Cape Bumble Expedition - Norway to South Africa And Back

Bumble has returned..!
Yes, brace yourselves, take a breath, another crazy adventure looms, there’s no going back now! I make no apologies!
It’s great to be back, a new challenge, and with you with me, all the way!
Start date is set; 1st May 2025..
Sailing from Newcastle to Amsterdam..
The mission;
To fundraise and support two magnificent charities..
MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT, and
MND (Motor Neuron Disease), also known as ALS..
..more about them soon! So good to have them on board. SUCH amazing charities, I’m so proud to be working with them, I’m sure you’ll agree..
..thank you!
Where to;
Here’s the crazy part!
Ready?!
To drive, from Scotland, to Nordkapp (North Cape) Norway..
(..yes, those who’ll remember, my first challenge, when I drove my tractor, 11yrs ago, there and back in 2014/15..
Yes, 11yrs ago!! Outrageous! ‘Tractor Bumble 2014’)
So..
Once there, at Nordkapp, the ‘official start’..
To head south, through the beauty of Scandinavia and Europe, and then to cross into Africa, from Spain to Morocco..
Onwards..and a very long way down!
All the way to Cape of Good Hope, Southern Africa..via Western Africa..
A mere 10,000 miles!
What then?
Back again! What could be easier, retracing one’s steps?!
Back to Scotland..
..a road trip of around 20,000 miles in total, that’s without any deviation..or additional ‘exploration’! We don’t speak of breakdowns..!!
How?
You thought the route was utter madness!
So try this!
Our trusty steed..
A fabulous, recently acquired, 26yr old horse truck!
This is now my home..simple and good, ready for a slice of some challenging highways! Have wheels, will travel, as the saying goes.
I can find no evidence of this trip ever having been tried before, let alone in a horse truck! Unless you know otherwise..
Maybe there’s a reason?!
Why?
Why not!
With my three lovely Collies;
..Elsa, Bess and Tilly. (That’s a lot of dog food to take!)
This is an adventure of a lifetime, it’s just asking to be done.
I’m so, so grateful to the gathering support and utter generosity I’m already getting. Almost speechless..almost! Them AND me!
There’s going to be an endless list of ‘thank yous’!!
Sponsorship, support, involvement..all will be proudly displayed on the truck, and here, on FB.
This ‘vision’ was only born a month ago. (Oops! Clearly a man with too much time on his hands!)
My motto..
‘Don’t think about it, just do it!’
This truck, a ‘spritely’ but modest 1999 Iveco Ford, 75E15 (for those in the know!), known as ‘Dolly’, is about to go through a ‘transformation’, a solid old girl, as eager as I am, to hit the road..the beating heart of this road trip.
Think van life, camper van, overlanding, horse box, mobile shed..a right mixture!
I’ll post various stages/updates as we get ready. All an essential part of the journey..it’s already begun!
Then..
Into Africa..!
It will have its own special challenges.
Sand, deep mud, animals, dirt tracks, storms, dire road conditions, wilderness, malaria-laden mosquitoes (the little bandits!), borders, insane heat, weather in all its madness, sweat, etc. You can imagine what I’ll be faced with.
When’s the monsoon season?? Don’t answer that!!
Just like a local trip to the shops!
..and NO four wheel drive!
I WANT TO PROVE THIS CAN BE DONE!
..on a budget, with an old truck, often slow, through all the challenges the roads will throw at us!
I’m so excited, with heaps of apprehension, particularly when facing these many unknowns.
The madness of a 61yr old..!!
So come and follow this madcap adventure, for all the right reasons!
Such wonderful charities, dealing only in positives, no politics, facing the difficulties, unbelievable scenery to soak up, great people just waiting to be met (if only they knew!), real life, new cultures, and a solo humble man, daring to have a ‘go’..
But to have fun..eyes wide open!
With a hearty quiet chuckle thrown in!
Something different..
Sometimes risky..
Occasionally dangerous..
Mostly just darned good wholesome fun!
So..
Sit back, with your favourite ‘beverage’ to hand and enjoy, as though you’re there with me, as you read my revealing blogs!
..and as I prepare, you taking solace that you’re the ones not having the necessary but insane amount of injections!
I’m dreading the malaria tablets!
..we’ll also all be rabies free.
I’m going to try and learn how to post videos on YouTube, so you can ‘feel’ it with me!
I’ll try not to sing! Nor swear..too much!
Obviously I’ll be posting my regular blogs on FB..
..’Like’, comment, ‘follow’, involve yourself..be there!
Remember the name..
‘Cape Bumble Expedition’..
I’m thinking this trip will hopefully take around a year..maybe two! That’s a lot of blogs!
Mad but memorable. Imagine, that moment, arriving at the tip of Southern Africa..!!
So there it is, a simple idea!
Just over 7 weeks to go.
Tick tock..
Coming??!
It’ll be so good to have your company, your humour, your involvement.
Let’s do positive!
That ‘joie de vivre’..
You know you’re truly welcome! This is our ‘Bumble’ world, our ‘Bumble’ family if you like, our unique band of like-minded people, bonded by friendship and love..and of course, some derring-do!
Please spread the news.
Let’s raise some good cash for the chosen charities..there will be a donation portal in due course.
Macmillan Cancer Support and MND.
It’s obviously an honour to have them AND you along, as we revisit such wonderful places and people in Scandinavia and Europe..can’t wait!
So let’s go..
..and into..
AFRICA!!
Bumble will be on Safari! Who’d have known! Nuts!!
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read this, and hopefully you’ve enjoyed it, now ready and eager to get started!
Hope you’re ‘feeling’ this incredible vibe, you help energise me, through your unending support..
This is a one off adventure..
..and let’s really do something really GREAT for these charities..
God bless!
Peter.