Exploring Africa on motorbike

Singing with San, the oldest inhabitants of southern Africa.

2021-05-21T08:20:00.008+02:00

I had to come up with an idea quickly. It was under that same old tree. Children were gathering fast, they were already clapping, and dancing but still waiting for me to play. What to play?

It came as lightning to my brain. It was an old tune that I have heard just once, as a child, when I was in Croatia camping with other children, when, a slightly older guy than me, from my hometown, started playing this song on guitar. I was digging about it only many years later and found that it is called Sambario and was presented at the San Remo festival in Italy back in 1976, by an Italian singer-songwriter named Drupi. Now, more than 40 years later, we made our own (faster) version here in Namibia with San children and now it's hit here. :)

The San, also known as the Basarwa or Khwe, are the oldest inhabitants of southern Africa where they have lived for at least 20,000 years. ... Their home was the Kalahari Desert, which is now divided between Botswana, Namibia, Angola and South Africa.

P.S. Click to see the original version of Sambario from Drupi in San Remo back in 1976 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp4MtDctmVk.

Click for Mozambique - feedback from Ibo island!

2019-08-10T09:46:00.003+02:00

Click for Mozambique, a fundraising concert to rebuild schools on Ibo island after devastating cyclone in April 2019

2019-06-18T20:00:00.012+02:00

Background of the story:

My motorbike was parked in Namibia for a while. I had to travel differently this time.

After arriving (flight) from Brasil (Rio de Janeiro) to Brussels (with 8-hour rollerblading stop in New York), and driving for more than 1.000 km from Brussels to Slovenia in a car with Klaus, in June 2018, I got some time, to enjoy nature of this stunning, centrally located European country, called my first home. But soon, only a bit more than one month later, I had to fly on a mission to Mozambique, the country that I have discovered for the first time back in 2005 and fell in love. I was there again in 2011 and 2012 while traveling with my motorbike through Africa, from equator towards south, and fell in love again. So while in Brasil in 2018, I had met with a TV production team (company), that was producing an adventurous series for Canal Off which is part of Globo TV, biggest Brasilian TV network and they wanted to film their next episodes in Mozambique. The collaboration started between film company Outbound films from Namibia that I have partnered with, and Cinemauro TV production from Rio de Janeiro, so I flew to Mozambique in August 2018. More precisely to Nampula in the north. So while in Mozambique, we were on a mission, to film the most stunning islands called Quirimbas islands. One of them was also Ibo island, surrounded by others, like Quirimba and Matemo. We were waiting for our 56ft catamaran, called Nomad, with captain Norman Duncan, coming from Richards bay on South African coast, to Ibo island, more than 3.000 miles away, to fetch us and take us on a long trip. The cat with Norman was delaying, due to weather and maintenance issues. So while on Ibo island with whole team from Brasil (to where we have arrived with a combi from Ilha de Mozambique, where we filmed 1st episode of the series Ilhas Paradisiacas), we used our time as much as we could and also connected to local community, giving them some short jobs and also celebrating their culture and life in general. After leaving Ibo island on catamaran (Norman made it!), we filmed other islands, on our way to Palma village, most northern point of our Mozambique mission, before we sailed to Madagascar. 35 days on the boat together was a special experience (Norman, Brendan, Sylvestre, Leandro, Renata, Larissa and me). Once we have finished our mission, some of the guys flew to Phillipines, some to Brasil, Norman and Brendan sailed to Zanzibar and I stayed on Madagascar for another 2 days and then flew to Namibia. After exhausting 20-day safari in Namibia, through Botswana to Victoria falls in Zimbabwe, I took an old old train to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, and later much better train to Francis town and Gaborone, capital of Botswana. From there I flew to South Africa, actually city of Cape Town, my first, of my second homes, to 'rest'. I returned to Namibia in April 2019 and that's when the cyclone in Mozambique happened. I realised of consequences only once I arrived to Slovenia (after Namibia), and I have heard from the news on internet that Ibo island in Mozambique was left by strongest devastation. I immediately contacted Tania Miorin, that I have met on Ibo island during my visit with Brasilian TV team through Whatsapp, and she told me, help is needed, and best we can help is with money. She sent me photos and videos every day. It was truly sad situation, people stayed without everything. I immediately connected with organisation Instituto Oikos from Milano, Italy, that Tania had worked for at the moment, and right after I decided to organise fundraising concert in my hometown Kranj, Slovenija, actually in my village. I called my good friends, famous musicians, moderators and others, to help. Through a fundraising concert, which I named Click for Mozambique, we managed to raise a decent amount of money, that helped significantly, to rebuild schools and maternity, on island Ibo and Matemo. Thank you again to everyone.

