Visas

Tunisia - not required
Libya - to be obtained at Ras Adjir border post. Guide required for travelling through Libya. We have been told that the requirement for a member of the Libyan tourist police is only applicable for groups over 4 people but can still be applied at random.
Niger - multiple entry visa obtained from the Embassy in Paris as well as a stamped itinerary or "autorisation de passage" which will assist in getting past difficult police check points.
Algeria - Certificat d' Hebergement or invitation letter has been arranged through Tarahist Agency in Tamanrasset as well as a compulsory guide in his own vehicle to meet us at the border and guide / follow us during our tour. Visas to be obtained at the Algerian Consulate, London. Visas must be obtained in our home country.
Mali - visa obtained from Embassy in Paris
Mauritania - Obtained at Mauritanian Consulate in Bamako, Mali - very friendly, helpful and speedy service from the lady at the Consulate.
Western Sahara - not required.
Morocco - not required.

The vehicle

The vehicle nearly ready to go.

The rooftop tent has now been added instead!

For the more techy, here's some of the vehicle modifications:

compressor, load guard, diff guards, diff guards, steering guard
winch bumper, jackable sill guards, long range tanks
rear recovery, winch, wire rope, roller fairlead, Hi-lift jack
jack adaptorraised air intake, dual electrics, Koni shocks & springs, spring retainers, improved intercooler

And some of the tools, spares, equipment:

Hannibal roof top tent, awning, gas cylinders, gas light, gas stove, fridge, roof rackaccess, water containers, Jerry cans, inverter, camera, laptop, spares, CB radio, CB antennae

Who is travelling?

John, Tanya, Kathy and Steve
We met on the boat trip across the Bay of Biscay to Bilbau where with an organized trip around Morocco ahead of us we discussed a trip to take us further around west Africa across the Sahara. Morrocco gave us the opportunity to try out some desert driving (John and Tanya in a Land Rover Discovery) (Kathy and Steve in Land Rover Defender) and experience living out of our vehicle with roof top tent.
Since then there has been a year and a half of planning, not to much by me I must say! Further adapting and working on the vehicles, planning a route and guides where required for visas to enter country's such as Libya and Algeria.
Picture is of me in the erg south of Whitley Bay
Anyone else?
Dillon the bloodhound and George the jack russell
And through the Sahara Overland website, Barbarra from Spain and Lucas from Argentina, have arranged to meet us in Genoa to travel through Tunisia and Libya.
Oh and we may meet a couple of Dutch people at Al Katrun, before we head across the Libyan/Niger border. Well we bumped into them a bit earlier in Gdhames, Libya - the only other overlanders we'd seen at that stage in Libya - pictured in Akakus.