Garden Route South Africa

My bike got fixed and it was $50 less than I was quoted, which was a nice surprise. I went south after that to Fish River Canyon. I wasn't able to hike there because it's the wrong time of year. It was beautiful none the less. After that I continued into South Africa. People told me I'd have trouble getting back in, but they were wrong. I was given another 3 months in the country. Best I can figure it's because it's a different calendar year.

I drove from Windhoek to Cape Town in 4 days, about 1,800 km with the detour to the canyon. There wasn't much to see on the west coast of SA so I figured it was better to just cruise. I stayed in Cape Town for a little less than a week. It's a very modern city. I met up with a couple South African friends that I'd met in Mozambique. One of them worked for a boating company and invited me out to go crawfishing. I was pretty surprised when I saw the boat. It was a yacht. One of the nicest boats I've been on. It's was great seeing the city from the ocean.

I left Cape Town a couple days ago. Last night I stayed in Mossel Bay. It was packed with people because of Easter. Luckily I have a tent and was able to find an open spot.

Today I'm in Oudtshoorn. This town is also full because there's some sort of fair/festival going on. Again I am grateful to have a tent because everything is sold out. I went into a cave today and did an adventure walking tour. I lucked out because there was one spot left and the last tour started less than five minutes after I got there. It was pretty neat and I'm glad I did the adventure one because the other tours didn't look that interesting. Tomorrow I will head back towards the coast and continue along the garden route.

I booked my flight out from Durban in a little over three weeks. Then I will head to Berlin for a week and London for a few days. It was cheaper to book a ticket to Europe then go to the states, compared to getting a flight from SA directly home. Not sure why.

There's still a lot of beautiful things to see en route to Durban, but this trip is starting to wrap up.

Windhoek Namibia

From Maun I traveled to Ghanzi and spent a night at a campsite in the bush. The roads were really sandy because it's on the outskirts of the Kalahari desert. I was overtired from the night before and went down on the bike in the sand. It wasn't bad, but pretty frustrating. There wasn't much for me to do in the area so I continued after just one night.

The next day I crossed the border into Namibia. It was a very easy crossing. There was no one hassling me to change money, or for that matter pestering me at all. I spent the night in Gobabis. When I got there it was raining so I got a room for about $15 at a rest house. It was a great decision because it poured on and off all night.

Then I headed for Windhoek. My bike was still making rattling sounds so I had it checked out at the Honda dealership. Turns out the chain was worn so I had to get a new chain and sprockets (about $200 USD). I figured this was the case. It's difficult to find proper chain lube where I've been, Rob and I ran out months ago. I'm still annoyed that the shop in Maun didn't fix the problem or even acknowledge that the chain needed replacing. I don't think they knew what they were doing. The Honda dealership told me it would take 5 days to get the parts from South Africa.

Conveniently I met up with a German I'd met in Maun and we decided to rent a car for 6 days to check out northern Namibia. First we went to Swakopmund on the coast. I tried sand boarding for the first time and had a blast. Next stop was Mt. Brandberg National Reserve where we saw cave paintings that were between 2,000 and 5,000 years old. Then we headed to Etosha National Park. They don't allow motorcycles in the park so I couldn't have gone through there on my own. The park was nice but it's too wet so animals were difficult to spot. Usually they all meet at watering holes, which makes spotting them easy. The highlights we saw were a black rhino and a white rhino.

The parts for my bike came in yesterday so it should be ready this afternoon. It was nice renting a car for a bit of relaxing. It felt like going on vacation with someone I didn't know, with a bit of a language barrier. We were silent a lot of the time in the car, which was nice because we didn't feel forced to talk. Namibia is a former German colony so there are a ton of Germans here. Traveling with a German allowed me to tune out most of the talking and let him be the social one. It sounds strange but I enjoy being able to avoid conversation in every social situation. In Namibia I've been sitting silently quite often unless they decided to stop speaking German for a few minutes and include me. I don't mind.

Yesterday I paid my first real bribe in Africa. I got caught speeding 137.5 km/h in a 120 zone. The officer said I could either drive about 90 km back and pay 1,780 Namibia dollars ($110 USD) or I could pay what I had in my wallet, but couldn't get a receipt. I ended up placing 500 Namibia dollars ($31 USD) next to the officer. I don't like bribing but we wanted to get to Windhoek before dark and it made things a lot easier. Immediately after paying I hit a bird the size of a football while going 120 km/hr. Luckily it didn't damage the car, but I was ready for a beer as soon as we got back.

