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!

The post BRAAI – A WAY OF LIFE! appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

• If your vehicle is still under a finance agreement, you will need to acquire a letter of permission from the applicable financial institution. Each institution has its own requirements and procedures to follow as to how to obtain it.  Allow enough time to obtain the required paperwork.  If you are planning to take a trailer or caravan remember to do the same, if financed.
• Make sure your ID number matches that used on your vehicle documents. If your registration papers show your RSA ID number, then take it with you.  Rather take too much proof than be in a predicament.
• Take a colour copy of your vehicle’s registration papers. This is very handy. It is a popular document and it is frequently asked to produce at roadblocks and/or border posts.  Important:  hold on to the original document and never let it leave your sight.  I always make some extra copies to hand out if required.
• Apart from the document itself I also write down the VIN number, etc in my diary and keep it apart from the official documents. You never know what can happen …
• If you’re covered by your SA insurance, then get a letter to prove it. Not all insurance policies provide cover when traveling in neighbouring countries.  If this is not the case you will have to buy insurance at the border post.
• When planning a Northern African trip and entering/exiting several countries consider buying a Carnet de passage en Douane. This allows you to import/export your vehicle without incurring extra fees.  Of course, a Carnet de passage en Douane attracts its own specific costs depending on which countries you plan to visit, but the cost and paper trouble is worth it in the end.
• Note that a carnet can only be obtained in your country of origin.   For example, if your vehicle carries a South African registration plate, you need to buy it in South Africa, etcetera.
• You will need to display a ZA sticker (or your country of origin) at the back of your vehicle. If you plan to visit Mozambique they have additional requirements regarding trailers.  You get different types of ZA stickers – magnetic and a sticker type.  We first tried the magnetic ones, but kept on losing and replacing them until we draw the inference that the African dust gets underneath and it does not want to stick anymore.  The traditional sticker ones still works the best for us.
• 
• Red and white reflective tape are required especially in Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Remember you can be fined in each country for not having the right stickers.  So this can become a costly exercise if you do not do your homework in advance.
• Also check the Zambia regulations as at some stage they required that you carry metal red triangles and not the standard plastic ones.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in your vehicle where you can quickly access it in case of an emergency. You do not want to loose your vehicle and spoil your whole holiday!
• A reflective jacket provides more visibility when changing a flat wheel after dark at the roadside.  This precaution saved hubby a couple of times in deepest darkest Africa.
• A handy site where you can check the specific requirements for each country is the Automobile Association’s web page at:  https://www.aa.co.za/services/travel-services/into-africa/cross-border-information.html

***Need some assistance in planning a route?  Feel free to contact me.***

The post CROSSING THE BORDER (PART II) – VEHICLE AND INSURANCE appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

My first view (2007)

My first glimpse of Kili was in 2007 when we were on an overland trip to Khartoum, Sudan. Arriving in Moshi well after dark and pitching our tent at Honey Badger camp, where we had some interesting experiences, I had no idea what was waiting for me in the morning when I wake up.  When unzipping the tent the totally unexpected view of Kilimanjaro took me totally by surprise!     Being born and bred in Africa I have always dreamt about seeing Kili.  All my life I had this picture of the mountain in my head and imagined what it would be like to see it for the first time, but never ever did I expect this.  And there it was with its ice cap clearly visible on a cloudless morning!

Clouds moving in

According to the local people we were fortunate enough to have our timing right as most of the times the top of Kili is covered with clouds.  I think it was sort of a pre-order just for me!

The 2014 view!

My next encounter with Kili was seven years later during a Precision Air flight to Zanzibar – this time seeing a totally different view. and definitely not how I remembered Kilimanjaro from my first sight!  Although I was feeling queasy during the flight, due to a bumpy ride caused by bad weather, I could still appreciated the view.  Sadly, this time the snow cap was visibly and alarmingly smaller than seven years ago.  You always hear about global warming on the news and think that we will not experience it in our lifetime, but this time round I have seen it with my own eyes.

Seeing the dramatic effect of global warming on Kilimanjaro is part of my determination to recycle and contribute to saving the planet for the next generations to come.  From now on I will do my  part towards recycling!

A man should ever be ready booted to take his journey  

— Michel de Montaigne

The post KILI MEMORIES appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

Gewoonlik is die besige Afrika lughawe ‘n miernes van mense wat kom en gaan en drentel en wag maar vanoggend is Jomo Kenyatta aan die stil kant en ek wonder of dit die gevolg van ebola is aangesien dit ‘n aansluitingspunt is vir vlugte vanuit Wes-Afrika.  Maar voort na Zanzibar.  Hier op Jomo Kenyatta moet jy amper alles uittrek om deur sekuriteit te kan gaan – skoene, geld, horlosie, belt, oorbelle, enigiets wat nie daardie masjien gaan laat piep nie – maar word ons tog gedurende die vlug beloon (al voel ek effe grys om die kiewe) met ‘n gesig van Kilimanjaro se skamele bedekte sneeu top.  ‘n Voorreg inderdaad.

Kilimanjaro with only a little bit of snow visible

Dit stort reën oor Zanzibar se lughawe terwyl almal stil raak in die vliegtuig en asem ophou dat ons nie na Dar Es Salaam hoef uit te wyk en wag vir beter weer nie.  Dan land ons tog na ‘n tweede probeerslag.  Welgedaan aan die bekwame kaptein van Precision Air!  Heel duidelik was dit nie sy eerste landing in sulke gure weer op die eiland se lughawe met die indrukwekkende naam van Abeid Amani Karume International Airport nie.   Getrou aan Afrika is die naam heelwat meer indrukwekkend as die lughawe self.

Rain, rain, rain on Zanzibar

Ons rit na die Oostekant van die eiland begin deur strate wat vol water is  en  kry ek sommer nuwe respek vir die Kaptein van Precision Air se vliegvermoëns.  Die gesig van turkoois blou tropiese water laat my gou vergeet van Pando, ons taxi bestuurder, se bestuurvermoë.  Gewoonlik is ek nie ‘n kandidaat vir karsiek nie, maar Pando het daarin geslaag om my grys en bleek om die kiewe te laat en was Makuti Beach Lodge se hekke net betyds in sig.

Nadat ek al die fyn skrif (soos wat my prokureur man my mooi geleer het) op www.bookings.com gelees het en vinnig huiswerk gedoen het op Tripadvisor  (dit is darem “werklike” mense wat daar kommentaar lewer) het ek die bespreking by Makuti Beach Lodge gemaak.  Nader aan die water kan ons nie bly nie!  Met die afhandeling van die papierwerk met aankoms kom ons agter dat ek en my prokureur wederhelfte dieselfde begrip het van wat daar staan op www.bookings.com se website, maar helaas nie die Spaanse eienares van Makuti nie.  Sy dring daarop aan dat die verblyf vooruit in USD betaal moet word – geen kredietkaart fasiliteite nie!  Wat ‘n verligting dat ek so in my haas by die huis klomp USD in my rugsak geprop het saam met my geelkoors kaart.  Daar gaan ons hele week se spending money!

The beaches at Bwejuue

Ons lees en lê vir die eerste twee dae met ‘n boek in die heerlike louwarm weer en ontspan.  Teen dag drie begin ons sommetjies maak om te sien of ons darem kan eet vir die res van die tyd wat ons hier is.  Die boeke balanseer nie.   So dan is dit Plan B.  Huur ‘n Vespa (30 USD per dag met net genoeg petrol om jou by die garage te kry) en ry die 46 km terug Stonetown toe om geld te gaan trek, want aan die Oostekant van die eiland is daar geen banke nie.  So gesê, so gedaan!

Net genoeg petrol om jou by die enigste garage aan die Oostekant van die eiland te bring

Omdat ons gesoute Afrika travellers is besef ons die Vespa rit gaan nie ‘n rit om die blok wees nie.  Net na ontbyt spring ons in die pad en voordat ons kan petrol ingooi moet ons die eerste polisiepunt trotseer.  Dankie tog vir die plaaslike bestuurderslisensie papiere wat ons in Stonetown (10 USD) laat kry het.  Die manne bestudeer die papiere sorgvuldig, maar is tevrede.

‘n Vespa is nie heeltemal so gemaklik soos ‘n BMW motorfiets nie en na die eerste 20 kilometer is dit tyd vir ‘n Marlboro en die Zumo om seker te maak dat ons darem nog op koers is.  Ons vorder goed.  My nek is nou al gewoond om in oor-die-skouer-posisie te wees om vir voertuie van agteraf dop te hou, want die Vespa se spieël is nie meer heeltemal so bruikbaar soos wat hy moet wees nie.

Die verkeer raak meer – taxi’s, trokke, scooters, fietse, voetgangers, honde,  kinders en die odd hoender of twee.  Stonetown se buitewyke is ‘n miernes van alles en almal wat beweeg en kom en gaan en koop en verkoop.  Maar diè twee Mzungus laat hulle nie afskrik nie want die Zumo vat ons mos mooi om die sirkel tot voor die Barclays ATM se  deur.  Tyd vir nog ‘n Marlboro – ons het dit gemaak sonder enige insident!  Maar soos dinge in Afrika maar werk is baie dinge op ‘n kaart/GPS aangedui, maar nie altyd beskikbaar nie.   Die sekuriteitswag kom aangeslenter en deel ons mee dat die ATM masjien nie werk nie.  Vriendelik verduidelik hy dat die NBC ATM net langsaan neem slegs die betrokke bank se kaarte.  Die moed sak so effe.  So wat nou?

We made it to the ATM in Stonetown

Ons word verduidelik na ‘n ATM aan die anderkant van die verkeersirkel en besluit om die Vespa met sukkelende ratte net daar te los en eerder voet te slaan, met my geskeurde hak ligament, deur die verkeer na die ander opsie doer aan die oorkant.  Dalk is ons gelukkig.  Die ATM toon aan dat hy Visa, Master en Maestro kaarte aanvaar – nie sleg nie!  Iemand is reeds besig om geld te trek.  Ons hou angstig dop of die masjien werk.  Ja, wraggies ons is gelukkig …  of nie.

