Ab-Titchaz
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 30, 2008
- 14,630
- 4,267
A lesson on commitment, passion and discipline
Posted Tuesday, January 29 2013 at 02:00
In Summary
As is typical of long road trips, once the initial exuberance wore off and reality set in, a crew of three remained - Kamau Ndung'u (Head of Software, Synergy-Pro Limited), Michael Githaiga (Chairman, Synergy-Pro Limited) and Dan Obanyi (Principal Architect, Boundless Studios).
Their general plan (boys-only road trips tend to be very short on detail) was to be in Port Elizabeth (PE) by December 8, 2012 for some dose of rugby madness; the only specifics being that, once in South Africa, they would use the Garden Route - a scenic road that would see them go via Durban and drive the entire Eastern Cape to PE - and on the way back stop over at Livingstone to bungee-jump over the Zambezi.
They could get away with this type of ad-hoc planning because, of the 10 countries in their draft itinerary, which changed every night they sat for a planning drink, only Mozambique and South Africa require visas for Kenyan citizens.
It was agreed that they should leave by November 28 at the latest to ensure they were in SA in time for the rugby rage, with some contingency if they had any incidents slowing them down en-route.
But on that November 28, none of the crew had their visas, one of the crew did not have a driving license, the car's Logbook was with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for a change-of-colour permission, and the vehicle was still in the garage. Here is how they eventually rolled down south... and back:
Race to Port Elizabeth
Day One | December 1, 2012
Distance to PE: 5,754km
Rugby starts in: 7 Days
Day 1 Objective: Reach Morogoro in Southern Tanzania: 824km
Our cavalier attitude towards the trip has put us in a very awkward position. To make it to PE in time for the rugby, we have to cover an average of 822km a day.
We finally set off on December 1 2012 at 0045HRS. There is no significance to the timing other than the fact that we chose to throw an impromptu send-off party at Blues Restaurant in Hurlingham, then go to Nakumatt later for late-night shopping. Despite the bravado, we only make it to Emali (124km). Small step by man, giant leap for mankind (not quite).
On road trips, poor motels sometimes make good sense as mobilising in the morning is easy, and so on this trip we will sleep on the cheap.
The next day we make it to the border in good time for an early crossing. There is a small delay as we search for the vehicle's chassis number, which is covered in grime. WD40 does the trick and the Customs agent is satisfied. We are in Morogoro by 2200HRS and find a brilliant little B&B. Not a bad start.
Today's Log: Nairobi (Kenya) - Oloitokitok | Tarekea Border Crossing - Morogoro (Tanzania): 824km
Day Two | December 2, 2012
Distance to PE: 4,931km
Rugby starts in: 6 days
Today's Objective: Cross the Zambia border and try for Mpika: 1,114km.
Road trip discipline is holding up and all crew are up and ready for breakfast at 0700HRS. The car is loaded and warming up in the parking.
Small problem though; the receptionist says we owe on some beers we had last night, and payment is acceptable in Tanzania shillings only. Problem is, today is Sunday; we only have US dollars and Kenya shillings. The ATMs are down. What a bother!
Finally, the receptionist agrees to change the Kenya shillings at her own profit and we are finally off. It's a dash for the border, which closes at 1800HRS. Interesting fact: All countries in Southern Africa are an hour behind. So if we make it to the Tanzania side at 1800HRS, it will be 1700HRS on the Zambia side.
Wishful thinking, as Tanzania's legendary traffic cops put an end to such notions with numerous speed traps, including one where a speed cop gleefully points out to us that we were moving at 54KPH on a 50KPH stretch. Then we run into major road construction works after Iringa, with holdups averaging 15 minutes.
There is no way we are going to make it to the border, so will just take it easy and stay in Mbeya. We should be able to make up for the lost time tomorrow though.
At Mbeya, we find ourselves a nice B&B and also load up on the roof tanks (extra 80 litres should be good for at least an extra 700km.
We had kept them empty until Mbeya to avoid the unnecessary weight). Not a bad drive altogether, but making Mpika would have really put us back in the game.
Today's Log: Morogoro (Tanzania)- Mbeya (Tanzania): 636km.
Day Three | December 3, 2012
Distance to PE: 4,295 Km
Rugby starts in: 5 days
Today's Objective: Lusaka by nightfall: 1,124km.
Once again up early and done breakfast by 0730HRS for the short drive to the border - 100km give or take. Should sound easy... until we count not less than 10 traffic stops to the border.
First time ever to hear a traffic policeman ask for a yellow fever certificate. No luck on their side. We have full documentation and all required accessories and are reluctantly let go at all the stops.
We are in high spirits and shifts are agreed upon for this stretch, but Murphy must have been a border control agent. The border officials do not share our vision of reaching PE and, for almost six hours, shuttle our papers between bureaucratic desk jockeys well-versed in the art of delay.
The money changers are also maddening (four currencies are actively traded at this border: Kenya Shilling, Tanzania Shilling, Zambian Kwacha, and US Dollar). You have to closely monitor as they will just as quickly snatch stuff from the car as they are ready to trick you into convoluted inter-currency computations.
We arrive at Mpika at around 1900HRS and find yet another great B&B (we found a simple trick to get these - ask the attendant when fuelling, they kind of feel obliged to give you good info.) We are now quite concerned as we are behind schedule by 527km. Not good.
ENDELEA KUSOMA HAPA.... ROAD TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA
Posted Tuesday, January 29 2013 at 02:00
In Summary
- This story should serve as a lesson on the downside of making commitments under the influence that you can only back out at the risk of becoming a laughing stock.
As is typical of long road trips, once the initial exuberance wore off and reality set in, a crew of three remained - Kamau Ndung'u (Head of Software, Synergy-Pro Limited), Michael Githaiga (Chairman, Synergy-Pro Limited) and Dan Obanyi (Principal Architect, Boundless Studios).
Their general plan (boys-only road trips tend to be very short on detail) was to be in Port Elizabeth (PE) by December 8, 2012 for some dose of rugby madness; the only specifics being that, once in South Africa, they would use the Garden Route - a scenic road that would see them go via Durban and drive the entire Eastern Cape to PE - and on the way back stop over at Livingstone to bungee-jump over the Zambezi.
They could get away with this type of ad-hoc planning because, of the 10 countries in their draft itinerary, which changed every night they sat for a planning drink, only Mozambique and South Africa require visas for Kenyan citizens.
It was agreed that they should leave by November 28 at the latest to ensure they were in SA in time for the rugby rage, with some contingency if they had any incidents slowing them down en-route.
But on that November 28, none of the crew had their visas, one of the crew did not have a driving license, the car's Logbook was with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for a change-of-colour permission, and the vehicle was still in the garage. Here is how they eventually rolled down south... and back:
Race to Port Elizabeth
Day One | December 1, 2012
Distance to PE: 5,754km
Rugby starts in: 7 Days
Day 1 Objective: Reach Morogoro in Southern Tanzania: 824km
Our cavalier attitude towards the trip has put us in a very awkward position. To make it to PE in time for the rugby, we have to cover an average of 822km a day.
We finally set off on December 1 2012 at 0045HRS. There is no significance to the timing other than the fact that we chose to throw an impromptu send-off party at Blues Restaurant in Hurlingham, then go to Nakumatt later for late-night shopping. Despite the bravado, we only make it to Emali (124km). Small step by man, giant leap for mankind (not quite).
On road trips, poor motels sometimes make good sense as mobilising in the morning is easy, and so on this trip we will sleep on the cheap.
The next day we make it to the border in good time for an early crossing. There is a small delay as we search for the vehicle's chassis number, which is covered in grime. WD40 does the trick and the Customs agent is satisfied. We are in Morogoro by 2200HRS and find a brilliant little B&B. Not a bad start.
Today's Log: Nairobi (Kenya) - Oloitokitok | Tarekea Border Crossing - Morogoro (Tanzania): 824km
Day Two | December 2, 2012
Distance to PE: 4,931km
Rugby starts in: 6 days
Today's Objective: Cross the Zambia border and try for Mpika: 1,114km.
Road trip discipline is holding up and all crew are up and ready for breakfast at 0700HRS. The car is loaded and warming up in the parking.
Small problem though; the receptionist says we owe on some beers we had last night, and payment is acceptable in Tanzania shillings only. Problem is, today is Sunday; we only have US dollars and Kenya shillings. The ATMs are down. What a bother!
Finally, the receptionist agrees to change the Kenya shillings at her own profit and we are finally off. It's a dash for the border, which closes at 1800HRS. Interesting fact: All countries in Southern Africa are an hour behind. So if we make it to the Tanzania side at 1800HRS, it will be 1700HRS on the Zambia side.
Wishful thinking, as Tanzania's legendary traffic cops put an end to such notions with numerous speed traps, including one where a speed cop gleefully points out to us that we were moving at 54KPH on a 50KPH stretch. Then we run into major road construction works after Iringa, with holdups averaging 15 minutes.
There is no way we are going to make it to the border, so will just take it easy and stay in Mbeya. We should be able to make up for the lost time tomorrow though.
At Mbeya, we find ourselves a nice B&B and also load up on the roof tanks (extra 80 litres should be good for at least an extra 700km.
We had kept them empty until Mbeya to avoid the unnecessary weight). Not a bad drive altogether, but making Mpika would have really put us back in the game.
Today's Log: Morogoro (Tanzania)- Mbeya (Tanzania): 636km.
Day Three | December 3, 2012
Distance to PE: 4,295 Km
Rugby starts in: 5 days
Today's Objective: Lusaka by nightfall: 1,124km.
Once again up early and done breakfast by 0730HRS for the short drive to the border - 100km give or take. Should sound easy... until we count not less than 10 traffic stops to the border.
First time ever to hear a traffic policeman ask for a yellow fever certificate. No luck on their side. We have full documentation and all required accessories and are reluctantly let go at all the stops.
We are in high spirits and shifts are agreed upon for this stretch, but Murphy must have been a border control agent. The border officials do not share our vision of reaching PE and, for almost six hours, shuttle our papers between bureaucratic desk jockeys well-versed in the art of delay.
The money changers are also maddening (four currencies are actively traded at this border: Kenya Shilling, Tanzania Shilling, Zambian Kwacha, and US Dollar). You have to closely monitor as they will just as quickly snatch stuff from the car as they are ready to trick you into convoluted inter-currency computations.
We arrive at Mpika at around 1900HRS and find yet another great B&B (we found a simple trick to get these - ask the attendant when fuelling, they kind of feel obliged to give you good info.) We are now quite concerned as we are behind schedule by 527km. Not good.
ENDELEA KUSOMA HAPA.... ROAD TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA
