Last Ride - the last journey of a Volvo 240
What to do when the beloved Volvo no longer passes the Belgian MOT? For Robin and Greg, the answer was clear: off to South Africa. One last big ride for their 240 GL, built in 1990 and nicknamed Lovlov.
It started with a dream that had been lying in a drawer for too long. Greg and I, inseparable since a trip to Morocco, finally wanted to do what we had been talking about for years: Cross Africa from north to south. Not an off-road vehicle, not high-tech, but a 1990 Volvo 240 GL - our "Lovlov".
Dreams don't wait forever. You have to drive them.
When the Belgian vehicle inspection decided in the fall of 2022 that our old station wagon was practically "unsalvageable", we saw this as a sign. It was now or never. At the end of November, we rolled off under the arches of the Brussels Cinquantenaire, accompanied by family, friends - and a mixture of euphoria and trepidation.
Morocco - waves and desert
After a 22-hour drive and a ferry crossing, Lovlov finally glided onto African soil. In Morocco, we treated ourselves to a few more days of surfing - in Imsouane, Taghazout and Dakhla. But soon the road led us into the endless expanses of the Western Sahara. Kilometer after kilometer of sand, sun and silence. The dream began to unfold.
We hired a guide to speed up the border formalities - until the customs officer discovered our beer. We handed it over to be destroyed, only to see him later distributing it among colleagues. A video Greg made triggered five hours of interrogation; eventually we were allowed to move on after all the footage was deleted.
The next day we were stuck with Lovlov in the middle of the dunes. No network, 50 km to the nearest road - only water, food and light-heartedness helped us. With a shovel, sheets of sand and branches, we freed the old Volvo after an hour and a half. Then we set off again - but Lovlov overheated. We filled the cooler, took a break and continued on.
Africa was bigger, hotter, more unpredictable than we thought - and at the same time more magical, warm and overwhelming.
Senegal - beach, markets and improvisation
As soon as we cross the border, we sit on the ground laughing with soldiers and officials and share Thiéboudienne, the national dish. Welcome to West Africa!
Our first bivouac on the beach: palm trees, sand, sunset - a pure dream. Saint-Louis and Dakar delight us with colorful markets, endless streets and encounters full of warmth. However, we fall into corruption traps and are arrested for "tinted windows"!
We remain calm and experience a fairytale welcome in an extraordinary village: village chief, meals in the open air, showers from buckets.
Our journey took us on to The Gambia, the narrow English enclave. This is where corruption hit us the hardest: we were asked to pay and held up everywhere. To make matters worse, Lovlov's viscous clutch failed, the car overheated and all the indicator lights came on. Fortunately, we found a couple of dedicated young men who got Lovlov back on the road almost professionally.
You don't need an off-road vehicle to cross Africa - just courage, friendship and a Volvo with heart.
After detours through Mauritania and Senegal, we delved deep into Guinea. There, between mountains, markets and waterfalls, we experienced Africa up close. Our windshield shattered during an unsuccessful maneuver at the border, and in the city of Mali the roof of a Peugeot was welded on without further ado. Improvisation was a must, the friendliness of the people was overwhelming. And again and again, nature: villages that gave us a warm welcome, waterfalls that silenced us.
In Abidjan, we treat Lovlov to a general overhaul: oil change, new brakes, Wrangler springs for more grip - African mechanics bring him back to life. Along the way, we discover the city, let friends whisk us away to the dream coast of Assinie-Mafia, where we surf and sink into tropical tranquillity.
Nigeria - 300 checks and an appendix
Nigeria welcomes us with pure tension: over 300 police checks in three days, some friendly, some threatening. Lovlov's clutch suffers, and so do we. Lagos is like a powder keg - crowds of people, looks of mistrust, violence in the air. It is only thanks to our companion that we are spared attacks and find fuel at all.
Our nerves are on edge. Stopped in the jungle at night, between soldiers, weapons and fear, we play our last joker: Greg mimes appendicitis, I haggle with words. Unbelievable, but it works - we get a pass, even though the country is actually at a standstill on election day. As soon as we cross the barrier, we burst out laughing with relief.
The last few kilometers to Cameroon are a ride through broken tracks, leaks in the tank, endless mountains. But Lovlov surprises us again: he holds on. And what about us? We hold on to our amazement - at the wild beauty of Africa, the harshness of the roads and the incredible power of improvisation and friendship.
For us, Lovlov became a symbol of freedom, improvisation and stories that can only be experienced on the street.
Cameroon - workshop air and breathing a sigh of relief
After days full of pressure, we allowed ourselves a slower pace in Cameroon. Bumpy roads, quiet villages, encounters with open-minded people - Lovlov and we breathed a sigh of relief. In Yaoundé, we found a garage that not only repaired our car, but also our hearts: hospitality, help and a visa for the Congo included.
Our hopes of seeing gorillas were not fulfilled, but the encounter with helpful villagers who secretly sold us fuel made a deep impression on us. And then the small triumph: latitude 0° - an inconspicuous traffic circle, a quiet but magical moment. Lovlov got a new specialty on the way: the "presidential door", which suddenly swung 180° after an accident - damage that rather made us laugh.
Angola - surfing in the shark tank and then the perfect wave
In Angola, we vacillated between fascination and trepidation: surfing dreams on the Atlantic, shark traps in the water, armed "guards" on the beach. But Cabo Ledo gave us five days of pure freedom - waves, sand, silence. Lovlov continued to struggle, this time with a radiator leak, which fortunately turned out to be a hose problem. Improvisation had long been our constant companion.
A different Africa began at the border: no corruption, no harassment, no bottlenecks - instead, pure safari. Giraffes, zebras, rhinos, lions. Endless amazement. We climbed the gigantic "Big Daddy" dune in Sossusvlei, lost ourselves in the colors and silence, stood in awe in front of centuries-old black trees in Deadvlei. But the desert took its toll: double punctures, improvised repairs and fear for Lovlov's heart.
Trust in people, machines and friendship means everything.
South Africa - finale at Cape
With his last ounce of strength, Lovlov brought us to Cape Agulhas - the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. Cold, sea, a sense of destination and completion. And we knew: we had made it. Not just the kilometers, not just the limits - but the experience itself.
Friendship as fuel
Our journey was more than just a road trip. It was a test of our friendship, our endurance and our faith in an old Volvo, which proved time and again that 30 years and 300,000 kilometers are no obstacle to a real adventure.
We had proven it: You don't need an off-road vehicle to cross Africa - just courage, friendship and a Volvo with heart. Lovlov persevered and is now making the return journey by boat. We fly home, changed, grateful, proud.
And so what remains of this journey is more than dust and kilometers - what remains is the feeling that we have made something impossible possible.
This "Last Ride" was more than just a journey. It was a test, an adventure, a gift. Greg and I know today: dreams don't wait forever. You have to ride them.
The book "Last Ride" is published in French, has 208 pages with 170 pictures and can be ordered here.
