted at the time, appealing for donations to repair the vehicle.

Support poured in, particularly from South Africans who rallied to get Edna back on the road. News of their plight reached Toyota. Recognising the spirit of the journey and the situation of the travellers, Toyota South Africa offered to send a new Hilux GR-Sport to complete their journey. 

However, the trio chose to stick with Edna. “We cannot abandon Edna. She is our mother and one of the crew. We started the journey with her and we aim to complete the journey with her,” they said.

Edna was repaired and they continued their journey, which not only showcased the beauty and challenges of travelling across Africa but also the resilience and camaraderie of three adventurers and their beloved vehicle.

Users on X expressed relief and excitement as they learnt Edna had arrived in the Mother City in one piece, despite the challenges. 

TimesLIVE