Karo wholeheartedly invites you to take part on her Journey. Don’t worry, no pedaling involved. Just relax, see and enjoy!
If you are interested in a story line, tap on the pictures and read one after the other. It’s basically a picture book with the different stages of Karo’s Journey.
From Biharamulo to Kambuga …
The universe had mercy on Karo and sent her an answer. It sent an answer through Karo’s old friend, Raymond, who asked Karo if she would be interested in joining him on his annual charity trip to Tanzania. Karo said GOODBYE to her Greek parents, packed her bike in a box and flew to Tanzania …
15 years ago Raymond and two of his colleagues founded PRF (poverty relief foundation). An organization which funds well for villages in Tanzania’s Lake Region. Since 2005 PRF provided funds for 200 wells. Each one of them serves a community of 2.000 to 5.000 people. 2008 Karo and Ray were both in Tanzania and accidentally ran into each other. Since then, the two are good friends and Karo got gradually involved in the charity. Since 2013 she had the opportunity to join Ray on his annual monitoring trips to Tanzania, to see if the projects have been implemented and to see possible new sites for building wells …
Access to clean water still remains one of Tanzania’s biggest challenges, especially in rural areas …
The daily walks to a well or waterhole is usually a task done by women and children …
A new well is being digged. What Karo really likes about PRF is the fact, that the organization ONLY provides the money for the wells, everything else (construction, management, maintenance) is done by locals …
Karo and Ray spent 2 weeks in and around Biharamulo area, a Tanzanian province close to Lake Victoria, where they met many super friendly and hospitable people …
Sometimes it is a bit difficult to understand and accept some of their customs, like the transport of animals …
This inquisitve herd of Ankole cows met us at a waterhole …
Usually the 2 week trip to Tanzania is used to see the new wells, which have been funded the year before, to see how and if they work and to see possible new sites. Sites, to which villages invite us to have a look at their current water source and to ask PRF for funds for a well. Above you see the current waterhole of a certain village in Tanzania …
and here is another one …
and another one … For Karo it is always really hard to imagine that people are able to drink this kind of water without getting terribly sick …
another waterhole … Interestingly, most of the waterholes are actually not puddles from rainwater, but underground sources. This makes digging wells comparatively easy …
another waterhole …
and another one …
mud-huts, typical Tanzanian village housing, which have actually excellent insulation properties for the hot summer months …
a happy Tanzanian family enjoying lunch together …
an added classroom to a local school …
village meeting to which PRF has been invited …
an informal gold mine in Tanzania; Karo has no idea how that excavater managed to get, where it is now and how it will ever get back …
After two weeks charity work, Ray flew back to the UK and Karo went to Dar es Salaam, where she stayed with Simi, a young “old” friend of Karo, getting ready for her journey …
She also met Anthony, another very good friend of hers. In fact, Anthony was the one, who guided Karo out of the city and waved her GOODBYE, when she embarked on her cycling expedition through Africa …
Thanks to the availability and rich diversity of fruits in Tanzania, Karo started fully energized …
Karo’s first day on the bike was an absolute nightmare: it was extremely hot and humid, dusty, hectic traffic, narrow roads in bed condition and she even had a little accident, but apart from a bleeding knee nothing really bad happened. To be honest, on the first day of her cycling in Tanzania, Karo was about to give up …
Luckily, she didn’t and gave the next day another chance …
it was already a lot better, but Karo was still not fully in her cycling mood …
Luckily, on the 3rd day, things changed. After an exhausting day of climbing lots of hills, which Karo didn’t expect, Karo rested underneath a tree, where she was found by Faraja. Faraja, a young and kind Tanzanian woman invited Karo to her home. Since Karo was resting under a tree, she could as well rest in her house, so thought Faraja. Faraja stays together with her parents, her several kids and some other kids, who don’t have any other place to stay in a simple brick house in a small village called Ngiloli …
After a while Faraja and some kids started to prepare a meal. Guests in Tanzania always have to have a meal, otherwise the reputation of the host is in danger. There Karo was, in the middle of those amazing people, who hardly had enough for themselves, but were eager to share the little they had with Karo. Karo was so touched by Faraja’s hospitality and kindness …
This beautiful experience brought back Karo’s motivation and spirit for her journey. She was eager to explore more of this beautiful country and to meet more of its amazing people …
She notized and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful scenery around her …
and she saw plenty of her favourite trees: the baobab! What a beautiful giant …
underneath the baobab Karo met this inquisitive, lovely lady, who was curious why a white lady was hugging a baobab tree …
another day she found rest in a cheap guesthouse. “Baraka” on her side, Karo has decided to finally name her precious, loyal aluminium horse and faithful friend …
In Igunga, a small trading center about 800 km from Dar es Salaam, she met Grace and her two friends, who were very interested in the “Mzungu” (Swahili for white man/women) on the bike. For the next months “Mzungu” was the most frequent word Karo heard …
Karo really enjoyed meeting and being with locals, but she also enjoyed the quiet moments of solitude …
After having cycled 1.100 km in 10 days in a row. Karo arrived super exhausted in Bariadi, where she met her good friend Justus, a secondary school teacher. Karo spent about a week with Justus, relaxing her mind and muscles …
Justus with his class …
How beautiful it is to watch the rain from the inside of a house … The message of this sentence is probably only understood by people who regularly camp …
Justus and Karo visited Hellen, one of the strongest and most impressive women Karo knows …
After having spent a full week with Justus, Karo headed of to Butiama, the birthplace of Tanzania’s first president, Julius Kambarage Nyerere, a socialist leader and humanist and one of Karo’s role models and inspirational figures. Karo wanted to visit Butiama because she wanted to visit the Nyerere museum to find out more about her idol. In Butiama Karo was hosted by Madaraka, a very interesting, humble and kind Tanzanian. She spent two days with him and only on the second day she realized that the man, who hosts her is Julius Kambarage Nyerere’s son. Humble like his father, he didn’t even find it worth mentioning …
Monkeys stalking Karo and Karo stalking monkeys in front of the window of her room in Butiama …
After having had this amazing encounter with Madaraka Nyerere, Karo headed North towards Kenya. On her way she crossed the legendary Mara river …
Before she crossed into Kenya, she visited Anthony and his family …
She learnt that cattle are a very important asset for the Kuria tribe, the tribe, which inhabits Mara region …
Karo enjoyed a beautiful sunrise on the way to the field …
Arrived at the field, Karo joined the early morning activity of ploughing …
Typical Kuria way of storing grain …
One afternoon, Karo and Anthony went on a walk to Mara river, where they met those lovely and busy farmers …
The beautiful and fertile Mara plains, highly in demand by its surrounding people …
Karo is always amazed by the beautiful colours of African soil …
An exhausted Anthony after a long walk to Mara river. As a “real man” he never went anywhere without his machete …
On their walk back to Anthony’s home they met a few cows enjoying fresh water from a stream …
They passed typical Kuria homesteads …
In the evening Anthony and Karo visited Werema, who was busy getting his dinner fire ready …
In front of Werema’s house, where he stays with his wife and SIX children …
After six days Karo hugged Anthony and his lovely family GOODBYE and headed to Kenya …
Karo has been tremendously blessed by the weather god. Although it was officially rain season in Eastern Africa, Karo only enjoyed sunshine on her nose, during the days she was cycling …
On her 4th day in Kenya, Karo met a group of six motorcyclists, who were having a lunchbreak next to the road. Curious about this crazy lady alone on her bicycle they invited Karo to join them. The six men, were all born in Africa (from Indian origin), but all of them are living in the UK or Canada now. They were on a holiday trip riding their bikes from Kampala to Dar es Salaam. The six guys invited Karo to spend her day with them and because they were so lovely and had so much fun Karo agreed and Baraka was put on the roof of their Back-up car …
A few days later, Karo was of course back on her bike, Karo arrived at Lake Naivasha …
A beautiful lake with beautiful surrounding fauna in Western Kenya …
She went to Hell’s Gate Nationalpark, the only National Park in Kenya, where people are allowed to cycle …
She saw plenty of wildlife …
and walked in the beautiful gorge, which was, for the one’s who are interested, one of the film locations for the 1st Tomb Raider movie …
She also learnt that the king’s rock in “The Lion king” was inspired by the very rock seen on the picture reaching towards sky …
After Hell’s gate National Park, she continued to Eldoret, where she stayed in a little ironsheet shack …
Her hosts, Hillary and Joseph, were two marathon runners. Eldoret is home of some of the most famous former and present marathon runners of Kenya and the whole world (since Kenya is the leading nation in that sport). In fact, the whole town is crazy about running. Almost everybody without job engages in marathon running, in hope to get out of poverty. For Karo it was immensely interesting to stay with two runners and to get a feeling about the lives they were living. Joseph and Hillary possessed hardly anything, but their running shoes and a hell lot of determination …
After Eldoret, Karo continued to Nyange Naitiri in the Kenyan bush …
There she found Kevin, a good friend she knew from her time in Vienna …
Karo spent a few days with Kevin and his adorable family …
After a few days in Nyange Naitiri it was time to leave again and because Kevin wanted to spend a bit more time with Karo, he insisted to give her ride on his motorbike to the next tar road …
Baraka got a ride as well …
After having spent 2 weeks in Kenya, Karo found it was time to cross into Uganda …
Where she went to Jinja and visited the source of river Nile …
In Jinja, Karo was hosted by Hellen, an adorable Ugandan lady, who welcomed Karo with arms wide open …
and she filled Karo’s tummy with delicious Ugandan food …
A few days later, Karo arrived in Kampala, where she stayed in a very luxurious apartement. Nelson, a very good Kenyan friend of Karo organized this stay for her …
Karo felt so bad watching this construction workers from her luxury apartment. The scaffolding was really shaky, they were working on the 7th floor and had neither shoes, nor a helmet …
After having cycled about 2.500 km in Africa, Karo found Baraka deserved a little treat at the car wash …
Heading South to the Ugandan town of Masaka, Karo crossed the Equator (again) …
In Kitengesa, a small village 15 km from Masaka, Karo stayed with her amazing friend George, an incredibly adorable man, Karo hadn’t seen for long time …
George has a little farm, where he is staying with his wife Olivia and his two kids …
George’s lovely wife Olivia and their son Trevor …
Trevor was very unhappy of receiving a wash in front of Karo …
Karo became friends with George’s friendly watchdogs …
and she enjoyed the simple, but super tasty and healthy farm food: beans, sweet potatoes and Matooke (cooking bananas, the staple food of the majority of Ugandans)
Matooke-Banana tree with fruits …
Sugar cane, East Africa’s candy for the poor, which is very good and actually a lot better than real candy …
fermented coffee beans drying in the sun …
Coffee beans in their original state …
After having spent a few days with George and his family, Karo left Kitengesa and continued to Kambuga, a little village in South-Western Uganda, close to the Congolese border …
Here she met Darius, another very very good friend of Karo, whom she hadn’t seen for years. Darius is living here with his wife and daughter …
Karo spent a few exciting days in Kambuga. Darius was very eager to show Karo everything, which was happening in his little village. Here, they discovered a local “distillery” …
A very happy Darius showed Karo how to make Banana brew “Pombe”, a terrible tasting drink …
These villagers were squeezing bananas with their legs for more banana brew …
From Kambuga to Palapye …
Banana brew during fermentation …
The unpatient Darius couldn’t resist and needed to taste the unfinished product. Needless to say, he soon needed a toilet. That day Karo became a real expert in local brews and distilleries. A pity she actually doesn’t drink alcohol (anymore) …
Darius and Karo also spent a lot of time hiking the beautiful hills of Kambuga …
An extraordinarily beautiful area of Uganda, covered in Banana plantations …
Alosius, an adorable boy from Darius’ neighbourhood took a particular liking in Karo and gifted Karo with this delicious Jackfruit, which they enjoyed together. What a super sweet boy …
It has been long time since Karo enjoyed this sticky, but mouthwateringly tasty fruit …
Karo loves watching chicken. She always has a chuckle about their cute and funny behaviour. In Kambuga she felt really sorry for their decreased freedom. Because Kambuga was facing a serious drought with crops hardly growing, Kambuga’s chicken were sentenced with leg irons to prevent them from digging out the few seeds and plants which were left in the ground …
She learnt how to traditionally cook Matooke (in banana leaves) with the three stone system and fire wood …
Another day, Darius, one of his friends and Karo went on a cycling expedition …
everybody was very excited …
They climbed several hills from which they enjoyed an amazing view …
and then arrived at this marvellous waterfall in the middle of nowhere …
Somebody was really exhausted …
but Darius was lucky, a big portion of “Kalo” a rich millet porridge brought back his energy and he was ready for the return …
Karo also had the chance to celebrate Good Friday in Kambuga and experienced a very interesting custom. Each villager carried his/her own cross from the village to the church …
After several exciting days with Darius, it was time to say GOODBYE. Karo decided to go back to Tanzania. A few days later, she entered her beloved 2nd Home and visited Kayanga, a little village in North-Western Tanzania, where many years ago she had spent six months volunteering …
When a totally exhausted Karo reached Kayanga, which is on a mountain plateau, she realized that she had cycled EXACTLY 11.111 km since she left her Home in Austria …
In Kayanga, Karo stayed with Father Hans, a missionary from Upper Austria, whom Karo knew from long time ago. A wonderful man, who has done incredibly much for his Tanzanian community …
Leaving Kayanga, Karo enjoyed a loooooong downhill …
She headed towards Bukoba now. Along the way she got surprised by a heavy rain shower. Luckily she found shelter and those lovely people, who were surprised as well, not by the rain, but by the “Mzungu” on a bicycle …
Karo loved the beautiful, fertile plains around Bukoba …
After Bukoba, Karo headed South towards Biharamulo, the area of Tanzania, where the charity work is taking place …
On route, she stopped in Kyebitembe, where she knocked on the door of these two priests, who immediately invited her in …
and pampered her with sweet potatoes, Mchicha (a type of Spinach) and chickpeas …
A few days later, Karo stopped at a small immigration office in Ushirombo asking for accommodation and got invited by Salum, who is meanwhile a very good friend of Karo …
After Karo had finished her tour around Lake Victoria, visiting many of her “old” friends in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, she decided to continue to Cape Town. It was just like that. She woke up one morning and said to herself “I’ll go to Cape Town!” and that’s what she did, but first she had to cross Tanzania and a few other countries …
Ugali (maize porridge) and ocra boosted her energy …
She kept meeting smiling faces and curious Beings …
and made more new friends …
she enjoyed her freedom and the wind in her hair …
When she reached Dodoma, Tanzania’s capital city, in the middle of nowhere …
She was hosted by Andrew and his family. A very interesting man, who teaches Peace Studies at the University of Dodoma. Karo really enjoyed Andrew’s company and their long, profound discussions …
South of Dodoma, Karo pedalled through the land of Baobabs. A heaven for Karo …
being a thinly populated part of the country, Karo enjoyed her solitude …
and some funny street signs. This one, must have been from China …
the colour of the soil changed every few kilometers.: white, orange, beige, red …
Karo was amazed …
Tanzania is so beautiful …
She pedalled and pedalled and pedalled until she reached Iringa …
and its bizarre, but astonishing sandstone formations …
In Iringa, Karo was hosted by Juma …
and his adorable wife Aisha …
they had the cutest baby Karo had ever seen …
After Iringa, Karo continued towards Mafinga, the area of Tanzania, where most of the timber is being produced …
Pine forests and trucks with pine trees everywhere …
She passed a beautiful Mangrove swamp …
which unfortunately gradually disappears because of the expansion of the timber industry and new pine plantations …
Karo noticed many dead pythons on the road …
She pedalled and pedalled and pedalled until she reached the beautiful mountain town of …
Mbeya …
When Karo entered Mbeya town, a crazy woman decided to pull Karo from her bike as she was passing by. A weird scenario, but everybody who witnessed the scene came to help Karo and were annoyed with the lady …
Karo spent a few days in Mbeya, where she was hosted by Lina and Leonie, two lovely German volunteers …
In Mbeya Karo did a few excursions through the mountains …
it was a lot easier to climb hills without luggage …
Karo felt so “light”, it felt like flying up the mountains …
She enjoyed the quiet mountain villages …
and loved the beautiful view she had on Mbeya …
rich, black, fertile soils, Mbeya is the potato capital of Tanzania …
no worries about Karo’s heart then …
Leaving Mbeya, Karo enjoyed a long downhill to Tunduma, the border to Zambia …
Once in Zambia, she was pleased to hear that many people, were still speaking Swahili …
Zambia was beautiful, but it turned out to be much more monotonous. This landscape followed Karo for several hundred kilometers, but it was flat, flat, flat, which was pure joy for Karo …
Each time a sad moment for Karo: lots of charcoal for sale along the road, an environmental disaster in progress! Zambia’s poor inhabitants are chopping down their rich forests to earn a few “Kwacha” (Zambian currency). Needless to say, there is NO reforestation. A vicious circle: trees gone –> rain and fertile soil gone –> crops gone –> HUNGER!
