Long-time love affair
Tommy’s love affair with nature began as a child. “When I was really young, my mother was always fearful when she had to bath me; she was terrified at what animals and snakes she would find in my pockets. I was a disaster at school. One day my teacher frog marched me to the principal’s office. ‘Either he leaves, or I do,’ the teacher told the headmaster. He explained that I had absolutely no interest in academic studies; I only wanted to ride horses and catch snakes,” he recalls.
After leaving school, Tommy went to South Africa where he competed in tug of war on a national basis. But he longed to return to his place of birth. “In the whole of South Africa, there is only one good place. That’s the road coming back to Namibia,” he says with a laugh.
After a stint in Angola as a missionary, Tommy returned to his home country … and commenced his love affair with the 101 Forward Control truck. “I started my company – Tommy’s Tours and Safaris – in Swakopmund in the 1990s. I decided to offer a concept that I came up with myself: the Living Desert Tour, which introduces people to some of the fascinating, hidden life of the apparently barren landscape that is part of the Namib Desert. We obviously needed vehicles, and I decided to buy a 101. There really is nothing better than this Land Rover. It’s a brilliant off-roader,” he explains.
Military machine
According to Tommy, the 101 was built in the United Kingdom between 1975 and 1978 – and they were never sold to members of the public. “These trucks were produced primarily for the British army and they were also bought by the Australian military. Initially, the 101 was designed to tow a field gun. It also served as an ambulance and a radio vehicle,” he says.
The vehicle’s name is attributed to its wheelbase of 101 inches, and a total of 2 669 of these trucks were built. The vehicles achieved worldwide fame in the 1995 Sylvester Stallone film Judge Dredd. It featured 31 Land Rover 101 Forward Control trucks, which had a starring role as so-called “City Cabs”. Today, 101 trucks are highly sought-after all over the world.
Tommy has six of these vehicles. The one in which we’re travelling was used as an ambulance. “It obviously didn’t have seats inside it, and it had two doors at the rear. I bought the vehicle from a tour company in Windhoek. “It was parked under a tree, after being scrapped. The original engine was replaced with an overhauled V8. We bought it and renovated it fully,” he reveals.
He doesn’t know its year of registration and he also has no clue how many kilometres the truck has travelled. “The clock has turned over many, many times,” he says.
The 101 does daily duty in the Namib Desert, where Tommy and his team of guides introduce tourists to his unique “little five”, the Palmato Gecko, Namaqua Chameleon, Side-Winder Snake, Shovel Snouted Lizard and Dancing White Lady Spider. The truck looks nothing like an ambulance today. There are ropes, winches and – somewhat unusually – Crocs attached to the front of the vehicle. “When I fetch my clients, I always wear shoes because I’m trying to impress them,” he says with a chuckle. “But, as soon as we leave, the Crocs go on the front. I never wear shoes when I’m out in the desert (either driving or looking for animals). Sometimes the sand can be really hot. Then I do what the desert animals do; I bury my feet in the sand when I’m standing still. The temperature drops considerably.”
The ropes and winches are well worn, and they’re used often. “I have yet to get stuck in my 101 but lots of other people get stuck in the desert. So, I’m often pulling people out. I always pull from the front of my vehicle because then I can see what’s going on,” he explains.
Typically, 4x4 drivers have to worry about getting stuck in mud. But, as Tommy explains with a laugh, he’s never had this worry in Namibia – because it seldom rains. “We have three to 15 mm of rain here – not per day or week but per year. We don’t measure rainfall vertically like normal people. We measure it horizontally. It we talk about 100 mm of rain, it means one drop was 100 mm away from the next one. If a frog wants to learn to swim here, he has to consult the internet,” he explains, with a massive chuckle.
The 3.5-litre Rover V8 that powers the 101 does an adequate job. “This is a nice vehicle that’s perfect for touring because it’s not all about speed. If it goes 100 km/h, it sounds like an aeroplane. The engine has an output of 200 hp. They could have added another 200, if you ask me,” he says with a laugh. The engine is mated to a four-speed LT95 manual transmission from the Range Rover. “It has permanent four-wheel drive. There is also a centre diff that can be locked,” Tommy explains.
There are two Iveco fuel tanks on either side of the vehicle. “These were fitted when we bought the Land Rover. We will replace them with the original Land Rover tanks in time,” comments Tommy.
Speaking of fuel, he’s very happy with the consumption of the vehicle. “We normally do a trip of about 30 km into the desert. We’re getting 6 km/litre … and, remember, it’s a V8 and we’re in a lot of thick sand. That’s really not bad.”
The interior of the truck is somewhat basic, I point out to Tommy. “You’re right,” he acknowledges. “It’s just like me. No plastic and no electronics.” Actually, what he says isn’t quite true. There are two rudimentary plastic bottles attached to the dashboard; they contain brake and clutch fluid.
The vehicle is operated in extreme temperatures. “Hold on. Let’s stop and take a temperature reading,” says Tommy. “Okay, well, the sand temperature is currently 58 degrees Celsius,” he says on re-entering the vehicle. Outside the desert, the 101 is often driven on salt roads (there are lots of them in and around Swakop). “This is a potential nightmare because the salt can cause major corrosion. So, every six months we spray our trucks with boiled linseed oil,” he reveals.
Desert driving (and learning)
Virtually all of the desert driving is done in high range. “If I shifted to low range, we would never finish the tour,” Tommy says with yet another chuckle.
Rather unusually, Tommy doesn’t always get paid for his tours (trust me, they’re well worth every single Namibian dollar). He’s passionate about educating people about the animals that live in the desert. “I have taken thousands of children for free desert tours; it is vitally important to educate them. They are afraid of some of the animals in the desert; I aim to change that. These children are the future; they can make or break this desert,” he insists.
He does the same with idiots who destroy the desert – driving irresponsibly and breaking every rule in the book. “This is a protected area that is extremely sensitive. If damaged, the eco system in the desert can take decades to recover – if ever. So, when we catch these people, I explain to them that they have two choices. I can take them to the cops (and they will get a fine that will make them sweat in a freezer). Or they can come on a free tour of the desert with me. Guess which option they choose?” he asks with a toothy grin. During the free tour, he teaches them about the desert. “They change their behaviour immediately; they never abuse the desert again,” Tommy says contentedly.
The desert champion will clearly never stop travelling in his beloved Namib. And he will never forsake the 101. “Land Rovers are cheap to maintain, and spare parts are always available.”
As we finish our tour, I comment to Tommy that I can see that he loves the desert, his truck and his job. “You’re right. Just look at this place. Every child needs a sandpit in which to play. The older you get, the bigger the pit,” he comments.
But in reality, Tommy isn’t just playing. He’s changing people’s perceptions of the desert – one tour at a time.
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We are very grateful to the Strand Hotel Swakopmund for providing us with accommodation when we travelled to Namibia to research this story. Located right on the beachfront, this modern hotel really is the perfect base from which to explore the area. It boasts three magnificent restaurants too, so you can dine like a king! Do NOT leave without sampling the oysters. https://www.strandhotelswakopmund.com/ Tommy’s Living Desert Tours are also highly recommended. Our guide – Tommy, himself – provided us with incredible insight into the animals that live in the desert. It is an unforgettable experience. http://www.livingdeserttours.com.na/ |
