Africa as a whole

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Africa

South Africa - basically a stopover on trip over and then shark diving and carnivores on way out.
Johannesburg - nice flight. Friendly helpful locals. Good to see familiar place at Johannesburg too. Planning to go to carnivores on way home but didn’t want to wait to do update just for that!
Cape Town - got in late and transfer didn’t show up which quadrupled my transfer cost. Not nice to be stuffed around at midnight. Great flight though and we did a major detour to fly over Mt Kilimanjaro which was absolutely awesome!
Hermanus - went for a walk along seaside cliff and saw about 7 whales frolicking within 50-300m offshore. Another day saw probably about 20. That was awesome and best of all it is free! Always something good about getting things for free, but on holidays it is kind of like you have discovered it yourself, even with shedloads of other tourists doing the same thing. Also is a nice quaint little town. Is cold and overcast but didn’t rain on me and then cleared up to beautiful sunshine with cyclonic winds but warm day.
Shark diving - well what can I say. First trip out after a couple of days of cancellations due to 5 metre swells and I think the swells forgot to come today. So did HRH Price Harry, King of Jordan, Lionardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt, all who have dived with this company. Only short wait of 5 mins for shark though so got into freezing water but wasn’t too bad but didn’t see shark first two passes. Then rocking away, weight belt pulling on chips and lunch, face mask suffocating, I had chutney chips again - first thing that wasn’t really bad 2nd time round  After vomiting on cage mates (well at least it floated over them), I got out and watched from top deck for a while which was pretty awesome. Got back in without weight belt and only putting on mask to go under, for ½ hour and saw a couple of sharks. One swam straight past the front of me about 50cm away - a big guy of few metres. Should’ve got an underwater camera but then I probably would’ve missed seeing it as well as a photo. Was very awesome.

Zimbabwe - quick visit only.
Vic Falls - awesome. Have seen before but in the dry season, this was going over the whole width of the falls and saw them on my flight in which was great. Met some of the guys will be working with and for and are all lovely.

Zambia - quick visit again.
Livingstone - was nice although spent most of the time reading manuals or under a truck. Country up north is beautiful though.

Tanzania - Beautiful countryside again with friendly locals.
Serengeti - saw part of the migration which is something hard to believe. So many animals (wildebeest and zebra) concentrating in areas is awesome. Also saw a lion, lioness and couple of cubs on kopje and lion let out a roar which was great. Saw my first wild cheetah and then one that walked within metres of the truck, this is where we saw crocs on a kill too and of course there were a hundred other animals around and nice plains and scenery. We camp in wild in middle of the park and can hear all the animals, although when it is busy (mostly) you mostly hear other campers.
Ngorongoro Crater - again, awesome and freezing. Our camp here is where there are often elephants wandering into camp. Also zebra and buffalo which sent us to early bed one night. Saw lions on a kill about 20m away, nice location with crater rim nearly always in view (on clear days which are infrequent). Saw another cheetah, a serval, elephants, wildebeest and zebra fighting, hyena, just no giraffes because of the crater walls.
Mt Kilimanjaro - as elusive if not more than the leopard. Only saw it twice in 5 trips. We are there for 2 days all the time too.
Zanzibar - nice island - great spice tour, beautiful beaches. Just fairly expensive. Missed out on dolphin trip because the boats apparently harass the dolphins. Relaxing time to catch up on sleep at end of trips.

