Nice People 12: Nice in Nice

Nikkster

Just got back home from my final social engagement this weekend. 4 in 3 days. Crazy stuff. Also very tiring stuff. Not helped by the fact I had a fairly forceful hangover this morning.
I had curried goat for the first time this afternoon, and also now have a new favourite bar in town.
Night night

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Generali wrote: »

I'd find it hard to look past the Land Cruiser of the cars on your list.

Absolutely...

It's certainly the preferred option.

It's something I've noticed in my time in places like Aus and the Middle East: anywhere where it's absolutely essential that your car starts first time every time, people buy a Toyota.

That was also my experience of the Middle East and North Africa.

Rather suspect it's the right tool for this job.

Although I note the Patrol is also popular in Aus and the M.E. Albeit hard to find in the UK.

Generali

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Absolutely...

It's certainly the preferred option.



That was also my experience of the Middle East and North Africa.

Rather suspect it's the right tool for this job.

Although I note the Patrol is also popular in Aus and the M.E. Albeit hard to find in the UK.

Very true. The Pajero also sells well too.

Masomnia

I remember being 16 and doing work experience at a local garage and my mum had a Toyota, so I asked the bloke I was working with what he thought of them: 'F***ing bombproof, mate. F***ing bombproof.' I've been sold on them ever since.

Spirit_2

Masomnia wrote: »

I remember being 16 and doing work experience at a local garage and my mum had a Toyota, so I asked the bloke I was working with what he thought of them: 'F***ing bombproof, mate. F***ing bombproof.' I've been sold on them ever since.

No experience of overland expeditions but for 10 years of commuting and school runs my 1.0L Yaris was fantastically reliable. I did 160,000 miles in it from new, then sold it on ebay.

The bodywork was excellent afew stone chips and parking dings but no other wear and tear. It never failed an MOT and despite my rather random approach to servicing it never broke down.

I loved it.

Spirit_2

Weatherwise it is very quiet here.

We had a little rain after midnight but it stopped quite quickly and all is still outside. In fact it is very quiet outside. I don't know if this is a calm before the storm . We usually hear the breeze in the trees and a strong wind can sound like a train but tonight, so far, not a whisper.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

Generali wrote: »

Very true. The Pajero also sells well too.

Pajeros are good, but underpowered. Still in the 3.0 class, which works OK for the 2 door and petrol versions (particularly if you transplant an EVO engine....). Not so much for the 4 door.

Patrol and Cruiser have the 4.0l + turbodiesel engines.

Beasts....

PasturesNew

Nikkster wrote: »

Just got back home from my final social engagement this weekend. 4 in 3 days. Crazy stuff. Also very tiring stuff. Not helped by the fact I had a fairly forceful hangover this morning.
I had curried goat for the first time this afternoon, and also now have a new favourite bar in town.
Night night

pfft ... a social life.... whatever next!!
I'd try curried goat ... it's just meat after all - and it's not as if a goat's cute/fluffy

PasturesNew

This is the bit I'll always be scared about .... living alone and owning a house - storms!

Wind's definitely getting up now. Clouds racing across the sky and it's raining .... I HATE the wind.... ever since I was small I'd lay awake during windy storms, convinced half the house was about to blow away/off/collapse!!!

I need to now get "fully dressed", "in case".... and I will spend the rest of the day on high mental alert and pacing about, checking nothing's dropping off. Side fence/gate's already making ominous noises ....

vivatifosi

Hamish, Lois Pryce did the South Africa and up route single handed on a motorbike (she also later drove down the length of the Americas). Her books are well worth reading too. I like reading about overland travel, but preferably not the "I have a camera crew and full back up support" type of Ewan McGregor or Top Gear. And if you ever feel like you can't do it, then Trabant Trek by Dan Murdoch (though I'm sensing whatever happens you'll be better prepared than them).

Please promise me that if you do it and blog it you post the URL so I can follow you and live vicariously through your experiences.