Honeymoon in Mpumalanga

Mervyn and I recently had the pleasure of planning our honeymoon trip.

We set a few qualifying factors to get us started:

-No Planes. This was for sure to be a Landy Adventure. Towy had been laid up long enough due to busy schedules and it was time for her to get out of the garden!

-No more then 5 hours away.

-A little luxury and a bit of nature.

-Must have a spa, I wanted to be pampered!

After what seemed like a month of searching Mervyn came across Summerfields Rose Retreat and Spa just outside of Hazyview. We were sold almost immediately. I had been holding out for a private infinity pool but compromised for the bath on the deck over looking the forest. Summerfields fulfilled all of our specifications and had availability for our dates. With our luxury safari tent booked and paid for all we had to do was anticipate.

From before the moment we arrived we were in good hands. A couple hours behind our scheduled arrival time and still about 30 minutes out, we received a call from Michelle making sure we were still coming and nothing had happened to us on our drive.

Our view upon arrival.

We were greeted in the parking lot and escorted to our tent. The tent was scattered with vases and petals of roses. The manager Joan treated us to a complimentary romantic ritual bath which was set up and waiting for us to enjoy. It included champagne and these out of this world chocolate mouse tarts with strawberries. WOW!

It was late in the afternoon and we were beat from the days activities. We opted to have dinner and wine brought to our room to enjoy on the deck instead of in the restaurant.

After a peaceful night sleep we woke up and made our way down to the restaurant for breakfast.

Our table was decorated with rose petals shaped in a heart. It was a lovely touch and made us feel special. I wanted to try everything on the menu. With the help of Merv I was able to try just about everything on the breakfast menu. Loved them all! We never made it to lunch as we were still full from breakfast and busy enjoying our spa appointments in the afternoon. Dinner was always something to look forward to.

We made our spa appointments in the afternoons so we would not have any pressure of a schedule. This gave us the morning and early afternoons for reading by the pool, playing cards, or just doing nothing.

 For treatments we choose the Sabie Valley Coffee Envelopment, Summerfields Natural Signarure Facial, and the Sunny Eudora Pedicure. We both really enjoyed the coffee scrub. We are slight attics of the caffeinated bean. The smell floated through air as the most beautiful subtle breeze blew.

The farm is a little slice of heaven on earth. In addition to the roses they grow lychee’s and macadamia nuts. There are two restaurants the River Cafe where we ate most of our meals and Kitchen which is positioned closer to the road for the convenience of locals and drive by guests. We ventured up to the Kitchen one afternoon for lunch. Below is a picture of the lovely presentation of the gazpacho which was hands down one of the best I’ve ever had. The flavors were blended to perfection. We also shared a cheese board that was accompanied by delicious house made bread.

Summerflieds gets an enthusiastic 2 thumbs up from the Duffield’s. The staff was personable, attentive, and always available for any of our wants or needs. Joan the manager was a most gracious and lovely host. She and Precious really made our stay most memorable!

Check them out at summerfields.co.za!

 

Namibia Days 10 – 18

Day 10 Epupa Falls to Ongongo

The Chief had to go to the Clinic 200km away. The day before, while having lunch I offered to take him as I was headed in the general direction.

0700

I picked up the Chief and one of his young sons.

After dropping them near Opuwu, I continued South to the graves of the Dorsland Trekkers. At the time I did not know much about these trekkers but after doing some research, find it fascinating that they were able to travel the distances they did given the conditions and areas they were in.

Near Kaoko Otavi lay five graves of the Dorsland trekkers under the tree.

 

 This is the remains of the church. I met with J. Humu a local who took me to the sites and he believes the church collapsed and the five bodies were carried a few hundred meters and buried under the tree you see above. The date he wrote in the sand was 1924. The only information I have found was the Dorsland Trekkers erected the church around 1879. This was a chosen spot as there is a spring that runs through this village.

  The roads are all gravel but as you can see are kept in a fairly good condition.

 

 Right: Continuing South to Sesfontein, one thing you cannot stop is all the dust settling in your car. Everywhere!

 Very steep pass 40km North of Sesfontein

Arriving at Sesfontein, welcomed by a Trip of Goats. This is a very scenic area with Sesfontein set to the West of this mountain range. I would like to have the names of the mountain ranges, but they are not easily found. I am told that many are just not named.

  

  Just before sunset I tucked into Ongongo to camp for the night. Ongongo is known for the clear pond you see. The water is a great temperature even in winter as a warm flowing waterfall set back in the cave feeds the pond. A swim before setting up camp was great after a long day on the gravel roads.

Distance Traveled: 408km

Day 11 – Ongongo to Twyfelfontein

The drive South you are kept entertained with Giraffe, Zebra and many Springbok.

Springbok among Milk Bush

 Looking down on into the plains to the East

Petrified Forest

 Proclaimed a national Monument on March 1^st, 1950.

 The petrified forest is a 65Ha area in the Damaraland where you can see the exposed fossilized trees. In short, these tree trucks were washed down a river and buried in alluvial sands some 200 million years ago. Due to a lack of air and pressure these trees are now said to have “turned to stone”.

Reference: http://www.namibian.org/travel/natural/petrified-forest.html

  

Left: Rings are clearly visible   Right: Water that has crystalized with in the trunk

 

Left: Although hard as stone, the bark can be seen. Right: 40m trunk

The Welwitschia mirabilis

 Said to be a living fossil, can only be found in the Namibia and Angola. The oldest and largest plant stands approximately 1.4m tall, 5m in diameter and in excess of 1500 years old.

