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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

    A day at Amphitheatre Backpackers

    May 23, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    By the time we got back to our accommodation, it was pitch black, so we needed to use our head torches to navigate. In our room, we did some hand washing before dinner and put the heating on. It’s certainly chilly at this altitude. Ivan had made us pumpkin soup, followed by beef kebabs with rice, green beans, chakkalakka, carrots, and mushrooms. It was all delicious as usual.

    After dinner, the crew all went to bed. The four of us went to the bar where they had a cosy fire going. I managed to fall my full length when I tripped over a chair leg! Luckily, I didn’t hurt myself too much, but I did smash Mark’s beer!

    We didn’t stay too long before returning to our room to sleep.
    Neither of us slept too well despite the comfortable bed! We were up at 6 for a 6.30am breakfast of boiled eggs, toast, and muffins.

    Kristina and Timo opted to go on a full-day hike today at a cost of 880 rand. We decided to stay at the lodge. I spent the day writing and posting. We got our laundry done and generally got sorted out ready for the next leg of the trip. We also went for a walk around the camp. It is a lovely setup with lots of quirky features and wall art. Ivan was busy putting all the tents up to dry them out and clean them. It was cool and windy, so we spent most of the day indoors. We were grateful to have a heater in our room – the temperature was so much lower than it was in Durban!

    This evening, Ivan cooked belly pork on the braii (South African barbecue) and served it with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and left over chakkalakka. After dinner, Timo and Kristina went to the bar. We went to our room to listen to podcasts and pack for tomorrow.

    These are some photos 📸 of the art around the lodge.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve

    May 24, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Breakfast this morning was toast, cereals, and fruit. Ivan had also provided everything we needed to make ourselves a packed lunch. We were on the road and heading for Lesotho by 8am. We were sorry not to stay longer in such a lovely place.

    On the way, we drove through stunning scenery, especially the Sterkfontein Dam Nature Reserve.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Country number 55

    May 24, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Before we reached the border, we stopped to use the toilet and buy supplies. The border crossing was straightforward. We have another stamp in our passports and are now in country #55!

    We entered Lesotho, aka the Kingdom in the Sky, via the capital, Maseru. The difference between here and South Africa was immediately apparent. Lesotho is obviously much poorer than its neighbour and so much more ‘African’. It immediately reminded me of Ethiopia with countless roadside stalls made from old containers or corrugated panels cobbled together. The men were all wrapped in traditional blankets.Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa
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    The road to Malealea

    May 24, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We drove for a couple of hours through a continuation of the Drakensburg Mountains. The scenery was stunning. We turned off the main road when we saw a sign that read Malealea Lodge (our home for the next two nights) 7km. We thought to ourselves ‘Oh, good – we’re nearly there!’ How wrong we were!! The 7km felt more like 70!! We were truly off-roading. We passed a sign that clearly warned us of the road conditions ahead (see the photo attached to this footprint!). Ernest did a sterling job of navigating the numerous potholes and tyre ruts, but it still took us over an hour to successfully cover the 7km.Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Malealea Lodge

    May 24, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Once we arrived at the lodge, we were greeted by Bob, the manager, who explained everything to us and showed us around. Our accommodation was in traditionally furnished and decorated roundhouses. They were not as luxurious as the ones at our previous lodge, and they didn’t have any heating, but they had basic ensuite bathrooms and were comfortable enough.Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    First Lesothan beer!

    May 24, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We settled in and went to have a look around. Like the last place, there was plenty of unique artwork. They also had an interesting take on recycling, turning rubbish into tables, feature walls, and even a bottle labyrinth. It was all really good!

    We sat outside the bar with a drink and met the owner, Jackie, who asked us how we liked the place. Her parents were born in Lesotho, so she is 3rd generation Lesothan.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A beautiful choir

    May 24, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    At 5pm, a local youth choir came to sing for us. They perform every evening. Today, we were the lodge’s only guests so we were a very small audience! The choir sang superbly. We all tipped them generously.Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Entertained by a band

    May 24, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The choir was followed by a band, Soto, who played homemade instruments, sang, and danced. Again, they were excellent. We gave them tips, but didn’t buy their CD as none of us have anything to play them on anymore!

    By the time the show had finished, it was 6pm, almost dark, and extremely cold! Mark was feeling it in his back and legs. We went straight to the kitchen/dining area where Ivan and Ernest had made a very welcome fire. We warmed ourselves around that until dinner was ready. Ivan had made a chicken and vegetable stew with rice, just the thing for such a cold evening.

    After dinner, we sat around the fire chatting until it was time to turn it in. Our room felt freezing after the warmth of the dining area! However, there were enough covers and blankets to make for a comfortable night’s sleep.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A village walk

    May 25, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    This morning, the sun was up early and it didn’t feel as cold as yesterday. We had a free day today so it was an 8.30am breakfast. We were all up well before that, though and were grateful that Ivan had already got the kettle on! For breakfast, he prepared bacon, French toast, and baked beans with onions. It was delicious!

    After breakfast, Timo and Kristina did an optional hike with René and a guide, Dave, to see some San rock paintings in a local cave. It was a three-hour hike. Mark and I chose to stay at the lodge. When they got back, Kristina said it had been a tough walk and that the paintings were not as impressive as the ones we will see in Namibia, so we didn’t feel that we’d missed out on anything.

    We had lunch at the bar with Timo and Kristina. We all ordered toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches made with local flatbread called Sephaphata. They were very tasty!

    After lunch, we met up with Dave again for a walk through the local village. Mark gave it a miss as he was still in a lot of pain. Dave proved to be a very informative and entertaining guide. He explained all about traditional Basotho culture as we walked.

    Our first stop was at a local shop where we bought biscuits and sweets for the local children. These soon disappeared as we continued our walk around the village!

    Dave explained his story to us, how he had left the village after primary school to go to a boarding school in the capital, Maseru. This was paid for by his Dad (his Mum had died when he was only three). After school, he attended university but was unable to complete his degree as his Dad died when he was halfway through! So, he returned to the village and has worked as a guide for the lodge ever since.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Tasting the local brew

    May 25, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    We went to see one of the village brewers. These are all ladies. They brew a local beer using hops grown in South Africa. They add sogum and allow the brew to ferment for between one and three days, depending on how hot the weather is. They make batches of 25 litres at a time. When a batch is ready, the lady displays a yellow flag to indicate to everyone in the village that she has beer available to buy. People (both men and women) come to her brewhouse to drink. She charges 5 rand (about 30p) for a mug. The lady we met explained that she only learned how to brew when her husband died in 2003, and she needed to find a way to pay her bills and raise her children. We all tasted her brew. I have to say it’s an acquired taste! I did buy some to take back for Mark to try – I didn’t want him to miss out!!

    As well as the yellow flags, there are other flags flown in the village. White indicates that someone has corn 🌽 beer ready, green denotes vegetables for sale, and red means that the house has meat available.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Meeting the village chief

    May 25, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    Our next stop was at the chief’s house. Ben (his anglicised name) explained what his duties are. As chief, he has to settle any neighbour disputes. His word is final. He can also allocate land for anyone born in Lesotho to build a house in the village. There is no charge for the land and, if someone decides to leave the village, they can sell the house for a profit! However, there is no running water in the village, so residents have to live with hardships.

    Ben declined to have his picture 📸 taken, so I only have a photo of his house! 😀    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Funeral customs, Lesothan style

    May 25, 2023 in Lesotho ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    We then paused at the village cemetery. Dave explained to us what happens when someone dies. A funeral and burial is very expensive, so to allow the family time to organise the finances, the deceased is taken to a mortuary where he or she is kept for 30 days. After this time, the body is brought home. This only happens on a Friday. Over the weekend, a cow and a sheep are slaughtered, and everyone in the village feasts. A grave is dug, and the men known to the deceased, accompanied by the village chief and a priest, perform a ceremony before the burial. The following day, any women related to the dead person attend the grave. If a widow survives her husband, she dresses in black for a period of six months from the day she visits the grave. When the six month period is over, another cow and another sheep are killed, and the period of mourning is officially over. This is the custom for all those who die, apart from children who die in infancy.