Kenya - Funnily enough, very rainy, cold and lots of forests, is on the equator and high when you start to think about it. Friendly locals in bushes just happy to be waving at you driving past - I think this is my favorite part of Africa, ok, still not forgetting Zimbabwe and Mozambique from previous trip. Border crossing that was somehow organized. Probably because there wasn’t 100 million people hanging around to change money or try and sell something. Beautiful countryside again but shocking roads! Bitumen roads with pot holes worse than the worse dirt road I’ve been on, speed bumps jumping out of nowhere in 80km/h zones, main highways bumpier than the Tanami Track. And fairly expensive for Africa - probably only about the same prices as at home though.
One time I landed at Nairobi airport, not even out of the airport, saw giraffe and zebra on side of road.
Nairobi - beautiful for big city. Lots of green, bordering on jungle like, bar inner city block only about as big as Townsville’s inner city. Was a bombing day after we left town once which is sad but really felt quite safe, wandered around all the time by myself.
Lake Naivasha - very nice place and camp. Walk in wild with animals - no predators thank god. Was nice to wander around close to giraffes, zebra, impala, Thompson gazelles, waterbuck, eland, hippo and more.
Nakuru NP - again really cool! Saw lots of animals including rhino, tree lions, leopard, hyena, rock python, black mamba, just no cheetah and elephants in park. There are beautiful lunch spots, one overlooking lakes of pink flamingos and another near a waterfall.
Musoma - camp on shores of Lake Victoria. Very nice but get in late and leave first thing.
Mt Kenya - awesome mountain - wasn’t expecting much which helps I suppose but very nice shape and big, freestanding. Also did a cool bush walk, nice to get out and stretch legs but saw nice birds and monkeys.
Sweetwater game reserve - very cool, saw reticulated giraffe and grevvy’s zebras which were both new to me, but also oryx which I haven’t seen since my holidays a couple of years ago. Two more awesome things about this park though! They have chimpanzes which were great, also a friendly black rhino which you get to pat! Park is well setup and maintained and I will spread the word.
Lake Baringo - nice camp site on lake with crocs and hippos and plenty of beautiful bird life. Also an 80yo tortoise that doesn’t mind a pat.
Rumuruti - a basic camp but did a full day camel ride - well I walked most of way and then when camel option came up a second time I opted out anyway, very uncomfortable. Worst seats in the world and finally I know why people call them spitting camels. At lunch, I sat under a nice shady acacia tree “on it’s thorns”, two went right into my butt, one nearly an inch! Saw lion prints while walking and zebra and giraffe which was cool though.
Mombasa - stayed south of town a bit at nice camp sight Twiga on Diana Beach. Very nice. Different to see waves breaking 300m out where there is a shelf. Beach boys coming and selling fruit/veges and fresh fish catches was cool. Nice beaches, nice locals, nice all round.

Rwanda - absolutely beautiful. Had to get my camera out as we were flying into Kigali because of beautiful scenery and all hillsides cultivated. Is the land of 1000 hills but I think whoever counted missed a few. Again, countryside not what I was expecting, every inch is farmed and very green. Hilly and near equator again I suppose which makes it cool. Straight away feel relaxed and safe. Even driving on wrong side of the road. Also Rwandan government and people are not corrupt - nice change.
Kigali - capital city with only 800,000 people. Is there any other Country Capital in the world with less than 1,000,000 people? Even desolate Australia has more, mmmm, come to think of it Canberra doesn’t.
Genocide museum - awesome but very sad. Rwandans have forgiven and moved on and as I was going through museum I was frustrated and don’t know how they do it. Is only 13 years ago and basically everyone was affected.
Gorillas - excellent day. Even with the 2 hours trekking uphill. Was good to get some exercise in. Great time watching great apes, then 2 hours trekking back downhill. Still had energy to play football with about 1000 kids though which was cool.
Culture - went to a cultural dance show that was invigorating. Noisy, dancing, spears - excellent. Also had some acrobats doing flips and stunts which was cool.
Culture - went and visited pigmy tribe which was cool. More cultural dancing and a look inside their huts made of fresh green leaves and replaced every few days.
Stayed in local village. Dunny out back like Australia, no stove, no fridge, no tv, shower in a basin - like camping only with solid roof for when it rains, very cool. Ate local food, ugali, rice, peanut soup mmmmmmm, lots of vege dishes and couple of meat and fish dishes. All very lovely. Then I had to repay favour and cook something - is Beef Stroganoff Aussie? We don’t really have a local dish. Turned out beautiful if I do say so myself 
Is interesting noting differences in locals between here and Kenya/Tanzania. Ladies carry babies on their lower backs instead of up around shoulders like other Africans. People actually fuel their cars up without fear of hijacking. Kenyan drivers only put in enough fuel to get to the next service station basically.

African Animals - lions on a kill 20m away, crocs on a kill 30m away, gazelles mating, elephants, wildebeest, zebra fighting, rogue elephant trumpeting about 20m away, lions in trees about 2m away, vultures on a kill about 10m away, elephant not realizing we were a car and nearly walking into us about 1m away and then car starter not working which startled it a bit (hence me as well!), a serval at midday in the crater, lion with about week old cub, mating Thompson gazelles, will have to inclue gorillas now too.

