Malawi

Friday 13th April

We woke up fairly early and were on our way by 7.30am. We took 3 hours to complete the 80kms from Chitipa to Karonga on Lake Malawi and there we all drew money at an Atm, filled up with petrol and went to the internet café. Thank goodness petrol is now R8.50 instead of the R12 – R15 we were paying in Zambia! Downloading to our web is still proving to be a challenge – the café had a dial up connection with a speed of 26 kbs which is half the speed of a dial up at home. So it took us 40 minutes to just read our email and dump prepared text to the blog. There was no way we could download photographs. The cell coverage here is good and in Zambia it was intermittent, however, the towers do not have Gprs/3G data connection so we can’t get our emails via our cell phone. The satellite phone is very slow and very expensive so I’m afraid our communication is sporadic. I hope we are not frustrating you all too much but we are doing the best we can.
We then drove down the M1(a tarred road!) along side the western shore of Lake Malawi. The scenery is really spectacular and the lake impressive. We went about 80kms south before finding an absolutely beautiful campsite called Sangilo Sanctuary. There was a steep descent to Sangilo but the end result was worth it – a totally private beach with big rock boulders at either end. On the pure white, non salty beach was the kitchen, restaurant and bar area. The lake has gentle bobbing waves(just for me) and is a pleasant 25 degrees(just for Dave). We couldn’t resist their evening menu of an avo starter with cream cheese followed by a choice of lake fish or lemon braised chicken with veggies and sauted potatoes for R65 a head! It was the perfect end to an idyllic day.

Saturday 14th April

We decided to spend another day at Sangilo as it was just so restful. The owners are a married couple with 2 little girls – one turns 5 tomorrow on Daryl’s birthday and the other is 18 months old. The lady is a doctor from Scotland – she came here 10 years ago on a contract and has never left! The weather was wonderful and we just lolled in the lake and played cards and read our books. Another tough day in Africa!

Sunday 15th April

We left at 7am – we are getting good – and headed west inland over the mountains that surround the lake. The view was breath taking and we got a birds eye view of the enormity of Lake Malawi. We drove SW to Rumphi and then up into Nyika National Park. The Nyika Plateau is 2400m above sea level and is quite a different landscape from that around the lake. On the way we stopped and bought local produce along the road – whatever the locals have for sale, they just leave in a bucket on the road and when you stop they appear from nowhere to serve you! I bought a pumpkin for 50c and a cabbage + 4 tomatoes for R5! The tomatoes are absolutely delicious obviously organically grown! We are now camped at Chelinda Campsite in the Nyika Plateau and it is just like being in the Drakensberg. They lit a donkey and we had wonderful, steaming hot showers and are about to sit down beside the camp fire. Tomorrow is my boy’s birthday and you are really in our thoughts Daryl – Happy birthday son we hope you have a wonderful day and that everyone spoils you rotten! Hope you enjoy your presents – we love and miss you stacks.

This plateau is about 40 kms from the lakeside as the crow flies, but is almost 2kms up and you can certainly feel the temperature difference-Sunday night it went down to 9 degrees and the afternoon had been 19 whereas the lakeside was 25 to 30 degrees!

Monday 16th April

We left at 8am and headed back down the road towards Rumphi and then the Lake. We stopped to look at a “basket bridge” which was originally built in 1904 and is still maintained and used by the locals on a regular basis. Further up the pass over to the lake we took a turning to the Wungra Falls which was 8 kms off the road. A local met us and said he would guide us on a 20 minute walk-not too steep-to the falls. So off we all set except Maureen, in our slops, no water or anything. Well, 3 hours later we got back to the cars, with only Neville having actually made it the last 40 meters down to the bottom of the falls! You needed to be a mountain goat to do this walk and in fact it was very dangerous with a sheer, slippery, muddy path vertically down. As we said to Jeffram(our guide) it was VERY steep and you needed hiking boots, rescue ropes and definitely water! Anyway, we all lived to tell the tale although I, for one, can hardly walk today on Wednesday!
After our long walk we were all exhausted and decided to just get to the lakeside and find a camp instead of going to Livingstonia, as had been our original plan.

Tuesday 17th April

We left at 8.30am and headed 10kms up the lakeside before turning inland towards Livingstonia. This was a really exciting road which was 15kms long with 20 hairpin bends, besides other twists and turns, which ascended 1 000 meters, and was definitely more challenging than the Sani Pass road. The view was breath taking and the drive was really worth it. Livingstonia is an ancient mission town which relocated up into the hills to escape malaria.