Every now and then Karo stayed in a local guesthouse to get a shower and charge her phone …
In one Zambian village Karo saw a rubbish bin, the first one since 4 months. Karo was extremely happy …
Because locals had told Karo to avoid the road from Mpika to Serenje, because of banditry, she asked Lugobard for a lift. What a lovely man …
While Karo enjoyed the drivers cabin, Baraka enjoyed the wind and the fresh air on the back of the truck. Lugobard was transporting lime from Dar es Salaam to Ndola …
Zambia was covered in flowers …
From Kapiri Mposhi, in the center of the country, Zambia started to change. It was becoming more and more “organized” or “European” as Karo would say (and that is not necessarily a compliment). Karo saw lots of irrigation systems, commercial farms and shopping malls! Karo didn’t know by then that she had entered a different kind of Africa. Southern Africa differed much from East Africa …
In Lusaka, Karo decided to treat herself with a delayed Easter present …
In a cosy backpackers in Lusaka, she found George. Finally someone she could cuddle again. Karo loves cuddling …
Karo also met this funny and lovely group of motorcyclists from AUSTRIA (what a surprise) and USA! They started from Cape Town and were on their way to Cairo. When they heard about Karo’s plans they hooked her up with their Capetonian friends and that’s where Karo eventually stayed once she had arrived in Cape Town …
no figs and blackberries in Zambia, but monkey fingers, a delicious treat straight from the bush …
Lots of puff adders on the road (most of them dead). A very dangerous snake, who releases venom that causes the rottening of flesh. Once bitten the venom can only be stopped by removing the affected flesh and thus a bite often means the amputation of the affected limb …
Close to the border to Botswana Karo met some familiar faces. Having been on the main road for weeks, lots of truck drivers had passed Karo several times and often stopped for a small chat to hear about her progress …
Flat, flat, flat … easy pedalling for Karo …
In order to cross into Botswana Karo had to hop on a ferry crossing Chobe river …
Having been warned by locals and the entire staff of the immigration office that it is not wise to continue cycling in this part of the country, Karo decided to ask Knowledge, a Zimbabwean truck driver, for a lift from Kasane to Nata. A stretch of 300 km through the Kasane, Kazuma and Sibuyu Forest Reserve. Apparently the area is heavily populated by elephants and lions …
Karo thought they were all exaggerating, but because she promised her parents and Kari to take local advice serious, she got comfortable in the driver’s cabin of the truck. Because Knowledge her driver had to settle some custom issues of his load, they had to stay for another day at the border. Knowledge turned out to be a really good company and Karo was glad that her lift gave her the opportunity of getting to know this adorable man and his story.
Karo and Knowledge spent the night in Kasane town, whilst their load was still at the border control post. Knowledge was worried because he transported maize bran and he knew elephants like that stuff and would most likely visit the border control post at night to snack on his load. Karo thought he was joking …
it turned out, that he was telling the truth. In the morning Karo saw clear evidence that elephants are smart and sneaky beings. They already knew where to go at night for an easy snack. Luckily, Knowledge didn’t transport citrus fruits … Apparently, elephants are crazy about citrus fruits and most drivers refuse to transport citrus through the Forest Reserve because elephants would even go for a moving truck, if it carries their favourite snack …
Once Karo and Knowledge were moving out of Kasane town, the elephant safari began! It was amazing, seriously, Karo had never seen so many elephants in her life and she was so glad she could look at them from the window of a truck and not from her tiny bicycle …
Botswana’s open grasslands …
A semi-arid country, Botswana was a completely new environment for Karo …
Being a very thinly populated country (only 1.9 million people in a country twice as big as Germany) Karo found not many cars on the road, but plenty of trucks transporting all types of minerals (copper, iron, zinc, etc.) from inland Africa to the South African coast …
a beautiful sunsrise watched from Karo’s tent …
Botswana was perfect for wild camping …
Karo passed Serowe and paid a visit to the Khama Rhino Sanctuary …
where she saw plenty of zebras …
Serowe, is the royal city of Botswana, the very place, where their 1st president, Seretse Khama, has been born. He is another one of Karo’s African heroes. An outstanding man, whose main aim was to overcome racial segregation, fight for equality and the freedom of his people and he was one of the few African presidents, who succeeded in his plans without any form of violence. He was married to an English woman, Ruth Williams. Karo highly recommends to watch the movie “A United Kingdom”. A movie which portrays the beautiful TRUE love and life story, of a black and white couple, whose Love for each other was not excepted by either side of their own people …
After Serowe, Karo continued to Palapye …
Palapye is home of one of the biggest coal mines of the country. Karo found, the coal mining area looked like a moon landscape …
and because there is so much coal in Palapye, the government decided a few years ago to build THE ONLY electricity plant of Botswana in Palapye. It was supposed to provide electricity for the whole country. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned (Karo is not sure whether this comes as a surprise). Having been built by Chinese the quality of the whole construction is rather poor and until now, the plant produces only a quarter of its actual capacity. Thus, until now, Botswana has to buy most of its electricity from neighbouring South Africa, while paying back loans to China for an investment that only costs, but brings nothing in return …
From Palapye to Hermanus …
In Palapye Karo has been hosted by Steffen, a German engineer, who worked at the electricity plant and that is why Karo learnt so much about it. Karo and Steffen met accidentally in Palapye town and because he was so excited to find a young European lady with a bicycle in his small town, he couldn’t resist inviting her to his place, where she could stay for AS LONG as she wanted. An offer Karo could not refuse ….
Karo spent 3 days with Steffen, who was an excellent guide and showed her everything Palapye had to offer and that was actually a lot more than Karo thought …
Karo is very grateful that Steffen found her. He was such an amazing host and treated Karo like a princess …
After this exciting encounter Karo continued South-West towards Gaborone, Botswana’s capital city, and enjoyed beautiful grassland all along the way …
One thing she noticed were the (for African standards) comparatively good-looking government houses, which Karo found in almost every settlement. They provide accommodation for teachers, government officials, hospital staff and everybody else, who was working for the government. It was clear by now, the government of Botswana, unlike so many other African governments, really cares for its people. It is by the way one of the few African countries, where its people have the right and access to many social standards, which we spoilt Europeans so often take for granted: like free education (for excellent students even University), free health care, pensions for retirement and each citizen has the right for a free plot, to build his house …
Botswana’s fauna really fascinated Karo. It looked very unspectacular at first sight, but once Karo had spent a few days in the country, she really had time to acknowledge the beauty of it …
Water!!!! 🙂 Water in a riverbed was a very rare sight, since most of Botswana’s rivers are dry for most of the year and only carry water for a few hours or days during the rain season. Water is by the way the most treasured and acknowledged element in Botswana. Everybody is aware of its life giving significance. The currency of Botswana reflects on the importance of water, as it is called the “Pula” and the “Thebe”, which means “Rain” and “Drops” …
Karo also noticed that a lot of things in Botswana (bins, trees, stones, houses, etc) were painted in the colours of their national flag, which (by the way) represents the importance of water (blue) and the “racial” harmony amongst its people (black and white)! Karo finds that very cute …
Every now and then cars stopped next to Karo, curious about the traveller and her story. It seemed to be a rare sight, to find a single cyclist on the road …
Cows, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys were for most of the days Karo’s main company. The lucky animals are free to roam the entire country. Fences are a rare sight (apart from the big cattle fence, which runs through the entire country – from East to West in northern Botswana – which was built to separate cattle from buffalos and therefore to protect the cattle from BSE) Otherwise the country is basically fenceless. For the cars this is obviously a potential danger and indeed, car accidents caused by domestic animals are a frequent cause of death on Botswana’s road …
another painted stone …
This national heroes (the statues are found in Gaborone) are the three founding fathers of the nation. When hostilities broke out between the Tswana people of Bechuanaland (former name of Botswana) and other tribes from Southern Africa migrating into Bechuanaland, those three gentlemen (Khama III, Sebele I and Bathoen I) travelled to the UK to ask for help. The UK assisted in making Bechuanaland one of its Protectorates and therefore settling the dispute without any kind of violence. Karo loves pacifists and is truly impressed by their achievement …
In Gaborone, Karo was hosted by Sam and her friends. Karo had no idea, that it hadn’t been the last time to meet the super interesting and fascinating woman and tattoo artist …
Flat, flat, flat! Karo moved almost like a lightning …
obviously Karo had to stop for this pretty lady …
and more friends along the road …
After having spent only two weeks in Botswana, Karo reached the border to South Africa …
and immediately fell in love with the South African “landmark” of the country side: Wind pumps. They were not only very pretty, but also very practical. Karo would soon learn their benefits: where there is a wind pump, there is water (and therefore the possibility of a cooling and cleaning bath) …
The very 1st day in South Africa, Karo fell into the hands of Deon, an extraordinarily big-hearted man …
when she asked him, if he knew a place, where she could put her tent, he came up with something better and invited her to stay in his luxury lodge …
with a super comfy king-sized bed. Karo was soooo happy that the universe had sent her this angel … 🙂
the next morning she enjoyed a beautiful sunrise from the terrace of “her” luxurious lodge …
the beauty of South Africa’s (and Botswana’s) grasslands struck Karo deeply …
Deon adviced Karo not to do any wild camping in South Africa. He found, for a white woman on her own it would be an unnecessary risk. Instead he recommended to simply ask farmers along the way, if Karo could camp in the security of their compound. And that was, what Karo did in South Africa …
and it turned out that Deon’s advice was PHENOMENAL. In Vryburg, Karo knocked on Charlize’s door and asked to put her little camp in her compound …
She refused and brought her to their guestroom instead …
She spent 3 days with Charlize and her husband Owen, who had a cattle farm in North-Eastern province. Amazing people …
Karo met so many angels on her way, she could hardly keep up with giving her thanks to the universe …
In Kimberley, an SA city, Karo stopped at the Big Hole …
a big water-filled crater, from the former diamond digging activities in Kimberley …
She learnt a lot about diamonds …
Although Karo doesn’t fancy to possess one of those precious, pretty, shining, little stones, she must admit that she found their story extremely interesting …
But diamonds were not the only beautiful thing, Kimberley had to offer …
Karo was touched by the beauty of this colourful sunset …
The lake around Kimberley is known for its flamingo colony …
Karo was amused, horses always reacted extremely curious and friendly on Baraka and her …
in Petrusburg, Karo stayed with Dewald and his adorable family …
Besides being a lawyer he farmed “salt” …
and Peca nuts. A delicious nut, Karo had not tasted before …
Although Karo had an amazing time in South Africa, she had to admit that so far, she had only been in touch with the white farming community. Although Apartheid (the racial segragation of South Africans) had officially ended 1994, it seemed to be still very present. In each town Karo passed, she woud find a rich area (mainly populated by whites) and a poor area “Township” (inhabitated by the black community). Of course, there were exceptions, but to be honest, not very often …
A prickly pear plantation, but because South Africa is FULL of fences Karo had unfortunately no access to it …
In Bloemfontein, one of the three SA capitals, Karo stayed with Hasie and Hermine …
The retired couple decided to move to a security complex after they have been attacked and robbed on their farm. Karo was glad, that they offered her a place to stay, but in fact, she also felt like a prisoner. Security guards and cameras were everywhere, there was a huge wall and fence around the whole complex and the only access to the complex was through a fingerprint system. Karo soon realized, you are either rich or poor in SA and if you are rich, you have to spent a lot of money to secure yourself and your possessions. Needless to say, Karo finds that fact very sad and scary …
the beautiful countryside cheered her up again …
although even the countryside with all its fences and warnings, at times annoyed Karo …
How can a nation be so incredibly divided? On the one hand, she heard the most terrible stories of crime, violence and hate. There was so much fear from the one’s who have towards the have-nots. On the other hand she experienced such amazing hospitality, people with incredible kind hearts …
Like Thea and Johnny, another farmer couple, who opened their door and hearts when Karo asked for shelter …
Karo had arrived in SA, when it was winter at the Southern Hemisphere. She never expected that she would ever freeze in Africa, but she actually really did …
so she would often stop for a cup of tea to warm her fingers …
She was surrounded by mountain ranges and felt an enormous climate difference during days and nights …
She would usually start cycling fairly late, since the mornings were biting cold …
One other thing Karo noticed and had (until then) not been used to, was the hunting culture of South Africans. Almost each farm house she entered, was decorated with dead animals. Something which Karo finds quite scary …
but she agreed on other things …
