Check your tyres before you drive off. It sounds a bit foolish, but this can safe you some embarrassment if you just walk around your vehicle once to check if all your tyres are still okay and inflated to the correct pressure.  Now you are ready to hit the road and enjoy the rest of your trip.   

Tyre compressors and gauges at garages, especially in remote locations, are not always correct.  Be aware of that.  We have a habit of using our own tyre pressure gauge that we carry in our cubbyhole.   Part of our standard equipment includes a tyre repair kit and the knowledge of how to use when necessary.

When visiting a sandy location remember that it is way easier to drive early morning when the sand is still cold and hard.  When the sand warms up later in the day it gets more difficult to drive and accompanying that fact it also increases your fuel consumption.  This is especially an important fact if you have to budget, and carry your own fuel in remote locations.   When sand is thick and slow deflate your tyres.  It makes a huge difference on your driving ability.  It will also let you look like a pro.

Africa is a dusty continent.  Drive with your headlights on even during daytime.  Doing this you might get stopped by the local police who will tell you that it is illegal to have them on during time.  (At this point smile and be nice and say okay sorry and switch it off).   Switch them off while standing there, but as soon as you pull away put them back on.  This makes your visibility in dusty conditions better to other hectic drivers.  This saved us a couple of times on our expeditions in the past!

Gravel roads are in abundance wherever you travel in Africa. There are two things that you should remember when overtaking a vehicle.    Due to dust you are not always visible to the driver in front of you (remember the tip on the headlights) and move as far right as you possibly can when overtaking.  Drivers are not always in control of their vehicles …  Many a time we were taken by surprise on their moves on the road. 

Look ahead of you when you are driving and keep your eyes on the road surface.  If you see that the road widens at the edges, be sure that you will soon hit a pothole if you are not observant.  Changes in the colour of the tar road – becoming more red/white – is a sure sign that there is a pothole ahead. 

A night drive can sometimes be challenging as you have to keep a look out for all the of the above as well as stray animals wandering onto the road, because of no fences on the farms.  

The long and the short of this is keep your eyes open and be wide awake.  We know that African roads are not always on par with rest of the world, but this is part of the charm of the African continent.  Everything does not always work as they should.  Keep you cool and enjoy the ride!

Also read our post Going solo off the beaten track for more practical advice.

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Let me, as an experienced and seasoned African traveller, give some basic do’s and don’ts when you are out there:

• Zip up your tent – no matter how hot it is in side, zip up for various reasons. It keeps out bugs, mosquitoes and slithering things like snakes.  A lion will not bother you in your tent.  They do not realise that they can rip open the canvas with a quick stroke of the paw and no, an elephant will not trip over your tent.  Elephants are amazingly gracious when they walk.
• When you go to bed stow all food (and garbage) either in your tent or vehicle. Inquisitive animals like hyenas, jackal, etcetera will come and have a look what is there to taste.
• Do not wander off in the dark and outside the light of the fire. There are creatures watching you that you do not even know of.  If  you do have to go for a nightly routine walk let somebody go with you with a torch and keep close to your tent.  Night animals have keen eyesight and spot you long before you even notice them, so take care.
• Be extremely vigilant when vervet monkeys and baboons are around. They are very quick and will grab your food before you know it.  Do not challenge a baboon, if this does happen they can be dangerous.  Rather back off.

• Mana Pools is famous for its “dagga boys” (i.e. a lone stray buffalo) that venture into camp even in day times. Be on the look out and try to avoid them totally.
• A rather difficult one to do is if you have an encounter with a lion or elephant – DO NOT RUN!   I say again – DO NOT RUN!  Your instinct will tell you to get out of the way, but stay put, stand very still .
• At rivers and dams be on the lookout for crocodiles that lurk in the muddy waters especially on the banks when you approach.  Also keep an eye out for paths that animals (i.e. hippopotamus) use that lead to the water. A hippo looks clumsy, but they are not.
• Do not misjudge the small animals as they can bite you and there is a possibility that they carry rabies. Rabies are fatal.  Wild animals that are prone to rabies are:  monkeys, mongoose, meerkat, jackals.

Remember that you are in the wild and wild animals can be unpredictable and “a lot” quicker than you think.  Do not party – alcohol impair your judgment towards wild animals and may land you in unexpected trouble.

—oOO—

“You have to look after wealth, but knowledge looks after you. — Zambian Proverb”

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A rooftop tent is the easiest way to sleep off the ground.  You will have to decide why this is important for you and your family.  We as a family prefer to go for a ground tent as we do not want to carry all the weight on Wallace’s roof as it becomes a bit top heavy then.  Top heavy in a Landy spells danger going down slopes – it always feel like Wallace is going to topple over.

The pro’s and con’s

One of the pro’s of a rooftop tent is it helps when your campsite is uneven like in many places in Lesotho where it is nearly impossible to find a level place to pitch a tent – for this very reason Lesotho is called the Mountain Kingdom of Africa!  This also applies when you are visiting marshy areas where the soil will not hold a tent pen as anchor.

One of the biggest pro’s for me towards a ground tent is when you are planning a longer stay in an area.  You can pitch your tent, off-load your stuff, stow it safely and go for drives during the day.  With a rooftop being fitted to your vehicle you will have to close your rooftop every morning and pack up your camp before you can go on your daily drive and hope that nobody took your spot when you return in the afternoon …..