P.S. Regarding my motorbike, I drove it from Windhoek in Namibia, where it was stored at Wouter and Marlien's house for a while, to Cape Town, South Africa, I think it was in January 2019. The mission was to have it closer to where I have started to live. The ride was about 1.500 km long and is a special story.

#Windhoek to #CapeTown 2019 leg

Eight years in and out of Africa

2018-12-26T10:58:00.008+01:00

I've been away and it's time for a short summary. So back in December 2010 I decided to bring into reality a crazy idea which came out my long year dream or let rather say promise to myself. I sent my motorbike to Africa, more exactly from Ljubljana to Kenya. I sent it with cargo airplane and motorbike in Nairobi, Kenya. My journey in Africa began. The rest is history.

Eight years after my motorbike is still well and I am very grateful for that.

At this opportunity I would like to thank you guys out there for your kind support and everyone else just to be. I wish you a pleasant and warm festive season, if possible close to your friends and family, if not, just to get comfortable in your own company and enjoy the moments of life on this beautiful planet that we must take care of better in future.

I wish you also big dreams and fearless actions in 2019.

Matej

Kenya 2010

Lake Kariba / Ticket to the Moon

2017-04-20T11:30:00.000+02:00

I am on a mission to reunite with my motorbike which has been parked in Zambia for almost full 3 years now. Wow, time passes.

I am in the middle of a huge lake in Mozambique right now, on a small boat. More precisely it's a 12 meter long 3.5 meter wide raft with two riverboat engines made in China. Raft has a roof with captain's bridge. The name of the boat is Gwenn. It a local boat which connects Songo on the east with Zumbo on the west of Cahora bassa lake once a week. Cahora bassa is the fourth largest artificial lake in Africa, 300 kilometers long, surrounded with mountains. We are floating on the lake for the second day in a row. There are some 14 local people on the boat including three women, two children and a chicken (hen) passenger but she left when stopping at an island. Passengers speak just local languages and mixing it with some kind of Portuguese. I don't understand anything. The pair of chinese engines are so loud I can't hear either. I use earplugs made of toilet paper. I don't want to damage my precious ears. Yesterday we were crusing continuously 8AM till 00AM. We stopped two times, just to deliver some bags to tribes on the islands. We slept on the boat. I luckilly brought a hammock called Ticket to the Moon. It was a pure luxury to sleep in a hammock whilst everybody else would sleep on the floor. Later in the night I watched the stars. Southern Cross, Orion, Milky way, Venus, Jupiter,.. what a lekker.

My food is running low. I brought only one loaf of bread, two fish cans, three apples, biscuits and 1.5 liter of water. I ate already two cans and two apples but I still keep some bread, one apple, some biscuits and the water. I am grateful for my body which consumes water so economically.

I keep trash in plastic bags while others are throwing trash into the water. We are on the lake for another two days. Enjoying but looking forward to an end.

Lake Cahorra Bassa, 365 kms long and more than 100 meters deep

Eating my last food, a plain biscuit. And 3 days to go. :)

One and only, sunset at lake Cahoraa Bassa, Mozambique

Rocky road towards Lake Kariba

2014-07-13T05:15:00.001+02:00

While staying in Livingstone for over a month and planting trees with the nicest bunch of people from South Africa and international, my motorbike got some nice rest. But one morning I rediscovered an idea floating in my mind for a while. I want to go to lake Kariba. I want to see it from south where the mighty Zambezzi river flows in. It is the biggest artificial lake in the world after all. I want to see that beautiful sunset on the lake which I saw on google photos and also the place where the big boat starts a journey from south to north. I was reading about that boat but not sure if it still operates. So I will go and hopefully reach that sunset, sleepover in my tent or sleeping bag and return to Livingstone within next day. That was the plan.