Zambia 3rd week

Thursday 5th April

We got up at 7am and left our bush camp stopping at 8am for breakfast along the way. It was after 10am before we reached the tar road leading up to Mpika. The Karg’s and us went ahead to Mpika as we had to get to the immigration office to sort out our passports as we had discovered that we had only been given 7 days in Zambia while the others all had 30 days – us 4 were illegal immigrants at this stage. Mike from Mutinondo had written a letter on our behalf to the immigration office in Mpika explaining that we had never been asked how many days we required. Apparently this is a common problem at the border posts with people only being given 7 days. Anyway, as we drove into Mpika, Dave and I got a puncture, so Neville and Lorraine carried on and we joined them at the office 20 minutes later. Well, what an ordeal! Basically, they insisted that we each pay fines of around R3 500! We just said that we did not have the money and after much talking and Lorraine even mustering up some tears!! they finally agreed to amend our passports. So 2 hours later we could start fixing our puncture, going to the bank, internet café, grocery shopping etc. All 5 vehicles finally left Mpika at around 4 o’clock and headed N towards Shiwa N’gandu and Kapishya hot springs. We arrived at Kapishya at about 5.30pm and set up camp. After dinner we all went and lolled in the totally unspoilt hot spring. It was a real treat at the end of an exhausting day.

Friday 6th April

After breakfast and Dave doing the routine maintenance on Garfield, we set off 20kms back to visit Shiwa House which overlooks Shiwa N’gandu Lake. The name Shiwa means lake and N’gandu means royal crocodiles. Shiwa House was built in 1924 by Stewart Gore-Browne with financial assistance from his Aunt Ethel in England and the house was a model of a country house in England called Brooklands. All the crockery,books etc from England were transported 70 miles on foot from Ndola to the Luapula River then a 10 day canoe trip through Bangweulu Swamps and then another 70 mile hike on foot! To see the house which is now administered by his grandson, David, is quite a sight. By 1925 Gore-Browne was employing 1 800 local people and had workshops, a school and a hospital as well as the magnificent manor house.
After our tour of Shiwa House we went back to Kapishya hot spring and had a swim in the cool river running through the camp site before relaxing. After lunch there was a massive downpour of rain and we decided that the best place to
be would be in the hot spring. So we spent the best part of the afternoon submerged in the warm water with an umbrella over our heads to protect us from the icy rain drops!

Saturday 7th April

We woke up early and went for our final soak in the spring. Then we bade Anne-Rose and George goodbye as they were heading back to South Africa. The 4 remaining vehicles set off N towards Kasama which we reached at 12 o’clock and as it sports a Shoprite, we all did a bit of shopping. We left at 1 pm on a very pot holed road towards Mpulungu and by 4.30pm we had found Nkupi Lodge and were all set up and going for a swim in Lake Tanganyika which was over the road. The camp site was quite pleasant but the location was not great so we all decided to just spend 1 night and to move around the bay in the morning, to another resort called Isanga Bay Lodge. We did, however, meet another couple from Tanzania who run a hotel at the base of Kilamanjaro, and she gave us a lot of info and invited us to camp at her hotel, so that was great.

Sunday 8th April

We left at 8.30am and headed back through Mpulungu and Mbala and then back down to the lake. Well, a 20km road down to Isanga Bay took us over 3 hours! It was unanimously voted to be the worst road yet. Anyway we arrived safe and sound only to find out that we are the first vehicles to have made it through for a few months – everyone else comes over by boat! We are going to stay here 3 or 4 nights and then we will have to tackle the road up out of here. This afternoon we have snorkeled all around the bay and it was very pleasant as we saw hundreds of small, colourful fish. Lake Tanganyika is the deepest of the Rift Valley Lakes with a maximum depth of about 1 450 metres but the water is pleasantly warm between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius. There is a beautiful sandy beach here with coconut palms and swimming is quite safe in this area.
Today Rayanne flew back to Cape Town – I am thinking of you my Babsie and hope you had a good flight and that you have a wonderful second term at UCT.

