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Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
  • Michi, der
  • Franze Dude
  • Michi, der
  • Franze Dude

Let’s bring Sauna into Africa

South Africa to Germany – at least a try. Meer informatie
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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa

    Braking bad

    22 mei 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Höhö. Last time in Dar I bought spare front brake pads. Even managed to find genuine Toyota parts! Yesterday I decided to "quickly replace the old ones" because this usually is no big deal. After removing the front left wheel I already saw that the right pad was unevenly used which indicates that one of the four brake pistons is stuck. The uneven pad would not have lasted the next descend to Mombo probably!
    Had this problem with my motorbike as well once where I managed to push the piston further out, clean it from the outside and push it back in. With the Land Cruiser it is much more fucked up. The piston only comes out when I brake with running engine and active brake booster. This already is a bad sign. Its outer rubber sleeve is punctured and the piston corroded. And after cleaning, there is no way to push it back in! We tried all possible levers but more force will only destroy either the piston or the disc. It also is unwilling to be turned.

    So, hmm, now I either have to refurbish the whole brake caliper here after ordering spare seals and even new piston(s). Or I send it to Dar for refurbishment. Or I find a refurbished caliper with fresh seals somewhere. First of all I'm going to also check on the right wheel's situation ... :-D

    Update: On the front right wheel it's similar: the inner lower piston is completely stuck as well and the upper will not retreat completely :-\    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    South-African angel holding tightly on a rear caliper
    The handy gift I received from our guests :-)Professional brake line plugsThe toolbox I borrowed from Mario when I left GermanyBush tacticsTotally soaked protection plate

    Black-tea-coloured surprise

    26 mei 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    The rear, single-piston brake calipers look better than the front ones. At least the rubber boots are not damaged and the pistons are retracting smoothly with slight force. After struggeling a whole day I managed to unmount the front calipers after applying Ballistol over night and with the help of a metal tube extension which I got from Indian guests from Dar. These guests also took the calipers back to Dar today in order to be refurbished at Eckhard's truck workshop (the German where I plan to leave my car once I fly out of Tanzania)! :-D

    Meanwhile I discovered another problem with my oil-dripping transfer gearbox. Apparently the seal of the front drive shaft is leaking around a teaspoon of tea-coloured, clean oil per night. When I return to Dar this will also be a nice task for Eckhard :-)    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    No chance to withstand Eckhard's powers
    Some 1.25 L DOT 3 later ...

    From 4x2 back to 4x4

    12 juni 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    After Eckhard invented some innovative welding solutions to get the most stubborn piston out of the brake caliper he wonderfully refurbished the remaining parts and in total just two of the eight pistons had to be replaced. Spare parts for my Toyota Prado are pretty easy to get here as many of this model are still on the roads. Cleaned, with new sealings and brake pads everything looks very promising! Exchanging the brake fluid and bleedig turns out to be much less of a hassle than suspected! The very same evening I have a nice sunset test drive with Philipp through Mamboooo.Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    First sour dough bread prototype

    Cancelled but hey!

    16 juni 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Thank you Turkish Airlines for your professional assholiness. "Now I have the salad" with refunds. As fast and frequent as your flights pop up on your website as quickly they disappear again. The same applies for alternative connections. If yesterday an Ethiopian flight was at 2000 $, today it might appear for 518 $ and when you finally want to book half a day later it's back at 1600 $ ... or not listed at all. This whole air business seems to be implemented by 13 yo school children who cannot decide between spaghetti and pizza even though there is just French fries listed on the menu.
    But hey, I made the first prototype of Usambaran whole wheat sour dough bread!!    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    First round
    Second round

    Between heaven and hell

    19 juni 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Hellyeah, I love far from home office! Between all those video conferencing bla bla bla appointments there is always time for some crazygoing. "Oh, sorry guys, my mobile internet connection is about to break down, see ya t'morrow!". And off I go out of my cottage to fire up my all-time favourite Swedish Trangia storm stove which I pimped with an Optimus Nova multifuel burner some 10 years ago. Here around Zambia and Tanzania you find pure kerosene (petroleum) at every second fuel station for 0.5 EUR per litre and this stuff burns pretty cleanly. I can cook for 8-14 days on just half a litre of kerosene.

