After a lovely breakfast prepared by Andreas, at Shankara, we left for Kongola. We didn’t have signal or funds on our data simcard yesterday, so we tried our best to find both today to upload last night’s blog post. We refuelled at Divundu and decided to have a drink at Popa Falls and connect. We didn’t come right at Popa Falls and headed further off track to Ngepi. My father said we must check out the bar on the river bank, but failed to mention he did the 4 km sand track in a Land Cruiser last time he was there…oops!
We had to punish the bikes to get there and Tania had to stand with the laptop to get signal, but in the end managed to connect. Knackered from the heat and battling the sand we headed back to Divundu to refuel again (just in case). We had just begun thinking we had wasted three hours when we ran into Charley Boorman (from Long Way Round and Long Way Down). He was standing alone at the pumps and I think a must have startled him as I yelled his name (sorry Charley!). He was very friendly and asked us about our trip. He was busy leading a group of bikers from Cape Town to Vic Falls and is now taking another group back to SA. We had a lovely chat and met his fellow riders from all over the world. Our day was made, thanks guys!
On our way to Kongola we saw our first elephant, what a day!
We were looking forward to a cold one and WiFi at Camp Kwando, but darkness fell and we’re stuck in our tent (there’s millions of mozzies next to the water) without power or electricity. At least we can hear the hippos a few meters away. I suppose we need to get used to having amazing highs and depressing lows… that’s Crossing Africa. We’ll make some effort with a longer post as soon as we find the facilities. Good night.
Mayday (x2)- soek jille op my kaart! Is julle in Kongola? Eerste voorsmakie van DONKER Afrika – enjoy!
Gee bietjie julle km’s – 2000 al geslaan? xxxx
Amazing and flippen cool!! Ek meen, Longway-Down-Charley én ‘n olifant op een dag – dan kan julle maar die mozzies vergewe! Tania, jy’s ‘n ster met die tegnologie, dankie vir jou moeite en deursettingsvermoe. Het Charley nie vir julle ‘n joppie op sy trips nie?! Kan nie wag vir elke dag se ‘post’:D Liefde, E (uit ‘n nat Boland)
What a day?!!!!! Ek kan nie glo julle het vir Charley ontmoet nie! Ek weet hy’s van die begin af een van julle groot rolmodelle en inspirasies vir al ons avonture – wat ‘n voorreg 🙂 Dis mos die manier om die toer af te skop!
En baie dankie vir die foto van die bike saam met die olifant – dit maak my mos nou mal-opgewonde!! Ek hoop julle kry nog sulke ondervindings voor Zambie…
Weereens dankie vir julle moeite met die blog posts. Ek besef 100% hoeveel moeite dit is en ons waardeer it moerse baie!
Tjirs en liefde
Villiers
Hi julle,
Sjoe maar julle wikkel met die lang pad, Google Earth sukkel om by te hou!
Julle maak mens rerig jaloers, die omgewing lyk pragtig en en dit moet fantasties wees om al die interessante mense en dinge langs die pad te ontmoet!
Dankie vir al julle foto’s en updates sover. Dis baie lekker dat ons so saam met julle die trip kan mee maak! Pas julleself op!
Mooi bly en sterkte daar!
Martin
Hi
Julle ek dink die vordering is eintlik baie goed daar tot dusver.
Ek hoop net dat julle nie in n bedonderde renoster vasry nie.
Good luck van n koel Sjina
Fanie
Hey Francois and Tania!
I can’t believe you met Charley – that is so awesome 🙂 What an awesome trip you’re having!I love reading about it and since our Botswana bike trip had similar adventures I can relate to it well.
We also did the Caprivi recently (in a car) and it was awesome! Popa Falls, Kwando, Mamili – there are so many lovely places there. I’m really looking forward to seeing what Africa is like as you go further north. Have fun and safe travels!
Shjoe, dis great om bykans elke dag iets van julle te hoor. Afrika toe nie so donker nie 🙂
Ek kan ook net beaam wat baie sê, dankie vir die moeite met julle blog. Dis regtig lekker om te lees en op so manier as’t ware te deel in julle epic toer. Ek vat muskiete langs ‘n tent veel eerder as ‘n muis in ‘n kantoor.
Geniet dit vreeslik!
O, en Charlie Boorman?! Wow!! Hoe awesome is dit!
Wow! Wat n dag! Sterkte julle!