Cape Town

If we thought that our last day would be a quiet run of 330km into Cape Town then we are on the wrong rally! After 7km we were into the first competitive section but obviously the time allowed to drive it had been shortened to make it harder and we were over time. But the country was beautiful, following the Clanwilliam Dam through olive groves and vineyards on rough stoney tracks and then up and over high passes for about 100km and two more World Cup Sections until we were back onto tarmac.
Table Mountain came into view and we were silenced, we had crossed Africa and felt exhausted, so much effort for 29 days and the huge variety of people and landscapes and weather conditions. South Africa is a country of such amazing contrasts from the rough shanties and the disenfranchised rural poor to the impossibly modern and swanky first world  takes just an hour or two.
It was not like our arrival into Paris, there were no crowds lining the streets and cheering as we quietly arrived at the Table Bay Hotel. David was there though, our sole supporter and he happily took photos and joined in with the relief of our arrival. We feel slightly confused and disorientated, our brains have had so much to deal with in such a short length of time that we havn't absorbed it all yet.
The hotel is extremely comfortable and we had a wonderful Prize Giving dinner and slide show to finish off. It was quite a relief to wear a dress again and we had a few raised eyebrows from the other competitors..yes we are just a couple of girls who seem to like a bit of a challenge!

Clanwilliam

Into South Africa

Had to climb out of our rocky bowl and over the top to drive to the border through the most extraordinary moonscape of huge boulders piled high on each side of the road and then another massive flat plateau. Had a very fast World Cup Section on this which felt like we could drive forever, the sort of place that a land speed record could be set! (but perhaps not by us). As we were approaching the Orange River which is the border between Namibia and South Africa, we came upon the most amazing feat of irrigation. Suddenly in this barren and inhospitable desert there was about 1000 acres of vines and peach trees, beautifully tended, green and perfect. All investment from South Africa, we presumed in the middle of this dreadful desert. The border was the most organised that we have been through but the temperature was unbearable, up to 45C someone said.

Then we climbed into the hills for more timed sections. The last section of the day was the first in which Ben Dawson hasn’t overtaken us since he broke his stub axle in Ethiopia and has had to travel behind us in the running order. More dry rocky desert and then we followed the Oliphant river which was lush and green into the charming town of Clanwilliam where we had our last supper together magically put on for us by the ladies of the Bowls Club.

Ai Ais

For a rather ordinary hotel in what could be an Australian country town, we had surprisingly delicious food. Last night they cooked what we liked in the way of stir fry, fish, pasta and more while we watched. Made smoked salmon sandwiches from breakfast for our lunch and left from the multi storey car park.

We did three trials, all on gravel, with gravel in between. They were so tight that we had to drive all day as though we were on a trial. Luckily they do have excellent gravel roads here and getting up to 90mph not too much of a problem, except for the nerves! On the last trial we came over the hill and the control wasn’t there. Confused, we pressed the yellow brick and carried on, not at full pace and finally found them a couple of miles on. Everyone had the same problem, obviously, and reacted differently, so they cancelled that trial which we think is a pretty poor outcome.

We think someone hit a calf.

We drove through stunning country. It is dry and deserty with fantastic flat topped hills which we wove our way through then climbed up onto a plateau. Ai Ais is by Fish River Canyon which is dark volcanic rock which we seem to have driven down into a bowl and it is sweltering with hot springs so we swam in the hot pool. Our first swim of the rally which we really needed after a very long and dusty day

Windhoek

Amazing roads and off road sections today, very hard to keep to the times but we tried our hardest and still sit at 29th, what more can we do? Sadly the Reddingtons who are just above us need to lose 1 hour for us to change which is unlikely at this stage of the event. Climbed up and down hills and there were fantastic views over the country, dry hills with trees, looked quite like Italy but no farming and no people, very strange after Zambia. Slightly shocked by the shanty towns on the outskirts of Windhoek, mere corrugated shacks and the town itself isn't that great.

