Zambia Trip Report

[AndreasR]

ZAMBIA TRIP REPORT

A little background to the trip. Johan Kriek wanted to do a recce trip of some places in Zambia for future trips and asked whether I would like to accompany him. I didn’t need any encouragement and jumped at the chance.

Preparations began with getting back seats in the Patrol removed and fitting my two fridges in that space. Water tank was also fitted. I was going to travel solo in my vehicle so set it up for that purpose.

I had the car serviced. I decided to fit 500kg constant load Terrain Tamer coils to the rear as I wasn’t happy with the rear of the vehicle sagging a little at the back. I am very happy with the result.

Three days before departure things changed as people pulled out of the trip and we were down to two cars and only three people. Stefan Colliers was to travel with Johan in his 90 Landy We decided to pool our resources and have meals together so it made sense for me to take my Metalian trailer which would give us a nice base at camps where we would spend more than one night. As it turned out this was a great decision but now I had to change all the preparations that I had already done in getting the car ready for solo travel.

The dual batteries in the car and trailer have been running for a long time now so I decided that with the high temperatures to be experienced on this trip and the drain on batteries I would invest in some new tech Blue Nova batteries. These I fitted. Two in the trailer and one in the car.

On Tuesday afternoon I had my COVID test which would enable us to pass through the Botswana and Zambia borders within the 72hr deadline.

With all the preparations and packing done I was ready to depart on this three week 6000km trip.

Wednesday 27th October 2021

So the day of departure arrived.

Travel from Edenvale to Swartwater - 400km.

Left home at a reasonable 07h45 to meet Johan at the N1 Petropoort north of Pretoria. Just out of my suburb my wife phoned to say I had forgotten my favourite pillow so not wanting to spend three weeks without it I headed back home to collect it. Not a good start for someone who prides himself on his organisational skills.

Was in time at the Petropoort to grab a quick coffee before meeting Johan and setting off for our overnight at Motswiri Lodge near Swartwater near the Martinsdrift border. Here I met Stefan and we had a lovely Chicken potjie made by Nita.

It was decided we would leave at 6am the following morning for the border. This was to become a trend. Johan and Stefan are really early risers, normally getting up at 5. Now let me assure you that is not really my style but I quickly realised that that was going to be the norm for this trip. I adjusted pretty quickly. I had to!

Thursday 28th October

Travel from Swartwater to Elephant Sands. One border crossing. 550km.

Set off early for the border.

COVID protocols were simple with the COVID test results printed.

All went smoothly until we had to pay our Road Tax on the Botswana side. It took two hours as there were many truckers and the Botswana officials seemed to take a long time to process each trucker and insisted on closing one of the two windows regularly. Costs of the Road Permits were P217-00 for the vehicle and P167-00 for the trailer. This is for a return transit which will save time when we return from Zambia.

Once through we set off for Elephant Sands where we spent the night.

The road from Nata past Elephant Sands always provides some surprises. Last time on this road I saw a cheetah strolling alongside the road. This time I caught sight of a Brown Snake Eagle flying across our path clutching a very reasonable sized snake in its claws. Unfortunately it disappeared quickly into the bush.

Elephant Sands is always a nice stopover and always great to get close to all the elephants coming in to drink. The place was really empty so we had a choice of sites. The ablutions haven’t changed over the years and I would rate them as adequate.

Friday 29th October

Travelled from Elephant Sands to Livingstone. One border crossing. 315km.

Drove up to the Botswana/Zambia border at Kazangula. The new bridge is fantastic but somehow I missed the experience of being ferried across the river. Progress does have its negatives.

Again COVID protocols were simple and not arduous.

The border formalities have been greatly improved upon. There is now a one stop border post where things are pretty civilised. It is still a long process with a bit of going backwards and forwards between counters to pay the many different fees on the Zambian side. The place was empty and the officials were all extremely helpful and willing to guide us through the process. There is an ATM at the border where you can draw Kwacha to pay insurance etc. Interesting to note that the fee for crossing the bridge is payable in Kwacha or USD. In fact cheaper in USD.