When Karo crossed the equator in Uganda she briefly chatted to a guy from SA, who was excited to hear that Karo was on her way to Cape Town. “If you ever make it to SA, please stop at my home in Queenstown. My family owns a hunting lodge and you are welcome to stay there for as long as you want to relax your bones!” he said and that was, where Karo was heading to. Karo was on her way to Queenstown …
a very particular, but beautiful landscape …
Finally, she arrived at Maweni Lodge …
and Errington, the South African Karo met in Uganda, kept his promise …
She was staying with him and his family for a week and utterly enjoyed it …
She enjoyed the walks in the beautiful bushland and surrounding mountains, observing the different species of animals on the farm (zebras, giraffes, all types of antelopes, warthogs, etc.) and she really enjoyed Errington’s and his family’s company. They were all soooo good to her …
Karo was amazed by the size and beauty of the Aloe Vera plants …
And Karo even saw an old bushmen painting on the rocks of the Maweni mountains …
Maweni by foot has a lot to offer …
Errington’s lovely family …
South Africa’s most famous snack “Biltong”, air-dried meat …
South Africa’s 2nd famous snack “rusks”, crispy cookie-like “things”, which people usually dip in tea or coffee to soften them. Karo’s favourite in SA …
Errington, his daughter Alice and Karo also went for a trip to their summer house on the coast …
It was sooooo good to feel the sand between the toes and to smell the salty sea air …
Kasouga, a little paradise on the Indian Ocean, was marvellous …
After having spent 10 days with Errington and his family Karo jumped back on her bike and pedalled off towards Cape Town …
along the famous and legendary Garden Route …
She stayed with Johnny and Jenny, who were milk farmers …
and who proudly showed Karo around on their HUGE farm of 6.000 cows …
They also introduced her to some very cute baby cows …
The landscape on the Garden Route had completely changed, suddenly everything was green and lush again …
Karo was really glad to be in SA. Before coming here, she was actually a bit scared. She had heard so many negative things about this country, but NOW she thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, there are downsides, but TRUTH BE TOLD, never had she met so MANY amazing and helpful people on her journey, than in SA …
she crossed the beautiful Storm River gorge …
and enjoyed the smell and sight of Fynbos, a particular type of vegetation, which is only found on the Cape of South Africa …
a whole new world for Karo …
She also passed majestic indigenous forests in Nature’s Valley …
In Sedgefield, a gem on the Garden Route, she stayed with Alwyn and his family …
She met plenty of sheep along the way, which always ALWAYS always make Karo very happy …
She stayed with Yvonne and Andre in Swellendam, who treated her like their own daughter, …
She went to Cape Agulhas …
the most Southern tip of Africa …
where she actually met two Austrians, Matthias a young “old” friend and his colleague Wolfgang. They were both on a business trip to SA and decided to meet Karo. Karo was so happy to see some familiar faces …
On the road again, Karo passed beautiful “fields” of Aloe Vera …
She visited Hermanus, which turned out to be the most beautiful place. Karo is still amazed by the beauty of Hermanus’ coastline! Breathtaking …
In Hermanus she stayed with Marise and Maartin, another couple, who touched Karo deeply due to their hospitality …
From Hermanus to Tankwa Karoo …
After beautiful Hermanus Karo continued to Kleinmond, passing astonishing fields decorated with Protea flowers, the queen of the Fynbos species and not without reason South Africa’s national flower …
such a beauty …
In Kleinmond Karo was hosted by Marius, one of the most interesting men, Karo had ever met. Being a very deep and spiritual Being Karo tremendously enjoyed his warm company and their touching conversations. Besides her amazing host, Kleinmond was a beautiful little perl on the ocean. Karo had to stay for another day …
Karo passed the stunning Kogelberg Reserve …
and the inviting and clean Palmiet river …
She tremendously enjoyed the beautiful False Bay, which she saw from the probably most scenic route Karo ever had cycled on …
and finally after months on her bicycle, she could see Table mountain in the far distance. She was close to her chosen destination: CAPE TOWN …
Karo spent a week in Bellville, a city within the city of Cape Town. She stayed with a beautiful family of keen motorcyclists. If you remember, Karo got their contact from her Austrian motorcyclist friends, who Karo met in Lusaka. From Bellville Karo discovered Cape Town and its surroundings …
She went to the African penguin colony in Simon’s Town …
One of Karo’s favourite animals …
She visited the colourful beach houses of Muizenberg with her new friends …
She went to Robben island, where Nelson Mandela has been imprisoned for 27 years. 27 years!!!!!! That is almost Karo’s entire life …
Karo is a really big fan of Nelson Mandela. A true humanist, especially during and after his time in prison. Forgiving 27 years of imprisonment is certainly something only a man with peace in his heart is able to do … BRAVO, Madiba!
in front of Nelson Mandela’s cell, where he studied Afrikaans (the language of his “enemy”, did his exercise, and made peace with the world and himself …
She enjoyed a beautiful sunset over Simon’s Town …
She cycled (slowly because of the turtles) through the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve …
and OF COURSE, visited the Cape of Good Hope …
The stunning view on Cape of Good Hope! Karo did a lot of things during her week long stay with her lovely Capetonian hosts, but she really felt, there was so much more to see and she wanted to discover everything. Nevertheless, what she wanted even more, was to see Kari again and they agreed to meet in Zambia. Therefore Karo decided to leave her bike in Cape Town, spend an amazing month with her beloved friend and then come back to Cape Town to continue her journey to? …
After 9 months of not seeing each other Kari and Karo are finally back together, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe …
Kari and Karo visited the astonishing and famous Victoria Falls, the largest water falls in the world (by length, not amount of water) …
Marvellous …
Breathtaking …
Kari and Karo really enjoyed the beauty of the falls, but to be completely honest, they could have enjoyed it even more on a “clear” day. Unfortunately, their friendsheep was a bit “cloudy” that day, like the mist from the dashing water on the falls itself. The night before Karo and Kari had to share a few things, which happened during the last months and some of those things caused plenty of disappointment, frustration and anger between the two. In any case, Kari and Karo have never been good at fighting and so they dealt with their drama in a fairly reasonable way and continued enjoying their valuable time together …
After a few days at Victoria Falls, Kari and Karo walked across the border to Zambia. Luckily they could see flowers again …
Kari and Karo hugged a giant Baobab …
and enjoyed the simple, but yummy Zambian cuisine …
they walked to Livingstone …
and from Livingstone they organized a Safari into Chobe National Park in Botswana …
where they saw plenty of beautiful wildlife …
two Impala bucks fighting for a girl …
what a handsome giant … luckily, Kari and Karo didn’t carry any citrus fruits …
the beautiful landscape of Chope National Park …
After an amazing time in Chobe, Kari and Karo took the bus to Lusaka and cuddled George again …
A few days later, Kari and Karo bought two cheap bicycles from the street and cycled to Lake Kariba, Zambia’s biggest Lake …
They enjoyed the tremendously beautiful sunsets on the lake …
After that little adventure on 2 wheels, Kari and Karo went to the heart of Zambia, Kapiri Mposhi, where they jumped on the TAZARA train to Dar es Salaam …
The train ride lasted 2,5 days and was absolutely amazing. Moving extremely slow, Kari and Karo had plenty of time observing Zambian and Tanzanian life from the window of their train …
They bought plenty of food from local street vendors …
and enjoyed the beautiful and ever changing landscapes …
After 2,5 days Kari and Karo reached Dar es Salaam …
Karo really enjoyed showing Kari “her” city …
They went to the beach …
strolled along the seashore …
tried all kinds of different street foods …
ate mountains of delicious fruits …
drank coconut water …
tasted “Pweza”, octopus Swahili style …
munched Tanzania’s staple food “Ugali” (maize porridge) …
ate Karo’s favourite dish “Pilau”, an Indian influenced rice delicacy with lots of Love and spices …
they bought even more fruits …
and more … It might not look like that, but Kari and Karo also did other things than eating. After a few days in Dar es Salaam, they took the plane to Biharamulo …
it was time again for PRF and the charity work …
It was very important for Kari and Karo to share this experience together …
Seeing the desperate water situation of Tanzanian villagers was especially touching for Kari, who had never experienced that before …
After one week in Biharamulo, Kari went back to Austria and Karo stayed in Biharamulo …
Now she was watching the sunsets alone again …
Well, she was of course not alone, there were many happy and friendly people around her …
in some of the visited villages, where PRF provided a well, the villagers provided a little gift for them …
no, that was not a gift, that is just a resting Ankole cow with impressive horns …
During the past months Karo had learnt a lot of things, but THIS was probably the most important …
After two weeks in Biharamulo, Karo had to go back to Dar es Salaam to catch her flight to Cape Town …
such a pretty little fellow …
Because Karo didn’t want to take the loooooong exhausting bus to Dar, she asked John for a lift in his truck. Karo had met John a few months before when she was cycling through Tanzania. He had passed her a few times with his truck and because he was a really nice guy, she kept in touch with him. And now, he drove her back to Dar es Salaam …
The drive took 2 days and so Karo had plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful scenery from her window …
They were driving the same route, Karo cycled some months ago. It was fascinating how different everything looked and how fast everything passed by …
it took Karo 2 weeks, what John’s truck took 2 days …
but finally she was back in Dar es Salaam …
Karo was exhausted. So many things were happening very fast during the past weeks. Karo was not used to that speed anymore. She was looking forward to see Baraka again and to continue her journey in “her” speed. She took a long, relaxing bath and got ready for Cape Town …
Back in CT, Karo decided to continue her journey towards Namibia …
On her way out of CT, she met Chris, an adorable and charming cyclist, who accompagnied Karo for a few kilometers. It was actually a brief encounter with a long lasting effect. By then, none of the two knew that they would see each other again and become very very good friends …
Finally Karo is back in her tent. She had already missed it desperately …
Keen for new challenges, Karo chose a very mountainous route out of Cape Town …
She was rewarded with stunning views …
and she knew with every uphill there comes a downhill …
she passed through wineyards …
From Ceres she fought her way through serpentines and reached the small town of “Op die Berg”, a suitable name finds Karo …
While she was pedalling up towards “Op die Berg” a car stopped next to her. A friendly smiling man and his pretty daughters were interested in Karo’s journey and invited her to stay at their campsite a few kilometers away …
It was probably the most beautiful campsite Karo has ever been. She was so amazed about the beauty of this place and the entire family, who hosted her …
Karo was so happy to be back on the road again, to experience all those amazing things …
even if the road is sometimes a bit dangerous. Her journey is worth the risk …
Karo stopped at the famous Tankwa Padstall, she knew it was the last chance for refilling her water bottles before …
she disappeared in the nothingness of the Tankwa Karoo …
For a few days Karo didn’t see much, but sand, dust and stones …
Indeed, a harsh environment, but Karo found it incredibly beautiful …
Every year in May several thousand people gather in the Tankwa Karoo for the “Africa Burn” event …
An event, where people would built the most amazing wooden sculptures …
and then burn it to ashes …
From Tankwa Karoo to Uis …
After having visited the “Africa Burn” location and wondering a bit about its concept, Karo continued her journey through nothingness …
and she really wondered WHY people would build fences here? …
She reached the dry riverbed of the “Doring” and saw lush green vegetation and trees again and was very happy …
Apart from the heat Karo really struggled on the heavily corrugated road. An absolute nightmare and Karo cycled roughly 7km/h …
How beautiful it was to find friendly, encouraging people all along the road …
Also Baraka demanded his breaks …
After the incredibly exhausting journey through the Tankwa Karoo, Karo enjoyed a long and steep downhill at the Vanrhynsdorp Pass …
In the middle of nowhere, Karo found this amazing little oasis …
a place, where Karo’s spirits skyrocketed …
During a very stormy night Karo found shelter in the house of a cheerful and friendly farm worker …
Most other nights she would stay in her precious, mobile home …
Maghrieta, the water angel! By now Karo was in the Northern Cape, a beautiful part of SA, but very dry and thinly populated. It was increasingly difficult to get access to water and Karo needed to start planning ahead. On that day, Karo was lucky that she found Maghrieta, who refilled Karo’s water bottles and invited her to a delicious breakfast …
Karo was enjoying the wide nothingness …
nothingness everywhere …
This probably looks akward, but it was one of the most beautiful gifts Karo had received in the desert: while Karo was refilling her water bottles at a petrol station, somebody left a frozen water bottle on her bike. Having ICE COLD water in the desert with close to 40°C is nothing else, but pure HAPPINESS … Whoever it was, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
After the hottest day of Karo’s entire journey a completely exhausted and overheated Karo reached the Orange river …
Apparently the heat also had an effect on Karo’s camera. Just like her, it started seeing colours, which were actually not there …
The absolutely stunning and beautiful Orange River at 41°C …
Karo was “in heat”, full of LOVE and COLOURS …
That night she spent on a cute, little campsite …
and enjoyed the company of her big Afrikaaner bodyguards …
And she treated herself with something, she didn’t have for a long time! She wanted to be fully energized for her next big chapter: Namibia …
Namibia was just on the other side of the Orange river …
It was hot, hot, hot and Karo was surprised to find grapes growing next to the road! How could ANYthing grow here?
