Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Diary of Another Amazing Roadtrip

Day 1: Pretoria – Francistown

“The problem with not having air con is that it prevents conversation.”


Day 2: Francistown – Kadoma

“The Lady is an economist? Aish... you’re gonna be in trouble!”
(Zimbabwean border official to Simon while processing our visa applications)


Day 3: Kadoma – Kariba

“At that point I had already been arrested for assault twelve times. They thought I was some kind of psychopath.”
(Manager of the Kariba Country Club about beating up his black staff)


Day 4: Canoe Safari, Day 1

“Thanks for making me do this, Jo!”
(Simon, glad about having been bullied into doing a canoe safari on the Zambezi)



Day 5: Canoe Safari, Day 2

“To the bank, to the bank!”
(Canoe guard Yebo while a hippo was approaching our canoes)



Day 6: Canoe Safari, Day 3

“Hippo at one, three and five o’clock…”
(Simon and I while paddling on the Zambezi)


Day 7: Canoe Safari, Day 4

“Right guys, we’ll reach our landing point in twenty minutes.”
(Canoe guard Elijah announcing the end of our safari prompting Simon and myself to stop paddling)



Day 8: Kariba – Chipata

“I’m about to do you a really big favour...”
(Zimbabwean border official after noting that some “required” car documents were missing)


Day 9: Chipata – Cape Maclear

“You better control your women!”
(Police official to Simon while negotiating a “fine”)


Day 10: Domwe Island

Jo: “Is anyone else staying on the island?”
Guard: “No, tonight it’s just you guys!”
(Island guard telling Simon and I that we had an island in Lake Malawi all to ourselves)



Day 11: Mumbo Island

“Oh… I can feel my hangover kick in…”
(Simon while kayaking / being kayaked across Lake Malawi)


Day 12: Cape Maclear

“Excuse me, would it be possible to have a different cup. This one really isn’t suitable for a man of my size.”
(Simon harassing a rather unfriendly waiter over breakfast on Mumbo Island)


Day 13: Cape Maclear – Huntingdon House

“It wouldn’t be the same without being stuck in a mud hole.”
(Simon after the Jeep almost got stuck in a mud hole)


Day 14: Huntingdon House

“I just wanna lie flat on my back…”
(Jo and Simon, stuffed after a tea tasting, high tea and a three course dinner)


Day 15: Huntingdon House – Tete

“No electricity, no visa.”
(Official at the border between Malawi and Mozambique)


Day 16: Tete – Vilankulos

Jo: “Have a look, this is where we are.”
Simon: “I can’t. I’m busy poking my tongue out at the children”
(Simon’s response to kids asking for money or food)


Day 17: Vilankulos

“That depends on your level of patience”
(Waitress to Simon on whether it was possible to have a baked potato with his meal)


Day 18: Benguera Island

“So the Moon goes round the Earth twice a day…”
(Matt trying to figure out how the tides work)



Day 19: Vilankulos – Maputo

Simon: “He really likes to make an entrance.”
Jo: “Especially when he’s full of himself!”
(Eagerly awaiting the rise of the Moon on the way to Maputo)


Day 20: Maputo - Pretoria

“I get to Brooklyn Mall again! I’m so happy!”
(Simon, ecstatic about having made it back into South Africa without a yellow fever certificate)


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