The Equipment

Sam, The Weasel and the afternoon sun in the Transvaal, South Africa 1999.
Photo A. Simpson

There is no reason to treat any expedition differently because it is not a sponsored journey with specific scientific tasks. Safety is paramount and must be addressed at all times. This entails the carriage of certain items of equipment.

It is however, the opinion of this author that the primary reason for any vehicle encountering difficulties in harsh terrain is overloading Any expedition vehicle should be as light as possible while carrying the essential equipment.

Equipment carried on KJ will be:

• recovery equipment (including ropes and cables, spades (2)and sand ladders)

• Comprehensive vehicle spares, (clutch parts and seals, brake seals, gasket sets, points condensers, coils, HT leads, distributor cap)

• comprehensive vehicle tool kit.

• First aid equipment including Diclofenac, Adrenaline, and IV fluids and Hydrocortizone sulphate.

• Photographic and cine equipment. One Sony Trv 17 E digital video camera. (30 hours of tape) 2 Nikon FM2 cameras, Lenses Various, Contax G1 with 45mm f2, Kodachrome 64 X 50 rolls, FP4 X 30 rolls, Fujichrome 50/100 x 30 rolls.

• Toshiba Laptop computer.

Freezing cold at dawn in Narok, Kenya. At 0530 the highlands of Kenya are very cold
photo Jo wood

Raf's personal equipment

• Official Expedition Documentation and Accessories

• One Small cloth briefcase containing;

  • Travellers cheques to value of GB £3000 in US $ and GB £

  • Stapler

  • Envelopes

  • Rubber bands

  • White labels for film identification

  • Letter writing pad

  • International drivers licence

  • Vehicle log book

  • Expedition position and weather log

  • Pre exped report

  • Vehicle check list copies

  • Spiral note book for story writing

  • Official letters from Swahili Divers to the Sudanese Embassy

  • Letters to the Tanzania revenue Authority ref b577wkj

  • 1975 exped route report and meterology

  • 1975 exped Outline narrative

  • 3 concurrent carnet de passage papers and old insurance proof

  • expedition commander's international drivers licence. (out of date)

  • Maps 965 Mauretanie, Niger, Chad and onc k4 k3 j2 l5 k5

  • Sony Trrv17e Video camera housing

Personal eqiupment

The next section is designed to give the reader an idea of the persoonal kit requires by a member of the expedition.

• Personal North Face day pack

  • FM2 camera 37-70 zoom lens Kodachrome 64 film in tamrac case

  • Contax G 1

  • Spare passports

  • 5 rolls kodachrome/fujichrome and Ilford b&w film.

  • Small note book.

  • Novel to read
    
    

• Lowe Alpine 65 litre back pack

  • Wash kit

  • First aid kit

  • Northface waterproof Jacket

  • Windproof fleece

  • Two cotton shirts

  • One Batik Shirt

  • Seven pairs of boxers

  • Two T shirts

  • Three polo shirts

  • Two pairs of swimming shorts

  • One pair nike air running shoes

  • One pair Mendl hiking boots

  • One pair KSB flip flops

  • One sarong

  • One towel

  • Two pairs light cotton trousers

  • One sleeping bag

  • One wool hat

  • One baseball cap

  • One sun hat