Diary: September 2001
Saturday 1st September
Mwaya Beach
Fishing, beach, breakfast, diary, washing.
Did some fishing with Nick then decided to pop into town to watch a football match. It was a great laugh. We picked up a few beers en-route (essential) and headed off to the village green. The locals are very keen on their football. A Tree in the middle of the pitch, and a pitch invasion by 70 cattle made for an
unforgettable afternoon on the terraces.
Sunday 2nd September
Mwaya Beach
More fishing. A child with bamboo pole caught 3 and I was left with a sprat!
I was engrossed in my book when Nick mentioned another football match not too far away. After yesterdays exhibition I wanted some more. So we set off, rattles in hand. We were to be
disappointed- the game was called off due to a flood damaged pitch. Oh well, back to the lake for a bit of canoeing.
Roast dinner, listened to sports round up, played bau game and trivial pursuits.
Monday 3rd September
Mwaya Beach – Chinteche – Mwaya Beach!
I’d decided it was time to move on. I was heading North and offered to drop Nick and Dasha off in Chinteche so they could do a bit of shopping. We’d finished our shopping, but Nick wasn’t feeling so well. Took him to the hospital for malaria and bilharzia test. It was cheap, and at a dollar a go I thought I may as well join in. I was passed 100% OK! They also hand out free medication so I filled my pockets with Fansidatr etc. Nick is not well, but doctor isn’t sure why. I think it’s the stress of the forthcoming England v Germany game. Nick is a football nut! Anyway offered to take them back to Mwaya beach. They gave me a banda for the night so I didn’t have to put up my tent. It was beautiful, right on the beach. Had fish for supper and listened to the England Germany match. Nick made a miraculous recovery. Appearing to improve as every ball hit the back of the net!
Tuesday 4th September
Mwaya Beach – Nkahta Bay
Finally left Mwaya beach after a sausage sandwich. It was only one and a half hour’s drive to Nkahta bay. I’m enjoying my summer holiday toddling along the lake shore. Stopped at “Big Blue” backpackers. Seems like another nice spot for my “summer holidays”. Straight into the hammock with my book!
Wednesday 5th September
Nkahta Bay
Wandered into town where I had a mattress cover made. Haggling with the tailor over the price of material was a laugh. I wanted something plain, but the only plain material was pink, so I made do with a strange design with pictures of bedside lamps! The material designs are quite amusing. I’ve seen sarongs with mobile phones on them! Nokia’s I’m sure! More swimming, snorkeling and reading.
Thursday 6th September
Nkahta Bay
Ditto.
Friday 7th September
Nkahta Bay – Livingstonia
Went to Mzuzu for money, food etc. U$ is now down to 58 to 1. Was 71 to 1 two months ago. Makes Malawi very expensive. Quite a descent towards Livingstonia. Decided to give the hairpin drive up to the top a miss and camped at a site on the lake shore. Met Ben, an English guy, who’s taken an overland truck from Cairo to Cape Town. He’s just sold the truck in Mzuzu and was making plans to fly home. Cash in hand! Had a few beers with him. Then a veggi potjie and bed.
Saturday 8th September
Livingstonia(ish) – Karonga – Mbeya (Tanzania)
Got up late and headed slowly to Karonga. Was going to stay the night but by time I’d got fuel etc it was only midday so I decided to cross in to Tanzania. Tanzania is expensive. Visa was U$50 Road toll was US$5. Vehicle permit U$20 and insurance U$25 for a month. It’s incredibly fertile in the south. Loads of banana and tree plantations. Quite a climb to Tukuya. Saw two burnt out lorries at the road side. I had been warned by Ronald and Sophie about the lorry drivers in Tanzania. Went in search of a camp site Mbeya. I asked police, petrol station attendants, OAP’s and was getting a little frustrated when I was finally helped by a young lad who I bumped into. Just as well, it was hidden away in a back street. Bloody windy and cold at nights. Mind you, it is very high here.
Sunday 9th September
Mbeya – Iringa(ish)
Discovered I have been ripped off by the money changers at the border. I only got Tsh 85 toUS$ not 850. Just as well I only changed 20 US$. Fuelled up and set off. Road is excellent, not a pot hole in sight. Very strong wind makes for tough going. I was told Kisdanza Farm was a nice camp site. They were not wrong – spent the afternoon doing my chores in the sun. Treated myself to gammon steak, bought from the farm shop.
