| Malawi is most famous for its Lake, described more | | | | Colonial was entertaining the German Colonial (the |
| like a sea; Lake Malawi covers over 1/3rd of the | | | | Brits occupied Zambia and the Germans Namibia - of |
| country. The clear clean water is rather inviting as is | | | | course it was Rhodesia and German South Western |
| the tasty fish! | | | | Africa in those days) when the announcement was |
| We spent a few days on the shores of Lake Malawi, | | | | made that the war had started. The English Colonial |
| world renowned for the rare and unique fresh water | | | | turned to the German Colonial and rather politely told |
| fish (some of which prehistoric) living in the Lake. We | | | | him that he may finish his tea and scones but "to let |
| stayed at a tiny eco-lodge built on a cliff with its own | | | | you know you are now my prisoner". |
| private sandy beach; the views spectacular, rooms | | | | The Caprivi strip is a perfect place to nip back into |
| very comfortable and hospitality unbeatable. We | | | | Botswana to explore the Northern part of the |
| arrived at about the same time the rain clouds did | | | | Okavango Delta. The Delta is alive with over 300 bird |
| creating a mad panic to get our cooking shelter up; | | | | species and numerous mammals and of course |
| the rain beat us in the race and some of us were | | | | reptiles. Huge crocs roam the water ways, hippos |
| rather soaked - at least the air was warm and to be | | | | wallow in the warm water while King Fishers swoop |
| honest the free shower was welcomed. Luckily our | | | | from high above to feast on the catch of the day. A |
| charcoal BBQ fire survived long enough for me to | | | | relaxing couple of days on the Kubu Queen |
| BBQ our pork chops for dinner; the rain did not let up | | | | houseboat with Greg the Fisherman were an ideal |
| and several hours later was still bucketing down. The | | | | way to explore the area. |
| first real rain we have experienced in 3 months of | | | | As we drove through the northern part of Namibia |
| traveling ....... | | | | we were treated to a remarkable sight. A dozen or |
| Up high in the highlands of Malawi is a little settlement | | | | so African Wild Dog was sitting on the main highway! |
| called Livingstonia. The name itself indicates a tribute | | | | Wild Dog is rare to see at the best of times, to see |
| to the great explorer himself; David Livingstone. | | | | a pack so close is not a common occurrence. It was |
| David Livingstone spent very little time in Malawi itself | | | | not until later that we discovered one was injured |
| although he did make several trips across the land | | | | and the rest of the pack was waiting for her to pick |
| preaching anti-slavery and messages from the Bible. | | | | herself up and move to safety. |
| Some decided to travel up the steep gravel road in | | | | We continued our journey toward Etosha stopping |
| the wet while others decided hiring a catamaran was | | | | enroute to see the World's biggest Meteorite. Etosha, |
| a better idea. | | | | although rather wet, didn't disappoint. Alive with |
| Crossing into Zambia was a very easy process | | | | wildlife in the northern part coupled with a lot of |
| indicating we were closer to southern Africa and | | | | muddy tracks gave the vehicles a bit of a workout |
| more western systems in place. South Luangwa | | | | and a temporary new white paint job! |
| National Park is Zambia's number 2 tourist attraction; | | | | From Etosha we made a nightstop at a local farm |
| second only to the mighty Victoria Falls however the | | | | and cheetah reserve. In Namibia cheetahs are |
| road to access the park is the worst road we | | | | deemed a pest and farmers have the right to shoot |
| traveled on through Southern Africa. Large holes, | | | | them. An increasing number of local farms have |
| heavy corrugations, narrow boggy strips, sharp rocks | | | | established reserves for cheetahs. As well as |
| and deep ravines cut through heavy tropical rain for | | | | protecting it gives a unique chance to get very close |
| approximately 40kms. We had been told the road | | | | and pat "domesticated" cheetahs. We stopped at |
| was impassable but you never know unless you try; | | | | one started by a mate of ours Mario; who has 3 |
| the plan was simple - see how we go .......... | | | | domesticated cheetahs and over 40 wild ones living in |
| We reached the turn-off to South Luangwa and the | | | | designated areas on the farm. The wild cheetahs |
