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    Sorry Mom & Mum

    Livingstone- Devil’s Pool

    January 9, 2020 in Zambia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    If you were to tell someone that today we were going to get in a speedboat that would thrash towards the edge of the largest waterfall in Africa, before disembarking, swimming against currents that want to drag you over the abyss, and finally leaning out over the edge, with only a small ledge between yourself and oblivion, they would probably call you crazy. But this is Africa.

    It probably isn’t an over-exaggeration to say that the Devil’s Pool is one of the wildest things we’ve ever done. The moment when you reach over the edge, and stare wild-eyed at the thundering falls hundreds of feet below, is an unparalleled thrill. You would expect that if a similar pool was discovered in Niagara Falls, it would be blocked off at the most, or it would have a large infrastructure of safety ropes, nets and barriers. But here, the only thing preventing you from plunging over the falls is a guide holding your legs.

    After the Pool, we take a short walk around Livingstone Island, where the eponymous explorer/missionary first “discovered” the falls. You could almost imagine him turning back to the nearest village to exclaim “Have you guys seen this GIANT WATERFALL just over there? Well I have! Let’s name it after the Queen, ey?”.    Read more

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    Livingstone to Lusaka

    January 10, 2020 in Zambia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Another long-distance coach journey. They’re never the most fun, but it’s all part of the adventure, and you certainly feel more connected to the country than if we were to fly 33,000ft above it.

    Today’s bus company is YNA Roadlink, which we chose for the simple reason that it wasn’t Shalom, which took us down to Livingstone, and blasted terrible music at full volume. However, we soon realise that this coach isn’t much better. One specific alarm on the bus is either broken, or it is working perfectly fine but just being ignored for eight hours. For the entire ride, a slow and steady alarm drills into our brains. It’s all part of the adventure. Beep Beep Beep. It’s all part of the adventure. Beep Beep Beep.

    Half-way through the ride, the conductors disembark, and purchase a large wicker cage of live chickens, and place it in the luggage compartment. It seems that the purchase of animals, alive or dead, is a common feature of Zambian bus travel.    Read more

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    Indian food in the Heart of Malawi

    Lusaka to Lilongwe

    January 12, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    Early start again to get the 6am bus to Lilongwe. There is only one bus company that plies the Lusaka to Lilongwe route, so we take that one, and hope for the best.

    Today’s bus surprise is a small waterfall that emerges from the window whenever it rains (which is almost constantly). They’ve also oversold the seats, so we are crammed with passengers sat in the aisles on small wooden stools (it can’t be comfortable sat on those for 8 hours).

    They put films on the entertainment system, which is better than loud alarms or terrible music. However, playing one of the Fast and Furious films, which starts with a large coach crash and carries on in the same theme, seems a strange choice. It starts to feel a little like Final Destination.

    We arrive into Lilongwe around 6pm, and head to our chosen accommodation- a nice lodge with camping and, inexplicably, the best Indian food we’ve had for a long time.    Read more

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    Lilongwe

    January 13, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    There’s not much to say about Lilongwe, since honestly there’s not much to do here. But I guess it’s fair to say we are a Lilongwe from home.

    The city is spread out, with none of it feeling particularly like a city centre. Some might say that it has a sleepy charm, but for us it’s just a place to stage the next stage of our adventure up the lake.

    We bought bus tickets to Mzuzu, and found a strangely hipster cafe inside a wildlife reserve.    Read more

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    Lilongwe to Nkhata Bay

    January 15, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    The latest in a series of sketchy African coach journeys, this one from Lilongwe to Nkhata Bay, a small tourist town on Lake Malawi.

    The coach, due to set off at 11pm, doesn’t arrive until past midnight, and the seats are in a state of disrepair. At around 4 in the morning, the coach stops for around an hour, alarms blaring, until the driver and conductor can get it running again. We arrive into the nearest big city (Mzuzu) at 6.30 in the morning, and get off the bus into a giant rain storm. We’ve been fortunate so far to have avoided getting caught in downpours, but not this time. We need to get across town to the bus station to get a minibus to Nkhata Bay, so we’re forced to brave the deluge. Soaked, we arrive at the bus station and are mobbed by touts telling us that there are no busses to Nkhata Bay. I politely try to inform them that we’ve heard otherwise, whilst Katie straight up calls them liars. Sure enough, there is a bus to Nkhata Bay.

    It is worth the journey though. Our accommodation, Mayoka Village, is perched in and around a small bay on the lake, affording views over nearby headlands, and across the lake to the shoreline of Mozambique (where the lake is called Lago Niassa). The lake is home to an array of different coloured tropical fish darting around the rocks and GIANT LIZARDS!

    We rest for most of the day, with Katie feeling slightly under the weather, but we look forward to getting out on the lake and snorkelling in this real-life dentist’s aquarium.    Read more

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    One of our many lovely rooms at Mayoka VillageCatfish with Nsima and vegetables

    Nkhata Bay

    January 19, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Mayoka Village, perched on the edge of Lake Malawi, has to be one of the best places we have stayed so far. A series of little houses and bungalows seem to tumble down the hill, threatening to spill into the lake.

    We take advantage of the low season and switch rooms every few days. We decide our favourite is room number four, a log cabin perched directly on top of the lake allowing you to hear the suprisingly big waves crash underneath you.

    Today, the head chef of the lodge has offered to cook for us at his house, so it’s an opportunity for us to peel away from the tourist places and experience the “real” Malawi. We are treated to Cassava Nsima- the national dish here, which is ground cassava, cooked into a solid mashed potato. It is eaten with your hands, by ripping off a small piece, rolling it into a ball and dipping it into sauce. It’s an acquired taste, but we’re now fond of the maize nsima (which is slightly lighter).    Read more

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    Our walk to school
    Current affairs in the history class textbookView from the dining roomLadder to heaven (mango tree)Village livin'Kitchen areaWhat's cookin?Traditional nsima

    Living with Phillip & his family

    January 20, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Morning starts off early and rushed with breakfast at 7am and set off from Mayoka Village at 7:15. Today, we are headed to Chimbota Secondary School, a private high school in the village of Chimbota which is about 15 minute drive away from the centre of Nhkata Bay. We’ll be staying here for two nights and quickly learn that driving there isn’t all that easy since the road keeps washing away with the daily rainfall.

    Phillip, one of the founders of the school and member of staff at Mayoka Village is going to be hosting us for the next couple of days while we help out at the school and live with his family.

    Chimbota Secondary School opened its doors in 2016 and currently has over 100 students enrolled. Before, the nearest secondary school was in Nhkata Bay which meant that students previously had to walk over 2 hours to get to school. During rainy season this means it was near to impossible for many eager students to get to school as their method of transportation is by foot.

    With a vision to expand, Phillip hopes enrolment will continue to grow in the coming years as demand for education is growing. However, many families face difficulties in meeting the school fees which are set at 29,000 kwacha (about $35 USD) per term. With today being the deadline for students to pay, the class sizes seem to be dwindling and many students are seen walking away from the school.

    As the school day comes to an end, we pack our things and head home to Phillips house. It’s about a 30 minute walk which is either blazingly hot or torrentially wet. We’re greeted warmly by everyone in the street. The local butcher passes by and shows us his bucket full of pig. We pass on purchasing any as we don’t have anywhere to cook, it but thank him for his generosity. We also meet a guy who calls himself Honeyman, a local bee keeper and nephew of Phillip. We don’t believe his name until we hear some others shouting out for him. He seems to be a popular fella.

    Lunch and dinner is cooked by Phillip’s family as we sit and watch the village life go by. As seems to be standard in Africa, we have an early night, and turn off the lights (by disconnecting the bare ends of wire draped across our door).    Read more

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    Chillin'
    Green green MalawiSunset over Lake Malawi

    Nhkata Bay to Livingstonia

    January 24, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    It’s time for a change in scenery. Since we’ve been in Nhkata Bay for a bit longer than expected we decide to pack up our stuff and to the North of Malawi to Livingstonia. We plan to stay at a place called Mushroom Farm which is located on the hill up to Livingstonia and has an amazing view over the rolling hills and Lake Malawi.

    It’s a bit of a trek to as we start our day in a taxi to Mzuzu. It takes about 45 minutes to get here and we arrive at about 11am. Onto the next mode of transport!

    We have the option to take a spacious, clean coach bus that leaves at 1pm. Or, hop on a small, cramped and more expensive minibus with makeshift seats made out of wood with no cushions. Obviously, we choose the minibus as it leaves earlier.

    We’re easily distracted from the discomfort of the ride by the amazing views. We almost even forget we are on this bus that looks to be falling part. This is interrupted when we go over a puddle and the water manages to splash up through the bottom of the bus and get Chris all wet. It’s a good laugh. But, we can’t wait to get off.

    After a 3 hour “bus” journey we finally arrive in Chitimba. We are greeted by Stanley who works for Mushroom Farm and arranges transport up the mountain. Our third and final mode of transport.

    We didn’t realize it would be another 45 minute motorcycle ride up the hill. It’s 45 minutes not because of the far distance. But rather because of the terrible condition of the road. But hey, we don’t really have any other choice so we strap our bags to the back and each hop onto a motorbike. Katie is escorted by Evans and Chris by the name of Gift.

    The “road” is essentially a lot of rocks piled on top of the dirt. Apparently some white guy started to build it but stopped halfway through and now this is the result. The drivers seem to know which rocks to avoid and which ones are safe to drive over. But it is safe to say this is probably the bumpiest motorcycle ride we’ll ever go on.

    Evans tells Katie that it is 20 bends up the mountain until we reach Mushroom Farm. As he counts each bend, Katie isn’t sure if he uses this as a conversation topic or rather to pass the time as he goes up and down the mountain several times a day. They count together as Katie holds tight to the back of the motorcycle while admiring the views as they near the top of the mountain.

    Chris and Gift arrive much later to the top as his bag fell off and needed some readjusting with the straps. It also didn’t help that his bike was experiencing “some problems” and broke down a few times. This resulted in Chris having to climb up most of the mountain.

    Thankful to arrive in one piece, we check into Mushroom Farm. A cloud has masked the views from the lodge. But we opt to stay in a a Safari Tent with a big double bed and nice balcony so that we can enjoy the view once the fog has lifted. The room doesn’t have electricity so we have to rely on candlelit by night.