Costs are:

Toll Fee USD20
Bridge Crossing Fee USD20 or Kwacha450
TIP Kwacha330
Third Party Insurance Kwacha163
Council Tax Kwacha50

Note that a Police Clearance Certificate IS required at this border. Be prepared for a lengthy delay and a lot of smooth talking or parting with a fair sum of cash if you try crossing without one. This applies even if you are the registered owner of the vehicle.

Once through the border we headed for Livingstone to our overnight stop at Waterfront. We arrived early afternoon so I headed into town to get a Zambian Sim Card. This was a very simple procedure at the Airtel shop. All you need is your passport to register. I was amazed at how cheap data packages are in Zambia. R50 for 5gigs of data. Cell coverage also proved to be very good in Zambia.

It was also in Livingstone that our never ending quest for beer began. If you are not too fussy about the brand of beer you consume, you can generally get at supermarkets. Sometimes they have cans only, sometimes bottles only. Personally I don’t really care but my traveling companion was very particular about his beer. More on that later!

We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening on the deck overlooking the Zambezi River, watching the sunset cruise boats go by and enjoyed a few Mozi’s and a good meal. I also met my friends from Ultimate Adventures here, Des and Simon, who gave us some info on conditions and campsites we were to encounter.

The camping area at Waterfront is quite noisy as can be expected from a site in town. Ablutions were reasonable and there is a pool. For a one night stay it is okayish.

Saturday 30th October

Travelled Livingstone to Lusaka. 500km.

Another early morning and we set off for Lusaka and Pioneer Camp.

An uneventful trip on typical Zambian tar roads. Potholes appear from nowhere. Some sections of road are simply missing. Strangely it is at these sections that there are always lots of people selling their wares. I could not help wondering what appeared first. The missing road or the hawkers. The roads also change in condition from little village to little village. Some sections are great, some are terrible. I can only assume that contracts were divided up into sections amongst different contractors and some could build a road and others could not.

Lusaka is a big city and you best have your navigation skills in fine shape. Any wrong turn can cost you plenty time as the traffic is horrendous, even on a Saturday afternoon.

Again, Pioneer camp is near the city so sounds of barking dogs and people dominate the night sounds. The camp itself is adequate for a one night stopover with reasonable ablutions. I believe there is a bar but we had found our beer in Livingstone so we were sorted.

Sunday 31st October

Travelled to Petauke. 400km.

This is all reasonable tar road with the usual pot holes appearing as if out of nowhere. Busses tend to race from village to village with little regard for other road users.

This road is known as The Great East Road and lies just north of the Zimbabwean border. There is a spectacular bridge over the Luangwa River en route which is a good place to stop to stretch legs and have lunch.

At Petauke we stayed at Chimwemwe Executive Lodge at the campsites. We had been told to have dinner at the restaurant at the lodge and to order the Village Chicken. Got to say it was delicious, especially all the accompanying dishes of veggies and fried rice.

The campsite is merely an area at the back of the lodge with good ablutions. Very good for an overnight stay.

Monday 1st November

Travelled to Mfuwe. 200km.

We had two options for our route to Mfuwe and South Luangwa NP. The normal route is East via Chipata and then north to Mfuwe.

We opted for the adventurous route directly north from Petauke and then all along the National Park boundary and the Luangwa River to Mfuwe. This is 200 km of reasonable gravel and passes through numerous villages. We had lunch next to the river and enjoyed fantastic views.

Our accommodation for the next three nights was at Wildlife Camp which is situated right on the river with views over the South Luangwa NP. The camp is very well maintain with grass lawns and a swimming pool. The ablution block is nice. Unfortunately there were very few travellers to enjoy these amenities.

We settled in and had chicken curry for dinner while enjoying a few beers and an African sunset over the river.

The following morning we took things slow and spent a leisurely morning sorting out clothes washing, stocking fridges, repacking cars and trailers and generally doing a bit of home maintenance. In the afternoon we headed into Mfuwe which is about 15km away. Here my travel companions spent a while trying to find beer. This proved to be more difficult than expected. Eventually after going from shop to shop they managed to secure some stock from an outlet that had. We stocked up on cold drinks and bottled water. I even managed to find a bakery that sold the most delicious bread and rolls.

