I prefer to travel as light as possible and keep the kitchen equipment/ utensils to the minimum.  Fancy cooking is something that I will attempt when I am at home with all the crockery and cutlery at hand.  After all, this is why we come to the bush – to get back to basics again and appreciate nature.  I can proudly say that I have had a braai in countries like Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast and Zambia!

When camping there are basically two ways to cook – either with a gas cooker or over the open fire.  We make a fire every night when camping so that is the obvious choice for us when we travel in Africa.  You will find wood or charcoal almost everywhere in Africa as it is an integral part of rural living on the continent.

There are various ways and methods to braai as this is second nature for us South African.  Read more on this topic in my post a  “Braai – a way of life”.

When we come to potjiekos which is made in a cast iron pot (three-legged or flat bottomed) over flames and not coals like when you are braaiing.  I prefer the flat-bottomed pot as my dish normally burns in the three-legged one.  I do not know what I am doing wrong!

When making potjie your choices of meat are endless – venison, beef, lamb, chicken, etcetera.  I even make a kick-ass lasagne potjie.  The best thing about a potjie is that you can add what you can find on the local markets.  In our case this mainly determines what type of potjie we are having that night.  (I will post on how to buy food on the local markets in a separate post).  However, I prefer to make a potjie when we are making camp for more than two days at a place, especially if you arrive late, there is not always enough time to make the potjie as it requires simmering over the fire.

A potjie is a good alternative to a braai as quality meat can at times be hard to find in Africa.  I am pretty sure that we had donkey tails once (sold as ox tail) in Choma, Zambia, but we survived that too!  When you are hungry and there are not a lot of options available, you just give it and go ….

My flat bottomed potjie also serves as an oven in which I bake bread.

Buy food that will last in the African heat.  Refrigerator space is always limited.  Butternuts (hard to find in Africa), gems and potatoes, onions and cabbage can take you a long way and sometimes it is the only vegetables that you will source for a couple of days.  So you need to be innovative with your recipes.  Aluminum foil comes in handy when doing vegetables over the fire.

I also take some dry rations such as pasta and couscous for emergencies – you never know what can happen in the African bush.  Rusks and coffee is also a quick breakfast fix when you have limited options in the bush.  Eggs are always problematic to pack and keep them whole, so I only buy it when I am pretty sure that it will be used the same day – boiled for lunch later or scrambled for breakfast.

Share your cooking experience in the commentary section of the post.  It may be useful to some newbie camper that is unfamiliar with local customs and conditions.

–oOo–

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If you like your own company and have some travel savvy then going solo is for you.  Going solo gives you freedom of choice and total independence to change your travel plans on the spur of the moment if something interests you on the wayside.

Things that you need to consider when planning your next solo African trip are the following.

You will need the ability to navigate.  There are not many countries left on mother earth that is unexplored, thus you will need a basic ability to navigate as there can be hundreds of tracks and footpaths not necessarily indicated on maps.  You must be able to understand and read maps whether it is a paper issue or a digital issue.  Sometimes you need to trust your instinct and basic sense of direction to find your way.

So you own a GPS, but do you know all the functions of your GPS, such as marking waypoints that you can return to later?  This can be of great value when bush camping as you need to mark a nice camping spot early in the afternoon but need to return to it later in the evening after dark when things have quietened down.

A reliable vehicle is not even questionable and some bush mechanics can take you a long, long way as everything is not always available in remote areas.  Even if you can phone somebody on your satellite phone it may take days or weeks for a specific part to arrive.

You will need a willingness to interact with the local people to ask directions or permission to camp or even buy some firewood.  If there is a village around do the decent thing and ask permission from the headman to camp there for the night.  They may even provide some security to you as a sign of respect.

Can you adapt and react to changing situations such as hazardous roads,  political climate, etc or are you set in your ways and love your comfort zone?  If you love your comfort zone you need to reconsider the urge of going solo.

The bottom line, and I think the most important aspect, that you must ask yourself is if you are prepared to rough it at times and skip a shower (or maybe two) to experience the joy that wild camping can offer?

Wanderlust: === the desire and irresistible urge to travel

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Stepping off the aeroplane at Khartoum International Airport the desert heat bounces from the tarmac and hits you in the face no matter what time of day or night you arrive.  Immediately I realized that Africa is throwing a totally new experience at me.  Driving from the airport back “home” introduced an unknown world to me – tuck-tucks and taxis negotiating melting tar surfaces, interesting vehicles  and cool water stored in clay pitchers in front of private houses for anyone who passes by to consume.

I also noticed the interesting people of Sudan.  There are the tall, slim very black and beautiful race from South Sudan, the paler smaller, and equally beautiful people, from the Northern parts of Sudan, mixed in between are the people from Ethiopian and Egyptian decent and also dots of Caucasians from every country imaginable in the world, working for UNAMIS in Sudan, mixing with the stray dogs of the streets.

With memories collected from souks, malls, ancient sites, Biblical rivers, unexpected sights and  experiences in and around Khartoum the Sudanese people will always have a soft spot in my heart because they have an interesting story to tell.

To read about my visit to the pyramids in northern Sudan go to the SUDAN post – enjoy!

—oOo—

RECOMMENDED:  The story of Aher Arop Bol as contained in the book “The lost boy” is  a fascinating read of a boy’s journey to escape from the conflict in Sudan.

—oOo—

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At Kalizo on the banks of the mighty Zambezi river

Now there are no ”official” rules for having a braai.  The people of the Rainbow Nation each has his/her own preference on the when, how and what to braai.  Some of us like to have a basic fire place where you can sit as close as possible to the fire when it is cold – and do not mind smelling like smoke – and some of us like to do a classy braai in a build-in fireplace inside the house or on the stoep.  For most of my fellow citizens a braai is not about grilling the meat on a gas barbeque.

Lighting the fire in the Klein Karoo

First of all, the choice of firewood has to be sorted.  If you come from the Winelands you will probably prefer old grape vines, but if you are from the maize producing areas you may prefer to build your fire from maize cobs.  A popular wood, which is also freely available, is the alien Black Wattle and Rooikrantz or the option of charcoal.  It is all about taking time to sit around the fire and chat while you wait for the coals to get ready.  As a guest, it is very important to remember that the host is the one who starts the fire and will decide when it is ready for the meat to go on the fire!

Preparing a meal in Northern Kenya

The host will stipulate beforehand whether it is a “bring and braai” or not, but this is not always the case.  You will be notified if you will have to bring your own meat and/or salad, etc.  Remember that you are only allowed to braai your own meat if you are told so.   So, listen carefully!!

What do we like to braai?  Our creative nation loves our meat – anything from red meat, chicken, sausages, sosaties, fish or a braai pie.  We are always ready to try our hand at something new!  And with your choice of meat you will be served braai broodjies or garlic bread or pap en sous and a salad ….. or just meat!

Making a breakfast plan in Mozambique

A braai in South Africa is a social event, most public places have braais available.  In a campsite, you will have braai stands, but mostly each campsite will have an individual braai place.  Apart from braai we love to travel and if you do self catering accommodation the chances are excellent that you will have access to a braai space. And when on holiday, South Africans will braai.

Even in the Sudan we managed to find some wood in the desert

We even made a plan on Christmas eve in Sudan where wood is really a problem to find.  As you can see from the pictures you make do with what you have, as long as we can braai and enjoy some good company.

Do we only braai on National Braai Day?  No!  The Rainbow Nation will always look for an excuse to enjoy their favourite pastime any day of the week and regardless of the weather conditions.  The braai rules are actually very simple:  make your choice of meat and wood and braai regardless the weather!

