http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/philannie/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from philannie en-us Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:41:48 +0000 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 07:41:48 +0000 We flew from Winkhoek to Capetownour 1st flight since Spain Long st Backpackers was our home for 3 nights in Capetown. We spent an alcoholic day in Stellenbosch visiting wineriesanother in Simonstown in quest of the African Penguin and another seeing the Capetown sights but we were didn't to go to table mountain due to cablecar maintainence. Naturally there were lots of restaurants and beers.Fl http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/Western-Cape/Cape-Town/blog-449597.html We cossed into Namibia at Oshikango and after shopping and a few beers pushed on and camped at a small wildlife park. The next day we arrived at Etosha National Park and spent 2 nights there. We had multiple game drives on our truck and drove across to the west at Okaukuejo for the second night. The variety of game was enormous. Lionelephantgiraffecheetahrhinooryxplus many more. The next day http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Namibia/Etosha-National-Park/blog-449593.html After a couple of days camping at a catholic mission school in Matardipreparing and repairing for our race through Angolawe departed DRC via a remote border post to the north at Songololo. We camped the night in a quarry. The roads were terrible and we made slow progress until lunchtime on day 2 of 5 the radiator was destroyed by the fan after a particularly deep hole. We limped into N'Zeto a http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Angola/North/Luanda/blog-449592.html Leaving the haven of the Catholic mission in Brazzaville we set out to the port to enter DRC. The chaos that ensued could only be seen to be believed. There are no photos because to take one is to risk deathliterally. After waiting for a couple of hours while loading proceedures continued we obtained some Congolese Francs to buy snacks and just watched while the ferry was filled and filled and http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo-Democratic-Republic/West/Matadi/blog-424360.html Crossing into Congo we did not know what to expect. This unknown and rarely visited place has been racked by violent civil war until recently although still is unstable.We arrived in brazzaville after 3 days of bushcamping again through bad roads and little to see or buy. We entered from the north and travelled the length of the country.As usual we bush camped and in Brazza at a mission this time http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-418458.html Crossing the border and another Quarry BCwe drove on only a few kilometers from Equatorial Guinea . We got to Lambarene where Albert Schweitzer had his hospital and a visit to the museum and hospital. This was another long term ambition and it was fantastic to see where this great man and Nobel prize winner spent his life .After our radiator blew a hole we made it to Lope national Park where we http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-418455.html After crossing the border at Madigaliin the north and avoiding the Calabar crossing anf diabolical roads and the Delta region we continued an untravelled road bushcamping at a vet farm quarries and the edge of the road. the roads were incredible and after 5 days we made it to the paradise of Yaounde and its international restaurants bars nightclubs and icecream. this was a visa stop where G http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-418451.html We returned from Jos and back to the Sheraton but by a stroke of luck we obtained the Angolan visas 5 day transit only but our way became clear. After celebrations at the Elephant bar happy hour we made our plans and finally departed our home at the Sheraton car park. Abuja is a great place sterile perhaps but the Grand Mosque and Cathedralnext door almost to each other are magnificant and the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-418443.html We entered Nigeria at Chikandawhere This godforsaken tiny outpost does not see many travellers and we were about to see why. This was the beginning of 3 days of the worst roads I have seen. 3 days of bouncing frayed nerves and giant thunderstorms. The road was so busy that one night we camped on itno traffic all night except a couple of cows coming to drink from the giant potholes I mean swim http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Nigeria/blog-404908.html 3 Days of luxury at the New Haven Hotel in Accra spoiled us. Air con internet at all times day and night at Busy internet to complete our business and catch up and beer and junk food interspersed with a little sightseeing. we met up with the rest and off we went.We travelled north East to Lake Volta and camped by the dam. Lots of water sports and the biggest dam in West Africa. This little travell