On the way into town I had spotted a place called Tribal Textiles which advertised good coffee. While the boys were on their quest for beer I settled in here for a very pleasant iced coffee. I was dying for a nice Americano but by now the temperature was 40 degrees so I opted for something cold.

The evening was spent swimming eating and having a few drinks while watching a few lions on the river bank in the far off distance. Every evening we could hear and see storms building around us and moving across the valley we did not have any rain though. We would soon find out where all this rain was headed.

In the morning Johan and I went into the park for a game drive. South Luangwa is definitely one of the most beautiful game reserves that I have been to. The river makes for some spectacular views and bird life is prolific.

We tried to find the lions that we had seen the previous evening but had no luck. The road along the river is not to be missed and we drove all the way up to the point on the river opposite Zikomo Camp.

On the game drive we were lucky to spot a few Thornicroft’s Giraffe. Apparently it only occurs in the South Luangwa Valley were it is geographically isolated. There are about 500 in the park. Another unusual species for SA travellers is the puku. A similar size to an impala but with a fluffier coat. The Zebra to be found here is called the Crawshay’s Zebra. It has very defined narrow stripes without the shadow stripes of southern African zebras.

On arrival back at camp, all hell broke loose. Johan discovered that his one spoon was missing. Obviously Stefan got the blame for not protecting it while we were on our game drive. The saga of the missing spoon continued for a number of days and Johan’s demeanour deteriorated day by day. Stefan took it all on the chin though. Searches were started and Johan unpacked all his kit. Still no sign of the elusive spoon. Johan took a fair ribbing for his spoon fetish.

The evening was again spent enjoying the pool, the sunset and a few beers. In the twilight we saw the four lions that we had seen the previous evening moving closer to us where they settled just across the river.

In the morning Johan had one last search for his spoon before we set off for our next destination. I believe there was an awkward silence in the Landy for the rest of the day.

Thursday 4th November

Travel to Muchinga Pass. 180km.

After leaving Wildlife Camp we headed for Mfuwe so the boys could return the empty beer bottles, buy a few things and refuel.

Our original plan was to travel all the way to Mutinondo Wilderness via Mpika but we decided to change things up a bit and took the 05 Route straight north through the South Luangwa NP and then camp at what T4A indicated was a community camp at the base of the pass. We took a leisurely drive through the park enjoying the sights. The road is in good condition with the odd small section of soft sand. There is also an interesting river crossing on this route. I would think this route is impassable in the wet season so best to ask before heading out.

We found the community camp site. Long abandoned and overgrown. This did not deter us. We drove off into the bush and wild camped next to the river away from view from the road. Not that we heard many vehicles. I think we heard two. Late afternoon the heavens opened and we now knew where all the building storms from Lower Luangwa ended up. As it belted down refuge was taken in the ruins of the old administration building while the storm passed.

Friday 5th November

Travelled to Mutinondo Wilderness. 220km.

We headed out early for Mutinondo Wilderness via Mpika to search for beer and refuel.

I was a little concerned about this section of the trip as I had recently read a write up of some travellers who had done this trip a week before. They made it sound like a journey from hell. In fact they broke down on the pass and had to spend two nights there while waiting for parts. (It would seem Land Rover parts don’t hand from the trees like another brands spares!) There had also been heavy overnight rain.

So with trepidation we headed out and the pass started immediately. The route was tough and some serious challenges were encountered however nothing that the Patrol with the Metalian following neatly behind couldn’t handle with a little diff lock every now and then. The going was however very slow. At the top of the pass, probably two hours later Johan had a surprise for us saying he would like to take a short detour to see the Chifungwe Plains. So we headed off on a small twee spoor road searching for the elusive plains. We reached the point, 20 rough km later, where there was supposed to be a turnoff to the plains. We could not find much of a track. I think that during the COVID time the lack of use covered up the tracks. Lunch was had in the Bush. Strangely there was still no sign of Johan’s elusive spoon.

