27th August - Serengeti

We stayed at our pre-booked Tented camp “Wild Frontiers” camp - Makoma 2. Awesome loads of lions, cheetah Ellies, Giraffe, buffaloes, but again no Leopard. We took a look at the Seronera public camp sites( I think there are 4 camps) because we had read a lot of articles and were told of absolutely diabolical ablutions in Serengeti as a whole. We were pleasantly surprised as they were clean and neat, and hence the reason we stayed in the Tented camp at huge expense. The ablution blocks did not look old either, so maybe they have cleaned up there act a bit. Then we left to go to Maasai Mara in Kenya via Musoma. We camped on the beach on Lake Victoria at Tembo Hotel and Camp. It was hot and Colleen and I decided to take a swim. The water was clear but all the debris on the floor was distasteful, like tins and bottles left by the fishermen and others so we gave up on that one, but the setting was great with a stunning sunset. We were the only campers next to the Hotel – no overland back packers to bother us.

25th August - Kudu Camp – Ngorongoro

We are now in Kudu Camp Park – Karatu, also very pretty with a gr8 bar and pretty gardens. This is because tomorrow we go into the Ngorongoro Crater and will stay there one night at Simba Camp A on the rim of the crater, and as Tanzanian Park fees are hellishly expensive we need to use up the 24 hour permit to our best advantage, this means going into the park at 11 am, drive to the camp, drop off the trailer, pick up out compulsory guide which is included in the $200 crater fees and spend the next 6 hours in the crater before coming out again the camp on the rim. Well to say the least the Crater is absolutely wonderful. We saw all, and I mean ALL, except leopard. Lots of lazy fat Lions lying belly up. Their was a hungry looking Cheetah waiting to catch it’s supper when it started to walk it had a very bad limp in it’s hind leg. Obviously it had been injured and hence the reason it looked hungry is it could not hunt. It is like a huge plain with game everywhere in huge quantities, Also their was water – although its the dry season -the lake is fed by a spring. The contrast from the rim down into the crater is vast, freezing cold on the rim at 2360m and very misty with a dense forest leading up the top. The crater is quite warm and dry, only one section has a forest which is beautiful and full of ellies and giraffe. Apparently it’s even nicer in the wet season as from November onwards the whole centre of the crater is filled up with millions of Pink Flamingoes. There were some there now but only a few thousand. One thing was that you got herds of cattle grazing amounst the wild game and the lions don’t go near the Maasai, apparently the smell of them and also their brightly coloured blankets scare the lions away. Amazing that Wild life and domesticated animals can live together in harmony. I wish people could do the same.

24th August - Arusha Town

We left Pangani and arrived in Arusha, I must say it’s a lovely lush city, very pretty with lots and lots of gardens and parks. I think you could buy anything you wanted here – it’s a great shopping centre. We managed to eventually find the Wild Frontiers Office to confirm our booking to the Tented Camp Lodge in the Serengeti. This will be the first accommodation that we had had in 5 weeks other than camping. The guys there were fantastic with helping us to plan the next week of our trip. We then left and drove 25k’s to Snake Park Camp via the Zain Cell provider and bought a local sim card. We found that the use of the Sat Phone that Adolf lent us a bit restricting as the connections that we have had so far (about 25mins) are of very poor quality and we have to keep repeating ourselves with the signal coming and going.
Besides the Camp having a snake park – which we did not go and see ­-they also have some camels – not quite sure what they do with them, but better still they have a gr8 pub.
I found the owner of Snake Park Camp also has a workshop that repairs cruisers and he has also rebuilt 2 of them. One is a mid 60 FJ45 with 1F motor and the other is a “FJ43” see the pics, I could not establish the year model, but have posted some pics here. Someone please tell Adolf about the 43.

23rd August – Dar to Pangani Camp

The ferry was rather quick and after drawing more $$$ from the ATM we were on our way to Snake Park Camp. It was more suited to backpackers but as it was only one night it had to do. I must say that the Police stops are everywhere, I would say about ever 20 k’s, but they are very great and are just inquisitive to know who we are and where we are going and a friendly “Welcome to Tanzania” a hand shake and we are off again to the next stop. I have never known a country with so many Speed Bumps, drives you crazy!!!! This was a lovely camp site on the river (Pangani) and again we had the place to our selves. By now Colleen and Cindy were really enjoying themselves. We passed plantation after plantation of Sisal plants. They had a jetty on the river and a chair that looked like a “long drop” at the end. I was about to try if when the girls could me in the act.

23th August – Dar es Salaam Battery problems

Leaving this camp was difficult as we had made good friends here at Sunrise Beach camp in Dar es Salaam and was a gr8 place to unwind. However we left and Headed through the traffic to the ferry crossing. This is the first time we have taken the Prado and trailer on the ferry, previously we did the 39k circular stretch which took over an hour, but saying that one can also wait an hour of more to cross with the ferry. The reason why we had to go in to town centre today – Sunday is because I discovered that the Prado’s main engine battery was playing up over the last week as 2 cells were dead. Being Sunday the main suppliers were closed so had to use a back yard dealer, suspect, but we had little choice. It was not the exact same battery but from a 79 series cruiser – the terminals are on the opposite sides, however a bit of juggling around with the cables and it fitted. By now it was 11am and we still had 380 k’s to go to our next stop.

19th August Tanzania Dar es Salaam.

We stopped over for a night at Mikumi National park, I would have preferred Ruaha but plan to do that on our way back when we have more time. Great small park, saw lots of giraffe’s with a two little ones and the mother all alone. We found the remains of the father. I don’t think they will be around much longer as we also spotted a big male lion near the front entrance not far from the Giraffe’s on the way in. Also Ellies, buffalo, hippo’s wilderbees, and bokkies as usual. Also saw the “Burchell Coucal”.
Next day we arrived at Dar es Salaam, everyone said the traffic was hectic so we expected the worst. All was okay and Colleen kept quiet and didn’t nag too much and left me to concentrate on the driving or should I say avoiding the traffic. We arrived at Sunset Hotel and camp on south beach. Jean Visser recommended this to us. We camped right on the beach under Coconut trees. We met two couples that Jean had met in Ghana. 1 couple are from Liechtenstein – Robin and Dianna they send their regards to Jean and Hannelie. Also we had a beach party with Steve and Roxy – ex South Africans but living in London who also met Jean and Hannelie in Ghana and are on their return trip up north through Africa. Also with us were an Australian couple Phil and Christy. We had a really great party with Colleen and Roxy trying to teaching each other to dance. This was after we had picked up Cindy from the airport and I think Colleen was very excited with her daughter being with us that Roxy and Colleen seemed to try and out drink each other. We got to bed at 1 am. The latest night so far.
Tomorrow the 23rd we head up to the Serengeti.

17th August - Tanzania (Rally Busses and Speed bumps)

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.