Monday & Tuesday 9th & 10th April

We just relaxed and chilled out by Lake Tanganyika – swimming, snorkeling, reading and sleeping. Of course there are also house hold chores such as laundry and cooking meals but otherwise it has been a complete relaxation. Brian and Willie have had no success with fishing so we resorted to buying some Nile Perch from the locals. We had this for dinner on Tuesday night and it was really delicious. Nile perch can reach up to 80kg but ours were not this big. It is the most devine eating fish and we hope that they are successful at catching them in Lake Victoria when we get there.
My tapestry is coming on well although it is quite hard making up my own pattern – however it is really starting to take shape.
After dinner on Tuesday night the heavens opened and we were all chased to bed prematurely.

Wednesday 11th April

It rained continuously all night and we woke up to rain so we decided to pack up and attempt the road out. By the time the rubber duck was packed and everyone had packed up camp it was 10.30am and the rain had stopped. We left, all feeling a bit apprehensive about our upward journey! However, it was not nearly as bad as expected and by 12.30 we were on the way to Kalambo Falls. These are the second highest falls in Africa and have a single drop of 221m off the edge of the plateau. Now, at the end of March they are very spectacular as they are full but the downside is that marabou storks breed in the cliffs, but that is in the dry season. So, we will definitely have to go back again another time to see the storks. After lunch, we set off back to Mbala where we visited the Moto Moto Museum which is a very comprehensive museum with lots of info about the Bemba tribe. A lot of the stuff in the museum has been collected from above the Kalambo Falls as this is a very well preserved archeological site. We stayed at the New Grasshopper Inn in Mbala, although after inspecting the rooms, we opted to sleep in our own beds so we still put up our roof top tents. We did, however, go to their restaurant for chicken and chips which was very enjoyable.

Thursday 12th April

We left at 7.30am and headed for Tunduma where we had to clear Zambian customs because at Chitipa, where we were actually entering Malawi, there is no customs on the Zambian side. We reached Chitipa at 4 pm and after entering Malawi, traveled for 1 hour, before setting up a bush camp.

Zanbia has all in all been a wonderful experience- the people are so friendly and we have not felt threatened at all. The one bush camp we made was right next to a village and just after we had set up, a man came to introduce himself as our neighbour and to welcome us! This has been the general attitude of all the people we have met and I would highly recommend Zambia to anyone.

Our costs so far in Zambia are
Insurance for 6 months R681
Comesa yellow card R290
Ferry Kazungula R140
Border fees R372
Car repairs R707
Gifts R175
Accomodation R2541
Sight seeing R966
Groceries R1528
Beer R607
Park entry fees R315
Plug adaptor R50
Internet café R51
Petrol R7048

More Zambia

Monday 2nd April

We left Mutinondo at 8.15am after saying goodbye to Mike & Lari. They have a really laid back life and only manage to keep track of the days by instructing their staff to give them baked beans every Sunday so that they will know that the next day is Monday! If the staff forget, they say that everyone is totally confused as to what day it is. Mike wrote us a letter for the immigration lady at Mpika so that the dates in our passport can be sorted out – 4 of us were only given 7 days in Zambia by mistake. We proceeded along the Chiundaponde road which is 69mks long but takes 2 ½ hours! The Karg’s and us arrived at 11.30am and waited for the other 3 couples. Unfortunately, we had mis read the sms and were waiting further along than we were supposed to. So we had a 2 hour wait on our hands! Anyway, we just got out the cards and played bridge to pass the time. The Day’s and the Hardman’s got stuck and so all in all it was about 4 o’clock before we were all together and headed on the Shoebill Island road. This once again, was an atrocious road and the going was very slow. We passed right through villages and all the kids came out to greet us – it must be very tiresome to be a queen as just an hour of smiling and waving gets quite tiring! Eventually the light was fading but we decided to push on as we wanted to get to the scout camp. We only had 3 kms to go when the road, which was an elevated high road through a plain of bog, disintegrated! So, there we had our camp site, all in a row on this elevated road in the middle of a bog. And, to top it, Brian was stuck in at an angle and couldn’t even put up his roof top tent. Him and Maureen had to pitch a little tent on the road and sleep in there as it was too dark to attempt towing him out. We were in the middle of nowhere with a world of stars above our heads and sounds of lechwe, jackals and hyena all around us.