There was absolutely NOTHING but sand and heat and grapes …
She passed a little settlement of shacks made of ironsheet and reed. They were the houses of the workers, who worked in the wineyards. The heat and a wave of bad smell from urine and faeces hit Karo. She found it hard to believe, that people were able to live under those circumstances. It was really terrible …
For a whole day, Karo did not see a single tree. She felt so exhausted, the sun was burning on her face, her drinking water was almost boiling and there was no shade. There was nothing, were she could escape the brutal strength of the sun. It had 43°C and Karo wondered if she would survive Namibia. She knew it was going to be tough and hot, but that day nearly drove Karo to her physical and mental limits …
Finally, she found some shade and was HAPPY like never before …
She decided to continue along the Orange river. Besides being beautiful and scenic it was practical. Karo knew that along the Orange river she would at least have the possibility to dive into water, when the heat was getting unbearable …
In the beautiful Richtersveld National Park along the Orange river …
The more she moved North, the more the temperature dropped. It was still really hot, but at least it was below 40°C …
Karo was now heading to Lüderitz, a pretty, little town on the Atlantic ocean …
but first she had to go through 130 km of desert …
Nothing else, but desert …
Beautiful nothingness …
10 km out of Lüderitz she passed the “ghost town” Kolmanskop, a former diamond mining town, which is now taken back by the desert …
Lüderitz was a particular place …
Founded by Germans in 1883, the German influence until now is overwhelming. A lot of the street names and names of the buildings are German …
Karo found it an immensely beautiful little town, very unique with its colourful houses, quiet but sympathetic atmosphere …
She wondered whether the “Turnhalle” is still in use …
She visited the beautiful church …
Lüderitz was without doubt worth visiting, but Karo really wondered, WHY on Earth the Germans decided to build a town in the middle of the Namib desert. For many years, the only access to Lüderitz was the sea and that’s how the Germans actually arrived. Today there is a road as well, which goes straight through the Namib desert. The next small settlement 130 km away. Apart from the harsh desert, Lüderitz is known for its brutal winds, which are loved by kite-surfers, but feared and disliked by everybody else. Apart from fish and oysters everything has to be brought to Lüderitz. There is absolutely nothing growing. Luckily, the Germans also discovered an underground lake in the desert, which is Lüderitz’ source of water. Karo really wondered WHY someone would start a settlement out here, unless that someone is a challenge-seeking adventurer or a quiet-seeking eremit, but the answer was somewhere else. The water around Lüderitz is rich in fish and on shore there were huge amounts of guano (dung from seabirds), which during that time, was a highly wanted ressource. From the guano nothing is left, the ressources have been depleted, but it wouldn’t be of interest anymore anyhow, since synthetic fertilizers have been invented. But that’s not everything. That was only how Lüderitz started. The real boom came a few years later, when diamonds were found …
The beautiful often wind struck Lüderitz Bay …
While Karo was sweating in the glooming desert, she was freezing in Lüderitz. The cold Atlantic ocean and the winds created a totally different climate …
She learnt a lot of new things …
She also learnt that looooong before the Germans arrived to Lüderitz, Bartholomäus Diaz, had already set foot on Lüderitz …
Unlike the Germans he didn’t want to settle here, as we know he was a traveller and so he just used it as a stop-over …
Karo thoroughly enjoyed the sharp contrast between coast and desert, a particularity Namibia is famous and loved for …
After a few days in Lüderitz, Karo continued her journey and camped in this abandonned house in the desert …
Karo was now on her way to Sesriem, where she would see the majestic dunes of the Namib desert. Cycling in Namibia was very tough: the heat, the gravel roads, hardly any shade and very long distances from settlement to settlement, thus it was hard to get water and food. But the good thing was, that Namibia attracts lots of tourists and most of them discover the country in a 4×4 vehicle. Those tourists turned out to be Karo’s biggest asset in Namibia’s harsh South. Many times she would get water, food, advice and encouragement from them. This lovely Dutch couple helped Karo with water and a snapshot of their detailled map …
Karo was particularly interested in Lodges, campsites, petrol stations, for they all meant access to WATER …
A TREEEEEE! Karo was so HAPPY with each tree she saw …
This lovely Danish couple helped Karo with water and chocolate cookies! She first thought the desert was playing tricks on her mind and that it was a mirage, but it turned out to be real …
as challenging as it was, the beauty of Namibia’s harsh, barren land and its colours was so worth it …
A cattle farm! Karo really wondered WHAT those animals were eating …
All along the desert, she would also see the beautiful and absolutely fascinating Oryx antelope. A desert antelope, which is well equipped for its environment and can live completely without water. The water they need, they can entirely extract from the plants they eat. They have a particular cooling-system in their nose, which allows them to endure extreme heat. The size and weight of a horse, they are quite big and with long, straight and spear-sharp horns, they are well equipped to defend themselves, when they are threatened. In fact, it is an antelope, which is widely known for its immense beauty, but if threatened, they can be very dangerous with their lethal weapons! Karo was absolutely fascinated by these animals, but this one on the picture turned out to be not her friend …
When Karo passed this Oryx bull, he attacked. Karo was lucky, in a very unlucky situation. Luckily it had targeted her bags and therefore only pierced her backpack and not her, but the scary encounter wasn’t over. Karo remained calm, since she knew that is the only way he would let go of her and indeed he stopped his attack, but he didn’t move from her side. Karo had to wait and hope that a car would come and chase away the angry and ill-tempered Oryx bull …
She was lucky! Gerald and Gerhard, two German tourists, found Karo underneath her bike with the Oryx in her back. They understood and helped …
Karo was extremely lucky, apart from a few bruises she wasn’t hurt at all, but to be honest, she had enough of cycling for that day and asked Gerald and Gerhard for a lift to Sesriem …
The Oryx seemed to be extremely angry since he not only attacked Karo, but also Gerhard and Gerald’s car …
Karo still finds them extremely beautiful, but she really really really doesn’t want to be close to them …
Karo thought Oryx warn signs would be more appropriate …
This was the impressive communal nest of social weavers …
Karo spent a few days in Sesriem, where she tremendously enjoyed the stunning dunes, the colours of the desert, the night skys, the sunsets and where she had time to calm down from her scary encounter with her still favourite antelope …
After a few days in Sesriem, she decided to visit the coast again, but via a detour through Windhoek, Namibia’s capital. Again, all along her journey she met amazing, encouraging and helpful humans …
Eventually, she arrived in Walvis Bay, a town on the Atlantic coast with Namibia’s biggest harbour. Walvis Bay is surrounded by sand …
But there was not only sand! Again, Karo was lucky, she could stay in this beautiful green oasis, the flamingo cottages, the most beautiful part of the town …
Karo was hosted by Bryan and Linda, who had a big heart for touring cyclists. An outstanding couple, who treated Karo like part of her family. Best of all, she could stay for as long as she wanted …
It turned out, that Bryan and Linda were not the only angels in town. This beautiful soul would become Karo’s Namibian mother. Karo and Caroline spent a lot of time together and shared their hearts and souls …
Karo thoroughly enjoyed Walvis Bay and its surrounding, not just because she met those warm-hearted, loving and caring Humans, but also because there was so much to see, like baby seals at Pelican point …
a seal colony enjoying the sunset …
relicts from the past …
a jackal on the watch for baby seals …
After having tremendously enjoyed Walvis Bay, Karo went to Swakopmund, the actual tourist capital of Namibia …
she found more seals …
and she enjoyed the funny wind-shaped trees …
She continued North along the coast …
and met Amore and Cecile on her way to Henties Bay. The adorable couple invited her for breakfast and it turned out, that it was not the last time they would see each other …
The beauty about cycling next to the coast was the coolness from the Atlantic ocean. The downside was the wind, of course, most of the time from the wrong direction …
Having arrived in Henties Bay, Karo headed inland again. The heat increased and shade was scarce …
She was on her way to the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain …
but in between Karo and her next destination, there was still a lot of nothingness …
A tree, a bird, a flower, those simple things would make Karo extremely HAPPY. They really made her day …
Finally, the Brandberg massif was very near …
The Brandberg is not only Namibia’s highest mountain, but also a famous place to visit and enjoy art from thousands of years ago …
Bushmen paintings decorate the rock walls of the Brandberg …
After the hardship through the immensely beautiful desert, Karo found it was time for a little treat. She was now in the small town of Uis …
In Uis Karo met several very interesting people and some of them would really have a big and long-lasting impact on her …
From Uis to Sesriem …
In Uis, Karo met Jodi, Viktor and Gil, 3 fascinating human beings. Jodi, is a Namibian gemstone digger and he kindly opened his home and hosted Viktor, Gil and Karo and showed them everything in and around Uis. Viktor is, just like Karo, a touring cyclist and just like Karo he is from Austria. To be precise, he was born in Russia, but when he was 8 years old him and his mum moved to St. Pölten, Austria. This small city is about 50 km from Karo’s Home and funny enough Viktor also left home in summer 2016. Since then, he was on the road. It was a very happy and funny coincidence that Karo and Viktor, both touring cyclists from Lower Austria met in this tiny little town of Uis that day. Gil, was a traveller from Israel and he particularly fascinated Karo …
Uis used to be a tin mining town, but since the prices for tin dropped drastically the mine is closed and most of the people in Uis are without jobs. Nevertheless, the old mine is a beautiful place to visit …
overlooking Uis from a massive sand dune …
This harmless looking plant is a variety of the Euphorbia species and highly poisonous. Jodi told us that in 1986, 26 people died because of eating meat, which has been barbecued with the branches of the Euphorbia plant. They didn’t even eat the plant itself. The smoke of the plant, which grilled the meat was enough to eradicate two entire football teams and Jodi, Viktor, Gil and Karo visited their graves …
Viktor is such an amazing character. He had lots and lots of stories to tell. He was like a story-fountain and Karo could hardly keep up listening to him because there was so much information. Nevertheless, Viktor was really adorable and Karo found his achievement quite amazing. When Viktor reached Gabon, his savings were finished, but he moved on. Since several months he was travelling with empty pockets and entirely lived from other people’s help. A true character …
And that was Gil, preparing Bedouin bread “Libe” in the Namibian sand …
After Karo had spent 2 days in Uis, she felt it was time to move on and so thought Gil. He asked Karo if she wanted to join him in his 4×4 and discover Namibia’s dry river beds …
Having been fascinated by this young man’s sparkling aura since the very 1st day she saw him, Karo couldn’t resist. Baraka was carefully placed on the roof of the car and Gil and Karo headed of into the stunning world of dry river beds …
During most of the journey Gil used riverbeds as their roads. It was so adventurous and Karo felt so peaceful, connected and happy. She was so grateful that Gil opened this new world to her …
The scenery varied all the time, but because they were in a riverbed the fauna was actually really amazing, from lush green, to colourful flowers and sometimes they even found water …
and not only that! Gil and Karo also found something very big, which is actually rare to find …
they followed their big footsteps …
and they found the extremely rare Namibian Desert Elephant …
They were soooooo happy …
and observed the beautiful giants from the top of a rock …
They also found the particular looking Welwitschia plant, which is endemic to the Namib desert. It is named after the Austrian botanist Welwitsch, who discovered the plant in 1859. The Welwitschia consists of only two leaves and although it might not look like that, but some of the plants are as old as 500 years …
After having discovered so many amazing things Gil and Karo prepared the ash-baked Bedouin bread again, which tasted unbelievably delicious …
nothing better than watching the flames of campfire after a long day in the desert …
Gil and Karo spent 4 days in the desert, then they went to Cape Cross, Namibia’s biggest seal colony …
Karo is glad that smell is not transfered on pictures. She really loved the seals, but the smell was so terrible, that Karo was about to throw up: fish, faeces, corpses …
After this beautiful excursion to the sea, Gil and Karo went back to the riverbeds of the desert …
Gil and Karo spent a very peaceful and quiet time together and Karo found it so beautiful and touching to share all this beauty with someone, who equally appreciated this beauty …
HAPPINESS is best, when shared!
