Tanzania 2005

[Jonathan Hanson]

Roseann, I'm going to kill you.

Robbie: That was indeed a proper trip. I loved the North Luangwa. I brought home a plaster cast of a big male lion's footprint from one camp there--it was left in the mud outside my shower tent one night.

Where do you live?

[Scott Brady]

(Yes, that is Jonathan's derriere - he's going to kill me for posting that one here!)

Roseann

[Jonathan Hanson]

Robbie, if you ever come through Tucson, stop by and see our bush camp. You'll feel right at home.

And Scott, I'd call you a wise-*** but that seems a bit obvious. . .

[gjackson]

Jonathan,

So you have a boma in Tuscon? Excellent stuff! Just need some castle and borewors and we can have a braai!

To all those planning trips into the dark continent, I can also offer help. Last year completed a London to Cape Town stint down the West coast hitting all the garden spots like Congo, DRC, Chad, Mauritania etc. Also spent significant time in the South; Namibia, Bots and RSA.

cheers

Graham

[Scott Brady]

Graham,

Wonderful to have you on the forum.

You dont by any chance drive a Camel Trophy prepped Discovery on occassion?

[DaktariEd]

I just have to jump in here! How could I not?

I am brand spanking new to this forum , having learned of the site from Jonathan & Roseann (R & J), who just happen to be my brother-in-law and sister, respectively (duh!).

I was fortunate to be one of the guinea pigs on this safari, and can't begin to extol how incredible an experience it was.

Having been to Kenya 7 times, leading medical mission teams of 10-20 people to remote underserved areas, I am fairly well acquainted with the challenges of organizing such ventures from afar...way afar! It was incredibly difficult for me, a devout "Control Freak," to sit back (well, mostly) and watch R & J struggle with many of the same issues that confounded me in Kenya.

But I must say that R & J really did an incredible job, and maintained what was a very even keel despite some of the very, very challenging parts of the trip.

So, with all that, I want to share a photo of R & J, reattaching the Troopie's side view mirror with duct tape! It seems to have fallen off after an altercation with Roseann's flailing arm! Perhaps she will elucidate...



BTW, I haven't told them yet, but I hope to return on another safari with them sometime in the near future! Shhh...don't tell them!

Kwaheri!
Ed

[DesertRose]

I want to share a photo of R & J, reattaching the Troopie's side view mirror with duct tape! It seems to have fallen off after an altercation with Roseann's flailing arm! Perhaps she will elucidate...

HEY ED -
Welcome!

Okay, so it went like this. It was our last epic drive day, across the incredible valley of Lake Natron. My Land Cruiser was truly the worst of the three: windows didn't work so we got covered in dust; the radiator fittings were poorly repaired and threatening to go kerput; and more I won't bore you with more gruesome details.

So during this drive Ed and I heard a THUNK and looked back to see our whole rear tire - with carrier - laying on the road. The rope was in the other vehicles, who failed to see us stop, and thus all I had was a single roll of duct tape. No problem - we duct-taped the tire ON THE ROOF RACK. then we pressed on....

About 2 hours later the temp starts climbing as we're churning through an enormous dry pool of black-cotton soil, which creates clouds of fine dust and sucks at your tires. The temp gauge pegs, something goes THUMP-CRASH and there is water on the windshield. Water? Stop, check - indeed, it is catostrophic, the fan exploded, bits everywhere, radiator impaled.

At this point I am so thoroughly FED UP with this vehicle and so sorry for the poor guests who have endured this epic - I jump out as the other Troopie pulls up and I let 'er rip: "Our TIRE fell off, our RADIATOR just EXPLODED - THIS VEHICLE IS A TOTAL PIECE OF CRAAAPPP!!!!" I yell, arm flailing and unfortunately into the mirror of the Troopie and off it goes.

The poor young man driving this vehicle is a terribly sweet African guide named Ramas, and watching me rant and then karate his vehicle, his eyes look like this:

I recovered of course quite quickly and was all sunshine and smiles again.

That's the story!! I am now famous for being one of the only mzungu girl drivers AND throwing temper tantrums when vehicles misbehave.

[BajaTaco]

Excellent story! HAHAHAHA

Glad to see more of the African adventure crowd stopping in to chat. This is too fun.

[gjackson]

Scott,

I have driven a Camel prepped Discovery, but it isn't mine. My current overland vehicle is a Defender 110. It's been a good truck, though I wasn't saying that in Western Sahara when the transmission gave up! Or in Niger when the front suspension came apart -- but to be fair to the truck that was Safari Gard's fault, not Land Rovers.

Camel spec Disco belongs to Nathan of Pangaea who I guide trips in Southern Africa for.

cheers

Graham

[Jonathan Hanson]

A couple of years ago I went through the Selous Reserve in southern Tanzania on a magazine assignment. Also along was a know-it-all travel writer who kept bitching that he should have been flown to the camps rather than have to endure long rides in a Land Cruiser. At one point during a rest stop on an extended stretch of seriously rough track, the drivers got out the tools and started tightening the front shackle bolts on both vehicles. The travel writer, looking distinctly clueless and worried, came over to me and asked what was going on. I said "They're just snugging the shackle bolts. There's nothing wrong."

Several minutes later I heard him talking to our guide. I managed to stroll up behind him just he put his finger thoughtfully on his chin and said to the guide, "So . . .it looks like you needed to snug the shackle bolts, huh?"

I just cleared my throat loudly and walked away.