Into Namibia

Just after we left the hotel this morning there was a road block with just one man in a visi jacket, no police,no uniforms and he was demanding $5 do we pay or do we go? We decided to pay up and get out of there and presume it was going straight into his pocket. A long drive today, 1000km down the Caprivi Strip along a very straight road. There were signs warning us of elephants but sadly we didn’t see any, although quite a few others on the rally did. Crossed the border into Namibia with the usual endless queuing for carnet and passports and we had to write everything down longhand in  ledgers in the passport offices while the officers looked on. Passed through a number of veterinary road blocks where we had our wheels sprayed and we had to get out of the car and stand on a disinfectant soaked mat. One soldier had a good look around the car and Rachel asked him what he was looking for. Open boot he said, yes but what are you looking for? Open boot, so Suzy opened the boot and he looked in, didn't open any bags, nodded and said we could go. Arrived in Tsuneb, a rather charming town and enjoyed a glass of  beer with the others feeling guilty that we should be doing something to the car. Finally after supper Owen said lets change those wheels so we put our spares on the front and he realigned them for us, ready to go in the morning.

Vic Falls

A sort of day off today well, drive for 484km and then have the afternoon to see the falls which are amazing, no matter what pictures you have seen nothing prepares you for the noise and huge scale of them, 1 mile wide and 250m deep. We walked down to them from the hotel and got absolutely soaked through, just like being in the pouring rain, went across the bridge and saw the rainbows produced by them, fantastic. Unfortunately, Gerard the rally photographer caught us on the way back so look out for pictures on the website. This evening we thought we had gone mad as there were zebras grazing on the hotel lawns just beside the bar quite surreal

Lusaka

Another night of torrential rain, and we thought that Central Africa would be hot and dry. Quite the opposite, a long drive today through green jungle , lots of trees but separated by grassy areas, it feels very fertile,amazing orangey red soil, and you can imagine the original white settlers getting very excited about the farming potential here. We only saw subsistence farming though for the first 300km mostly collections of round mud thatched huts with mealie growing in a small patch and a few chickens scratching around- we forgot to say that yesterday at the border there was a woman walking around with two live chickens in her arms and one on her head!-and lots of stalls on the side of the road selling mangoes, tomatoes, charcoal and honey. Then gradually the farming became more organised, larger plots and we think soya and coffee. Stopped to have some lunch and Owen looked at our car with a worried face, the front left corner again, a long term injury from our crash, is moving back every time we hit the sump guard. He thinks we need some welding done. Oh well we had a World Cup Section to do first, a lovely off road drive through long grass and trees but quite a few hidden gulleys which take you by surprise. Then into Lusaka and the Intercontinental tonight, slightly different to last night! Found Philip in the Lobby who was talking to the local Rally Association and were here to help so dispatched to a local work shop for some welding. The main problem is the radiator which has come loose and is floating around a bit.

Into Zambia

Woken at 4am with an enormous BOOM! Was it a bomb? No a thunderstorm right over our hotel and most alarming!  Breakfast was disappointing, avocado and dry brioche…interesting. The journey to the border with Zambia was through beautiful hills, covered in trees and looking very lush and tropical. We are very sad to leave Tanzania as it is such a friendly, happy and colourful place with beautiful proud and industrious people. Chaos met us at the border with hundreds of lorries parked all over the place so we wove our way between them to the front of the queue. Suzy managed to do both passports at immigration while Rachel stayed in the car to guard it, not sure how that works, and finally we were into Zambia. The people, sadly, instead of waving, were all begging for money or food and the villages that we drove through were not as productive as in Tanzania. We couldn’t see why they are so poor as they have such lush countryside at their, apparent, disposal. It was quite dispiriting. Have stopped in Mbeki after a long tarmac drive, so no car damage, in a very basic motel. We have done our washing and had showers so feeling a bit more human, and enjoyed the free beer handed out by the organisation. They are rarely that generous so it must be to do with the facilities…

Mount Livingstone Hotel, Mbeya

Another long gravel day with lots of rally rumour going around that it would be terrible. As it turned out it was ok, with parts that were very nice, especially the stretch through the boabab trees. Still no more wildlife though. Perhaps we are just being unobservant. We didn't get too many penalties, much better than yesterday, but we werre all pretty shaken when we came across poor Ian and Rod who rolled their car nose to tail. This evening we have heard they have a perspex windscreen and are catching up overnight through the world cup section...Mad!

We raced Jeff over the 330km of tarmac to Mbeya doing a good 70-80mph and were lucky not to get caught for speeding as many others did. One policeman and did pull us over, stuck his head in the window and pointed at me saying, 'This is Mafinga' ...obviously and what are you going to do with it, I thought. 'Welcome to Mafinga', he said.
We are in the not-so-awful hotel tonight, thank goodness because the really-awful hotel is just that.