the beautiful quiver trees, one of Namibia’s outstanding “landmarks” …
After a 6 day riverbed trip (+ the excursion to Cape Cross) Gil and Karo went to Henties Bay, where they met Jodi and Viktor again …
🙂
While Gil stayed in Swakopmund on the coast, Karo went back to Windhoek …
the famous “Christuskirche” in Windhoek! Karo was very excited to be back in Windhoek because she awaited a beloved visitor …
Kari was back in Africa and this time with his bike …
Kari and Karo spent a few days in Windhoek roaming around the streets …
and enjoying the beautiful, amazing sunsets …
Then it was time for pedalling …
Unfortunately for Kari and Karo the first few days were a bit wet, but of course that was very fortunate for Namibia, since it really needed the rain …
Because of the bad weather a farmer family had pity on the two cyclists and invited them to their house …
where Kari and Karo would find the most amazing animals …
so many Beings for cuddling …
even two tame Cheetahs …
When the sky cleared, it was time to get back on the saddle …
it was the 23rd December when Kari and Karo pitched their tent somewhere in the fields of nowhere. They actually wanted to be hidden, but they have been discovered by the childred of landowners, but instead of being angry with the squatters, they invited them to their house …
Kari and Karo had an amazingly delicious Christmas breakfast with the Penwood family and as if that wouldn’t have been enough, they also went on a game drive with them and showed Kari and Karo the beautiful wildlife on their farm. It was the best Christmas gift EVER …
LOVE birds …
the gracious Roan antelope …
Kari and Karo continued their journey to the Waterberg Plateau Park. They wanted to spent Christmas there. Along the way, they saw some magnificient and huge termite hills …
some of them with a very weird shape …
Once in the Waterberg Plateau Park they wandered around in the fascinating and huge Aloe Vera “forest” …
and they discovered super cute wildlife …
After two days in Waterberg, they decided to go to the coast. Not new for Karo, but Kari had a longing to see the sea …
They fully enjoyed the outdoors and the most beautiful sunsets together …
On their way to the coast, they decided to take a little detour to the Spitzkoppe, Namibia’s most famous mountain and rock formation …
The difficult and heavily corrugated road to the Spitzkoppe would drive Kari to his mental limits and amused Karo 😉 …
Karo found, it was definitively WORTH it …
They visited the rock paintings of the Bushmen …
and camped surrounded by the most fascinating landscape …
After having utterly enjoyed the outstanding beauty of the Spitzkoppe, Kari and Karo continued to the coast … through nothingness …
peanut butter, honey, salt and rice cookies, the BEST energy boost for exhausted cyclists …
130 km of headwind on the 31st December …
Kari and Karo spent New Year on a quite unattractive campsite in Henties Bay, but it didn’t matter! They were so exhausted that they fell asleep at 10pm and celebrated New Year in the morning after …
From Henties Bay, Kari and Karo went to Swakopmund …
70 km of headwind …
Finally, Karo and a very annoyed Kari (by the headwind and not Karo) arrived in Swakopmund …
They spent a few days in Swakopmund …
mainly relaxing …
eating in pretty, colourful restaurants …
enjoying the beautiful colours of the desert …
climbing dunes …
and “making” new friends …
Kari and Karo also visited Caroline, Karo’s Namibian Mum in Walvis Bay and parked their bicycles there. It was time to go back to Windhoek again (by train) because Karo was getting MORE visitors …
Karo’s Mum and Dad arrived in Windhoek on 7th January 2018 …
bringing loads of homemade Christmas cookies! Karo’s HAPPINESS is complete …
After one day in Windhoek, Karo’s parents, Kari and Karo rented a 4×4. They were ready for a roadtrip! Karo was especially excited to feel Namibian roads from the comfy seat of a car …
Their 1st stop was Günther. Karo had met Günther a few weeks ago when she was cycling from Sesriem to Windhoek and passed his coffee shop in the desert. That’s right, Günther has a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere, where absolutely nobody would expect a coffee shop. And it’s not just A coffee shop, it is THE coffee shop. Günther has been one of Karo’s most beautiful encounters. Whatever he does, he does it with incredibly much LOVE and that is what Karo loved so much about him and that is WHY she had to introduce Günther to her family …
Enjoying stories, cookies and Austrian Schnapps around the campfire …
After the stop-over at Günther’s, Karo’s parents, Kari and Karo continued to Sesriem, where they would climb the dunes of the Namib …
From Sesriem to Toteng …
The impressive Namib dunes …
an ocean of sand …
Dead valley in the Namib desert …
After the 4 had spent 2 days enjoying the dunes of Sossusvlei in Sesriem, they continued to Walvis Bay …
where they watched flamingos …
and Pelicans …
On 12th January Kari and Karo faced a sad moment. It was time to say GOODBYE. Kari’s holiday was coming to an end and he had to go back to his old life in Austria. Kari and Karo had spent 4 beautiful and amazing weeks together, but they knew it was time to let each other go in different directions and so they separated and set each other free …
Karo and her parents continued to Cape Cross, where Karo’s Mum and Dad really thrived. They utterly enjoyed the seals and didn’t mind the smell at all …
After Cape Cross, they continued to Twyfelfontein, to study the drawings of the Bushmen …
hard to believe that they were several thousand years old …
Karo’s Mum and Dad enjoying their roof-top tent …
and Karo enjoyed her tent together with her little bodyguard …
Then they continued to Etosha National Park …
it was burning hot …
a little nap during the mid day sun …
not just for the animals …
Karo fell in love with the outstanding look of the Makalani palm trees …
It was so much easier to drive than to cycle on those sandy, corrugated roads! What a surprise!
Marble mining around Karibib …
After 2 weeks discovering Namibia by car, Karo and her parents drove back to Windhoek …
Unfortunately, it was time to say GOODBYE again! Karo wondered WHERE and WHEN she would embrace them again …
It was time to get back to Baraka, who was waiting for Karo in Walvis Bay. Although Karo utterly enjoyed spending time with her parents and Kari, she was really glad to continue her cycling …
a sweet memory, Christmas cake from Karo’s Mum …
Karo was heading straight through the desert. A stretch of 250km without settlements, farms, guesthouses. Her only source of water would be cars, if she was lucky. It was the longest stretch of complete nothingness for Karo, but she was really looking forward to it …
She carried 16 litres of water. She knew that would help her for AT LEAST two days …
In addition to the heat and gravel road, the route was not an easy one. Several mountain passes would await her …
like the Kuiseb Pass …
In her solitude she started paying attention to funny things, like a pothole that looked to her like the African continent …
Cycling through the desert was like a cure for Karo …
So many things had happened during the past weeks and now she had time for herself and to reflect on the past events! She was full of gratitude and happiness …
After 250 km of nothingness she was happy to find a farm. Its friendly caretakers happily refilled Karo’s water bottles …
Karo was on her way to Namibia’s highest mountain pass, the Gamsberg, which you see in the distance …
Karo was mentally saying GOODBYE to the Namib desert, since she was now reaching its edge. Karo had such a good time in the Namib and hopes to be back some day …
When Karo reached the Gamsberg pass, she was mentally prepared for the worst. She had already heard about its difficulty …
and indeed it was tough, it was super tough, but Karo kept pedalling …
and pedalling …
and at the end she reached the top and enjoyed an extraordinarily beautiful view! In addition, she knew, with every up-hill … (you already know by now) 😉
This little “mushroom” on the picture is the communal nest of social weavers again. They seemed to like building their nests on power poles … risky little fellows!
She enjoyed a marvellous downhill on the other side of the Gamsberg pass and literally flew to …
Wella’s Home, where she pitched her little tent and rested her tired legs …
The next day, Karo continued to Günther, the beautiful soul with the coffee shop in the desert …
and because Günther is such a fascinating man and because Karo so much enjoyed their beautiful conversations about pretty much EVERYTHING, Karo stayed for a few days …
that is Günther’s sun-kitchen, in which he bakes the most amazing cupcakes …
and here live the happy girls, who provide the eggs for the cupcakes …
After hugging Günther GOODBYE, Karo wanted to see two other familiar faces again …
but first, there was some more nothingness to conquer …
She had to be quick, the rain was approaching …
but luckily Karo made it! Karo made it to Amore and Cecile’s veggie farm in the desert. She had met the adorable couple about a month ago at the Atlantic coast …
They lived in the middle of nowhere, embedded in beautiful scenery of bush and stones …
They grew their own food, generated their own electricity and had their own water. They basically lived off the grid! Karo absolutely loved it …
and she absolutely loved their dog, who would always join Karo on her walks …
and she was walking around a lot …
because there was so much beautiful to see …
and there was so much to do …
Desert tomatoes for Windhoek …
Karo also prepared some snacks for the road …
happy sun-dried local tomatoes …
Amore and Cecile even had their own river dam. At that time it was empty, but that was soon to be changed …
Because Amore and Cecile were so incredibly nice to Karo and because they liked each other really a lot, Karo spent a whole week with them …
Karo was even lucky enough to experience the rare event of rain in the desert. The rain season was about to start …
Amore and Cecile’s grandchildren and some of Karo’s sheep friends …
Their son Tiaan in the process of doing, what almost every “Afrikaaner” almost always does –> having a “braai” (it’s like Barbecue, but actually more than that). A braai in South Africa and Namibia, is not just grilling meat, it is an institution, centuries old …
During my stay with Amore and Cecile everybody was eagerly awaiting the rain. It was already delayed and the farm bitterly needed water. Luckily one evening, it started. It started and got such immense power, that it even destroyed the roof …
within few hours, the dry riverbed was flooded and the dam completely full. Karo was astonished and amazed and she learnt, from now on she would not camp in riverbeds anymore …
After a week with Amore and Cecile, Karo decided to continue towards Botswana. Yes, she had already been there, but she wanted to discover more of the country’s hidden treasures. She found, she hadn’t seen enough on her previous trip …
Since the rain season officially started, Karo prefered to sleep indoors, when she had a chance …
This lovely family, caretakers of a farm on the edge of the Kalahari, luckily opened their door for Karo …
making friends …
The vegetation was getting more and more “lush” …
Whenever the sky indicated another shower, Karo was looking for shelter …
that day she found one in Api and Elke’s home …
Karo had meanwhile arrived in the Kalahari desert …
She stayed with Heni for a day, a friendly cattle farmer close to Leonardville and then she said GOODBYE to Namibia …
The first thing Karo utterly enjoyed in Botswana were the funny and extremely hard working dung beatles …
and the 1st encounter with humans was an equally enjoyable one. Lucky, a SA truck driver, was very much interested in and fascinated about Karo’s journey and even gave her a little gift for the road …
a chocolate bar … 🙂
Karo found those TRUE words written on Emmy’s walls …
Emmy, an American Peace Corps volunteer, hosted Karo during her first night in Botswana. Karo tremendously enjoyed the company of this lovely, wise and incredibly sympathetic young soul. Karo was so happy that the universe guided her to Emmy, because Emmy was also the one, who made Karo’s entire Botswana expedition an easy piece of cake, since she hooked Karo up with all her friends and peers, scattered in the country …
another animal attack, but this time more gentle than the oryx …
Karo enjoyed the peacefulness of the Hananahi Valley …
watched the meditative campire …
and made new friends …
When she woke up, she noticed plenty of vultures orbitting her. She wasn’t dead, just resting …
Karo was now on her way to Botswana’s most spectacular place, the Okavango Delta …
and more rain was waiting for her …
that night, Karo camped at a veterinary control post. Locals adviced her to stop camping in the bush in the northern part of the country. She was adviced to rather camp near settlements. The reason: Botswana is basically one big National Park and wildlife was everywhere, including big wildlife, like elephants, buffalos and lions. Thus, since animals avoid people, it was safer to camp near people. There was no guarantee that an elephant wouldn’t accidentally step on Karo’s tent at night, if she was somewhere in the bush and so Karo followed the local advice …
Flat, flat, flat and tarmac road! Karo moved like a lightning …
Karo was super fast, but OF COURSE, she had still time to make friends …
From Toteng to Cape Town …
About 50 km from Maun, the entry point to the Okavanago Delta, Karo stayed with Gavin and Nicky. Gavin is a close friend of Errington (with whom Karo stayed in SA) and that was how Karo got to know them. Gavin, Nicky and their 9 dogs were living in the middle of Botswana’s bush. Karo absolutely loved the place …
and she absolutely loved Truffles, one of the 9 doggies …
Karo and Truffles enjoyed a few walks on the farm together looking for elephants …
After spending 2 days with Gavin and Nicky, Karo reached the Okavango Delta. Since Baraka wouldn’t have been a big help in the swampy lands of the Delta, Karo decided to take a Mokoro instead. A Mokoro is a small wooden canoe, which the indigenous people of the Delta use as their transport …
Karo saw beautiful waterlilies …
The flora and fauna of the Delta was astonishing. She couldn’t believe how green and humid everything was. Hadn’t she just been in the desert?
Karo and her lovely guide stopped on one of the islands in the Delta, parked their Mokoro and discovered the island by foot …
Karo’s beloved baobab tree again …
and the Makalani palms! It was heaven on Earth …
the Mokoro waiting for more adventure …
That night, Karo and Duma camped on the island. Karo was very excited …
Besides seeing plenty of giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, warthogs, Lechwe antelopes, baffulos and baboos, they also found this cute little fellow …
After 2 exciting days on the small island in the Okavango Delta, Karo went back to Maun, where she was planning her next adventure …
She felt like discovering the Delta by air …
and so she hopped in that little thing …
the view of the Okavango Delta by air was absolutely breathtaking …
An amazing wonder of nature …
Karo was so grateful to witness the beauty of this African gem …
Back on solid ground, Karo met Karin and Beni from Switzerland. They were touring with their little and cosy mobile home through Africa. They had started in Durban and were on their way to Cairo. Karo really enjoyed their brief encounter and hopes to see them again on the road …
Karo stayed a few more days in Maun, where she was hosted by Mathias, an American Peace Corps volunteer. An interesting and very adorable young man and Karo was grateful that he shared his home with her …
After her exciting time in the Okavango Delta, Karo decided to continue to Gaborone. There was somebody she wanted to see …
Compared to Namibia, cycling in Botswana seemed so easy. The roads were in perfect condition, it was flat and although it was a thinly populated country, access to water was very easy. There was only one downside, which was actually also an upside …
Lots of wildlife! On the one hand Karo was really keen on seeing wild animals, on the other hand (to be quite frank) she was a bit scared. She knew that animals usually don’t attack if they don’t feel threatened, but since her encounter with the ill-tempered Oryx, she also knew, that even if it doesn’t happen very often, it does happen …
Karo always made sure that she didn’t carry any of those fruits with her, acacia seeds, besides citrus fruits, elephants favourite dish …
In the little town of Rakops, Karo was invited to stay with John and his adorable family …
She even got her own little mud-hut …
John was a missionary, who had been living in Botswana for more than 20 years …
Karo was in Southern Botswana again, where she could place her little home pretty much everywhere …
Karo enjoyed her ride southwards, wind in her hair, sun on her nose and she really adored the sheep-shape clouds above her head …
Karo was lucky. March was Marula season, a delicious fruit after which the famous “Amarula” drink is named …
Karo really liked Botswana’s police officers. They were all extremely friendly to Karo and always curious about her Journey …
In the royal town of Serowe, she could spent a night at Colden’s place. Another warm- and open-hearted Peace Corps volunteer …
And then, Karo finally reached Gaborone, where she met Sam again, the super beautiful soul and talented tattoo artist, who hosted her a few months before. Karo stayed a few days with Sam and her tremendously amazing parents, Yvonne and John …
Karo was sleeping in the studio, which she really absolutely enjoyed. Karo loves art and being surrounded by it …
Karo left Gaborone enriched. She was enriched in having spent beautiful moments with a beautiful family and she was enriched in bodily art. Sam had left a little “note” on Karo’s left shoulder blade.
