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Overlanding Through Africa
  • Happy Days Travel
  • Mark Wade

Overlanding Through Africa

This is the big one - the trip we have been planning since before the pandemic! We will be overlanding from South Africa 🇿🇦 to Kenya 🇰🇪 passing through 9 other countries and taking four months. Read more
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  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Sunset by the waterhole

    May 16, 2023 in Swaziland ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Back at camp, we were all trying to process what we had seen. We all agreed it had been a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

    Later, we sat at the waterhole until it was too dark to see anything and then had dinner. Ivan and Ernest had made a fire in the barbecue area. We sat around it telling stories and enjoying beef goulash with rice, followed by coconut tart.

    We went to sleep tonight to the sound of lions rumbling in the bush. When I had to get up to use the loo during the night, there were nyala all around our tents. It was lovely and warm in the shower block with soft lighting and the distinctive smell of paraffin. It immediately transported me back to childhood holidays in Mablethorpe when we would spend wet days in our rented beach hut, keeping warm around a paraffin heater!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A day at leisure

    May 17, 2023 in Swaziland ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We didn’t have to be up early this morning as we had a glorious free day until a sunset game drive starting at 3.30pm. Needless to say, I was still awake by 5am!! It was a beautiful morning, and I took advantage of being up early to have a leisurely shower before anyone else was about.

    Because we didn’t have to go anywhere, Ivan and Ernest cooked us a very welcome breakfast of bacon, eggs, beans, and toast. It was a great way to start the day! While we waited for it to be ready, we congregated by the waterhole to enjoy the early-morning wildlife.

    Most people spent their free time relaxing and just enjoying being here. I took the opportunity to write up notes about the trip so far. Even though I can’t share anything while we’re here in Eswatini, I wanted to be prepared for when I can!

    Ivan prepared a very cheesy cottage pie and salad for lunch. It was delicious!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Sunset safari at Hlane National Park

    May 17, 2023 in Swaziland ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    At 3.30pm, we went to meet our guide for the sunset safari. It turned out to be Maxwell, the same ranger who took us on our guided walk yesterday. Before we set off, we had to choose a drink to have at sunset.

    First, we went to visit the rhinos. Although we’d seen them yesterday, it was really interesting to see a family group – a mum and her three male offspring, aged 2, 4, and 6. Maxwell had lots of interesting facts to share with us.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    The sunset safari continues

    May 17, 2023 in Swaziland ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    During the first part of the drive, we saw impala and elephants.

    Later, Maxwell drove over to the section of the park where they house the lions. They have approximately 200. They also have a fenced off quarantine area where they currently have a male, a female, and three cubs who have recently arrived from Kruger. The idea is to introduce new blood to the park. We were lucky enough to see two male lions and a female. The males were eight-year-old twins. They were magnificent specimens. We sat quietly and watched them for several minutes. Another safari truck arrived. Unbelievably, one of the guest’s phones rang, and, even more unbelievably, he answered it! He was sitting there, chatting away! Why go on a safari and then take a phone call??

    After giving us time to take plenty of photos, Maxwell served us our sundowners – cider for me and beer for everyone else. It was lovely to sit there watching the sun go down, with a couple of lions in front of us and a huge male elephant behind.

    As we drove back to camp, Maxwell pointed out several birds, including a pair of Burchill’s Coucal, a Black-Bellied Bustard, and several Water Thick Knees. The latter sit on the road in front of the 4WD and leave it until the last moment to take off. They flap their wings in a rotary fashion, earning them the nickname ‘helicopter birds’.

    Back in camp, Ivan cooked up roast chicken, roast potatoes, vegetables, and spicy tomato salsa for dinner. Later, we sat around the camp fire playing a music quiz. My team (René, Kristina, Kurt, and myself) slaughtered the other team (Bryand, Cassie, Sydney, Mark, and Jez)!!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Hippo cruise

    May 18, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    This morning, we were up early with our tents down and breakfast eaten ready to leave by 7am. I think we were all a bit sorry to be leaving such a beautiful campsite after such a short stay.

    We drove out of Eswatini through a very fertile landscape planted mainly with maize and sugar cane. After a beautiful couple of days, the weather wasn’t so good today. It was thick cloud, and we drove through some showers as we approached the border. Once again, the border crossing was painless.