    For two weeks now I'm experimenting with sour dough bread and it is just about time to test if baking bread would also be possible on the road without a real oven. Both test prove positive. The first subject has a higher portion of whole-grain wheat which I also used to start the sour dough and it raises excessively so that I have to put a stone on the lid. In this first round I use a flat stone deflector to scatter the flames in order for the dough not to burn at the bottom of the pot. Works well but baking time is nearly 1.5 hours and consumes around 40 grams of kerosene. But!! This first camping bread from a rather soggy dough is far the best of all I have baked so far! Unbeaten in juiciness, aroma, texture, satisfaction! Cut a slice, apply olive oil, salt ... and off you go straight to heaven.

    The second subject is a pure white wheat dough which is more reluctant to raise – probably due to the sour dough having been started with whole-grain flour initially – but now my deflector shield is a thin metal piece cut from a broken kitchen grater. The dough is smaller and the bread is finished after almost 30 minutes. A bit too hot from the bottom but I also powered the stove more than before. You should never adjust two parameters at the same time in an experiment ...

    On the road this procedure will be pretty straight-forward: Arriving at the designated campsite I will be putting a freshly built dough under the bonnet to accompany the warm engine over night. In the mornings during camp breaking I will leave it on the stove and enjoy crunchy orgasms during the day and the following evening. Hellyeah!    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa

    Cool!

    22 juni 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    The choice to build my car’s interior from wood proves to be a good one. It is way more robust than expected – even the partly used poplar multiplex – and I can extend it anytime. Today I finally managed to neatly integrate the cooler box which I bought in Cape Town. Since then it was always flying around which is especially annoying when not having a fully packed car, meaning, when travelling alone. So, this weekend I was the main customer of the MamboViewPoint carpentry. It took half a day of engineering and another half day to build this thing. I cut a part out of my upper bed layer and reused this as base plate for the fridge unit. There were various reasons for not centring the fridge in the middle of the car with the major being the possibility to use one of the heavy seat screws to fasten the plate to the ground. Also, it keeps a nice big gap between the seats to reach in the back under the bed from the front seat row. Somebody always hides a snack box there ;-) The small fridge is unmovably aligned on the wooden base and simply tied down with two Seilflechter straps. Dat sitzt bombenfest, Digga! I like to tie down stuff. It’s so stupid and simplifies all kinds of designs in regard of rattle-free installation in the car. The bed is the best example. The fridge’s lid is super-stupidly designed because it’s not flat but still, you don’t really feel it when lying on the bed. It is easy reachable by quickly uplifting the cushions. Done.Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    Masai plain far away
    With Phil, Jutta and GerdLaunching the rocketHistorical Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40by Philipp

    1976

    27 juni 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    On the way back to the coast we spend two relaxing days at Uwe's Paradise Eco Farm in Lushoto and say good bye to Gerd and Jutta with their huge MAN world travelling truck. One afternoon I get the opportunity to join Uwe on his way down and up the steep access path through muddy mountain slopes in his 1976 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 and I feel like Indiana Jones!Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    East Africa's first school, established by Germans, in the background
    Local spinachRepairing boats for cargo shipping to ZanzibarSiesta

    Back to Bwaga-Moyo

    29 juni 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Bwaga-Moyo means "where I put my heart down". It marks the end of one of the main former slave trade routes. We enjoy the calm spirit of this historic town, being empty of tourists, and explore the beach and many backyard roads yielding old ruins and pure friendliness of the local people. We leave, with smiling hearts.Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa

    Bla

    1 juli 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We enjoy our last delicious Tanzanian street foodi before I drop Philipp at the airport and continue to the city center in order to clean off my mobile home's patina which I worked so hard on during the past 5.5 months.
    Dar es Salaam is calmer than ever and feels very relaxing. Probably nothing changed since my last visit and it's rather interesting to observe how I adapted to this country. Once you become accustomed to the people, their habits, the every-day standard life, nothing can really knock you off any more. Situations which where stressing or uncomfortable before just don't arise and you start focussing your perception on all these many more tiny cultural details which satisfy your thirst. You finally arrived :-)

    Since Corona has been officially declared to be over a few weeks ago the people changed. They are warmer, friendlier, more open. I would call them "normal again". At least they seem to be happy and don't run away from big white guys any more :-D
    I usually avoid to talk about bullshitting politics but I cannot forbear to comment on this whole "situation" that maaaaybe this country's government - even though it has been criticized so thoroughly during the last months for it's scarce actions - is one of the few ones having reacted in the "right way". At least in the most reasonable way considering the country's economical and especially social structure. All the others just cry and throw curses because they are envious and cannot stand the truth. I know, this is pretty difficult to imagine and to realize for westerly-oriented paper pushers from their far and fancy thrones. But if you want to be capable of understanding, spend some time here.    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    Lunch with Eckhard and Ibrahim. Yellow bottle contains chili sauce!!
    BlitzeblankGuardians of my Prado for the next monthsMy ride in Eckhard's hard top to the city centerYoung historic substanceNicht viel losNew terminal

    Adiós!

    1 juli 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Eckhard gives me a ride to the city center where we join Ibrahim for a quick lunch. I met Ibrahim at MamboViewPoint Lodge and he took my brake calipers to Dar a few weeks ago. His family is into Indian trading business, dealing with garments, Tanzanian-grown and locally-processed cashews and spices. He proudly showed me old photos of their shop and his family back in 1927! Wonderful people and a great place to return to :-)

    The plane is supposed to depart at 16:30. At 16:28 they call me out because of a security issue with my backpack. Hahahahaha :-D They did not like my colourful conglomerate and especially my Tanzanian black tea! Thanks to me we start 20 minutes delayed :-P    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa

    Germany, are you kidding me?

    3 juli 2020, Duitsland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I just flew in from probably the East-African epicenter of "Corona Corona Coronaaa" (in Tanzania it's officially over and everybody behaves as if nothing ever happened) and here nobody cares at all! I walked out of the airport and was greeted by the police with "welcome back", borded the train, the tram, my sofa. Nobody checked where I'm coming from, where I'm going to. The health ministry tells me on the phone that I have to isolate now and that I can escape isolation with a test which I have to pay 150 € for. But their call center is not reachable for 2 hours. What I observe here is the professional implementation of nonsense. Prost!Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa

    Christmas approaching

    24 november 2020, Duitsland ⋅ ⛅ 1 °C

    As Ethiopia's recent riots have introduced additional difficulties for northbound land border crossers, let's see what kind of round trip I can do within two months =)

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    Hababero-Currywurst-Pommes with sour dough bread
    Last PinkusThis is not Christmas

    Auf ins sonnige Gemätzel!

    14 december 2020, Duitsland ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Perfect time to flee from crazy-turning Germany. Tomorrow they start a new lockdown period. Without me, muhahahahahahaaaarr! :-P
    At FFM I grab a Covid test even though I don't need any for Tanzania. But it's better to have one than to need one.
    Most food shops are closed. Luckily I discover a nice Currywurst-Pommes booth around the train station after the testing. They offer 8 different grades of hotness and nuber 3 "Habanero" turns out to be pretty potent already! Hell yeah! Good to having found this place _after_ testing because the test center would have turned me away if I had shown typical Habanero symptoms.
    The airport is totally deserted and my plane to Addis filled to 1/3 approx. Tschüssi! =)    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    Sunrise above Addis Abeba
    I get picked up with my own carNew Talisker does not like the humid climate!Good night

    Oh this compressor ...