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• Which border post? In all our years of travel we found that it is much easier to enter/exit at smaller border posts.  At the bigger border posts, the officials are sometimes tired and irritated and will take their time to work through the processes.  Our experience is at the smaller posts they are friendlier and welcome a chat while doing their work.
• When? Try to avoid peak times, if possible, like month end, late Friday afternoon or popular public holidays like Easter.  Everybody is in a hurry and the queues are longer, the tempers flare quicker and willingness is shorter.
• Be positive! No matter how frustrated you get, try to smile and be friendly.  They are only doing their job.  A positive attitude goes a long, long way.
• Take your own pen. Pens are rarely supplied at most border posts. If you have your own, you can get a jump in the queue while filling out the form.
• Keep it simple. A clear plastic folder works wonders to keep all the documents together.
• Step out of your vehicle. When you get swamped by all the touts, step out of your vehicle, pick one, and tell him that you will contract him if he makes sure all the other touts disappear, agree on a price beforehand to go with you to customs, immigration, third party, police clearance and sometimes the health department.  In some places, the third party office can be a container hidden behind other buildings and difficult to find.  Keep a watchful eye here on your tout!
• Keep your eyes on your stuff. Even though the border officials may be above board, opportunistic thieves and pickpockets spot you long before you spot them. Make sure your vehicle is locked.  We have a standard habit of one of us stay at the vehicle while the other do the paperwork and then rotate if necessary.  Rather be safe than spoiling your trip from the word go.
• Money matters. Know the current Rand // USD exchange rate before you arrive at the border. There are APPS available for this purpose or phone a friend if needs be.   If possible, use local currency and give exact  It is easy to “not have change” available and is sometimes a standard answer (and can be very profitable)
• Never flash the amount of money you have on you – be discreet.    If you need to change money at the border, count it slowly and make sure you received the right amount.  There are “experts” out there with very swift hands.   We rather exchange Rand // USD before we leave home to avoid the risk of using money changers.
• Some borders do take bank cards, but on the other hand this is a great way to get your bank card cloned. Officials are not always willing to offer a card machine due to the “not have change” rule.  As in many situations – use your discretion!
• Check the stamp. Before you leave the counter make sure that the date stamps are correct.  You won’t be able to change anything easily once you leave.
• Obey the rules of the road. The areas around border crossings are particularly happy hunting grounds for traffic police.   Remember to stop at stop signs and stop behind the line even though they eagerly wave at you to come forward.
• Remember that as soon as you cross into another country you are on roaming charges for your cell phone.  If you plan to phone a lot rather buy a local SIM card – it is a lot cheaper.

Do you have any questions?  We will gladly give advice if you ask the question.

—oOo—

This is Part III in the series of articles.  Remember to read Parts I and II as well.

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Where are we going – love the planning stage!

You see this is where the practical me jumps in again.  I like it because:

There is nothing more rewarding when you are planning a trip than to spread out the map on the table and say that is where I want to go.

Yes, yes, I know the GPS shows me where I want to go, but sometimes we get so blinded by tunnel vision  focussing on what the GPS tells us what to do that we do not actually know where we are in the bigger picture.

Driving in town that is fine, you can just replace/recharge the batteries or plug into your car’s power source, but what happens if you are in deepest darkest Africa with no shops around to get the right size of batteries and/or no auto electrician to find the electrical failure and fix the problem while out there?

Seeing the bigger picture – nice!

Theft is a real issue these days in our day to day existence.  You are in Africa and jump out in a small village to buy that cold Coke to quench your thirst, but forget to press that button on the remote ….. Gone is your GPS!

You can even scribble a quick note or telephone number to someone on a piece of your map if needs be!

Ever spared a thought what you will do if you loose that vital satellite signal?  It is unbelievable what a piece of paper in your hand can do towards reassuring you on a remote adventure trip.   In our travels we have learned a few times that the GPS is not always right.

And then there is the me thing.   I do not always want to follow a tinned voice telling me what to do, because

I am me:

I am an individual …

I want to explore more …

I do not always want to follow …

I want to test my own navigational skills …

And what else tells a better story than a well travelled map with pigs ears, creases and plotted routes?

Our well travelled pig eared, coffee stained map from our Sudan trip – such good memories!

Hopefully I have planted a map “seed” while you were reading this.  So go out and buy that map, learn to orientate and read the map – sooner or later you will need that map!  And do not fret, we take our trusted Zumo on all our trips into the unknown.

…. and if you need some assistance in the planning department – I will gladly help!  Just email me.

“This heart of mine was made to travel the world.” – Unknown

IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING ROUTES DROP ME AN E-MAIL

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Then I started to Google all the lesser known but interesting facts about Sudan. As the temperature rises to 50 degrees Celsius in summer time the first thing that strikes you as you get off the plane in Khartoum is the oppressive heat whether it is early morning or late at night and then the different culture and way of living due to the extreme temperature where the tarmac melts during midday.   However the Sudanese people are very friendly and always willing to share what they have at their disposal even if it is just cup of sweet tea or a glass of water.  Everywhere you will find clay pots on the street where people can have a drink of water for free.

The traffic congested city of Khartoum is quite a dusty place especially when a haboob (a desert wind full of dust that just seeps in everywhere) strikes.    It is quite an eerie feeling when this phenomenon strikes as it gets totally dark and dusty within minutes.

