-- Log 23 --

Khartoum again … and beyond ….

Blue Nile Sailing Club – 07/09/02 – 08/09/02 - $11 p.d.
 

Morning brought us some new surprises, our boys left for Ethiopia, two Landies from South Africa with ‘The Boyz’ arrived and a Land Cruiser driven by a mad Frenchman pulled in late that evening.


The Boyz


Group photo Blue Nile Sailing Club

Once again it was refreshing and great to share experiences and plans with one another. The Boyz are planning to cross into Egypt via Wadi Halfa, and we wish you all the best of luck. If it does not pan out, they will be shipping their vehicles from Port Sudan to South Africa – we look forward to hearing from you and finding out which route you finally took. Keep in touch!



The Frenchman’s chariot! This little bug has been places we have never even thought of! Talk about off the beaten track – it goes where there is no track!

Khartoum – Gedaref – 09/09/02 – 10/09/02 - FOC

We applied for an Ethiopian visa and had to collect the next afternoon at 3.00 pm and we planned to leave with Jelte and Anneke for Gedaref. There were huge delays at the Ethiopian Embassy and finally we left Khartoum at 17.00. At least we can get out of town before sunset and camp. Just before the light completely faded we found a suitable place to camp – once again the local farmers were surprised but friendly and we were able to camp quite safely. We were surprised at how much water was still around. When we came through at the beginning of August there was not much water lying around – now as the rains have progressed the roads off the main road appear extremely muddy (black cotton) and wet – definitely not for us – this confirms that Chad was not an option!
 

Jelte experienced his first puncture on a motorcar – in his life!	It turned out to be quite an event!	Sheep taking shelter under the Landie at Gallabat – Sudanese border town

Jelte had some guys at a truck stop repair the tube of his tire while we had lunch. By the time we got to Gedaref the tyre was flat again! It appears that they did not do the job properly. We got a guy in Gedaref to redo the repair and were amazed at what he did. We would have ordinarily have thrown the tube away because the cut was very large, but they actually stitched it! Then put the patch on!

Den has a serious debate with a guy who did not want him to take any photos of the tube-stitching incident! Eventually – ‘it is my tube and my photo’ won the argument!

We spent the night a few kms outside of Gedaref on the road to Ethiopia. The closer we get to Ethiopia the more the Sudanese people begin to take on the Ethiopian traits of crowding and staring! They did not like it when we asked if they were Ethiopian or Sudanese!


We enter Metema, Ethiopia on their New Year 11/09/2002 – 1995 on their calendar! Everybody is in a festive mood and all dressed up in their Sunday best. The immigration official was efficient and quickly got our passports stamped. The customs official at the border told us to go to the town of Shenedi 40 kms away to the customers post there! We arrived a lunch time – the official had gone home, and with it being a bit of a celebration he still had not arrived after our hour long wait, so we decided to rather make good at Gonder as we still had a long way to go and we did not want to be caught on that road at night!

The murrum road from Gedaref to the border is newly opened and is in very good condition. There are patches on the road on the Ethiopian side that need to be repaired, three of which were in a very bad state, yet passable.

Gonder – Terera Hotel – 50 Birr p.n. – 12/09/02 13/09/02

Gonder, it is good to experience the coolness again! The boys are still in Gonder as their vehicle is giving problems and they are waiting for a part from Addis. We meet up with them and have supper together – we are complete again!

The generator will not start, so Den did an overhaul on her, still no go, eventually he pulls her to pieces and manages to get her working again, what he did not check was what wattage she was pushing out and we manage to blow the fridge unit! We are now restricted to battery power only – 40 hours and then we must move on …

The boys have decided that they have lost too many days and that they will not be going to Lalibela, so they will travel with us as far a Nanyuki (Kenya) – we will tackle the Moyale/Marsabit/Isiolo road together! Jelte and Anneke will go through to Lalibella, and will take their time touring Ethiopia.

Bahir Dar – Ghion Hotel – 40 Birr p.n. – 14/09/02

We met the boys in Bahir Dar and we jointly decide to take the ‘yellow’ road (on the Michelin map) out of Bahir Dar for Dejan – saving us 65 kms and hopefully the road condition will be better than the ‘red’ road was when we came up in July. As it turns out it was a very good decision the road is in much better condition and the views were spectacular.


Addis Ababa – Bel Air Hotel – 30 Birr p.n. – 15/09/02 16/09/02
We managed the trip Bahir Dar to Addis in one day – arriving in Addis at about 21.00.
It is not something we would like to do on a regular basis, but it served a purpose and the boys were able to save another day. Next day they left for Bale Mountain and we will meet them at Moyale on Friday.

