Tuesday 18 September The problem with doing so much, being tired and no longer disciplined with my writing means I'm forgetting stuff. Grr. Suse met us after the ferry from Zanzibar and we headed straight towards Arusha, camping en route in a great campsite with a tiny sign. I meant to talk to them 'bout that. We stopped in Arusha, mentally spent money on some fabulous dust collectors at the Cultural Heritage Centre (the guys are great and let us hold ridiculously expensive Tanzanite and explained the different properties. Embarrassing when your nails are so filthy) and then drove to Meserani where we would finally meet the infamous Ma and BJ before seeing the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater at long last. Meserani Snake Park Ma and BJ built Snake Park from the ground up in 1993 ... read more

Wednesday September 12 Yesterday we crossed into Tanzania and with that, the six month mark. Conversations are starting to change their tune and focus more on what we'll be doing after this trip ends (oh, which looks like it'll be in Tunisia. Yay!). Some have jobs waiting for them, others will need to find work and a lucky few will continue to travel. For some time now, indeed since Ghana before Ben and Steph left, we have known that Suse was offered a trip through South America, beginning next September. It incorporates every country on the continent and obviously appealed to us for not only that reason, but because eight of us are interested and Suse would be taking us. I figure I'd find work for six months, go home to Oz for my cousin's wedding ... read more

Saturday September 1 It's the third evening of a five night stay in Livingstone, Zambia and although The Cough is back (thought I was on the mend after Round One but I've seemingly picked it up again in Round Two), it's been surreal so far. Not only have I white water rafted the 'mighty Zambezi', I've survived. Yes, fancy that. That was followed by an unexpected ride in a jet boat, a rather sedate Booze Cruise and a drum lesson! I was so tired by 9pm that I was unable to construct sentences! Then today it was another early start and I spent the morning with lions and this arvo with white rhino in the smallest of Zambia's national parks which I think all that went agreed is the best guided walk we've done on the ... read more

Aaaaand we're back! Thursday August 23 Hello people! I'm back! Sorry for the silence but I've had a week's break in Cape Town and barely touched my phone or looked at - let alone sorted - my photos. It's weird being back on the truck - and sleeping in a tent after a week of luxury. Heated floors in the bedroom and bathroom? Yes, please! Room overlooking Lion's Head and Table Mountain? Sure, why not! Clothes that don't have holes in them that I've chosen for style rather than comfort and practicality? Don't mind if I do! Cape Town was wonderful and although we didn't get to go shark cage diving due to weather and then availability, we did hire a car and drive to Hermanus (where we saw dolphins in the dismal weather!), make it ... read more

Thursday July 19 We left Matadi at 07:30 and wound our way up and around mountains to the Angolan border. Narrow streets meant we were quite close the morning hustle and bustle so the going was slow. Most of us were at the windows waving and taking photos of the houses that dotted the mountainside which was fine until we picked up speed and it became quite chilly. Road conditions were good until the final 10km when it switched back to unsealed roads and we bounced along; those who were lying down already adept at holding on and sleeping at the same time. We waited on the truck for DCR to clear us through and then for unknown reasons, we had to walk to Angola. Stopping to collect our passports from the policeman, we walked across ... read more