    We relax for the rest of the day in the hammocks that overlook the plateau and Lake Malawi. There’s one other guest staying named Emiliano who met previously at Mayoka. We chat over dinner swapping travel stories and tips and head to bed early at 8:30pm. We wonder to ourselves if this will be our permanent bedtime.    Read more

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    Strange (apparently edible!) wormsJumping over parts of the river above the waterfall

    Livingstonia

    January 25, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We wake from a good night’s sleep, and emerge from our safari tent onto our private balcony. The decking is built directly on top of the cliff, so we can look directly out over the lake shore, all the way across to Mozambique.

    Today, we are going on a hike. It is meant to be a hike to the plateau to see more amazing views, but the entire hill is covered in fog, making this hike pointless. We head to a waterfall instead. However, the moment we set off, the heavens open, and we are completely drenched. We carry on regardless, and get to the lookout post overlooking the waterfall. However, there’s not much to lookout on because the rain is so intense. We shelter in a cafe and wait for the rain to subside.

    Once it does, we set off down the face of the waterfall to the bottom. This involves some fairly sketchy paths, and we jump over the raging river, about 20 metres from the edge of the waterfall.

    As usual, the views are amazing.

    On the way back up, we pass a tree covered in hairy insects. I ask the guide what they are but he doesn’t know. I later find out that they are worms, that people eat, once they cook them to neutralise the poison.

    A little further along, we come to a giant colony of ants, who are coming out onto the path after the rain. Since the paths drop off one side into oblivion, we are forced to run through the ants, and spend the next few minutes pulling the soldier ants out of our skin. This seems par for the course in Africa.

    Later, after taking a well deserved shower, we head into Livingstonia town. This is a small town on top of the hill. It was founded by missionaries that followed in the footsteps of Livingstone (hence the somewhat heavy-handed name). It is very atmospheric, with colonial buildings built around the turn of the 19/20th centuries. It is especially eerie with the mist rolling over the surrounding mountains. There is a small museum, with very few interesting displays. We do learn one story about the missionaries who lived here during the liberation struggles. The colonial authorities broadcast the news that they couldn’t guarantee the safety of any British people in Malawi, and they would evacuate them from the lake. If the British wanted to be evacuated, they were to put a large “I” on the ground, and if they wanted to stay put, they were to put a “V” on the ground. The missionaries had faith that the local population wouldn’t turn against them, and put the V, along with a bible passage celebrating equality among races. Sure enough, despite the chaos and violence that took place across Malawi, the missionaries in Malawi weren’t harmed, and there was peace in Livingstonia.

    In the evening, we have dinner with everyone at Mushroom Farm. We discuss Bilharzia medication with a German doctor, who recommends splashing in out for name brand pills, since a study found that 1/2 of all drugs in the developing world were found to be fakes. Bilharzia is a nasty sounding disease, caused by parasites found in lake snails throughout Africa. Symptoms start subtle- mainly tiredness- before you’ve got blood in your pee and eventually the parasites can make their way to your nervous system and can cause loads of complications. We’ll splash out for some name brand pills.    Read more

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    Late night arrival
    Passengers claiming their space on the first class deck

    MV Ilala

    January 27, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Today we are boarding the MV Ilala, a ferry that has been cruising Lake Malawi since 1951, for what promises to be one of the great African boat adventures.

    In the morning, we head down to the ferry terminal in Nhkata Bay to try and secure a cabin. Upon enquiring, we’re told that the only cabin left is the “Owner’s Cabin”, the most exclusive room on the boat- for £28. We take it, with the justification that we’ll probably never be able to get the most exclusive room on a boat anywhere else.

    The ferry arrives just after 2pm, but we are told that it won’t leave until around 9pm. We wait around, and head down to the ferry around 8.30pm. We settle in with a few beers on the upper deck, swapping travel stories with the other passengers. The ferry leaves at around 11.30pm, and heads off into a curtain of darkness, towards Likoma Island near Mozambique. The upper deck is First Class, but there are no beds. Instead, people find spaces in any nook or cranny, or bring big mattresses to sleep on. Around midnight, a small rain storm forces everyone to huddle under the small amount of covered space. Although it’s fun being up there, drinking beers under the night sky, I’m glad we have our little cabin.

    Not that our cabin especially lives up to the hype. It is next to the engine, so the air is filled with the fumes, and there are small roaches that scurry around the beds. Still, given that that we are a few beers “deep” (first nautical pun), we “drift” (second nautical pun!) off to sleep easily.    Read more

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    Waiting to disembark
    "I am having a good time"The good ship IlalaA stern-looking shipWhich God was angered to create such monstrosity?And which unholy God was angered for this?Makoro challenge failure #38A unexpected successShaft of Flies

    Likoma Island

    January 28, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    Early in the morning, the Ilala moors up alongside Likoma Island, a small island a stone’s throw from the Mozambican shoreline (though, I suppose, everywhere is a stone’s throw away when you have muscles like mine).

    The boat is too big to get to the shoreline, so anchors a few hundred metres from shore. To disembark, we need to get into one of the ship’s lifeboats. The problem is that the more experienced passengers have already started queueing, and they can only fit around 30 people into a boat (despite the carrying capacity being advertised as 20); there are MANY passengers crammed into the lower deck (alongside sacks of cassava, fish, entire household belongings etc.), so this could take a while. However, it is possible to get a seat on a fisherman’s boat for a small fee- we take this option, as one of our group is heading to work on the island.

