Copyright © Tanya Piejus, 1994

1st August, 5.50 pm

Spent the first night in Zomba at the Zomba Gymkhana Club. It was built in 1923 by colonialists and still retains a kind of faded, colonial charm. It's all rather tatty now but it's easy to see what it would have been like in its heyday. The bar could have been anywhere in the world that the sticky fingers of the British Empire had extended to.

The following day we drove up a one-cars-width road that Glenn had never negotiated before to reach the Zomba plateau. The scenery up there was highly reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands with its conifer forests, bracken and barren crags. Another part of the plateau was the classic cloud forest, all dripping and misty with exotic birds calling. We drove all round the top on a narrow, sheer-sided road littered with hairpin bends. The faint-hearted squealed at every bend and cowered from the branches that crashed and whipped through the side of the truck at regular intervals. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.

Stayed in a campsite up there and Terry, Chris and I cooked our soup and spag bol meal which everyone enjoyed. Had a really good shower. It was piping hot from the attached furnace and I splashed about with the steam dancing in my torch beam. Very atmospheric. The temp. reached a max. of 14 deg C.

Drove down yesterday and trundled to Lilongwe. Stopped at an ice cream parlour and pigged out on hamburger and chips and chocolate fudge sundae. We were a few minutes late getting back to the truck and were bawled at by Glenn. Somewhat unfairly we all thought. It's our holiday after all.

Parked and pitched camp at the Lilongwe Golf Club. This is another shabby colonial joint, still thriving in servile glory. They still cling to the Malawi dress code so we all had to dress smartly in order to be ripped off at the bar. Met a teacher at a school in Blantyre and his wife. He's really into environmental issues and thoroughly approves of my career choice. I chatted with him about life, the universe and everything until we were chucked out of the bar at midnight.

Today we drove for nearly 10 hrs non-stop, only breaking for pees. Even ate lunch while trucking along. The border crossing into Zambia was no problem. What interests me is the vast expanse of no man's land between the 2 countries. We had to drive about 5 miles after leaving the Malawi border before we actually crossed into Zambia. I wondered where all the people that live in between actually belong.

The thing that continually pleases and, to some extent, surprises me is that Nature still has the upper hand in 90% of the Africa that we've been through so far. The influence of Man on the landscape is barely in evidence relative to Europe. Perhaps that's what Tim [my tutor at university] meant when he described Africa as 'primeval'. But how long will it last?

6th August, 1.10 pm

We had 2 more tedious days trucking and bush camping (which I actually prefer to being in a campsite) before reaching Vic Falls. We got to the Zambian border earlier than expected on Wednesday 3rd and stopped off at Batoka Sky where the microlites go from. As I was intending to go to Hwange on Friday, I couldn't go microliting then with the others. They managed to fit me in and I got my first impressive view of the Falls from 450 ft, strapped behind the pilot with my legs around him, and talking to him through a headset. We did a 15 min loop along the Zambian side, along the length of the Falls and over Vic Falls town and the Zambezi NP. Saw elephants and hippos. The Falls are comparatively low and unimpressive at the moment compared to when the Zambezi is in spate, but they were breath-taking nonetheless. I even saw rainbows in the spray. When I got back to the ground I found out that the camera attached to the wing that I had a film in wasn't working and I had no photos. That was disappointing, of course, but I'd gone up to see the Falls primarily. Even just the experience of microliting was worth the US$55 it cost. Peter, the pilot, said if I went back on Friday he would take me up for 5 mins to take photos, for free. As it turned out, the cameras were still broken on Friday so I haven't any piccies at all.

We crossed the border after visiting the Sobek offices to book white water rafting, buying curios and viewing the Zambian side of the Falls. Set up camp in the extremely busy campsite in the centre of town. Most of the trucks that we've met before are here.

In the evening I went on a night game drive with 14 others. We stopped by a waterhole and an elephant came down to drink. Also saw waterbuck, springhares, bush hares, zebra and a lame spotted hyena. Although we didn't see much of what was possible it was still a lot of fun. We were in 2 Land Cruisers with beer and wine on board and had dinner of hotdogs round a roaring fire.