http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Benin/East/Parakou/blog-404902.html We bushcamped in an old Quarry near Wa and Annie almost stepped on a snake No harm done.Continuing along the western border and terrible roads we made it to Mole National park where we camped.Where we entered the world's cheapest National park...only 3 guided tour of Ghana's largest wildlife park 4660 sqkm having some 90 species of mammals elephantsbaboons warthogs waterbucks and antelopes http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ghana/Greater-Accra/Accra/blog-400329.html Ouagadougou is crazy. we spent 3 nights here enjoying ourselves in the campsite behind a truck park. There were beers and a swimming poolgreatly appreciated after the desert.But the best part was going for a beer after dinner in one of the local bars......most amazing places not a formal barmore just oddly built tables and chairson the side of roads. With the best african music being played.W http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Burkina-Faso/Centre/Ouagadougou/blog-400323.html We left by Pinesseoversized canoe on April 21 down the Niger riverbut northerly direction and spent 3 days getting to Timbuktu. A wonderful if uncomfortable journeywe saw Hipposbirds fish and fishermen and stopped at villages to buy food. This large waterway is in the middle of desert and sustains tens of thousands of people and animals. We had to get out and push many times and camped on http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Burkina-Faso/Centre/Ouagadougou/blog-395524.html After 3 days of pleasant sightseeing in Bamakoall the old sights but many newwe moved on. We were luck as well with visas. After 4 hours of searching Annie and I found the Niger Consulate and obtained a visa in less than a day. We followed with a Nigerian visa in 2 days. All in all a successful time. After 1 night bush camping we reached Djenne with its world famous mud mosque. Most towns in Mal http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mali/Dogon-Country/Mopti/blog-391936.html Finally our Visa came through and we were off towards the desert. We entered southern Morocco and to Marakesch where we saw the most amazing spectacle of the night market. Thousands of people gathered to eat at stalls selling goats brainssnails and almost every part of camels etc etc. Juice stalls magiciansstreet performers snake charmers and any other street activities were present. Many othe http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mauritania/blog-391379.html We got sick of waiting for the visas Mauritania was most difficult and we left the passports in Rabat while we headed on to Volubilis which is a Roman city inhabited for several hundred years and almost the furtherest from Rome. Some of us went to Casablanca for the day from Rabat and its magnificant King Hassas 11 MosqueThings were getting bloody freezing and only got worse bush camping in the d http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Marrakech-Tensift-El-Haouz/Marrakech/blog-385834.html March 13 and the Rock of Gibraltar came into view after travelling non stop from MelillaMalaga La Linea. We found the truck as arranged quick introductions and we were off in the direction of Africa ..... for the 3rd time this week by fast ferry. After stocking up on diesel alcohol and groceries in Ceuta we attacked our 1st border crossing in Africainto Morocco. This will be our easiest by http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Morocco/Tangier-T-touan/T-touan/blog-382807.html Fulfilling a long term ambition and dragging Annie along We travelled to Melilla a tiny castle enclave of Spain still from the 1500s in the far East of Morocco. To get to this rarely visited city state we had to fly from Tunis to Barcelona where we slept in the airport with about 100 others and caught the early flight to Malaga and then an 8 hour ferry back to Melilla on the North African http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Spain/Ceuta-Melilla/Melilla/blog-382211.html Our 10th and final day in Tunisia. What a great place and one which is full of contrasts. Time stopped here in the 19th century yet internet and mobile phones are everywhere. The people are very friendly and often there is a bit of English here and there. The country has a long Islamic heritage yet all is very relaxed. It is possible to even find a little alcohol. On arrival in Tunis it seemed we http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tunisia/Tunis/blog-380525.html We departed Brisbane just before midnight on 26th February and after 2 pleasant flights arrived in Doha. We were 2 of only a handful to stop here and stood out amongst the arabs in their flowing robes and the women with only their eyes visible. Doha is a relaxed introduction to our travels and we have spent 2 lazy days wandering the Corniche souk and visiting the excellent museum of Islamic art. http://www.travelblog.org/Middle-East/Qatar/Doha/blog-377521.html