    On the island, we pile into a shared pickup and bounce our way to Mango Drift (there are no roads on the island, only potholes), and we arrive just in time for a typically monumental storm. This one is so ferocious that water spouts rise up out of the lake towards the heavens. I am glad we are safely on dry land, rather than out on the rustbucket Ilala (I joke, she’s a fine vessel).

    After the storms subside, we see unfeasibly large swarms of lake flies patrol the waters. There are five clouds, and each inky blot has millions of flies. It is disgusting on an unfathomable scale.

    Now that the skies are blue, we are able to try our hand at the local dugout canoes (sometimes called makoros). The hostel offers a free night’s accommodation if you can make it about 100m out and back with your legs inside the boat, or a free drink with your legs outside. The problems with these boats are numerous- the stern frequently dips under the water and fills the boat, it is incredibly heavy, and there is no keel- it is literally just a tree trunk that has been hollowed out. After a lengthy period of slapstick attempts, I manage to complete the challenge for a free drink- beer please barkeep!

    In the evening, we seem to get caught in one of the lake fly swarms. The entire bar is filled with thousands of the little critters, and the beams of lights become plumes of flies. Luckily, it passes after a short while, and we can safely play drinking games until bed.    Read more

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    An early morning wait for the Chambo
    Bringing in the Chambo

    MV Chambo

    January 29, 2020 in Mozambique ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today, we are heading back to the mainland. Since the MV Ilala is continuing on it’s route to the south of the lake, we are taking the MV Chambo, a smaller boat that navigates the shorter route from Mozambique to Nkhata Bay via Likoma.

    Before we leave the hostel, however, I have a run in with a bizarre, alien-looking spider, who has camped out right next to the toilet seat. Instead of front legs, it has large crab-like pincers; large antannae wave frantically above it. I keep a close (but not too close) eye on it whilst I do my business.

    The MV Chambo is much smaller vessel, maybe slightly bigger than the Amsterdam ferry. The benefit of this is that the boat can come directly to the shore, so we don’t need to hire another fisherman’s boat. However, the ferry ramp doesn’t quite extend all the way to shore, so we have to climb up onto the boat and scramble to find a seat, whilst every other passenger is doing the same, with giant baskets of dried fish and sacks of rice. The ensuing pandemonium is good fun.

    We are, however, unable to secure enough seats for our group. Fortunately, the captain invites us onto the top deck to find a spot. This simply means the exposed top deck, so we prepare for a good roasting under the African sun. This same sun is also being used by some passengers to dry their fish, and so thousands of drying fish litter the roof of the lower deck. It is fantastically African.

    After a few hours we dock at Nkhata Bay. Despite liberal applications of suncream (for everyone except for one of our group, whose bald head now resembles a tomato), the sun is getting to us, so we spend the afternoon cooling down in the lake at Mayoka Village.    Read more

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    Well deserved beers at the airport

    Malawi- Mozambique: Journey from Hell

    January 31, 2020 in Malawi ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Today, we must cross from Malawi into Mozambique, a journey we’ve been dreading, given the huge distances, and what promises to be a difficult border crossing.

    We say our goodbyes to the staff at Mayoka, Beaura the tailor, Machine the rasta jewellery seller and everyone else we’ve made friends with here. Honeyman sends us off with a bag of banana bread that he cooked for us at home.

    Our journey starts by taking a taxi to the police checkpoint outside of town. There, the police promise to flag down the correct bus to take us to Blantyre, Malawi’s second city, close to the Mozambique border. We wait for around 2 and a half hours, whiling away the time chatting to the (assault-rifle-wielding) policemen, who are very charming and talkative. Malawi is often called the warm heart of Africa, and it’s impossible to disagree. I don’t think we’ve met a single person who didn’t want to stop and chat or help us out. We love it here and are hesitant to leave.

    Nevertheless, we reluctantly board the coach to Blantyre. Our first challenge is to find somewhere to sit. The bus has come from the nearby city, and not only are all the seats full, but there isn’t much standing room left. We end up in a small aisle space next to an extremely drunk 20 year old Malawian. He loudly (and, to emphasise, extremely drunkenly) shouts that we have to stand in order to experience the real Malawi. He slurs that we westerners love to write about our travels, and we should write about the real Malawi. Sure enough, here we are. At one point, he gets up and offers Chris the seat. Chris insists that Katie should get the seat, but he screams that in Malawi, the men get precedent over women, so Chris should sit. We refuse the offer, and sit on the floor. After a little while, we get an upgrade from the floor to an upturned bucket (for Katie) and a slanted wicker mat (for Chris), which he keeps sliding down. Later still, Katie secures a seat, whilst Chris now has a child’s head buried in his ribs, another drunk man leaning on his back, a family at his feet and- what’s that? did the baby there just do a smelly poo? yes, yes it did. At 2.50am (not counting or anything), Chris gets a seat and manages to grab a wink of sleep or two.

    At Blantyre, we take another bus to the border. The first (comfortable looking) coach refuses to take us since we don’t have visas- apparently we need to get them at the embassy: but today is Saturday, and the embassy is closed. We hop into a minibus and make for the border, to risk it.

    At the Malawian border, we explain that we need to get Mozambican visas, which is met by a skeptical look and an explanation that visas are extremely hard to get at the Mozambican border. Once we are stamped out of Malawi, that visa is cancelled, so we would need to fork out another $75 each to reenter.

    Nervously, we stamp out, and make our way across no-man’s land to the Mozambique side. The border is chaos, with hundreds of people being processed by two flustered looking immigration officials, whilst their hawkish boss prowls the desks, occasionally pressing a printer button or casting suspicious gazes over the crowd of people. We get his attention after a while, and he gives us some forms to fill in. A little later, one of the lower-ranked officials give us the correct forms. With the right forms filled in, Katie is invited over to the counter and is painlessly issued a visa. Chris’ visa takes much longer, as the system crashes, and we have to wait for the computer and network to reboot. Whilst Katie is waiting, a Ugandan man asks for help with his form. Apparently, the senior official refused to help him, and instructed him to ask the foreigners for help.

    With our visas almost issued, we get chatting to Ian, who had been on the same bus as us, and is also going to Tete. He asks us if we are Christian, and Chris explains that although his family is Christian, people in the UK don’t really go to church much. He looks at us in disbelief and asks “so you are like the animals, Godless?” I suppose so?

    The journey isn’t over yet, though: we still need to get to Tete, before a 1,500km journey to Maputo. To get to Tete, we get into another small minibus. It has four small benches, three fold-down seats, and picks up 31 people. At one point, one passenger is stooped over the others, with his bum out of the minibus. It is African travel at its most challenging, and we decide to fly the remaining distance to Maputo.    Read more

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    Whale Sharks still believe
    Whale, whale, whale, what do we have here?

    Tofo- Ocean Safari

    February 4, 2020 in Mozambique ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Another day, another safari. This time, we’re off out on the ocean (Indian version) from the small town of Tofo. Everyone is looking for Whale Sharks (and you are offered a free trip the next day if you don’t see any), but since we’d already seen them in Tanzania, we were on the lookout for dolphins and manta rays.

    It was somewhat ironic, then, that we had gone about 5 minutes out from shore and came across a whale shark. Not that we are complaining- they are incredible animals, and the visibility was much better this time around. Also, we had picked up a knock-off GoPro (GoAmateur?) for $38 in Maputo, so managed to get some footage. We swam with the shark for a good 15/20 minutes, and managed to get quite close.

    From the boat, we also saw a Portuguese Man of War (or Bluebottle Jellyfish). These things really pack a punch, and the tentacles trail quite far, so from then on out, I keep a vigilant eye on the surface.    Read more

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    Steal dreaming about this prawn curry

    Surfin’ Mozambique

    February 6, 2020 in Mozambique ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Surf’s up! Apparently... We don’t know too much about surfing, so we’ve booked into a lesson. Tofo is great for beginners, as the waves are relatively small, and there are no rocks or coral to bash your head on when you inevitably take a tumble. The only annoyance is the portuguese man o’ war (bluebottle), which can drift into the bay.

    Whilst we are having our lesson, we see big fish in the waves, and small flying fish seem to emulate us by falling out of the breakers. We also keep a close eye on the ocean, hoping to spot a dolphin or two- however, given our dolphin luck, our sightings remain at 0.

    After the surf lesson, we relax to regain strength in our arms. Later, we head down to the beach , and see fisherman drag in a MASSIVE TIGER SHARK. It’s quite disturbing to see such a magnificent creature having been speared through the eye and in dragged ashore. Our friends from the hostel later see it butchered in the shade next to the beach. They ask the fisherman what it is, and he just replies “a big fish”. Sure buddy. Apparently, fishing for sharks can carry a prison sentence of 24 years, but this must not be enforced, as the shark was being cut apart on the busy, police-patrolled tourist beach. You can’t find shark meat on any menu or in any market- the only reason the fishermen kill the sharks in for the fins, which can be sold for $40, and will be sent to East Asian countries.

    It’s very disconcerting to see this practice undertaken so brazenly, but it seems that so long as the economic incentive for fins is there, the killing of sharks will continue. Reflecting on this bizzare encounter we enjoy the sunset and chow down on some fresh prawn curry.    Read more

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    Street art of Joburg
    South African Chip ButtyWalking through the Apartheid MuseumCoffee blogger on the go

    A warm welcome into South Africa

    February 11, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 2 °C

    Saying goodbye to Mozambique, we board an early bus from Maputo to Johannesburg. In comparison to the other bus journeys we’ve taken, this bus can only be described as a 5-star hotel on wheels. Who knew travelling could be this luxurious!

    We are a little nervous to arrive this late in the day because of the horror stories we’ve been told about Joburg. But are pleasantly surprised when we arrive in the district where we will be staying, Maboneng; a centre of creative energy for Johannesburg's urban artists. In our hipster hostel, Curiocity, and with murals on every building and an array of restaurants featuring Joburg’s craft beer scene, we feel right at home.

