Du toa busy few weeks and soaring internet prices my updates have been apalling. To breifly recap:
Since I last wrote, we were in Blantyre, Malawi. I haven't managed to include any information about Malawi. I can just say NO we didn't see Madonna and YES it was amazing! One of my favourite countries, gorgeous weather and lovely beaches. Yes we swan in Lake Malawi, you would too if you could see it. One day soon I will include some pics from Malawi and a bit about what we did!
From Malawi we crossed into Mozambique and after some time spent arguing with the customs department regarding insurance they let us through incurring just minimal charges! We spent 10 days in Mozambique where we discovered further problems with the dreaded landy. We found a diesel leak in the engine and the expansion of numerous other leaks under the vehicle. We have got to the point now where we are beginning not to wrry so much about the car, we have repeatedly had trouble getting her repaired successfully and now we have got so far we are just willing her to make it to Capetown. These views were further enforced when we came across some pretty useless 'mechanics' (if you can call them that) who made some terrible attempt at fixing the diesel leak in Vilankulos. We spent 5 nights or so in Vilankulos. It is a slightly run down but stunning stretch of coastline. When the tide is in it looks like any other beach...but then the tide goes out and you have the most incredible beach you have ever seen. You can't really do it justice with words of photographs but trust me. The sand goes on forever with patches of turqpoise water along the beach. Lush!
Due to our inreasing worries about the car we were reluctant to travel alone along the pot holed and often long and slow Mozambiqan roads. Luckily we met a lovley Italien couple in Vilankulos who just happened to be driving the same way as us at the same time! They were in a Opal (Vauxhall) Corsa, rental car. Quite what we thought they could do in their tiny little hatch back if we broke down, I don't know, but the moral support was great! We headed down to Tofu Bay for some more r'n'r on another stunning beach in the sunshine. Just to rub it in! We were only there for two days but that wa sprobably for the best as they had a lovely small lively market place in Tofu town which sold some gorgeous things. I got a bit carried away shopping (although much haggling was had) and Alex got a bit cross!
From Tofu we headed to the South African border. Our original intention was to travel via Swaziland into RSA. However, with the car worsening we decided instead to head to a town just over the border from Mozambique and RSA called Nelspruit. The beauty of this relativly undescript town is that we had been recommended a mechanic there and last resort there was a Land over dealer there. We decided instead to get the car fixed (fingers crossed) in Nelspruit and then head down to Swaziland and reenter RSA at Kwa-zulu Natal.
I have no time left at this internet cafe, so I will leave it here... We are currently in St Lucia In south Africa. We have spent the day at Hwhulue Game reserve where Carol came into close contact with several giraffes and some rhino! More on that next time.
P.S: Go buy Land Rover Monthly, October edition out now with a follow up story about Alex and myself.....
On the road in Mozambique...
Tofo Bay beach, Mozambique
Tofo bay
Vilankulos, the beach that literally seems to go on forever!
Vilankulos again.
Alex testing the water at Cape Maclear, Malawi
Cape Maclear. Beautiful Lake malawi. It really does not resemble a lake but looks just like the sea. Most of the beaches are like this and the water was incredibly warm.
Nkarta Bay, malawi. me trying to master a canoe!
Harold the touchaloce, our new friend...we haven't worked out how we will get him back to the UK yet...
Lake Bunyoni, Uganda
