Travels in Africa and Worldwide
Some memorable trips.
March 30, 2020
January 13, 2014
Busy day In Johannesburg/Midrand
I'm over at the Toyota main dealership of McCarthy Midrand at 0830. No problem, they can give my Hilux a full service.
It looks in a complete state and is absolutely filthy after more than 6000kms of travelling, much of it through some very inhospitable terrain.
A few extra jobs for the job sheet is to fit my new number plate, which up to now has been sitting on the dashboard. Also, both handbrake and foot brake travel is now excessive so that needs to be adjusted. The engine compartment is covered in thick mud where we became submerged on a few occasions and I want that pressure washed. They drop me back at the hotel where I decide to extend my room for the day as the vehicle won't be ready until 5pm.
I just relax and they come and collect me about 4pm. Sure enough, all jobs done, the vehicle is gleaming and there's no charge, even for the extra heavy duty cleaning.
Back to the hotel, grab my gear, get an early dinner at a restaurant and head for the airport. An action packed evening, all achieved.
Farewell Johannesburg, see you in 4 or 5 weeks.
It looks in a complete state and is absolutely filthy after more than 6000kms of travelling, much of it through some very inhospitable terrain.
A few extra jobs for the job sheet is to fit my new number plate, which up to now has been sitting on the dashboard. Also, both handbrake and foot brake travel is now excessive so that needs to be adjusted. The engine compartment is covered in thick mud where we became submerged on a few occasions and I want that pressure washed. They drop me back at the hotel where I decide to extend my room for the day as the vehicle won't be ready until 5pm.
I just relax and they come and collect me about 4pm. Sure enough, all jobs done, the vehicle is gleaming and there's no charge, even for the extra heavy duty cleaning.
Back to the hotel, grab my gear, get an early dinner at a restaurant and head for the airport. An action packed evening, all achieved.
Farewell Johannesburg, see you in 4 or 5 weeks.
December 26, 2013
Cape Town to Namibia
I set off from Gordon’s Bay at 8AM on Boxing Day.
A journey of approximately 800km lay ahead to reach the Namibian Border at Noordoewer. The aim is to get there for around 7pm. Almost the entire journey is on the excellent N7 tarred road.
Being Boxing Day, there wasn't much traffic about, so a high average speed was maintained. With a 150 litre fuel tank, the only need to stop would be for a rest break.
Arrived ahead of schedule, just after 6pm. Getting through SA immigration and then the Namibian immigration was an absolute breeze, quick, efficient and friendly as always.
Just a kilometre away from the Namibian border post was the digs for the night. I'd stayed at the Noordoewer Guest House last year when I was on my motorbike trip through Namibia. I was allocated a gorgeous room back then. Sadly, this time the place looked full and I got a smaller (original) room beside reception. It was very hot and the bed was not very comfortable. At least I didn't have to worry about setting up camp after the long day. Sadly, the air con wasn't very efficient either and the room was very hot.
Very welcome drinks and dinner and retired to bed about 11pm with the aim of having an early start the next morning.
A journey of approximately 800km lay ahead to reach the Namibian Border at Noordoewer. The aim is to get there for around 7pm. Almost the entire journey is on the excellent N7 tarred road.
Being Boxing Day, there wasn't much traffic about, so a high average speed was maintained. With a 150 litre fuel tank, the only need to stop would be for a rest break.
Arrived ahead of schedule, just after 6pm. Getting through SA immigration and then the Namibian immigration was an absolute breeze, quick, efficient and friendly as always.
Just a kilometre away from the Namibian border post was the digs for the night. I'd stayed at the Noordoewer Guest House last year when I was on my motorbike trip through Namibia. I was allocated a gorgeous room back then. Sadly, this time the place looked full and I got a smaller (original) room beside reception. It was very hot and the bed was not very comfortable. At least I didn't have to worry about setting up camp after the long day. Sadly, the air con wasn't very efficient either and the room was very hot.
Very welcome drinks and dinner and retired to bed about 11pm with the aim of having an early start the next morning.
Cape Town to Namibia & Botswana
the very difficult passage from Kasane to Maun though Chobe National Park.
April 3, 2012
Cape Town to China
Cape Town, South Africa
It's time for departure. The plan is to visit the following destinations; Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, China & Borneo.
Trip duration will be at least 4 weeks. I catch the 1400 British Airways flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Flight time is 2 hours. I have a 3 hour connection in Johannesburg onto the BA 747 aircraft, non stop to London.
What lies ahead, on this first stage of the trip, is a long journey. The actual flying time between Cape Town & Singapore will amount to around 24 hours. That's actual hours in the air. There is a 15 hour transit at London. So, after leaving Cape Town at lunchtime on Tue April 3rd arrival into Singapore is 2 days later, on the afternoon of Thursday April 5th.