Thursday was white water rafting day. Were picked up by Sobek and taken across the border back to the Zambian side. After paying our money, leaving valuables behind and having a cup of coffee, we were kitted out with helmets (head-shrinkers) and life jackets and had our safety talk from Alick, our loony leader. Then we split into 3 groups of 6 and started the long climb down into the Gorge.

Once there we met up with Vinnie, our oarsman, and boarded our raft. We shot 9 out of the 1st 10 rapids and had to walk round no. 9. I went in the front and got absolutely drenched on just about every rapid as we plunged head-first through the waves. After each rapid we were all shivering and goose pimply and just got warm again before crashing into the next wave. We were videoed by a guy in a K1 on rapids 4, 5, 7 and 8 - the grade 5 rapids. It was really good fun and not as terrifying as I'd been lead to believe, just very exhilarating. It was also good to see the Falls from a new perspective and see the crocs, and birds whizzing around the Gorge. We had lunch at the end and climbed out of the Gorge again - the worst bit!

Only Glenn stayed on for the full day's rafting and after his account I wished I had too. There were a further 13 rapids with 3 grade 5s. Spent the afternoon doing boring admin-type things then went out to the Cattleman Restaurant and had a gorgeous meal of biltong and fillet steak. After dinner we went to the Ilala Lodge to watch our rafting video. They had added commentary and music and it was so good I eventually decided to buy it. Also bought 5 of the photos that had been taken. Went to the Explorers bar afterwards which was absolutely packed with tourists and assorted Africans. The Sobek guys all went there too.

Yesterday morning I went back to Batoka Sky but left again as soon as I found I couldn't have photos done. Wrote postcards and did washing then walked down to the Vic Falls entrance and walked all along the viewing path to gain a third perspective of the Falls. Took loads of photos including the rainbow in the spray. Had to be back by 4 for the Booze Cruise, or Sundowner Cruise to give it its proper name. Basically it was 3 hrs in which to get absolutely trashed while watching the sun set over the Zambezi and look at crocs and hippos. Everyone was happy by the end and the sunset was appropriately stunning. I still can't over how quickly it happens here.

Went back to Explorers after an incredibly rowdy bus journey back into town, and joined in the karaoke. I left fairly early as I had to get up early and the effect of the alcohol was starting to wear off. The others stayed though and there were a few sore heads this morning.

Went on a game drive in the Zambezi Nat Park this morning. Had a huge breakfast for 25 Zim at the Ilala Lodge first. Saw elephants, warthogs, implala, buffalo, waterbuck, kudu, zebra and loads of birds. The river looks gorgeous - all green and sparkling in the sun. Lots more photos.

There was supposed to be another truck clean this morning but it never really happened and now all the stuff is out on the ground and everyone's buggered off parachuting, bungi-jumping or seeing the Falls.

7th August, 4.05 pm

Yesterday I helped Paula with the shopping. We filled 3 trollies and spent over $1000 Zim. When we got back I had to take over truck guarding duty as everyone else had pissed off, leaving all the stuff outside. Washed out about half the contents of the kitchen on my own then went to the bridge to watch the others bungi-jump. When I arrived 2 had already gone, one was being winched up and only Mick was left to jump. They were all on a major high and said it was totally amazing. Two more jumped later. 4 people went skydiving as well and by the evening I was really wishing that I'd done one of the 2.

