Overlanding in a Softroader

[jcubed]

Hi all,

After consultation with a VWWatercooled moderator, I feel comfortable in contributing the following series of posts. It concerns an overlanding trip - in think in your neck of the woods you call it "Trekking" - and this is the pre-amble to the trip.

I will add some additional information to what was posted locally to give you an understanding of the mental block that has to be overcome (mostly by your wife...) in accepting the perceived/actual dangers and the diseases which could kill you if contracted and not diagnosed in time (but for which you do take precautions prior to leaving) - as part and parcel of such an expedition.

An alternative title could be: "An introduction to ovelanding in Africa", and could provide a basis should any non-Africans ever consider such a trip.

Where currencies are mentioned, it is done in South African Rand. If will in time edit this to dollar, but for now, just divide by 7 to do a close-enough practical conversion.

Although no VWs took part in this trip, a Tiguan with a roof-rack could have also covered the terrain, albeit a bit more careful over the really bad gravel sections. But there were not very many of these.

The exception would be Jimbomort, who could of course throw all caution to the wind, and keep up with the rest of us. What the heck, he could kick dust in our faces .

So here goes:

We arrived back home safely on the 15th of July after a 23 day round trip to Malawi with a convoy of 3 vehicles - Colt 2.8 Diesel double cab pick-up, Toyota Fortuner 4l V6 with Echo 4 offroad trailer and our HSE 3.2 i6 Freelander 2.

As a brief summary of what will be a more detailed trip report over the next week or so, the following:

The scanned map is courtesy the AA Mozambique/Malawi map: MNE-7, doing a clockwise circuit with two compulsory backtracks.



The route comprised border crossings at Beitbridge, Machipanda, Dedza and Zobue, and covered a distance of 5625km for ourselves, although the other convoy members travelled further - Johannesburg and Ceres, respectively.

The Freelander returned a consumption of 8.12 km/l at a fuel cost of R8359. Our average speed was quite low, but the roof luggage accounted for at least 1.5l/100km increased consumption.

Generally fuel is cheaper across the border than here, but the exchange rate you get when drawing money at an ATM robs you of the advantage. E.g., at a Standard Bank ATM in Lilongwe, you will get 21.5 Kwacha for a Rand, but an exchange rate of K24 is easily achievable - just not at the bank.

Also, we entered Malawi 5 days after the latest fuel shortage was announced. We knew this before we started off, but was not going to let a triviality such as this stand in our way. This however meant that on occasion we had to buy fuel on the black market as the pumps were empty - generally because the black market dealers had bought up all the fuel.

The prices were therefore inflated, but not horribly so, ranging from 20 - 30% above pump price. We all had spare fuel - myself 20l under the boot floor - but never had to use this.

Attached picture shows the furthest north we went, to the Nyika Plateau. Google Earth should give you a good idea of where this is. I would like to know if anyone has been closer to the equator in Africa, in a similar vehicle.



We stayed in three adjoining chalets, and the visitor's book in our neigbouring unit, had an entry by Kingsley Holgate - the Land Rover anti-mosquito drive champion - who had also recently visited there.

This does not necessarily mean that Mr Holgate can now swop his Discovery for a more nimble Freelander 2, but I would like to think so.

More detail will follow when the journey is broken up into a number of destinations: Lilongwe, Nyika, Livingstonia, Lake Malawi west coast, Cape Maclear/Domwe Island, Zomba, Zimbabwe Ruins and of course the journey and stop-overs.

It will include info on road conditions, how to get fuel when the pumps are dry, accommodation, food, and images of the places visited.

[jcubed]

During our road trip to Malawi we encountered something rather puzzling - an almost total lack of other South African visitors.

Surely, being school holidays and following 4x4 forum posts on other planned convoys, we should have met up with some fellow South African families overlanding to Malawi?

Well, bar the few local vehicles at Cape Maclear, we saw two others during the entire 14 days in Malawi. Did we miss them, or were they simply not there?

Apparently the latter, according to lodge owners, reporting a marked reduction in travellers since last year.

From doing our homework prior to the trip - consisting of reading trip reports on forums and magazines and surfing Google - we suspect some or all of the following may have something to do with this trend:

• The Australian government has advised their citizens not to visit Southern Africa for their own safety
• Malawi has a fuel shortage
• Bilharzia is rife at Cape Maclear
• Bogus road blocks are set up along some roads
• Speed trapping is done with uncalibrated equipment, resulting in false charges
• Traffic officials go off with your driver's license, demanding ransom for its return
• You should always keep your money and even malaria tablets on you, as they get stolen at backpacker type establishments
• Do not stop between Beit Bridge and Masvingo, as you may be attacked and robbed

and so on.