July 3rd, 2014.

I started late. 12-ish. Staring point: Greenpop camping site in Zambia. After hitting the main road some 10 kms out of Livingstone, my direction was Lusaka. I drove for some 70 kms on a tar road when I reached little town called Zimba. I bought some oranges, bananas and peanuts. I paid 6 kwacha which was cheap. I asked a local man standing at the bus station for directions to Lake Kariba. I explained him that I want to reach most southern part of the lake. His English was bad. I told him that I want to see the starting point for the ferry. He said that the place is called Bimbi. It is a ranch of a white-man. That is the place, he said.
I filled up my fuel tank with 2,5 litres, from bottles as there was no petrol station. I wrote down the telephone number of the 'petrol guy', just for the case that I will need to call somebody on my way back. I started to ride. It was gravel road. Around 150 km one way. At first it was nice, then the road changed dramatically. Few hours later it became my nightmare...
to be continued

One photo for me please

Pathway from Zimba towards Bimbi on Zambezi river,
Zambia, cca. 150 km away from Livingstone

Real brothers. Zambia.

Hey don't cry

No idea where or what is Bimbi

It's becoming Scary!

Almost no fuel. But I must continue. I must continue. Scary.

Short story: I reached Zambezi river in 24 hours instead of expected 5 hours.
I had to sleep the night in the jungle, luckilly a tribe offered me hospitality.
I missed most southern point of lake Kariba for some 30 kilometers.

Planting trees near Victoria falls in Zambia

2014-06-16T19:04:00.001+02:00

Wed 11.6.2014 Day 1 - I entered Zambia from Botswana side at Kazangulo. At the Zambian side of the border they charged me for tourist visa and also for carbon taxes, road tolls, insurance and something else for my motorbike. All together it was just above 100 Usd, including fake-fx rate profit, successfully made by local guys who jumped on me already on Botswana side when I wanted to embark the ferry to cross Zambezi river which btw costed me another 10 usd for my motorbike. It was hot and dry and I didn't care about the fx rates, it just took me almost two hours to get the papers done and get away from that border.

I drove 60 kms to reach Livingstone for the first time in my life. The road was beautiful, colour combination of the trees, grass and the sky was simply amazing. After five days of staying and hanging around Kasane it was great to feel the wind in my hair again.

When arrived to Livingstone I drove to see Zigzag hotel, owned by Lynne from austria. Mike, an australian friend from mozambique, tried to connect us together. Unfortunally Lynne was out of the country until July, so I spoke just to Mercy, the lodge manager. Then I drove to check Bundu white river adventures office at Maranga lodge as I met the owner Jo in the lodge in Palapye in Botswana few days ago on my way from South Africa up to Zambia. He wasn't there. But I came to see Greenpop working camp, so I tried to find directions to there. Actually, it was not so easy.

I arrived to Livingstone Guest Lodge and Farm just before sunset. It is 15 kms out of town on a gravel road. This is the place where Greenpop, eco-social company from Cape town is having their annual work&fun festival, called Trees for Zambia. I met the directors Misha and Lauren again after one year and two months break when I worked with them in their Cape town office. At dinner they introduced me to team as a new team member. I explained them my funny story how I arrived to Africa and how I traveled since then. http://www.greenpop.org/

Thu 12.6.2014 Day 2 - Great breakfast was prepared by Amanda (Mans), Lans and Zama. Other team members are:

Lee - production manager (cape town)

Tanita - project coordination (nederland, cape town)

Ola - anthropologist, joga teacher ( cape town)

Candice - waste management & education ( greytone, cape town)

Megan - plant manager, author (cape town)

Rick - plant manager, photographer (cape town)

Ben - driver (cape town)

Wayne - musician (greytone)

Marshall (Marsh) - musician, permaculture adventurer (greytone)

Kyle - plant manager (greytone, cape town)

Christopher - plant manager, musician (cape town)

Michelle - photographer (Atlanta, USA)

Patrick - plant manager

Lauren - all round coordinator and communicator, leader

Misha - glue, father of Greenpop, multitasking manager, leader

It was a busy day, working in teams, preparing the camp site for different activities.

