DRIVING along a lonely, sandy track to remote Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve near the Nyika Plateau in Malawi, we came upon a dramatic little scene.
Ahead of us was a bogged-down 2X4 bakkie. It was up to its axles in sand and, in spite of all the pushing and shoving that was being deployed to move it, it wasn’t going anywhere fast.
Gogo in the back, surrounded by a gaggle of younger women and children, was not impressed. It was obvious that they were all going somewhere important. Everyone, from toddler to Gogo, was dressed to the nines and now here was the bakkie, thoroughly stuck in the sand. She was loudly berating the useless menfolk when we arrived.
It was September 2002 and Bill and I were heading to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on what we called our ‘small safari in search of brightest Africa’. You see, bad things happen in Africa and these sad stories are flashed around the world, consolidating the continent’s darkest Africa reputation. It is brightest Africa that doesn’t often make the headlines. And, we quickly discovered, there is plenty of brightness to be found.
On our small safari we spent two adventure-filled months on the road, driving through sections of Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe and a big slab of our own country, South Africa. During this time we clocked up nearly 14 000 trouble-free kilometres, without even having to repair a single puncture. Crisscrossing seven wonderful African countries, usually on fairly good roads, we passed through 18 border posts without a hitch or even a single hint for a bribe.
We camped everywhere we went, often in exquisite places. Sometimes facilities were basic, to say the least but we were often impressed with their high standards. Throughout our travels we encountered plenty of friendliness, courtesy and curiosity about our trip. The only theft we experienced was in Mana Pools, Zimbabwe, when a hyena made off with my toothbrush. Yes, we discovered on this cross-border trip, there is plenty of brightness to be found in Africa.
On our 2002 small safari and on many other sorties north of our border since then Bill and I have stored up all sorts of memories of quirky incidents, fabulous places, unspoiled wilderness and beautiful people. Overall these add up to a brilliant impression of African travel and an awareness of the overriding brightness and vibrancy that even Africa at its darkest cannot hide.
Over the last few months, I have focused on tent travels within South Africa, virtually visiting our national parks or coping with the weather. Let us pack up our virtual camping gear and head out a little further north to explore some of the wonderful destinations across our border. But first let’s return to the stricken travellers on that sandy Vwaza road.
When we arrived on the scene the menfolk who were labouring so hard, digging the vehicle out the sand, stopped work and gave us huge smiles. Our powerful Landrover defender was an answer to a prayer.
We got out our tow ropes, hitched up the recalcitrant bakkie and let the Defender growl its way forward, slowly easing the incapacitated vehicle out of the patch of thick sand. A cheer went up, everyone leapt on board the rescued bakkie, the driver gave us a wave and a hoot and, smiling from ear to ear, the travellers continued on their way.
It struck me, then, that it would never have occurred to the little group of stranded travellers that would not have been willing to help them. And, if the situation had been reversed, they would not have hesitated to roll up their sleeves and to help us to dig and push our way out of the sand.
It just happens that way in Africa.
