Zambia Forum trip 2012: Feedback & photos

[eric60260]

It will surely be completed next dry season, although the bridge may not be ready until the year after. By the time the bridge is ready, the road will be falling to bits.

Mike

Hi,

Think the road will have the same sake than the portion farther after the pontoon, just before Mongu...

Cheers

[Pierre77N]

Oct 17th: Busanga
Wow.

Wow wow wow!

[MikeAG]

I can't wait to see Tony Weaver's photos of the 17th. Unfortunately, on the best day ever of game viewing, my camera battery ran out at the elephants, and the the fully charged replacement was back in the tent.......doh! So the piccies I have are just from my little point-and-shoot. Tony's photos should knock your socks off.

Mike

[Wise one]

What an amazing trip, well done, will have to start planning mine.!

[MikeAG]

Hi,

Think the road will have the same sake than the portion farther after the pontoon, just before Mongu...

Cheers

Nah....that bit in great nick. The new Sesheke to Senanga road is piled up on rough lumps of dirt, blocking off big valleys with tiny little culverts, and has a layer of tarmac thinner than Marmite spread on the top. Like all Chinese roads, it will be water soluble, and the Zambezi doesn't take prisoners.

I give it 2 years......

Mike

[botswanadreams]

Hi Mike

Thank you and all the others very much for the reports and pictures from the trip.

A few little questions please.
Is camping at Mukambi possible at the moment?
How long did you drive from Mumbwa to McBrides?

Regards
Botswanadreams

[pretdave]

Oct Mongu - Liuwa

http://youtu.be/lfci_kVhk24

[MikeAG]

Hi Mike

Thank you and all the others very much for the reports and pictures from the trip.

A few little questions please.
Is camping at Mukambi possible at the moment?
How long did you drive from Mumbwa to McBrides?

Regards
Botswanadreams

No, there is no camping at Mukambi at the moment. We had special arrangements. They will have announcements on all the new developments sometime soon.......There is an awful lot happening.

Mumbwa to McBride's is 3 to 4 hours, depending on what you see along the way. The first 30km out of Mumbwa is quite rough.

Mike

[Stan Weakley]

Just to let all our new friends know that we have arrived safely back home in East London (South Africa) earlier this afternoon. Our trip to Kasanka to see the Fruit Bats and Sitatunga was absolutely worth the long trip further north in Zambia. Jaque's (Mukambi) advice was spot on and we were able to reach Kasanka from Mukambi in 1 long day's driving via Lusaka and the Great North Road. Spent 3 nights there and Anne enjoyed it too despite her dislike for bats.

Thanks to Bertie (Mfuwefarmer) whose advice motivated us to add this diversion onto the tail end of our trip. It would have been a great pity not to have grasped this opportunity as the bats are only present during late October, November and into December! Goodness knows when we will be in Zambia again at this particular time of the year. I felt that, as we had a little extra time, this was an opportunity not to be missed. So it turned out to be and I will post the details later.

Mike, Anne and I cannot thank you enough for the meticulous planning and flawless execution of an absolutely memorable trip. If you manage to feel a little proud at how things worked out, please savour the gratitude that we would like to convey. Thanks too to all the other participants who all contributed enormously to a great experience.

Love to all, Anne and Stan.

[pretdave]

Just to let all our new friends know that we have arrived safely back home in East London (South Africa) earlier this afternoon. Our trip to Kasanka to see the Fruit Bats and Sitatunga was absolutely worth the long trip further north in Zambia. Jaque's (Mukambi) advice was spot on and we were able to reach Kasanka from Mukambi in 1 long day's driving via Lusaka and the Great North Road. Spent 3 nights there and Anne enjoyed it too despite her dislike for bats.

Thanks to Bertie (Mfuwefarmer) whose advice motivated us to add this diversion onto the tail end of our trip. It would have been a great pity not to have grasped this opportunity as the bats are only present during late October, November and into December! Goodness knows when we will be in Zambia again at this particular time of the year. I felt that, as we had a little extra time, this was an opportunity not to be missed. So it turned out to be and I will post the details later.

Mike, Anne and I cannot thank you enough for the meticulous planning and flawless execution of an absolutely memorable trip. If you manage to feel a little proud at how things worked out, please savour the gratitude that we would like to convey. Thanks too to all the other participants who all contributed enormously to a great experience.

Love to all, Anne and Stan.

Hi Stan. Good to see you guys safe and sound back in the EC. Regards to Anne.
Gret trip ? Absolutely.

Cheers
Dave

[pretdave]

Oct 3

[pretdave]

Oct 4

[OFFROAD ADDICT]

Dave, fantastic photos and videos, we can now see what the topography of some of the area you travelled.
Thankyou for the supper hey

[pretdave]

Dave, fantastic photos and videos, we can now see what the topography of some of the area you travelled.
Thankyou for the supper hey

Thanks Ian

[pretdave]

Oct 5

[Paul Dold]

Great pics! Thanks for posting.

How were the border crossings?

[pretdave]

Great pics! Thanks for posting.

How were the border crossings?

Border crossings went smoothly and reasonably fast . No hassles or agro from any officials anywhere in Zambia or Namibia. Also no hint of any corruption , extortion etc.

[Henris]

I always love looking at pics from a trip. Everybody sees something different. The one guy sees birds. The next animals. The next cars. The next bugs. And then they are all pics taken at the same place.

[Heinz Stegen]

So glad we can look at the pics at least, the breakdown was a massive dissapointment to us and we have relly missed out on one of the best trips ever. We just started to get to know the other trip members and then....... I am sure though that there will be another forum trip organised again and we will be there, better prepared. What do you say Mike??

Mike, do you know what happened to my radio and I still have a matter to settle with you.

[MikeAG]

Mike, Anne and I cannot thank you enough for the meticulous planning and flawless execution of an absolutely memorable trip. If you manage to feel a little proud at how things worked out, please savour the gratitude that we would like to convey. Thanks too to all the other participants who all contributed enormously to a great experience.

Love to all, Anne and Stan.

Such kind words!

Hugely appreciated Stan, and Anne. Can I just say that it was an absolute pleasure sharing a small corner of Africa with you folks for the last 3 weeks. It's people who make a trip like this what it is, and with that group, we'd have had a decent time if we'd just sat in a corner of Addo Elephant park......

Good to hear that you got home safe and sound, and that Kasanka was everything you'd hoped for. I knew Anne would enjoy it!!

-

Heinz.

There won't be another forum trip. We might organise something privately by PM, but there won't be another "open" trip. There are just too many variables, like 49 people signing up and 7 actually going.

We were all desperately disappointed for you and Belinda, and the early hope was that a new propshaft and a bit of filler in Katima would have you back with us in a matter of days. Pity.

I believe that Terry has the radios. You'll also have to check with him, but I think he paid for your Skin so Soft (if that is what you were referring to). If not, then buy me a beer next time I'm in SA.......

Mike