Very nice green countryside lots of hills. Emersed in tribal culture.
Thursday 31 December 2015
GPS Update - January 01, 2016 at 02:44AM
Lat+04.975833 Lon+036.516016 Alt +2060 ft (8h29m27s ago) 31-Dec-2015 05:14:59 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=04.975833&lon=036.516016
Tuesday 29 December 2015
GPS Update - December 30, 2015 at 05:28AM
Lat+04.974950 Lon+036.513133 Alt +2185 ft (0s ago) 29-Dec-2015 16:28:23 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=04.974950&lon=036.513133
27 December 2015 Drive to Moyale on the Kenya Ethiopia Border
The drive from Marsabit to Moyale was a pleasure. We left in very misty weather but most of the 250 km was on brand new Chinese tar road. Arrived in Moyale and found the Al Yusra Doshouse (guest house). This was the best available which is not saying much. We checked in and paid KS 3000 about R350. Friends we met in Nairobi joined us but decided to sleep in their vehicle right in front of the hotel ... No charge. Diner was reasonable. Chicken with rice and vegetables.
We left at 06h30 drove 3 minutes to the border and waited until 08h00 to start the process.
Sent from my iPad
We left at 06h30 drove 3 minutes to the border and waited until 08h00 to start the process.
Sent from my iPad
Monday 28 December 2015
GPS Update - December 29, 2015 at 04:55AM
Lat+05.333383 Lon+037.430183 Alt +4862 ft (27s ago) 28-Dec-2015 15:54:26 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=05.333383&lon=037.430183
Sunday 27 December 2015
GPS Update - December 28, 2015 at 12:40AM
Lat+03.523933 Lon+039.058616 Alt +3392 ft (0s ago) 27-Dec-2015 11:39:59 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=03.523933&lon=039.058616
Saturday 26 December 2015
Meru to Marsabit
We spent the last two days relaxing at iKweta Safari Camp just outside the Meru National Park.The first day we drove into the Park. The park is very green and lush. Very beautiful with grasslands and forested areas. We saw a sprinkling of game on the plains (elephant, zebra, buffalo, Grants Gazelle, giraffe and a few warthogs), also some interesting birds we had not seen before. We took a long drive through the park to the Tana River in the south to visit the grave of Elsa the lioness (Born free movie).
The next day was Christmas Day so we stayed at the lodge, did some laundry, tidied the Mog, commissioned the electronic mapping system and did some reading up on Ethiopia. We have amended our itinerary for the first week to take in the South Omo Valley. This was based on advice from fellow travelers. Who says Tom is not flexible.
Today we drove from Meru to Marsabit. The first 80 km after leaving Meru was very hilly and very beautiful. From Isiolo to Marsabit , the much feared road from the past, was easy 200 km of brand new " Chinese " road and about 70 km of detour road that was well maintained. We are now at camp Henry and will relax here this afternoon. Tomorrow we head up to Moyale the border between Kenya and Ethiopia. They say the road to Moyale is also a brand new "Chinese" road.
Monday will see us cross the border and head into the South Omo Valley for a few days before heading for Addis towards the end of next week. Bye for now 😊
Sent from my iPad
The next day was Christmas Day so we stayed at the lodge, did some laundry, tidied the Mog, commissioned the electronic mapping system and did some reading up on Ethiopia. We have amended our itinerary for the first week to take in the South Omo Valley. This was based on advice from fellow travelers. Who says Tom is not flexible.
Today we drove from Meru to Marsabit. The first 80 km after leaving Meru was very hilly and very beautiful. From Isiolo to Marsabit , the much feared road from the past, was easy 200 km of brand new " Chinese " road and about 70 km of detour road that was well maintained. We are now at camp Henry and will relax here this afternoon. Tomorrow we head up to Moyale the border between Kenya and Ethiopia. They say the road to Moyale is also a brand new "Chinese" road.
Monday will see us cross the border and head into the South Omo Valley for a few days before heading for Addis towards the end of next week. Bye for now 😊
Sent from my iPad
GPS Update - December 27, 2015 at 01:07AM
Lat+02.345816 Lon+037.965466 Alt +4462 ft (0s ago) 26-Dec-2015 12:07:04 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=02.345816&lon=037.965466
Thursday 24 December 2015
Wednesday 23 December 2015
GPS Update - December 24, 2015 at 03:38AM
Lat+00.278183 Lon+038.105266 Alt +2703 ft (53s ago) 23-Dec-2015 14:37:04 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=00.278183&lon=038.105266
Tuesday 22 December 2015
Sunday 20 December 2015
Saturday 19 December 2015
SMS Update - December 20, 2015 at 07:04AM
We left Khartoum this AM and went to temple of Naqa and Mussawwarat Es Sufra. Sleeping at pyramids of Meroe. Very interesting.
GPS Update - December 20, 2015 at 06:57AM
Lat+16.946099 Lon+033.768950 Alt +1256 ft (0s ago) 19-Dec-2015 17:57:34 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=16.946099&lon=033.768950
Friday 18 December 2015
The Melik Gunboat.
In 1896 when Kitchener, the Sirdar (Commander-in-Chief) of the Egyptian Army, set out to re-conquer the Sudan and avenged for the death of General Gordon (who was killed eleven years before by the Mahdi rebels), he knew that not only had he to defeat a great host of dauntless Sudanese warriors, but also to overcome the huge logistical problem of supplying 25,000 men and 10,000 beasts of burden over great distances in one of the most inhospitable climates in the world. Control of the River Nile was vital.