Only 2 leaves, but separate into more through wind damage.

Male Welwitschia/Khorixas plant around 600 years old.

On to Twyfelfontein – home to the engravings and rock paintings

Namibia’s first World Heritage Site 28 June, 2007

Engravings of animals

 

Animals and rock paintings

 

Rock forms and Ruins

 

 

I camped along the dry Aba-Huab riverbed for the night

Distance: 305km

Day 12 – Twyfelfontein to The White Lady

There was plenty to see on my way South to The Brandberg Mountains.

Organ Pipes right before sunrise

 

Burnt Mountain at sunrise

Gardens of Pillar rocks were fascinating

I did not take the recommended route, but instead took a more direct route with notation “Serious 4wd needed”. It was a slow going road, averaging 20-40km/h for 80km. With stops to take pictures and negotiate tracks, it took around 6 hours.

Deserted houses and cars on route

 

40km from the nearest village and there is a honesty system of “take a rock and leave a penny”

Bush road signs

The “veld” out here is fine and light in color. The blades are almost gold in color. I love it.

 

60km into the trip, the highest mountain in Namibia revealed her North side. Brandberg Mountain

 

From the cockpit

 The White 

The story of the White Lady of the Brandberg Mountains has great history and is worth looking up. Unfortunately it is far to long for me to add into the blog.

It’s a 2.5km Walk up to the paintings. The walk itself is along a riverbed, crossing streams, and between the boulders. The walk on its own is worth the trip.

Left: The White Lady  Right: Half Man-Half Animal

 

Animals and White Lady

Oldest pictures on Maack rock

Maack shelter overhang

I spent the night at the White Lady Lodge 15km away from the painting. If you recall our UK friends from previous blogs Jon, Claire, and their daughters Sophie and Lucy, as well as Steve and Samantha were also spending the night at the lodge. It was good to catch up with them again and see where their travels had taken them.

Distance: 117km

Day 13 White Lady to Swakopmund

The morning was spent saying goodbye to friends.  Left to Right: Sam, Steve, Myself, Lucy and Sophie on the roof, Jon and Claire.

Headed West toward Henties Bay from Uis

 Honesty sales system. Take a rock and leave a penny. Headed North from Henties Bay toward Cape Cross.

Cape Cross

 Seal colony

 

 Barking Cape Fur Seal

 

 Padrao left by Diogo Cao in 1486. He named this area Cabo de Cruz or Cape Cross

 

 

 West coast far different form the East

 

 Fishing Trawler Zeila, stranded in the early hours of the morning on August 25, 2008. The Vessel was on tow from Walvis Bay to Bombay after being sold for scrap. The wreck is between Henties Bay and Swakopmund. Picture taken in the fog.

 

 Coastline near wreck

 The sleepy village of Wlotzkasbaken. With 106 homes and only 6 permanent residence, this village is truly unique. No water, electric or sewage is town supplied. Water is delivered and stored in private water reservoirs seen below.

 

 Colorful holiday homes with matching water reservoirs

 

 

Night spent in Swakopmund

Distance: 368km

Day 14 Swakopmund to Walvis Baai

Off to the dunes with Da African Style Sand boarding company in Swakopmund. Run by Michelle and Raymond, and guided by Bambo and Nico. This is a very well run company and great fun for all ages.

 

 

The flat board, “Lay down Board”, was possible more fun than the sand boarding. The lower left picture shows the height of the dune for the lay down board enabling speeds of up to 80km/h.

 

Walvis Bay

Pelican showing off along the waterfront

 

 Port of Walvis Bay

Bay view sunset

As Walvis Bay doesn’t cater for campers or over landers, I stayed at Loubsers B&B / Backpackers in Walvis Bay for the night.

Distance: 54km

Day 15 Walvis bay to Sesriem

Started the morning with a drive to Pelican Point along the Salt Pans

 

Namib Salt works

 

The golden bladed grass again

The drive South to Sesriem was filled with ostrich, Gemsbok and Springbok along side the road.

Bridge over river at Kuiseb Pass

The tropic of Capricorn in the West, Namibia

Flash back 21 May 2011 Suz and I on the Tropic of Capricorn, East Coast, Mozambique

 

Solitaire is a great stop for fuel, coffee and fresh bakery from Moose MacGregors Desert Bakery.

Sesriem

 Named by the Dorsland trekkers as “Six Rawhide String”, as that was the death of the canyon. They tied six strings together and lowered their bucket to get water.

Arrival at the park gate, booked a campsite and straight to the dunes. Sossosvlei and Deadvlei are 60km from the Sesriem. The only problem is that you have to be out of the par by 1820, which is one hour after sunset. The common route is Deadvlei then Dune 45 for sunset as Dune 45 is only 45 km from the gate.

I however wanted to photograph Deadvlei at sunset, which left getting back to the gate by 1820 tricky.

This was one of the highlights of my trip. Ever since seeing pictures of Deadvlei, I have been wanting to come here.

Dunes on the way to Deadvlei & Sossosvlei

 

Deadvlei is a 1.1km walk across the Dunes from the car park

  

This is why I wanted to be there for sunset. The images of the cracked ground highlighted with the low level sun are stunning.

 

Dune 45 in the background after sunset

Distance: 522km

Day 16 – Sesriem to Betta

The morning start with a run down to Sesriem Canyon. Once again the usual route is to line up outside the park gate by 0515. Most people want to get up Dune 45 for sunrise, this meant I had the Canyon to myself which is great for photos.

 

  

Tire repairs before heading off again

Careful not to drive over the reptiles in the road!