    The next day we join a tour to learn about the history of Soweto and South Africa’s journey to freedom from Apartheid. Our guide, a lifelong resident of the township, gives us a brief history into what life was like in the township during Apartheid. He tends to go on rambles off topic and is slowly losing Katie’s interest. But it’s very interesting to learn: the history of Soweto really encapsulates the history of South Africa, and it’s great to see Soweto as it is now- an energetic place full of colour and life.

    With our stomachs rumbling, we stop at a local restaurant to eat South Africa’s version of a chip butty. Otherwise known as a Kota, this was an oddly cut sandwich filled with chips, processed cheese, lettuce and topped off with an egg and some ketchup. Accompanied by a South African cider it’s not all that bad – albeit, not very healthy.

    After filling up on grease, we dive back into the van to venture to our last stop of the day – The Apartheid Museum. With a little less than 2 hours on the clock we’re running late and are concerned about the time we’ll have in the museum as it’s advised to spend at least 3 hours here. It’s a bit of a shame that we have to rush- the exhibits are very powerful and do well to shed light on the struggles. It doesn’t hold anything back- a video near the end depicts a white South Africa giving details of his crimes to a tribunal. He describes in gory detail what he did to a woman, and where they buried her. It does end on a happier note though, with the elections of the ANC and the promise of a brighter future ahead.

    The next day, we head to Constitution Hill. This is a former prison, now the highest court in South Africa. Our young guide is effusive and energetic, which stands at odds to the sombre location. He’s very charismatic and interesting, and does well to give us a clear picture of the horrific circumstances that black and coloured prisoners were subjected to, compared to the relatively nice conditions of the whites. At one point on the tour, he reveals that even he was brought up to hate the whites, his parents having been victims of apartheid. He’s optimistic about the future of South Africa, but acknowledges that will take time for the scars to heal.    Read more

  • True North TravelsAfrican AdventureTrue North Travels
    KT's first and most memorable Cricket Match

    Durban

    February 14, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Leaving Johannesburg today to head to Durban. We've enjoyed our time in Joburg much more than expected, but we've brought a few local craft beers with us in the hire car to remember the city by.

    It's a long, fairly boring ride to Durban. There have been scare stories that criminals sometimes throw rocks at the cars, forcing them to pull over before car-jacking them, so I have my eyes peeled for falling rocks that don't materialise. The only thing we see is a man running in the middle of the road, and I have to swerve slightly to avoid him. Apparently this is another common problem in South Africa.

    We arrive in Durban around 5pm, and we've got just enough time to get changed before heading out to the cricket. It's the second T20 between South Africa and England, with South Africa winning the first. The ground is a short walk from the hostel, and when we get there, the atmosphere is crackling. Chris gives Katie a quick run-down on the rules, and we get the beers in. It's a great game, with England winning on the last ball of the match.

    Afterwards, we head down to the bar while we wait for the taxi queue to die down. We ask one of the bar staff if we'd be alright to walk back to the hostel, because it's only a block away, but she begs us not to walk, given how dangerous the neighbourhood is. We get chatting to a British couple who have settled in South Africa, and have some pretty questionable opinions about a certain section of South African society. As we're talking about this, a fight breaks out, and a coloured (this is the acceptable phrase in South Africa!) guy is brought to the ground by a white guy. It turns out that the victim actually pushed a security guard over. It's all a bit confusing, then another security appears, who says that he got the coloured guy in a headlock. The security guard says that he was being called a racist by the guy, but doesn't say why. We suspect there may be more to the story, especially as the security shares some of his less-than-savoury opinions with us. It's all very strange.    Read more

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    Bunny Chow (no bunnies were harmed in the making)

    Durban Day 2

    February 15, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We wake up with a fairly bad hangover, and a nervousness from last night's events. We're not too keen to explore Durban, especially since one of our friends had told us prior to the trip "you only want to go to Durban if you want to get shot". But, we're only here for a day, so we decide to head to the nearby beach.

    The surf here is legendary, and we watch a surf competition from a beachfront cafe. We try the Bunny Chow, which is a loaf of white bread, hollowed out and stuffed with curry. It's a delight, and perfect for our hangovers.

    Afterwards, we head out on the pier, and watch the surfers. The waves are HUGE, and surfing there looks to be the most frightening thing we could imagine. We leave it to the pros.

    We're approached by a beggar, who says that he just wants some food. We're roped into it, and we let him lead us to somewhere we can buy food. He chooses an expensive pizza place, but fortunately it's closed. We head instead to a chicken place, where he asks for the most expensive thing on the menu, and another for his brother...

    We head back to the hostel, a little disappointed by Durban, but keen to head onwards, out of the city.    Read more

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    Made it!Our biggest accomplishment in life

    Up the Sani Pass to Lesotho

    February 16, 2020 in Lesotho ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Today we're leaving South Africa and heading into the mountainous country of Lesotho. To get there, we drive away from the coast and head through the Drakensberg (Dragon's Mountain) range, up to the Lesotho highlands.

    Most of the way, the drive is very smooth, on new tarmacked roads which wind up into the mountains, and we soon arrive at the border. We check out of South Africa, and head into no-mans land. Here, the road stops, and it becomes a mountainous dirt road, and we need to engage the 4x4 low gear in order to make it up the last few kilometres. Our little 4x4 handles it well though, and the views are breathtaking. The mountains are reminiscent of a dragon's back, cutting a jagged silhouette against the blazing blue sky. The air gets thinner and thinner, and it takes a nervously long time to turn the engine back one once we've taken a few photos.