I was preparing terrain to pitch my tent. It was full of rocks but i managed it.

After lunch I was involved into production of eco-bricks, made from clay, sand, straw, water and waste (glass - mosi beer and plastic coca cola bottles)

Later I prepared stage and sound.

Fri 13.6.2014 Day 3 - very busy working day and party evening. full moon. During day preparing for tree planting and organizatioN of an event for promotion of Earth festival 26 and 27th June 2014 by Greenpop at Fez bar, Livingstone tonight.

Team members got different tasks. I was in the team driving with Toyota Hilux bakkie to town. We fetched 4 local volunteers at Livingstone Backpackers (salomon, Sebastian and Emmanual). We unloaded speakers and instruments at Fez bar. We collected some wood mash and delivered it to the bio-mass factory. We drove to the airport to meet Yes Rasta band and load their instrumenta and sound system. We delivered everything again to Fez bar. After that I drove 40 kms south of town with the volunteers to fetch 200 hundred trees at tree nursery and bring them to town. We unloaded 100 of them at biomass factory and 100 at munoli park. It took us hours to get the work done. It was finally time to prepare for the party. I was responsible for the sound so I did soundcheck with Yes Rasta, reagea band from Livingstone. The party was great and we all had good fun. I was playing with Tree-mendous band at the beginning, after speach of Misha, Lauren and Uncle Ben.

The Tree-Mendous Band:

Wayne - keys, vocals

Marsh - bass

Kyle - guitar, vocals

Lance & Zama - vocals

Matej - guitar, vocal

The party was broken for the football match in Brazil between Spain and Nederland which ended by result 1:5. While smoking outside, i met a couple from Galicia, Spain, tourists who came to watch the game to Fez bar. They invited me to visit them in august.

Sat 14.6.2014 Day 4 - finishing the venue and get it ready for volunteers and team. I was arranging bathroom (outdoor showers) area. I worked together with Marsh and we are now specialized for wooden shower matts. I was manufacturer and he was quality control.

Sunday 15.6.2014 Day 5 - arrival of volunteers and the rest of the team. I met Sean Spender from Canada and will McAneny from USA again after good one year.

Monday 16.6.2014 Day 6 - introduction day for volunteers.

Meg, writer from Harare shared her knowledge about the trees.

Volunteers drove with truck to town and later for a game drive.

It continues... And you can still join, check http://www.greenpop.org/.

Lovely crazy little town of Kasane in Botswana.

2014-06-11T10:48:00.001+02:00

Warthogs, monkeys, you name it, all walking and jumping around at our campsite. Even crocodiles can enter easily fom the river. One crocodile dragged a tent to the river, including the guy inside. :) Chobe river is is simply amazing, in one 3-hour boat trip I saw crocs, kudus, buffalos, hippos, swimming elephants and many of birds

Two weeks ago there was unfortunally an incident when a local man was killed by elephant when he was walking on the road on his regular way to his work. Not far from that, also next to the road, three lions killed a buffalo. I was lucky to see one of the lions later in the night when eating the buffalo. Hienas were preparing.

I also enjoyed staying and meeting people at Chobe Safari lodge. I will never forget this lovely crazy town, named Kasane in Botswana. Now via Victoria Falls, Zambia. :)

Where Botswana meets Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia

2014-06-08T14:27:00.001+02:00

Kasane is a little town at extreme north of Botswana, placed next to Chobe river. It borders to amazing Chobe forest which is protected wildlife area. It is a crazy little place where you can see wild animals walking on the streets like in a fairy tale. You can easily meet elephant crossing the road or spotted hiena checking around not to mention dead buffalos and hungry lions eating them practically next to the road.