Sociable Weaver nest. One of the most impressive structures seen along the roads, particularly in the Southern Parts of Namibia.

 

Entrances to the chambers are from below. These nests house up to one hundred pairs of birds at a time. Some are seen on the ground possibly when the nest gets too large and heavy for the structure it is on.

On returning to the car from photographing this nest, I saw a leave in my main fuel tank. Although small, I decided to repair it before continuing.

18km down the road I found a Farm with a rest stop called Betta.I removed the tank, and found a pin hole leak. The hole was too small to see with the naked eye, only once pressuring the tank with air, and drizzling a soapy water solution on the – much like finding a puncture.

Welding a plate over the pinholes

 

I camped there for the night.

Distance: 164km

Day 17 Betta to Keetmanshoop

Departed Betta for Luderitz in the South West.

200km away I stopped in the town of Aus, which is known for the wild desert horses. This is home to the Bahnhof Hotel, which makes the best take away coffee!

 

Aus Church

The road to Luderitz form Aus is 123km, and protty much a straight open road.

Deserted building

Light house and view of the Port of Luderitz from Shark island

 

Ships at anchor waiting for Port Clearance

Luderitz has a great little waterfront with bars, restaurants and a few shops overlooking the port.

 

Kolmanskuppe is the Ghost town in the diamond mining area, 10km from Luderitz. The town was deserted after WW1 and since been taken over by the sand dunes. Tours of the town are available once obtaining a permit.

 

 

From Luderitz, I drove East to head for South Africa. This concluded my journey through Namibia

A lasting memory of Namibia. The sun setting below the Dunes of Luderitz in my rearview mirror while a full moon rose up ahead.

I stopped over in Keetmanshoop for the night and continued on through the Ariamsvlei/Nakop border post the following morning.

Total Distance: 7130km

Days SA to SA: 18

My Top 5 Highlights

1: Epupa Falls

2: Himba visit

3: Deadvlei and Dunes

4: Etosha National Park

5: Sand boarding, Swakopmund

For more pictures please visit www.mervynduffieldphotography.com

Follow the icons to Travel, Africa, Namibia

 

Etosha National Park

 Fort Namutoni once home to the German Police Post and during WW1 the place to hold English prisoners, is now a restaurant, bar and curio shop for visitors to the Park.

 Day 6 East of the Park to Halali

Prior to entering the park, I met Andrew, an Aussie, making his way around Southern Africa in a VW supported by Hoopers Dealership in Durban. We spent two days traveling through the park, which was great as we could get off the beaten track with two vehicles. It is not recommended for one vehicle to stray off the main routes.

 The Pan with water in it at the moment

 Some animals seen on route

   

  

 

 This guy is eating a thorn bush

 One I particularly loved were the Giraffe’s in the background walking toward the setting sun

  

Regardless of animals seen, the landscapes and drives are beautiful

   

Up close with the Elephant’s

  

There is a spit that is built out on the Pan, which makes a fantastic Sunset viewpoint

 

 Back at camp, Halali in the center of the park, the guests gather at waterhole to watch as the Rhino come in for a drink

 

Distance: 248km with in the park

 

Eupupa Falls – Himbas

Headed to Epupa Falls in the North on the Angolan Border!

Day 7 Halali to Opuwo

I did a morning Safari in the park so I only got on the road around 1100. From the West side of Etosha, Anderson Gate, I set off for as far North as I could go until nightfall.

 The roads where all well kept, both gravel and tar

  

I managed to get 600km in and arrived in Opuwo as the sun was setting.

 It was a magical arrival, as the road into Opuwo runs East West.

 The Camp I stayed at was still high enough that the sun had not completely disappeared behind the mountain range.

 Distance: 578km

Day 8 Opuwo to Epupa Falls

 Opuwo is the last town with anything that resembles a supermarket, ATM or maintenance for that matter.  The morning was spent doing a few repairs to my suspension in Opuwo before heading North.

 

The 190km gravel road ride was filled with photo opportunities. The landscapes and rock structures would make a giant play ground for geologists and enthusiasts.

 

 With my stopping included it made for a four-hour drive through Kaokoland, also known as Himba country. The sight of the Falls peeking through the Makalani Palm tree oasis was spectacular.

 

 The Eupupa Falls were one of the most spectacular falls I have seen. Perhaps the volume of water is not as great as Vic Falls and the greatest drop boasts a mere 37m, but it’s 1.5km spread section is home to many large Baobabs clutching to the rock face. This makes it a wonder to me.

 

 

 To get a great perspective of the 0.5km wide Kunene River, which separates Angola and Namibia, a viewpoint is situated on Sundowners Hill.

 In the right of the picture below, set among the Makalani Palms is Omarunga Lodge.

 I set up camp along side the Kunene River. This was the turning point of my trip and as far North as I was heading not to mention by far the most beautiful location,  therefore I stayed here for two nights. There is a lot to do here, as far as seeing the falls, waiting for the right light to photograph, river rafting, croc tours, and visiting a Himba village.

 Distance: 191km

Day 9

 Himbas

The Himba’s are mostly nomadic and live in the Northern regions of Namibia. Daily tasks include herding their cattle and goats, milking the cows and collecting water.

 The women use a mixture of milk fat and ochre pigment to rub on themselves making them red in color. The travel guides and Internet articles say it is to protect them from the sun, but the Himba’s told me that was incorrect as it is for moisturizing and beauty. To dull the smell of the milk fat, the woman then apply a perfume from the “perfume tree”.

