You don't need a Carnet
Hi Guys,
Just wanted to let you know that we recently travelled from London to Capetown pretty much the same route you're planning on going.
We however got carnets as we thought you MUST have one but in retrospect we wouldn't have got one as we travelled with a guy who started in Spain and he travelled all the way to South Africa along the west route and managed to get through every border without a carnet!!
To be honest It's probably easier with one as they'll now have something to bribe you with, but with some patience and assertiveness, you can just get a "passavant" or "lesser passage" at the borders. Sometimes he had to pay, other times it was free... it depends how well you bargain and who you get. DR Congo was a difficult one on the brazziville/kinshasa post. I also think it was more difficult for him to get across as he was travelling with us, and everyone had a carnet except him. So he often got posed the question " but why don't you have a carnet aswell?"
But he managed. It also helps if you speak French and some Portugese!
Hope this is helpful and please contact me if you want to ask me anymore questions
drwalrus'at'hotmail.com
Check our website for the places we went
www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/robbo
Amy
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