The five-man PangAf expedition closes in on its final destination

More than three months after setting off from the College Parade Ground in two Land Cruisers January 31, the five-man PangbourneAfrica expedition, including three OPs who left the NCP in 1962, are nearing the end of their epic drive.

Since mid-April the team have driven, separately or together, from Kenya through Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia before crossing into Botswana May 7. In Tanzania mechanical problems and a stomach bug which hit Geoff Popple were offset by wonderful sights in the Ngorngoro National Park. Heavy rain here meant that the vehicle roof bag on one of the Land Cruisers had to be unloaded, dried out and repacked. The expedition then took the chance to have a breather at a "paradise" cliff-top house overlooking the sea south of Dar es Salaam.

In Malawi there was more pouring rain and some dreadful roads (aka tracks) to overcome until the group headed south to Senga Bay and a few days R&R at an excellent campsite by a beach. Zambia stood out for the high cost of fuel and a memorable visit to the Kariba dam following a run of 591km in a day - the longest of the trip so far. Near Livingstone one of the Land Cruisers needed another servicing before a visit to Victoria Falls and a ride up the Zambezi on a boat called the African Queen. On May 7 the expedition crossed into Botswana at the chaotic Kasungla border point. This involved taking a ferry over a river in full flood against the current.