    15 december 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    With me I'm carrying a 50 L electric workshop air compressor for Eckhard. I was already happy that I could check it in at FFM as regular bagage with its 24 kg. While changing flight in Addis they pull me out some 30 minutes before departure and want me to open the compressor package. I have to argue that it is not inflamable and that it will not explode. Hmm, but it already travelled from FFM to Addis with me, why not further?

    On arrival in Dar they make some hassle about tax payments for the compressor. Lol. Just because it's a huge package? Its value is just around 5-10 % of all the computer and camera hardware I carry with me but OK, here we go. Luckily I prepared a nice story and am allowed to exit with a grin :-)

    Eckhard picks me up with my Toyota and on the same evening I get most things organised in order to continue my journey.    Meer informatie

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  • Let’s bring Sauna into Africa
    Not my G
    2nd, 3rd nightDrive shaft boot spillsChallenge accepted!What's wrong with this seal?"Custom press-fitting tool" with new seal on top; new boot in the backNew Cordura "fender apron". Power to the maxxx!French overlanders leaving!

    "Supranatural qualities"?

    18 december 2020, Tanzania ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    "Supernatural?"
    "No, supra-natural. That's like a whole other level above super."
    (Jack Black and Ben Stiller in The Pick of Destiny, 2006)

    Easily transferable to the overlanding business. Whenever you ask "Which car should I choose for my overlanding trip?" they will answer "Toyota!".
    "Why?"
    "It's the best, it will never break!"

    So, actually, my dear hard-rockin' amigos, I can confirm that this is a myth. Attentive readers will notice that I already had some pretty ugly problems with my 2006 Prado during the first stage of my trip. Here I go with another one. I initially wanted to leave Dar and head north yesterday. But two days ago I discovered a freshly broken drive shaft boot on the front which was leaking grease/oil. Supra-uncool! On 20th I have to be at a border to stamp-in my new Carnet de Passages. Hmmpf. At least I am at Eckhard’s place which is probably the best-equipped truck workshop in Dar. This week Eckhard is busy with another customer’s “problem car” and so I started to disassemble my front left suspension assembly yesterday. From time to time Eckhard or his “fundi” (colloquial for expert/mechanic/skilled individual) threw a glance and a helpful comment. Never thought to be able to untighten these heavy bolts and nuts with my own force. The biggest lesson I learnt: A huge hammer is your most valuable tool! A year ago in Germany, Mario and Andrejs – the guys who assisted me with the Prado – told me the very same. Oh, they were so right about it :-p
    By 6 p.m. we had everything in single parts and thus some desired samples in order to find fitting spares. Another downthrow: also the left steering knuckle oil seal “existed past its designed lifespan”. At 7.30 p.m. both spares arrived via piki piki (motorcycle taxi delivery). And this is where Toyota and Tanzania turn most shit into gold! The fact that around South/East Africa (especially here) these SUVs – in similar age or newer – are pretty common makes every corner shop to sell spare parts.

    Today the fundi continues re-assembling my drive shaft and I assist while Eckhard is throwing curses at the neighbouring Mercedes Benz G’s diesel pump. Apart from G Class he is specialised on Volkswagen Transporters and does not have any specific tool for fitting my huge, flat, filigree Toyota oil seal. A few minutes later he returns from his backyard with the rusty metal cap of a big gas bottle which is having – by incidence – the same diameter like the seal’s fitting nut (97 mm). Wtf?! Quickly the heavy cap is shortened, looses its round head and gets reborn as “special tool for pressing the seal into its bed”. Invaluable, sovereign, supranatural awesomeness! I should better quit my job and do an internship here at Eckhard’s :-P
    In the late afternoon I have everything ready and also manage to rebuild a ripped-off “front fender apron” (the official Toyota part name) from a piece of Cordura cloth which I carry around in the car for a year already. What a great day of improvising and brain using. I reward myself with a calamari platter.    Meer informatie

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