Namibia is a beautiful country. It's also easy to travel with the exception that it's so rural. There isn't much public transportation so we were picking up hitchhikers all the way. I'd recommend anyone to come here, but during the high season. Etosha would have been much better if there were more animals around. At the campsites they even have seating and lights around the waterholes for night viewing. Unfortunately we didn't see any animals while we were at these spots.

Tomorrow I plan on heading south, assuming my bike is ready. I may hike in Fish River Canyon for a few days, but depends on the weather. It's been rainy the last few days. After that I'll head towards Cape Town, then up the east coast.

A couple months ago I said that Mt. Mulanje was the third highest peak in Africa. That is not true. It's worth checking facts occasionally instead of listening to everything the locals tell you. It's not a big deal but I wanted to make a note about it. It's not even in the top ten highest peaks in Africa, so maybe I misunderstood what the guide said.

Maun Botswana

After Livingstone I crossed the boarder into Botswana. There is a river dividing the two countries so I had to cross using a ferry.

My first stop in Botswana was Kasane near Chobe National Park. I camped for a few nights and met up with my bicycle friend from South Africa. I did a morning safari into the park. It was nice but its the off season so we didn't see too many animals. We saw one elephant, giraffes, hippos, water buffalo, warthogs, impalas, and birds. Later I did a boat ride. Which was ok but I think I was on a boat full of German birdwatchers so they spent a lot of time staring at birds while I had cocktails.

Next I headed south towards Nata, about 300 kms, making my way to the Okavango Delta. On the road from Kasane to Nata I counted 20 elephants and 4 giraffes. Its crazy being close to such big animals when Im on a little 125. I kept my distance and had a great ride.

After a night in Nata I did another 300 kms to Maun on the delta. My bike was making some strange noises so I had it serviced for the first time in 9200 kms. Ive been giving it oil changes every few thousand kms but thats all Ive done so far.

A couple days ago I did a helicopter ride over the delta. It was 3 times the amount of a scenic plane ride, but well worth it. It didnt have doors and we were able to get low and circle around the herds. The delta is pretty dry at the moment but we saw a lot of animals. The highlight for me was seeing a couple big herds of elephants.

I planned on leaving Maun this morning but its raining so Ill probably wait another day. Its been raining a lot the last few weeks. I don't mind riding in the rain a little bit but it gets old. Most mornings it takes a couple hours to get my stuff dry enough to pack. Also, my tent is in rough shape. I bought it in South Africa and its been through some heavy storms and its starting to show. Most of the poles are duct taped and theres a big hole in the screen. I wanted to buy another one but haven't been able to find a quality one in Botswana.

Im going to head towards Namibia and drier weather. Its about 800 kms to Windhoek. From there Ill spend some time in the desert and hopefully check out the west coast.

Lusaka

After Lilongwe I spent a night in Chipata, which is about 20 kms over the boarder. I ran into a friend I had met in Malawi at the campground I stayed at. He had bicycled up from Cape Town. Ive run into quite a few bicyclers and one day I think Ill give it a try. Seems like an entirely different experience.

From Chipata I went to the capital Lusaka. I did 605 kms in one day. Its took me 9 or 10 hours and is the most Ive done yet. The ride was beautiful. The roads are pretty good in Zambia compared with a lot of Malawi and Mozambique. The last 2 hours of the ride it rained. By the time I got to Lusaka everything I had was soaked.

I met up with a couple friends and the next day we went to Livingstone and Victoria Falls. It was great. We went to Angels Pool (Devils Pool was closed). To get to Angels Pool you need to wade through the Zambezi above the falls. Its risky because if you mess up you'll go over the falls. We had a guide, for about $13 each, which was definitely necessary. The tour takes you to a nice overlook and then a cliff jump. We jumped from about 5 meters into a pool that goes over the falls. It was a bit intimidating but the current wasn't as strong as it looked.

I left my bike in Lusaka when I went to Livingstone so after a few days I came back to pick it up. One of the guys I was with wanted to buy a motorcycle so Ive been here for a few days trying to sort that out. In the end he decided not to buy one. Im actually pretty happy with his decision. I don't mind riding alone for a little while. Tomorrow I plan on heading back to Livingstone. Its unfortunate to backtrack, but I need to go through there to get to my next destination. I plan on going through the Caprivi Strip, if motorcycles are allowed, and then into Botswana. I don't have any solid plans but Im ready to hit the road again. Also, I plan on riding back to Durban but Ive heard the visa may be an issue. People have told me they wont let you in if you haven't returned to your port of entry after the original 3 months has passed. Im not sure how it'll work out but I have to try. Im excited for the next couple weeks because I think there will be a lot of big animals to see. I haven't seen any lions, giraffes, or elephants yet but I should soon. 

Lilongwe

After Cape MaClear we stopped in Senga Bay for a couple nights. It was a nice fishing village. We did an island trip but didn't stay too long.

Next was Nkhata Bay. I stayed for about a week. Its on Lake Malawi and there was plenty to do. Our accommodation had paddle boards, kayaks, and canoes. I spent about $30 a day for accommodation, food and drinks. Seems a little expensive for Africa but not too bad for an all inclusive holiday. We met up with several friends that we had known along the way, including one guy we hadn't seen since Durban. We also took a trip to Likoma island for a couple nights.

While in Nkhata Bay a friend stopped in that I hadn't seen since Mozambique. He said he was staying with a family north of Mzuzu and asked if I wanted to come with him. I spent a couple nights staying with him and a local family in their village. While there we drove up to Nyika National Park. I was told their vehicle was a 4x4 but turns out it was 2 wheel drive. We had to push it out of the mud several times and one time crashed into a ditch. No one got hurt and the car was fine. At the park we saw a lot of Zebras and animals that looked like antelopes. The drive there was all dirt roads and it took us all day to get there and back even though it wasn't that far in kilometers.

Yesterday I drove 400+ kilometers to get to Lilongwe. I left around 430am and it rained on and off all day. I wont leave that early again. It was dark and raining for the first hour. It made for a pretty difficult morning considering I didn't have a map or really know my way around. It was a pretty ride when it wasn't raining.

Rob and I split up after I left Nkhata Bay. Hes heading north towards Tanzania and I'm heading back to South Africa. In total we drove over 6400 kilometers together through 4 countries. We were similar in ways but also very different. I think we made a pretty good team all together. It is exciting to be on my own. It feels like a whole new challenge and a new trip all together.

Malawi has been an amazing country. Over the last month Ive learned a lot about the people and the problems they're facing. For one, there are people everywhere on the roads. You think you're in the middle of nowhere but still there are people walking every 50 yards. Also, many people live in very rural areas. When we drove to Nyika Park we drove for hours on a dirt road that was really rough. Still there were people everywhere. Its apparent that if there were any medical emergencies it would take help hours to get there and back to a hospital. A medical student I met here told me there are 250 doctors in the entire country. The people are also very religious. There are a lot of Christians and mosques seem to be popping up everywhere. The coffin industry seems to be big here as well. Every third village has a coffin shop. The people watch a lot of religious television including the prophet Major 1. While staying with the family they watched him the majority of the time. Reading the newspapers shows even more issues. Such as corruption, women's rights, witch hunts, and more. Ive seen children working everywhere. They are either selling things like charcoal, chickens, or vegetables on the side of the road or working in the fields. Its conflicting, I don't want to buy from kids because I think they should be in school but they are going to be working either way. The major crops look like corn and tobacco. People eat a lot of Nsima which is a corn product similar to Pap in South Africa.

I will head to Zambia tomorrow or the next day. I need to find a map today. Most people here have cell phones with data. Many locals even use WhatsApp. I don't have a phone, it makes things more difficult but its nice to get away. On the other hand I do feel disconnected from issues back home. It is a tough balance to find. At any given hostel you'll see nearly everyone on their cell phones or laptops. You could travel all over the world and never really leave westerners, especially if you're driving your own car. At least on a motorcycle I'm forced to communicate with locals and take breaks every 100 kms. Any form of travel would bring a different experience. Local transport is probably the most cultural but it is tough here. I'm happy with my decision to motorcycle. Anyways, I'm ranting now so I'm done. Next stop Zambia.

Cape Maclear Malawi

Yesterday I went wakesurfing and waterskiing on Lake Malawi. It was great and being on the lake almost let me forget that Im missing ski season. I have conflicting feelings about doing these expensive/touristy things in Africa. There are no locals waterskiing, these people can barely afford to eat. Things like climbing mountains and hanging out by the beach are fun for a bit but it makes me feel guilty.

A few days ago, in Zomba, I visited a halfway house for street boys. Im skeptical about these kind of organizations because of an experience I had a few years ago in Cambodia. The Malawian people in charge of this one had good ideas but its difficult to say how much they are accomplishing. They want to be financially self sufficient which seems like a reasonable goal. While visiting the center I only saw 3 beds. They told me 7 boys were living there. One of the beds was for an employee at night and there was a locked room that may have had more beds. There were 5 employees when I visited but unfortunately the boys were at school. They said they have the ability to hold up to 16 kids but it comes in waves. The people seemed nice and open to suggestions. They didnt ask for any money. I gave them a harmonica and a book on how to play.

I hiked Mt. Mulange last week. It was amazing. We hiked for 3 days and summited the 3rd highest peak in Africa. The mountain is a huge plateau with several peaks. I could have easily spent a few more days up there.

On the way from Zomba to Cape Maclear we stopped on the side of the road for a break. We wanted to find shade so we looked for a spot to park under a tree. There was a little girl and Rob pulled up too close and scared her. She ran towards her village. Rob got his bike stuck trying to get under the tree. Me and another guy helped push him out. We left the bikes on the road and went to relax under the tree. A few minutes later I noticed a bunch of people congregating by a bridge. They started walking our way. I told Rob we should go and we started to pack up our stuff. By the time the crowd reached us there was about 30 of them. The little girl that ran away earlier thought that Rob was trying to kidnap her. They were mostly women and children but at least 2 men were with them and one had a machete. We tried to explain but couldnt get our point across. I said we were leaving and went towards the bikes. I put on my gear and got on as quick as possible. Someone threw a rock that landed near my foot. I looked up and saw at least one other kid with a rock. The guy with the machete started scraping it on the road. I think that was to mark a line we couldnt pass. As we rode off they screamed and ran after us. I understand why the incident happened and I dont blame the community. A lot of Malawian kids are kidnapped and sent to Mozambique Ive heard. Its crazy how things can escalate from a misunderstanding.

Today we are heading north from Cape Maclear.

Blantyre Malawi

We got into Malawi 2 days ago. Surprisingly the boarder crossing was the biggest pain yet. As soon as we pulled up on the Mozembique side people were hassling us and trying to get us to convert money. Once we got out of Mozambique the area between boarders there were more guys all around us. They were more friendly, but unfortunately we already changed our money. One of the guys gave us forms and helped us through the process. I knew he was going to ask for money but it was worth a couple bucks to save time and stress. I ended up having to buy third party insurance again for 25,000 Kwacha (1USD = 670 Kwacha), the visa was $75, and I had to buy a temporary import for the motorcycle at 10,000 Kwacha. It was quite an expensive crossing. We had to use the atm at the boarder because we ran out of cash and I didnt want to use all my dollars.

Its mountainous and cooler here so far. The lake is supposed to be amazing and I imagine the entire country will be a nice scenic motorcycle ride.

After Vilankulo we spent  two nights in Inhassaro then had a 430 km ride to Chimoio. We spent a couple nights there. It wasn't touristy and showed the more typical side of Mozambique cities. Next we went to Catandica. We saw a sign for bush camping and followed it. The sign was in English so we knew it would lead somewhere. After about 20 km on a dirt road in the bush we found a farm that had camping. It was owned by a Swiss family. Turned out being a great place to camp in the woods and they even had a pool. The family had built the farm from scratch over the last 8 years. Next we headed to Tete. It was another city with very few tourists. We camped on the Zambeze river.

Our next stop is going to be near Mount Malanje I think. We hope to hike it and then continue up the country. I believe Malawi will be as far north as I get. Im going to bring the bike back to Durban so Rob and I will probably be parting ways soon. I will probably head through Zambia towards Victoria Falls. I heard its pretty dry now, but it gives me a target and it'll be in the general direction I want to head. Im planning on being back in the states by mid June. If I want a chance to check out Cape Town and the rest of SA Ill have to start making my way back in a month or so. There still a lot of Southern Africa to see so I think central and northern Africa will have to wait.