    At the end of the walk, we should have visited the local handicraft centre, but it was closed. However, after we had returned to the lodge, and I had gone for a shower, Bob came to tell me that the guy with the key had been found and we could go and have a look at the crafts. So we did. I bought a couple of pot stands made from covered bottle tops, similar to the one I bought in the Gambia, and later copied for Sharon in Tobago. They are really nice and didn’t cost much money. I also bought some multi-purpose cream made locally from blue agave plants and some lemongrass-scented soap. It’s nice to be able to support local enterprise, albeit in a very small way.

    Later, the choir came to sing for us again. We were still the only guests staying at the lodge, so at first, we didn’t go to listen to the performance, but then we felt guilty and went anyway! It was very cold, so they didn’t sing for long. The band didn’t turn up tonight, so we tipped the choir and went indoors to the fire!
    Ivan had cooked roast beef tonight. He served it with roast potatoes, vegetables, and spicy chakkalakka. We certainly don’t go hungry on this trip!

    After dinner, Timo and Kristina went to the bar with Ivan to watch the Man United/Chelsea game (Ivan is a huge Chelsea fan!). We stayed in the dining room until the fire had died down and then went back to our room to listen to a couple of podcasts before bed.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Back to South Africa

    May 26, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This morning, we had boiled eggs and bread for breakfast, along with the usual cereals, fruit, and spreads. We then packed up and were on the road by 7.30am. We had the return journey out of the valley along the same dirt road. It was almost 9am before we reached the tarmacked section!

    It was incredibly cold on the truck this morning. I just couldn't get warm, despite wearing several layers and covering myself with Cassie’s British Airways blanket! It remained that way all day, despite it being sunny!

    We drove to a different border to cross back into South Africa. This was a rural border post and much quieter than the one we went through the other day. We crossed without incident. Kristina helped herself to some of the free condoms that were on display everywhere on the South African side – just as a souvenir! I was amused that they were supplied by a company called ‘Condoman’ and were dispensed from a ‘condomtainer’!! 😂

    The scenery on route to our next stop was incredible! We passed through cattle country with large farms owned by rich white people. Many of the signs we passed were written only in Afrikaans, something we haven’t seen before in South Africa. We stopped to buy some lunch at a dreadful shopping mall where we had to pay to use the toilets and where the only food option was KFC!! I had two very greasy bits of chicken and the worst cup of coffee I’ve drunk in a long time! Mark had a packet of crisps and a bottle of beer!😊

    It was a very long driving day along increasingly bumpy roads. As we got closer to our destination, Cintsa on the Wild Coast just north of East London where Nelson Mandela was born, Ernest drove faster and faster in an effort to reach our campsite before it got dark. We made it just in time!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Buccaneers Campsite, Cintsa

    May 27, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We were staying at Buccaneers campsite, accessed down a very bumpy track, and, once through the gates, a very steep hill to get to our pitch. We had to go to reception to check in. By the time we’d walked down to where the truck was, Ernest had put our tents up for us, and Ivan had got the dinner on! We made our bed up and went to help in the kitchen.

    We had chicken cooked on the braii with rice, corn on the cob, and salad. Just as we were about to sit down for dinner, load shedding kicked in so we ate by the light of our head torches. After dinner, we stood around the fire, but there wasn’t much heat in it as the wood was damp. The temperature plummeted and we were really cold, so we decided to go to bed. What followed was probably the coldest night of my life!! I just could not stay warm! Needless to say, we didn’t have much sleep!