Back we went the 20 km of terrible road and emerged at the Scout Camp at the Tunta Gate. Here we had a good chat to the Camp staff and shared some sweets, biscuits and cigarettes in exchange for a mango.

Arriving in Mpika the boys headed out to look for beer. I am not sure why beer was so difficult to find. I think it had something to do with the fact that they only wanted to drink Mozi, the local beer as opposed to SA beers. Again they were sent from pillar to post in search of the elusive beer. Eventually they followed a guy on a bicycle with an empty crate of beer on it and he led them to the beer depot.

Johan also needed to get some local currency. This ended up taking a long time and interestingly the bank was not prepared to take small USD denominations, only 50 or 100. I was always under the impression that they dislike the big denominations. They also do not take any notes pre-2013.

With our business in Mpika taken care of and a refuel completed, including 50l extra, we headed for Mutinondo Wilderness. This is more of a private nature reserve than anything else. Very pretty with the Mutinondo River flowing through it. Being in the highlands the river falls over rocks from rocky pool to rocky pool.

After settling in to our campsite which was well equipped with a lapa and extremely good ablutions we headed down to the river for a swim. Here we found some canoes and stand up paddle boards. We displayed varying levels of expertise on these craft, with Stefan managing to stand and paddle, Johan managing to sit and paddle and yours truly lying on the board and paddling like a surfboard! The swim was appreciated in the heat.

The spoon saga raised its ugly head again as Johan was determined to find his beloved spoon. He had exhausted his search of his car and all his kit so he descended on my trailer and started messing in my kitchen, unpacking pots, checking my cutlery etc.
So now my demeanour was a little omgekrap. The elusive spoon still did not show itself.

The evening was spent having dinner, a few beers and a lovely sunset.

Saturday 6th November

Travelled 220km to Kasanka National Park.

Mostly tar road and reasonable condition. On arrival we checked in at the gate and then proceed to Wash Lodge to complete formalities. This lodge overlooks a big lake so we decided to have a quick beer on the deck before heading off to our camp site.

The camp site is 12km from the lodge. We were pleasantly greeted by the camp attendants, the ever smiling, Knowledge and Johnathan. These two guys looked after us extremely well and went out of their way to keep us happy.

All three sites at pontoon camp are really great. They are situated alongside a river overlooking a grassy plain where sitatunga (a type of antelope) are often seen. The ablutions are reasonable. Hot water is provided by the camp attendants who heat water on the fire then climb a ladder and fill up the tank at your desired time.

We were here to see the Straw Coloured Bat migration which occurs at this time of year. Bats come form all over Central Africa to this area to breed and partake in the abundance of fruit that the area provides. I didn’t count but I am told 10 million of them. Now these are not your average small little bats. They grow to 300 grams and have a wingspan of up to 1m. They look like little flying dogs.

You head out at about 1630 to a hide which is actually a platform which is level with the tops of the trees. With binoculars you can see them roosting in the trees. All hanging from the branches in clumps of hundreds. As the sun sets the noise increases and sounds like a waterfall getting louder and louder. At first a few brave bats fly around scouting for predator birds and soon the sky just fills with more and more and more bats. Literally for 30 minutes the bats stream out filling the sky heading to the places where they feed. Really a spectacular sight. They fill the sky all around you. Well worth the effort to visit. On arrival back at camp at about 19h30 our camp fire was burning and the shower water was ready for us.

At 04h00 it is time to head out again to see the bats returning to roost after a night of feasting. I feel the sunset spectacle is better than the morning return but it is still worthwhile seeing all the bats return and settle in the their roosting spots for the day.

The day was spent having a lazy day around camp with a game drive thrown in. We had invited our friends Knowledge and Jonathan to join us for dinner. We would supply the stew and they would show us how they bake bread and make us some pap.

Along they came with their supplies and a big 20l bucket. In went the ingredients and they kneaded and kneaded. I was happy to just have to throw a beef and beer stew together. I didn’t tell Stefan that one of his beers ended up in the stew until we were eating.