 

Center: Grinding corn / Mahangu

 Their hairstyles are interesting as they can tell you something about the person. The boys have a single headdress similar to a Mohawk, which will continue growing into long tails.

 

Young girls have two tails running forward like a fringe. If the girl is a twin or was not delivered head first at birth, she will only have one tail growing forwards. The same as the young boys above, only forward.

 

 Once they become a woman, their hair is warn as above.

 The Calabash is filled with milk. The woman will sit under a tree and shake it for hours. During my visit, the young children would relieve the women for a few minutes. This will form a thick butter solution, which is to be mixed with the red ochre as described above.

  

 This is the house of the Chief and his first wife. On the floor you see Calabash and wooden buckets.

Finally, the Chief invited me to lunch with him. This was under the tree with a bucket of fermented milk mixed with root of a plant I could not get the name of. The milk was trying for me to swallow, but in the name of being a good guest I pushed through. Then the corn that you see the one lady grinding above was cooked up and served in a straw basket, I know it as Pap. As it is not processed corn like the corn meal or “Millie Meal”, this dish is red in color. Chunks of pap were scooped out of the straw dish and placed in the milk, then stirred to porridge like consistency. Lunch now served, with 4 fingers, you scoop and slurp. What an experience!

 My day with the Himba family was one I will not forget…

 

Swakopmund, Namibia

Current Location: Swakopmund, Namibia.

I have a lot to catch up on as I have been on the road for 12 days. As you know Suz was keeping up with the blog on our previous trips.

The purpose of this trip was to scout Namibia, therefore I drove through Botswana as quickly as possible. I wanted to start in the Caprivi, which is located in Northeastern Namibia, then work my way West and then South.

Day 1 – July 26, 2011

I left South Africa at 0400 and exited through Skilpadshek Border into Botswana. From there it was several hundred km along the A2 running South of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. There were many animals on route to look out for. I camped for the night at Kalahari Arms Hotel in Ghanzi. The accommodations and facilities were very good.

Distance: 1050km for the day.

Day 2

Depart 0630

The roads were good and I had a lot of fun with photography on route. When I drove past something I could picture in a shot, I had to turn around and capture it. I photographed a man with his donkeys. He did not speak English, but we still seemed to communicate well.

After 200km I turned left onto the A35. What a beautiful drive…to some at least.The roads narrow and the wildlife is more abundant. If you are not in a rush there is plenty out there to entertain your eyes for miles. However, if you are speeding along you may just miss the ones under the tree.

There may not be street signs for village roads, but there are signs if you know what to look for.

Out here you will notice all the birds nest are found only on the West side of the trees.

Lunch on the road when Suz is not with me.

Bots/Namib Border was quick and painless, and soon I was on to the gravel roads of the Mahango Game Park.

On route to Ngepi Camp I stopped at Popa Falls for Sunset.

On arrival at Ngepi, two local children from the community greeted me. On the left is the drummer and on the right his dancing co-partner, distracted by pen and paper I gave to them. The next day I noticed the paper had been turned into a trumpet.

I arrived at Ngepi Camp to meet friends from previous trips in Africa. Jon & Claire, with there two girls Sarah and Lucy along with Steve and his wife Samantha. We stayed here for two nights, which was a pleasure after the 1500+ km drive. This camp is one of the highlights of my trip so far. Situated on the Okavango Delta Panhandle, the Hippo sounds keep you entertained throughout the night.

Where else can you have river front views while on the “Royal Flush.”

 

Poop a Falls is a play on words as the well known Popa Falls is 5 km up the road. What a view.

 

A swim in the Okovango Delta Panhandle is a must. The pool is a cage to protect swimmers from resident Crocs and Hippos.

Day 4 & 5

The next few days I spent traveling up to Etosha Pan National Park. Along route, I stopped at a few frequently visited sites. The Hoba Meteorite is the largest known Meteorite in the world, which was discovered in 1920. The Meteorite struck the earth approximately 80,000 years ago. Among other elements, the meteorite consists of 82% iron, 16% Nickel and .76% Cobalt.

   

Otjikoto Lake houses an underwater museum. The Germans dumped many weapons in the lake rather then let them be captured. Canons, machine guns, revolvers, mountain guns and a mysterious safe of unknown contents are on display on a ledge underwater.

The steam engine and pumps, built in 1907, were used to pump water from the lake to Tsumeb some 20km away.

 

 The garden surrounding the Lake is enough to make you want to visit.

 

Victoria Falls, Zambia

We picked up Hagop and Ashley in Livingstone. They had flown in from Johannesburg to finish the final portion of our trip with us. Victoria Falls lies about 5km from Livingstone. After enjoying some margaritas and tacos at a local watering hole, and yes we are still in Africa! We caught our first glimpse of the falls. It’s amazing just how much spray the falls produce. This was truly a highlight of the whole trip for me. I have wanted to visit Vic Falls since I was first aware of it’s existence. Words simply do not explain just how amazing the falls are. Even with all the commercialism surrounding them they are still nature’s wonder and man can’t take credit for them.

After walking down to take a closer look at the falls there was not a dry stitch on our bodies. The spray from the falls makes it seem like you are in the middle of a rain storm. Before walking down the park tried to sell us a poncho to keep dry. The funny thing was that everyone in ponchos were completely soaked from the bottom up. There was just no way to avoid the powerful falls.

This photograph was taken right above the falls.

Seeing and being soaked by the falls were just the beginning of our adventures. We only had two days so we decided on a rafting trip and a helicopter ride. The rafting was by far my coolest rafting experience to date. We were picked up at our camp in the morning and taken off for a day of fun on the Zambezi River.