| road slowly deteriorated, although it had been visibly | | | | come from surrounding farms, the farmers call the |
| very wet and boggy in parts; the road had dried | | | | guys at the Cheetah Farm to tell them a cheetah is |
| enough to get through without too many hiccups. | | | | taking livestock, the boys then trap the cheetah and |
| We were 5kms from South Luangwa when the fun | | | | relocate to the farm. We were greeted upon arrival |
| really started; 800m of deep bog holes and no way | | | | by a young giraffe, found abandoned a few weeks |
| around. We weaved our way around the brim of the | | | | before and rescued by the Cheetah Farm she has |
| holes until we had no choice but to go through - | | | | decided to hang around for a while! |
| water seeping over the bonnet with the left hand | | | | Namibia is traditionally the land of desert and rocky |
| side falling into deeper holes we slowly made our | | | | outcrops. However an unusually wetter than normal |
| way through without incident - good old Land Rovers! | | | | wet season transformed Namibia from dry desert to |
| South Luangwa was definitely worth the trip; an | | | | lush green fields with bare mountains creating a |
| abundance of wildlife on the shores of Luangwa River | | | | dramatic backdrop. We had to change our planned |
| in northern Zambia; we camped on the shores of the | | | | route slightly as we had heard from locals several |
| river; hippos grunted day and night (with one | | | | roads had been cut off due to rivers flooding |
| wandering through the campsite in the middle of the | | | | deeming them impassable. |
| day), and troops of baboons and vervet monkeys | | | | After over 3 months of driving on everything from |
| played on the tents. We tried our first real game | | | | perfect tar roads, dirt tracks, sand dunes and narrow |
| meat - hippo steaks -after a bit of a pounding and | | | | mountain passes we were all up for a bit of mud, |
| flash frying. Surprisingly, they were pretty tasty; a bit | | | | river crossings and possibly a bit of digging. Most of |
| like veal ....... | | | | the roads in Namibia are wide dirt roads with a few |
| After a bit of adventure leaving South Luangwa we | | | | made out of salt. The exceptional rains had created |
| were on our way to Victoria Falls, or as the locals | | | | chaos all over the country, road closures, flash |
| know it as Mosi-oa-Tunya (smoke that thunders). In | | | | flooding and long deep muddy stretches. |
| 1855 David Livingstone sat awestruck by this amazing | | | | Despite the sporadic rains we continued on track and |
| find and in his journal wrote "on sights as beautiful as | | | | spent time on the Skeleton Coast, a desolate stretch |
| this, angels in their flight must have gazed"; a perfect | | | | of nothing but sand, wind and treacherous seas, |
| way to describe one of the seven natural wonders | | | | home to the largest Cape Fur seal colony in the |
| of the World. Her sheer power throws spray high | | | | World. A few days exploring the German colonial |
| into the air visible for miles. Victoria Falls is near the | | | | town, Swakopmund, relaxing and catching up on |
| town of Livingstone, it is rare to visit a town in Africa | | | | domestic duties. Then made the journey to |
| which holds onto and is proud of its colonial history. | | | | Namib-Naukluft National Park to explore the desert, |
| Only a few kilometers from Zimbabwe, Livingstone | | | | dune 45 and Sousselvei oasis and enjoyed some |
| has become the hub for selling curios (souvenirs) | | | | serious 4x4ing in the process; by the time we made |
| from Zimbabwe. Local Zimbabweans cross the border | | | | it to Luderitz and the old "gold rush" ghost town of |
| to earn hard currency, buy basic food products and | | | | Kolmanskop the heavens had cleared and with the |
| clothing before crossing the border daily. The hottest | | | | days hot and sun beating down on us it was the first |
| souvenirs on sale were Zimbabwean dollars and in | | | | time we really felt like we were in Namibia. |
| particular the latest note, 10 Trillion dollars. To put this | | | | The road to Fish River Canyon was long and dusty - |
| into perspective you need 2 10 Trillion dollar notes to | | | | our final destination in Namibia. Fish River Canyon is |
| buy a loaf of bread (at the time we bought these | | | | the Grand Canyon to Africa - a masterpiece of art |
| notes - no idea what it is worth now). It is tragic to | | | | from Mother Nature; rocks carved over millions of |
