Poll: Would you drive across Africa for $1 million?

[savandicus]

1. Accept this mission
2. Drive for a couple of hours (sight-seeing)
3. give up
4. $10.000 profit

My word man! You've found the solution to what the ???? is! Now we all know that giving up is the missing link that leads to profit.

On topic, i would try and probably get stuck somewhere and be killed somehow. But atleast i'd go down trying.

 

[jebus4you]

Hell yes I would. I would bring a black friend and hide in the back seat.

 

[Treblaine]

I was inspired by this amazing thread I read on a travel forum.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/50799-Democratic-Republic-of-Congo-Lubumbashi-to-Kinshasa


Your path:

Your vehicle:

- You have $10,000 USD in cash
- You can bring one (1) person with you, but he or she has to be someone you personally know (sorry, no Bear Grylls)
- You can bring one weapon
- You have GPS, maps, compass, and a satellite phone
- Your vehicle is fully stocked with enough food, medicine, supplies and fuel for 30 days; everything after that is up to you

When you reach Cape Town, South Africa, you get $1 million (tax-free) and are flown back to your country. If at any time during your trip you want to give up, you will be rescued by helicopter and flown back, but you don't get the money, regardless of how far you made it.

Before you answer, keep in mind the skills that you have: physical, technical, and linguistic (French is probably the most valuable language to know in Africa), and those of the person you are bringing with you.

Yes, and I don't need a weapon nor even to know French.

I have driven 200 miles up the length of Cameroon, it's fine.

Your supposition seems to be as if I should drive across Afghanistan dressed like George Bush. it is not an ENTIRE warzone. It's pretty easy to avoid the hotspots and not be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Now drive across Afghanistan for even $10 million.

No. I don't think I would even collect.

 

[Jegsimmons]

if i have an assault rifle and ammo ill do it.
also gas money, or is that a given?

 

[danirax]

lol, no cuz, the shots, anti venom, and vaccines, that are needed to make it alive to the other side cost more than $1m....(not including protection from the wiled animals, bandits or anything else that can kill you there)

 

[Treblaine]

I've lived in Africa... and it'll take a damned sight more than $1m to get me to go back there!

Where did you live? I've been in parts of the UK that are worse than Cameroon as a whole.

 

[Esotera]

Definitely, would probably take my brother, or my travelling uncle who takes the flute. If fictional weapons are allowed, definitely a gravity gun, otherwise a Claymore sword. Because I can.

 

[Scarim Coral]

No I wouldn't. Even with those resources provided for me at the start I know I will screw up somewhere along the way (burst my tires) and somehow get myself killed before I cross the finish line.

 

[Treblaine]

an old school friend of me did this (but without being paid of course...) after doing 1 year of civilian service in a kindergarten in South Africa he bought a car there for his return journey and travelled back to Germany throughout Africa for several weeks. It was kinda dangerous but he can tell some cool stories from it...

I've lived in Africa... and it'll take a damned sight more than $1m to get me to go back there!

Yeah a million dollars to be captured and tortured is not a good deal for me.

If you cut out the absolutely psychotic militaries roaming around Africa I'd be all for it. The animals are scary but I'd take driving a truck through a lion infested area over crazed African militants anyday.

At least the lions are after you for a logical reason.

You are delicious...if that wasn't clear. >_>...

Seems to be people have VERY contrasting opinions of Africa.

Do you really think if you just drive through Africa black people will kidnap and torture you for no reason at all?

Would you say the same thing about any other place?

 

[SFR]

...What if I new Bear Grylls personally? I don't, but still.

I almost think the extra person could potentially be negative. One more mouth to feed/keep alive.

 

[theultimateend]

an old school friend of me did this (but without being paid of course...) after doing 1 year of civilian service in a kindergarten in South Africa he bought a car there for his return journey and travelled back to Germany throughout Africa for several weeks. It was kinda dangerous but he can tell some cool stories from it...

I've lived in Africa... and it'll take a damned sight more than $1m to get me to go back there!

Yeah a million dollars to be captured and tortured is not a good deal for me.

If you cut out the absolutely psychotic militaries roaming around Africa I'd be all for it. The animals are scary but I'd take driving a truck through a lion infested area over crazed African militants anyday.

At least the lions are after you for a logical reason.

You are delicious...if that wasn't clear. >_>...

Seems to be people have VERY contrasting opinions of Africa.

Do you really think if you just drive through Africa black people will kidnap and torture you for no reason at all?

Would you say the same thing about any other place?

I don't think if ANYONE drove through Africa they'd get caught and killed.

I just KNOW that if I went I would be.

I'm speaking as a person who was nearly killed twice as a kid in the US. I mean that non-hyperbolically. One time by attempted suffocation and another by shoving me off a high place.

I just don't have the best of luck.

If you want some other places I'll never visit:

China ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cases_of_penis_removal ).
Eastern Europe.
Many parts of Russia.
Mexico, at least as long as the drug war is going.
Handful of places in Central America.
Couple places in South America.

I...I think that's it.

Edit: Also the fact that they are black has nothing to do with it, so if you could refrain from trying to act like everyone who dislikes Africa is racist, that would be great.

 

[HerbertTheHamster]

I could drive through most of that, but not Congo. fuck that shithole

 

[steeple]

Hell yes I would, I would just brush up on my high school French and go for it!

In fact, I might do it even if I don't get the million at the end. I love adventure!

this.
I mean, common! it would be a once in a lifetime experience!
just remember the keep away from mosquitoes and you'll be fine!

 

[thewinner194]

Oh dear, through the DRC? No. No. No, no, no. Hell no.

 

[gigastrike]

I'd probably just take the 10,000 dollars and 30 days worth of gas and book it. Jungles are crazy.

 

[Use_Imagination_here]

Yes. I'd do it without the money if someone supplied the food and water and gas.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Uhh... I dunno.

I think a lot of people are neglecting to notice that that route goes through some awfully unfriendly places. The kind of places where you don't want to be a clueless white guy carrying 10 grand in US dollars. And I personally don't have any fantastical notions of being able to single-handedly fight off a gang of militiamen who've been desperately clawing their way through life from the age of zero.

I would be tempted to try, but I would be well aware that a single mistake or bit of bad luck could result in my shit being fucked up in short order.

this

having 10,000 dollars cash and being a white guy?

no thanks, i'm already a walking stereotype, i don't need to be a bloodstain on the side of the road from being chopped to bits or sniped just for my nationality/skin color.

if there was zero threat from "humans" (militia and all that shit included) then i'd be tempted to, as driving long distances has never bugged me, and i'm used to diverse amounts of weather as is so that would be a no brainer also.

so yeah, what makes africa such a fearful place to go to? if that wasn't there, i would gladly take that challenge.

 

[DustyDrB]

Well, I'd be damn sure to go through lots of survival training as well as studying up on the major conflicts that I'd be in proximity to.

So my answer is yes, but I'd spend a ton of money to prepare myself before I started.