15 February to 5 March 2020

Pre start & scrutineering Hemingway’s Watamu 15 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Today was one book ended by two idyllic meals on the shore of the Indian Ocean. One at first light and the second in the all enveloping darkness of East . There are few better places to wake up than in a Hemingway’s Whilst the crews waited on the sidelines, the task of suite and, as the surf gently rolled up the pristine white checking for safety and compliance fell to Jamie Turner beach, the rally crews rolled themselves out of their beds and Andy Inskip who moved methodically through the and made their way down to breakfast. Kenyan coffee and entry list ticking boxes and keeping a close eye out for as much fresh fruit as their plates could carry was the order blown bulbs and horns that weren’t working. of the day. Patience was definitely the order of the day here and as This was going to be a busy one so they needed something they waited in line, a chain of dutiful waiters ferried up a to sustain them as they’d soon be getting the paperwork selection of cold drinks and refreshments to them so as to and documentation sorted for the next three weeks on the make the ‘ordeal’ more bearable. road. And, the action kicked off mid morning up in the Once the cars had been declared fit for purpose, their sweltering car park, where 22 icons of global motoring crews had to report to the rally office, where Loren Price, were sitting under a relentless African sun. Among them Pete Smith and Gill Cotton handed out route books, map there were two WO Bentleys, a venerable Vauxhall 30/98 books, rally bags and all of the necessary paperwork that and a pair of Mercedes Benz, but it was Porsche who had every long distance rally needs to survive. fielded the biggest team. And, Tuthill Porsche in particular, The rest of the day was then free for some beach combing, who with their legendary East African reputation, had four swimming or a quick trip to the spa. machines bearing their stamp lined up awaiting clearance. Just as the cars in the parking area were icons however, The Kenyan registered FJ40 Landcruiser of Bernd and so too was our location. Hemingway’s, a famed beachside Christiane Dannenmaier was also worthy of note, as this resort was a favourite haunt of the late Philip Young, a is an original East African Safari car which, according to its friend to so many of us at Rally the Globe. owners, “might not be the fastest car here, but it’s one in But, it’s also high on the list of Rally Director, Fred which we’ll be having the most fun”. Gallagher‘s favourite places. Fred has visited the area many www.rallytheglobe.com Pre start & scrutineering: Hemingway’s Watamu, 15 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

times and can boast 10 East African Classic Safari starts Jamie Turner wrapped up the afternoon’s lecture circuit along with three outright wins sat alongside legends of the and set out the common sense, mechanical service protocol. sport such as Juha Kankkunen, and Bjørn Waldegard. Especially if a breakdown was to occur in a game park! For this trip though Fred has got the pleasure of sitting There were a couple of extraordinary announcements also beside Loren Price, the events manager and logistics made this afternoon, one was an apology for absence. Long supremo for RtG who today is celebrating her birthday. distance rally regular, Ian Milne will now be sitting next to As the day progressed, the sun dipped over the palms and Ricky Proffitt for the duration in an organisation Toyota the mercury dipped a little and Gallagher formally welcomed lending a hand as a marshal. Sadly, his regular partner in everyone at the competitors briefing. Here he explained that crime and fellow Datsun 240z enthusiast, Andrew Laing, whilst Carrera Iberia had set a very high bar for Rally the finds himself indisposed back at home. Naturally we send Globe, this event was going to be very different. Not least him all the best and look forward to welcoming him again because there was going to be a lot less tarmac and, given very soon but we thank Ian for stepping up to lend a hand. the recent rains, there was going to be a lot more mud! Stephen and Jenny Verrall on the other hand we heard Plenty of rest days, relaxed timing, and scenery second are on their first ever long distance event and were warmly to none were going to make this unique event one to welcomed by the grizzled old veterans amongst us. They’re remember. With as much luxury as could possibly squeezed very much looking forward to getting their immaculate into three short weeks special permission had also been white 911 covered in some good, honest, African dirt. given to the rally to bring their cars right into the National An evening BBQ wrapped up a great day with much Parks to give the crews the best seat in the house for the excited chatter to be heard over the rush of the incoming inevitable wildlife watching. tide and the live band. As well as raiding his atlas and plotting an epic route Paul Heal and Dick Appleton sadly missed the evening’s however Fred has also pillaged his contacts book and, social as they have left us already. They’re once again from his dust filled glory days, he has brought in some manning the 48 hour car sending back useful intelligence. extra special local help in the form of veteran Safari Rally They’ve made good progress so far but reported that they’d luminaries such as John Lockhart-Mure, Ramesh Bhalla and suffered many hold ups today... because of elephants in Malcom and Lloyd Destro. They’re going to help out with the road. anything that might crop up along the road and rumour Tomorrow there’s a civilised start at 10am for day 1 has it that they know their way round a tool box as well. Watamu - Watamu, a straightforward shakedown... Next up at the briefing was Professor Mansoor Khan who gave a useful medical briefing emphasising the importance of good hydration, frequent hand washing, the benefits of long trousers, sleeves and stout footwear. And, even though we’re on safari he warned everyone against petting anything strange and furry. Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 1 Watamu to Watamu (157.54 kms) 16 February 2020