It was time to move on and that’s what Karo did. On her way South-West she passed Jwaneng, a big part of Botswana’s diamonds are found here. Diamonds are Botswana’s main income and its economy is highly dependent on them. Since this highly valued ressource is about to be depleted, Botswana has to find some other sectors to sustain their national budget. Currently their main focus is ECO tourism. Diamonds, cattle (a lot goes to the EU) and tourism are Botswana’s economic backbone …
In Sekoma, Karo stayed with Shakti, another Peace Corps Volunteer, who welcomed Karo with arms wide open …
Karo was now on her way BACK to South Africa. In the last few weeks a lot of things passed through Karo’s head. She really enjoyed her current life, but she also felt, she needed a break from her Journey. She loved it, but deep inside, she also felt that she needed to settle “somewhere” for a little while. She was mentally tired of constantly moving from one place to another. She felt, she needed a “HOME” to regain her mental strength. She was longing for waking up in the same bed every morning and seeing a familiar face every day. It might sound akward, but that was how she felt. Chris, the cyclist from Cape Town, whom she briefly met 6 months ago and with whom she was still in touch, offered her such a place. Karo felt immediately that this was a good man with a kind heart, a man, whom she could trust and that’s why she decided to go back to CT and settle in a new “home” …
Her last day in Botswana, Karo spent with Josh, another Peace Corps volunteer, who’s company Karo utterly enjoyed …
Karo had a good start into South Africa! Only 10 km after the border a beautiful SA couple stopped their car in front of Karo, handed her an ice-cold drink, said “WELCOME TO SOUTH AFRICA” and cruised of again! Karo was so amazed …
Cycling in the Northern Cape was a bit like Namibia and Karo felt very happy to be back in the desert …
she absolutely loved this street sign …
She crossed the already familiar and still insanely beautiful Orange river again …
studied local wisdom …
and art …
which she currently saw everywhere …
really everywhere …
She met new friends on the roadside …
She enjoyed her solitude in the barren land of the Northern Cape …
and she got plenty of gifts from passing drivers …
Close to Springbok, the capital of the Northern Cape, she camped underneath this beautiful quiver tree …
Close to Vanrhynsdorp, she stayed on a little campsite, where she met an evil miniature horse. This mean little thing had stolen a big pack of raisins from Karo’s bag, while she was having a shower. Karo was very angry, but practizing her mantra, she eventually made peace with him …
Cycling towards CT, Karo also passed Roiboos plantations. This healthy tea, had over the last months become her favourite beverage and is the very taste, which, to her, represents South Africa …
Finally, Karo reached Cape Town again, being welcomed by the mighty Table mountain …
The next two months Karo would spent with those two beautiful and happy souls: Chris and Beany …
Already on the 2nd day of Karo’s stay at Chris’ Home, Karo felt HOME. She felt so HOME that she started baking her mom’s bread, which was one of the things Karo terribly missed from HOME …
Karo loves making and growing her own food. She actually hates being dependent on supermarkets and generally doesn’t trust their quality. That is also the reason, why Karo is always so happy to find food outdoor. Chris didn’t have a garden, but he had olive trees and that made Karo extremely happy …
For the next 2 months Karo would every morning, when she opened her eyes, enjoy the SAME beautiful view …
For the next two months she would always smile, when she passes the cute squirrel warning sign …
or the one with the duck mom and its ducklings …
She was so happy to be back in beautiful Cape Town and that she got the chance to make this place one of her HOMES …
She utterly enjoyed the view on Table mountain …
and she made new friends …
Chris and Karo did a lot of things together on land and in the sea. Being a diving instructor he taught Karo diving and Karo is immensely grateful that Chris opened this whole new world to her: the underwater world! A whole universe for itself …
On land, they discovered the beautiful nature around Cape Town …
Karo was excited to see, smell and touch the beautiful Protea flower again …
Chris and Karo hiked the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve …
and enjoyed its tremendous beauty …
Chris showed her different parts of CT …
He pampered her with all kinds of delicacies …
And they climbed Table mountain together, where they met this little fellow …
and enjoyed the outstanding view from the top of the plateau …
Karo was really happy …
and they also had the chance to celebrate Chris’ birthday together …
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Chris!
Karo thought, it would be a good idea to bake the famous Austrian “black cherry cake” for the sweet-loving Chris … indeed, he liked it very much …
They went to the misty, but beautiful West Coast National Park …
and enjoyed the cool breeze from the Atlantic …
the beauty of sea life …
and the wide open horizon …
Karo felt deeply grounded …
They hiked in the beautiful Fynbos vegetation …
and discovered a handsome ostrich with his ladies …
They enjoyed exploring the underwater world together (Karo does unfortunately not have any pictures of that) …
AND they utterly enjoyed watching the Big Bang Theory together laughing with all their heart. It was Chris’ and Karo’s favourite evening ritual … 🙂
From Cape Town to Tofo …
2 months quickly passed and Karo had to say GOODBYE to her HOME in Cape Town, a sad moment! Karo felt it was time to be on the road again, but because her visa for South Africa was expiring in 2 weeks, she had to get a lift to Durban. From there, she would make it to the border in time. Karo didn’t mind not cycled the whole route since she had done most of it already a few months before. Chris offered to take her. Karo was and still is amazed and speechless. Chris offered to drive her 2.000 km through his country. That’s how much he loves Karo and Karo is incredibly grateful for that. In the past 2 months Chris truly had become like a father to her …
Instead of going straight to Durban, Chris and Karo 1st went to the majestic Drakensberg mountains to do some hiking …
and some swimming in the freeeeeeezing mountain streams …
the landscape was breathtaking …
and overwhelming …
and the nights were cold, but open fire warmed their toes …
After 2 days Drakensberg, Chris and Karo continued to Durban and suddenly the moment had arrived to say GOODBYE! It was really not easy …
Karo cycled along the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal and she enjoyed the completely different landscape to the Cape. It looked very tropical …
In St. Lucia Karo fell in the hands of Elfie …
who invited Karo to stay in her tree house …
it was so amazing …
Elfie had passed Karo on the road, stopped and chatted to her: “You look interesting and you have to stay in my treehouse tonight …” that was, what Elfie basically said and Karo couldn’t refuse …
Elfie turned out to be absolutely phenomenal, such a beautiful, loving and caring soul and Karo was so glad that they met each other. Elfie toured with Karo in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park …
where they met plenty of beautiful creatures. Some bigger, …
some smaller …
Elfie also organized for Karo a boattrip on St. Lucia lake, which is filled with thousands of hippos …
They look quite clumsy, cute and harmless, but in actual fact hippos are responsible for most of human deaths caused by wild animals, in Africa (apart from mosquitoes who transmit malaria) …
The boat trip was absolutely breathtaking …
in general the wildlife in and around St. Lucia was stunning …
2 days before Karo’s South African visa expired, some South Africans, who were unhappy with the government, decided to attack, plunder and burn trucks on the N2 road between Mtubatuba and Mkhuze. To stop the violence the police closed the road and of course, that was the very road Karo was supposed to take, if she still wanted to reach the border before her visa expired. All alternative routes would have meant a detour of several days. Karo scratched her head, when she got the news, she actually thought it was a joke …
But it wasn’t and Elfie with her big heart, helped Karo out of her misery. Baraka was put behind Elfie’s car and off they went to the border on the long alternative route …
Karo crossed into Swaziland and there Baraka and her celebrated 25.000 km together …
Because Swaziland is so small, Karo did unfortunately not spend much time in the lovely, tiny kingdom. It took her only two days to cross, but the little she saw, she really liked. Swaziland seemed to be a very “sweet” country since Karo saw endless plantations of sugar cane …
Luckily, no lions and elephants were crossing, when Karo cycled through …
And then suddenly Karo found herself in Mozambique. When she stopped at a little restaurant she found those two outstanding, warm-hearted and adorable humans: Ibrahim and Maria. When they heard that Karo was looking for a place to camp, they immediately invited her to their house, which turned out to be …
a villa in the middle of nowhere. Karo really didn’t expect that. She spent 2 days with Maria and Ibrahim and it turned out, that it was not the last time they would meet each other. By now, the two humans with a heart of gold are Karo’s Mozambican parents. Besides her REAL parents, Karo gathered along her journey also Albanian, Greek and Mozambican parents, as well as a Namibian mother and a Ugandan and South African father. It should be clear by now, Karo is blessed with bliss …
After saying GOODBYE to Ibrahim and Maria, Karo pedalled towards Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, where she met two friendly cyclists, who guided her through the unknown urban jungle …
Ageu, one of the two friendly cyclists …
After 1 day in Maputo, Karo headed north, where she spent the night at the secure compound of a butchery. She was in company with a group of friendly workers, who were happy that they could help the white lady on the bicycle …
The next day Karo pedalled off to Xai-Xai, a famous beach town. Karo was just about to check-in at a backpackers when she met …
Gina, Paula, Aiden and Brett, a lovely family from Cape Town, who were on holiday in Xai-Xai. After hearing Karo’s story, they insisted Karo should, together with them, stay in their spacious holiday house. Karo couldn’t refuse and it was good that she didn’t because this family was truly amazing …
Karo spent 3 days with the adorable Capetonians and really enjoyed the beautiful and quiet beach of Xai-Xai …
what a beautiful part of the world …
Karo’s lovely hosts were not the only humans Karo met in Xai-Xai, for whom Karo would find a place in her little heart. Danique, Gerardt, Lucet, Werner and Tenile were another SA family, who spent their holiday in Xai-Xai. The two families and Karo would spend a lot of time and beautiful moments with each other. In a very short time they managed to create unforgettable moments and Karo is so grateful that their paths had crossed and wondered when they will meet again …
Beautiful people and beautiful nature, what else does a heart need?
