Hello! We are not lost, kidnapped,ill or broken down!
Sorry about the long silence but we have not really had oppurtunity to
update until now.
We left Khartoum on 22nd Aug! and had good run to the border arriving well
before dark. Crossed without any problem this time! On the Ethiopian
side we were faced with masses of people and animals - thick on the street
- so that driving was pretty difficult. One chap jumped onto Mollie and
hitched a ride to the outskirts of the village! Road was dirt here and it
started to rain just as we crossed the border. Not long after we left the
village we were diverted off the 'main road' to a very muddy, holely and
flooded minor 'road'!! Hats off to Stephen for negotiating this
horrendous bit of road and to Mollie for coping again! This slowed us
down so that darkness fell before we reached any sign of the next town. We
just found a place along the road and tried to sleep some through an
amazing thunder storm.
Next morning we left at dawn and made slow progress over terrible roads
but through beautiful mountains. When we reached Gonder two lads jumped
onto Mollie and insisted on directing us anywhere we wanted to go! There
are people everywhere in this country and we found that if we slowed down
or dared to stop we were immediately surrounded by people of all ages
shoutond 'yoyoyoyo' in a high pitched voice!! Children always asked for
money. Our plan was to head for Addis Ababa that day but just after Gonder
we came on a bridge which had subsided in the heavy rain and no one was
going anywhere! We simply had to sit and wait until the huge hole was
filled in and smoothed enough for traffic to drive over it! What a
performance. Initially we were told it would be the next day and then
without any warning at 5.30 pm the bulldozer levelled the one side of the
bridge - a lorry was suspended half on and half off the other side! All
traffic moved at once!! Log jam - waited for another hour for this to be
sorted out!! It also started to rain heavily again and while we were
waiting a young lad washed himself in the water running off the roof of
Mollie and then thanked us!! So it was nearly dusk before we were moving
again. We did drive on in the dark because there was just nowhere safe to
stop along the road. We stayed on the shore of Lake Tana - the source of
the Blue Nile. Incidentally, just north of Jiga we crossed 8000mls!
Next day we planned to drive as far as we could but were advised that it
was best to stay in Debre Markos. The drive was over high mountains and
at one point we could hardly see through the hail stones! Despite the rain
the people led their animals on the roads to I don't know where!
The heavy rain continued but we set off with high hopes of making better
progress! Before long we came on a river which had flooded the road. We
watched a lorry cross and tried to follow it's path but unfortunately got
stuck in the flood! Locals did their best to push us out but Mollie
refused to budge! After an hour or so a big truck came along and pulled
us out - no ill effects suffered except to our composure! We set off again
with high hopes of progress! What the map doesn't tell you is that the
road is not the straight line on level terrain that you think! We climbed
to approx 1200ft and then snaked downd in a series of hairpin bends to the
Blue Nile gorge and then did a parallel climb up the other side to approx
1400ft!! Was slow going but Mollie was great. At the top we came to
another standstill! The road had subsided due to heavy rains and was
being repaired! It took a couple of hours before we moved again -
dramatic scenery all the way. We did make it to Addis but there was such
a bad thunder storm we drove straight through and eventually ended up
stopping in Debre Zeyif really tired and very thankful to have reached
relative safety for the night!
Next morning the sun was shining but we didn't make any plans as to how
far we would go - we just didn't know what each day would bring!
Accommodation was necessary because of the people problem! The further
south you go the less accommodation is available. We decided to stop at
Aregash Tourist Lodge - bit off the beaten track but well worth the effort
to find it. In the village we experienced an explosive flash of lightning
the like of which I have never experienced before - it was quite
frightening. Still along the road were people and animals - donkeys,
goats, cattle and horses.
Now - 27th - we hoped yo reach the border but had learned not to assume!
The next 100mls turned out to be shocking The road surface was awful and
we made slow progress yet again! Then things improved for a while before
deteriorating again making the last 50mls hard going! There was plenty of
wild life to see along the road but Stephen always had to concentrate to
miss people and animals as well as potholes! We did arrive at the border
village Moyale before dark! We slept in Mollie safely parked in the yard
of a 'hotel'.
Up bright and breezy we set off for the border. Crossing was
straightforward - great. Wanted petrol before setting off for Marsabit
(all dirt roads) but would you believe it - no petrol to be had!! Stephen
drove back to the border crossing ans asked if we could go back to the
Ethiopian side to get petrol!! We were allowed so long as we didn't stay
overnight! It was even hard to find petrol when we crossed back, but at
the 4th set of pumps there was petrol - what could happen next?! We
crossed the border again without problem! 2hrs later than planned. The
drive to Marsabit was over the worst roads yet! We encountered our first
problem with Mollie along this deserted stretch of road - a ruptured water
heated shorted the electrics and smoke filled the cab for a short time -
scary enough. Stephen was able to bypass the water heater (using
materials he had brought for the work in Malawi!). Coincidentally we got a
puncture when we were stopped! - a nail - much to Stephen's disgust! This
delay meant that we didn't reach town before dark and had a stressful hour
or so driving in the dark. Once again we were kept safe and found a place
to stay (not very nice but...) Somewhere about here we crossed
9000mls!
Thinking the worst of the roads were over we set off early next morning!
How wrong we were - the road was even worse than the day before! At times
we were only able to do 5mph! Again the wildlife was good! We lost a
shock absorber along this stretch of road but that was all! We made it to
Isiolo and tarmac! We were pretty tired by now so a good night's rest was
appreciated here.
Next morning we set off hoping to reach Nairobi - and we did!! We enjoyed
lovely views of Mt Kenya as we drove south and couldn't help but notice
how different the countryside in this part of Kenya was compared with the
north. We met up with Nicola at the guest house where she was staying.
The owner of the Kikuyu Lodge - Trevor - is a land rover mechanic - what a
Godsend! Since arriving there he and Stephen have been restoring Mollie
and she is A1 again. We collected so much red dust along the way that
everything was filthy but is now clean again!
I went to Kijabe with Nicola for a couple of days and enjoyed meeting
friends we worked with 30yrs ago! Stephen and I plan to return there
after we leave Nicola to the airport on Friday.
So... now you are up to date! We can only testify to the goodness of God
who has led us every day and kept us safe no matter what has happenened
along the way. It has been great.
Love to you all. Again, thanks for your prayers. Hope won't be so long
til the next update
Love
S&H