Day one of any rally can be a tense affair and today the Southern Cross Safari took the plunge. We’ve been holed up at Hemingway‘s now for around three days and, whilst it’s very nice and extremely agreeable, everyone is keen to get on the road. This is, after all, why we came. Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Willy Van Loon & Christiane Torfs, Fred Gallagher flags away the first car Charles Stuart- Bentley Derby 3 ½ Menteth and Michael Timmis in the Vauxhall 30/98 But, and you can choose your own metaphor here, for the Main Time Control (MTC) with a sheaf of 48 hour car everyone the first day is a step into the unknown, a leap of amendments and a stopwatch at the ready. As 10.01am came faith, a stab in the dark. around it fell to Fred Gallagher and Loren Price to take turns As such there was a frisson of nervous energy around to send every car away from the arch with a wave of the the car park this morning. The drivers had their bonnets up Bendera ya Kenya as a small crowd of excited locals, expats and the navigators had their route books open. Fluids were and rally fans looked on. checked, tricky junctions were highlighted and the time Our destination was Vipingo Ridge, a plantation and schedule to which every car had to stick was noted. Country Club where two tests and two Regularities were Although this is a competitive event it’s also a friendly one slated. There was also an excellent lunch provided here and, and, in the spirit of car-based camaraderie, Dawn Smith took once again, the Indian Ocean came up trumps by providing the time to give Jenny Verrall, the rally rookie, some helpful us with lobster and shrimp for the barbecue as well as seared hints and tips. tuna steaks for the buffet table. Charles Stuart-Menteth, who was due out first, exuded a Unfortunately, Thomas Hansen, another rally rookie, cool calmness as he first refilled his pipe and then turned his thought the whole route was a Regularity and arrived at the attention to his Vauxhall’s radiator - there’s no such thing as lunch halt along with Rob Collinge a little behind schedule. too much water in this climate. Yesterday saw him lose two Palms and sisal bushes were the backdrop for the four headlights to a glancing blow from a tuk tuk, but today is dusty sections today and, by the end of the afternoon, no one another day and, thanks to the assistance of the sweep crews came out of the jungle feeling anything less than a real safari last night, he made his due time and got through the day hero. Fun and games finished, from Vipingo we then had a without further incident. simple return journey of around 75 km back up the coast to Meanwhile, under a shady thatch, Andy Inskip sat at Hemingway’s and another beachfront banquet.

www.rallytheglobe.com Day 1: Watamu to Watamu, 16 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk This is Africa however, and even a drag up the tarmac isn’t boring, as there’s all manner of machinery to be seen along the highway, whilst every junction is lined with roadside boutiques. Almost everyone chose to refuel in Watamu - we’ll see precious few fuel stations for the next two days - and the Southern Cross Safari pretty much brought the town to a halt as dozens of newly minted rally fans turned up to take a look. Sadly, Dennis and Jill Wilson didn’t get very far today, after a few kilometres they returned to the hotel because their V8 Rover was simply not playing the game and they felt that discretion was the better part of valour. A coolant hose had failed, which was swiftly repaired in a local workshop but then their trip meter failed - a situation needing a little more tinkering. It’s going to be a long rally, so better to get any teething problems sorted out here and now, and they’re Dieter and Hildegard Baumhäckel, Volvo PV54 confident that tomorrow will see them running with the pack. Tomorrow we head to Lodge via Tsavo.

Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter

Graham and Marina Goodwin, Bentley 4 ½ Le Mans

Americans, David and Susan Danglard, with their Porsche 911 The Ford Mustang of Michael and Eunice McInerney

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 2 Hemingway’s Watamu to Kilaguni (328.8km) 17 February 2020

A walk on the wild side Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Last night, at the daily briefing, Rally Director, Fred Gallagher, stood up between courses and, like a wily old football manager, promised us that today we’d be playing a game of two halves. Quite what he meant didn’t become apparent till the middle of the afternoon, but anyone who cared to recall his words, was struck by how true they were. Nobody, however, expected the game to be played out on a pitch of such quality.

Kick-off was at the slightly earlier hour of 8:30am, everyone was match fit and keen to get going. Yesterday had been fun and something of an out of season friendly, but today was when the real business of safari rallying started and for Dennis and Jill Wilson they were especially keen not to end Keith and Norah Ashworth, Bentley 4 ½ Le Mans with Gavin and Diana up on the sub’s bench once again. Henderson’s Porsche 911 coming up behind The first few kilometres were on tarmac and led us cars in front hanging in the air, we began to experience the through small settlements and fenced farmland but, soon real taste of Africa. enough, we turned onto the gravel and, with the dust of the There was only one Regularity today at Mwaga, but that didn’t mean that there was nothing to play for. The Kenyan countryside was, at times, enough of an opposition and some sections tested the crews with its topography, as much as anything with a stopwatch would. By and large though, the morning was, as we’d been told to expect, fairly flat and, for most, pretty uneventful. There was a coffee halt and Passage Control at the Crocodile Camp, where cinnamon tea was one of the drinks which the crews enjoyed whilst keeping a close eye on a vast crocodile, lounging in the river Tsavo. A similarly large monitor lizard was scuttling around on the shore. From here our next stop was the gate of the Tsavo East National Park, where our car registrations were entered into their logbook and our credit card details entered into their banking system. This is a vast park and one of Kenya’s oldest and, given that it is set in the Taru Desert, there was a certain irony in the fact that many of the roads were currently under repair thanks to the unseasonal and heavier than usual rains which the region has been David and Jo Roberts, Triumph TR250 experiencing.

www.rallytheglobe.com Day 2: Watamu to Kilaguni, 17 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Rogier and Marjan Quekel, Mercedes-Benz 280SE Today we were sharing the road with the locals

The rally shared these roads, running through the park, swept through the reception, they arrived at the vast raised with a smattering of zebra, countless gazelle and antelope, terrace overlooking the hills, two water holes and a thick and a generous helping of elephants covered in the most forest beyond. This backdrop, impressive enough by day amazing red dust. was to prove even more so after dark with an elephant / We were almost at half-time now and most of us thought hyena face off top of the bill over dinner. we’d put in a solid premiership performance so, by the time By the close of play today nobody left the pitch the lunch halt and Time Control in Aruba Lodge arrived, disappointed, although one or two had managed to pick pretty much everyone had something to talk about over up a couple of ‘injuries’. David and Jo Roberts for example another excellent buffet. And, between preparing some limped into camp with a collapsed rear suspension unit. really superb food, many of kitchen staff also sneaked out The sweep team of Jamie Turner and Andy Inskip worked to grab a quick selfie with the car of their choice. late into the night to get it fixed. The second half of the day took us into Champions Charles Stuart-Menteth experienced starter motor League territory. The dust got redder, the roads became problems throughout the afternoon leaving him needing more challenging, and the wildlife became more exotic, the occasional push from park wardens and fellow including giraffe, wild dogs, monkeys and baboons. competitors. He admitted, “it’s not really a rally unless A Passage Control and regroup in the bustling town of you’ve had a breakdown and sorted something out by the allowed the crews to fill their tanks and take on some side of the road”. more cold drinks before they deftly slotted into the Tsavo The FJ40 Landcruiser of Bernd and Christiane West National Park for the last 70km of the game which Dannenmaier ran out of fuel this afternoon, luckily they were described by some as being “magnificent”. had enough in their jerrycans to get them through to the By mid afternoon we were so deep into the bush that, next stop and arrived safely at the lodge in plenty of time as well as the wildlife, our only companions were the to enjoy the superb sunset. Kenyan anti poaching patrols, who do such an amazing Most of us will be up early tomorrow to get a glimpse of job of protecting their precious wildlife from the assorted Kilimanjaro before we set out again for another epic slice miscreants who have malign designs upon them. Armed to of safari rallying. the teeth and ever vigilant, these stealthy safari sentinels took time out from their duties to wave and cheer the cars along the ever narrowing tracks. Some crews may have harboured doubts about where they were actually going as they skipped along this remote stretch of hillside. Soon their faith was rewarded as the minute they drove into the Kilaguni Serena Lodge and Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 3 Kilaguni to Amboseli Ol Tukai (113.8kms) 18 February 2020

