Fantastic adventure in Portugal

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We received the following mail from Paul Honeywell, one of the participants on our trip through North and Central Portugal:

Hi Mark

I was just reflecting on what a fantastic adventure we had in Portugal. It combined amazing scenery, good company, lovely accommodation and food, and really learning how to drive a 4×4 off road.  We did things I never thought the car could achieve, but it seemed so effortless.

My Discovery 4 was put through its paces and returned covered in dust and what seemed to be “battle scars” but after a professional clean (and a new air filter!) there isn’t a mark left on it!  What an amazing car it is! I have new respect for it now.

Thanks to you and Hans once again and very best wishes for the success of 4×4 Discovery Travel. You certainly deserve it.

Paul

Thank you very much, Paul! Here are a few pictures featuring your fantastically capable, and dustproof, Discovery 4. Click to enlarge.

How to prepare your off-road vehicle?

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Among the many things that people who have never been on a tour with us want to know, two questions stand out:

  1. What do we need to do to prepare our car?
  2. What is the risk of damage to our car?

These are sensible questions.

Our answers are: very little and very little.

For the car the following is essential:

  • Make sure it’s been serviced and is in good overall working order.
  • Have a set of good all-terrain tires (five of them), with plenty of thread left.

If you do want to make changes to your car, fitting some under-body protection, especially for the differentials,is a good idea. A snorkel is nice especially in dusty areas.

And that’s it. Less is more.

Just don’t do as the locals do:

You may ask yourself if your car is in good working order and ready for the journey. If you have any doubts, mention them to us.

The routes we drive are non-damaging to your car: it is in nobody’s interest to take the risk of not being able to continue the journey. The worst that can happen is some scratches on the paintwork from overhanging branches on narrow lanes. If the foliage becomes very dense, we cut some of it away.

Whenever the track becomes technical, we get out, help and guide you. As long as you follow our guidance and have reasonable off-road driving skills, very little can happen.

The Green Code

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Driving according to the Green Code

Groene code

One of the advantages of a 4×4 car is the possibility to reach places other cars can’t reach. If we want to continue to do this, we’ve got be careful with the environment. Therefore we must stick to a few basic, common-sense rules of behaviour. We need to deal carefully with our rights of way.

We often pass tracks that look attractive to go into. Unfortunately there is sometimes a sign saying we’re not allowed to enter. Even though it might be tempting to do so, the chance of getting caught is slight and we can probably talk ourselves out of any problems, we will be strong and resist the temptation.

Resisting the temptation is the main rule.

Green Code on unsealed roads

  • We only go where we’re allowed to
  • We only make use of existing routes, open to the public with motorised vehicles
  • We stick to those tracks and routes. If not, others will follow; new, illegal tracks will be created and we damage the environment
  • We respect nature and the environment
  • We avoid damage to trees and plants
  • We are aware of fire hazards
  • We take our rubish with us
  • Our cars are free of oil leakages
  • If we have to carry out repairs in the field, we make sure the ground stays free of oil and grease
  • We respect the rights of others
  • We leave gates closed that are clearly meant to keep out the public. We leave gates meant to keep animals in or out the way we found them
  • We respect traffic rules and signs; us not following the rules is a great source of irritation for other people
  • Slow down for pedestrians and cyclists
  • Avoid unnecessary noise
  • Greet other users of the road.