Monday 10 September
Iringa – Ruaha National Park
Bumped in to some German overlanders at a petrol station in Iringa. They are going to Ruaha National Park which is where I am heading so I am tagging along with them. First 15 kms was horrendously stony but it improved dramatically after that. Ruaha is probably Tanzania’s most remote part – 120 kms from nearest town. Glad to be travelling with other vehicles. Had another ostrich chase. This time it lasted for 20 kms. Worried I was going to run the thing to death but it would not move off the road in to the bush. I stopped and waited five times but each time it stayed on the track. Park expensive. US$15 per person. US$30 for the car and US$30 for camping – and that is for 24 hours. Was half tempted to turn back but Jurg the guy I met in Jordan said it was real Africa – so, sod the expense, I went in. Camped at a ‘wild site’ on the river bank. Saw a hippo chase, then moved very quickly.
Tuesday 11th September
Ruaha N.P. - Idodi
Jurg was not wrong. It is a beautiful park. Game viewing was excellent. I was up and moving by 5:30. If they are going to charge so much I am going to get my money’s worth. Saw hippo, elephant, giraffe, water buck, sable, bat eared fox, dikdik, klipspringer. Virtually everything except cats. I spotted some vultures circling and diving down into the bush but it was beyond the tracks. Did not see another vehicle all day and I covered approximately 50 kms. Ended the day by pool of hippos, crocs and elephant before leaving just 10 minutes before y 24 hours were up.
Drove 20 kms down the road to a private camp site. US$5 a night. Bought a couple of nice batiks in the village. Met Andrew, a Scottish anthropologist at the camp site. He is doing his research locally and has been there for over a year.
Heard about the twin towers on the BBC. Went to find Andrew to listen to the
news. Could not believe what I was hearing. Horrific stuff. A disaster movie come true.
Wednesday 12th September
Idodi – Iringa(ish) (Riverside Camp)
Drove back to Iringa alone. Lots of Masai herdsman on the roadside. They look wonderful in their wrap around blankets, long sticks and jewellery. Stopped by a gang of guys cutting up a tree which they had felled and was lying across the road. Four hours back to Iringa. Fuelled up and off to find the riverside camp site which I had also been told about. It is a nice spot 12 miles north of Iringa. I need to do some work on Maggie and chores etc. Looks like a nice place to relax for a day or two. Book BBC and bed.
Thursday 13th September
Riverside Camp
Serviced Maggie. Chores etc etc – all the usual stuff. Took a walk along the river at sunset. Great bird watching but the best was yet to come. I was sat around the fire (can one person sit around a fire?) when I saw something come to rest in a tree beside me. Next a hoot, I shone my torch to discover an African Scoops owl watching me.
Friday 14th September
Riverside Camp – Baobab Reserve
Only did 100 kms. I am slacking but I spotted a nice place called Baobab Reserve and I thought it might be interesting. It was. It is a campsite on the banks of the great Ruaha River. It is run by a mix of Europeans and
Masai. Did a nice walk with my Masai warrior as a guide. It was good fun and cheap in comparison to the National Parks. Supper and caught up with event in the US on the BBC.
Saturday 15th September
Baobab Camp – Dar es Salaam
On the road at 8 am. Found the first pot-holed road in Tanzania. The road down the escarpment was quite something. It was very steep and the tram lines created by the lorries going up in the other direction were very deep. Bought fruit and veg at the road side. Stopped by police for a road side MOT check. Was charged Tsh 4,000 for a sticker which said my vehicle had been inspected and was road worthy. No one even glanced at the car. Into Dar es Salaam. Traffic reminded me of Damascus. Chaos. Lots of tooting and hand waving. Took the ferry Tsh 1,000 (across the river) to a camp site south of the town.
Sunday 16th September
Dar es Salaam
Woops! Fined Tsh 5,000 for going the wrong way down a one way street. It was poorly signed, sign was 45 degs to the road and I was following another car but they only managed to stop me! Started to argue the toss but it was getting nowhere. So I haggled the fine down from Tsh 60,000 to 5,000 – with no receipt. Having got their money they were friendly as all get out and escorted me to an internet café which I was looking for. It was closed, being Sunday and it took me two hours to find one open. Have lots of correspondence to do. Back to the camp site for a beer with the overland truck drivers.
