Funnyman's epic oil-powered odyssey

Cape Town - 130604 - Comedian Mark Samson and his family are attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest journey on alternative fuel. Reporter: Alison Decker. Picture: Leandri Niemand

Cape Town - 130604 - Comedian Mark Samson and his family are attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest journey on alternative fuel. Reporter: Alison Decker. Picture: Leandri Niemand

Published Jun 5, 2013

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Comedian Mark Sampson’s truck isn’t your average minivan, with its “master” bedroom, kitchen, toilet, shower and two more beds.

It needs to be comfortable because the Sampsons will be spending the next two years living in it on a journey they’ve named Africa Clockwise.

The Noordhoek family will be travelling clockwise around the circumference of Africa in their truck run on cooking oil. They will stop in about 40 countries, and attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest journey on alternative fuel.

FOR A CAUSE

Sampson says he’s on a mission to investigate whether Africa can show the world how to cope with climate change.

 

They plan to leave within the week, as soon as their visas are sorted out. They will travel for one year up the west coast, stopping in about 21 countries, spend about a month in Europe to wait out the worst of the summer heat, then continue down along the east coast. They’ll get back home towards the end of September 2015.

The truck has six solar panels, and any cooking oil will do – coconut, palm, or fish shop leftovers. Much of their expenses are being covered by 61 sponsors, and they’ll be asking for used oil along the way.

Sampson’s wife, Sam Pearce, will home-school their children, Ruby, 12, and Zola, 8. -Cape Argus

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