Merry Christmas 2026 – To Everyone Who Helped Us Along the Way

Well, it’s Christmas again, and we’re about to get a bit sentimental.

Those who know me will appreciate that this doesn’t happen very often, so please make the most of it.

Over the years, Matilda and Henrietta have taken us around a fair chunk of the world. We’ve driven through deserts, crossed mountains, negotiated borders, broken things, fixed things and occasionally wondered what the hell we were doing.

But when we look back at all those miles, the thing we remember most isn’t the scenery, the wildlife or even the beer.

It’s the people.

The people who stopped to say hello. The people who invited us into their homes. The people who fed us, housed us, gave us showers, lent us tools, helped repair the Land Rovers or simply made us laugh when things weren’t going particularly well.

Some were friends before we left. Others were complete strangers when we met them.

Quite a few became friends because we met them.

And some of you have had the misfortune of knowing us ever since.

A very big thank you

In Egypt, Doctor Mustafa and his family looked after us wonderfully. We haven’t forgotten Amr and Lamiaa either. The InterContinental staff in Cairo and Aqaba, the Marriott staff in Sharm and the people we encountered along the way all contributed to some extraordinary memories.

On that first journey through Syria and Jordan, thanks to Michiel and Jeldau, our Dutch travelling companions. A memorable trip, especially the breakdown near Homs!

In Jordan, the guide at Karak Castle helped us find somewhere safe to park and even arranged a hot shower. The Land Rover parts people in Amman helped keep Matilda going, and a local guide in Wadi Rum invited us for tea and a chat. We haven’t forgotten the people who helped us obtain parts in Damascus either.

Years later, on the second trip with Henrietta, we found ourselves back in the Middle East.

In Oman, Alan helped us enormously, including arranging access to a private club. Jamie helped with supplies, information and washing. Rob provided garage space at a Honda dealership so I could work on Henrietta. Andre welcomed us for an overnight stay and barbecue, and Hilmi helped with a shower and local advice. Thank you all.

A big thanks to a Christmas indoors and a house sit with an full kitchen and oven. Hopefully we didn’t leave it in too bad a condition. They did say they had a cleaner so we tried, but they did say leave it. I was so drunk I cannot remember making Christmas Dinner or Yorkshire Puddings. Mark Powell and Gayle.

And then Saudi Arabia.

Manar Alomayri and Amin, our fellow overlanders in Riyadh, offered us somewhere to stay, showers and laundry facilities. As if that wasn’t enough, they took us sightseeing and even paid for our visit to Boulevard World. We saw places we’d probably never have visited otherwise. Wonderful generosity from people who had no obligation to do any of it.

And Tom in Riyadh, thank you for arranging a day pass for us to visit the Dakar Rally bivouac. Getting to see the vehicles and teams up close was something special.

In Kuwait, Abdullah Alqabandi came to our rescue when my card wouldn’t work at the fuel station. He paid for our diesel. Just like that. Helping complete strangers because he could. We haven’t forgotten, Abdullah. Thank you.

That second journey also took us through the UAE and Iraq. Once again, the people we met were as much a part of the adventure as the places themselves.

In Tanzania, Guy Mcdonald and his family at Dragonaires made us welcome more than once, as did the Police Mess in Musoma.

In Mozambique, we remember James White Saw Mills, the Catholic Church in Quelimane and the Maforga Mission and Orphanage near Gondola.

And then there was South Africa.

Where do we even begin?

Kobus du Plessis and Alett put us up, fed us, watered us and helped with Matilda and Henrietta. Des and Hennie, Des and Brenda, Malcolm and Jenny, Ivan and his family, Bruce and his family, and so many others demonstrated a level of hospitality that we’ve never forgotten.

We also remember Oppi Koppi, the Walvis Bay Yacht Club, the Kruger pensioners who let us stay on their pitch, Vital at Oppi Koppi, Jasper, Nick and Vicky, and the many people who made us feel welcome.

And on the second journey, Leon and Eddie at Ndurokoro Campsite in Namibia deserve a special mention. Another memorable stop, and another example of people making life on the road that much better. Thanks to you both.

We mustn’t forget Joel and KP at African Bush Lovers in Maun, Botswana, either. Another place and another pair of people who became part of the journey.

Further afield, José Mario González Granados and the Land Rover Club of El Salvador went to extraordinary lengths to help us. We still remember what you did.

In Alaska, when the gearbox decided to cause us a considerable amount of grief, Eddie Angel and the others who helped us made an enormous difference. Thanks to Ed, Jason, Andrew, Kathy and Curtis Anderson for their tools, time, food, patience and sanity.

In Florida, thanks to Clive Daem for the accommodation when we needed it. I’ve never been in a Dunkin’ Donuts since. I think the hotel was the Dockside Inn.

And in Canada, Chris and Jacqui welcomed us into their home, fed us and helped make another part of the journey memorable.