We set off this morning, dieseled up, got half an hour or so outside Vic Falls and the brakes gave out again. Turned round and went back to Vic Falls! I'd sworn the previous day that if we'd had another day in Vic Falls then I'd go bungi-jumping or parachuting. There wasn't time for parachute training, so as soon as we got to the campsite 3 of us headed down to the bridge to book a jump. They weren't busy so we got in straight away so I only to wait about 15 mins. I didn't have time to get really nervous and actually jumping off was relatively easy. The terror started when I realised I was actually freefalling. I didn't scream. I couldn't scream. The first rebound was the worst bit as I lost control of my position and was all over the place (as I had been most of the way down anyway!). It was totally unlike anything I've ever done before and will probably ever do again. I still can't really believe I've actually done it. But it's certainly something I'll never forget. The sensation of being at the mercy of gravity with absolutely nothing surrounding me but air was just incredible. And seeing the Zambezi rush up at me at the same time made it totally mind-blowing. I felt the pressure in my head at the bottom of the drop but there were no ill effects - only an unrepeatable high.

13th August, 7.40 pm

We are supposed to be bush-camping tonight but are actually now staying in the campground of a hotel in Francistown, having made good time today.

We flew out to the Delta on the morning of the 10th in 5-seater Cessnas. The flight was great. I've always wanted to travel in a small plane and the view of the Okavango was amazing. Had a 20 minute walk to Oddball's Camp which was strongly reminiscent of Kande Beach campsite, especially the bar. Met up with our mokoro guides and they poled us, our luggage and food to a small island near the main Chief's Is. in the Moremi Game Reserve. We were supposed to camp on Chief's itself but we'd only taken 3 tents between us, the rest with mozzie nets. It quickly transpired that Chief's was infested with leopards who have a habit of attacking people they can see under nets. Hence the change of bush camp! After lunch the polers took us over to Chief's and we went on a very hot and dusty 3 hr game walk. Saw the rare red lechwe and tssesabe, wildebeest, impala and zebra. The guides didn't point out the birds much which is what, after all, the Delta's famous for. Unfortunately, they are geared towards showing people game and more game, but it was still great to be walking in one of the last great wildernesses. The animals actually run away when you approach them unlike in the Serengeti where Land Rovers full of people are passe. The fact that we actually did walk, not drive, was a surprise and a thrill for most of us, especially considering the wildness of the place.

In the evening we shared our pasta and stew with the guides and they, in turn, shared their freshly-caught 'bream' (one of a number of freshwater white fish species) with us. They had put up a length of string to hang our nets off and kept a fire and watch going all night, even though we'd been assured that our little island was leopard-free. During the night we could hear hyenas on Chief's, buffalo, elephant and a prowling lion on our island.

Soon after dawn we set off on another game walk. We saw 2 male lions, giraffes, elephants, kudu, reedbuck and a herd of buffalo, stomping and snorting about 200 yds away. The thrill of seeing wild animals in their natural environment so close, without the protection of a vehicle, beats even bungi-jumping for an adrenaline rush. After late breakfast we went out in the mekoro again for a leisurely pole through the reeds and stopped off in a deeper bit for a much-appreciated swim. The Delta is supposed to be crocodile-infested, but we didn't see a single one. The polers wouldn't take us to where the hippos were.

After lunch we returned to Oddball's in the mekoro and said goodbye to our polers. That evening we were warned by Nils, the manager, that elephants had a habit of walking through the camp at night and we'd better be careful where we put our tents and nets. I moved mine from its tree site to under a sturdy wooden viewing platform and was glad I did. Every time I woke in the night I could hear crashing and rustling as the elephants went about their nocturnal foraging. Earlier in the evening, before dusk, a young bull elephant had wandered right through the middle of the camp, shaking ilala palms on its way. Flashbulbs abounded as everyone got over-excited and the ele. actually charged 2 of our group who were stupid enough to ignore Nils' advice and got too close.

I got up at 5.30 am in order to get organised for a dawn walk but it was still dark and I was wandering round till 6.10 am. As I returned to my net I heard a crash just ahead of me and quickly detoured. About 30 secs after crawling back under my net, the silhouette of an ele. appeared about 6 ft in front of me against the lightening sky. It then proceeded to walk past where I was lying, lifted its tail and dumped a couple of yards from my feet, the started to strip a nearby tree. By this time the others netting near me had woken up and scrambled to a safer position under the platform to watch it finish its breakfast and disappear along the waterline. This incident became and major topic of conversation for the rest of the day.