The spoon saga was finally solved. Much to Stefan and my relief. While making the stew I decided to throw in a little chutney. As I opened the jar and started pouring some into the stew I noticed a spoon in the jar. The elusive spoon! It had been in the chutney jar for about a week since we had had chicken curry in South Luangwa and some fancy pants had dished up his chutney with a spoon as opposed to just pouring it out. No guessing as to who that was! At least Stefan and Johan were talking again.

The bread was left to rise. Then the pap was made. What a lot of villagers do in Zambia is grow their own mielies. These are then harvested and taken to another guy who does the milling for them. They then have their supply.

The bread was baked over the coals in two pots. When everything was ready we settled in to a very good meal which was enjoyed by all and chatted about their lives in the Bush. I got to say I am not a big pap fan but this pap was lekker. I’m not sure they enjoyed the stew as much as I enjoyed the pap but there wasn't much left. We took one loaf of the bread and our friends took the other. We had some bread with honey for breakfast the next morning. It was outstanding.

While at Kasanka we visited the David Livingstone Memorial which had just opened in May. It is about 50km from the Kasanka camp site on some pretty slow going roads which pass many villages.
The memorial was obviously built with donor funds and is definitely worth a visit. The entrance fee is pretty steep though at USD15 each. As we pulled in to the parking area a group of people approached us. Turned out it was a Government delegation from the Ministry of Tourism with a press and TV crew in tow. The Ministry guys negotiated a reduced rate for us whereafter we did the tour with them. They seemed very interested in our opinions about Zambian tourism. We were all interviewed for Zambian TV news. Quite bizarre.


Tuesday 9th November

Travelled to Fringilla Lodge Campsite 470km.

Uneventful day other than witnessing an horrendous accident which I can imagine are frequent on Zambian roads.

This was once again just a stop over on our way to Kafue National Park.

Fringilla is a working farm and has a restaurant, bar and butchery. The campsites are nicely grassed with large trees. The ablutions are good.

Wednesday 10th November

Travel to Kafue National Park via Mumbwa. 310km.

We set off early and in Mumbwa we refuelled. Fortunately I had plenty Kwacha on me as I had an empty tank and wanted to fill 100l of reserve fuel. Total of about Kwacha 2700.

While in town the boys headed out to find beer. Fortunately it seemed to be readily available as we were to be in the bush for a few days and Stefan without beer is not a Stefan you want to travel with. Turned out the boys bought a crate of pints.

Just before crossing the Kafue River which is the boundary of the park we popped in to Roy’s Camp. Right on the river. Looks nice. We had lunch here.

Our itinerary was to go straight to Kasabushi Camp but I wanted to see the Busanga Flood Plains.
So at the entrance gate we asked the official if it was possible to go up to the plains. She suggested we overnight at Moshi Camp which T4A indicated was closed. She was king enough to contact them and arrange our stay. What a lovely little camp right up near the Busanga Plains. The interesting thing about this camp is that they only operate in the dry season as in the wet season the camp is under water, They load everything into containers on higher ground and close up for a few months. In the wet season the area is only accessible by boat.

The camp sites are really nice with everything provided. Water taps, braai, ablutions excellent.

The following morning we headed of for the plains which proved to be a really worthwhile experience. Vast, never ending plains that stretch as far as the eye can see interspersed with various plains game and the usual predators. Definitely worth a visit at the right time of year.

After spending the morning on the plains we headed for Kasabushi Lodge. A definite must stay. The best ablutions ever seen in the bush. The camp sites are under huge trees on the river bank. Extremely pleasant. The lodge also has two well appointed rooms and a lovely lodge over looking the river.

Our hosts Libby and Andy where exceptionally friendly and shared their vast knowledge of the park. Do not miss a boat trip with Andy. He has an amazing knowledge of the river and the boat trip is a must do. On our trip we saw an African Finfoot and two Rock Pratincoles.

