Kande Beach, Malawi, Day 36 to 38

Posted on 24/12/2010 by admin

There are some parts of the trip that really takes the fancy of the ladies.  For example shopping at curios and carving markets and massages on the beaches of Zanzibar.   For the dudes, there is the rotation of a spit slowly roasting a beast with a cold beer in hand.  Our beast in this case is a 6 month old pig.  If it was just up to the blokes that would be enough to satisfy our hunger, but for the women there must be at least one accompanying salad!  So after an 8 hour cooking extravaganza the beast is ready for consumption.  Do you know the greatest thing about eating a pig on the spit?  It is okay to eat it like a caveman, all  etiquette is thrown to the side and the feeding becomes primeval.

Did I mention the punch?  Some clever person on the trip decided it would be good to through some fruits into some local gin and let it ferment for 5 hours and then add the sweeteners.  The punch was great!  As each person chewed on a piece if pineapple or apple their face would instantly turn into a prune once that gin smacked the back of the palette.

The last night in Malawi was spent enjoying the sunset over the beach then at the local village having a meal. After dinner the guys were entertained by the village children with some singing and dancing.  It can be very embarrassing dancing with a 7yr old who’s moves and jives are better than yours.  In my case that’s not that hard.

Malawi was great, good food and good times.

Tip of the Day: Some people need a bib when devouring a suckling pig!

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chitimba Beach, Malawi – Day 34 and 35

Posted on 24/12/2010 by admin

We enter into Malawi, the poorest country that we visit on this safari.   A large portion of the country is covered by Lake Malawi  which is located almost at the end of the Great Rift Valley.   Our time in Malawi is very chilled and relaxing with days spent by the lake taking in the scenery, the local culture and admiring the wood carvings which are some of the best in Africa.

However there are some serious things to be done while here.   Fancy dress shopping needs to be done for Xmas and there is no better way of shopping than pulling into a local town,  parking the truck,  and getting your costumes delivered to you.   And the “quality” of clothing is outstanding.   Whoever donated these clothes to Malawi really needs to have a look at themselves and their taste in fashion!   The only people crazy enough to wear them are overlanders, you never see locals in such clothing.   Our outfits will be revealed in due course,  once we are on the houseboats at Lake Kariba.

Our next mission is to practise our skills of negotiation at a local carving market.   Malawians specialise in wood carving and the most impressive is the Malawi chair.  The ladies on the trip love this part of the day and after an hour and a half of shopping and negotiation bliss they are almost ready to leave.  The only issue at the end of a Malawi carving shopping spree is finding where to store it all within ‘Eeyore’.

Tip of the Day:  You need to be a fantastic negotiator to get good deals on Malawi curios.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kendwa Beach, Zanzibar, Day 29 to 31

Posted on 18/12/2010 by admin

After a hectic day in Stone Town we head to the more relaxed Sunset Bungalows one of many resorts along Kendwa beach. Here we enjoy the beach at our door step. From your room it is just a short walk down some steps past the bar and restaurant, the hammocks, umbrellas and beach beds, lays the crystal clear waters of Kendwa and the northern beaches of Zanzibar Island.

What is there to do at Kendwa beach? Not much if you don’t want too. But if all you need is a massage, a cocktail, the sun, the sand and the sea, then you would be in heaven. However if you need more excitement there is Scuba diving off the many reefs around this part of the island, or kayaking, surf skiing, snorkeling and volleyball to keep your excitement up.

The 3 days on the resort are spent enjoying the beach and the sun doing what one wishes to do at a relaxed Zanzibar time. There is ‘no rush in Africa’ and that is a very truthful statement and there is definitely no need to rush on Zanzibar and it is one place where Africa time is running at the right pace.

It is not just relaxing on the beach we do have to have a beach party and do need to celebrate the last night as a farewell to Zanzibar Island and to 5 more of our compatriots who like the Island so much they just cannot leave just yet. So after a seafood meal on the beach we celebrate our great time together with a cocktail or three. So cheers to Kyra, Heide, Kasey, Erenie and Lisa and all the best for you remaining time on Zanzibar.

