The climb up over the mountain was Hectic, straight up to 2100 Meters. We saw a number of burnt out wrecks of trucks that had gone off the road at some stage. On the way down the other side we followed a loaded taxi on the way down, that had burning brakes with smoke off all wheels – it smelt terrible. We were in second gear and holding back the load but only pressing brakes occasionally. We were waiting for the taxi to run away but it didn’t happen. Then we were caught doing 46km’s in a 30 zone. However I spoke my way out of that one with a warning as we didn’t have any local money, Phew – it’s just how you have to handle the cops – make them feel good and praise them and there country and have the odd laugh with them. We followed a truck loaded with Bananas with a cyclist hanging on the back taking a ride and breathing all the exhaust fumes in.
After this we have the normal highway which is actually one village after another. Everybody is busy trading along the road, you see their wares, which usually is fruit, tomatoes, potato’s, onions or whatever crop they are harvesting at the same time. They just leave them on the side of the road and when you stop they run out of their house to help you. All the time you drive through villages 3 small close speed bumps followed by a huge speed bump then through the village at either 30 or 50 KPH then another set of 3 speed bumps and you speed up to 80 or 90 then back down to 30 over more speed bumps. Drives you crazy. It take you 2 hours to do 100k’s – Africa travel time. But the busses they pass you over the speed bumps at about 70 instead of 30 – the limit – and stay on the right side and only move over for oncoming traffic. When on the “open road” which is narrow like a village road they have the foot to the floor over 120, bus after bus passing and sometimes we see them lying in the bush or smashed up. Crazy. We stopped at the Farm house lodge called “Kissolanzo” with camping. Fantastic - it is a old mud house that they used as the décor and built a thatch building around and over it. Great facilities and could have stayed a few days, great bird life.
After this we have the normal highway which is actually one village after another. Everybody is busy trading along the road, you see their wares, which usually is fruit, tomatoes, potato’s, onions or whatever crop they are harvesting at the same time. They just leave them on the side of the road and when you stop they run out of their house to help you. All the time you drive through villages 3 small close speed bumps followed by a huge speed bump then through the village at either 30 or 50 KPH then another set of 3 speed bumps and you speed up to 80 or 90 then back down to 30 over more speed bumps. Drives you crazy. It take you 2 hours to do 100k’s – Africa travel time. But the busses they pass you over the speed bumps at about 70 instead of 30 – the limit – and stay on the right side and only move over for oncoming traffic. When on the “open road” which is narrow like a village road they have the foot to the floor over 120, bus after bus passing and sometimes we see them lying in the bush or smashed up. Crazy. We stopped at the Farm house lodge called “Kissolanzo” with camping. Fantastic - it is a old mud house that they used as the décor and built a thatch building around and over it. Great facilities and could have stayed a few days, great bird life.
Thanks for the update, getting very jealous now. Would also like to go back and spend a few days at Kissolanzo, glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteBTW is that a White-browed Coucal? the East African Cousin of the local Burchell's Coucal? ;)
ReplyDelete