We are home! After a last emotional Ball farewell in Joburg - they are off to Oz on tues - we had a pleasant mango flavoured flight back to cape town where pete picked us up. We got home to find that some fairies had broken in to the flat, turned the geyser on and left chocolate in the kitchen. Naughty, naughty!

Am sipping Amarula with Matt in our little airconditioned room at Jambo Inn, Dar es Salaam. It feels wonderful to be clean and cool! We had a hot and sticky 10 and a half hour bus ride from Arusha today. We're grateful to God for safe travelling throughout our eight weeks of journeying on many different roads and varied means of transport! We fly back to Joburg tomorrow evening and on to Cape Town on Sunday morning - it feels good to be homeward bound!

We've just had a gift of an ending 2a beautiful day in the Serengeti - watched a sleeping leopard in his tree just 6 metres or so from our car - the sunset backdrop was orangey gold. We're gobsmacked! Feel incredibly blessed to have witnessed such a special sight.

We have just completed the second day of our "Africa of your dreams" safari. No long walks with tribespeople so far - they won't let us out of the 4x4! But we have seen so much - we even witnessed a cheetah's kill being stolen by a hyena! And amazing African vistas!

Matt and i said goodbye to our 4 travelling companions this morning. We're now making our own way up to Arusha for a 4 day safari in the Serengeti & Ngorogoro crater. We're both really looking forward to it. One week of African adventuring left!

We've had a wonderful day in our very own mansion by the sea:) It began wv a sunrise run & ended with roast duck!Wow!

We've had a wonderful day in our very own mansion by the sea:) It began wv a sunrise run & ended with roast duck!Wow!

We've had a wonderful day in our very own mansion by the sea:) It began wv a sunrise run & ended with roast duck!Wow!

We're staying in our own house in Jambiani, with a kitchen, en-suite showers, and a balcony overlooking a sandy, palm-lined garden that merges with the beach - at hightide the waves break against our fence! We can't believe our luck! Or is it a gift?

I feel as though i have found myself within the pages of a magazine-i am sitting on a white beach looking across a t

"Don’t think you are, know you are" GO believe in yourself !

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Stone Town

After an interesting, but generally God-arranged train trip (it was delayed just the right amount of time for us to arrive at 6 in the morning, the day after we were due - which meant that we didn't need to pay for a night's accommodation in Dar es Salaam), we took a ferry to Stone Town, Zanzibar. It is probably the most intriguing place we've been so far, with the wierdest history: it has been run by the Swahili, Omani, Portuguese and English, and has architecture to match.

We've eaten delicious seafood and Zanzibar "pizza" (nothing like a pizza, but tasty), got lost in the maize of streets, and visited museums and other interesting places. We've hired a little 4x4 for the next few days, so we are going to squeeze in and explore the island!

Six tired travellers are done for the day-spending the night in Karonga,heading across the Tanzanian border tomorrow.

We're sitting at the breakfast table at Lukwe camp, at the top of the Livingstonia escarpment: amazing views and delicious home-grown food. We went up to the town yesterday and read about the missionaries that founded the place and built the hospital. Great men!

Mzuzu

Nicky and I have found our way to an internet cafe in Mzuzu, so I have finally been able to upload a whole lot more photos, and a whole lot of back-dated blog entries - so have a quick look through the blog to see if there are new things ...

If you just want to look at the photos, here they are: Click here.

We are staying at interesting little guest lodge that is run by the local Presbyterian church and then we'll head for Chitemba - a town on the coast that gives easy access to Livingstonia. The others are meeting us there.

Malawi Photos 1

Malawi 1

We made another valiant attempt at an overnight kayaking adventure, but were put off by the wind again - but had a beautiful day on the lake. We're braaiing fish and then will be ready for bed! Nicky and I are heading inland to Mzuzu tomorrow. The rest the next day.

Today was the day of kayak adventuring on a windy,choppy lake Malawi-a mixture of fun & fear!We had planned 2go 4 two days,camping overnight on a beach somewhere,but we had 2abort our mission 6kms up the shore line cos the wind &waves were too much 4us..Oh well!

Yesterday we arrived in Nkhata Bay after 2nights on the Ilala ferry.Am sitting on the deck of the reed hut that matt&i r sharing.it is right on the beach of beautiful lake Malawi,looking out over crystal clear water.We're both feeling richly,wonderfully blessed.

The Ilala Ferry

Something Nicky painted on the boat:

We're heading in to nkhata bay on the ferry - it's been an excellent 2 days watching the islands drift by from the deck.