Glorious mud Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk Flanders and Swan might not appear on many drivers playlists in this, the early part of the 21st century. However, this unlikely music hall duo hit the nail right on the head when they extolled the virtues of wallowing in glorious mud.

Whilst yesterday was a game of two halves, today was, in endurance rally terms, almost half a day. The distance we travelled wasn’t great at only 113km, but every metre of this was hard won with only around 3km on tarmac. Just as we left it last night, the scenery was stunning and the decision was taken early in the planning process to give the crews every chance to enjoy it, along with the impressive views of Mt Kilimanjaro. The roads are rough, but this merely adds to the enjoyment. It was a simple, short day, with no competitive timing and only two passage controls to keep the rally together. The first of these was at the Amboseli Sopa Lodge at around 80km in, where there was tea and coffee on offer, as well as Jamie Turner and Sarah Ormerod stamping timecards. The road to this oasis had been hard and some of the drivers were overheard muttering that some of their nuts had been well and truly rattled loose. Keith Ashworth had something far more serious to deal with though. He’d discovered that the Bentley had a bent steering arm, leading Jamie Turner to drop his clocks and grab his spanners to effect a repair. From here the route headed straight to Kimana Gate, where we entered the . The days end was close now. So close, in fact, that some crews may have felt they were home and dry. They were mistaken. The rain in this area has been quite extensive lately and, given that this low lying land is a lake for some of the year, it wasn’t surprising that the conditions underfoot were a little damp. There were some big sinkholes along the road and, despite the best re-routing efforts of the 48 hour car, in the last 16km there was nothing to do other than blast through some 200m of deep liquified mud. Jim Smith, along with ‘trainee marshall’ Ian Milne, set up camp at the beginning of this section to give a little Lars and Annette Rolner, 1974 Porsche 911

www.rallytheglobe.com Day 3: Kilaguni to Amboseli Ol Tukai, 18 February 2020 guidance and bolster the morale of anyone who needed it. Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk Meanwhile, John Cotton had set up himself up at the end of the section with his tow rope already attached... just in case. It’s fair to say that most cars managed to get through one way or another, but it’s also worth noting that the lower slung cars, such as the Porsche’s, were at times only visible from the window sill upwards. Edmund Peel and Sarah McDonald for example looked, for a brief moment at least, that they’d need a periscope rather than a windscreen. Iris and Jean-Paul Tripet’s Lancia was one of several cars getting bogged down midway through this swamp, having to be pulled to the finish. Keith Graham and Susan Hoffmann’s Mercedes lost its exhaust - which was Edmund Peel and Sara MacDonald, 1973 Porsche 911 eventually fished out of the mire by one of the organisers. After such a tough day, the arrival at the lodge was a welcome one. Following a quick wash and brush up the crews headed out into the bush once again on a fleet of safari vehicles for the first game drive of the rally. Dinner around the BBQ was the centrepiece of another very convivial evening.

Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter Keith Graham and Susan Hoffmann, 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

Jean-Philippe and Iris Tripet, 1973 Lancia Fulvia Monte Carlo

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 4 Amboseli Ol Tukai to Karen (256.05 kms) 19 February 2020

Most of us were up with the sun this morning, waiting to catch a glimpse of Kilimanjaro without its cloud cover. We weren’t disappointed and once we’d finished with the cameras and enjoyed the breakfast our drive out of the park was the next box to tick. Along the way, and with the giant mountain in the rear view mirror, we saw herds of grazing animals such as zebra, wildebeest and a group of giraffes.