We get a bit of welding (front left mudguard battery support) done at our old friend Getnet’s garage and get a part for the awning made to replace the one damaged in the desert. We pop by our old beggar friend, but he is not out on the streets, we found him in his shack, he does not look at all well, and he is bewildered that people will seek him out to give him money!

Lake Langano – Bekele Mola Hotel – N07.32.941 E38.41.043 – 5 260 ft amsl – 30 Birr p.n. – 17/09/02 – 18/09/02

We bid farewell to Addis Ababa, altogether not a bad place. We spend two restful comfortable nights at the campsite at Lake Langano, preparing ourselves for the ghastly Moyale road. MR W’s front wheel now needs balancing! Will this ever stop!
We drive through Shasheme but nobody balances tyres there. What we did discover was a South African couple – Sean and Carol also trying to get through to Egypt and another couple from the Netherlands. Sean says he is NOT driving THAT road again! So it is not just us!!

On to Awasa – and a brilliant Toyota dealer that does tyre balancing – we received excellent service from them including new front brake pads - and left happy customers! Now MR W seems much happier!

Yabelo Motel – 19/09/02 - 50 Birr per ensuite room per night

Our last night in Ethiopia was spent at a little newly opened motel called Yabelo Motel. Its owner is a pleasant gent by the name of Mazengia Demma. When we were heading north the hotel had not opened yet. We wish you a prosperous business Mazengia. Keep the standard up and you will not look back. This is the first hotel we have stayed in since leaving South Africa that has toilet paper in the loo (excluding Massawa Eritrea) makes you think doesn’t it!

We left very early as we do not want to delay the boys in Moyale. Arrived in Moyale at 9.00 am to no sign of the boys. We are happy to wait at the Hotel for them and in the meantime we changed enough money to fill the fuel tanks. Unfortunately the power only comes on at 12.00 so we once again wait till then. The power did not come on because there is a ‘fuse fault’, so we wait. The boys arrive just after 14.00 and graciously agree to wait with us until the power comes on. We eventually have to wait until 15.30 and then it is a mad scrabble for fuel!!! Anyway finally we make it through the border and are in Kenya.

Once again the customs formalities are quickly dealt with, but Immigration is a problem, the chap is at the airport and would be back at 17.45 (they close at 18.00).
While we wait we decided to find ourselves somewhere to spend the night – not much in Moyale Kenya! We are fortunate to find ourselves outside a Catholic Mission in Moyale and Father Isaiah graciously allows us to spend the night. Thank you – it was great!

Moyale – Kenya – Catholic Mission Station – FOC – 20/09/02

A guy who has been living in no-mans-land for the last 4 years approaches us. He asks if we would take his case, with the relevant paper work through to UNHCR in Nairobi for him. We agree to assist – let’s hope his dilemma is soon resolved.

We had much debate as to which route to take, the trucks use the Wajir route and do not travel along the Marsibit road. Finally we agree to try the Wajir road. The convoy according to popular belief leaves at 8.30 – being the untrusting South Africans that we are we were waiting at the barrier at 6.30 bright and early! We had breakfast at the barrier, much to the entertainment of the locals! And the convoy left at …. 8.30!

The Wajir route – during the dry season – is definitely a good option. Although the road is windy we were able to keep an average speed of 60 kph and the trip was much more comfortable, the only problem was that the trucks have to make regular stops to make sure the cattle are all standing, pits stops, food stops, drink stops etc – so it becomes quite long winded. We just kept up with the fastest truck! The trucks take a left turn at the village of Habaswein and head South for Garissa. At this point we decided to head West for Isiolo as the boys wanted to stay with friends in Nanyuki.

Habaswein Bush Camp – FOC – 21/09/02

We night stopped just outside the village of Habaswein and had no problems – in fact did not see a soul. It would be wise to keep tabs on the security situation before entering the area though. The road is in reasonable condition except for the last 65 kms, which is rocky and has spots of corrugation. But we made good time and were soon on good old fashion tar, with the usual potholes and speed bumps! Aah civilization!

Mountain Rock Lodge – 22/09/02 – 24/09/02 – 250 KS pppn
We spent a couple of days relaxing at the Mountain Rock Lodge – it was brilliant – peaceful and clean – really just what we needed before we take on Nairobi!

Nairobi back to good friends – Rangi’s ….