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Published: August 6th 2007
Travelblog has had a computer crash, so I don't know exactly what I have posted up so far. So please excuse if you have read some of it already.
10-07-07
A quick shopping in Nanyuki (great baguette) and off we drove to lake Nakuru national park. We planed to camp just outside the gate at Mwbeha (2 Km from the gate and priced at KS 300 said the guide book) but were caught by surprise when the 2 Km turned out to be 12Km and the price was 3400 KS (about R340). We camped at the parking lot. This ought to be most expensive parking we have done so far in Africa. The drive to the camp turned out to be very challenging as the directions we were given did seem odd and the procedures at the park exit took a bit longer as planned and we ended up driving in the dark on an unknown track in the rain. The car jumped in and out of the track at will and more than once we skidded totally out of control. The Landrover was covered in mud all the way up to the roof, when we finally arrived at
the campsite. The staff was friendly though, but asked R3500 for one night stay at the lodge. It was a nice place but nowhere as luxurious as the price would make one believe.
11.07.07
Woken up by the call of the hyena we packed our stuff and went for the second run on the meanwhile even worst track, because it had rained all night long and the mud had become an interconnected array of puddles and mushy surface, which is not always clear as to how deep it is. Well, what can I say, we made it intact and without damage to the car. As we had paid for the park the previous day (African bureaucracy at its best and too long to write down, but I did have to through a tantrum to get it right) we re-entered the Nakuru National Park and experienced most magnificent sights throughout the morning. Millions of pink flamingos and thousands of pelicans at the water. A lone hyena was chasing the flamingos deep into the water and to our surprise got one of them. We watched the kill and how it took the bird apart watched with great anticipation by some
marabou storks which were not shy at all coming as close as a few centimetres. We saw some silly tourist taking photographs only a few meters away from buffalo (the most dangerous animal and unpredictable too). We did not wait for that “kill”. We left at about lunch time heading for Kambu, but before we went for a car wash. It took the guy more than an hour with a high pressure sprayer to clean the car from the bulk of the dirt. A rather short trip to a well equipped nice Kambu camp site, were we stayed the night. In the course of the day I felt more and more a cold coming up and I am treating it with lots of drugs and hot teas. Vanessa is nursing me perfectly.
13.07.07
Although I still feel rotten we decided to carry on and check out the Tea Hotel in Kericho 150 Km further, so maybe we could check in and treat us to some hot bath until I feel better. The tea hotel was disappointingly run down and expensive with muzungu prices twice as much as for locals. We carried on to Kisii instead which is in easy
reach of the Tanzanian border. We checked into the best hotel called Mash Park Hotel. Well, a sleep-in-cupboard and a tiny shower bath is all you get. But it is perfectly fine for an overnight stay and makes one appreciate home so much more again. The travel was uneventful and very scenic through the wheat and tea lands and beautiful mountains and picturesque valleys.
14.07.07
On a fair road we arrived rather early at the border crossing to Tanzania. The procedure was pleasant, only the Tanzanian customs official tried a fast one on us, demanding an additional 25 US$ to accept our carnet de passage. After some hackling we let him safe his face and paid 5 US$ as we would otherwise be spending the rest of the day at customs. The border crossing was even this included one of the fastest and efficient of our safari so far. On good roads we arrived at Speke Bay which our guide book described as on the beach of the lake Victoria with gorgeous sun-sets and nice settings. A very unfriendly gate guard did not even let us past the boom not even for an enquiry or drinks at the restaurant.
We did not want to stay at an unfriendly place and decided to rather spend our money elsewhere and arrived at a welcoming Serengeti Stop-over campsite only 2Km from the Serengeti entrance.
15.07.07
My cold is not getting any better. We stayed another day at Serengeti Stop-over.