Tuesday 3rd April
What a wonderful sight! This has been our best camp site ever! We were in the middle of a huge plain full of Lechwe antelope and hordes of birds. The moon was still visible in the west and the sun was rising in the east – it was a breath taking sight to behold. We packed up our tents and then 2 vehicles got in line to tow Brain out. Success – we were all back on the road so to speak except there was no road! Just then a vehicle came towards us through the bog NOT the road. It was forging along through the water with a fountain of muddy water spraying up either side! He veered off to stop and talk to us and in doing so did a complete 360 with a scout hanging on for dear life on the roof rack! We all looked on with big eyes but he assured us that this was now the road to the scout camp and we must just hit out and go for it! Well, it was the only option we had, so off we set one by one. It was a very exciting trip with the wind screen wipers going full ball to keep the windscreen clear and the engine roaring to keep Garfield “swimming” through

Zambia 2nd week

Monday 26th March

We relaxed all day at Kalala camp on the edge of Itezhi Tezhi Dam catching up on washing, typing up web pages and reading. The guys of course had the regular maintenance of the vehicles to deal with! Brian eventually decided to take time out and to go fishing but the first fish he caught barbed him quite deeply in his hand – just above his thumb so then it was first aid time – luckily Maureen is a nursing sister. The day ended with a beautiful braai around the camp fire and we all retired to bed well rested and relaxed ready for the next challenging day of travel.

Tuesday 27th March

We left at 8 am and headed 80kms N on a very bad road full of pot holes. Our windscreen wipers stopped working – we are still being plagued by electrical faults! However, Dave hot wired them and our main problem was that the rain was intermittent – as each time the rain stopped or started we had to stop, open the bonnet and manually connect or disconnect the wipers! Very tiresome. We then reached the tar road leading E towards Lusaka and the going improved until Willies steering stabilizer on the right hand side packed in! Willie and Brian proceeded slowly while us, Lorraine & Nev and Anne-Rose & George went ahead. We reached Lusaka and George’s submersible petrol pump packed in! I am learning a lot about motor cars and their workings I can tell you. Anyway we finally all made it into Eureka Camp ground.

Wednesday 28th March

Another day spent doing motor vehicle maintenance! I don’t think anyone anticipated all this but still we are keeping going. In the afternoon Ingrid, Dave and I went into the Comesa office to find out about buying the Comesa Yellow card which is a once off 3rd party insurance for most of the African countries. We found out where to go the following morning and then went back to Eureka Camp. We had a delicious tuna pasta for dinner and then hit the sack for our early start in the morning.

We have found all the Zambians we have met, to be very friendly and as helpful as can be. They all speak English and so communication is no problem. The country side is beautiful and the land looks very fertile. Cell signal is very intermittent as there is generally only one tower in each town so you only get signal for a few kilometers around the town and nothing in the countryside. All along the roads there are locals selling tomatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes and spinach. Lusaka, itself, is a thriving but typically African city with derelict buildings, intermittent electricity supply and hordes of street sellers. However, we never felt threatened at all. On the outskirts of the city we found modern big shopping centres to match any of ours in South Africa with all the shops we are accustomed to eg. Game, Checkers, Steers and Mr Price.

Thursday 29th March

We left Eureka camp at 8am and all headed off to do what we had to in Lusaka. Most of us went and bought our yellow card at the Nico insurance office and once again the lady was slow but ever so helpful, even volunteering to send an email off to Ingrid’s mother for her. We all met about 120kms out of Lusaka at a town called Kabwe at lunch time. Petrol is very expensive here at about R12 a litre, but of course we can’t proceed without the magical fluid! We all set off together at 2pm and headed N till 4pm stopping at a camp site just off the road, called Forest Inn. To camp was only 50 000 kwacha a couple! Don’t fret – that is only R90.

Friday 30th March

We left and carried on beautiful tarred roads towards Serenje. At about 12 we split up as the Kargs and Oldhams went to visit some farmer friends of the Kargs while us other 3 couples went to see Kundalila Falls which means “cooing dove”. It was wonderful to get some exercise as we had to hike down to the bottom of the falls. They were a beautiful site from the bottom and we had a swim in the icy waters at the bottom! We relaxed at the falls for the rest of the afternoon and then headed up towards Kasanka Park. We are now in a bush camp just outside the gates and are planning to go in early tomorrow morning. Tonight Dave and I decided to time ourselves- from when we stop at camp, it takes us exactly 7 minutes to be completely set up – with our roof top tent up, chairs out, shower cubicle up and beers and savannas in hand. Not bad hey? And tonight, we had pot roasted chicken with sweet potatoe, butternut and onion with lovely gravy!! Life is great in Africa.
On the way here the Kargs had a dark chanting goshawk fly into their windscreen-they thought they had killed it but they stopped and picked it up as they realized it was just stunned. Lorraine just kept it quietly in her lap and it seems to have recovered – she has put it in a tree tonight and we will see how it is tomorrow.
Today I have felt really homesick as Rayanne gets home today and I remember how excited I was to first see Carmen-Jo when she came home from UCT! Anyway I knew it wouldn’t be easy leaving my kids behind so I suppose I have just got to get over this. I miss you tons my children and I blow you a kiss to the stars every night.

