|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
60km |
Meals
Braai'd T-Bone |
Weather |
Near Lusaka, Zambia
Witt & Jen |
16 August, 2004 |
Pioneer Camp |
15°23.734’S
x 26°27.079’E |
Odometer: 32373km |
Sunny, 92(F)
degrees |
|
We tried this morning to collect our ATM cards
but they haven’t yet arrived. A phone call to our trusty Virtual Assistant
told us that according to FedEx they are still in the UK. We bought some
more of the excellent T-bone steak from the Zambeef butcher and headed
back to Pioneer Camp. We met Greg who is traveling north up the east coast
of Africa with a friend. We spent the evening in the bar talking with him
and watching the Olympics on TV. Just before bed another phone call to our
VA told us that our ATM cards have been delivered in Lusaka and we should
be able to collect them tomorrow morning. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
0km |
Meals
Leftovers (fish, etc) |
Weather |
Pennington,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
16 August, 2004 |
Venter Household |
30°22.907’S
30°41.345’E |
Odometer: 42560km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
Graham helped Slade with the gearbox from Sid.
They started pulling the gearbox itself apart which is not an easy job
without special tools. Connie and Krissy when shopping. Then Connie worked
on cleaning the truck. Still waiting for a ship date with no luck so far. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
351km |
Meals
Grilled Chicken |
Weather |
Near Chitwetwe, Zambia
Witt & Jen |
17 August, 2004 |
Sweetwater guest house |
13°32.483’S x 29°39.608’E |
Odometer: 32724km |
Sunny, 90(F) Degrees |
|
We spent the morning filling
up with diesel, shopping for food, and picking up our new ATM cards. We
left town at about 11am and stopped for the evening at a B&B that offers
camping. The site is located on an escarpment overlooking a forested
plain. We built a fire and grilled some chicken for dinner. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
265km |
Meals
Borewors |
Weather |
Pennington,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
17 August, 2004 |
Venter Household |
30°22.907’S 30°41.345’E |
Odometer: 42825km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
In the morning we went for a hike with Krissy,
Slade, Slade’s mother Becky and her man Richie. After the hike we had a
full fry up breakfast at the golf course. Delicious! Connie and Graham
went to the Pavillion shopping mall to check internet. Graham spoke to Liz
from African Outback about the shipping arrangements, but no date has been
worked out yet. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
298km |
Meals
chicken kebabs |
Weather |
|
Kasanka National Park, Zambia
Witt & Jen |
18 August, 2004 |
Pontoon Camp |
12°34.387’S
x 30°14.072’E |
Odometer: 33022km |
Sunny, windy, 88(F)
degrees |
|
We awoke this morning to a
grass fire about 100 meters upwind of our camp. The fire was deliberately
set to clear the old grasses and allow new grass to grow. We’ve seen this
being done all over the country. Inundated by smoke and ash, we packed up
and went to speak to the manager. She didn’t seem too concerned that we
didn’t want to pay for camping and we headed off toward Kasanka National
Park. At a police checkpoint an hour or so down the road the officer
finally noticed that our car lacks reflective tape, which all cars in the
country are required to have along with two warning triangles. The fine,
we were told, is kw54,000 or about $10. I plead ignorance got off by
giving the guy a cold coke from our fridge and a half a loaf of bread. We
stopped at the next town, Serenje, to buy fuel and reflective tape. There
we met a couple of American peace corps volunteers, one of whom is from
Steamboat and noticed the Colorado plates on the car. We drove to Kundilla
falls for lunch and a short hike down to the base of the falls. The
setting was quite spectacular with a stream dropping about 40 meters into
a pool of water. We hung out for a little while enjoying the solitude and
then set off for Kasanka. We arrived there in time for an even game drive,
where we spotted sitatunga (a type of small antelope) Liechtenstein’s
Hartebeest, and a sable. At the camp site attendants built a fire for us
and heated water for a shower. We grilled some chicken kebabs and sat
around the fire talking. |
View from the top of the falls Kibwe hide is really just a treehouse for adults
View from the top of the falls
|
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
265km |
Meals
Chops |
Weather |
Pennington,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
18 August, 2004 |
Venter Household |
30°22.907’S 30°41.345’E |
Odometer: 42825km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
Graham helped Slade with the
gearbox some more. By the end of the day it was in lots of pieces. Now
Slade has to decide what he wants to do with it. |
|
Pennington alarm clock |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
234km |
Meals
Leftover chicken tikka |
Weather |
Banguela Swamp, Zambia
Witt & Jen |
19 August, 2004 |
Shoebill Island Camp |
11°57.259’S
x 30°14.130’E |
Odometer: 33256km |
Sunny, 88(F) Degrees |
|
We spent the morning in kibwe hide watching
sitatungas and a little bird we weren’t able to identify. It has a bright
red crest above the beak, a white chest that fades to bright orange toward
the tail, and black and white wings. We drove back out to the plan where
we saw the antelope last night hoping to spot an adult male sable, but no
luck. After leaving Kasanka we headed for the Livingstone Memorial, where
the famous explorer’s death in 1873 is commemorated. After lunch we
started the long trek out to shoebill island. The road is slow and we
covered the 100km in about three hours. Villages are frequent and the kids
all yell and wave as we pass, some shouting, “Bwana! Sweet!” (Bwana means
“mister”). I think I’m a sweet guy and so does Jen, but I can’t figure out
how the kids know that. The road eventually left the forest to enter a
huge, flat plain covered in low grasses. The scene is stunning. We passed
several large herds of black lechwe, arriving at the campground at 5pm.