Arusha to Dodoma

Another off road day with appalling road conditions but with our new shocks we were fine, but nursing a bit. All the time trying to remember they will be ok because we have the huge new yellow Australian bouncy springs.  We did all the time trials, but were hugely disappointed with our results, but hey ho, they are obviously trying to spread out the leaders. At the end of the world cup section we thought we had better stop to check out a bothersome noise only to find the axle had slipped ( shades of Mongolia) but it was only a rear subframe mounting bolt which had started to fall out! A quick mend on the side of the road and we were off again. Into Dodoma, which is apparently the capital of Tanzania but seems like a complete dump, to a strange 'resort style' hotel in mid winter.

Nairobi to Arusha

A bit of a strop with the hotel for losing laundry which was disappointing, only to be presented with it at the Time Control as we left. Leaving Nairobi was less painful than we had anticipated, except for the bouncing around in the back which is pretty grim. Yesterday we did manage to get hold of some much stronger springs, made in Australia, but the new shocks we bought in Nairobi didn't fit so we kept the bump stops and put them on our old broken shocks and new springs and bushes made-to-measure by Matt with mud flap and mastick. We decided to attempt the time trials, we are not sure why other than it would be wimpish not to. It was basically a disaster as they were very difficult time-wise, obviously trying to spread out the leaders, but after driving a rudderless ship flat out, we still missed our maximum lateness so it was pointless. Rachel pretty upset at the end and we drove on forlornly when suddenly we saw a giraffe standing right by the road with its mates. That cheered us up. Then the rubber lining in the other wheel arch got in a mess so we stopped to rip it out and a Masai warrior appeared with the sharpest (15"!) knife we'd ever witnessed and calmly cut the rubber away like butter. The new shocks were let through customs, Paul Unwin met them at the border and Owen (who prepared our car, Alex) fitted them this evening so... tomorrow is another day.

Safari Park Hotel,Nairobi

We didn't really appreciate the hotel last night which is full of trees and pools and very comfortable, I think we deserve it. Up early though to face our car, changed the air, fuel and oil filters, rearranged the front bumper again, fixed the headlights, changed the oil (well, Owen helped a bit) and took the sump guard off again to straighten it with the help of Grant's team, but no sign of the rear shocks that we all so deperately need and are on their way from the UK, they are stuck in customs and they will not release them. Lots of plans are afoot to make up some and poor Owen has got his work cut out.
This afternoon we went to visit an SOS Children's Village, which is the charity that we are supporting, and were shown around by the very charming Frederick. They have 16 houses which have housemothers to look after 10 orphans in a family envionment. It was a very friendly and caring environment in an oasis away from the slum city life ouside the gate. We were both hugely inspired and convinced by what a great cause it is to support.
Back to the carpark to more gloomy faces, no shocks yet

Day 17

Rather dreading more of the same road but it was worse, another 125km taking 5 hours including a terrible corrugated bit where our right rear shock went bang, oh no! We drove on for a bit but something was making a dreadful rubbing noise so we stopped to find the rubber wheel arch guard was ripped and trapped so we got the wheel off, took the guard off and replaced the wheel. We were watched by a very handsome tribesman with feathers on his head and beautiful beads around his neck, carrying a spear but unfortunately he did not want his picture taken. The people are very different to Ethiopians and live in a much harsher environment, not many smiles just looks of amazement. We drove on very slowly, then reached the tarmac with another 400km to go which at 50mph takes a while! Some white men were at the start of the tarmac in a village callen Mirelle, they shouted out "You're mad!" We are beginning to agree with them. Driving on the beautiful new tarmac was a big disappointment as the bushes have gone so the back wheels try to overtake the front, making the car lurch from right to left, was rather alarming. A new freeway has been built into Nairobi which has no lines on it, men were still digging the ditch on the edge and our lights were not good  and it was dark so we kept following other cars to give us a clue. Oh and the route book directions had changed from a year ago when they did the route survey. Luckily our guiding star Andy Inskip rang us with directions and was at the entrance to meet two very weary girls. The poor car limped into the carpark and I'm sorry but we just couldn't look at it tonight. Went inside to be presented with a bouquet of flowers and much congratulation at achieving the dreaded crossing from the border town of Moyale. We were told at dinner that it is real bandit country and very dangerous to drive through, much less stop to fiddle about with the car