Saturday 31st March

We woke up at 5.30am and left at 6 for Kasanka National Park and after entering reached the main office in the middle of the park at about 8am. After speaking to Kim, the lady in charge, we have established that this is not the right time for game viewing although it is perfect for spotting the rare Shoebill at Shoebill Island. The other 3 couples decided to spend 1 night in Kasanka anyway, while the Karg’s and us decided to head on to Mutinondo on the way to Shoebill Island.

Sunday 1st April

We have spent a wonderful day here at Mutinondo. There are huge granite whaleback rocks and a very clear river running through the centre over 3 waterfalls. We left at 7.30am and did a 8km hike along the river – stopping to swim under the waterfalls – and then back around these whalebacks to our camp. We used the back pack that Daryl gave Dave for Christmas and the juice was really welcome! At 11am we had a scrumptious breakfast of bacon, eggs and fried tomatoe on toast. The rest of the day we have relaxed, after doing laundry, and played bridge. Tonight we are planning a braai. The weather here is a lot cooler and your crocheted blanket is coming in very handy, Mom.
Love and hugs to all of you

Zambia First Week

Well, after a relaxing few days at Kubu Lodge in Kasane we left at 6.30 am on Tuesday 20th March and headed down for the ferry crossing over the Chobe river at Kazangulu into Zambia. We finally all made the crossing by about 9.30 and started the border proceedings to get into Zambia. It was all quite quick and very official with receipts being issued but these were the costs involved:- Ferry crossing R140, Zambian 3 rd party insurance R204, Council tax R9 and Carbon tax R363. Anyway we were over the border and all 4 of us headed north for 120kms before crossing over to the western side of the Zambezi river and traveling another 50kms to Kubula Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi river. This lodge is R75 per person per night for camping but it is well worth it as there is a beautiful lawn and good ablutions. On Tuesday we just chilled at the campsite and had a braai in the evening. Wednesday morning we got up and took a boat ride up the Zambezi to some rapids. However the rapids were completely covered over as the Zambezi is flooding and is the highest it has been since 1979. Anyway it was an enjoyable trip. In the afternoon we managed to activate our satellite telephones so that was another worry off my mind.
Our car now seems to be behaving so Dave is very relieved.
Thursday we took a day trip 90kms north up the western side of the Zambezi to Sioma Ngonye Falls – however these were more rapids than falls due once again to the flooding of the river. We hired locals to take us over in mokoros to see better and so it was a very enjoyable morning ending with a lovely swim in the river. On the way up, we had stopped to help some locals fix a broken fan belt and to tow them out of soft sand but the way back was uneventful. We arrived back at Kubula Lodge at 3.30pm and there were Ingrid and Will – our 5th and final traveling companions.

Friday 23rd March
We set off bright and early – all 5 vehicles now in convoy – back down towards Katima Mulilo then NE to Katundu and on up to Mulobezi. Here we stopped to look at a whole lot of abandoned trains and an abandoned saw mill. Apparently all was closed down in 1995 and it looks like a train graveyard. We met a local who showed us around and he said he has just purchased the saw mill from the government and is hoping to get it all up and running again. We set off under his directions and a short way out we set up a bush camp.

Saturday 24th March
Dave and I took the lead as we have decided to take turns and we set off on a secondary road towards Kafue National Park. This road soon deteriorated into a grass track and in fact later there was virtually no track at all. To top this, the tsetse flies invaded us!! They are nasty flies that BITE and soon we were all covered in bites. We made very slow progress and by the afternoon had virtually given up hope of getting through to Kafue, when we met two local fishermen, Alex & Pritchard. They invited us to camp in their fishing village for the night and offered to be our guides on Sunday.

