No stopping wheelchair user Rich Harris as he embarks on The Indlovu Drive 2011 - Trans-Africa Expedition

Injured playing the sport he loves so much, Richard Harris has been a wheelchair user for 25 years and is now embarking on an incredible journey across the length of Africa.

At the age of nineteen Richard Harris was playing rugby as a prop-forward. An accident on the pitch left him acutely disabled and using a wheelchair for the rest of his life. After months and years of hard work Rich is now able to use crutches for a short while before he reverts to one of his self propelled or electric wheelchairs.

So what drives a man like Rich to want to even consider a trip like he is due to make in May this year 2011 ? Good question. For lots of information on the planning and now execution of the Trans-Africa Expedition with his wife Rachel please visit his web site and if you are able, contribute to his admirable charitable cause here.

Rich and Rachel have been planning this incredible journey for a few years. More recently they have been gathering all their kit including mobility equipment, specialist wheelchairs and a rather special Land Rover vehicle ready to ship it out to Durban where they will next see it at the beginning of May.

Their overland trip will take them through some of the wildest and most beautiful African scenery including these countries: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt.

At UK Wheelchairs, we wish my old school friend Rich and his wife Rachel the very best of luck on this very brave adventure and hope that they experience the best possible encounters to make this a real journey of a lifetime.