Besides enjoying beautiful nature and the company of beautiful people, Karo also really enjoyed the pure, healthy and natural food of Mozambique: cashewnuts …
pineapples …
tangarines, which Karo got as a gift from two really cute, little boys …
This lovely group of ladies welcomed Karo into their home, when Karo asked for a place to pitch her tent. Although Karo didn’t speak Portuguese and they didn’t speak English, Karo would spent an amazing, soul-touching, and heartwarming evening with her adorable hosts …
Once the sun had set, they would all gather around the fireplace …
The girls were busy with cooking …
or entertaining the babies …
It was the 1st time Karo had “Matapa” a traditional Mozambican dish made from cassava leaves, coco- and cashewnuts. It was really yummy …
a cup of tea followed …
Karo really utterly enjoyed her colourful company …
the kitchen during the day …
Karo really loved the typical Mozambican houses made of reed …
She reached Inhambane, a beautiful, historical town on the coast …
She went through forests of coconut palms …
and finally reached her new home in Tofo, a beautiful, little village on the Indian ocean, where Karo would leave Baraka …
while she headed to Europe …
That’s right, after 1,5 years of Africa, Karo was going back to Europe because she had THREE really good reasons for that …
From Tofo to Vilanculos …
Sorry, no pictures from Karo’s 2 weeks break in Europe. At least not yet. It was a very powerful time for her and she utterly LOVED every bit of it, but for now she will not write about it. NOT because it didn’t matter – NOT AT ALL – it REALLY MATTERED for Karo. She is grateful for all the beautiful people she met and who shared time with her. Many of them were very special Humans from Karo’s past and others she didn’t know before … THANK YOU ALL! Nevertheless, after two weeks of European summer, it was time for Karo to go back to her African winter …
After a far too long flight, Karo was back “HOME” and her current Home was Mozambique …
She reached Tofo, a beautiful little village, where she left Baraka and where she decided to stay for a month to write about her Journey …
Tofo, has once been a tiny and quiet fishing village, but over the last years it attracted more and more tourists: Diving, surfing, whale sharks, humpback whales …. lots of reasons to come to Tofo …
Luckily, though a tourist spot in designated parts, Tofo kept its authenticity and if you stay for a longer period of time, you know where to go for peace and quiet and to avoid the noisy party people …
Karo rented a little room in the outskirts of the village …
She stayed with those two amazing people: Ricardo and Aline, a Colombian-Brazilian couple who has been living in Tofo for about two years. Karo really loved her time with them. Two passionate and beautiful HUMANS with true traveler spirit and good hearts. Karo is so grateful that the two shared their home and hearts with Karo …
But Ricardo and Aline weren’t Karo’s only housemates … meet Frida and Jack. Two of the most amazing dog personalities Karo ever met …
The mornings and evenings Karo mainly spent on the terrace of their house, enjoying sunrises and sunsets and a beautiful sea view …
She loved walking around the beach, observing the daily routine of Mozambican fishermen …
Karo spent incredibly much time on the beach … five minutes from her home … she could listen to the calming voice of the waves and enjoy the fresh sea breeze …
Tofo’s beaches are absolutely stunning …
and the numerous palm trees are the perfect decoration for the pretty village setting …
Karo spent hours just wondering along the beach … enjoying THE MOMENT …
everything was fascinating for her …
everything had its own way of being beautiful …
Most of the time, Karo had the pretty, untouched beach almost entirely for her own …
It was so PEACEFUL and she was extremely grateful for that …
and Karo was certainly not the only one who enjoyed beach walks …
or “being” walked …
This – by the way – is “little” Meia, who will (by now) most likely not be little anymore …
absolutely amazing …
but of course, Karo did not just enjoy herself on the beach, she also made others enjoy herself … stroking session on the beach 🙂
Frida is one of the funniest and most energetic dogs Karo ever met and they spent lots of time together. The coconut and carrot loving energy bundle is named after popular Frida Kahlo and that is probably where she got her spirits from …
and Jack is the “Buddha” of the house who remains ALWAYS calm, even if Meia, the annoying (but cute) little being next to him drives him to his limits …
yeah … Jack, the peacemaker deserved lots of massages for his splendid efforts …
Karo’s and Frida’s favorite snack …
the two shared plenty of those snacks and lucky enough, they had plenty of supply in their own garden …
But Karo did not ONLY relax and write when she was in Tofo. With such an amazing opportunity in front of her nose, she had to discover Tofo not just on land, but also in the waters. She went diving, surfing, whale watching …
and kayaking …
which was great fun and good workout for her arms and upper body … 😉
It was stunning to kayak through the beautiful Mangrove forests of Barra Beach …
Every year from June to September humpback whales migrate from Antarctica to the Mozambican channel to give birth in the warmer waters of the Indian ocean …
Amazing creatures and it was true, while Karo was staying in Tofo she saw plenty of humpback whales splashing close to shore and although she even saw them from the balcony of her new home, Karo went for an official whale watching trip by boat … Such beautiful, graceful Beings …
She also went diving …
and saw plenty of pretty and colorful fish …
including this funny puffer fish …
But Karo was not only amazed about the beauty of the beaches, waters and animals … She also crossed path with amazing human beings, such as Thomas and Anna. Two fascinating Humans, who are currently teaching German in Lisbon and who give Karo a very good reason for visiting Portugal …
and Armando … As a secondary school student he spent his holidays in Tofo working for his uncle, selling island trips to tourists. Of course, Karo met him on the beach and unlike the other “beachboys” she quickly had a liking for Armando. Most likely because he had a very honest smile and sparkling eyes AND maybe also because he had a passion for cycling … 😉
Karo and Armando became really good friends and was of course introduced to his whole family who shared pretty much everything with Karo …
their clothes …
their food …
their work … peeling/cracking groundnuts in that particular case …
They also shared their coconuts …
which they harvested fresh from the trees …
in an amazingly acrobatic performance …
Karo really shared amazing moments …
with beautiful people … pure, simple, GOOD …
Armando and his family leave in Barra, another famous Mozambican beach destination …
equally magical …
equally beautiful …
Karo really had an absolutely AMAZING time in Tofo …
with its lovely, cuddly animals …
with its lovely people …
with its lovely nature …
with its stunning sunsets …
with its adorable beaches …
YESSS, Karo had such a good time in Tofo, but …
after a month as a settler, it was time to say GOODBYE … the road was calling and so was the nomad within Karo …
and so, Karo and Baraka were on the road again …
enjoying whatever they saw along their journey …
beautiful rice fields …
and wide open land …
Karo was now on her way to Vilanculos, a Mozambican town on the coast which was entry point to the miraculous Bazaruto Archipelago …
on her way the universe continued sending her angels … like Carlos and Grethel, an Italian couple who opened their home and hearts for Karo …
and Beni …
whom she met in Unguana at the Engen petrol station … actually Karo just wanted to ask for water …
but was gifted with a lot more than that … a safe place to stay, food, good company and OF COURSE water … She was amazed and felt like spending more time with this good-hearted human …
but Baraka was waiting impatiently …
and so they continued …
and finally reached Vilanculos …
where Karo visited the Bazaruto Archipelago, an island group and National Park, in the Indian Ocean …
and because Baraka doesn’t know how to swim, she decided to go by boat …
From Vilanculos to Mwanza (Malawi) …
it was actually not just “a boat”, it was a “Dhow” – a traditional Swahili sailing boat – which brought Karo and her lovely company from the mainland to Magaruque island …
Once the island was reached, they dived into the crystal clear waters …
and were astonished about the beautiful underwater world in front of their eyes …
beautiful fish of all shapes and colors …
Karo thoroughly loved swimming amongst them …
After that beautiful snorkelling session, it was time to get back on land … then Karo and her Swedish, Swiss and Zimbabwean company started to discover the island by foot …
they met other interesting creatures …
and enjoyed the most beautiful views from the peaks of the islands sand dunes …
so much BEAUTY …
overwhelmingly amazing scenery …
BEAUTY in its wholeness …
BEAUTY in the small details …
after a few hours on the breathtaking island, Karo and her new friends had to go back to mainland …
but the views from there, weren’t bad either …
Karo spent a few days in Vilanculos and found a “home” at a pretty, little bar directly on the beach …
and the view from her tent was truly amazing …
again and again, Karo was blessed with bliss …
She fully enjoyed her beautiful surrounding …
Seba, the owner of the bar, WELCOMED Karo with arms wide open and allowed her to camp on his compound … another angel …
and so was his team, who gave Karo beautiful company and treated her like a princess …
Seba also took Karo to his home village, an hour drive from Vilanculos, where Karo met his family …
which was busy with groundnut harvesting …
and because Karo loves groundnuts they gifted her with a few kilos of the protein loaded energy booster …
an amazingly friendly family …
After a few days in Vilanculos it was time to say “Goodbye” again to her cosy new home …
She was heading to Malawi now, but it was still a long way to get there. Several people had warned her about the terrible road conditions for the next 300 km. It turned out to be true: The road was in extremely bad condition and in some cases not even existing BUT this was actually to Karo’s advantage since it slowed down the traffic on the narrow road …
In the middle of Mozambique’s beautiful nothingness Karo found this little oasis, where she restored her energy …
she crossed several bridges …
and was often amazed how clean the rivers’ water was …
while the rivers were mostly clean, the nature next to the road often looked desperate … Once a year before the rain season starts, people burn their fields and grasslands to “give way” to new grass once the first rain drops hit the ground. A risky behavior and actually illegal since it can easily get out of control …
One day Karo and Baraka crossed path with this little fellow …
He wasn’t keen on Karo’s photo-shooting, but he seemed to like Baraka …
How dangerous the roads can be, was often demonstrated by sad remains from the past. Karo has already seen more than enough of them alongside African roads …
From Vilanculos to Malawi, a lot of the land Karo cycled through, was scarcely inhabited and Karo really enjoyed her solitude …
but sometimes she was happy to encounter other people … in that case, Seba’s brother, whom she got to know in Vilanculos and accidentally met again on her way North …
during Karo’s midday breaks, she would often crack groundnuts … like the cycling itself, a meditative activity … 🙂
HAPPINESS … this road sign communicates the most BEAUTIFUL message to a tired cyclist …
Mozambique offers very diverse and beautiful landscapes and although there is not much understanding for environmental protection the simple fact that people have not yet reached everywhere, helps a lot to keep Mozambique clean …
after 300 km of bad road which was actually not THAT bad, Karo reached this new highway, connecting the biggest harbor city “Beira” in Mozambique with Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. After having already cycled 1.500 km on Mozambican roads, this was the first time she found a “proper” road …
but we all know, “development” comes with its price and what is good for humans (at least on a superficial level) is very likely bad for the environment …
Karo really enjoyed her time in Mozambican nature and the little beautiful details …
but there were also not so beautiful details … the more she headed into the northern part of the country the more painful Karo’s journey became. Indigenous forests became scarce. They were often replaced by monoculture plantations, but true, AT LEAST, there were still trees …
all along her journey to the North, she was now confronted with massive environmental destruction … too many trucks loaded with wood …
the towns Karo passed through, looked more and more desperate …
even the rivers changed their color …
and locals were selling charcoal everywhere …
but of course, Karo can’t blame the poverty burdened population of Mozambique, who are fighting for survival. They will use all available resources to make their lives bearable … like this young Mozambican who is selling local honey, which is harvested unfortunately in a very unsustainable way … by destroying the beehives …
a desperate picture … trees which seemed to be unworthy for the wood industry, would be cut down by locals to provide the growing cities with cheap energy for cooking – CHARCOAL …
a nightmare and because of that Karo became increasingly thoughtful …
Wherever there were humans, there was waste and destruction …
Really, Karo has been extremely sad for the most part of her journey through northern Mozambique because she knows that environmental destruction doesn’t mean suffering for nature ONLY … in the long run it will be the poor people of Mozambique who will suffer the most since they are cutting off the branch on which they are sitting … Luckily, in the midst of Karo’s thoughtfulness and sadness about human destructiveness she met Emmett. Emmett, a very interesting Mozambican with sparkling eyes and an enlightened soul, is promoting green (solar) energy in rural households … THANK GOODNESS, Karo met Emmett and THANK YOU, Emmett, for giving Karo HOPE again …
and Emmett was not the only one, who gave Karo light, when she felt more and more overwhelmed by darkness … Several times during her journey through Mozambique Karo camped at police stations and every time she did that, she was treated with enormous kindness …
She never took pictures of her uniformed heroes because police and military should not be photographed and Karo respected their wish. Picture or not, she will always remember unforgettable people …
The backyard of the police station in Guro …
and its inviting pawpaw trees …
Karo was so touched … the commander of the police station didn’t want her to stay in her tent, but gave her a room and HIS mosquito net … It’s funny, Mozambican police has an incredible bad reputation and everybody fears them since they are apparently among the most corrupt of all. Corrupt or uncorrupt, Karo found great kindness in their hearts …
Burnt fields and cut trees continued to follow Karo. But again, amidst her sadness she realized another joyful fact. She noticed that although there seems to be little understanding and respect for nature overall, for some weird reason there was one tree species which was spared from destruction. It was Karo’s favorite tree, the baobab. Later on she learnt that in several Bantu tribes the Baobab is considered “home of ancestral spirit” and therefore untouchable … THANK GOODNESS!
Thanks to good people and baobabs Karo remained her positive spirit …
Baobab trees would always cheer Karo up …
what a treat … 🙂
Karo was then enjoying the nature which “was left” …
and its sweet fruits …
and she even saw clean rivers again …
how beautiful …
Karo was now close to Tete, a mining town close to the Malawian border …
in Tete, Karo was found by Kamir. He saw Karo on her bike and had pity with her. The day Karo arrived in Tete, the temperature was around 42 degrees and the road to Tete was far from being flat. Karo was really on her limits. Being a keen cyclist himself Kamir offered Karo to stay in a little resort at the outskirts of Tete, on the shore of the mighty Zambezi river. The owner of the resort was a good friend of his. Karo, once more arrived in heaven, surrounded by angels …
Karo was given an air-conditioned room and was told she could stay as long as she wanted …
Karo stayed for three amazing days in which she made plenty of new friends, like this wonderful Zimbabwean priest, who gave Karo all his blessings for her ongoing adventures …
She pampered herself with simple, but healthy and delicious food IF she found some, since it was increasingly difficult to find anything vegetarian … NOOOO, chicken and fish are NOT vegetables …
She also used the time to discover Tete and to meet the immense Zambezi river a second time …
Karo and the Zambezi river had their first encounter at the Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zambia … but now, in Tete, Karo got to know a more quiet side of the beautiful, massive and vibrant river …
and Karo really loved the quiet side of him …
The old Zambezi bridge, which connects Northern and Southern Tete …
Tete province is amongst the driest in Mozambique and the shores of the Zambezi are like its green belt …
agriculture on the river shores …
Baraka and Karo were enjoying the view from the new Zambezi bridge …
what a BIG beauty …
Karo decided to leave Tete after the heat wave (40 to 43 degrees for 3 days in a row) had passed … She continued towards the Malawian border …
Karo reached Zobue, the small border town still on the Mozambican side. It was time to say “Goodbye” to this miraculous country, but before that happened she fell into the hands of another immensely kind-hearted, wonderful man and owner of the only guesthouse in the little town …
Hussein, a Pakistani businessman who has been living in Mozambique for the last 20 years. He has a heart of gold. Karo actually just wanted to camp at his petrol station, but he insisted to be her guest …
gave her a room in his guesthouse, plenty of delicious homemade food and actually wanted her to stay FOREVER … 😉
but as we know, Karo doesn’t like to stay ANYWHERE forever and so she continued her journey the next day and crossed into another unknown country: Malawi, the warm heart of Africa! And indeed the very first people Karo met in Malawi, were warm and full of smiles …
From Mwanza to Tukuyu …
Once more Karo crossed into a country, she hardly knew anything about. During the past months she had heard a lot of positive stories about the small African nation. Apparently, Malawi is inhabited by incredibly friendly people … she heard that from all corners and most likely that is WHY Karo had very high expectations (subconsciously) …
And really her first day in Malawi proofed the claim … that road to NOwhere was leading Karo to her first Malawian angels …
Looking for a place to camp, Karo knocked on the door of those lovely people …
Phyllis and her family didn’t want her to camp and shared their Home instead …
Not only did they share their Home, but also their evening meal, which was of course maize porridge (in Malawi called Nshima) and lots of delicious leaf veggies …
Phyllis friendly and happy dogs … the personality of dogs, Karo learnt on her journey, often reflect the personality of their owners …
Though Malawi is always stated to be among the poorest countries of the world, Karo quickly learnt, that they are still a very proud, self-confident and well educated nation (at least, their English was surprisingly good) …
HAPPINESS … the opportunity to wash a sweaty and overheated body after a long day of cycling …
When Karo entered Malawi (end of September) the hot season started (remember, dear friends, Karo was still in the Southern Hemisphere) and yes, Malawi was incredibly hot and dry, especially alongside the beautiful Lake Malawi and that was, where Karo was heading to …
Heat, sand and corrugated roads … Karo’s favorite school to learn how to reach BEYOND personal limits: Where there is a will, there CERTAINLY is a way! Karo did not yet know, but Malawi would soon send her to another school, in which Karo would NOT YET master the final exams …
but before the introduction of her “Malawian school” Karo continued pushing her limits towards beautiful Cape Maclear, a National Park, an stunning gem on the shore of Lake Malawi …
and finally, after a lot of EXTREMELY steep uphills and several EXTREMELY enjoyable downhills Karo arrived at Cape Mclear …
Since the journey to Cape Mclear turned out to be extremely challenging Karo felt like treating herself with paid accommodation and THEREFORE the luxury of a COLD SHOWER … Yes, she really really really longed for that (and of course to jump into the Lake). It turned out Cape Mclear had a lot of “Karo-budget-friendly” options …
and she ended up at a LOVELY, QUIET and SIMPLE campsite, surrounded by blossoming flowers, chanting birds and the calming sound of waves from Lake Malawi …
Yes, once more Karo had reached paradise …
What a beautiful, peaceful place … and because it was so beautiful and so peaceful, Karo spent a whole week camping at Cape Mclear …
She used her time for studying “Malawi”, a country she had just entered and hardly knew anything about it … and of course she also used her time to enjoy the countries sweet fruits …
and other delicious treats …
She learnt the Malawian version of “Bao” a traditional Swahili game, which demands a lot more brain than one would imagine …
She went kayaking and snorkelling and tremendously enjoyed to feel and discover the crystal clear waters …
and its colorful cichlid fish …
and their immense appetite for white bread …
Karo also went for a dive …
and fully enjoyed discovering Lake Malawi’s depth and its beautiful treasures …
a “breathtaking” experience …
those colors …
besides the beauty of the dive itself, Karo was OF COURSE also gifted with the company of very warm and charming people …
But Karo was not only fascinated by Cape Mclear’s natural beauty, but also by spending time with herself AND good people, like Chicco who became a close friend …
And some other very interesting travelers, like Judith, Peter and their blond angel from Switzerland …
She enjoyed the marvelous sunsets on the beach and to observe the daily lives and routines of Cape Mclears people …
washing clothes, cleaning pots, bathing, fishing and of course playing … Karo was so touched by the “untouched” routines of the villagers. Though touristy, Cape Mclear managed to keep its authenticity and to integrate tourism in a very calm and peaceful way …
Yes, Karo had an amazing time at Cape Mclear, she found her PEACE and she found new friends …
After a week Karo was fully relaxed and empowered. It was time to say “Goodbye” to her new friends …
and to Lake Malawi … for now!