Sunday 25th March
Anne-Rose and George took the lead with Alex the guide and Dave & I gratefully slotted in at the back-no more pressure! We seemed to leave the tsetse flies behind and all was looking much more positive. It was slow going but we finally reached Ngoma camp at 2.30 pm and decided to continue up to Kalala camp on the banks of Itezhi-Tezhi Dam. On the way Brian’s water pump packed in and had to be replaced but by evening we were all safely in camp and enjoying our dinner around the camp fire.

Travelling through Africa these first two weeks has been a great learning curve – but we are surviving and enjoying it. Dave and I seem to have our packing and unpacking routine sorted now and are working together well. Dave has not had time to miss his TV as he always has to do maintenance on Garfield! Last night it was taking off the bonnet to get to the air vents to clear out grass seeds and stripping the radiator to clear grass seeds! I have my hands full cooking, washing up and doing the laundry! I wonder if Flora stands back and admires the clean washing? – I do! Iam using the sputnik that Guy & Glyni gave us – so thank you. Thank you, too, to Moira, Daryl, our parents, CJ, Rayanne and Andrew who have commented back to us via our web. It is great to know that you are all out there.

Botswana

Well on Thursday 15th March we finally set off from JHB at 6.15am to meet Neville and Lorraine Karg in Warmbaths. We left together at 9am and headed for Zanzibar border crossing into Botswana. All was going well…..then a red light began to flash! – our alternator warning light was flashing. We stopped and Dave found a cut wire. Our second alternator fan belt had cut this wire so as there was no immediate problem we proceeded over the border and made our first bush camp in Botswana. In the morning when the engine was cool, Dave made an inspection and phoned Brian Day, and after testing with meters, discovered that alternator number 1 was not charging but no problem we still had alternator number 2. Dave bridged the batteries so that alternator number 2 charged all 3 batteries and we set off towards Francistown. As Brian was still in SA he said he would bring spares to fix alternator number 1. We headed from Francistown towards Orapa so that we could take the scenic route up to Nata through the Makgadikgadi Pans. Burning rubber smell! - So we stopped only to discover that the fan belt driving alternator number 2 had snapped. Well, the engine was too hot to work on so we decided to push through to Nata as we have 3 batteries and if neither alternators were working it wasn’t too serious- bad mistake! This scenic route was slow going and rough. Next minute our fuel tank, which we had only done 26kms on, suddenly dropped to empty! Immediate stop once again but as there was no evidence of petrol leaking out, we decided it was just a faulty petrol gauge. By now it is 4 pm and this scenic route is never ending, in fact we only look to be about a third of the way! Neville is ahead and pushing fast to try and get us to Nata before night fall. Because of dust he cannot see us but keeps in regular CB radio contact. Six o’clock, 2/3‘s of the way and bang we get a flat tyre! Immediately I, Beryl, call Lorraine – we can see their dust. But guess what? Their CB radio has given up the ghost. So we start to change our tyre, and at 10 to 7 in fading light, we are on the way again. Unbeknown to us, Nev and Lorraine have realized we are not behind and have turned back to look for us, but as there are numerous tracks, have missed us and now are behind us! Eventually we have to put on headlights to see where we are going and of course our batteries are draining. By 8.30pm our headlights are like candle light but we reach the main road and head on the last 30kms to Nata. Our headlights are basically off and we are getting rather nervous. We stop, without turning off our ignition, and start our petrol generator up, in the back of the vehicle, to try and charge our batteries. However, a few minutes later Garfield stops-all 3 batteries are flat due to the head lights, the electric ignition and the powerful cooling fan we have. We are now stranded on the side of the road in the pitch dark and I am scared! Dave says we will have to sleep where we are and I am not happy. Five minutes later a GP tour bus/combi stops and offers to help us but then, up drive Nev and Lorraine! Hugs and tears of relief and we are towed to Nata. At 10.30pm we are in the camp site and have met up with Ann-Rose and George.
Saturday morning Dave replaces alternator number 2 fan belt so it is charging again and we go into Nata to have our tyre repaired. By 11.30 we are on the road to Kasane on the Zambian border. An hour later – rubber smell! Immedaite stop and air conditioner fan belt is broken! We have not been running the air con and don’t want to, so no problem, we carry on. A while later, I am driving, and wham, our temperature gauge zoots to the top – off the scale. “STOP” screeches Dave and we stop only to discover that the main fan belt has snapped. Of course this has to be replaced, so Nev and Dave don gloves and set about working on a hot engine in the heat of the day! We are on the road again and only an hour to go. The one fuel tank is empty so I switch over to the rear tank – but guess what? We grind to a halt – all 3 vehicles stopped again and the men work out that the switch to change tanks is not operating! So, we have to siphon out 20l from the front tank and pour it into the rear tank and we are off again. We arrived in Kasane at Kubu Lodge camp site at 4pm and since then nothing as gone wrong. This morning(Sunday) Dave has found the broken common earth wire, which was the cause of the faulty petrol gauge and the faulty petrol tank switch over switch. Tomorrow, Brian is arriving with the spares for alternator number 1 and so all our troubles should be over. I think we have had all our troubles in the first 3 days or so I hope.