Wednesday 16 December 2015
Khartoum Day 1
We left Nairobi at 23h30 and arrived at Khartoum just after 02h00. We were met at the airport and assisted with arrival paperwork and then taken to the hotel.
We surfaced at 08h00 and had nice buffet style breakfast. George, part of the family that started the hotel in 1952, worked out an itinerary and off we went with a driver and guide.
We visited the National Museum, the confluence of the White Nile and Blue Nile, the camel market, Tomb of the Madi, house of the Khalifa and Ozone Cafe. We have been pleasantly surprised by what we experienced in Khartoum.
Sent from my Samsung device
GPS Update - December 16, 2015 at 05:21PM
Lat+15.604683 Lon+032.529500 Alt +1446 ft (11m57s ago) 16-Dec-2015 15:21:24 UTC http://map.iridium.com/m?lat=15.604683&lon=032.529500
SMS Update - December 16, 2015 at 10:44AM
We have arrived in Khartoum. Late arrival and a short interrupted sleep at hotel Acropole. Nice old world hotel with fantastic service. Leaving on a city tour now.
Tuesday 17 November 2015
AFRICA TRIP PHASE 0NE SUMMARY
What a rush to get going. We promised friends that we would meet at Punda Maria in the Kruger Park on the evening of 13 September 2015 for the start of our Africa safari.
The following morning we journeyed via Pafuri into Mozambique, crossed an ankle deep Limpopo river and headed for Chicualacuala and then into Zimbabwe, Gonarezou National Park.
We spent 5 days travelling through Gonarezou and were pleased with the roads, camping sites and natural beauty. We saw a fair amount of game close to the rivers although elephants were a bit skittish.
After a week our friends returned to South Africa via Beit Bridge and we headed to Mutare. The Bvumba mountains offered some spectacular views. If you visit this area Tony’s Coffee Shop is a must. The treats are decadent but expensive. Hey you only live once!
Onwards to Nyanga where the Honde Valley tea plantations and escarpment made the trip worthwhile. The area abounds with large granite outcrops but the Nyanga National Park was disappointing.
Via Marondera, Mutoko and Nyamapanda Border Post we headed for Tete. Crossing the mighty Zambezi river and passing through the notorious Tete Corridor took us to Blantyre in Malawi. We first headed south to spend a few days hiking in the Mulanje Mountains. A strenuous 5 hour hike followed by a refreshing swim in a cold mountain rock pool below a waterfall.
From here we headed north to Liwonde National Park on the Shire river into which lake Malawi drains. A pleasant surprise ….. a small reserve but contrary to what we had read a lot of game and water birds along the shoreline. Lake Malawi is impressive, we found the water clean and spent a few lazy days swimming, snorkelling and enjoying sunrises and sunsets. We had a delicious fish braai traditionally prepared on Thumbi West island. There are numerous good camp sites along the lake, all offering well stocked bars and good food in their relaxed restaurants. Malawi is very rural and poverty abounds. A bicycle is for transporting three people or 4 cases of beer or even a pig. The bicycle in Malawi is the SA equivalent of a bakkie.
We crossed into Tanzania and headed for the north east coast. One is immediately aware that Tanzania is more affluent, the ground is more fertile and the climate sub-tropical. The bicycle is replaced by a motorbike. Driving through Tanzania is difficult, there are many trucks on the road and every village you pass involves rumble strips, speed humps and very vigilant traffic police. Two fines and one bribe had me on my toes whilst driving. There is no grace, if the sign says 30 kmph that is exactly what it means. 1 km over and you will receive a fine. The north east coast of Tanzania was great warm clean water and reasonable snorkelling. Serengeti beer drunk cold is a winner!
The drive up to Mombasa was uneventful. Mombasa is a large city full of Tuk-Tuks (3 wheeled motorbikes used as a taxi or bakkie), cars and trucks. The old part of the city is very interesting. Cars, trucks and Tuk-Tuks jostle for position but somehow the traffic moves and everyone is patient. The drive up to Nairobi is on a very busy road with some sections in poor condition and undergoing reconstruction. I have never seen so many trucks and buses. From Nairobi we visited the Masaai Mara Reserve and Amboselli National Park. Both were very dry as the usual October / November rains were late. Game viewing was excellent. The biggest difference between game reserves in East Africa and South Africa is in East Africa the herds of animals and flocks of birds are much larger. A herd of 1 000 buffalo is not uncommon. We estimated we saw around 15 000 wildebeest on the Mara plains heading for Tanzania.
Our vehicle awaits us in Nairobi while we take a break in SA to arrange Visas etc. I am missing my sundowner … Tusker Beer in a large bottle ! Got the T shirt too. The journey continues on 16 December 2015 north to Sudan and Ethiopia. We return to SA in the middle of March 2016.
In conclusion we enjoyed our first 7 weeks away. Purchasing fresh vegetables along the route was easy. Diesel was freely available. ATM’s provide easy access to local currency. Border crossings take an hour and no bribes were asked for. People are friendly, most notably in Zimbabwe and Kenya. No serious issues with the Unimog other than brackets fitted by me, we experienced no crime but were careful not to camp in grounds if we were the only campers. Moggie attracts a lot of attention wherever we drove. On our travels we met a number of Germans, Dutch and French but very few South Africans. We have made some good new friends and look forward to meeting them back in SA.
Thursday 29 October 2015
A little out of order
Wednesday 28 October 2015
Tuesday 27 October 2015
SMS Update - October 27, 2015 at 5:07PM
Arrived safely in Nairobi from Amboselli. It is raining. Tomorrow we do some small repairs and clean Mogster.
Monday 26 October 2015
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