Hi fellow pilgrims of adventure. Our journey to Juba expedition to celebrate the birth of Africa’s newest country certainly kicked off with a jamboree reminiscent of the great age of African exploration.

Similar I’m sure to the time of Livingstone, Burton and Stanley when porters, guides, translators, hunters and explorers gathered, often months in advance, in places Bagamoyo, assembling material and equipment for the great journeys that lead to the mapping of our fascinating and beautiful continent.

When the great day finally dawned and the huge trains of humans, animals and equipment began snaking their way into the unknown interior the “noise, celebration and excitement must have been deafening - as wives, families, traders, investors, reporters, missionaries, musicians and bureaucrats all shouted, sang or beat out their farewells”.

And so in a tribute to the great age of African exploration the expedition to mark the birth of Southern Sudan will departed from Lesedi cultural village with a series of celebratory events harking back to the golden age of African travel. It was great fun. Signatures and messages were added to the Scroll of Peace and Goodwill in support of Malaria Prevention. There was the symbolic handing over of United Against Malaria PermaNets and Rite to Sight spectacles and the filling of the symbolic expedition Zulu calabash with Cradle of Humankind water to be emptied into the Nile in Juba as part of celebrating the birth of the newest country on planet earth.

What made the send off even more special was the gathering of old Land Rovers and their colourful owners from the Land Rover club of SA, considered to be the oldest 4x4 club in the world.

Will keep you posted.