The Worst Road in the World

Not a lot of sleep achieved as they seemed to be moving the furniture all night in the hotel as well as washing up and cooking, then the muezzin started at 3.30 and then the cockerel and everyone walked past our door and breakfast started at 6. The hellish journey then began, 250km of rough track which had been washed away by the rains leaving giant boulders and ravines to skirt around using only 1^st and 2^nd gears and as our bent sump guard only gives us 6 inches ground clearance we bounce and hit it every 10 seconds. It took 10 hours and we were covered in dust and revolting when we got to the campsite, the first 2 wheel drive to make it! Lovely showers under a bucket rigged up and delicious supper and tents already put up for us with beds so actually very comfortable. Alot of cars have had problems today mostly with their suspension but so far we are going ok

Into Kenya

Day 15

We were sad to leave the rather comfortable hotel, which had clean sheets and a, unused by us, swimming pool. Filled up with fuel where a boy came to the window and said, ‘I’m so pleased to meet you because I’ve only seen you on the telly’, which might explain the thousands of people lining the roads. We then realised that we were running late so roared along the open roads which had been closed to all other traffic. Although manned by police, going through the villages at 70mph was quite something as they all cheered and waved again.



 It was a stunningly beautiful drive with no traffic and no donkey carts, in fact all the people in Ethiopia seemed to be doing nothing but waiting for us to come through. A huge contrast from yesterday when they were so busy.

Thought our times were a bit tight but, having left late, managed to arrive early. Rachel was complimented on her driving by two people so we must be doing alright and we have gone up to 36^th. The border was another scene with our passports being looked at by three different officials and eventually given back to us. Apparently Philip made a scene at the control and started stamping everyone’s passports himself! We are not sure what the rush was about as we are in a very tired and dusty village which is ostensibly dry… However we did find a thriving little bar in the prison staff canteen where we had a Tusker or two. Then back to share a small double bed… We are managing by going head to toe in sleeping bags.

The Blue Nile Gorge

A 7.09 start and long day heading out of Bahir Dar on a 240km off road section through the most lovely country with lots of villages, lots of people, donkeys, sheep and goats, mostly on the road, winnowing the wheat by hand and building giant haystacks. Then we drove down the Blue Nile Gorge and up the other side, incredible. Very fertile country full of thousands of happy smiling people waving at us and order being maintained by policemen and soldiers waving sticks and quite a few with rifles over their shoulders. Saturday is market day and they were all busy walking along the road with their sheep and goats and driving donkey carts and carrying bags on their heads. When it got dark, though they had no lights and it was impossible to see them until we were upon them. We had a very long and stressful journey for about 1 ½ hours of darkness facing lorries with high beam as well as the people and donkey carts. All very scary. Got into the hotel eventually, after 13 hours flat out, and were met by a charming lady ex rally driver and her daughter and helped into the hotel by them. We were both virtually unrecognisable for the dust, and so was the car which for some reason we had had cleaned in Bahir Dar. Suzy needed two showers to get clean and even then the towel was filthy when she got out.

Sudan, Ethiopia

Sudan, Ethiopia

We had dancers to entertain us outside the hotel as we were trying to leave this morning.They are rather beautiful people with fine features and an ever ready smile and it is such a relief to see men and women interacting in a normal way after Saudi. The drive to the Ethiopian border was stunning through open plains dotted with trees, more verdant as we got closer. The border itself was incredibly easy helped by the local fix it man, we had to go in and out of various huts with passports and carnets then we drove across to Ethiopia and had to do the same but we were through by 11. The drive then was amazing, so many people around all of them busy walking along the roads and working in the fields, bringing in the harvest on carts pulled by donkeys.