    Oh, and cows wander freely through the camp! One gave me quite a scare in the middle of the night! 😀    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A walk to Cintsa

    May 27, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This morning, it transpired that we’d all spent a pretty miserable, cold night! However, today promised to be better with full sunshine and temperatures up to 21 degrees, so we were optimistic! We had a late breakfast of sausages, eggs, and toast. It was a free day today, so there was no rush to get things done.

    After breakfast, Mark walked up the hill to reception to get some of our washing done. When he came back, René took us on a guided walk across the beach to the town of Cintsa. She told us the walk was ten minutes tops. After 40 minutes, we reached the town! She left us there and returned to camp. The four of us went for a coffee and then bought some supplies before going back to Buccaneers. We were almost there when I realised that I’d left my jacket at the café!! Mark walked all the way back to get it for me! When he got back, we went up to the dining room for lunch with Timo and Kristina. We sat admiring the stunning view of the bay.

    After lunch, Timo went for a walk along the beach, and we stayed in the lounge area to take advantage of the free wifi. Later, we all had showers. We wanted to make sure we did so while there was still some sunshine and warmth as the showers are open to the elements!

    This evening, Ivan made spaghetti bolognaise for dinner – and we managed to eat it before the load shedding happened!!

    I spent the time after dinner catching up with my trip notes. We also got chatting to a South African tour guide, Mark, who arrived with a couple of American clients. He parked too close to Ivan’s tent for his liking – talk about invading his personal space!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Addo Elephant National Park

    May 28, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    We weren’t as cold last night as we were the night before, but it was still pretty uncomfortable. We were up early to get the tents down before our 7am breakfast. Ivan did fried eggs and toast for us, as well as the usual cereals, etc.

    We were on the road by 7.30am, heading for Addo National Park. This park was created in 1931 to protect the 11 elephants that remained in the area. There are now 600, plus Cape buffalo, black rhino, zebras, and antelope.

    We arrived at our campsite within the park at about 1pm, having stopped at a supermarket to stock up with supplies. While we were putting our tents up, Ivan provided the makings for us to create our own salad, meat, and cheese rolls for lunch. We ate these, cleared away, and then got back on the truck for a game drive.

    It was Timo’s first ever game drive! He was a bit shocked that we couldn’t get off the truck and walk amongst the animals! Addo NP is covered in dense bush, so it was unlikely we would see any big cats – and indeed we didn’t! What we did see was:

    • Leopard tortoise
    • Pied crows
    • Mongoose
    • Elephants, including a large mating herd and a huge solitary bull
    • Secretary bird
    • Pole chanting goshawk
    • A group of female kudus
    • Lots of zebra
    • Black backed jackal
    • Warthog
    • Buffalo
    • Red hartebeest

    At one viewpoint, we were allowed off the truck to look at a waterhole. We saw some birds, a small turtle, and, in the distance, and elderly giraffe and a male kudu. All of these were a considerable distance away, so we don’t have photographic proof of these sightings!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    An early game drive with nothing to see!

    May 29, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Back at the campsite, Mark went to sit in the bar as his legs were playing up. Timo, Kristina, and I went to the viewpoint on site, but there was nothing to see except a group of smoking South Africans and a pile of cigarette butts they’d left behind! We weren’t impressed!

    We joined Mark for a drink and then went for dinner. Ivan had cooked a really spicy chicken curry with rice. All of us except Mark had streaming eyes and noses!

    While we were eating, there was a fantastic lightning show! To start with, there was no thunder, and the rain held off, but it wasn’t long before it built to a real thunderstorm. We had to quickly clear everything away and retreat to our tents early!

    During the night, I was kept awake, first by the thunder and the rain, and later by trains carrying coal away from the nearby coalfields. By 4.50am, I was wide awake and decided to go for a shower. We had to be up for a 6.30am game drive, anyway.

    Luckily, Ivan had got up to put the kettle on, so we were able to have coffee before the drive. We put all our stuff back on the truck but left our tents to take down after the drive.