Experiencing a haboob in Khartoum

However a big plus is that fuel is laughably cheap due to big oil deposits especially in the present South Sudan.   During 2008 when I visited it was about R2.80 per liter in comparison to South Africa where it was about R9 per liter at the time.  This is a big contributor to the traffic problem that the city faces.  As there are no curbs on the pavements hurried drivers will use the pavement as part of the road and often the traffic ends up in five lanes when there is only space for three on the tarmac.  So be wide awake when you walk on the “pavement”, because you are not totally safe there.  Mix into the traffic a right-handed vehicle in this left-hand drive country and things amounts to quite a challenge!

Pyramids at Meroe

A little known fact is that Sudan also have Nubian pyramids at Meroe, approximately 100 km north of Khartoum, albeit smaller than the famous ones in Egypt.  These pyramids were built about 800 years after Egyptian pyramid building stopped.  Some crazy Italian  thought there were valuable treasures hidden inside the pyramids and decided to bomb them to retrieve the valuable stuff.  This explains why some of the pyramids are beheaded.  There was some restoration done to the pyramids but actually a very bad job was made of the restoration project!

Be prepared for a VERY hot day in the desert when you visit Meroe and the Nubian temples as there is no shade to escape the relentless sun.  Bring enough sunblock, water, some snacks and sturdy walking shoes as the hot sand gets inside your sandals while walking around and can be very uncomfortable.   Remember also that your knees and arms should be covered when visiting these sites out of respect for the Muslim people.  This is a country where the temperature easily rises to 50 º Celsius during the day – so be prepared!

The temples

Personally to stand beside the Biblical Nile river in Khartoum, the longest river in Africa, struck me with awe.  As a child we always read about the Nile in the Bible and here I was seeing and standing next to  it at the confluence of the Blue and the White Nile, the life source for many Sudanese people.  What a privilege!  After viewing the confluence of the two Niles find Ozone Cafe in Khartoum 2  (which is located on a roundabout) and treat yourself to some pastries and a cold drink.  This is a popular hangout for ex-pats as well locals.

After some refreshments take the effort and  find your way to the Blue Nile Sailing Club.  The first thing you will notice upon entering is a gray colored boat onshore about 50m from the riverbanks. The El Malik was formerly one of Kitchener’s (yes, the famous Lord Kitchener) gunboats that has seen many battles such as the Battle of Omdurman. After retiring from government service, she was handed over to the Blue Nile Sailing Club and they used it as headquarters.  By the the late 1980s, the El Malik faced another battle – corrosion – and the gunboat faced the possibility of sinking.  Ironically, a massive flood in 1987 washed ashore the gunship and it still sits there until the present day.  The sailing club also offers a couple of campsites next to the El Malik if you want to pitch your tent.

Although Khartoum is a flourishing capital city there is also a lot of half built buildings all over the city. The building regulations stipulates that you start paying taxes once the building is complete.  To avoid this the residents never complete the building and just live in the bottom part of it to avoid paying the taxes and because of lack of rain and hot weather this is possible all year round!

The streets of Khartoum

As this was the end of our overland trip we took a final trip with our vehicle to Port Sudan on the Red Sea to ship our pickup back to South Africa, after all the necessary paperwork was done in Khartoum.

Scenes from the road to Port Sudan

To see the Red Sea was also a special occasion as you read in the Bible and learn at school of the importance of it.  Never had I thought that I will one day see it myself!

Scenes from the esplanade in Port Sudan

After spending the weekend in Port Sudan, which is not as hot as Khartoum, we flew back to Khartoum with Nova Air.    Sudan certainly opens your eyes so that we  once again can appreciate what we have back here in good old South Africa!    Ordinary food stuff like strawberries, fresh milk and cream and yogurt is not easy to find in this part of the world.

I must confess Sudan was never on my travel bucket list, but nonetheless am I  grateful for the experience of a lifetime.  A smiley added and a tick to my travel bucket.  

INTERESTING BOOKS:  

A good read on the history of Sudan and the role of Gordon in Khartoum is a book called The White Nile by Alan Moorehead.  Emma’s War by Debora Scroggins also gives an insight into the Sudan.

“Travel expands the mind and fills the gap.”
Sheda Savage

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