    Back in South Africa, we drove to the resort town of Saint Lucia, where we stopped to buy alcohol and to grab some lunch. The rain stopped long enough for us to sit outside for our coffee and panini. The town was full of tourists and tour companies offering boat trips, fishing tours, and kayak hire.

    From town, it was only a ten-minute drive to the campsite we were staying at. We were to go backwards and forwards between the campsite and the town several times over the next couple of days. We always made the trip on the truck. It was too dangerous to walk, particularly after dark, as hippo wander freely through the town!

    We managed to erect our tents before the heavens opened! By the time we got back on the truck to go for our hippo cruise on the Saint Lucia estuary, it was raining quite heavily. Luckily for us, we had a dry period which lasted the whole time we were on the boat! Apart from hippos (obviously – we would have been disappointed if there weren’t any!), we saw:

    • Hadeda Ibis
    • African Data Bird
    • Reed Cormorant
    • A pair of Fish Eagles
    • Giant Kingfisher
    • Zebra
    • Waterbuck
    • Egyptian Goose
    • Crocodile
    • Vervet Monkey

    Mark got stung by a bee while we were on the boat, but he didn’t appear to suffer any ill effects.

    The cruise lasted for about two hours. The sunset was stunning. When we got back to the jetty, René suggested walking back into town. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea as I was only wearing flip-flops, but we set off across the bridge. Half way over, Ernest was coming towards us in the truck, so he took us back to camp!
    It was raining again by now, so I sat on the truck doing a bit of photo editing until it was time to go back into town for dinner.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Dinner and a storm!

    May 18, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    On the to town for dinner, there was a spectacular lightning show! We went to Reef and Dune, which had an extensive menu with something to suit everyone. We were at the end of the long table with Robyn and Jez, so we spent a great evening chatting to them. Mark ordered T-bone steak, and I had rump. Both were very good – and considerably cheaper than they would have been in the UK.

    After dinner, we went back to camp and went straight to our tents as it was tipping down. We were in for a wet and cold night!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    iSimangaliso Wetland Park

    May 19, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today should have been a beach day, but the weather forecast was for wall-to-wall rain, so we had to re-think.

    Ivan cooked us scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast for breakfast, which we ate standing up as the chairs were all soaked! We had to keep shooing the vervet monkeys away so that they didn’t steal our food.

    The decision was made that we should go to the beach anyway and see how we got on. We had to drive through the iSimangaliso Wetland Park to get to the beach at Cape Vidal.

    In the park, we saw:

    • Zebra with Cattle Egret sitting on their backs
    • Kudu
    • Impala
    • Buffalo
    • Hammer Kop
    • Guinea Fowl
    • Wildebeest
    • Hippo out of the water feeding    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Cape Vidal Beach

    May 19, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

    At the beach, the rain did stop for us to have a walk and take some photos. Robyn, Jez, Kristina, and Kurt did venture into the sea for a swim, but we weren’t tempted to join them! We spent the time chatting to René about Cape Town, her hometown.

    After 90 minutes or so, we headed back to Saint Lucia. When we got back to town, it was raining again and we had two hours to get lunch and go round the shops. We didn’t want to do either of these things, so we opted to stay on the truck doing a bit of editing of photos and a few social media posts – the first in several days as the internet has been very dodgy.

    When we went back to pick the others up, we spent time organising an overnight bag ready for our homestay tomorrow.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Dinner and hippos in Saint Lucia

    May 19, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    This evening, we drove back into town for dinner. We went to John Dory’s, a seafood restaurant. Mark had oysters followed by hake and prawns. I had hake and chips.

    During the meal, our waiter alerted us to the fact that there were hippos wandering around the car park! We filmed them walking out onto the street. It must be so bizarre to live in a town where hippos walk around so freely after dark!

    Back at camp, we again went straight to our tents to escape the rain!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Valley of 1000 Hills

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa

    This morning was a pretty miserable pack up in the rain. We put our tents and bedding away wet. We were relieved to know that we now have six nights NOT camping! Ivan made fried eggs, chicken sausages, and baked beans for breakfast. To add to our woes, the gas ran out mid cook, but he improvised over a damp fire! Once again, we had to keep the cheeky monkeys at bay!

    Typically, the forecast was much better today. By the time we set off for our 5 – 6 hour drive, the sun was shining!! We drove towards Durban, stopping twice on the way for toilet breaks. We went beyond the city of Durban to the Valley of 1000 Hills, the Zulu homeland. The scenery was spectacular.