A Long Journey

But still there is butter

Nicky painted these aloes that were growing outside the Bvumba cottage:

We hope we r nearing Monkey Bay..been on the road nine & a half hours (in all this time we hav covered 200km!) The end of this journey will b sweet victory.Matt& i hav felt a lot like Shrek & donkey on their travels 2the land "far far away". Are we there yet?!!

New Economics

We've arrived safely in Malawi - 650km and a border - a new record! We celebrated by eating out at a great chinese restaurant - a really fun meal. We've got a short night in blantyre and then we head for monkey bay and the ilala ferry. A bit tiring but fun!

Back 2 the joys of public transport...We bought tickets 4the bus trip2 Tete last night from a drunk conductor-he was still drunk at 4.30 this morning as he tried to organise the seating!We've just left Chimoio & are hurtling thru the darkness in our rickety bus...

Zimbabwe Photos

Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe

We've been a bit out of touch lately, as we've have had a few days in Zim ... communication is hard! It's been an excellent time, though.

When we were discussing our route with Sally Ball, it seemed silly not to visit them, since we were passing through Chimoio - only 80kms from the Zim border. The three homeless Balls joined forces with Doug and Tempe van der Rhyt to organise a beautiful long weekend for us in the Bvumba.

We've had long walks, amazing food (even though there is nothing in th shops now - since Mugabe's "inflation busting devices" were put in to effect. Everyone has to be self sufficient to survive in this place, so we've been having everything home grown and home made! And Doug has taught us the basics of Bridge - so we'll have a good past time on the road.

We're heading back in to Mozambique today, and then on to Malawi.

Vilanculos and on to Zim

Mozambique Photos 2

Mozambique 2

Sitting aboard a wooden dhow, sailing into Vilanculos.we've had a day of snorkelling at Margaruque island-so beautiful.Looked at lots of fish in the water &then ate some 4lunch!Thank you God for most this amazing day:)

Tofo to Vilanculos

We have just finished a seafood buffet and are all feeling a little too full while we wait for Jess' birthday to arrive.

Dino's Beach Bar

After a 12km walk to barra and back, where we snorkelled and saw lots of fish, nicky and wees walked another 2km to the village to buy us food - and it was delicious. Now I'm tired out, so I'm hoping to be in bed within the hour! I love holidays.

Settling in2 our life in Tofo-walked 2the market 2get brunch,lay on the beach,swam in the sea,read our books,went 4a run &cooked a fish curry.(Team work bargaining was needed 2purchase the fish-jess added her Glamour magazine 2the money offered 2close the deal:)

Inhambane

Mozambique Photos 1

Here are some photos from the start of our trip. When I have a bit more time I'll add some more info - everyone is waiting for us to leave!

Mozambique 1

We had a very long bus ride to tofo but it is well worth it! A beautiful palm-lined beach, a fish market. So happy!

Tofo

Maputo

Had a fun evening at fatima's with an aborted attempt to watch jazz - went the wrong way! Got a Moz cell -+258827301153

We're being forced to watch 2 Leon Schuster movies in a row. I wish we weren't on a "luxury" bus.

Ready to go

We're all staying at the Porter's very welcoming home (without them). It is still standing, but Dan has invited all of his facebook "friends" to a party tonight. Unfortunately, Nicky and I are going to Tamara and Josias tonight for supper, so we won't be here for the fun and games. The Gessau's are here with their two boys - I hope they survive.

Anyway, we'll all be sleeping here tonight and then on the bus for Maputo at 8:15. We'll be staying at a backpackers called Fatima's.

A computer crashed, but the plane didn't

We're sitting on a plane with a cracked windscreen - 3 hours late - but apparently boeing is happy for us to "dispatch" like this. Hoping we won't be dispatched as well. Oh well.

In case you don't know us

I'm not sure why you would be reading this if you didn't, but just in case ... here is a photo (actually, it is just because photo's are more interesting than text):

Our Itinerary

This is a little map courtesy of Google, that shows our potential route. We're not sure how fast we can go, or whether we will do exactly what this says, but we'll see! Click on the image to go to an interactive map...

Where are the Hamptons?

The departure of the Hampton offspring et al on their African adventure is imminent. With tickets in hand, we eagerly await the long bus ride to Maputo. There will be long nights on thin mattresses in sweaty -8 degree sleeping bags, but fun times for all. We have had all our shots and are ready to take on a world where the bus companies don't have an online booking service. Will the technophile in me survive the journey back in time? We will see.