And then there’s Henning.

Our Danish motorcycling friend deserves rather more than a passing mention. We first met Henning during the journey through Africa, including that memorable Christmas crossing from Egypt into Sudan. We travelled together on and off, met up again and again throughout Africa and the Americas, and shared plenty of miles, meals, drinks and stories.

Sometimes we’d arrange to meet. Sometimes we’d just turn up in the same place. Sometimes we’d practically stalk him across a continent. He wasn’t much better.

We even visited him and his family in Denmark years later, arriving outside his apartment with Henrietta as a complete surprise.

Henning, thanks for the friendship, the adventures, the laughs and all those years of putting up with us. There’s probably enough material for another book in our travels together, although some of it might be better left unpublished.

These are just a handful of the stories. There are many, many more.

The names we mustn’t forget

We want to give a special Christmas thank you to:

Eddie Angel, Brendan Lally, Jacqui and Chris K., Brian Hall, Curtis Anderson, José Mario González Granados, Mike Hingley, Bart Bauldry, Kobus du Plessis and Alett, Neill Thornton, Josh Harris, Coen Coetzer, Des and Hennie, Brenda and Des, Malcolm and Jenny, Raúl Álvarez Klein, Clive Daem in Florida, Doctor Mustafa and his family in Cairo, Bruce Ross, Chris in Cape Town, Fricky, Ivan Sonnekus, Jasper, Joel and KP, Lutz, Michiel and Jeldau, Manar Alomayri and Amin, Tom from the Dakar Rally in Riyadh, Abdullah Alqabandi in Kuwait, and Leon and Eddie at Ndurokoro Campsite in Namibia.

And, of course, Henning, our Danish motorcycling companion from so many parts of the first journey and a friend we visited again with Henrietta.

A particularly big thank you to Brian Porteous!

And to Fricky, whom we met completely by chance in Malawi and have stayed in touch with ever since. That’s one of the best things about travelling. You never quite know when a random encounter will turn into a lasting friendship.

Thanks also to Mike and Margaret, Chris Parsons, Nick and Vicky, Anna and Duncan, Vital at Oppi Koppi, Jo at the bank, and Alan, Jamie, Rob, Andre and Hilmi from our time in Oman, along with all the people whose kindness filled the pages of this blog.

We’re equally grateful to the people and businesses who helped keep the vehicles travelling, including Stoney Racing, Michelin/BFGoodrich, Adrenalin4x4, the LR4x4 community, and everyone who provided parts, knowledge, repairs or support.

Some of you helped with something small. Others gave up days of your time. Some gave us months and a base in difficult times.

Believe us, we remember the difference you made. Brian, thanks for the drinks in lockdown.

The little things that weren’t little at all

A shower after several days on the road.

A proper meal when we’d been eating whatever we could find.

A safe place to park.

Somewhere to work on a broken Land Rover.

A lift to collect parts.

A cold beer at the end of a particularly dreadful day.

Someone who knew the right person at a border crossing.

Or somebody who simply said, “Come round, we’ll put the kettle on.”

Those little things are enormous when you’re far from home.

We’ve sometimes been welcomed by people who had very little themselves, yet were prepared to share what they had.

That is something you don’t forget.

And to everyone else

There are people whose names we’ve forgotten, whose photographs we never took, or whose contact details have disappeared somewhere in the chaos of years of travelling.

There’s the person who gave us a shower, the mechanic who found a solution, the family who insisted we stay for dinner, and the stranger who went out of their way to help.

You all count.

If we’ve missed your name, please don’t take it personally. The list is enormous, and my memory has never been as reliable as I’d like to pretend.

Jelly will probably remember. She usually does.

We also owe an enormous thank you to our families and friends back home, who dealt with the practicalities while we were gallivanting around the world.

You know who you are.

What it all comes down to

We set off to see places we’d only read about.

We ended up meeting people we’ll never forget.

The Land Rovers have changed. The journeys have changed. We’ve changed a bit too, although I’m sure some people would argue there’s still considerable room for improvement.

But one thing hasn’t changed.

The kindness and generosity of the people we’ve met remains the best part of travelling.

Some of you we’ll see again soon. Others might be on the other side of the world. Some we haven’t spoken to for years.

Distance doesn’t make the memories any less important.

So, wherever you are this Christmas, whether you’re celebrating or just enjoying another ordinary day, we hope life is treating you well.

Thank you for the friendship, the hospitality, the advice, the repairs, the laughter, the meals, the showers, the beds, the beers and the memories.

We really couldn’t have done it without you.

There. That’s enough soppy stuff. I need a drink.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everyone. Season’s Greetings to everyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas.

With love and thanks,

Nelly & Jelly

And, of course, Matilda & Henrietta.

Overlandbirds — still travelling, still meeting wonderful people, and still fixing Land Rovers.