Monday 19th March
We had a very relaxing day yesterday in Kubu Lodge Camp site. There is a swimming pool in the camp ground and so when it got too hot we submerged ourselves in it. Dave worked the whole day but in a leisurely manner, and got all the gremlins sorted out. All our switches are now working and he has removed the errant alternator in preparation for Brian’s arrival to do the repair. I tidied up and sorted all things out in the inside of Garfield and then I made a start on my tapestry. During the day we were entertained by a troop of banded mongoose who obviously live in the camp ground. On the way up to the Lodge last night for a sundowner drink we stopped to observe a very active army ant colony who were very fascinating.Today has dawned a cool day and we are packing up as we hope to cross with the Kazungula Ferry into Zambia

The last few weeks before our departure.

Well about a month before our intended departure date of the 11 March 2007, we discovered that we were short of a few visas. We had intended to arrange visas as and when required at the border posts or in the neighboring country. This, we discovered would work all the way up the east coast of Africa, except for Uganda, and only up until Egypt. From Egypt and over the top of Africa we needed to pre arrange visas and we needed to do it in South Africa before we left! The next problem was that most countries only want to give visas 3 months prior to arrival and we would only be in Egypt in about 5 months time. So we started… first, Ugandan visas – R300 each and courier our passports up to Pretoria and wait to get them back. In the mean time I wrote a letter to the Egyptian Consul explaining the situation and he agreed to accommodate us! We got our passports back and decided to do our Schengan visas for Europe next and to do them via the Italian Consulate as they are in Durban. I, Beryl, have a British passport(as well as my SA) so I did not need the Schengan visa and in fact Dave got his Schengan free by virtue of being the spouse of an EU citizen! Next we had to work on Libya – they wanted us to contact a Libyan travel agent in Libya and arrange it through them. After attempting to phone them in Libya and not being understood, we decided to email them in the hope that someone in the office would understand English! Jackpot! Ten days later we had a reply saying that all could be arranged via Wings travel agent in Libya and we could do it on route as long as we gave them a months notice of our date of arrival and of course at a cost! A Libyan escort has to meet us at the border and accompany us in our vehicle the entire time we are in Libya until we leave the other side to Tunisia. Tunisian visas can be organized at the border and then we plan to go via ferry over to Italy. So at long last we were home and dry and we departed on Sunday 11th March as originally planned although we did have to wait in JHB for a couple of days to collect our Egyptian visas. This was not a problem as we stayed with our son, Daryl, who was delighted to spend some precious days with us before we left for the year!



Packing began in earnest in the last week. I arranged for the vehicle windows to be tinted with a plastic film which also acts as a protection against smash and grab. The vehicle received its last service, almost new tyres fitted with two spare tubes, one spare on a rim and one spare tyre off a rim.
We had a number of farewell parties, starting with a weekend in the berg with Mike and Wendy Brown, and then the main one which was kindly arranged by Guy & Zane Dreimeyer at Sierra Ranch. Thirteen couples spent a lovely weekend of the 2 March 2007, with much partying and we were given a lovely pair of Bushnell 16X50 binoculars. The weekend ended with a few tear jerking last farewells. Then we had a number of smaller home dinners, a function at our home on Friday the 9th and rugby and another farewell at Guy’s new home on the Saturday!
On Sunday we had breakfast with our parents and finally the last goodbye to our daughter Carmen-Jo. She has been burdened with all the administration of our properties and general finances of our home. Without her, we would not have been able to undertake this trip. We left at 10:45am with the Adnams & Schreuders escorting us up to Hilton on motorcycles. We were on our way …….