16.07.07
At about 11:00 we entered the most famous Serengeti game Park. From my early childhood this name was imprinted as a synonymous to wild life in Africa. Good old Prof. Grzimeks (director of Frankfurt Zoologische Gesellschaft, which is still very much involved in the Serengeti) television series on then (new) colour TV had a good part of it. A hefty 600 US$ for three days in the park cut quite a hole in our budget. The park is vast and by far not as overrun as we have heard so many times before. We arrived at the right time with millions of wildebeests (German: Gnu) and hundred thousands of zebras are migrating for greener pastures. We saw the famous river crossing, the crocodiles waiting for them and experienced huge herds of zebras and saw some topis as well. The plains are awesome and endless in their beauty. Difficult to describe for me in my simple prose. Lions are best spotted by looking out for a cluster of game viewing vehicles, somewhere in the middle would be the poor lion, bewildered about the attraction he or she created. The Serengeti is a different experience to the other game parks as it is not so much the variety but the sheer numbers of animals to see. About halfway into the park we arrived at the public campsite Seronera, which consists of a number of satellite camps with animal names. The one we stayed at had no facilities and was a bit disappointing for the hefty price one pays.
17.07.07
We took a long game drive through the park and saw more large herds of plains animals. A lion here and there but less wildlife then the day before as the landscape became hillier and the altitude raised. We arrived at the northern public Lobo campsite (all special campsites were booked out) and had a rather cold night. The wind was hauling and our campfire smoky. So we made it a short evening and went to bed early. Then disaster struck… our air mattress collapsed during the night ( it had been loosing air some nights already, but never much) and besides being cold it was hard lying as well. We are not quite sure, but it appeared as if a pack of curious African wild dogs (very endangered and scarce animals) came during the night. The light was too bad and the pack too far to be sure.
18.07.07
In the morning we patched the mattress and meandered down into warmer regions of the park. For lunch we treated ourselves at the fife star Serengeti Sopa lodge. A very nice resident house doctor examined my chest and supplied me free of charge with a cough mixture and an antibiotic as my cold had turned into a bronchitis. Vanessa unfortunately also got it now and she is on the same treatment. We can cough as a duet and sneeze in unison. The night we spend again at Seronera choosing the better equipped Dik-Dik Campsite that is having at least a long drop toilet.
19.07.07
We left Serengeti via a very beautiful track parallel to the main drag through my favourite grasslands. What a treat. I can’t get enough of this kind of landscape. We almost got stuck at simba kopje (German: Hügel) trying to find some lions by driving around a rock formation. Leaving the Serengeti towards Ngoron Goro Crater is virtually the only way to get south again, but it comes with another price tag of 140 US$, just to drive through. .. And what a drive it was. The road is so corrugated that holding the steering wheel is a physical exercise. Game viewing vehicles shuttling tourists to and from Serengeti passed us at high speed producing huge amount of dust and zero vision. I underestimated the amount of fuel needed so we almost run out of diesel before arriving at the crater. A majestic view into the crater (it costs another 100 US$ per person to actually go drive down into the crater, we were not tempted) rewarded us on arrival. We lunched at the Ngoron Goro Serena Hotel which restaurant is overlooking the crater. Armed with binoculars, knife and fork we had an elaborate lunch buffet. Luckily the next petrol station was only 9 Km away, we just made it on the vapours of our tank.
The rest of the road was fair to excellent to Kudu Campsite. We spend the rest of the day organizing our laundry and clean the car of the Serengeti dust. We met an elderly couple John and Jill from East London heading the same direction as us and are planning to team up with them for the Arusha to Dodoma (capital of Tanzania) roads which has a reputation of being very bad to be impassable.
20.07.07
second day at Kudu campsite. Laundry done
21.07.07
At about 8:00 we set off with John and Jill trailing us onto the famous Arusha - Dodoma road. Apparently the road is so bad one should never attempt to even try to drive on it during rainy season. The clouds were hanging deep and dark over us and we put all our confidence into the fact that this is supposed to be the dry season and it won’t rain. On the news we heard, that England was land under from torrential rains in midsummer… but we were lucky as far as the rain concerned. The road itself was not as bad and in fact in some areas even quite good and very scenic through hills and mountains. A lunch break in a small town of Kondoa ended up on the parking lot of the post office as we could not find the guesthouse that was recommended by the guide. After lunch we hit the road again until …
A sudden clacking sound at the left rear of or car about 100Km north of Dodoma turned out to be the rear left suspension had finally fractured and was banging against the rim of the tire. A quick stop at one of the villages along the way took me and a whole bunch of eager helpers less than 30 minutes to take the double shocks including the fractured bracket off. We could continue to Dodoma and arrived just after sunset still in the light. There are no camping places in or around the capital and we chose New Dodoma Hotel to stay overnight. We had very good company and good Chinese food at the hotel. We heard fascinating events and recovery stories from John who with Jill has truly conquered the continent of Africa with Landrovers, bakkies and Unimogs, getting lost in mud and in river mouths till the waves run over the car and camping was in the rain. We are novices to these mid seventies folk who still go on their own through Africa. Tomorrow unfortunately is Sunday and we won’t get help before Monday, so we sadly said good bye to them and we will most likely catch up again along the way through Malawi.
22.07.07
Early morning we went to the Aga Khan Clinic in Dodoma. It turned out to be more like a community clinic with no x-ray facilities. The doctor was competent and diagnosed a dust induced bronchitis. Some antibiotics and I would be sorted out. The rest of the day we spend having the broken suspension welded at Landrover Dodoma. They did a good job, but I doubt they were an authorized Landrover dealership despite the signage and letterheads.
23.07.07
During the night my condition deteriorated drastically and I really felt sick coughing blood and feeling extremely weak. All my alarm bells went on red alert and we decided to drive straight to Dar-Es-Salaam. The Agar Khan hospital in Dar is a well equipped efficient hospital. I was immediately attended to, X-ray taken and send to a CT scan the next morning.
24.07.07
You can imagine my worries and fear when I was called in a second time and the CT procedure was repeated this time with a contrast drip in my vein. But the diagnosis was not as severe as I had anxiously prepared myself for. We stayed another day at the Palm Beach Hotel to get a bit more rest as I am still feeling very weak and the cough is still quite bad.
25.07.07
This morning I feel a bit better and we decided to continue the safari but with shorter distances until I feel really well again
So we travelled as far as Mikumi and choose the Tanswiss hotel to stay. It is a very colourful place with bright red bricks and white grouting; the pillars carry paintings of African animals or just leopard print. The beds were hideous bright baby blue with frills and embroidery hearts.
26.07.07
Next stop is Iringa again. We re-tired the car as my tyres are too worn by now. This does not come as a surprise as they are quite old by now and the likeliness of punctures is increased. Just 3 Km before Iringa the left front tyre gave in right in front of a police road block and with the help of a local man the swap was done in no time. We bought new tyres and even sold (!!) the old ones. Once in Iringa we found the Willowlesi Hilltop Hotel with good views over the valley at a very reasonable price. We are having chicken bites and chips. My bronchitis deteriorated again and we had to call a doctor who put me on even more drugs. The coughing attacks are very violent and I am afraid of travelling in this condition into areas were there is no help or hospital. So we decided to stay a few days until I feel better.
27.07.07
a day rest
28.07.07
another day rest
29.07.07 Sunday
We finally left Iringa to carry on our safari, although I still don’t feel really recovered. I did sleep well though, but the coughing still arrives incapacitating violently accompanied by a strong headache and a feeling of tightness around the chest. Loaded with all sorts of drugs we left for and stayed at the Landmark Hotel 350Km south, just a few kilometres short of the Malawi border.
