Mom, are we there yet?
By Jeff Bell - Times Colonist Victoria, Canada	Published:June 14, 2009
After a pitstop with friends in Victoria, South Africans Gary and Jo-Anne Allie and their children Jade, 12, and 10-year-old Dane will soon be back on the road for the final third of their around-the-world driving trip. Where most others might prefer the oceans for traversing the globe, the Allies are about two years into a dry-land jaunt that should wrap up around April or May of 2010. Their vehicle of choice is a converted Toyota Land Cruiser, which has morphed into a motorhome. Adventure is certainly part of the itinerary, but they are also promoting human rights and raising money to support a facility for special-needs children -- most of them orphans -- in a South African township. The centre was established in 1990 with assistance from Nelson Mandela. The Allies are chronicling their journey and cause on their website, www.cape2cape.co.za. The web address reflects the fact that their travels go from South Africa's Cape Town and back again. After Victoria, they will spend another month in Canada, three months in the United States and then go on to Central and South America. By the time they finish, they will have visited five continents and 74 countries, and motored 130,000 kilometres. Gary Allie joked that if all goes well, the family could be back home in time for the World Cup, which is being held in South Africa next year.