Die Tripple T faktor (ons spreekwoord wanneer dinge effe skeep loop) skop in en die teller gaan van lyn af of so iets …  Ons sê ‘n gebedjie op daar in die besige strate van Stonetown tussen al die verkopers en wag, want ons senuwees en beursie sal nie nog ‘n trippie vanaf Bwejuu na Stonetown maak nie.  Probeer weer.  Jippieeeee!  Om my voetbesering te spaar word ek staan gemaak op ‘n veilige plek (debateerbaar) en wederhelfte gaan  terug om die Vespa met sukkelende ratte te gaan haal en om die sirkel te werk met hom.  Die mense van Zanzibar is vriendelik.  Almal groet.  Ek voel nooit bedreig deur die plaaslike inwoners en asof ek die heeltyd oor my skouer wil loer soos in ons eie land nie.

Die terugrit begin en ek neem my oor-die-skouer-loer-posisie in, maar kry darem ‘n breek toe ons by die Jozani Forest stop om na die Colobus monkeys te gaan soek.  Hulle is so mense gewoond en rustig dat ons lekker baie foto’s kon neem en doen toe sommer ook die cache daar. Nog ‘n smilie!

Colobus monkeys in Jozani Forest

So kom ons as gevolg van Geocaching by Captain Cook’s Equinox restaurant, wat by sy huis  in die village van Jambiani is, uit waar ons laat  middag heerlike klapper White Snapper en rys eet.  En so gaan die week verby deur in die dag in die hangmat te hang en boeke te lees en die aande plaaslike plekkies al langs die strand te gaan soek vir aandete.  Eiland lewe op sy beste!

Captain Cook’s

Dit is die laaste naweek van die vakansie en ons pak op om Stonetown, ‘n UNESCO verklaarde gebied, te gaan verken.  Ons het blyplek gekry in die Zanzibar Hotel wat volgens hulle webtuiste die eerste hotel op die eiland was.  Dit is lekker gerieflik in ‘n stil stegie geleë binne stapafstand van die strand en al die interessante gangetjies en winkeltjies wat dwarsoor Stonetown weggesteek is.  Ons dwaal vir twee volle dae deur die gangetjies en koop geskenke en verkyk ons aan die deure waarvoor Zanzibar so bekend is.

Glimpses of old Stonetown

Ons betaal ons TSH7 000 en gaan maak ‘n draai by Anglican Cathedral wat op Kersdag 1877 in gebruik geneem is en merk dat  hulle besig is met grootskaalse restourasie werk.  Daarna besluit my eie Livingstone dit is tyd om die pad te vat per voet na David Livingstone se huis toe  en ek byt maar vas op die agterhoede met my voetbesering .   Ons stap deur minder toeriste tipe markte wat belaai is met dadels en brode en verby die Zanzibar Hooggeregshof tot by die nasionale gedenkwaardigheid wat vandag as kantore gebruik word.  Langs die pad moet ek eers twee pleisters koop (ja, jy koop hulle los!) by ‘n apteek wat verbasend bekende medikasie op die rakke het!

The Anglican Cathedal

Daarna volg my “Livingstone” sy GPS met ‘n ander pad terug sodat ons die Old Dispensary, wat op ‘n tyd as hospitaal gedien het en deur die Aga Kahn Stigting opgeknap is, ook te siene te kan kry.  Wat ‘n imposante gebou net jammer die houtwerk is liggroen geverf.

The Old Dispensary

Met voete vol blase van die dag se stap maar ‘n lied in die hart gaan ons die aand ‘n G&T by een van ‘n strandkroeë drink en daarna kos koop by die nagmark in die Forodhani Gardens wat  elke aand voor die House of Wonders en  Arabiese Fort gehou word.  Hier kies en keur ‘n mens watse tipe seekos jy wil eet.  Enigiets van kreef, krap, prawns, scallops, calamari, seekat, gebraaide piesangs, kassawa  samoosas tot ‘n groot verskeidenheid van visserige sosaties en suikerriet stroop – te veel om op te noem.  Dit is net die ou rooi vleisies bly maar ietwat skaars!

Die laaste aand van die vakansie moet ons mooi beplan wat om te eet en drink om ons laaste paar Tanzaniese shillings te spandeer, want in Suid-Afrika kan jy dit mos nie ruil nie so ons wil dit nie huis toe bring nie.  Dit laat ons toe om een Kilimanjaro, ‘n plaaslike bier, te deel en ‘n stringetjie prawns vir aandete te nuttig.  Nou het ons regtig net ons airport tax nog oor!

Met ‘n lied in die hart, ‘n glimlag op die gesig en ‘n smilie op my travelbucket klim ons op die KQ vlug terug huis toe en sê ek totsiens vir my man op OR Tambo.  Dit was lekker!!

“Not all those who wander are lost.”
J. R. R. Tolkien

The post ZANZIBAR appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.