Our guides bundled up for the chilly morning ride.

Safety briefing.

15 minute hike down to the river. They did not tell us about this when we signed up.

Final preparations…We thought we had it tough hiking down, never mind the workers who carried the rafts down and then pumped them up for us.

A stop off on the river for a little cliff jumping. Merv showed up my basic jump with a back flip from a higher ledge.

At one point while we were surrounded by waves and cresting the one in front of us we were inches away from being flipped. It was as if we were in the ocean, not a river. The experience was intense but such an awesome adrenaline rush. Our guide expertly navigated us into safer waters.

One side of the river was Zambia and the other Zimbabwe. We took a short break in Zimbabwe.

The kayaker was our insurance policy. He was there to help if we fell out or the boat tipped over.

Merv giving the ores a go in calmer waters. We finished the trip with lunch and cold beers on the side of the river. It made for the perfect ending to an already awesome experience.

The next day we visited the falls from the air.

After Victoria Falls it was time to start heading south again back to Pretoria, South Africa. We had an incredible six weeks on the road and we were able gather lots of information for trip planning. Our route back took us two days. We spent one night near Chobe National Park and one in Francistown, Botswana.

We savored every last moment of the trip even on the road. This was a stop for sundowners on the way to Francistown. We arrived back in Pretoria late in the evening on June 23rd. I have to say it did not feel right to be back. It seemed like we should still be on the road. I guess that is the reality of a memorable trip coming to a close.

Merv is still in South Africa working on the website and pursuing his freelance photography. I’m back in the US working in the Hamptons for the summer. Stay tuned for trip itineraries on the website. We would love to be up and running by November/December.

 

South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

We left Lilongwe mid afternoon with our new Dutch friends and made our way to Chipata, Zambia. Chipata is the first town across the border and a good stop off before heading to South Luangwa National Park. The government is in the process of paving the road between Chipata and South Luangwa until that is finished it will remain hectic. We had dinner at a local restaurant before heading to our campsite for the evening.

Eating with your hands is not only acceptable but expected.

On the road to South Luangwa…

Curious onlookers

Grilled cheese for lunch on the road side.

Snack time. Merv gave the dried fish a try. We had been seeing these little dried delights for sale along our whole trip and it was time to give them a go.

Our arrival was perfectly timed with sunset.

Flatdogs is the closest lodge and campsite to the park entrance. We had heard good things about it and were not disappointed. During our first evening there our campsite was infiltrated with two hippos looking for their evening meal. We should have known something was up when we were instructed not to walk around camp with out a ranger escort after dark.

 Pictured above is a sausage tree. The tree’s fruit is a favorite for hippos. They were all over the campsite.

We listened to the grunts of the hippos while falling asleep that night. The next morning we were up early to watch the sun rise and try to catch a glimpse of the wildlife starting the day.

We are looking over the Luangwa river. On the other side is the National Park, hence the hippos in our camp. There is estimated to be at least 50 hippos per kilometre of the Luangwa River.

After watching the animals wake up they came to do some observing of their own. A herd of about 10 elephants hung out in the camp for several hours. We were a little nervous while snapping this photo. We had to run and our computers were still out. The elephants have a reputation of being destructive but not without cause. One cause is when they are looking for food and two when they are threatened or upset. Fortunately, neither of those situations applied to this circumstance.

Another cause for worry. A tree stand in the campsite. We were quite happy to be up there when the elephants started moving through.

Before even entering the park we had seen hippos, elephants, crocs, baboons (they stole a big block of cheese right off our table), giraffes, and a variety of birds. We booked into an evening safari drive the day after we arrived. It started at 4:00 and went until 8:00. The timing was nice because you get two hours of day light and two hours of darkness.

Our guide spotted this leopard in the tree about 15 minutes into the drive. Absolutely awesome to see up close and in the wild. We stayed and watched it for about 10 minutes when it decided to get up.

The leopard climbed down the tree right in front of us and walked past the vehicle. You may be wondering if this was a safe move. We were told that the animals are use to seeing the vehicles and do not see them as a threat. However, if one was to get out of the game vehicle the scenario could change.

First rate hospitality, the game drive included sun downers and a light snack along the river.

We returned to camp feeling entirely fulfilled with our game drive. We had plans to go back into the park the next day on our own. When you buy a pass into the park it is for a 24 hour period. We woke up early the next morning and set out again into the park.

This lagoon was my favorite spot to watch the hippos. They were gobbling up leaves as they walked through the water. Usually during the day they are not so lively.

Our Dutch friends were bird enthusiast and taught us a lot during our few days with them. Pictured here is a Pied Kingfisher. I had never really been into birding but found myself enjoying the birds as much as the big game. It definitely helps being with someone who already has a lot of knowledge about the types of bird and which ones are rare verses common.

We had seen this owl on our night drive and went back to the same tree to take a longer look. We were probably staring at it for five minutes when one of us realized a second one was staring at us. The species is a Great Eagle Owl. It was absolutely stunning.

The giraffe were fairly abundant both in and out of the park. During our self drive we stopped and took a nap under a tree, in the car of course. Sounds funny but it was mid day and fairly hot out. When we parked we saw a lone giraffe in the distance. It appeared as if it was walking towards us but was still far off. It slowly made its way towards us and stopped about 70 yards out. For the next hour the giraffe kept it’s distance but stared in our direction. Bizarre!

After 3 days at South Luangwa National Park it was time to depart our new friends. We had enjoyed the companionship and security of another vehicle but had to be on our way to pick up friends in Livingstone. We left very satisfied with our experience and the rich amount of wildlife we were able to see.