Different things in Africa - this would be easier if I quoted ‘normal’ things really.
FA cup in the afternoon/evening!
Border crossings - one word, chaos. No, not even organized chaos. Sometimes you just have to wait ½ hour for a guy to turn up to do his job.
Locals - how do you transport a full grown pig. Tie him up and put him on the port rack of your bicycle of course! As well as the normal chooks, loads of grass about 10 times the size of the bike etc etc. All are very friendly though, going out of their way to just be able to give you a wave and a smile. Am always amazed too that guys ride their single gear bikes up hills that the trucks struggle on.
Permits - threat of going into Serengeti and being fined for not having a work permit but you are unable to get one until you get fined for not having it???
Matatus - the local taxi, there was 25 of us in a 13 seater once, nothing unusual but the touts seem to not be able to hop on a still vehicle, they wait until it is moving. Jumping on another matatu that the front left wheels bearings were so shot I could see it wobbling and then having to stand up with my butt hanging out of a hiace door while my backpack is hanging in someone else’s face.
Transport - a tractor going through the border with no front left wheel, just put an extra person near the back right wheel and it will balance!
Transport again - a semi trailer was driving with a whole wheel hub flopping around without a tyre on intermediate axle of semi?
Driving - well it is as bad as Malaysia only at a slower speed so somewhat safer. Saying that though, in the few months I was here, there was a bus crash killed 20 near a village we visit and the news showed the tie rod tied up with sisal twine; another crash near another village we visit when a semi driver forgot to put on handbrake or it didn’t work and it rolled away and cleaned up a matatu with another 13 deaths; and when I went to Rwanda, an overland truck had gone over the range a couple of days before but only 2 seriously injured. There is a sharp bend going to Dar that every time we passed there was a truck rolled over as well.
Breakdowns - don’t use your triangle, you will have to collect that, cut down trees and branches and place out - works well.
Hair cuts - even if you ask if they can cut Mzungo (white man) hair, you still have to give them lessons ie I think the chunks of hair on my fringe about an inch longer than the rest might have to be cut - they then try and ask for more money. Alternatively, next cut was a crew cut - very attractive!
Power - fluctuations with lights dimming and getting bright all the time occasionally having power outs.
Albino people - not sure whether it is because they stand out or not but have seen maybe a dozen!
Weddings - all cars are used, 4wd, battered up old cars - put some flowers on and it’ll be right.
Seeing locals working nowhere but with a purpose. If not, they seem to be busy doing nothing.
I felt safe in the theory that there are a lot of people around, but saw a car jacking/kidnapping and noone helped or even called police. All the time you are driving, you are fuelling up every 10mins so if car is stolen it won’t get far.
Went to two local weddings, one catholic and one traditional, both though had nice different little things eg mother of groom putting down veil, priest saying one plus one is one, candle thing with each family house and then lighting their own flame and extinguishing their old ones, gospel singing, maasai dancers at reception, men and women welcoming wedders to elder community, bride and groom feeding guests the cake at reception.
Guys making gravel - they sit on side of road and hammer bigger rocks into smaller rocks.
Money - in Kenya Tanzania, they don’t like notes before 1996 or sometimes 2000 and small notes, sometimes 20’s and sometimes even 50’s are small. They give you a worse exchange rate - sometimes 50 instead of 65. Anyway, Rwanda had no mention of years and smalls were 1’s and 5’s.
Dressing up - it is great to see people dressed in their best, sometimes even if the best shirt and best bottoms don’t really match, with sometimes thongs or sandshoes. Then some done up beautifully, even elaborately seemingly to go shopping.


Things you don’t see:
Pregnant women - and with the amount of kids around, they should be everywhere.
Children (nearly anyone) crying/fighting - even the small kids are smiling and happy.

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Photos

Rwandan scenery
Also a relief as we were climing up mountainside for 2 hours to see gorillas to have a view like this.

Cultural Dancing
This was an awesome experience and recommend to everyone and everyone.

Kili Crater
How awesome is this - nearly makes you want to make the 5 day climb but easier to fly I think!

Shark diving
Didn't get photo from cage but it was an awesome day.

Hermanus coastline
Absolutely awesome - includes free whales!

Oops timed that bad.
And still more to come.