The attendants, Edwin and Christopher, built us a fire and heated water
for a shower. |
this puku was hanging out in the morning mist At the Livingstone Memorial Herds of black lechwe on the way to shoebill camp
this puku was hanging out in the morning mist
|
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
231km |
Meals
Lamb shank, kingklip, pasta all in a
fantastic Greek style |
Weather |
Pennington,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
19 August, 2004 |
Venter Household |
30°22.907’S 30°41.345’E |
Odometer: 43057km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
Krissy, Slade, Connie and Graham all went into
Durban to the Pavillion mall. Krissy and Connie met Paula there and went
shopping, while Graham and Slade went looking for gearbox shops. They also
went to a Land Rover dealership to get prices on a new gearbox, and
discovered that not asking would have been better! Since it was Henry and
Paula’s last night before moving to England, we went to dinner with them
and Slade’s family to a wonderful Greek restaurant. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
38km |
Meals
Leftover chicken with rice |
Weather |
|
Banguela Swamp,
Zambia
Witt & Jen |
20 August, 2004 |
Bushcamp |
11°59.379’S x 30°18.078’E |
Odometer: 33294km |
Partly cloudy, 86(F)
degrees |
|
Today we go to find the elusive shoebill. This
large bird looks a bit like a stork, but is actually a very unique
species, seen only in this area of Zambia. We collected our two guides at
about 8am. As the campsite has no functioning vehicles, we drove Rafiki.
One guide was inside while the other rode on top. We drove through the
bush, following faint tire marks for about 45 minutes passing more large
herds of lechwe. These are probably the largest herds of antelope we’ve
seen anywhere. We stopped at a fishing camp where we left the car with one
of the guides (to look after it). There was a dead lechwe nearby which had
apparently been shot by poachers and but had lived long enough so they
couldn’t find the body. The fishermen were apparently going to get some
variety in their diet today. We set off on foot with three more guides.
The people who live here spend much of their time at these semi-permanent
fishing camps in the swamps catching babal fish. They live in small
thatched shelters on bits of high ground in the plain. During the rainy
season they retreat to their village near shoebill island. As the waters
recede they occupy the camps and use reed traps to catch fish trapped in
pools they build by erecting low dams. Soon after we started walking we
waded across a 30m section of water/mud. The path was dry for the next 40
minutes or so until we reached a water crossing which we traversed by
mkoro. Soon we arrived at another fishing camp. Reed mats were covered
with tiny fish drying in the sun, and the odor was as one would expect.
Our guides led us onward until we were wading through water and grasses.
We finally saw the bird, a huge ungainly looking creature that almost
looked as if it had been computer animated for a fantasy film. We watched
for a few minutes before making our way back to high ground. We talked
with some of the villagers for awhile, and some of the kids wanted me to
take their picture so they could see themselves on the digital camera.
This is a far cry from Peru, where we were charged to take pictures of
people! Hooray, digital cameras! After another hour or so we arrived back
at the car. A discussion was underway and eventually we were requested to
bring the dead lechwe back to camp with us. We agreed and they hauled the
carcass up onto the roof. We arrived back at the campground at about 130
and after lunch and settling our bill we left shoebill island. We didn’t
want to drive far this afternoon, but also didn’t want to pay another $20
to camp, so we drove about 30 minutes and found a nice spot under a tree
to bushcamp. We are at the edge of the plain and there are sort of tree
islands scattered about. Witt spent the afternoon crawling around under
the car tightening this and that. I decided to remove the air compressor
from it’s mount on the engine block, as it seems to be coming apart. Jen
spent the afternoon relaxing with her latest light reading, Nelson
Mandella’s 750 page “Long Walk to Freedom” We had a wonderful quiet
evening sitting around the fire talking and stargazing. |
Jen and our guide wading through the mud The locals posing for a photo A fishing camp in the swamp
Jen and our guide wading through the mud
|
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
231km |
Meals
Steak |
Weather |
Pennington,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
20 August, 2004 |
Venter Household |
30°22.907’S 30°41.345’E |
Odometer: 43057km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
Went to the Pavillion mall
with Krissy and Slade again. In Slade’s father’s car this time, so no
distance on the clock for today. We then went to a different mall in
Durban so Krissy and Slade could pick up their renewed Carnet de Passage.