Our morning walk was very pleasant and we covered the whole island at a saunter in about 3 hrs. I had booked on the last flight out at 4.15 pm and spent the rest of the day on the viewing platform looking at the birds and other wildlife and trying to assimilate the whole Delta experience. As with so many other places we've been on this trip, we didn't have nearly long enough in the Delta. We merely scratched the surface of what was there. It is such a magic place and I think we missed out on so much more. I'd like to go back in the summer, hire a really good guide and just go round in one mokoro for at least a week. Then I'd being doing it justice. Sort of.

I flew out in the same plane I came in on after saying goodbye to Cecil, the airstrip warthog, Rabbit the cat and Hazel the dog, as well as all the Oddball's staff. As we were the last flight of the day the pilot decided to have a bit of fun. He dropped down low so we were skimming along between the trees, then climbed steeply and dropped again to normal height. It was just like being on a rollercoaster, only better, because of the element of unpredictability. He then banked to the left, then to the right and zigzagged and bumped for a bit. Finally, before descending to the airstrip, he climbed up really high and spiralled down in a steep left bank. I was sitting on the left side of the plane and was looking vertically down at the ground. We all thoroughly enjoyed the flight, helped to no small extent by a bottle of ouzo!

Returning to Maun was rather an anticlimax despite the barbecue and disco and all day today I've had post-Delta depression, not helped by a long, boring day on the truck and a cold.

14th August, 5.20 pm

We left Francistown at 7 am this morning and hit the road for the border and into Zimbabwe. I worked out that today would actually be the fifth time I've entered Zimbabwe after constantly going back and forth at Vic Falls.

We've been driving through the Kalahari since leaving Vic Falls. The Delta is almost as good as the centre, so I'm told, and the dryness is very evident. We keep seeing ostriches and other desert birds like hornbills and vultures in significant numbers. The lack of people is also very evident. Botswana only has a population of 1.3 million in a space twice the size of England. We travelled for miles and miles without seeing a soul. The lack of population probably contributes to its relative prosperity; Maun and Francistown were both very clean, modern and prosperous-looking. The cattle fences that wreck the wildebeest and other migrations are all over the place and all the roads have fences down the side. It's easy to appreciate the battle between big business ranching and conservation. Nils, of Oddball's, wants to go and work in the Makgadikgadi Pans next year and told me some really interesting things about conservation and tourism in Botswana.

The border crossing to Zim was a major faff. They wanted to see plane tickets, know all about what currency we were bringing in, and we had to fill in a declaration form for customs. We also had to have a signed and stamped gate pass to physically get into the country, like at Vic Falls. Zim has to be the worst country we've been to for bureaucracy. Arrived in Bulawayo in good time. It's a very smart, clean, friendly-looking city. We've been booked on a trip to Rhodes Matopos NP tomorrow. Providing Glenn can get a new brake drum for the truck we'll be able to make up the lost day and get back on schedule. Otherwise, it'll mean a day's hard driving to get to Harare for the 17th. We said goodbye to 3 people today and 2 more go tomorrow. The rest of us will be able to spread out a bit more which will be very welcome. Today is Louise's birthday so we're all off out for a meal.

I've just had my first ever bath in Africa and the colour of the water, despite the fact that I showered yesterday, had to be seen to be believed!

15th August, 9.10 pm

Had to cook an improvised breakfast of pancakes this morning as there was no bread. Also, it was extremely windy so we had to site the fire in a sheltered spot away from the truck. During the night our tent nearly collapsed because the top sheet became totally unpegged.

We were collected at 9 am in a bus to go to Rhodes Matopos National Park. Our guide, Timothy, showed us various things on the way such as a research station and Rhodes' summer house. Saw some 1-4000 yr old cave paintings of rhinos, antelope and giraffe which were pretty impressive partic. the last of the 3 we saw. Met another group of people who we kept bumping into all day and a couple of them asked about the bungi jump, as I was wearing my T-shirt. I still can't describe what it felt like. I also still can't quite believe that I've actually done it.

Visited a couple of curio markets and I got a pair of candlesticks in the shape of feet and a bowl for $50 Zim. They are in a nice, light wood similar in colour to oak. We had a very impressive lunch laid out like an airline meal on plastic trays by a reservoir. In the afternoon we went on a game drive. The stars of the day were 2 white rhinos, an adult and a baby. If poaching carries on the way it is now, they will be extinct in 10 yrs time.

We also saw wildebeest, reticulated giraffe (including some drinking), impala, hippo, crocodile, zebra, warthog, tree hyrax, ground squirrel and a shrew-type rodent. Also saw a stunning rainbow-coloured lizard and some good birds. Took lots more photos even of things I've seen before because the setting was very photogenic as well.

Got back to the truck about 6. Glenn couldn't get the part he needed but we're pulling out tomorrow anyway.

18th August, 4.30 pm

Left at our usual early hour and headed out to the Chipangali Animal Orphanage, which we reached by lunchtime. Had a whistlestop guided tour by a very interesting lady who told us all about the animals and how they came to be there. They have representatives of most species of southern African wildlife and have a black rhino breeding programme. It's much nicer than the Nairobi orphanage and I took a form for sponsoring an animal. It only costs £50 to feed a leopard for a year so I might do that when I get back.

We spent the rest of the day driving and didn't reach the Great Zimbabwe Ruins campsite until well after dark. Got up early the next morning and went to see the ruins. I was up on the Hill by about 7.40 am and sat there for about 20 mins enjoying the view and the solitude. The ruins themselves are of buildings built by Shona tribespeople in the 11th-13th centuries. There's not much left of them but they're pretty impressive nonetheless. Did my first and only artistic work of the trip - a sketch cum watercolour of the Hill, bits of ruin and some nice trees. I wish I'd done more painting and drawing now, but there's always been so much else to do.

We packed up camp and moved out at 10 am for our last full day on the truck. We stopped in a town to buy alcohol with the profits from the truck bar. Paula told us not to start drinking till we reached our next campsite but, obviously, no-one listened. The serious drinkers had started even before we left town. Paula took the 'if you can't beat them, join them' attitude and came in the back with us. By early afternoon everyone in the truck was extremely merry and all the lads had their trousers and underpants pulled down. Then the cans of shaving foam came out. Needless to say, the truck was not in a good state by the time we reached Drifters near Mvuma.

We arrived a couple of hours later than planned as we'd left town late and Glenn got lost without Paula to navigate. Consequently, we did most of the packing in the dark. Fortunately, the moon's nearly full! At Drifters they have two hand-reared elephants who were able to pet and feed and a tame sable called Sybil. They had put an impala on a spit for us and we ate it with salad and baked potatoes. It tasted a bit like a cross between beef and lamb. Due to excesses of the afternoon and the end-of-trip blues everyone was very subdued in the evening. The remaining booze went undrunk and most people were in bed by 10 pm.

This morning we had fried impala sandwiches for breakfast. The impala appeared again at lunchtime; it was just like Christmas.

The truck had to be cleaned and repacked which took most of the morning. Some people went horse-riding and I went up to the house to see two lion cubs. They also have a tame warthog, bushpig and impala as well as dogs, cats and guinea pigs. I finished off a film for Glenn to send to Truck Africa in London so we'll probably be in the next brochure. We were supposed to leave for Harare at 10 am but, as usual, we weren't organised in time and left about midday after and early lunch. Soon after leaving there was a problem with the accelerator cable causing a further delay. We should have arrived in Harare 1 1/2 hrs ago but are still trucking on. Seven of us are getting out there, the rest are going on to the Rocks with Glenn and Paula.

Everyone's been passing round notebooks for addresses and rude comments and trying hard not to get all emotional.

19th August, 6.30 am

We finally rolled into Harare at about 5 pm yesterday. The truck dropped those of us who were leaving there at the Bronte Hotel where the Brewers are staying. The other three of us (Mary decided to go to the Rocks after all) left our luggage in reception while we went to find accommodation ourselves, the Bronte being fully booked and beyond our pockets anyway.

We went round to the Russell Hotel which is very close by and I decided to stay there as it's only £9 B&B and the rooms have phones and a bathroom. Al and Claire came back here as well when they couldn't find anything better. After lugging all my luggage round from the Bronte I tried to phone Vanessa. She'd given me her phone no. slightly inaccurately (not surprising as she wrote it down on the last-night-in-Stirling party) so I had a bit of hassle going through about 4 operators to get the right no. and a connection. When I did get through I found that she's gone up to Jo'burg. Phoned there and left a message so she should be at the airport to meet me this afternoon, which is good to know. The man in the hotel reception was extremely helpful when I couldn't get through. I would have been in a right mess without his assistance.

So, how to sum up the trip? I've seen and done so many things in the last 7 weeks and I don't think it's quite all sunk in yet. What I do know is that I've had a truly wonderful time and Africa has more than lived up to my expectations. I've also met 22 great people who I'm sure I'll see most of again. My only disappointment is that none of them turned out to be real soulmates. Although I did meet several very like-minded people in Africa and it's a shame that I couldn't spend more time with them. Now I can enjoy South Africa for the next 11 days and try to assimilate this total overload of new experiences. I can't wait to get my photos processed then it might all make sense!

1 pm

Had a busy morning wrapping up loose ends. Got up at 6.45 am although I'd been awake since 5 to - getting up with the dawn has become too much of a habit. Went round from the Apartels to the main hotel for breakfast. Sat next to a German couple who worked out here from 1987-1990 as volunteers training the local drop-outs in agriculture and farming. They also run sessions for women's groups to help themselves. They are back now visiting friends. Had a full colonial breakfast of porridge (made from some bizarre semolina-type substance that definitely wasn't oats) then 2 fried eggs, sausage and a whole battered and fried banana, toast and marmalade, tea and orange juice. After breakfast I moved all my stuff downstairs and left it with the man in reception and caught a taxi to the central post office. Glenn reckoned I could post 10kg of stuff to the UK for around £5 as that's what he paid in Nairobi. Parcels under 2kg only cost about £1.30 but 10kg cost me £22! Still, it's infinitely less than I'd have to pay for excess baggage at the airport and I've got 2 pieces of hand luggage as it is. In order to pay for it I had to draw out Z$300 on my Barclaycard. I dread to think what the service transaction charge will be. It (the parcel) should get home before I do, though, which will be nice as I was expecting it to take a couple of months.

I had to find a suitably-sized box before I could begin packing. The post office only had piddly ones that were useless for my Malawi chair so I trekked off in search of a supermarket or stationers. Neither had boxes big enough so I eventually had an inspiration and went to a bookshop. Having found the manager I finally located a large box that contained a Penguin dumpbin. The manager was obliging and even more keen to help when I told him I would be working for a publisher! The box was just the right size and I bound up all my souvenirs in clothes and string while chatting to an English woman who'd backpacked from Nairobi and was also sending stuff home. The box was actually over 10kg when I finished so I had to remove my makonde carving and skeletons to my basket. That done I caught a taxi back to the Russell. I was going to walk but the woman I met in the PO told me that a friend of hers had been mugged a couple of days before and lost all her money, passport, etc.

Harare is a clean, smart prosperous city built on a grid system like an American city. It could very easily be in America if you only saw a photo of it. It is much more pleasant than Nairobi but lacks the other's character. It's a bit slick and it's easy to have a false sense of security. It's also easy to get lost on the grid as all the streets look the same. It's a bit sterile but I like it and I wish I could spend more time here and explore.

The same taxi driver that took me into the city centre picked me up at midday to go to the airport. The drive out was nice - lots of open space, neat suburbs and wide, tree-lined roads.

Checked in, paid my US$20 departure tax, avoided having my bags x-rayed as the machine's broken and am now waiting to board my plane.

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