The area is concentrated around the river. There are a few game drive roads but we had seen very few animals on our way south to Kasabushi so elected not to do game drives.

We stayed at Kasabushi for two nights.

Thereafter we headed for Hippo Bay Camp on the banks of the Itezhi Tezhi Dam in the south of the park. On arrival we were not overly impressed but settled in for a lunch overlooking the dam. We decided to find better accommodation.

We ended up at Musungwa Safari Lodge which is a throw back to the 1960’s. Well maintained and with a lot of work being done but a very pleasant place to stay. Emphasis is not on campers but they gave us a site which was fine. There is a nice pool and bar area and the meals can be recommended. From the pool area there is a great view over the dam and the little port where the fishing boats moor. At night the dam is alive with the lights of the little fishing boats as they set after the kapenta.

Saturday 13th November

Travelled to Livingstone. 370km.

The time had come to travel south in the direction of home.

En route we passed through the town of Kalomo. Turns out this is a rather tatty little place. It would seem that the locals had thrown debris like screws etc into the road because as I passed through I got a puncture in the back right tyre. We stopped to change the tyre. While stopped we noticed a screw in the back right tyre. This tyre was not losing pressure so we just left the screw in the tyre. After pulling off I noticed a slow puncture in the front right tyre. This tyre seemed to stabilise at about 2 bars so I just continued. Johan had a slow puncture as well.

First stop was Livingstone for a COVID test at the private clinic. All very civilised and results were emailed to us within four hours.

The eternal search for beer was finally over as well. I’m not sure what the boys did with the crate of empty beers but I’m sure they got their deposit back somewhere!

We decided to stay outside of Livingstone, about 20km towards the Kazungula border. Here there is a great camp called Camp Nkwazi. This camp is an absolute must. Well grassed camp sites, great ablutions, pool, lodge and bar area. The owners are extremely welcoming and helpful and assisted with the printing of COVID certificates. A definite do not miss lodge.

I used the stop over to do some tyre maintenance by plugging a few holes.

Sunday 14th November

Travelled to Nata Lodge. One border crossing and 370km.

The border crossing at Kazungula into Botswana is pretty painless. The Zambians hit us for a last fee. Council tax of Kwacha50. Again COVID protocols are just a formality but very simple. Remember to hand back your Temporary Import Permit to the Zambian Authorities. Then off to the Botswana authorities to pay the bridge fee. P200, card or cash.

After clearing the border we headed into Kasane for a look see. Nothing much has changed here. Notable is the lack of tourists. We also did our fist refuel for 997km.

Our stay over at Nata Lodge was decidedly disappointing. The place looks really neglected and not maintained at all. It’s my first time staying here and I’d heard how great it is but I was very disappointed. Ablutions were filthy.

Monday 15th November

Travelled to Swartwater. One border crossing. 500km.

SA was now in reach and border crossing was pretty simple.

Stefan decided to head home as he only had 2 hours travel left. He reclaimed his vehicle which we had left at the lodge and we said our goodbyes.

Our stay over at Motswiri Lodge was once again very pleasant other than the meal we attempted to cook!

We had these weird cuts of pork which were called ribs. Well maybe but this was the worst pork I had ever had in my life. We were hoping for a great last meal on the road together but it was terrible. I can usually turn some average meat into something quite acceptable but this pig was beyond help. Tough and tasteless. Disappointing.

Tuesday 16th November

Travel home. 400km.

Johan and I said our goodbyes at the lodge before departing for home. My trip was uneventful.

All in all a most enjoyable trip which I would highly recommend. Zambia is an extremely hospitable place to visit. The people are very friendly and are always willing to help. Infrastructure is good with good cell and data coverage, roads are “good but not very good”. This is the standard reply if you ask about road conditions. Fuel is readily available with most places accepting credit or debit cards. It is advisable to have some local currency when filling just in case cards are not accepted. Food and supplies are readily available throughout the country.

I would love to return to Zambia to experience South Luangwa in the rainy season or when the bush etc. is all green and the animals are electric and alive. It must be a spectacular sight.