30.07.07
We wanted to leave the sterile landmark hotel early in the morning but found the breakfast room wasn’t opened yet. We were served tea with no milk and rubbery pancakes. Tanzania is clearly not a gourmet travellers paradise. The customs clearance at the border was without hassle and we drove into Malawi. There is not much difference in the landscape in the beginning. We stayed like last year again at the Chitembe Campsite and were positively surprised, as it has changed owners and attitude. Still an overlanders Mecca, but very civilized and pleasant. We hardly noticed the trucks although we camped on the beach right next to open plan restaurant. The two new families from Holland owning the place now are still a bit stiff and non communicative, but they already have had a good influence on the place. Hygiene and food has improved and the rest will surely follow soon. We stayed two days and although I am still coughing my lungs out the rest did me good. We are starting to meet more single travelling cars from South Africa and it always becomes a fascinating exchange of “where have you been?” “What was the road to xyz like? Etc.”.
31.07.07
second day
01.08.07
After toast and coffee we hit the road via Muzungu to our last years favourite place Makuzi Beach, but we were very disappointed to be send away by the owner/manager who would not compromise as he was expecting a group and would not bother with a single travelling couple like us. We drove back a bit and found Nkhwazi Lodge which turned out to be very nice and closer even to the beach and more accessible for me with my Segway. We decided to stay 3 nights and are having the best of both worlds, by eating the most fantastic chips at the lodge’s restaurant overlooking the lake and have wonderful meals prepared at the campsite (ordering the chips to accompany our steak). There is nobody else but the very jovial owner Jim himself (ex Zimbabwe) who told us in no time his life-story and how it came that he is on crutches now (fell of a platform) and that he also is a chief of the local black tribe. The place is a bit worn but comfortable, the staff attentive and most willing to help. We are having a wonderful very relaxing time. Very recommendable ! As I am writing this, the lakes waves and the cry of a fish eagle are the sounds and the smell of extraordinary chips is in the air.
02.08.07
03.08.07
04.08.07
05.08.07
Leaving the comfort of the campsite we picked a most agreeable spring feeling day to continue our travel.
Malawi is a contrasting place, for example we read in the newspaper that the school teachers in a village walked out on their pupils for they were seriously suspecting witchcraft being rampant at the school and en-route to the capital of Lilongwe only 25Km away street side hawkers are selling fried field mice on a skewer. What a sight (!) ½ a dozen mice still with tails waved at you as a delicacy. Only moments later we for the first time were directly approached by a uniformed policeman at a roadblock for food, drink or money. How thoughtless of me, I should have had bought some of the fried mice if I only had known.
We stay tonight at the Lilongwe Hotel and will try to get our landrover serviced tomorrow. We have covered more than 15 000 km so far and the brake pads are worn from long mountain descents and the motor oil needs a change.
06.08.07
City Motors Landrover workshop is a real African experience. The service is done professionally but we waited hours for air and diesel filter spare parts to arrive. These are most normal maintenance parts which should be on the premises at all times. The brake pads are surprisingly still good but the diesel filter was full of silt and it was high noon to be changed. Meanwhile Vanessa is having coffees at the managers office ;o}
The place looks a bit like a junkyard and many vehicles are just semi permanent parked in waiting for spare parts. It always astonishes me how few tools are afforded by the management to do a job right. Much time is wasted for inefficient and inappropriate tools.
I obviously had asked for a quote before giving the “go ahead” and was consequently quoted 25000 Kwacha. After spending 3 hours on the premises (motor oil, diesel and air filter had to be bought on the market in town) the price suddenly jumped up to 67 000MK. I had to through a tantrum before after much negotiating we left paying 37000MK.
We then treated ourselves to a very nice pizza at Mama Mia still in Lilongwe. After lunch we had make tracks as it was still a 150 Km to the border. The drive to the border was actually quite swift and the crossing one of the fastest and cheapest we have made so far (one has to keep all documents and receipts handy). We arrived at Mama Rula in Chipata well before dark.
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Cheryll
non-member comment
Greetings from Durbs
Hi You two, it is great hearing all your news and you are really doing an excellent narrative - are you going to write a book? Your adventures are better than Born Free!! Hope you have recovered from all the sniffing and snorting. I have found that if you drink enough it kinda gets rid of all the germs (anaesthetic). Miss you both and keep on adventuring. Love Cheryll