AdventureBug – The Crazy Travelers

Leave Johannesburg 23rd Feb; 2012.

Hi all,
It has been a hard time leaving all the fabulous people we have crossed paths with in wonderful Southern Africa but time is running and we need to head off. It is without doubt the sad part of visiting such great places. It’s all with mixed emotions leaving the security of solid walls, hot water, and a soft bed, for all the insecurity/ discomforts of the open road which lies ahead.
I can’t help but feeling a little sad parting with these homely comfort’s and great friends, Elayne to feels the same enjoying the culinary skills of Steve and his wonderful full size kitchen she miss’s so much…… but Victor and crew must take to the road once again.
It’s a cool bright Jo-berg day, that almost perfect African climate at 1600 plus mtrs those wild lighting storms I have enjoyed watching crashing and banging across the late afternoon Jo-berg sky, the cool evenings and those bright clear days.

Our rough plan is to head to Cape Town making a detour to Kimberly on the N12 then onto Outshoorn dropping in across the Groot Swartberge taking the longer route via to catch up with Marius and his family ……Nick and Lillian who we last saw in Kigoma Tanzania….what a great stay we had and so many storeys from Nick it would fill this blog many times over. Thank you so much guys for organizing the local news paper to write up a short storey on Victor and crew.
Waving good bye to Pipa and Steve our dear friends was tough, they had been so helpful there was nothing they would not do to help us with our adventure, Pipa was constantly helping with any request we made ,Maps enlarged photocopying, printer, email, we completely overrun there small office. I am sure they thought we were completely mad as Elayne and I argued about that Angolan visa, that DRC visa, that Congo visa, or which Embassy we should go to first the DRC or Congo or should we wait until we get to Windhoek Namibia, or should we try and get our Angolan visa in Namibia…the endless discussions went way into the night every night wondering how on earth these two people sit next to each other without killing each other!!!! Continue reading →

Language English and Satswana are the official languages.
Currency Pula (BWP USD 1 = BWP 7.00)
Driving LHS
Fuel cost per ltr. BWP 7.80

Victor and the whole of the Kasane Customs Team Zambezi River Botswana. Everything comes to a grinding halt while Victor becomes the main attraction.
Our crossing from Kazungula Zambia into Botswana was very easy no problems with the $ 30.00 ferry ride across the Zambezi River.
We had counted on filling up our fuel tanks in Botswana the fuel being cheaper than Zambia but the only problem for us ….there was no fuel in this region of Botswana. Fortunately for us we were able to pull into a truck stop and arrange a driver to sell us some fuel. This proved to be the only option for us as the fuel station at Pandamatenga would only sell a 200ltr drum of diesel. Our friendly truck driver would only transfer the fuel from his diesel tanks 30 klms further up the road …mmmmh…all seemed a little iffy but we had no choice, it would be touch and go to try and make it to Nata.

Our friendly truck driver finished his pap and meat for lunch, while we waited for his sign for us to follow him. Sure enough the old truck pulled alongside Victor and we were told to follow behind for 30 klms. Victor and crew nod their heads leaving Pandamatenga behind watching our fuel guage completely disappear off the dial. All went to plan our clandestine meeting with our friendly truck drive took place exactly 30klm from Pandamatenga a small pull off. We paid $20.00 for 16 lts and we were happy not to be stranded 180 klms from Nata. Our 16ltrs of fuel on board we set of for Nata thanking our friendly truck drive.
I asked if it was his truck….no he replies I work for a boss….mmmh we thought after I think we just purchased some stolen fuel!!!! Continue reading →

11th July 2011 W/P 771 South 22’ 04.262 East 035’ 08.617 Altitude 23mtrs

THE MOST EXPENSIVE CAMPSITE WE EVER HAD….Parque Nacinal de GORONGOSA $72.00 per night
We could not pay…and negotiated with the American park Manager Todd…..for S50.00 plus Todd gave us a Sticker….thanks but still very expensive for us

FIFTY BUCKS poorer with left without seeing anything!!!!!

It was late arriving but we could not pass this newly re vitalized iconic wildlife park. It was impossible to understand the entry park guard, but one thing I did understand we had another 28klms to still drive and it was limited to 30klm per hour……It was almost dark when we arrived still the rain had eased off just enough for us to pop Victors Dingo dozer tent which had performed perfectly for 4 ½ years and we have no doubt after some 1000 days camping in this green canvass home it will make a few more years yet.
Local campers invited us over and we spent a fabulous night next to a large camp fire and all those hospitable South Africans campers again proved true.
It was not until we asked the fees when all went very quite our end….NO WAY…. Continue reading →

9th July 2011 W/P 770 South 24’44.058 East 033’ 46.095 Altitude 85mtrs
4 A MOZAMBIQUE Please insert bottom 4 A
MOZAMBIQUE.

WILD CAMPING MOZAMBIQUE
Eventually the track we stuck to for the last 3 days pops out of the bush and hits a well made dirt road heading towards Massingir Dam ….Victor makes it to civilization and our limbs are intact.
The Safari park guards stop us at a boom gate and ask where we have come from….I hesitate but tell them our journey. They are confused and ask us to pay 250 metcais…..Sorry we do not have any money….the guards are not impressed……….where is the nearest Bank I ask them…..They tell me there is a Bank on the other side of the Dam wall 5klms we must return with the money…..
I have no idea where the bank is but returning with the money after we were on the menu for 3 days was not on my list of priorities but we were off hoping our visa cards would work…they did and we had some local cash at last.
They did work….great……. we can buy a cold beer at last and they went down very well. The weather looked as if it was going to pour down and not long after this observation the clouds opened up and the rain came down in torrents.

Victor checks out the endless charcoal along the EN1 MOZAMBIQUE

THE ROAD TO MANJACAZE
WE wild camped about 15klms from Chibuto the road was awash the thick wet red sandy road a nightmare, on coming cars weaved all over the road trying to miss large lakes of water which had Continue reading →