    We were heading to a project which Intrepid has supported since 2000, Light Providers. This organisation helps young people with life skills classes including help with computers (local schools often have computer equipment donated by charities, but nobody knows how to use it, so it gets locked away in a cupboard!), finances, and business courses, as well as recreational activities including music. We met Sindy, who explained Zulu culture to us and told us how helpful it was to her community to have support from Intrepid.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Some songs and lunch

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    After the orientation, we went inside to be entertained by the project’s manager, mSizi. He played the keyboard and sang us several songs he had written himself, as well as one cover. He had a beautiful voice.

    We then had lunch (beef and sausages cooked on the braai, salad, cheese, and bread), and were given snack bags (crisps, an energy bar, and an apple) to keep us going during the afternoon!!

    We were sitting under an interesting-looking tree covered in large, cream berries. It was called Siringa, or the china berry tree. Goats eat the berries, but they are poisonous to humans.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A visit to a sangoma or healer

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Our walk took us to the home of a teenage sangoma or healer, or witch doctor as we call them in the west. She seemed very young. Apparently, she had been called to be a healer at the age of 13 and had gone through nine months of training to achieve her certification. With Sindy acting as interpreter, she explained the clothing a healer wears and the herbs he or she uses to heal her patients. The treatment she offers does not replace orthodox medicine. Rather, it complements it. She then danced for us, accompanied by a boy playing a drum. It was all very interesting. I’m sure it works for some people.

    It is more usual for sangoma to be much older than the one we met. We were told of two healers in their fifties. One had been called by the ancestors of her grandfather. When she danced, she made very masculine, guttural sounds as the spirits came through her. The other had been called by the spirit of her grandmother. She was much more feminine when she danced. Both had gone through six years of training up in the mountains to become fully fledged sangoma. They were not allowed any contact with males during this time, and both had to follow a strict vegan diet, the belief being that male or animal spirits could contaminate them. After six years, a cow and a goat were slaughtered, and they each had to drink a horn filled with their blood!

    The first sign that a person is called to be a sangoma is that they become ill. If they refuse to accept their calling, they will surely die!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Traditional Zulu homes and costumes

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa

    After meeting the healer, we continued our walk, picking up some random children along the way. We were taken to a traditional rondeval where Sindy explained how this building is used in Zulu families and the special clothing that is worn for ceremonies.

    Villagers then arrived to dress up Cassie and Kurt (whose birthday it was today) in traditional attire. The obligatory photos were taken 😀.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A Zulu dance performance

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    A group of locals then drummed and danced for us. Typical Zulu dancing involves lots of high kicking and foot stamping. It looks strange to our eyes, but it is very rhythmical.

    The whole performance, especially by the youngest members of the group, was very entertaining. Inevitably, members of our group were encouraged to join in! By the time the children had finished, the sun was going down and they were all freezing in their scanty costumes! We all tipped them generously!Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Arriving at Mama’s

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We then drove to our homestay for the night. Sindy came along, too. On the way, we stopped at a bottle shop to buy beer.

    The homestay was down a very narrow lane and then down a steep hill into the yard. Ernest did a sterling job with both to get us to our destination safely.

    At the homestay, we were introduced to Mama, our host for the night. She invited us into her living/dining room and then came round to meet us all individually. She was very warm and seemed genuinely happy to have us in her home. Normally, she lives there with her three grown-up children and one of her grandchildren, Lily, who is seven. So, to have us all descend on her must have been a bit of an imposition!

    Dinner was served almost immediately. Mama’s youngest daughter, Konya (who looks remarkably like Narissa from Tobago!), explained what all the dishes were. We were then invited to help ourselves. It was all very good.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Birthday cake and more dancing!

    May 20, 2023 in South Africa

    After dinner, we had a birthday cake for Kurt and then we played Mafia before Mama’s other grandchildren arrived to entertain us with some Zulu dancing. They were all willing to perform for us – excellent stuff!!

    We went to bed at around 9.30pm. Mark and I were given a bed in an outbuilding with a corrugated tin roof. It wasn’t the most comfortable place we’ve ever stayed, but we were tired, so we slept anyway. We did wake up a few times because we were being dripped on with icy cold water!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Leaving Mama’s

    May 21, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    This morning, our clothes from yesterday were very wet!
    Mama and Konya prepared breakfast for us – African doughnuts, sausages, eggs, and porridge.

