A short drive up through eastern Africa

 

Mitch, Mimi, Bhamini and Dom - fresh, clean and
 not really sure what to expect on the clean streets of Durban.

 



Botswana: home of possibly the longest, straightest
 road in the world. This is also the location of our
 first, and hopefully last, road kill - a poor bird sandwiched
 between Mitch and Mimi.



This blog, thus far, has generally revolved around my life at Holy Cross. For the most part, this is how I want to keep it. However, seeing as I am currently a few thousand miles from the hospital, sipping a gin and tonic whilst sitting on a veranda looking over Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, it is rather hard to write about work. As it happens, yes, the sun is setting and the piece of decking I have my bottom perched on happens to look straight to the west. So, for the rest of July and August, one can expect to hear a few scatty tales of what myself, my friend Bhamini and Mitch have been up to. My intention is not to show off, although I expect some of you may be rather envious of my current situation, as I would be, but to record a few events. The blog is as much for my own future records and nostalgia as it is to share with friends and family.  Secondly, it may also be a nice advertisement to any budding doctors (medicine is your passport to travel) or to anyone at a loose end and wanting a few ideas of what to do next. How about drive halfway up Africa and back?

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Do not get between an mother and her child.



Since we departed from Durban on the last weekend of June, we have covered the distance of four rather large countries – South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania. Thus far, Mitch has delivered us safely from one destination to the next. However, we have all become very dusty as the roads progressively get a little drier and bumpier. In fact, calling some of these tracks “roads” would be something of a debate. A few of these bridal tracks are mini deserts and others are miniature versions or the Rocky Mountains. If it wasn’t for the trusty satellite navigation system (we would be truly lost without it) that I updated with the entirety of the African continent – just in case – I think there would have been a lot of stopping and asking of fellow earth people if this track of theirs actually does lead to that national park that no one goes to because it is a little out of the way, but apparently is a hidden gem, except for the tsetse flies.  



Simba.



 As it happens, that national park – Katavi – in western Tanzania is the hidden gem the guide book says it is. Unfortunately, the guide book is also correct about the tsetse flies and the terrible roads. Mitch turned into a tsetse grave yard as they were flattened by the park map/hand/water bottle/finger or whatever blunt instrument was available whilst we scouted for game at the same time. If you have never been bitten by a tsetse fly, it’s a bit like being gnawed by a horse fly. Mean little critters. However, the flies didn’t ruin our fun. This was the Africa safari experience that I had envisaged before coming here. We camped looking over a river with the largest pod of hippos that I have ever seen. That night we had a quick dinner and made a swift ascension into the safety of Mimi (Mimi is the name of the roof tent as well as Mitch’s weekend alter ego), just after sunset, and waited. The noise was tremendous – Hippos sound a bit like very loud barking pigs doing unmentionable things to each other. Within a few minutes the hungry hippos were roaming around our car and munching on the lush long grass to fill their bellies after a busy day of doing nothing in the mud. It really was extraordinary as we lay there, heads poking out of the tent and watching them eat under the bright glow of the galaxy above, occasionally interrupted by the massive torch I bought for such events.

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Buses like these driving at 100km per hour down a pot
 holed barren wasteland of road are a not
too uncommon sight in Tanzania.

 South Africa feels so different to every other country that I have been to elsewhere on this glorious continent. Yes, the roads may not be quite as good and there aren’t as many hospitals or politicians to play with budgets. However, doors are open. In general, there isn’t that fear that governs so much of South African society. In addition, literacy appears to be markedly better in the neighbouring republics. Notably, in Zambia, we passed a school every few miles (or at least it felt like that) and comprehension of the English language (the only vague marker I can use of literacy at a glance) is really rather good – something I cannot say for the community who live around Holy Cross. I understand that South Africa is a progressive society, but things feel much simpler and easier outside of it. I expect my glasses are exceptionally rosy as I haven’t had to deal with the oppression of military regimes, humanitarian infringements, and inequality in woman’s rights, homophobia, bent politicians and so forth. However, all I can say is what I see and what I appear to see is happy people. From when I was 18 and travelling/working through Ghana, Togo and Benin to when I was 24 and doing my medical elective in Uganda, and up to now, driving back up to Uganda via several east African countries – people seem happier than they do in South Africa.

***

I mentioned that the roads are progressively getting worse as we come north. So far, we have been bombing it up the “main roads” so that we can get to Rwanda to see gorillas on July 18^th. But as I said – some are barely roads. However, I think this situation is a rapidly changing one. I remember reading and hearing news of the Chinese and their domination of Africa. It appears that in return for the richness that the soil has to offer, Chinese contractors are building roads, roads and more roads. They seem to have shipped over an entire work force of site managers and all of their own gear (trucks and diggers) to create endless highways of asphalt. We had our first experience of the lush smooth purr of tarmac last night after several hours of off road driving alongside the construction of these superhighways. I do wonder, however, if the roads will be maintained if the Chinese leave after they have had their fill of natural resources. Much like the British and other colonial powers did in former times – wash their hands of the mess that they had created. However, the Chinese haven’t colonised Africa so maybe things will be a little different.

***  



Some exceptionally keen amateur photographers
 in Chobe National Park, Botswana.

We are only 13 days into our trip, but have already covered a considerable distance. The reason we are going so fast, as I keep mentioning, is because we have two very expensive permits to see the endangered gorillas of central Africa.  Hence, we have had a lot of time sitting inside of Mitch and carving out some nice bottom shaped indentations in the seats. To date, we have listened to the audio book of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy; discovered that it can get very cold during the night in Botswana and that a 1 season sleeping bag does not suffice; made sure that the roof tent always has at least three blankets, as well as sleeping bags; seen how ugly the safari season can be in peak season at Chobe National Park in Botswana – think tens of open top game vehicles loaded with tourists (ourselves included) surrounding an unfortunate pride of lions; seeing how beautiful a safari can be from the  safety of Mitch  with not a human in sight, enveloped by a journey of giraffes, a dazzle of zebras, herds of buffalo, enjoying the odour of a pod of hippos and stumbling across a small pride of lions; rafted down the white waters of the Zambezi river at the base of Victoria Falls; got soaked by the spray of Victoria Falls; camped next to and swam in hot springs in Zambia; tracked chimpanzees in Gombe National Park – famed for Jane Goodall’s pioneering research into the primates.

However, possibly the best thing of all is that we have enjoyed freshly ground coffee every morning thanks to a very nifty little handheld grinder all the way from Japan. Actually, the coffee isn’t the best thing, but you may be able to tell that I am rather proud of this feat.

  

Chimpanze.





Up close and personal with some very shy elephants at Katavi National Park, Tanzania.

Camp for the night, in Katavi. About 30 metres behind me (I'm taking the photo) is a pod of around 100 hippos. 

A giraffe trying to eat whilst we take some snaps from the comfort of Mitch.