Volvo 240 bound for Timbuctu!
March 2009
In December 2008 British friends Helen Shariatmadari and David Szalay set out on the trip of a lifetime – a charity drive from London to the fabled city of Timbuctu.
It took them 5 weeks and they covered 5,500 miles through France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Mali. The car they chose for this unforgettable drive was a Volvo 240GL.
‘The only other Volvos we saw in Africa were great big lorries but Jesse, as we came to call her, was right at home there. Her heated seats were perfect for chilly mornings in the Sahara and her wide tyres meant she never got stuck in the sand. She even took us skiing in the high Atlas mountains of Morocco,’ commented Helen.
Born in 1991, and with 100,000 miles on the clock, the pair bought Jesse for only £250, and following a visit to Volvo Cars London to have a service and some parts replaced, she was ready to start her epic journey.
‘Neither of us have the first clue about mechanics and I’d never driven a Volvo let alone owned one’ says Helen. ‘When I asked the Volvo Forum what tools I should take, the reply was ‘None – it’s a Volvo’ and they were right. In Morocco we took the precaution of having a sump guard or bash plate fitted which turned out to be vital for the punishing desert crossing, but apart from that Jesse took everything in her stride.
‘Despite her age, I can describe her driving style as a stately cruise in a comfortable armchair – and we always felt safe.’
The armchair factor will be helpful in her new role. Helen and David donated Jesse to a charity in Bamako where she’s helping to transport AIDS and TB patients from their homes to the local medical centre.
‘I’ve been missing her so much, I’ve been looking for other 240s, but this time I want a red one – so if anyone out there has one to sell, there’s a buyer waiting in London!’ added Helen
For more information on Helen and David’s trip, click here...