So much for study....

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I keep planning where I am going to be giong...

So what are my travel Plans?

January/February

Firstly I have enrolled in a Safari Field Guide course at the Edeni Game Reserve in South Africa for January. Not that I have any intention of ever becoming a Safari Field guide. Hopefully it will be a good way to get to know the natural environment out there.

I get to do fun stuff like driving a 4x4 off raod, navigation, astronomy, tracking game, learning how to recognise the plants and what to use them for, camping in the bush and safety.

I then have 3 weeks before I have to be at the Lion Orphanage near Victoria Falls. I’m not quite sure what to do with this time. Do I go into Swaziland and Mozambique? Do I travel for a bit through South Africa? Or do I head north to Zambia and spend the time exploring there?

The problem is that each and every one of those countries has its own unique attractions and their own challanges. For example if I decide to head east in to Mozambique and then north into Malawi will I have enough time to make it Victoria Falls? You have to bear in mind that roads become impassable in the rainy season, and I'll probably be going in the rainy season. You also have to bear in mind that transport links aren't exactly... how should I put it... 'rigidly timetabled' if at all.


March

Lion Orphanage near Victoria Falls. They breed Lions in captivity and then train them to live in the wild on their own.


April/May

I then have a mad 2500 km (1600 miles) to cover in 10 days, using only public transport, before I join an East African Marine and Wildlife Conservation and Community Development Project in Southern Kenya. For this I have to learn Swahili.


May/June/July

After the expedition I have will probably go back into Tanzania for a couple of weeks to get a feel for Zanzibar.

Then there’s the reason I decided to come to Africa in the first place: to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Hope fully I will then travel round Lake Victoria via Uganda, and maybe even Rwanda, before heading back into Kenya and Nairobi.

What do I do here? I have heard of a place called Hells Gate in the Great Rift Valley. I have also heard that you can cycle thru this. I like cycling. Why is it called Hells Gate? Because it leads into a volcanic rock valley that reaches 40 degrees celcius by midday (I think I might just set out early for this one).

And then onto, what I consider to be, the start of the really scary part: Independent travel across North Eastern Africa. In the rainy season. Scary because there appears to be no direct public transport links, if any at all. I’m not really sure if I have the guts to do this but here goes…

Firstly there is the trip from Nairobi to Addis Ababa. Have been informed that there are no buses that link Kenya’s capital with the only safe land border with Ethiopia.

The next part is Addis Ababa to Khartoum in Sudan (its where the Blue and White Niles meet to form the River that runs into Egypt). Again I’m faced with no direct public transport links. I will have to take a bus to the major town nearest the border, then hitch the rest of the way. Apparently hitching is a way of life in Africa.

I have been reading up on Sudan and it sound like a fascinating, and relatively cheap, place to visit. If I have the time I will try to explore as much as possible. Did you know that Sudan has more pyramids than Egypt?

Khartoum to the Egyptian border seems to be a well travelled route via Aswan.

I’m not sure what to do next. Obviously I will be heading north to Cairo, but do I head straight there the on the train, do I go via the Red Sea or the Sahara?

Then its overland to Jordan, into Syria and Lebanon (if they still have the border open) and into Turkey.

After this it will either be back to London, overland or I may choose to head east into Asia via Iran. But that decision does not have to be taken until July at the earliest.

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Comments

[Big Dave]

Guts!
Well my main man! I have not yet seen you this year, which sounds like a age but in reality is only 3 days! If I do not get to see you before I head of to Madrid and you head off into the wilderness . . . I wish you a very happy but more importantly safe trip. I'll miss you whilst you're gone but I will try to keep regularly updated with this blog!!! DOn't forget to keep a written diary too! Speak to you soon mister, Love Big Dave

[Mette]

Lion Orphanage
Hi. My name is Mette, and I am also travelling around Africa. I was just wondering if you could give my a little information about this Lion Orphanage. Were is it? I mean how near Victoria Falls is it? And can you come and visit just for a day? Hope I hear from you soon! Thanks :) *Mette Foldager from Denmark

[Grizzly Bear]

Lion Orphanage
Hello Mette, I have emailed details to the address supplied.