    A couple of hours later and we reach the top. We're able to take in the wonderful vista that we've scaled, with a sense of achievement that we've made it up here by ourselves (most visitors arrive in organised 4x4 tours). The mountaintop is rugged, with a rough moorland which reminds Chris of Yorkshire. It's also very cold here, despite the blazing sun, so we wrap up in hoodies.

    After setting up our tent, we head to the highest pub in Africa, just next to the border post. We have a Lesothan beer on the terrace, which is sat right on the cliff edge, affording incredible views down the pass.

    Later, after the sun disappears, the temperature plummets, and we're the coldest we've been in Africa. We head up to the pub for our evening tea, which is a hearty mountainous affair, accompanied by warming red wine. We read stories on the wall about snowfalls trapping people in the pub on top of the mountain for days on end. We eye the extensive wine rack and muse that there would be worse places to be trapped.    Read more

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    The cold but beautiful sunrise over Lesotho

    Down the Sani Pass to Coffee Bay

    February 17, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Leaving Lesotho today after our brief stay. We wake up early enough to watch the sunrise and consider heading further into the country, but the roads are all rough mountain passes, and although that sounds incredibly fun, we've got a schedule to keep. So, we're heading down to the coast, to Coffee Bay, a popular surf spot.

    The drive down the pass is challenging but fun in our little Jimny. Spare a thought, though, for the passengers of a little minibus who departed just in front of us. With minimal clearance, normal road tyres, and probable lack of 4x4, the vertiginous drops might seem just a little more scary. The conductor of the bus has to walk in front in order to move the bigger rocks out of the road to allow the vehicle to make a safe descent.

    On route to Coffee Bay the GPS takes us completely the wrong way, and unfortunately we only see the hostel's recommendation to "turn off your GPS and follow our directions" after we get lost (and almost get involved in a two-car crash). On the road to Coffee Bay, we see a tragic number of dead dogs on the road, which, combined with the darkening of the skies, makes for a pretty grim drive for the coast.

    We arrive just before dark though, and set up our tent. We grab a drink in the bar- I opt for a Durban Poison- named after a famous weed strain in the eponymous city. It is brewed with cannabis (which is newly legal in South Africa), and tastes faintly of sweet sweet Mary Jane. Doesn't get you high though.

    Unfortunately, a gigantic rain storm that night shows us that the tent is totally not waterproof, and we end up getting soaked during the night. The rain wouldn't stop for another two days.    Read more

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    Surfin Coffee Bay

    February 18, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ 🌧 22 °C

    A damp start to the day, as our tent has completely filled with rainwater. There's a swamp in and around our tent. No time to dry out everything though, as we've signed up for surfing lessons. They are advertised as the cheapest surfing lessons in South Africa, and at 70 Rand (3 quid), it's probably the truth.

    We hit the beach with our group, and the conditions for learning look fantastic. Lots of small waves, consistently breaking across the length of the beach. We have the entire place to ourselves, perhaps helped by the fact that the storm is still raging, and we're surfing in a downpour.

    That's not the only difference from our Tofo surfing lesson. This time, our instructor teaches a completely new, easier method of surfing, and we pick it up a lot easier. We still don't pick it up immediately- getting stuck in a deeper section of the tide doesn't help. The rain storm, and the rugged coastline, with huge cliffs looming over us, makes us feel like we are surfing the apocalypse. After a couple of hours catching waves, we head back to the hostel. Only problem is that the rain has caused the river separating the beach from the road to burst its banks. What was a small stream a few hours prior is now a raging torrent. It gets worse and worse, so we make the decision to cross before it engulfs the beach. In order to cross, we take it in turns to take a surfboard and cross in pairs, using the board to push against the current. We all make it safely across, with a few nervous stumbles.

    After changing out of our wetsuits, we make the decision to take down the tent and move into a room, as the storm is only getting worse. It's a relief, and we're finally able to get dry.

    We spend the evening drinking beers with an English couple- Luke and Tay- who are travelling the world. South Africa is their first stop and they're heading to Sri Lanka next. It's strange how it's possible to get travel envy even though we've crossed most of Africa.    Read more

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    Surfin' SA
    Jbay(be)Familiar faces in JbayQuick dip mid-drive in a freezing cold bayNatural 'Map of Africa'Camping amid the pro's

    Jeffrey's Bay to Mossel Bay

    February 19, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We spend the next few days heading down the coast towards the Cape. Our first stop along the way is Jeffrey's Bay, where our friends are also staying. We spend a couple of days surfing and drinking craft beer. JBay, as is it called around here, is known as one of the greatest surf spots in the world, and has a famous competition in the winter months, where the tubes draw the most elite surfers from across the globe.

    We're nowhere near good enough to surf conditions like that, but luckily the conditions in Summer are a more gentle- perfect for beginners like us.

    After JBay, we head down to Plettenberg Bay. The owner of our guesthouse is a little strange, and gives us terrible recommendations for places to eat. The first- a beachfront cafe- serves very average toasties and shakes, but has great views across the bay. We're lucky enough to see dolphins, which up to this point we had dismissed as a myth, having not seen them anywhere along the African coast.