 

Malawi

What first stood out to me in Malawi was just how friendly the people are. Malawi’s nickname is “The warm heart of Africa”. I learned that after the country had left it’s impression on me. Malawi is land locked but you would never know that standing on the edge of Lake Malawi. The lake is approximately 52 miles wide by 365 miles long. It’s color resembles the waters of the Caribbean more then your typical lake. There are even small tropical fish inhabiting the waters.

We entered Malawi from the most southern border post of Mwanza. The border crossing was unique in that we exited Mozambique and did not cross into Malawi for another 5 km. We were in a sort of no mans land. The crossing was fairly uneventful but took a while. It seems that getting people through the border is easy but getting the vehicle through is a bit more tricky.

On the road again we enjoyed the scenery Malawi was offering stopping for photo ops and roadside stands. I had my face in a book disappearing into another world when Merv mentioned, “Care for a rat kebab?” Pardon! Sure enough we passed about a half a dozen guys selling rat kebabs. Fully intact with hair, head, and tails, there were about 6 on a stick. Curiosity kills and we needed a closer look. We pulled over to have a chat and try to get a picture. The problem is the guys want more for us to take a photo of them then for the kebabs. If you take a photo without asking it leaves a very negative impression on the locals of tourists. We decided to forgo the picture and just enjoy the moment.

Cape Maclear

After 8 hours on the road we pulled into Cape Maclear and arrived at our campsite Fat Monkey’s. As we arrived the sun was setting over the lake and the scene was picturesque. We parked, set up camp, and went straight for a swim. The fresh water of the lake felt rejuventaing after a hot day in the car. We decided a day off from camp life was much needed and hit up the restaurant for dinner and drinks. The place was lively with it being Friday night and full of cheery travelers.

First glimpse of Lake Malawi

 We were still in relax mode the next morning and woke up leisurely. Our favorite way to start the morning on the trip has been with a swim. It is such a fantastic way to start the day. After our swim we made pancakes and bacon. The process took about 2 hours. We had been out of gas for the last 3 weeks and just using fire or our little electric burner. It was nice not to be in a hurry and just go with it. After breakfast we took a walk along the beach to check out what was going on. I must remind you we are still in Africa. We are not able to get but a few steps without having to dodge locals going about their daily activities. Mom’s are washing clothes while their toddlers are splashing around and playing in the water. Men are bringing in fish from the lake or getting their nets ready to go out fishing. The shore is dotted with huts and resorts interspersed. We stop in at Kayak Africa to inquire about rentals , Froggies for diving, and then down to DanForth the nicest resort on the shore. After checking out the scene we decided on a half day kayak rental. We paddled out to the island across the way for a bit of snorkeling. We stayed at Fat Monkey’s for 3 days before moving up the coast of the lake.

On the road…

Malawian’s are known for their artful wood carvings. They carve animals, kitchen utensils, toys, and chairs to name a few. Their craftsmanship is impeccable. Im typically not one for buying souvenirs but I had my eye on a wooden land rover for my nephew. Buying and bartering for goods in Africa is not for everyone. I do it as least as possible. The last time I tried I got frustrated as I was bombarded by 5 hands in my face and did not take to the situation very well. After a little coaching from Merv I was ready for round two. Africa is a warm climate culture and I’m not referring to the weather. They are relational. They want to get to know you before conducting any sort of business. When people approach you here, they first ask your name, then where you are from, how long have you been in their country, and where are you going next? Only after this whole dialogue takes place do they get around to telling you about what goods or services they want to offer you. I try to keep all this in mind as I am approached by no less then 5 vendors wanting to offer me their carved wooden land rovers. I remained calm and joked around with them. Told them I was not spending more then $20 and who wanted to make a deal. Then one more guy comes and puts yet another landy in my face. His is different though, the craftsmanship is more detailed and precise. After a bit of back and forth with him we settle on $30 which I’m sure is way too much to pay but I’m pleased that I have kept my composure and call it a success.

Dwangwa sugar plantation. The largest sugar plantation in Malawi , Dwangwa produces sugar for both the local market and for export. Situated along the lake much of the plantation is irrigated by a system of canals and sprinklers. The waste from the sugar is distilled into ethanol which is added at the rate of 10% to all the petrol in Malawi to save on imports.

Nkhotakota Pottery Lodge

Relaxing after a full day on the road at the lodge coffee shop. We had started the day not knowing where we wanted to stop for the night and ended up here. The lodge offers one day to week long pottery courses, as well as cultural excursions and safaris. We spent one night and then were on our way once again.

On the road…

These ladies agreed to let Merv take a photo of them in exchange for some sweets and a pen.

As a whole in each country we tried to avoid carrying very much of local currency and instead just stuck to Rands and Dollars. This was not possible in Malawi, not one of the petrol stations took credit cards. On one of our fuel stops this presented a small problem. I miss counted our money and we were 700 Kwacha short after filling up. We had dollars but they would not accept them. A guy named Alex was hanging around the car and said he had a friend who could exchange money for us. He took Merv to a Chinese woman in a clothing store while I stayed with the car. She asked him what exchange rate he wanted and traded him kwacha. Alex tried to barter some goods with Merv in exchange for his clothes on the way back to the car. This was not the first time he had been asked this. Upon further explanation we learned that quality clothing is hard to find for the locals. They see the tourist come through with good quality clothes that are not available to buy near them and would rather be paid with clothing then money.