This should be enough to put anyone off, especially that last one, as the thought of having to "pinch" for 284 km, is rather daunting.

I do not doubt that the above incidents indeed have taken place, and possibly still does - at a similar rate to people being struck by lightning, eaten by crocodiles or attacked by sharks. But this type of reporting tend to gain urban legend status and in a short while seems to be the norm rather than the exception.

This is not helping the tourist industry nor the tourist, who now decides to rather go somewhere perceived to be "safer" (read boring).

In view of the above - depending on one's viewpoint - our experience could therefore either be regarded as blessed or lucky, as none of the above happened during our journey. Or was it perhaps just normal?

We were not overly cautious though, as we did get a valid speeding fine in Zimbabwe and was stopped (but not fined!) for unknowingly entering the bridge at Tete AGAINST the (absent) traffic via the off ramp.

Other than that, not even a puncture on any of the 3 vehicles or trailer over the 5600 km travelled.

BUT….

All of the above are valid concerns and - in my household anyway - led to panic attacks and searching for all sorts of excuses NOT to go. As the saying goes: “Fear has no Reason”. Until you actually set off, and experience something completely different.

Now, other than the route planning, there is of course other homework – with related expenses - to do. The list below summarizes the activities and the resultant costs:

• Book the dogs into the kennel - $400
• Visit your local travel clinic and get advised on the various medical precautions necessary - $930
• Take out travel insurance which will airlift you home in case of a medical emergency - $260.

The medical precautions may sound like a few pills and jabs – for a family of four - but let me just enlighten you:

The Malarials are obvious. You get 2 types – cheap: $20, and expensive: $150. They are equally effective, but the side effects differ.

The cheap ones – starting two days prior and continuing for a month after your return – either daily or once/week – has the drawback that it could be hallucigenic. So if you intend doing scuba diving – snorkelling is OK – you can’t take these.

They also trigger attacks of manic depression in people prone to this. So in my family, we could get away with only two cheap prescriptions.

Then the other horrible things you don’t want:

• Hepatitis A – caused by infected body fluids like blood and semen – two injections a week apart
• Hepatitis B – caused by dirty needles, as in intravenous feed – as above, plus another within the next 6 months
• Polio – you all know what that is – combined with
• Tetanus – for the rusted nails and can opener accidents
• Typhoid - for the dirty water
• Influenza (including swine flu) – just in case

I just needed some boosters – 4 – but the rest of the family all needed 7 injections.

Plus a whole dispensary full of stuff for cuts, bruises, muscle ache, 1l saline with administrator so you know the needle is clean, stomach cramps, diarrhoea – guaranteed you’ll get this, just wait your turn, etc.

Originally we were to tour Zambia as well, but when they declared it a Yellow Fever zone just prior to departing, we scratched it. That would have been another $290 for each family.

Of course, all the above is optional, e.g. we decided to not take the Rabies injection. So you could go on holiday without a single pill, plaster or injection, but all I can say here: “You’re on your own, mate”.

You may have heard that Africa is “tough country”? Well, this should give you an idea of what it means.

A sobering thought - you have not even left home yet, and you’ve already spent $1600!

Actually more, if you add all the other paraphernalia that the various countries require: Fire extinguisher, two reflective vests, emergency triangle, blue triangular sticker for the front of the car and the rear of the trailer if you tow, stick-on white reflectors for the front, red for the rear, REGARDLESS of whether this is built into your lights. Failing to produce these upon demand, results in a spot fine.

Oh yes, and the international driver’s license. Two, just in case I get tired and my son has to drive. About the only thing we southern Africans don’t need when travelling in neighbouring countries, is a visa – passports are sufficient.

So, considering all of the above – seriously - did we still want to go?

But of course!

[jcubed]

Hi All,

After yesterdays introduction to our overland trip, herewith the link to the rest of the journey: http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/...ad.php?t=88998

Some of the terms used may be foreign to yourself, but I would gladly explain - with an extract of the relevant text on this forum - what the background to this is.

Something which comes to mind, is the abbreviation T4A. Tracks-for-Africa is a local company who generates Garmin-compatible map sets of tracks throughout Africa. Their source of information is based on actual route submissions by travellers who have covered this terrain. Also not the first person to do this. They correlate a number of submissions prior to generating the map sets. You can either buy it for a specific country only - at a reduced price - or the complete set.

Their paper maps are actually phenomenal in terms of detail and topographical info, with time predictions based on reported road conditions. If it says there it will take 4 hours to cover 103km, then you know you're in for an arduous trip.

For more detail, go here: Welcome to Tracks4Africa.