They say that rooftop tents are quick and easy to open up.  Without a doubt I tend to disagree on this one!  Being on the shortish side it is always a problem to reach the top to help unfold and pack it.  We have proved on numerous occasions that we can pitch our ground tent in the same amount of time as fellow campers with a rooftop tent.  I think this comes with experience and understanding your camping buddy – what to take when and the process that we follow.

Those campers that are unsure of wild camping almost always prefer to go the rooftop tent way as they claim that they feel safer from lurking wild animals.  This is a false sense of security as it has been proven over the years that you are just as safe in a ground tent as long as you keep your tent properly zipped up.  Most of the unfortunate incidents that occur during camping excursions is because of the neglect of campers and thus landing in trouble.

Surely the biggest con to a ground tent is that, although it is comfortable and you can stand upright, it is bulky and take up some space in your vehicle.  However, we have managed to sort our packing for a trip so that it is easILy accessible and can be taken out first.

Rainy conditions also make me lean towards a ground tent.  The little veranda in front gives some protection where you can prepare a meal whereas with a rooftop you are quite exposed unless you erect a gazebo …………. or climb into bed and eat tinned food.

Comparing cost

There can be a significant cost difference between entry-level ground tents and rooftop tents – a budget two person dome tent is far cheaper than the cheapest rooftop tent. So if you are a novice camper and do not have big bucks or are unsure whether camping is for you, start off with a ground tent before spending heaps of money.

There are some hidden (and often not thought of) costs when considering a rooftop tent.  If your vehicle is not fitted with a roof-rack or luggage bars yet, it will add to your  cost layout plus remember to add a percentage to your fuel bill as well.  However, if you carry your ground tent on your roof-rack it will also add to your fuel bill.

Physical abilities

One important factor which might rule out a rooftop tent for you is your mobility. If you are a senior person and not that mobile anymore you need to reconsider a rooftop tent.  Add the fact that you need to “crawl” into your bedroom and cannot stand upright and have to negotiate the ladder at night when nature calls …… you can injure yourself badly if not careful and spoil your long awaited trip.

Lastly

Think carefully about your needs (and that includes the age of your children who will need to use the bathroom during the night), abilities and places that you are planning to visit before investing in a tent.  At the end of the day there is no right and wrong, it is all about what suits your needs.

I hope this contributed to your reasoning in making a well thought over decision and that I did not mess with your head even more!  If you are still unsure if camping is your thing you can read more about camping under my  Wilderness camping post.

Recommendation

My recommendation is, where possible, buy second-hand.  There are various Facebook pages where you can buy/sell camping gear which is still in good condition.  If you need pointers, please pop me a message on Facebook or e-mail me.

—oOo—

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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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If you follow some basic rules you will be safe.

The first and foremost rule of thumb is you are in their territory.  RESPECT them.  You are the visitor in their home.

Wild animals will very seldom just attack you at random.   If they do that, they are either provoked, feel threatened, is sick or has completely lost its fear for humans.  So, ZIP UP your tent.  Always.  This is not even negotiable.  Sleep with an unzipped tent and you will encounter trouble.  Leopards, lions and hyenas are hunters!

It is very tempting to put out bait to have a up close and personal experience.  Remember if you do it you create CONSEQUENCES for future visitors to the same spot.  This forms an association and expectation of food when it encounters humans and eventually they lose their fear for humans.    Trouble.

STOW your food in secure containers in the back of your vehicle.  Baboons and monkeys are known for their acute smell and will rip open tents with their capable paws to get to your stash.  On various occasions we had to scare away baboons or monkeys from fellow campers’ food stash while they were out on a drive.  Why would they hunt if the food storage is easily accessible for them?  Lock up.  Always.

Do not think if you visit the bush once a year for a week that you are a bush expert!  Listen to what weathered, well-travelled and experienced people tell you to do. Guides are trained to know the bush.  This was a rare and unfortunate incident that spoiled a dream vacation.  Your chances of being hit by a car is bigger than being attacked by a wild animal in the veld.  TRUST them.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding this incident, I wish the lady a speedy recovery as this must have been a horrific experience to her, her family and friends.

“Time camping is not spent; it is invested”

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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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• We never take all our food from home as this just adds weight to your vehicle which increases fuel consumption and with Shoprite branches in the major cities in Africa you will find most of the food stuff needs – some at a price, but you will find it.   Weigh up the pro’s and cons and decide where you find your balance!
• Be realistic when planning your food. Everything is not always as fresh as back home  or as readily available especially when planning some or other exotic dish for dinner.  Remember that you are doing this trip to experience Africa.  Sometimes you have to think out of the box to create a wholesome dish in the bush.

• Before you get nervous and fret, you do get very good meat, especially in Botswana. If Lady Luck is on your side you will find a mutton choppie at Beef Boys in Maun (Tel:  00 267 721 36 006).  You can even place an order beforehand over the phone and arrange for a pickup time and date.
• As you drive through Maun and Kasane in the North of Botswana you will spot some well-known names like Woolworths and Spar, but my all time favourite place to shop is Delta Meat Deli at the iconic Rileys Garage in Maun where you can even get some koeksisters and melktert.  To top it all Delta Meat Deli also has a Facebook page where you can contact them.

• Make an effort and follow Facebook groups such as Moz Info and Mozambique for All where you will find up to date information/comments on various aspects and you can also ask questions to fellow members in these groups.

The more you travel in Africa the more gems you will find ……. BON VOYAGE, ENJOY THE TRIP!

“The stars were better company anyway. They were very beautiful, and they almost never snored.”   —–   David Eddings

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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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• 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.***

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