Then it was off to the airport to meet the rest of Slade’s family and see
Henry and Paula off to England. We spent several hours at the airport
eating and drinking with the family before saying goodbye to Henry and
Paula and going back to Pennington. |
|
Innovative ways to chop onions |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
296km |
Meals
Ramen noodles |
Weather |
|
Kapishya Hot Springs,
Zambia
Witt & Jen |
21 August, 2004 |
Kapishya Campground |
11°10.169’S x 31°36.027’E |
Odometer: 33590km |
Sunny, 90(F)
degrees |
|
Last night and this morning reminded us of how
nice it is to bushcamp. After a bit of a lie in and breakfast we departed
at about 930. We drove back the way we came for about 40km then turned
east cutting through Lavushi Manda National Park on our way back to the
Great North Road. The park is best classified as a project for the future
and we were lucky to see a couple of birds as we drove through. We were
stopped at the park boundaries to register, but weren’t charged anything.
The road through the park is in terrible shape and it took us about 2.5
hours to cover 60km. Back on tarmac, we were stopped at a police
checkpoint on our way into Mpika where the officer asked to see our CE-5,
the temporary import permit we are using here in lieu of the carnet. Jen
was driving and I had forgotten to write her name down on the permit. I
was informed that we were “in contravention of Zambian law.” Into the
office, a tinny tin oven baking in the sun, where the officer wrote out a
lengthy citation on a blank piece of paper. The was to be 270,000 kwacha,
or about $50. I asked to see the statutes book where the regulations and
fines are listed, but apparently he had forgotten to bring it with him
that day, and it was locked in the main office in town for the weekend. I
told him that I wasn’t prepared to pay the fine without seeing the book.
Eventually the “fine” was reduced to kw50,0000 and I agreed, knowing that,
if it wasn’t before, the fine was now a bribe. Back in the car, I got a
pen and wrote Jen’s name in on the CE-5 form. We stopped in Mpika for fuel
and were hoping to find some food, but we left town with only a loaf of
bread and more of the excellent fresh tomatoes we’ve been buying all
through Zambia. About an hour later we left the tarmac again to head east
toward the hot springs, giving a lift to a lady waiting at the corner who
lives near the springs. She piled in with her bag of dried fish (we didn’t
know that was part of the deal) and we set off. The road to the camp is
fair and we arrived there at dusk. We decided we were too tired to prepare
a meal so we changed into our swimsuits and lounged in the hot springs for
an hour or so. The springs are very nice, about two feet deep with a sand
bottom. The place reminds me a little of Strawberry park in steamboat, but
smaller and with fewer people. |
|
The hot springs |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
231km |
Meals
Cheese fondue |
Weather |
Pennington,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
21 August, 2004 |
Venter Household |
30°22.907’S 30°41.345’E |
Odometer: 43057km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
Connie and Graham went into town to check
internet on shipping. There was some news, as well as a quote from a local
shipping agent on a 20ft container from Durban to Denver. The earliest
date if sharing a container with Nathan is September 9th, while using
Shiela’s service we could load the truck on August 26th. So we are still
not sure what to do. After getting all the info we went over to Slade’s
mother’s house to watch the tri-nation finals rugby match between South
Africa and Australia. It was a very close match, but South Africa did win
and so there was much jubilation and drinking. By the end of the day
Connie and Graham had decided to ship with Shiela’s service on August
26th, so they planned to leave first thing in the morning for Johannesburg
to finish off some business. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
0km |
Meals
Grilled T-bones, baked potatoes, PB&J for
lunch |
Weather |
|
Kapishya Hot Springs,
Zambia
Witt & Jen |
22 August, 2004 |
Kapishya Campground |
11°10.169’S x 31°36.027’E |
Odometer: 33590km |
Sunny, 94(F)
degrees |
|
Jen spent the morning doing a
large load of laundry while Witt updated journal entries for the last few
days. We met a group of 8 South Africans on a three week trip who gave us
good information on Malawi and Mozambique. There is a small river running
past the campground and they invited us to do a short float down the river
in rafts with them in the afternoon. We agreed and had a nice float down
the river at about 4pm. We grilled another wonderful steak for dinner.