Zanzibar Challenge – Stage four of the Zanzibar challenge was won by ‘ACDD’ and the final stage was a tie between ‘The Kiwi Cougars’, ‘The UN’ and ‘The Warthags’.

The overall winners for the Zanzibar Challenge were   ‘The Kiwi Cougars’ and the losers for the challenge ‘The 3 Muzungus’.  The winners were to pick a mystery henna to be worn by the losing side.  Lucky for ‘the 3 Muzungus’ the henna lady’s were not around in the morning and ‘the Kiwi Cougars’ were a little under the weather from one too many cocktails the night before.

Day 30 saw Beats wearing the chain of shame and Mandy wore it on Day 32.

Tip of the Day (well actually for all days on Zanzibar): If your day at the beach ends in you looking like a lobster, it’s not classed as a sun tan!

Absolute Africa overlanding tours.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Stone Town, Zanzibar, Day 28

Posted on 18/12/2010 by admin

AAAAH!!  The relaxation of Zanzibar.  Yes it is hot and yes it is humid. But who cares? Especially when you have the beach and the sun.

The first day is spent in Stone Town,  a World Heritage site and where African and Arabic traditions are blended to give this part of Africa a completely different feel than anywhere else so far.  The small narrow alleyways and streets of Stone Town give one a feeling that one has been whisked off to North Africa and the Middle East. Stone Town is all about taking in the local culture, the spices, the seafood and the scenery and that is exactly what we do.

After a lunch at a local restaurant, to try out Zanzibar spice rice and local cuisine, we head off to a local village and tour the spices that were and still are grown on the island.  After our tour there is not much better than a cold beer at Mercury’s bar (a bar dedicated to Freddy and Queen),  taking in the Sunset with the local Dhows parading the horizon criss-crossing the suns fading rays.  The night is then completed with a feast at Stone Town’s local food market.

Zanzibar Challange – Second event was won by ‘Kiwi Cougars’.  Third event was a tie with ‘ACDD’ and ‘Kiwi Cougars’ sharing the honours.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Dar es Salaam and the Zanzibar challenge, Day 27

Posted on 18/12/2010 by admin

The Zanzibar challenge is a 5 stage event that started at Dar es Salaam and finished on the last night of Zanzibar. The team names for this event, ‘The UN’, ‘Kiwi Cougars’, ‘ACDD’, ‘The Upgraders’, ‘The Warthags’ and ‘The 3 Muzungus’

First event was a trivia night at our campsite in Dar es Salaam.  Second, a tuktuk race from the campsite in Dar across the Mikadi beach ferry and into Dar es Salaam city and the Zanzibar ferry ticketing office.   Third event, the estimated time of arrival from Dar es Salaam to our hotel in Stone Town.  Fourth, the estimated time of arrival to our resort accommodation on the beaches of Kendwa and the final event the correct nomination for 3 of our crew to be the most outrageous while in Zanzibar.

First event was won by the Upgraders.  Carl wore the chain of shame today!

Tip of the Day: There is no ‘i’ in team, we do it all as a team and do it my way!

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Snake Park, Day 26

Posted on 14/12/2010 by admin

Last night was spent celebrating the end of a great safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater.   The reason for the celebrations was because it was the introduction of 4 new people to the trip and the farewell for three more of our fellow travellers.  It was also the last night we were to be with our trusty steed ‘Shaggy’.

So after a satisfying BBQ meal we partied in the bar, there was laughter,  push ups,  the occasional shot of Ma’s revenge,  a concoction of tequila, 80% proof vodka and a splash of Tabasco and renowned at the Snake Park for putting hair on a man’s chest and women, well, it almost does the same!    Lucky for me I don’t need the hair on the chest, only on the head and it just doesn’t seem to work.    There was  some hair styling with an outrageous barber all thanks to the antics of Dion.