After a few kilometres a tour bus was pulled over by the stitched together, by many helping hands, with wire side of the road and, with all eyes aboard looking to the scavenged from the roadside. Fellow Porsche crew Stephen left, they insisted that there were lions stalking through and Jenny Verrall also stopped and donated a roll of duct the long grass. Given the aforementioned vegetarians were tape to the cause. Within 15 mins the drama was over and calmly chomping through the savannah, we weren’t so sure. the 911 was on its way, much to the disappointment of the Immediately outside of the park a Regularity had been dozens of children who swarmed around the two cars. set up along a typically dusty highway, which ran over a The test at Nineties was a short, sharp blast low level bridge where a group of young Masai women took through a section of scrubby woodland. Almost every turn a break from their laundry wondering what an earth was was 90° and encouraged the drivers to push on as much as going on. they could. The trails of red dust rising from behind each This stretch of road then led us back to the tarmac, where car testified to the amount of fun that they were having. we were able to refuel in and then set a course for Any dust that had collected in the throats of the crews the days test. For most of the rally this was plain sailing. was washed away at the next passage control. The aptly Edmund Peel and Sarah McDonald however had to stop by named Fred’s Ranch rest area sported a Country and the side of the road to repair a cracked front spoiler. Western theme, right down to the staff wearing Stetsons The rough roads of the last two days had obviously taken and bootlace ties. Coffee and cakes were served to a their toll on the low front end, but the Porsche was quickly soundtrack straight out of Nashville. From here it was a Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Willy Van Loon and Christiane Torfs, 1935 Bentley Derby 3 ½ Clint and Dawn Smith, Jaguar E-Type

www.rallytheglobe.com Day 4: Amboseli Ol Tukai to Karen, 19 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Stephen and Jenny Verrall, 1965 Porsche 911 Edmund Peel and Sara MacDonald, Porsche 911 repair homerun straight to the suburb of Karen, on the outskirts of , and another very well appointed Hemingway’s. There were a few of the rally who had some minor troubles along the road today. Dieter and Hildegard Baumhäckel’s Volvo suffered a suspension a collapse and needed a tow to get them into the night halt. The FJ40 Land Cruiser of Bernd and Christiane Dannenmaier suffered alternator problems slightly delaying them over the course of the day. Charles Stuart-Menteth and Michael Timmis were more unlucky, once again finding themselves by the side of the road. They needed a new alternator fitting. Luckily they had one to hand, unluckily this one was faulty as well. Andy Inskip and Malcolm Destro sat beside the old Vauxhall whilst they waited for a tow truck to bring them into town causing them to be a few minutes late for dinner. Tomorrow is a rest day and, it’s hard to think of a more Italians Enrico Paggi and Federica Mascetti, with 1971 Fiat 124 Spider splendid setting to have it. Hemingway’s Nairobi could possibly be even a little more grand than the Hemingway’s we left almost one week ago. We’ve come along way since then but there’s plenty more to look forward to. Given where we’ve been, there’s likely be some fettling and fixing tomorrow but there will also be some pampering And, perhaps a visit to the orphan elephant sanctuary might just be squeezed in where, we were assured, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter Denis and Jill Wilson, 1969 Rover P5B

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 5 Karen (rest day) 20 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk We’ve been on the road for four days now and whilst they haven’t been too demanding, we have crammed a lot in to them. So today, was a good chance for a little détente.