Vehicle and Trailer and Equipment

The Patrol performed as expected. It is an extremely capable overlander without missing a beat. The car has Yokohama Geolanders on it which were on when I bought the vehicle in May. Before departure I agonised over whether to change them or not. They were by no means new but I just could not decide which tyres to put on and availability was limited. So I took the risk of travelling with them. Turned out that it was not a bad decision as they lasted and got me home, just. The punctures picked up a few days from home did not help but they made it.

The Metalian trailer just continues to impress. It goes anywhere with no fuss and is easy to tow. The water pump was not working at one stage but that turned out to be a blown fuse. Simple fix.

The Blue Nova batteries that I fitted did not skip a beat and provided hassle free power to the freezer and fridge. These lithium batteries charge so fast, and have so much usable capacity that I ended up not even checking their state of charge after a few days. They are definitely worth the price. The only concern is of course longevity which is yet to be tested. If pricing is a concern, bear in mind that you can save significant money by opting for a 82ah battery which gives you ample capacity.

The Bundutop RTT is such a pleasure. Easy to set up and the ultimate in comfort.

[AndreasR]

Pictures to follow.

[Mike Nel]

Ice and Beer. The single most important items in any over landing story.

And I am glad you found the spoon. We were just about to send around the Forum begging bowl to fund the purchase of a new spoon

Fantastic story

Thanks for sharing

[CornellMans]

Wow, this trip sounds epic! Johan does not sound like somebody you want to take on a trip like this on a regular basis. Looking forward to the pictures. Would love to do a trip like this some day. Thank you for sharing your experiences!

[AndreasR]

Cornell, Johan is a super fantastic guy for these trips and a very experienced and professional guide much admired in the industry. Please bear in mind that there may have been a little tongue in cheek attempt at humour. The spoon in question actually belongs to a particular set that all fit together very neatly and he has had the set for many years.

[KurtG]

Cornell - Guaranteed, without a doubt, that Andreas was the grumpiest oke on the trip, I’m 100% sure of this!

[AndreasR]

A few pics.

[AndreasR]

No one was grumpy. Three guys on a three week overlanding trip. How could anyone be grumpy.

[Mike Nel]

No one was grumpy. Three guys on a three week overlanding trip. How could anyone be grumpy.

Take Manny with?

[KurtG]

No one was grumpy. Three guys on a three week overlanding trip. How could anyone be grumpy.

Lose a spoon?

[Mad Manny]

Jeez that was along read!
But so worth it.
Awesome Trip report.

Thanks Andreas....

[Mad Manny]

Just to Clarify:
The Blue Nova Batteries Andreas took are LiFePo4 batteries - I had long been saying to Andreas that, cost aside, I would love to replace the battery in Gearless with two LiFePo4 104Ah batteries.
Unlike Andreas, I'd have to buy a charger - Andreas has a DC-DC charger that can do LiFePo4, including a Solar Controller, so he is sorted, having the means to charge a LiFePo4 means he has a R6k saving oversome schmuck like me who must also buy a charger...
He managed to get three 82Ah batteries at a great price - so for him, it was a no brainer.

Also, Andreas has now replaced the Yokohamas with Cooper STT Maxx tyres that he got at nearly the same price I paid 5 years ago. Same size as I have on Fearless. So his days of getting punctures are over.

[KurtG]

Manny.

Didn’t your Coopers have delamination issues early on, or something like that? I recall your saga with getting the manufacturer to refund you for them and in the end you were sorted.

Also, aren’t your tyres over 5 years old now?

[Mad Manny]

Kurt, correct, 2 of the 5 had a fine cut line on the outside.
Coopers via Tyre Mart replaced those two.

The original 3 are now on just over 88 000km and should easily make it to 100 000km.
The later two are on about 62 000km now.

The tyres are now over 8 years old, so they are getting old, but 99% of the time they have been in a lock up garage, safe from heat, cold, sun etc.

Remember you don't count the 2 years of Lock Down as those were 'lost' years...

[Paul#25]

Nice report Andreas.
Maybe someday.........