Adventures in Africa

Well, Heeellllloooooooooo!!!
Jeepers Creepers, what have I been up to since I last spoke? Errr,
I dont know. Well, basically I have done ALOT of driving in the
back of a truck, well alot of sitting in th back of a truck (it?s
a truck not a bus-(private joke)). I left Nairobi after a couple
of days there, on my overland tour. Me and 22 others bundled into
the back of a large truck, decked out like a coach, and set off
in search of adventure! Our first day, we drove into Amboseli Nation
park and saw 4 Lions, Giraffe and Buffalo, and stayed the night
in the park (our camp was raided by Hyenas) Not a bad start!!

We stayed in canvas dome tents that we would put up and take down
and sling onto the truck each morning. The only problem was, they
weren't entirely waterproof! (is any tent?) AND we just happened
to be travelling during the rainy season! - HOWEVER, we were increadably
lucky and only got rained on about 4 times! The tour before us had
2 weeks of non stop rain! Ooop. The truck leaked too, which wasn't
too good. the truck was also our Kitchen. It had a big metal table
that slid out from underneath, and a couple of coalburning stoves.
Thats where we cooked nearly all our meals, very tasty they were too!

We drove south, visiting the Ngorongoro Crater Nat. Park. Saw loads
more animals, saw another lion, that decide to take a wander past
our truck.I stuck my head out of the window for a better look, but
when I realised my head was 1 foot away from its bum, I thought
maybe it wasnt such a good idea! Saw a cheetah leap a 5 meter creek,
baby Hyenas, Elephants and zebra.

Spent a couple of days on Zanzibar, the Spice Island, very nice,
then drove south to Malawi. Lake Malawi is huge. Spent a few days
chilling out on the beach there. Also visited a local village.
Then down to Zambia, and a 3 day canoe down the Zambezi. AMAZING,
it is full of Hippos. I thought we would be lucky to see one or
two, but there were loads. We had to paddle very tentatively around
them. Saw a couple of Crocs too, but the most impressive was paddling
round a corner to stumble(?) upon a herd of about 20 Elephants splashing
about in the river! We just sat in awe and floated past them. Outstanding.
Scary news reached us on the second morning. A child had been taken
by a lion in the village that we were paddling past, somehow I didn't
think that that would still happen!?

Drove down to Victoria Falls. Had a look at the Falls, low water
season, but still very impressive, and very pictuesque. Went white
water rafting for a morning (got flipped) and in the afternoon went
on the Zambezi Gorge Swing. A huge.....swing! Although, thats what
it looked like, a more appropriate name would have been the Zambezi
Gorge Drop. Stepping off a little wooden platform, harnessed up
to the nines, you drop....and drop!....and still dropping!!!...and
oooof, then the swing!! Highly Entertaining! they had a cool Death
Slide/Zip line/Flying fox that went straight across the gorge too.
take a running jump, and fly, Superman style!

We were a day behind schedule so we had to drive the entire length
of Botswana in a day. Long! It is increadible how much distance
we have covered. Arrived in South Africa, and headed to Kruger National
PArk. Bit of a disappointment as far as animals go, but saw the
most increadable lightning storm I've ever seen!

Continued down to Johannesburg, where the tour ended. Four weeks,
gone so quickly, but seemed to take forever! Its always the way!Left
Jo'burg the following day and flew to Cape Town. Groovy city! Climbed
Table Mountain 2 days ago and visited Robben Island, the prison
where Nelson Mandela was held, yesterday.
Can not even remotely comprehend that it is Christmas in a few
days! Its hot, sunny, long days and I'm wearing shorts! ( all the
Aussies and NZers are goig ' Yeah...and?") Aaaaahhh perpetual summer - its tough, I tell you!
Any way, I hope Everyone has a Fabulous Christmas ( I hope you all
have a drink for me sitting on my little plane!I fly to perth on
25th!) HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIMLI! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREY TANT!!!
And have a sooooper doooper 2003, if I see you or not!!!

Joke of the Tour (ATW will like this) :- Whats the difference
between a Buffallo and a Bison???