    Further down the Garden Route we take a few pit stops to have a swim in a small, very frigid bay and view the 'Map of Africa' - a strange bend in the river that when viewed at a certain angle appears to take the shape of the African continent. We finally reach Mossel Bay, a strange place where we end up camping in a campsite full of pensioners. They have huge mansion-like tents, with multiple wings and conservatories. Some even have even brought along their satellite dishes, and we can hear them watching the cricket inside their canvas castles.    Read more

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    Wine and dolphin watching
    When in Rome (or South Africa) as they sayWhale watching and seal spotting

    Hermanus

    February 24, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    After Mossel Bay, we head closer to the Cape, stopping off at Hermanus, on the advice of our friend Marion.

    Hermanus is a nice place. It's quite fancy which comes as a bit of a culture shock after backpacking for months. We stay at a Backpackers place which, whilst not the most comfortable, is by far the cheapest place around here.

    In the evening, we head to a well-known wine bar for a tasting menu. We sample lots of wines from the region, a sneak preview of what we will be drinking when we head to the wine regions after Hermanus. After trying many wines, we head out into town, trying to find another bar, but everything is a little too fancy for our budget. Instead, we head back to the hostel and have a glass of our own wine.

    The next morning, we had planned to head to Franschhoek, famous for its wines. We were about to set off when one of the hostel staff told us that the kayaking company had spotted whales, and asked if we wanted to head out. We jump at the opportunity, and quickly head over.

    In our kayaks, we head out into the freezing-cold Atlantic ocean, and are led around, trying to spot whales and dolphins. We come across a group of male seals, who swim around us, curiously bobbing their heads up and approaching our kayaks for a closer look. We paddle around the coastline, avoiding the currents that crash onto the jagged rocks, whilst trying to get as close as possible to the seals on the cliffs. We take some of the seaweed that floats to the surface here and eat the little "olives" that grow on it. It is, as you would expect, pretty salty, but not at all bad.

    After a while of paddling around, our guide gets a call on the radio to say that a humpback whale has been spotted back near shore. We kayak over as fast as we can, but we're too late. A little disappointed, we head back and finish our kayak tour. But, as luck would have it, the whale comes back, and we're able to see it breach, it's distinctive tail crashing against the water. It's a breathtaking sight, and we leave Hermanus happy.    Read more

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    KT's happy placeFuzzy wuzzy little bearsGreat-grape-vines of FranschhoekObligatory beer tasting in one of the best wine regions of the world

    Franschhoek via Betty’s Bay

    February 25, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    Today we're heading to Franschhoek, one of the famous South African wine valleys. We take the scenic route, around the eastern side of False Bay, and we do not regret it.

    First stop is Betty's Bay, where African Penguins congregate. There are hundreds of penguins all around the shore. Small walkways take you above the penguins, and it's adorable watching the little birds waddling around under us.

    We then drive around the bay, heading north on the R44. The road is like something out of a car advert- a grand, sweeping drive, hugging the mountains on one side, and dropping off into the ocean on the other. We can't resist stopping and taking pictures on almost every lay-by, and we both agree that it's perhaps the most scenic drive we've done. It's one of those moments that fills your heart with joy and provide the true rewards of adventure.

    Arriving into Franschhoek early afternoon, we check into our pleasant little guesthouse, which is complete with a rusting double-decker bus plonked in the garden. We head into town, passing famous vineyards which produce some of South Africa's best wines. Instead of wine, though, we head to a craft beer bar, figuring that we'll be drinking enough wine on our vineyard tour the next day.

    We get an early night, preparing for a heavy day tomorrow    Read more

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    Three wineries deep and we finally have the courage to ask someone to take a photo of us
    Wine tasting numero ?Wine tasting at Boschendal

    Franschhoek Wine Tram

    February 26, 2020 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    The Western Cape of South Africa- the area around Cape Town- is famous for its wines. In the early 1700s, French Hugenots fled here, escaping persecution. They brought with them their knowledge of wine-making, and started vineyards in the region.

    Franschhoek is one of the most well-known of these, and is full to the brim with large- and small-scale wineries. Vineyards stretch through the valley as far as the eye can see, watched over by grand old manor houses.

    Today, we're exploring these via a Wine Tram (which includes busses), taking us round a number of wineries to sample their best wines. It's basically a posh pub-crawl, and we're absolutely buzzing.

    We start fairly early in the morning at Babylonstoren. The wine is fantastic, and we have a wine that we've never tried before- a Voignier. Now, we don't pretend to have anywhere near a good knowledge of wine. Chris knows that he likes Merlots, and KT despises Chardonnays. But being on a Wine Tour in the heart of South African wine region really makes us feel like sommeliers. The staff at the vineyards present each wine with a description of the grape, time of harvest, and other technical information which is lost on us, but allows us to make the appropriate noises to make us sound knowledgeable. "Hmm, nice, yes, ooh brilliant".

    By the end of the tour, we've sampled a good number of wines, and are really enjoying ourselves. The scenery is unbelievable. Mountains dominate the horizon in every direction, the long lines of grapes marching down the valley sides in perfect rows. It's an ideal place to get drunk.    Read more

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