Karo continued northwards alongside the lake and one evening, when she was tired and exhausted from her journey, she looked for a night refuge in that secondary school …
Stella, one of the teachers and her family welcomed Karo warmly …
She arrived at Senga Bay to have another cool dip into the lake …
at Nkothakotha Karo met this lovely German couple who was travelling Southern Africa with their mobile Home …
She continued further north and tried to enjoy the beautiful scenery as much as possible, but she often failed. To be frank, Malawi turned out to be extremely UNpleasant to cycle through …
Karo was so puzzled: while adults made her almost cry due to their kindness (like Frank and the lovely lady on the picture), children made Karo almost cry (and shout and scream AND even throw stones …) because they were so unbelievable annoying … WHAT was wrong with Karo???
Karo’s “Malawian school” of discipline and calmness were children and Karo has absolutely failed to graduate from that school … seriously, for Karo Malawian children were an absolute nightmare (AND THERE WAS SO MANY OF THEM) … She is actually extremely embarrassed about that fact, but it is A FACT that children managed to push Karo to her limits of self respect AND respect for others … and she is very sorry for that!!!!
The heat, the children and AGAIN the insane tree cutting in a country, in which there was hardly any tree left apart from Mango trees … where there are no trees, there is no shade … to hide from the heat and annoying children … a vicious circle AND Karo was about to run mad …
Yes, AGAIN and AGAIN, Karo is not proud of how she behaved towards Malawian children, but in most situations she simply couldn’t regulate her temper, regardless HOW beautiful the environment was, she cycled through …
Karo needed PEACE and a BIG tree to hide …
That is exactly what she needed …
and an untouched “children free” beach …
When Karo reached that rubber tree plantation, she was screaming of joy …
Usually Karo doesn’t like monoculture plantations, but in that moment she was so insanely happy that she and Baraka disappeared into the forest for a while to enjoy its quietness, its freshness, its shade …
Yesss, Karo and Baraka needed that break in the quiet woods …
apart from the forests energizing spirit, Karo also learnt how rubber was harvested …
but OF COURSE the quietness didn’t last very long since Karo was quickly spotted by one of the plantation workers … a very friendly young man, but unfortunately with a LOUUUUUUUD radio … “WHY? For HEAVEN’s sake, WHY?” she thought, smiled and continued her trip …
She reached the beautiful Nkhota Bay at sunset …
and stayed at a very cute and OF COURSE quiet place …
The Mayoka village … it was heaven on Earth … not just because it was really cute, individual and special …
but also because it was ECO and HUMAN friendly …
after Nkotha Bay Karo had to climb some mountains …
to reach Mzuzu, Malawi’s coffee capital …
on her way to Mzuzu, Karo met Blanca, a Spanish cyclist who was on her way to Cape Town … Their HAPPINESS was complete when they found each other and Blanca was the FIRST female, solo cyclist, Karo met on her 2 year cycling trip through Eastern and Southern Africa … Karo was so happy …
Blanca also told Karo about another Spanish cyclist, who was still resting in Mzuzu and Karo quickly went to find him: Asier, a super charming and fascinating young spirit and Karo is so glad that she had crossed path with him to share their past experiences and information …
From Mzuzu Karo continued to Livingstonia, a former British missionary “town” and nowadays famous for its miraculous view over Lake Malawi …
but before she reached Livingstonia, Karo found herself knocking at Goodie’s door looking for refuge and was welcomed with arms wide open …
Goodie was apparently not only “the best Mom” on Earth, but in general an amazingly interesting and powerful woman, a young spirit in a +80 body …
Karo had an amazingly good rest at Goodie’s place. She recharged her energy and was ready for the climb to Livingstonia …
and it really was quite a climb …
and partly extremely difficult road conditions … or no road at all …
but WHATEVER the effort … it was sooooooooooo worth it …
Karo once more reached PARADISE …
Karo stayed at the Lukwe camp, where she enjoyed the most stunning views …
the beautiful waterfalls nearby …
more beautiful views …
and more …
and she also visited the old mission church of Livingstonia …
then she enjoyed more beautiful views …
and more and more and more …
She just couldn’t get enough …
but apart from the beautiful views and forests and fresh air and quietness, Karo also enjoyed the presence from an absolutely fascinating and sparkling man: Auk, the owner of the Lukwe camp with whom she spent a lot of time. Unfortunately, she didn’t take a picture of his radiating face, but rest assured, it was beautiful …
After two nights at the BEAUTIFUL Lukwe camp, Karo continued downhill. Usually Karo loves downhills, but this time it was the opposite. The road was so bad that Karo sometimes wished she would actually cycle up instead of down. The road was so bad and by the time Karo reached the bottom end of the mountain, her brake pads had vanished …
it was now her last day in Malawi …
the road was flat and Karo had tail wind. What a blessing, she wanted to be at the border as quick as possible …
Of course, Karo has plenty of good memories of Malawi and most importantly, she has several new friends. It is a stunning country and full of friendly people, but also annoying ones, but again Karo can’t really blame them and so, before she crossed into her beloved Tanzania, her second home, she decided to make PEACE with the little Malawians … at least in her mind. From the top of a hill you have a better overview on a general situation …
From Tukuyu to Biharamulo …
Karo was extremely happy when she crossed into Tanzania …
not just because she found herself surrounded by beautiful, green tea planations in Tukuyu’s highlands …
Also because she could FINALLY speak Swahili again and therefore being treated and accepted like a local … In Chimala she met those two beautiful souls and sisters, Marie and Flora …
After a lovely breakfast at Flora’s place with whole-wheat bread (!!!YES, REALLY!!!) she continued her journey and battled with heavy headwinds … She cycled until she found this very inviting looking buffalo skull …
at a wildlife headquarters and found it was the perfect place to spend the night …
The rangers were extraordinarily friendly and did their best to guard Karo safely throughout the night …
PASSION FRUITS … one of Karo’s BIG passions and she found plenty of those in the Mafinga highlands …
But at the Mafinga highlands she not only found passion fruits, but also PEACE … mangroves, swamps, forests, few people and a comparatively “cool” climate …
The Mafinga highlands are Tanzania’s timber capital, but to Karo’s absolute delight, there was NOT ONLY Deforestation, but also Reforestation … Karo’s face was decorated with a HUGE smile for kilometers and kilometers on end …
and then Fatma and her lovely family, even MORE reason to keep smiling. In Mafinga town Karo was welcomed in Fatma’s cosy home and treated like a queen … a comfy bed with princess mattress, a shower with HOT water, yummy food, AMAZING company and even a washing machine, where Karo could wash her clothes (something she didn’t use since South Africa) …
Fatma even had a fireplace, where Karo could warm her toes during the surprisingly cold evenings at Mafinga …
Fatma was too good for Karo and she simply HAD TO stay for another day with her Tanzanian sister, to discover the beautiful corners of Fatma’s Home …
After Mafinga Karo enjoyed a slight downhill all the way to Iringa …
where she stayed with Ino and his beautiful family …
They treated her with lots of yummy things, like the little fried “Bajias” a delicious snack made from bean flour, chilli and onions …
and Chapati, an extremely oily pancake, which isn’t healthy AT ALL, but tasted sooooo delicious after a long time of not having it …
and she got a cooking lesson from Ino’s daughter …
after Iringa, lucky Karo enjoyed slight downhill again …
and apart from the wind in her hair, Karo tremendously enjoyed the BEAUTIFUL scenery …
and OF COURSE the Baobab trees, which started to decorate Karo’s surrounding …
such enormously BEAUTIFUL giants …
She recharged her energy with plenty of fruits and funny conversations with their vendors … AND thanks to the universe, there were plenty of delicious fruits and friendly vendors all along the way …
She cycled through Mikumi National Park against many locals warnings …
and to be honest, she was quite scared, especially when she heard rustling bushes since she knew that would have nothing to “comment” in case something BIG decided to attack her … In the end, she saw only giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, impalas, eland antelopes and baboons …
after 56 km cycling through Mikumi she reached farmland again, where the only wildlife was skinny cows and goats …
she continued towards Morogoro accompanied by the beautiful Uluru mountains and Sisal plantations … a plant, which has been introduced during the German colonization. Its strong fiber is used for the production of ropes, twines and bags …
and FINALLY she reached Dar es Salaam again, where she met good old friends from Tanzania …
and received good, old friends from her European Home … Kari was back …
Kari was back and Karo was very happy … Karo gave Baraka time to rest and decided to fly with Kari to Mafia island …
an immensely beautiful and untouched island south of Zanzibar …
which Kari and Karo decided to explore on land, as well as under water …
but first Kari had to go tough instructions and demanding exams …
he succeeded and was released into deep waters … Kari and Karo could discover Mafia’s underwater world together …
the reefs of Mafia island offer amazing diving opportunities …
all different sizes, colors and shapes of corals …
and beautiful fish of all colors, shapes and sizes …
some very big and lonely …
others small in size, but big in numbers …
Kari and Karo were amazed about the shining colors …
it was a real delight …
a colorful, heavenly delight …
and although the reefs and its inhabitants all seemed to be very busy …
the BEST OF ALL about those adventures was the silence … no speech, no noise, only the calming sound of bubbles …
and of course Kari and Karo also really enjoyed the tea and cookie break afterwards … 🙂
The beauty of Mafia’s underwater world is tremendous, but not only that, also the mainland turned out to be paradise …
Kari and Karo enjoyed amazing beaches …
breathtakingly stunning sunsets …
insanely beautiful night skies …
mouthwatering fruits …
and tasty nuts …
They found beautiful starfish during low tide …
and greeted most of them …
They enjoyed walking through peaceful villages …
and drinking coffee with the locals …
Yes, Mafia island was a TRUE paradise, but it was time to go back to the mainland …
Ray was waiting for them … They were about to do the annual visitations of new PRF (Poverty Relief Foundation) wells …
During the last year PRF funded 23 wells in various Tanzanian villages and all of those accomplished projects needed to be visited …
Luckily, we found most of them working and many happy crowds received us …
often followed by big celebrations, with music …
speeches …
food …
and gifts …
lots of food …
and lots of gifts …
mainly chicken …
And not to forget the photo-shootings at the end … the other white man alias “Mzungu” next to Ray is (by the way) Severin, an adorable, fascinating, young man and beautiful spirit. The PRF team got to know him at their “home base” in Biharamulo. He was doing research for his master thesis and decided to join PRF for some days) … It was a true delight having him on board … 🙂
But as usual, PRF did not only visit new wells, but also plenty of possible new sites …
Tanzanian village life is not easy …
the demand is still very high …
and access to clean water a rare finding in Tanzanian villages …
but PRF will keep pushing like our little friend was pushing his bicycle …
so that the life of villager is easier …
and people happier …
Though village life in Tanzania is hard …
You mostly find smiling faces …
from the young ones …
and not so young ones …
maybe this is their secret, which keeps their “spirit” high? …
or the connection to nature …
or their big families …
and the fact that they live from what they grow …
whatever it is, Karo finds it very fascinating …
The two weeks of village life with PRF passed quickly …
and Karo had to say “Goodbye” to Kari and Ray …
and she is looking forward to next year’s visit …
to see some of the visited places improved …
so that the villagers can harvest the ripe fruits …
of having access to clean water …
Karo's Journey 