Monday 17th September
Dar es Salaam
Took ferry back in to town in search of Libya Street and Atlas tyres. After three hours of being sent round in circles, I found it. Took Maggie to nearby BP garage to have tyres fitted. Expensive – US$210 each. Swopped a few books at a road side stall and did some more e-mailing. Ferry back to camp site. Beer, book and bed.
Tuesday 18th September
Dar es Salaam
Back into Dar again to do some of the stuff I had failed to do yesterday. Food shopping and more e-mailing. Internet is quick and cheap in Dar es Salaam – Tsh 500 for an hour and there is an internet café on every street corner. Back at the camp site, chatted to a German guy in an old petrol land cruiser. Sounds like he has spent years and years touring Africa. Got some wonderful tales to tell – especially the one of the Somalian warrior with a necklace of male appendages!!!!
Wednesday 19th September
Dar es Salaam - Lushoto
One last thing to do in Dar es Salaam. Find a Land Rover garage. My hazard light switch is broken as is the fuel tank sender unit. No luck. North towards Moshi. Mountains around Lushoto look interesting so I set off up in to the mountains. Camped at Soni Falls hotel. Wanted to camp at a place called Grants Lodge but at 5 pm it was getting dark, so I stopped.
Thursday 20th September
Lushoto (Grant’s Lodge)
On to Grants Lodge. It was only an hour’s drive. Place looks wonderful – going to spend the night here. Put my boots on and headed off for a walk. Beautiful rain forest, rivers and waterfalls. Like a scene from one of those ‘land that time forgot’ movies. Treated myself to a three course supper at the lodge. Sat by the open fire reading my book until midnight.
Friday 21st September
Lushoto - Mkomazi
Back down the mountain. Quick stop at a garage to have two shock absorber bushes replaced. US$2 – ten minutes – excellent service. Got fuel and a couple of somosas at Mombo. Ronald and Sophie
recommended me to Pangani river site camp. Lovely spot. Did a bit of fishing. Caught a cat fish. Cooked it on the fire with the camp site owner Massie. Interesting guy. Ex mercenary.
Saturday 22nd September
Mkomazi – Moshi –Marangu (Coffee Tree Camp)
Massie recommended a camp site in Marangu to me. Another short day’s drive left me with time for a walk to another waterfall and a stroll through the villages on the way to Marungu Gate, starting point for the climb to Kilimanjaro. Stopped for a banana beer on the way. It is a bit like Chimbuka but sweeter and it tastes like it is still fermenting. I was still chewing on it an hour later. Kilimanjaro is covered in cloud. Would like to have climbed it but too expensive at US$700 for the five day trip.
Sunday 23rd September
Marangu – Moshi - Arusha - Mkwenzi Snake Park
Stopped in Moshi for e-mail and money. The lush vegetation around Kilimanjaro soon changes to a dust bowl. Some impressive twisters racing across the plains. Arusha was quiet. It is Sunday. Will look for Land Rover parts another day. Stopped at the Snake Park camp site west of Arusha.
Monday 24th September
Mkwenzi Snake Park
Did a guided tour of the Snake Park with my guide Titus. Hung some grass snakes around my neck for a photograph. Interesting place. Lots of snakes, crocodiles, lizards, owls etc. Serviced Maggie again. That evening I met a guy in the bar who can organise me a guide to go to Lake Natron – a place I have been highly recommended but also been advised a local guide is advisable.
Tuesday 25th September
Mkwenzi Snake Park – Arusha - Mto Wa Mbu
Into Arusha for fuel. Found my spare parts for the car at last. Back to the Snake Park to collect my guide – Minje. Seems like a nice guy and he can drive – what a bonus! A short drive to Mto Wa Mbu – put the tent up and went for a meal with Minje.
Wednesday 26th September
Mto Wa Mbu – Lake Natron
Woke with blood running to my head. I have got a flat tyre. Got tyre fixed before setting off. Track to Lake Natron follows the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. Absolutely wonderful scenery. Loads of Masai herdsmen. Saw zebra, ostrich, Thompson’s gazelle and giraffe. Stopped at a small crater en route. Track as dusty as hell. Really fine, thick, volcanic dust. Have to drive with the windows shut most of the time. Let Minje take the wheel while I did some sightseeing. He drives Maggie well. A little harsh on the throttle for my liking. Arrived at camp site covered in dust. What I needed was a shower. A guy took me for some half hour’s walk to some waterfalls where the first thing I did was throw my clothes off and jump in for a much needed soak. It is very, very hot. Sat in the shade and did my diary.