| see how the jewel of Africa over 10 years has | | | | years to produce a Canyon over 170kms long and up |
| disintegrated into a land of nothing. The best thing | | | | to 27kms wide in certain points. The full scale of its |
| tourists can do is to buy goods from the local sellers, | | | | expanse can only really be appreciated by the air, |
| no matter how small the item or how cheap every | | | | although our vantage point at the top of the Canyon |
| cent helps. | | | | certainly showed her in her true glamour. On one of |
| Just before leaving Livingstone we read an article in a | | | | our earlier expeditions one group member (who |
| travel magazine about the Kazangula ferry - the ferry | | | | normally drives on the other side of the road) once |
| that takes us across the Zambezi River from Zambia | | | | stated "Gosh; must have taken ages to build that" |
| into Botswana - the article talked about how chaotic | | | | Everyone headed off in different directions along the |
| and difficult the crossing was. With everyone | | | | rim looking for the best spots for the ideal photo. |
| prepared for long delays and queues (strict | | | | Our final country and destination - South Africa. The |
| instructions to keep the vehicles bumper to bumper) | | | | border crossing was very easy although we did lose |
| we arrived at the border/ferry port. Much to our | | | | our fruit at a fruit fly inspection point. The minute we |
| disappointment the crossing was far from chaotic and | | | | crossed into South Africa I felt like I was back in |
| the queues non existent; we merely cruised across | | | | Australia. The first 400kms strongly resembles the |
| into Botswana. | | | | Flinders Rangers - rocky outcrops, rolling hills and salt |
| Arriving into Kasane at the same time as a huge | | | | bush as far as the eye can see. If it wasn't for the |
| thunder storm; our tents were up just before the | | | | road signs in Afrikaans and warnings for springbok |
| heavens opened. The heavy down pour lasted about | | | | instead of kangaroos one would truly believe they |
| 40 minutes before the clouds cleared and the sun | | | | were in South Australia. We made excellent time on |
| shone once again. The afternoon was spent on a | | | | the superb roads (wide, straight and no pot holes!) |
| game viewing boat cruising up the Chobe River. Much | | | | we decided to push on a bit and spend our final night |
| to our delight there were hundreds of elephants | | | | before Cape Town in Stellenbosch - the Capital of |
| playing in the shallows with massive hippo pods close | | | | Wine Lands. |
| by, as crocodiles happily sunned themselves on the | | | | We set off down the N1 highway toward Cape |
| shores. | | | | Town our final destination. The air was filled with a |
| The following morning we headed out on a game | | | | mixture of excitement of making the 18,000 kms |
| drive though Chobe National Park; with the exception | | | | from Aqaba, Jordan and sadness in the knowledge |
| of a young bull elephant only a few feet away from | | | | we were about to depart for our homelands. The |
| the vehicle the game was rather mellow. Botswana | | | | clouds in the sky nicely represented our feelings. We |
| was experiencing an exceptional wet season hence | | | | arrived in Cape Town at our hotel tired but with a |
| the grass was high making game viewing not ideal. | | | | sense of satisfaction and achievement - we did it! |
| Nonetheless the scenery and birdlife made the | | | | We shared a final evening meal, chatted about the |
| morning rather enjoyable. | | | | good times, remembering the quirky events along the |
| After the morning at Chobe we continued into the | | | | way and the characters we met. |
| Northern part of Namibia or better known as the | | | | Our final day was spent back in the Wine Lands, |
| Caprivi Strip. This part of Namibia has been the scene | | | | tasting wines and enjoying lunch at a local winery, the |
| of many conflicts over the years and up until only 8 | | | | evening was topped off at the Cape Town Botanical |
| years ago was deemed unsafe to travel through. | | | | gardens with a glass of wine in-hand listening to a live |
| With the fighting over and an excellent infrastructure | | | | classical orchestra. |
| making travel very easy we decided to take this | | | | 10 adventurers, 5 landies, 4 months, 18,500kms, 12 |
| route. The Caprivi Strip is also where the first | | | | countries crossed the African continent from top to |
| prisoner of war was taken in WW1 - the English | | | | tail ...... Cairo to Cape - The Long Way Down. |