Nairobi is a busy city with a reputation for heavy traffic, crowds and chaos, but not so in the oasis that is Hemingway’s. The city and surroundings may have changed a lot since the Danish Novelist, Karen Blixen made her home here in the early 20th century, but the old charming ways are still very much in evidence here. A slow start was the order of play this morning. Obviously the cars need to be looked at (and the laundry needed to be done), other than that the crews were free to do as they pleased. The ever diligent Enrico Paggi brought his Fiat 124 Spider to the service area immediately after breakfast where his front suspension and steering was checked by Andy Inskip and Jamie Turner. Federica, meanwhile, was down at the elephant sanctuary which, as expected, was a popular destination. A huge crowd of onlookers, including many from the rally, watched as a herd of youngsters rescued from the bush, enjoyed a little bottle-feeding and fresh shoots before rounding things off with a good old mud bath. Susan Danglard took the opportunity to adopt a baby elephant with the same birthday as her. David was a little worried about getting it into the 911, but reckoned with some careful rejigging of their luggage, the muddy pachyderm might just fit across the back seats. The Danglards then went on to a giraffe sanctuary and, whilst we don’t know if Susan picked up one of long necked oddities, David was seen looking at the options for a sunroof. We are back on the road tomorrow and heading for magnificent Mount Kenya.

Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter Servicing the 1971 Fiat 124 Spider, Enrico Paggi and Federica Mascetti,

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 6 Karen to Mount Kenya Safari Club (363.17 km) 21 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Today we faced two problems both of which had a biblical background. The aftermath of the rains (hail?) and subsequent flooding had kept the 48 hour car busy with an afternoon reroute whilst, much later in the day, a plague of locusts descended upon the rally as it arrived in , a town set almost slap bang on the equator (0° 01’ North). The day started well, Rob Collinge and Thomas Hansen had managed to get their Willys Jeep roadworthy and left Hemingway’s this morning in fine style, dressed appropriately, in period American army uniforms. Sadly, after much deliberation and head scratching, Charles Stuart-Menteth and Michael Timmis’s Vauxhall retired from the rally. The broken magneto just couldn’t be fixed. The crew are going to continue in the very same 4x4 which Rob and Thomas had just vacated. Dieter and Hildegard Baumhäckel’s Volvo is match fit again and it ran out with the rest of the team today and rolled in at full time as well. Heavy traffic and roadworks were, unfortunately a feature of the first part of their morning’s drive. But after 84km there was a bit of respite at the well shaded Blue Post Hotel, alongside the impressive Falls, where Loren Price and Fred Gallagher had set up a Passage Control. The crews were then sent on their way to the first Regularity of the day at Murang’a. This was a short, smooth tarmac section which rose and fell according to the vicissitudes of the mango covered hills and led pretty quickly to the next Time Control at the Nokras Riverline resort 143km into the Rob Collinge and Thomas Hansen dress the part in the 1954 Willys Jeep

www.rallytheglobe.com Day 6: Karen to Mount Kenya Safari Club, 21 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk

Keith Graham and Susan Hoffmann’s smoking Mercedes-Benz Stephen and Jenny Verrall’s Porsche 911’s windscreen fitters... day. A light lunch was provided here - for those who had while moved on to the west as we pressed on northwards time to eat it next to an inviting looking swimming pool. and into the grounds of the magnificent Mount Kenya Steve and Jenny Verrall discovered that their windscreen Safari Club for a two night stay. was making a bid for freedom so, along with Keith This famous old hotel is built exactly on the equator Ashworth, David Roberts and Andy Inskip, they removed it and there’s a red line running through the bar at exactly 0° totally, before cleaning, lubing, refitting the seal and then latitude. Two hemispheres in one room. For Rally the Globe slotting in the glass. In theory, easy enough but, as they it doesn’t get much better than that! quickly found out, the reality of working in an airless 30° Tomorrow we’ve got a short day, but a special one, and car park caused them all to work up a bit of a sweat. the Mayor is going to send us on our way. The next Time Control was set in the highly colonial Outspan Hotel, in the town of , dating back to the 1920’s. In its extensive grounds is a cottage that Lord Baden Powell and his wife Olave once called home. More importantly for the rally the hotel now houses a thoroughly modern coffee machine, and staff who were fully trained Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter in its operation. Soon after this short break, and just beyond a set of mobile roadworks, was the day’s second Regularity along the aptly named Crooked Road which rose to a cooler 1800m. When the clock had stopped on this section we were on the home run alongside a boiling mass of cloud that was, according to our map books, Mount Kenya. Keith Graham and Susan Hoffmann were slightly delayed here thanks to a small engine fire, a short circuit from the battery in their Mercedes had melted the plastic covering and caused smoke to appear. Luckily it didn’t spread, even more luckily the fire brigade arrived in the form of Andy Inskip and Malcolm and Lloyd Destro who got the car running again without the pyrotechnics. On the road into Nanyuki, and close to the airport, another sort of cloud filled our windscreens. A swarm of desert locusts was wheeling overhead and bringing the traffic to a standstill. Luckily for the local farmers the On Safari, Bernd and Christiane Dannenmaier with their 1972 Toyota plague didn’t descend onto their fields and after a short Land Cruiser

www.rallytheglobe.com 15 February to 5 March 2020

Day 7 Mount Kenya Safari Club loop (100 km) 22 February 2020

Today we enjoyed another excellent half day where Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk the organisers had cleverly managed to squeeze a quart into a pint pot.

They say a little local knowledge goes a long way and today Fred Gallagher had obviously dug deep into his book of contacts to pull out a section of superb driving, an excellent lunch, and some game viewing. All within a 100km of loop of the Mount Kenya Safari Club. The fact that the crews were back at the well appointed Mount Kenya by mid afternoon was the cherry on a very well iced cake. With such a short day in the book there was no need for an early start and we also had the pleasure of welcoming the Governor of , Mr Ndiritu Muriithi, who kindly sent us on our way with a wave of his regional flag. After 40km we found ourselves at the gates of Lolldaiga Hill Ranch, a private reserve which had granted us permission The Governor of Laikipia, Mr Ndiritu Muriithi, ready to flag off the rally to run two Regularities through its impressive 200 km. with Rally the Globe’s Graham Goodwin (left) and Fred Gallagher

Gavin and Diana Henderson, 1965 Porsche 911

www.rallytheglobe.com Day 7: Mount Kenya Safari Club loop, 22 February 2020 Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk At the gate we were briefed about the locals to keep an eye out for. The list included more than 25 lions - with cubs - leopards, cheetah and hyaena. Marjan Quekel can’t have been alone when later she admitted that, with such beautiful countryside and amazing wildlife all around, it was difficult to keep her eye on the route books and stopwatch. Needless to say her and Rogier did enjoy one short diversion. Willy Van Loon and Christiane Torfs’, Bentley ran out of puff on some of the steeper sections but, as well as all manner of wildlife, Andy Inskip and Malcolm Destro were in the area. This sweep team quickly attached a tow rope to the breathless Belgians and pulled them into lunch. Penalties accrued by such a manoeuvre were a small price to pay for getting to the buffet in time. Climbing from their cars the heady scent of spicy curry Reto Mebes and Hans-Jürgen Benze, 1975 Mercedes-Benz 280SLC led the crews through some farm buildings to a set of manicured lawns and well trimmed trees. An old bath tub filled with ice served as the bar and cans of beer, soft drinks, and crisp white wine bobbed enticingly. The tables were laid out on a terrace overlooking the grounds and there in the far, and sadly cloudy distance, rose Mount Kenya. The Main Time Control was also here at the lunch halt so, once Pete Stone and Jim Smith had taken the details from the time cards, the crews were able to spend the afternoon as they saw fit. Freed from the tyranny of timing there was a great drive back through the estate to enjoy, along a road which saw zebra and giraffe heavily outnumbered by gazelle. A herd of shy elephants was also spotted next to a watering hole. On the way out of the reserve we saw Dieter and Hildegard Baumhäckel deep in the bush needing some help with a broken panhard mount. Once again the sweeps were straight onto this and the Germans in a Swedish car Dieter and Hildegard Baumhäckel’s Volvo PV544 side of the road repair got themselves back to the hotel for a more permanent fix. Iris and Jean-Philippe Tripet’s Lancia Fulvia Monte Carlo sadly seems to have lost its clutch. Bernd and Christiane Dannenmaier stepped up to the plate and towed them into the hotel, and now there’s some head scratching going on with the option of continuing in hire car on the table. David and Jo Roberts’ well travelled Triumph was also receiving some attention for a broken engine mount. Tomorrow we move on from the highlands of Laikipia and head West.

Gerardus Mercator, Dispatch reporter

Denis and Jill Wilson, 1969 Rover P5B

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