‘The Grand Tour’ in Namibia

Beetles are ‘blegh’, according to the iconic trio Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. But when they take a trip the Namib Desert – thanks to a few… modifications, a grand tour is born and it’s so good that two episodes had to be made about it.

A few minutes into the show, you realise the challenge is the following: The crew must each turn a Beetle into a beach buggy and head over to a “wild, rugged, dreamy remote place on the coast of

Namibia”.

The challenge, of course is a smooth one: May gets himself a 1950s Beetle and defines it as ‘brilliant’, even comparing it to a Steve McQueen classic driven in the 1968 flick ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’. But then, of course, Clarkson speeds off in a purple and green buggy of his own – one he says is a buggy full of imagination. But what Hammond has got up on his sleeve is the biggest surprise of all – with a couple of insults from the rest of the crew, though.

It’s an absolute joy to watch the former ‘Top Gear’ presenters entertain and indulge us with their British humour. It has been missed.

Although ‘The Grand Tour’ has been a success thus far, any patriotic Namibian should catch a glimpse of the episodes seven and eight of the first season, because adventure doesn’t quite happen quite the way Clarkson, May and Hammond do it. Breathing a little life into the landscapes, the crew gather up their vehicles and test the dunes, all while experiencing the best of what the country has to offer. Not only are you guaranteed to feel patriotic, but car lovers with a passion for dunes will particularly enjoy this.

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