Hi Africa fans! I have some sad news for you....

The drive is over, finished, kaput. I am writing this postcard from my computer at home in Kent having left Henry for the first time in over 4 months. Henry is set to fly home this evening after arranging for somewhere to stash the car.

I have just read a very amusing email that Henry sent out and thought that as I could never live up to his comical flair, I would lift it for the content of this final postcard. However, before I give you the literary genius of my fellow intrepid advernturer, H. MacHale Esq. we would like to say thank you for all your support as well as making the trip worth while through your generous donations to Tusk.

Ok, here's Henry's bit:

Hi Team,

Since I last e mailed you chaps two very exciting things have happened, the first and without question the more exciting of the two was to reach and successfully cross the tropic of Capricorn, resulting in a ‘successful tropic of cancer, equator, tropic of Capricorn, combo’. The second excitement was to actually arrive in Cape Town, after getting sufficiently lashed we were persuaded by some mates we had met, to get up at 3.30 in the morning and climb table mountain in the dark, so that we could watch the sun rise. The view was awesome, but the climb up was a nightmare and made me very relieved we had not climbed Kilimanjaro. After getting lashed and climbing table mountain we did the next most important thing; drive to the nearest cinema and watch the Borat film.
We spent almost two weeks in Cape Town, and I can assure all those involved in the PSS, that the sessioning was of the highest standard, and that I am now back to full fitness.

Since our journey is now over I though I should give you some amusing facts about the African countries we have driven through.

Tunisia: CB Radios are strictly forbidden, on the grounds that you might be attempting a military coup.
Libya: If you wife cheats on you, you are allowed to shoot her.
Egypt: Petrol is cheaper than water.
Sudan: It takes three days to cross the border from Egypt to Sudan. If you speak out against the ‘government’ you will have your head chopped off.
Ethiopia: If you run over a goat you must stop and re-imburse the owner, if you run over a person, there is no charge.
Kenya: In northern Kenya you can buy an AK 47 for less than the price of a train ticket from London to Edinburgh.
Tanzania: There are almost 2000 TZ shillings to the pound – not the most sensible currency.
Malawi: If you get caught smoking weed by the police, they will ask if they can join you.
Zambia: It is illegal to drive a car without carrying two warning triangles, in case you break down. However it is ok to drive with people sitting on the roof of your car.
Botswana: When you get stopped at a police check and tell them you have driven your car from London, they think you are taking the piss, and when you tell them you travelled from England to France on a train that goes under the sea they start to think that you are either barking mad or a compulsive liar.
South Africa: The health minister made a public statement saying that the most effective way to prevent aids, is to eat garlic and beetroot after sex.

Some info on our trip:
Number of Countries we drove through: 17
Total distance driven from London to Cape Town: 24,874 km.
Total liters of fuel used from London to Cape Town: 2,703 litres of diesel.
Number of Police / Military Check points: Over 125.
Number of Times Dire Straits Sultans of Swing was played: Over 250.
Highest Altitude reached: Ethiopia, 3620 meters above sea level.
Hottest Country: Sudan, over 52ºc in the shade.
Time taken: 106 days door too door.

Thanks again for the support

Over and out

Alastair and Henry