    It was still dark when we set off, so there was definitely not much to see! As dawn broke, we could see that it was a very cloudy, dark, cold day. We didn’t see much wildlife during the couple of hours we were out:

    • Zebras
    • A black-backed jackal
    • Blacksmith plovers
    • Warthogs
    • Spoon-billed storks
    • Cormorant
    • A heron
    • Terns

    We were cold when we got back to camp. We packed our tents away and then had breakfast. Today’s menu was bacon, baked beans, scrambled eggs, and toast. It was very welcome!    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    Arriving at Tsitsikamma National Park

    May 29, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    After breakfast, we cleared away and were on the road again by 9.30am. By now, it was raining and very foggy, so we couldn’t see much of our surroundings while we drove. I know we passed a few miles of citrus groves, and lots of coal mines. It’s terrible to see that South Africa is so dependent on this polluting fossil fuel. Ironically, further along the road, we did see a number of wind turbines, the first we have seen in South Africa. Unfortunately, there are not nearly enough to make a significant difference.

    We also drove through Motherwell, a very poor shanty town. Places like this have no running water or electricity. Nor do they have basic refuse collection, so there are piles of rubbish left at the side of the road. It’s sad to see people living like this 30 years after democracy came to South Africa.

    We stopped in Jeffrey’s Bay for lunch at a soulless shopping mall. I’m missing the local experience on this trip. On previous overlanding journeys, we have stopped in small towns and villages and sampled the street food and local markets. Despite its name, I think Intrepid is less intrepid than Dragoman! It’s a small criticism, though. Overall, the trip has been very good.

    The weather hadn’t improved by the time we reached Tsitsikamma National Park, our destination for the next two nights. We should have been in tents, but there was an option to upgrade to a forest cabin with a heater and private bathroom. For £60 for two nights, it was an offer we couldn’t refuse! Timo chose to upgrade, too. Kristina decided to stay in a tent.

    The campsite is right by the sea. The crew all say it is their favourite site on this trip. I can see that it would be lovely in the summer, but it’s a bit bleak here at the moment!

    Once we’d parked up, we went to check out our cabin. It was lovely and cosy. We switched the heating on, and I did my trip notes while we were listening to podcasts. Unfortunately, the Solis doesn’t work here, but that’s a small inconvenience. We felt guilty about Kristina, so at about 4.30, we walked up to the restaurant where we found her checking her emails using the free wi-fi that’s only available there. We did the same and stayed with her until it was time to walk back for dinner.

    Dinner tonight was a delicious cheese, tomato, basil, and mushroom pasta with salad. It was blowing a gale and raining, so we put the chairs in the laundry room! It’s a first for us – eating surrounded by washing machines! Just as we finished eating, the power went off. It was down to the weather rather than load-shedding. We stayed and chatted for a while before going back to our cabin. The power didn’t come back on, so we listened to podcasts by candlelight before bed.    Read more

  • Overlanding Through Africa

    A day by the sea

    May 30, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We slept very well in our cabin. The power didn’t come back on, but it wasn’t too cold. This morning, breakfast was at 8.30am as it was a free day. It was very cloudy, but dry and mild, so we ate our food overlooking the sea! We were joined by several kelp gulls, so called because they feed on the seaweed along the coast.

    After breakfast, we went back to our cabin. The power was still off, but we were able to edit our photos on the laptop. Later, we went for a walk along the coast to take some photos. The waves crashing over the rocks were truly spectacular – and very noisy!! There are lots of well-appointed cabins with stunning sea views. It must be a lovely place to spend a holiday in the summer months!

    We ended up in the restaurant as, despite the power outage, the wi-fi was still working there. We were joined by two coach loads of Japanese tourists who came in for a steak and salad lunch. They cooked the steaks on the gas grill and, with no extractor fans working, the place soon filled with smoke! We didn’t stay long!!

    The power finally came back on at about 4pm. It was getting cold and dark, so we went back to the cabin, put the heating on, and listened to music until it was time for dinner. On the menu this evening was battered fish fillets with rice, vegetables, and chakkalakka. We didn’t hang around too long after dinner as it was really cold!!    Read more

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