With meat like this, I don’t see how anyone could be a vegetarian. |
|
Float Trip |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
666.6 (!)km |
Meals
Espetada, pasta |
Weather |
Johannesburg,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
22 August, 2004 |
Bev's B&B |
26°07.998’S
28°09.301’E |
Odometer: 43724km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
Got up early and drove to
Johannesburg. Non-eventful trip, apart from the single flat tire. In
Johannesburg we went to the 4x4 Mega Store to pick up some last minute
items, but we came away with nothing. We then returned to Bev’s B&B for
the night and made plans to meet Graham Wild in the morning for breakfast.
Graham has been following our trip and has spoken at length to Witt and
Jen the last time they were in Johannesburg. |
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
40km |
Meals
Steak and pasta |
Weather |
|
Kapishya Hot Springs,
Zambia
Witt & Jen |
23 August, 2004 |
Kapishya Campground |
11°10.169’S x 31°36.027’E |
Odometer: 33630km |
Sunny, 94(F)
degrees |
|
We drove to the Shiwa house in the morning.
The house is on a huge estate founded by a british surveyor during his
retirement in 1932. The family still lives there and operates the farm.
Jen toured the inside of the house which she described as quite lavish,
especially giving it’s setting in the middle of the bush. It’s perched on
a hillside overlooking a large lake and plains, and it’s easy to see why
someone chose this place to found a farm. The story of the house is
described in the book “Africa House.” After lunch we went for a walk,
searching for some waterfalls that are supposed to be nearby. We had a
nice walk, but didn’t find the falls. The afternoon was spent writing web
updates and soaking in the hot springs (again.) |
|
|
|
Updated Information
|
Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
243km |
Meals
Thai stir fry |
Weather |
Johannesburg,
South Africa
Graham & Connie |
23 August, 2004 |
Bev's B&B |
26°07.998’S 28°09.301’E |
Odometer: 43965km |
Sunny, 75(F)
degrees |
|
A very busy day. Having only a
couple of days to spend in Johannesburg, we had a lot to get done. First
off was to meet Graham Wild for breakfast. We headed out early and then
gave him a call from the highway at 8am to get directions. We spent
several hours with Graham and he was kind enough to give us waypoints for
several of the stops we had to make in the day. We had a late breakfast
with Graham, and while we were eating we got a call from Shiela our
shipping agent in Durban. She needed the original of our carnet to give to
customs. Of course the carnet was with us in Johannesburg, so Graham was
nice enough to let us use the copier and fax machine at his office to send
a copy. And we resolved to try to complete our business in the area as
soon as possible and get back to Durban. After leaving Graham we headed
North to Pretoria to a gearbox place called Autobox. Slade had called them
and we dropped his gearbox off with them for repair. We then moved on to a
Land Rover scrap yard called British 4x4. From them we got a second had
steering box, a bonnet stay, and several other odds and ends we knew would
be much cheaper in SA than in the US. People at the scrap yard were quite
impressed to see Safari Gard accessories in South Africa. They had all
seen the web site, but had never seen any of the products in person. Also
picking up parts at the yard was a man named Pieter. He and his wife are
retiring and are setting up a Land Rover 110 Hi Cap for a 5 year overland
journey up through Africa and across Asia. He had lots of questions for us
and checked out our car with interest. After British 4x4, we headed back
towards Johannesburg and stopped at Slade’s sister Vanessa’s house. She
and her husband Gordan had been nice enough to store some stuff for us, so
we stopped to pick it up. We also had a look at the fantastic job they are
doing on their Toyota Land Cruiser. We traded lots of jibes about Toyotas
and Land Rovers. Then we headed into Edenvale to visit our friend John
Schutte who owns the NederPort B&B. We were supposed to return his phone
to him, but he told us to hang on to it and he would pick it up from us at
the airport as we flew through. While at NederPort, we got a call from
Ann, Pieter’s wife inviting us over for dinner and a chat. She was very
excited to meet us because she had been following our progress on the web
site. So off we went. They had lots of questions about overlanding and web
sites and technology and maps. We had a wonderful meal with them, and I am
embarrassed to say I forgot the name of the dish, sorry Ann and Pieter!
After leaving them, we went back to Bev’s and crashed, exhausted. |
|
Pieter and Ann's 110 Hi-cap |
|
On to August 24... |
