At last we are reunited with our vehicles😍😍

So after 57 long days our vehicles were released to us in Durban. They arrived in South Africa on the ship The Rosa on the 11th of June but sat at anchor outside Durban for two days before coming in on the 13th. Then it was until the 20th of June before we were able to get our hands on them!😎. On the way to the warehouse to pick them up we had a phone call from the shipping agent telling us that there had been a second Customs inspection and the charge would be 3500 Rand ($350)😳…..Ok we said no problems, we just want our vehicles. On arrival Anthony the Logistics Manager let us know that the container still had the original seal on it which was put on in Melbourne so we are still unsure how Customs managed to do their inspection! Not only that but the rear of the Landcruiser and Kimberley were locked up like Fort Knox!

Any way we set to getting the vehicles out of the container and into the warehouse but first about 20 pallets of Maltodextrin had to be moved out of the way. Myself and an African fellow crawled up the side of the container to seperate the Kimberley from the Cruiser and release all the tie downs. Then with the Anthony not only giving direction but also bending his back we managed to get it out. We then had the problem of getting it down a ramp and I had to be very forceful to get them to use the  forklift to slow it’s progress down the ramp!😳 Next we crawled back up the container to release the tie downs on the Land Cruiser and then I was able to squeeze in through the open drivers window to release the hand brake and take it out of gear. Now because we had to disconnect all the batteries before sailing the fellows pulled it out while I steered.

Once out I connected the battery and she fired up first go😜. We hooked up and and left the warehouse stopping just outside the gate to connect the battery on the Kimberley so that we could pump the air bags up so as not to cause any damage to them. Then it was a drive to the nearest service station for diesel because we had to have it virtually empty for shipping. 170 litres latter we were given 4 free glasses for our troubles!😂

Anthony and his African crew were just fantastic and nothing was too difficult for them. The banter and laughter throughout the exercise was great fun.

We spent the next day at Bluff Eco Park sorting everything out and converting fittings for our electrical and gas connections. Then it was off to the supermarket to stock up on food and grog!

Next stop Lesotho!😎