November 25, 2009
6 Day helicopter trip from South Africa to the equator in Kenya on 5Y-RWR. Approx air distance 3000kms
This is a flying trip of a lifetime. I’ve been invited by Jim to ride along as his guest on the delivery flight of his brand new Airbus built Eurocopter EC130-B4. This is a 7 seater state of the art machine and is piloted by company pilot Ian for the duration of the trip. It’s life will be spent in Kenya and surrounding countries, chartered to tourists and government alike. It also joins his other fleet already in operation. This is also a first for Jim and his wife Lori, and Mindy. They’ve never joined previous delivery flights.
There will be 4 of us, plus Ian the pilot. When we get to Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, we will meet up with Caroline, a journalist writing for Spier travel magazine. She will accompany us to Kenya. I’m not a huge fan of helicopters, which probably stems from my first ever ride, a cheek clenching, nail biting sightseeing ride over the Hoover Dam in Nevada back in the early 80’s, piloted by a Vietnam veteran who clearly thought he was still back out there.
Ian, a far more relaxed pilot, completed a test flight on it in Johannesburg the day before we set off, which reassured me no end, but other than that, it’s a brand new machine. It was assembled by Eurocopter Southern Africa Ltd (ESAL) at their Lanseria airport headquarters in Johannesburg. This is where we departed from.
We flew overhead Sun City (South Africa’s Las Vegas) on our first day to Botswana, stopping at Maun airport to refuel before heading to Seba Camp in the Okavango Delta. Then across the Zambezi into Livingstone in Zambia, staying at the Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls hotel. I discovered that Ian actually got most of his flying experience doing Vic Falls sightseeing flights. No wonder he’s so good at take offs and landings, he probably did a dozen a day. Jim went up in a microlight, I declined. He pilots his own anyway so he’s comfortable hanging in a strap, or however you manage to stay in it.
We then crossed to Tanzania staying at different lodges there, one being right on Lake Tanganyika. We got treated to a sunset cruise by the manager of the lodge and the helicopter was parked just a hundred metres away from our cottages.
It was an incredible experience, especially as we flew over a lot of the ground I covered earlier in 2009 on my overland trip from Cape Town to Kenya. We would land on day 6 at the same spot in Nanyuki that I arrived at 8 months earlier, which took 33 days by road. We flew at 1000’ altitude (300metres) except when flying over game parks where we were required to fly at 2000’. Crossing Lake Victoria from Tanzania to Kenya on the last day was a wonderful experience, as was touching down at Mount Kenya Safari Lodge in Nanyuki, nestled in the foothills of Mount Kenya, on the equator. The early part of the lodge was the creation of Hollywood actor William Holden. Here’s some photos from the trip, and as you’ll see, the first one is of a partially assembled EC-130.
Every day we flew, we had our on board bar at hand. Jim and I were rum and coke boys, and the girls enjoyed white wine. Obviously, it begged the question from me as to how we would manage any personal needs in flight. This wasn’t exactly a 747 with rest rooms available. Jim merely replied that if we needed to, we would just land at any available clearing. Well, glad to say we never needed to, probably because the range of the helicopter itself necessitated fuel stops or else we just had short flying days. I enjoyed rum and cokes with Jim that progressively started earlier each day and we never even ran out of ice. On one day, we made the mistake of having a wine bottle with a cork so after much effort, we eventually removed it with some shape object or other. Thankfully if all else failed, there was a corkscrew in the baggage hold but that was not in the cabin.
Day 1. Lanseria Airport Johannesburg.
No corkscrew, no problem..
Jim about to microlight over Victoria Falls in Zambia.
Write up and photo of elephant in reception borrowed from Mfuwe lodge website......... Each year at Mfuwe Lodge we have some very special guests that pay us a visit. Whole families of elephants have been regular guests at the lodge for a number of years, visiting between October and December to feast on the fallen fruit from the large wild mango tree. The elephants have become accustomed to walking the same path they’ve always walked, irrespective of the fact the reception is now in their way.
Our navigator Lori just checking Ian is heading the right way.
It is Africa after all, so they don’t do dramas
Last refuelling stop before the long haul to and across Lake Victoria.
First refuelling point in Kenya, after the long run from Tanzania. I was keeping a watchful eye on the fuel gauge, as was Lori in the back. It was pretty low when we got to the other side of Lake Victoria but Ian was the man in charge and I’m sure we could’ve easily flown for another 10 minutes if needed😂
This is the creation of William Holden, Hollywood actor. His partner Stephanie Power still has a home here in Nanyuki, on the slopes of Mount Kenya.
I am deeply indebted to Jim and Lori for inviting me to share this incredible journey with them. It was fun all the way, and I wouldn’t even try and recreate it here. This is but a brief snapshot for my own blog. It’s probably not even the sort of trip a huge lottery winner would contemplate, so I know how fortunate I’ve been. I’ve also been invited to accompany them on another adventure, closer to home for me next time. More to follow later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)