    We left soon after breakfast, having thanked our hosts profusely and given Mama generous tips. She joked that she was going to Durban on a shopping spree!Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Beach time in Durban

    May 21, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Back on the truck, we headed for Durban. We were too early to check in to our hotel there, so we were dropped off at uShaka Marine World, South Beach.

    We had four and a half hours before we had to be back at the vehicle. Mark and I went for a walk along the prom. It seemed like the world and his wife were out and about - speed walking, jogging 🏃‍♀️, cycling, rollerblading, and skateboarding! We joined the others in a waterfront bar for drinks. They were already on cocktails, but, at not yet 10am, I stuck to orange juice! After an hour or so, they left to go to the beach. We stayed so that I could catch up on my diary notes from days ago! Later, we ordered something to eat – chicken strips for me and prawns in a creamy sauce for Mark – and then met up with the others to go back to the truck.

    From South Beach, it was a 30-minute drive out of town to our hotel. This was the point when the first leg of our trip ended, so we said our goodbyes. Only us and Kristina are continuing on to Cape Town. We will also be joined by a German guy. So, there will be four passengers and three crew on the next leg of the trip! Loads of space on the truck! It was sad to say goodbye to everyone. We wished them all well with their onward journeys and promised to keep in touch.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Dinner in Durban

    May 21, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 22 °C

    The hotel we are in is like a Premier Inn. It’s right next to a shopping centre so we dumped our stuff and went to explore. We found a couple of options for dinner later without having to go back into Durban. Back in the room, we had very welcome showers and did some photo editing before our 6pm meeting for the next leg of the trip.

    We met in the hotel restaurant. Our new group member is Timo. He seems very quiet. This is his first time in Africa and his first time overlanding. He booked the trip simply because it fitted in with the dates he had available to travel! René seemed a bit on edge during the meeting. I’ve no idea why. She didn’t have much to say about the forthcoming trip – I guess we’ll just wait and see what happens!

    After the meeting, Kurt joined us (he's staying on in Durban for a couple of days), and we went across to the mall for dinner. We went to a curry house so that we could try the local dish, bunny chow. This is normally a street food. A white loaf is hollowed out and filled with bean, chicken, or lamb curry. You can order a quarter or a half loaf. Mark and I ordered a quarter. Kurt ordered a half. René said she had never seen such a huge bunny chow! The curries were very good, but I would have preferred mine with rice. I think bunny chow will be a one-off!!

    Back at the hotel, we said our goodbyes to Kurt and went to bed.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Nelson Mandela Capture Site

    May 22, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We were up for breakfast at 6.30am. It was nice to have a hotel buffet for a change! By 7.30am, we were on the truck and on the road. It was very strange only having four of us on board!

    Our first stop was at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site. This is the place where, on 5 August 1962, Nelson Mandela was arrested. He was to spend the next 27 years of his life in prison. The on-site museum was opened in 2019 and tells the story of Nelson Mandela and the apartheid regime in South Africa in an interactive and compelling way.

    There is a replica of the Austin Westminster that Mandela was driving when he was arrested. There is also a collection of stunning photographs of the great man.

    The highlight of the Capture Site, though, is undoubtedly the iconic sculpture of Nelson Mandela created by artist Marco Cianfanelli and architect Jeremy Rose. The sculpture acknowledges the 50th anniversary of Mandela’s arrest and consists of 50 laser cut steel columns between 6 and 9.5 metres high. From the road, the sculpture just looks like a forest of steel poles, but when you walk from the Visitor Centre along a flower-lined path representing the ‘Long Walk to Freedom’ towards it, the columns magically transform into an image of Nelson Mandela. It’s a truly astonishing piece of work!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Checking in to Amphitheatre Backpackers

    May 22, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    After our visit, we were back on the truck to continue our drive towards the Drakensburg Mountains. We only stopped once on route for fuel and toilets. As we climbed, the scenery became more and more majestic.

    We finally reached our accommodation for the next two nights at about 2pm. We were staying in the funky Amphitheatre Backpackers Lodge in very well-appointed rooms with ensuite showers.

    It was well past lunchtime, so we went straight to the bar where we all ordered bowls of pasta. While we waited for the food to arrive, we admired the eclectic décor and artwork. The pasta was very tasty. Mark washed his down with a large bottle of Soweto beer, the first place we’ve seen it for sale since we saw the production facility in Soweto.    Read more

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