Thursday 27th September
Lake Natron – Mto Wa Mbu – Karatu (Kudu Camp)
Up early to get to he Lake for sunrise. Thousands of flamingoes and a superb sunrise. The M|asai have a road block on the way to the Lake where they try to charge you US$10. Minje guided me around the road block. I drove back with a few photo stops on the way. The dust seems worse on the return journey. Back to Mto Wa Mbu. Tried to call Ugandan High Commission in Dar es Salaam. I have come up with the idea of taking Maggie across Lake Victoria on the ferry and want to know if I can get a visa on arrival. The answer is ‘yes’. Minje is joining me into Ngoro Goro crater. So it is up the escarpments to Karuto and Kudu camp site.
Friday 28th September
Karatu – Ngorogoro Crater - Karatu
Picked up Minje at 8 am and off we go to the park gates. The road is not good. Minje does some sweet talking to the Park official who gives me a permit to go in to the crater and back out, without camping, and allows me to transit to Serengeti the next day. This is strictly not allowed but will save me US$20 for camping and US$25 for transit to Serengeti. Minje’s story is that I am expecting a friend to arrive this evening at Karatu and I need to go back out of the park to collect him. I drove in to the crater. An awesome sight. So dramatic with the clouds hanging over the rim of the crater. At the bottom I hand over the wheel to Minje and I grab the camera. Saw it all except the elusive leopard – I have still to spot one. At 4 pm we head out again. It is a tough drive up over the crater rim. Hope Minje does not blow my turbo. Back to Kudu camp site. Buy Minje a few beers and say our farewells. He gives me advice on Serengeti. He would have come with me but has news of a more lucrative job in Arusha. Paid him US$40 and his bus fare back to Arusha. He saved me $55 dollars with his sweet talking and local knowledge. It also made my trip to the Lake and the crater far more enjoyable as I had time to look around.
Saturday 29th September
Karatu – Ngorogoro - Serengeti
Up and on the road at 5:30. To get to Serengeti I had to be at Serengeti gates by 8:50. I arrive at Ngorro gates at 6:30 where I meet the park ranger who Minje has sweet talked for me. OK he says, off you go, but hurry. Take it steady up the crater but get held up by Masai cattle for 20 minutes and another 10 minutes by elephants. I am late. I take it easy back down into the gorge. Corrugations are horrendous and on sharp bends you have no steering at all. At the bottom of the valley I floored it to get to the gateway by 8:50. I am 20 minutes late but the guard is OK about it with TSH 1,000 in his back pocket. The 24 hour entry system in Tanzanian parks is a nightmare. They just push people to drive too fast. It is OK for guided tours who know the timing to perfection but independent travellers have a tough time. I bide my time at Serengeti gate until 11 am and then check in. There is too much to take in – huge expanse of grasslands in all directions. Saw all the usual game within an hour or so. Then I stumbled across a large group of safari vehicles. I parked right in the middle of them, wondering what they had seen. Then, there it was, WOW! A leopard walks out of the grass, straight towards me. Snap, snap on the camera. I jumped on to the roof and took a few more shots just before it disappeared into the undergrowth. Other tourists are a little bit peed off with me as I have just arrived and had the best shot of the lot! I waved farewell to them and head off in to the park for some more exploring. By dusk, I have seen the big five in one day. Camped for the night. Two lions growling at each other across the camp site. Woken by the clattering of the tent ladder. Woke to find a hyena wandering around the camp site.
Sunday 30 September
Serengeti (Seronera) – Ikoma – Ikizu – Ndabaka (Serengeti Stopover)
Again, time is against me, I have to be out of the park by 11 am. I will have to rush to be at Ndabaka gate by 11 am. Not good fun. So after a quick look at the map, I decide to drive slowly around Seron for five hours and head out of the park at Ikoma gate. Game viewing again was excellent. Drive from Ikoma to Ikizu was stunning. The most fun for a long time. It had rained last night and splashing through the deep puddles was great fun. But the best was tearing across huge open areas of grassland – an
exhilarating experience. It is a feeling of complete freedom – no roads or tracks to guide you, just your own free will to explore. Spent far too long playing around and realised I should get going. The road to Bhunda varies between poor and excellent. I made it back on to the tarmac by 4 pm. Camped for the night at ‘Serengeti Rest Stop’. A private camp just south of Ndabaka gate. It is a bit close to the main road for my liking, but staff and food are wonderful.