The next day was spent transferring our belongings to our new truck ‘Eeyore’ and saying our final goodbyes to Renato, Cheryl and Trisha. Good luck with your further adventures “guys”!

Carl wore the chain of shame today!

Tip of the Day: A new hair style after a few shots may look good at the time but maybe not so good in the morning.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Day 24, 25

Posted on 11/12/2010 by admin

The Crater is the reason why the Serengeti and Masai Mara produce such a fertile environment for all these African beasts.  Before this volcano exploded millions of years ago it is estimated to have been between 4 and 5km high and when it did explode it collapsed on itself leaving what now can be seen as the Ngorongoro Crater.   The reserve became a World Heritage site in the late 70’s and has numerous Masai people living an ‘almost’ traditional life within this area.   There is almost no where in the world that western influence has not touched traditional life and the Masai people are no different.   So don’t be surprised when a Masai man pulls out a mobile phone and asks for your phone number!

The drive into the Crater is like a scene out of a Hollywood film.  Mist at the base and a covering of cloud around the rim suggests it’s been staged to enhance our emotions.  We first see zebra, then buffalo and it’s all a little familiar as we have been spoilt in our past game drives.  However the feel is different as we are not in ‘Shaggy’ and now in small 4X4s and away from the familiarity of the truck.  But it is all good.  We see lion, that’s not unusual, but then we see a multitude of hyena.  Hyena here, hyena there, hyena swimming, hyena eating, hyena cubs, hyena walking, hyena talking, hyena everywhere.  But we had not seen it all and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (it was a day of rain in the crater) was the black rhino.  One of the rarest animals to see in Africa and very elusive due to its shy nature. The first view of this animal was a glimpse of a horn, ears and a back.  Then later to our excitement a black rhino was seen again but this time it removed itself from the coverings of the tall grass and the complete animal could be seen in all its glory.  We had now seen the ‘black rhino’ and the hardest member of the ‘big 5’ to see in the wild!

The absolute ultimate safari experience was had in both the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater and drained all passengers on ‘Shaggy’.  The experience and early mornings took its toll and the truck snuck into Arusha with heavy eyes and the quiet hum of muffled snores.

Day 25 saw Christine adorned with the chain of shame.

Tip of the day (both days):           Getting up at 4.30am is a pain, but well worth it at the end of a game drive. The photos will prove it!

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Serengeti National Park, Day 23, 24

Posted on 11/12/2010 by admin

To appreciate the greatness of East Africa game parks is to understand their connections to each other. The Ngorongoro Crater is joined to the Serengeti and the Serengeti joined to the Masai Mara. Combined they create an area more than 20 000 sq km which is teaming with wildlife.  These parks are the highlight of any safari within East Africa and a must when this part of the world is visited.   Luck for us we visit all three!

The Serengeti National Park constitutes the largest land mass out of the three parks and is home to millions of mammals.  The most notable are the wildebeest and zebra that migrate yearly and are known worldwide due to countless numbers of documentaries that either directly or indirectly focuses on these animals.  Without these masses of animals there would not be the plethora of predators that feed on them and give us so much enjoyment when we see them.  An example of why the Serengeti is so special is the number of lions that reside there. There are more lions found there than any other park in the world.

What did we see? A trip to the Serengeti would not be complete without lions and of cause we did see them. The first drive enlightened us on lion breeding.  Let me tell you it is a short affair, but very numerous.  On average, they mate 150 times in three days, but unfortunate for the female only for about 3 seconds each time.   Leopard was seen, on the first afternoon, a female feeding on an impala in the branches of an acacia tree.  The following morning she was still there munching away on the same carcass. There was another spotting (please ignore the pun) later that morning and it was seen in a sausage tree just after having its impala stolen from her by two spotted hyenas.  All she could do was watch from the safety of the tree as her days hard work was eaten in front of her.  Our patients and excessive amount of photography gave us the time to watch her leave her tree and eventually pass by ‘Shaggy’ which only led to more excessive amounts of photographing.