Back into Africa

Back into Africa

Our cabin must be the dirtiest place we have ever slept in. When Suzy picked up her pillow 2 cockroaches ran out! So she put her own pillow at the other end and slept in her sleeping bag and was fine. Rachel braved the shower, which did have lovely hot water which we haven’t had for a couple of days, but Suzy couldn’t manage that. Peaceful breakfast as the ferry was delayed, after which we went up to the top deck to throw our abayas overboard. It was exciting then to watch from there as we came into Port Sudan and, through the binoculars, we saw the town completely bombed out. Africa proper! We docked eventually at about 2pm. As usual customs and carnet were a complete farce with loads of officials looking at every engine number and chassis number and finally we just drove off. We had 700km to drive and were a bit nervous as it would be dark for a lot of it but our lovely escorts, Owen and Matt and the Dawsons convoyed us at a good speed all the way. The roads were horrific, foot deep potholes appeared suddenly and we all hit a few but managed to survive. We stopped for supper at the side of the road at a mud shack were we ate lamb stew and flatbreads. We think it was lamb because our chef indicated an old lamb skin he had up to dry, quite near the food it has to be said, which still had the tail on. So when we said ‘Oh, lamb!’ he beamed and agreed, ‘lamb!’ Then off we flew again, bumpety bump, crash bump into the potholes and a few others joined us, finally getting in at 1.45am and straight to bed. One car hit a donkey and smashed in its front end and another broke their tie bar- ha! we only bent ours!

The shell of Port Sudan

Hayden, Alastair, Colin, Steve

our welcoming party

Matt and Georges

following Owen through drifting sand

pointy houses beside the railway

why do people live in this desolate place?

Day 11

A very relaxed start as we didn’t have to leave until 11am but we were met at breakfast by the news that some of our cars had been broken into- in Saudi of all places which is supposed to be so strict! Our back number plate was taken but we can live with that, we even have a spare! But others have had the Yellowbricks and GPS and even tools and spare parts nicked. The police are all talk and say they will find them, especially the Yellowbricks as they can be traced but not much is happening just lots of shrugging of shoulders and very fast chat in Arabic.

The car park which was raided in spite of police presence. We thought they lost their hands for thieving.

Jane, Owen, Chris, Matt, Ed and Paul enjoying chicken on the floor.

Our lunch stop today was at a café with rugs on the floor and three brick high partitions where one big plate of rice, two chickens and 9 spoons was placed in the middle and we all sat cross legged and dug in.

Yummy! Lunch for 9.

boarding the dirty ferry

err... who's passport?

Dirty cabin for two

Actually pretty good food in dirty ship.

The Cleopatra Hall

Got to the port at 4 hung around in the car park til 7 lots of negotiation about passports and tickets and finally got on to pretty basic cabins, in fact the dirtiest we have had by far. The cockroaches on the pillow beat Rachel's used sheets in Egypt, but at least we have beds tonight. Went back for our sleeping bags as these sheets have definitely been used before!  

Egypt

Egypt

We set off with great intentions today, three trials in the desert. We’ve done sand before in the Gobi so no problem. However, having got 8 km into the first there were 12 cars ahead of us stuck in a narrow gulley with deep sand so we turned round so that we could attack the 2nd and got  grounded twice on the way out. We were pulled out by the ever helpful Max and James. The 2nd was cancelled as everyone else was stuck so we went on to the 3^rd. As we are now placed at 39^th, our start time was late enough to make it worth doing and we were nearly at the end when, yes, we hit deep sand and had to get a tow out from Max and Pierre and Georges so we missed the end and made a sorry trip back to the hotel.

Stuck again...

James and Max Stephenson

Mike and Ben Dawson with their escort

Day 10

Three hours sleep and then we were up again to get on the ferry at midnight. It left at 4am and we arrived in Saudi having had a very uncomfortable night with no beds, either rubber necking badly or lying on the floor, trying to sleep. We were all so tired after digging sand and pushing cars all day. All the men had a good laugh and took loads of photos of us wearing our abayas then we had to get in the cars with our designated drivers. Suzy had Ed to drive the MG and Rachel went in the Frontera with Chris.

A long and boring drive, but on excellent roads, through Saudi desert along the eastern edge of the Red Sea to Yanbu. We both feel that wearing the abaya makes us feel strangely pathetic. We can’t even move the car to be helpful in a queue. And, unlike the men, we weren’t fingerprinted or photographed at customs…

Beautiful Abaya

Rachel with Chris, her escort!

The Saudis have a very strange idea of roundabout design

It feels strange to wear normal clothes in our room and then have to put on the abayas over them if we emerge in public. We went down for supper feeling rather self conscious but were asked to join the local Mr Fix it, the very charming Elie Semaan who is half Bahraini and half Lebanese and speaks beautiful English and his friend Mohammed Kaddoumi from Jordan. They made us laugh and told us that Saudi women were too spoilt to cope with this sort of trip as they get pampered by their husbands. So we felt a bit more confident as we went to bed