Kande Beach Lodge

Kande Beach is a popular Overland tour stop. When we arrived, there were 3 buses parked at the campsite. I had not been familiar with this type of touring before. Turns out it is a very popular way to travel Africa economically. The tours attract a young backpacker’s crowd which made for a very lively bar scene that evening.

 

Makuzi aka “Paradise”

After a night at a backpackers lodge Makuzi was a welcome peaceful retreat. We had not intended to stay there but rather just check it out and take some photographs. The decision was made for us when we pulled up to the nicest setting we had seen on the lake yet. It was pure paradise! The beach was tucked into a cove formed by two points that sheltered it a bit from the open water.

We had dinner at the restaurant and chatted with the lodge manager. Best steak we’ve had in a long time, cooked to perfection with a fried egg on top, served with homemade chips and salad. Yum! We stayed for two nights. I hated leaving.

Nkhata Bay

One of the many picturesque scenes along the lake. The local community depends on the lake not only for water but also as a main food source. This scene was captured from our campsite in Nkhata Bay. We stayed for one night as our scheduled time in Malawi was coming to a close.

On the road…

WOW and Really? are the two words that come to mind. This guy was great. He pulled over and stopped so that Merv could get a good picture of him. He didn’t even want anything for it.

We left Nkhata Bay early and drove north to the third largest city in Malawi, Mzuzu. We stopped in for lunch and then carried on, finishing the day in Lilongwe the capital of Malawi.

Lilongwe

Lilongwe was a memorable spot because we had some trials and made some friends during our stay. One of the trials was buying a cart full of groceries only to realize the shop accepts visa or cash, neither of which we had. I had to go to the ATM which took me about 30 minutes due to the long line and draw K30,000 roughly $200. The situation was a good reminder that nothing happens fast in Africa. Patience is a necessity for survival here. We left Malawi with memories and travel partners. A Dutch couple was headed in the same direction as us so we decided to team up and go together.

 

Camp Cooking

I think a lot of people have preconceived notions of camping food. Hamburgers and hotdogs may come to mind, baked potatoes wrapped in tin foil thrown in the fire, maybe marshmallows roasted on a stick for smores. All of those things are good but truthfully a bit limiting to what you can make outside of the kitchen. I have found that anything you can make at home you can make on the campfire, you may need a little more creativity and a extra dose of patience. In two months we ate maybe one stereotypical camping meal.

Cooking Methods

Potjiekos – “Pot food”

Fire Roasting

Camp Made Pizza Oven

Cast Iron Bread Pan

Boiling

Frying

Grilling

Haystack

 Spit Roasted Fresh Chickens – Since the start of our trip Merv and I have been eyeing up the live chickens for sale on the side of the road. We really wanted to buy one but were a little intimidated by the whole process. While we were staying in Lilongwe we met a guy named Jon who had driven his landy down from the UK and was making his way through Africa. We were sharing a meal with Jon one night and chatting about camp cooking. Jon mentioned that he buys chickens live while he’s on the road. Our eyes lit up and we insisted that he show us how to prepare a chicken from scratch.

With out getting into the gory details this is how we did it. Kill the chicken. Let the blood drain while you pluck the feathers (this is best done immediately while the chicken is still warm, the feathers come out easiest). After plucking the chicken you take the wings off. At this point you have a fairly clean bird and now must remove the innards carefully as to not contaminate it. The final step is washing it out real good in clean water. Your chicken is now ready to prepare to your liking. We choose to stuff our chicken with lemon and garlic cloves.

Note: Spit roasting is not the best cooking method for village chickens. The meat was very tough. The chickens spend their existence running around dodging people and cars. This makes their muscles more developed. It is best to slow roast the chicken in liquid.

Pizza – The preparation process is the same as at home. Make your dough, roll it out and top with whatever is in your refrigerator. We were missing one key link in the cooking process and had to get creative. The heat comes up from the fire but we needed to trap it around the pizza. Merv came up with tinfoil around a gas bottle holder. It worked great because we were able to lift it on and off to check the pizza.

Curry – A very easy one-pot meal that can be cooked over the fire. We started by sautéing the onions, peppers, and garlic, then added the mince and let it slow cook for about an hour and a half. The final step as tossing in the fresh basil before serving. This recipe was one of Merv’s from his time in Thailand. We served it with a fried egg, rice and fresh green beans.

Cooking with a potjiekos is a South African tradition that goes back to the first dutch settlers. The pots are able to retain heat and keep its contents at a simmer with only a few coals. They are efficient and effortless and therefore ideal for cooking in or out of the kitchen.

Beef Fajitas – By far one of the most delicious and easiest things I made. I started with a base of onions and chilies on the bottom of the potije. A large roast was layered on top then covered with a can of beer and a can diced tomatoes. The potjie sat in the fire for over 3 hours. As the meat began to cook I cut the roast into chunks so that it would cook more evenly. I let the liquid reduce until a rich sauce was left with tender meat morsels. Truly divine!

 Goat Stew with Pup – Dodging goats running across the street has pretty much been a constant during the trip. They are everywhere yet I have not seen any meat for sale. While in Chipata, Zambia I finally saw goat meat for sale in the grocery store. The meat looks very similar to beef. I decided to make a stew out of it and serve it the traditional African way with pup as they call it in South Africa or insima as it is called in Malawi and Zambia. A large portion of the African diet is corn meal. Very similar to polenta or grits you just cook it to different consistencies. With the pup you cook it to a very thick consistency but not stiff like mash potatoes. For insima they process it to a point where you can pick it up with your hands and dip it into your stew. To cook the stew I tried out a method called haystack cooking. Put all your ingredients in a potjie and bring it to a boil, take the pot off the heat and do not open the lid as this will break the heat seal, wrap a dish cloth around the potjie, place it in a plastic bag, wrap the bag in tin foil with the shiny side in, further insulate by wrapping in a large blanket or sleeping bag. I let mine sit for four hours since we were out on safari. We came back to a steaming hot fully cooked goat stew that we ate with the pup.

Pesto – We have a hand blender that plugs into our inverter in the landy. I found beautiful basil in Maputo that we used in the curry shown above. There was quite a bit left over so pesto came to mind. I did not have pine nuts or parmesan but lack of ingredients should never get in your way, simply improvise and substitute as needed. This one below had basil, fresh garlic, chilies, olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper.

Catch of the day – Fish was often available from local fisherman while we were in Mozambique. I’m not sure what type this one is below but it was delicious. We kept the preparation simple and the fish cooked it self on the fire.

Bread – Banana, olive, yogurt, whole wheat, mayonnaise, and beer breads were on the menu during the trip. I tried almost everyone in the 4×4 cookbook. I would make them all again minus the mayonnaise bread. The process is the same as at home you just cook it in the fire instead of the oven. The fire can be a little temperamental, it’s important for the coals to be just right. If they are too hot your bread just burns. We found that putting the bread on the fire after making dinner worked well.

Birthday Cake – We celebrated Merv’s birthday on the road. I used my bread pot for a cake pan and cooked it in the fire. I did not have the ingredients for icing so I melted a mint chocolate bar instead. It worked great!

Banana Fritters – Bananas have been plentiful along the road. They are being sold in large bunches that look like they just came off the tree. It is nearly impossible to get through a bunch before they start to become brown. Fortunately, that is when they are just reaching their peak for baking. Before the trip I bought a cookbook specifically for bush cooking. I had wanted to try one of their dessert recipes and all the ingredients for banana fritters were present. Frying has always been a little intimidating for me. I usually leave it to the professionals. I learned that things always seem harder then they are before you try. We used our potije and an inch and a half of cooking oil. The batter was simple with eggs, flour, milk, and sugar but I substituted the fresh honey bought on the road that day. Spoonfuls of the batter were dropped in the oil and cooked until they were golden brown on both sides. A spaghetti scoop turned out to be a great tool to flip the fritters and drain the oil off. The fire provided a perfect even heat source.

Road Side Lunch – Sandwiches with cold roasted butternut squash slices.

Grilled Breakfast Sandwiches

 

3 Days On the Road

Vilanculos to Chimoio to Tete to Monkey Bay

I was not looking forward to these three days on the road. Packing and setting up camp each day after 400km and 8 hours on the road is just exhausting to think about let alone do. To my surprise, between the changing scenery and roadside stops the time just slipped on by.  We left sandy beaches for rolling hills, palm trees for sugarcane fields, and humidity for dryness.  In 3 days we completed roughly 1200km and crossed one border. We had the very welcome company of 3 traveling companions riding on BMW motorbike. They were on the same course with us until we crossed into Malawi. It was fun to debrief the day over a meal and wine in the evening with them.

I will let the pictures tell most of the story…

Bikes chilling with the landy at a coffee stop

For some reason I just love goats. This fact has nothing to do with my love for goat cheese. Fortunately for me they are all over Africa. I have been wondering for some time what the Africans do with them. I have never seen them offered on a menu or heard of anyone drinking their milk here. Merv finally asked a man who was trying to sell him something what the story was. The man explained that the goats are fairly self-sufficient. They do not need to be fed because they graze off the grass and the moisture from the grass provides them with enough hydration to last them a week. They also breed quite frequently. When the goats are old enough they either sell them or slaughter them for meat. I’m still waiting for the opportunity to try some. I have heard the meat is quite good.

Never underestimate the load capacity of your vehicle.

We camped on the lawn of a hotel just outside of Chimoio. A lot of places that do not specialize in camping will charge you a nominal fee to camp on their property. It’s quite a good set up and a bit of a win win since it cost them nothing  and is cheap for us. We made spaghetti bolognaise on the fire for our new friends and grilled some pineapple we had bought along the drive for dessert.

This rock mountain and the river below were part of the gorgeous scenery we were treated to.

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The young ladies are holding fruit from the baobab tree. We were curious to what it tasted like so we bought one. The girls were hanging around our campsite so we asked them to show us how to eat it. You crack in open by smashing it on a rock or the like. The inside is filled with white irregular cubes. Very hard to describe the taste, best I can say was that it was tangy and a bit chalky. They liked it more then us so we exchanged the rest of the fruit for a picture.

Camping on the Zambezi river in Tete.

Our honey salesman obliging us with a picture. Delicious, if you can get over the fact that they are selling the honey in recycled water bottles that I’m almost positive were not sanitized. My favorite line is that I’m building my immune system one germ at a time.

When you point your camera lens at the locals you can expect a variety of responses; one running away, two asking for money in exchange for the photo, or three posing. Posing is usually reserved to the ones under 10.

The baobab tree in all it’s glory. These trees were dotted across the landscape for over 100km. Each one was more stunning then the last.

The main water source for most communities, a boar hole with a hand pump. It is rare to find running water in the local huts. Most of the people share a common well and use large plastic bins to collect water for the day. The water comes straight from the ground so it is safe to drink. I visited one to fill a water bottle unsure of the reaction I would get and was pleasantly surprised by the warm response. A kid who couldn’t have been more then four pumped while I filled my bottle.