Our Serengeti experience was finalised with a pride of about 17 lions, one male, 6 females and the rest cubs.  There was excessive amounts of sleep from these lions, a short but fruitless stalk, and a playful exchange of hunting and fighting between mothers and cubs.  Nice way to finish our experience. I know I did not mention the giraffe, hippo, zebra, wildebeest, elephants and the many more animals seen while in the Serengeti, but there is only so much that one can rave on about.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ruhengeri, Day 19 and 20

Posted on 05/12/2010 by admin

After the excitement of the Gorillas it was good day to have a chill out day and take it all in.   Also a good day to spend cleaning clothes after that muddy trek.   It was the final day on the trip for 3 of the “guys“ (OH NO . .. I used that word again . . .pause for pushups as imposed on day 10!).  A cocktail party was organised for the farewell for Madie, Steph and Lydia followed by a local meal at our lodgings.   The rest of the evening was taken in by celebrations and sharing memories of our travels so far.

The following day we said our final goodbyes to the “guys“ (grrrr. . .. .more pushups!!!) as they departed from Kigali and we then headed on to cross into Tanzania. We all had a great time with the girls and we wish them the best in their future travels.   Take it easy “guys“ (I am starting to see why the group want to punish me for that word . . . . .biceps growing)  and hope to see you somewhere in the near future.

Madie  ended her trip wearing the chain of shame

Tip of the day: Ruhengeri is a wet town at the base of rainforest mountains so don’t expect to get your clothes dried in a day.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Gorillas, Day 18

Posted on 02/12/2010 by admin

There are between 700 to 800 mountain gorillas left on the planet.  The Virunga Mountains is divided by 3 countries, Rwanda, Uganda and DRC and is the only place in the world where these fascinating creatures can be found.  400 individuals reside on the Rwandan portion of the mountains and are divided into 18 family groups.  Only 8 of the groups can be visited by tourist, and they are visited only once a day for one hour and only by 8 people.   It is therefore a privilege to spend time with such a rare animal.

Perhaps “animal” is not the best word to us describe the mountain gorillas as they share 98% of their genes with humans and when watching their behaviour and mannerisms this is definitely evident.   To describe the feeling of sitting within meters of gorillas is hard to explain, and I use the term “meters” very loosely.    Let me explain. . . . .  it is said that you cannot get any closer to the gorillas than 7 meters.   100cm =1 meter so 7 meter would be 700cm, right?     Well when a mountain gorilla pushes you out of the way with its hand that is not 7 meters!  There is no limit!   If gorillas get close they get real close and having a 230kg silver back gorilla within centre meters of you is an experience you will not forget!     Going back to the feeling?  I saw mountain gorillas 15 years ago and I still get shivers down my spine when I think about that first time as I peered through a bamboo forest within these prehistoric Virunga Mountains and saw a mountain gorilla staring into my eyes.  When a 200kg gorilla welcomes you into his family and accepts your presence with a stare and then ignores you, you feel insignificant. You have the feeling that this beast can crush you with one hand at any time and he knows how feeble we are and treats us with contempt, as if we are not even worth a minute of his time.  He rolls over and allows one of his girls to remove fleas from his fur and doesn’t even acknowledge you again.  That arrogance puts you in your place and lets you know who is boss.  A silver back mountain gorilla is truly the king of the jungle and doesn’t he know it!   Our success rate on that day was 100%, everyone saw the gorillas.  We abided by that ‘7 meters’ rule, But as gorillas cannot measure 7 meters they got closer and a great day was had by all.   Even with the trekking, mud, and stinging nettles the word best used to describe the day was ‘awesome’.

No one wore the chain of shame today, it was too good of a day and besides I am not sure the gorillas would have appreciated the “bling”.

Tip of the day: You cannot stop your jaw from dropping when you first see mountain gorillas.

Posted in a) 14th Nov 2010 Absolute Safari on Shaggy, Denis | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment