Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cats!!!

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Off to Zanzibar...
There are 4 big passenger ferries on the run. We were on the latest: Kilimanjaro IV

We stayed at the Maru Maru Hotel in the heart of historic Stone Town. Stone Town and our hotel both had a strong arabic influence.

Stone Town is the old original town with narrow lanes and many old buildings.

And a bustling market

And a market of a different kind. Zanzibar was once the centre of the slave trade on the eastern coast of Africa, and this building is what remains of the original slave market.

The low ceilinged small basement-cells under the building once being used to house slaves squashed into them. 60 odd women and children in this particular cell. And larger numbers of men in an adjoining cell.

It is a very chilling place to be where you can feel the misery that was inflicted here.

And a waterfront location as it is a port city...or at least was several hundred year ago.

 

[JohnM]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Great stuff!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

For a daytrip we hired a longboat and went out to a nearby island for a spot of snorkelling to view the coral and fish and to check out the resident giant tortoises.

It turned out that the ancient tortoises (upto 191 years old) acted more like giant puppy dogs in slo-motion who loved to be scratched and who chase after you (slowly) to get a scratch!

If you were a bit slow to scratch one they would nudge you gently in the leg. as if so say "Im here!".

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

And what is there not to love about warm water, a swim viewing coral,a laze on the beach and blue, blue water! Makesa great change from all those bumps and the dust!

We hired a longboat with boatman just for the two of us for the day.

 

[JohnM]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

I'm going to be in Zanzibar next year. That boat hire and the tortoises looks pretty cool; how costly was it?

 

[LadyC]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Love those tortoises! Zanzibar looks interesting - another one for the list - thanks for posting

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

I'm going to be in Zanzibar next year. That boat hire and the tortoises looks pretty cool; how costly was it?

Not much. About $10-20 for the boat. There was a small fee to go into the tortoise sanctuary.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Our Hotel the Maru Maru hada nice restaurant and bar.

Just the spot for a Sundowner!

And while travel is food for the soul....so is good food! So off to Emerson Spice, possibly Zanzibar's best restaurant, for its Tasting Menu. It hada which had rooftop setting .

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Back to the mainland and back on the road!

Always pays to keep an eye out.

And watch out for overtaking trucks and buses!

And the regular roadside fires used to control the vegetation near the road.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

But then you find yourself driving througha striking valley of Boab Trees.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Through the rain, though most days were dry.

To after a few nights reach Lake Malawi and our campsite there which hada truly stunning setting.

And as Jan would say...."If there's no campfire, its not camping!!"

The campfire made all the richer by Willie, the camp's owner and about 70 years odd regaling us with tall but true tales of his many and varied life in Southern Africa, as well as a lot of history on Dr Livingstone and others.

Up early for the sunrise.

 

[Milboo]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Following this.

Zanzibar has been on my list for my next trip back for ages so love the idea of the long boat hire.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Exploring Livingstonia nearby, but it is at the top of steep track climbing at times on cliff edges including numerous switchbacks.

Women fetching hay, and it is all carried on the head.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Livingstonia.

Including this bell that was brought outfrom Scotland, a journey that took many, many months only to have it be cracked just prior to installing in the church. They made another, but went smaller the second time!

 

[amaroo]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Wow - impressive! Great trip!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Lunch stop on theway back down with a rest in a cliff edge hammock. Our camp lies on the beach below.

The camp had a vegetarian only cafe famous for its food and the vegie burger I enjoyed, with home baked bread, was the tastiest I have ever had.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

We went for a walk through village the adjacent to our camp. Malawi is a very poor country and so life is very simple.

Including a visit to their local small hospital. Only nurses and no Doctors though. Met this new mother who delivered just before we arrived.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Ok time to relocate.

A mornings pleasant drive to our next campsite which was also on Lake Malawi which is a massive lake and 9th largest in the world.

On seeing the location at Kande Beach we decide to blow the budget and upgrade the campsite to the beachside cabin for the princely sum of $US7 per night.

Lunch and a cold apple cider, and with a view like this they taste all the better!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

Ok off to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Two nights away.

In Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi the road reserve through villages and towns is always very wide.

Almost there....and just about to pass pots on a bike!

The supervisor in charge while we selected our spot at the Crocidile Riover Camp.

Our river view from our tent. The river was full of crodiles and hippos and on occassion elephants.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: Nairobi to Cape Town & Kruger too: Plains, Wines and Automobiles (4WD) & yes Cat

And into the South Luangwa Park.....

Hippo prints

And a dead baby hippo covered in carrion birds. Lions killed it theday prior and were about still.

and then not long after one of lions from the pride that took down the hippo.

Then later three more moving to the riverbank.

To look for their next prey....

Meanwhile one of locals suggested that we should move on...

And celebrated afterwards.