From Kasane you drive just 10 kms east to reach border with Zambia or Zimbabwe and 40 kms west to Namibia. Border with Angola is also not very far.

Right on the Chobe river there is a lodge called Chobe Safari lodge from where you can enjoy meals or take a sunset boat cruise to admire more of wildlife, like crocodiles on the river banks, kudus, buffalos, swimming elephants, monkeys, birds, hippos and of course sunset.

French fries for breakfast. South Africa to Botswana.

2014-06-08T14:15:00.001+02:00

Finally (3.6.2014) I started a long trip from Johannesburg in South Africa up to Victoria falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The road took me first to Pretoria where i visited my friend prof. Meyer with whom (and dr. Heyman) we met in Sesfontein in Namibia back in May 2013. It was nice chat with him after more than one year and we ate pommes frites for breakfast.

It was already 1pm when I hit N1 highway in direction of Polokwane. I turned off at Bela-Bela and drove on the backroads in direction of Grobblers bridge on Botswana border which was still few hundred kms away. When I reached little town Vaalwater I stopped two girls with backpacks, walking on the main road. They told me they go to Zeederberg's lodge behind Spar shop. I went to check the place and it was beautiful. Quite lodge surrounded with trees but fully booked for the night. Kind owners told me they have nice green grass where I can camp, so I decided to stay the night as also the sun was very low already. It was a cold night but I found the way how to warm up.

I started to drive around 12 pm and reached Botswana border in late afternoon. I was surprised by the high cost for insurance and road tolls for my motorbike but that's life.

The days are short in the winter so I drove just to first town Palapye around 100 kms north west and stopped at nice lodge Itumela to stay the night.

Zeederberg's cottages - http://www.zeederbergs.co.za/

Lodge & Camping Itumela, Palapye, Botswana

Basic maintanence in Johannesburg

2014-05-29T09:19:00.001+02:00

South Africa. This motorbike is amazing. It needs so little maintanance. Anyway, I received a nice support from World of Yamaha workshop in Sandton, developed modern part of Johannesburg 's wider city center. World of Yamaha includes also shop for motorbikes, boats and music instruments and is owned by Bidvest financial company. So as I am musician I went to see also Yamaha pianos, guitars and other music equipment produced by this amazing Japanese company. Thank you Dyle, Adrien and Poli for your kind help with my motorbike. At the end we just needed to replace old engine oil with new one, the same with oil and air filter. I am ready for Botswana. Life is rad.

Celebrity on motorbike?

2014-05-24T18:48:00.001+02:00

The other day I came out of Pick'n'Pay shop in Linden in Johannesburg. It was just before the dark. There was a white guy standing in front of my motorbike. He told me he saw my motorbike on the parking space and the sticker 'motoafrica.blogspot.com' on it. He told me he is subscribed to my blog for some time and that he read much of my adventures. He said he admires the LITE way of my travel. He is familiar with Wild Dogs, huge south african society of motorbikers.
Really amazing that somebody recognized me on the street, thousands of miles away from my home. Am I a celebrity? :) It's such a small world. Today I've met a beautiful girl named Kelly for the second time in my life. One year and half ago we've met on the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, 2000 kms away. We've chatted for few minutes and that was it. Since then we have been friends on Facebook. Today when walking in the crowd in Johannesburg we've bumped to each other at Deutsche Schule Beer festival near downtown Joburg. It's such a small world. :)

Visiting Mandela's house

2014-05-22T21:03:00.000+02:00

I arrived to Johannesburg one week ago. I flew with Turkish airlines from Ljubljana via Istambul. It was a pleasant flight and I could even had a stop in Istambul for few hours. Istambul is a huge city so I decided to visit just the old part called Sultanahmet. We were hanging around together with Petra who I know from before and her boyfriend Gorazd from my country Slovenia. We met coincidentally on the airplane. Great fun, thank you both for nice moments.

After landing in Jozi I was picked up by coolest friend Joanne.:) She drove me with her car from OR Tamba straight away to pick my motorbike. It was parked at the spot since June 2013. Thanks to Willem it was not rusted as he was spraying it with Q20. Amazing Willem, thank you.

After beeing busy around Jozi for some days, I decided to drive to Soweto this afternoon. I checked Mandela's and Desmond Tutu's house on Vilakazi street. I ate delicous sendvich at Snack Kiosk.

New helmet Shoei Neotec

2014-05-22T13:42:00.003+02:00

My previous helmet was Shoei Multitec. She did more than 50.000 kms with me, 37.000 of them in Africa. She saved my head many times. I am staying loyal to her but like king of Swaziland I was tempted by poligamy too.

Thank you Gregor Pavcnik from Ljubljana, Slovenia and Shoei for trusting me and introducing me to the Shoei Neotec, Multitec's younger sister. Although I will never forget the old one, new one feels simply refreshing.

Shoei Neotec

New tyres Mitas E-07

2014-05-19T11:08:00.001+02:00

I have to 'Knock on wood' after mounting new Mitas E-07 rear tyre. The previous one (not Mitas) did almost 20.000 kms without any puncture. Thank you World of Yamaha in Sandton, South Africa to show me how to manually replace the tyre on my motorbike. It's really not that simple. Very special thanks also to Janja, Beno and Uros at Savatech company (ex Sava, now Mitas tyres) from my hometown Kranj, Slovenia who are supporting me at my ON and OFF-road trips in Africa and elsewhere.

Panorama Drive, Roodepoort, Johannesburg

Plans for May/June/July 2014

2014-05-05T02:38:00.000+02:00

Please check my campaign for more details.

Kalahari desert crossing. From Namibia through Botswana to South Africa.

2013-06-09T11:32:00.004+02:00

After two inspiring weeks in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, the road was leading me east, towards Kalahari desert in Botswana. As my plan after Kalahari was to re-enter South Africa, I needed to handle my SA visa in advance in Windhoek. Of course it was long procedure like always, I drove off Windhoek in early afternoon and was caught by the night still in Namibia. I decided to sleep at Xain Quaz, nice lodge & camping facilities just 10 kms before Gobabis. At Xain Quaz I've met the owner Dannie, his wife, their few months old son and springbok (animal), called Diggy Ding. I booked the night at the hut, I was the only guest anyway. I slepted like a baby, covered with two blankets, the night was freezing, close to 0C. In the morning I was surprised by hot black coffee and bisquits waiting on the table in front of my hut. Fresh air, combined with Diggy Ding company was more than enjoyable for me, not mentioning the sunrise.

Still the same morning I arrived to Gobabis, last town in Namibia before entering Botswana. Soon after leaving Xain Quaz I noticed some bad sound, coming from my rear wheel. I assumed it was bearings. In minutes noise became louder and louder. I stopped in the town. I went to petrol station and asked for mechanics. I was driving from one to another and at the end found Pottie's Mechanical Store & Workshop. They told me they have no spares. I insisted to open my rear wheel. As they opened it, the mechanic smiled and said, 'hey, it's the same bearings as for Hinda XL250. And you know what, I have them. :)'. They replaced my wasted bearings with new ones in one hour. That was big luck for me. I hit the road in direction of Kang still on the same day. Yihaaaaa!!!! :)

I started around thousand kms long drive on Trans-Kalahari highway. I've heard it is very lonesome & long road and you meet only animals and almost no cars / humans. It came out true. I saw lots of cows, donkeys, sheep and warthogs. Most of them were freely walking in the middle of the road. I really needed to be careful not to hit some. Luckilly didn't meet any lions, hyennas or similar.

Around 200 kms before reaching town called Kang, I was again caught by the night. I drove for another hour but then decided to stop somewhere and find a place to sleep. As there was nothing to see for long long time. But then I saw the sign "Lone tree camp". I thought it might be a camping or so. I turned off the road and stopped next to the fence. In a minute or two there were two off-road cars arriving just after me. I was really surprise as I was in the middle of nowhere and I didn't see cars for a while. People in cars didn't care much about me. They opened the gates and entered. As they locked the gate, I asked them 'What about me? Are there some camping facilities or similar?' They told me this is not camping but camp for anti-poachers. Anti-poachers?? I asked if I could possibly stay overnight somewhere as it is freezing outside. They let me in and I sent me to Isaac, chief of anti-poachers in that camp. Isaac was kind and he offered me a place in his house. I accepted. Thank you Isaac.

Next day I drove to Kang, drank a coke and drove another 500 kms to South African border. I crossed the border on Wednesday June 5th at Lobatse border post. I drove to Pretoria, actually to University of Pretoria where I held a presentation of my life experience for UP students and the staff. It was nice gathering and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to Prof. Heino Heyman and Dean Mr. Marion Meyer at Plant Science department for inviting me. I've met these two guys in Sesfontein in Namibia, one month before. They were there for business, doing research on so called 'fairy circles'.

After nice days spent in Pretoria I drove to Johannesburg where I've visited very cool folked Rise and Shine Acoustic Music Festival. Thank you Misha for the tickets. :) I also attended Converse music festival in downtown Joburg to enjoy the music and said hello to Misha Teasdale and Jeremy Loops, camerades from Cape Town. The other day I visited Markex exhibiton in Sandton and that was it. More than enough for five days overall staying in Joburg. Thank you Zarko, Henri and Nick for having me in Joburg and Cobus & co. for the dinner and so good bread. :) Thank you Joanne for taking me to the airport. What a wonderful experience and memories I have on Johannesburg and Pretoria. And Namibia and Botswana. And South Africa in general and Mozambique. And Kenya and Tanzania. And Swaziland. :) And ........ :))

My hut @ Xain Quaz lodge
in Namibia, near Botswana

Springbok Diggy Ding,
photo by Iphone, no zoom

Repairing my bike in Gobabis

Wasted bearings

Dawie replacing my bearings

Last kilometer of Namibia

I thought it was a camping
but it was an antipoacher camp.
Botswana. Freezing at night.

Isaac, antipoacher from
Lonetree camp in Kalahari.
He gave me shelter.

Next morning at the sign. It is just
100 kms before Kang, Botswana

Leftovers

Trans-Kalahari highway
in Botswana

Leaving Avanti Lodge in
Zeerust, South Africa

Where I've cut my long hair
in Zeerust, South Africa

My presentation at University
of Pretoria, announced
by prof. Heino Heyman

My temporary room @
Faculty of Plant Science

Train station in Pretoria,
South Africa

University of South Africa
in Pretoria

Rise and Shine Acoustic Music
Festival in Sandton Johannesburg

Visiting BATT, representative
of Slovenian (Sava) tires
in Johannesburg

Invited to taste delicious bread,
baked by Cobus Du Plessis
in Johannesburg

e-Learning conference in Windhoek

2013-05-31T04:45:00.000+02:00

Some of "my days" in Windhoek were especially extraordinary and inspiring. I was honored to attend an event called eLearning Africa. It is a global conference and expo, organized by ICWE gmbh from Berlin. I was excited to meet some of most influential people from learning industry. Hopefully we meet again in Uganda 2014. :)

Blogger Mac-Jordan Degadjor
from Ghana and legendary
Beate Wedekind (on the left)
at "Press workshop"

Prime minister of Namibia,
"checking" the solutions

Well-known prof. Sugata Mitra,
winner of TED Prize 2013.
Famous for "Granny in the cloud"
and "Hole in the wall" projects.

Journalist from Namibia
at gala evening night.
It was great party.

Tradition, change, innovation and sustainability

2013-05-29T07:47:00.000+02:00

Today Namibia is starting to host two days conference E-Learning Africa.

Windhoek and Kalahari in South Eastern Namibia

2013-05-26T22:15:00.001+02:00

I met Wouter at Epupa falls in north western Namibia some weeks ago. He invited me to visit him and his family in the capital. I accepted. I can say Windhoek looks very nice and safe city. Beside driving around and sightseeing I also visited Wouter's company, named The Document Warehouse.

On the weekend we drove to Wouter's farm in Kalahari desert which is located exactly 500 km south west of the capital. It's beautiful and peaceful out there. It is just 50 kms away from Botswana and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

On the way we also passed by Tropic of Capricorn which lies at 23° 26' south of the Equator. That is my third and fourth time in my life already. Before I've passed it by in April 2013 (on the way from Solitaire to Walvis bay) and in 2011 on my way from northern to southern Mozambique.

Presentation of 'Moto Africa -
different way of thinking' for
workers at The Document
Warehouse in Windhoek

We talked about 'Project triangle'.
You can always pick only two
out of three requirements.

Old water pump
still in use sometimes

Kalahari in south eastern
Namibia

Cheetas and Wahoo, The Leopard

2013-05-23T23:27:00.000+02:00

Wayne, today owner of Okonjima reserve, found barely born leopard almost seventeen years ago. He safed his life as he would become easy prey. They lived, ate and sleeped together for two years. Wayne suddenly got sick and had to go to hospital. When he got back, leopard was not comfortable with his presence anymore, so they couldn't live together anymore. Leopard became a bit aggresive towards people as it should be. Since then they've been separated but leopard lives in big reserve now, owned by Wayne. Leopard's name is Wahoo and he is a beautiful animal.

I found this reserve coincidentally on the way south to WIndhoek. I just wanted to see some cheetas. More about Okonjima reserve and Africat foundation here.

Otjiwarongo

Okonjima reserve

Comfortable Chilala camping site

Barely visible cheetah

Wahoo the Leopard

Wahoo the model

Wahoo in action

Photo history of Wahoo

At Africat centre

Brigitte driving us back

Biggest bird can't fly

Warthog in Okahandja

Arriving to Windhoek

The Document Warehouse,
a place to see

Greetings to Bushmen in Tsumkwe

2013-05-20T01:48:00.006+02:00

Cold starry night in Namibia. Back of the truck. Above well known Southern Cross, on the right moving bush and on the left lying Ryno, around 50 years old bushman (maybe 35 or 40, he doesn't know his age). We are driving back home through Kalahari desert, twelve people in one huge Ford jeep with american plates. Seven people are sitting in front in a double cabin and five lying on the open back. Going back after visiting three villages in 150 km range from Omatako to Tsumkwe. Ovi is chief of Cristian mission near Omatako in Kalahari. He, his son Dani, his wife and his daughter are from Romania and are helping Bushmen (San people) for last four years, providing them education, food and cloths. They work together with volunteers (young christians) who mostly come from Romania, but also from Ukraine, Finland and other countries.

I beleive everything happens with a reason. One day before, I was standing on the crossroad to Tsumkwe, next to my motorbike. I was trying to decide whether to go to Tsumkwe or north. I knew it is 300 kms till there and there is no petrol station on the way. Just gravel road and maybe some bushmen village next to the road. I had full tank of gasoline plus two litres in a bottle but maybe still not enough to get there. I said f... it, I go and I will start rescuing the problem when it comes to me. After 150 kms of gravel road I arrived to the sign for Omatako. I stopped and there I saw a jeep full of people. I asked them where they go and if I can go with them. I parked my motorbike and we left for Tsumkwe for two days. "If you don't try, you will never know", like my friend Kelvin from Zimbabwe says in his poem. :)

Some problems if you live in Kalahari iclude: lack of water, food and education or better self-management. There is plenty of TB (tuberculosis) as people are sleeping practically on the ground and that is not good for their lungs. Kalahari New Hope from Romania tries to help San people on the field with all above.

When we were watching sinchronized old Jesus Christ movie together with bushmen under the stars, I noticed my name translated to bushmen language. It was Mataluza, haha. :)

Road to Tsumkwe in
Kalahari desert, Namibia,
near Botswana, 260 km in front

Place where I stopped
and met people who brought me
to bushmen village

Leaving Omatako village
behind

Arriving to bushmen village
next to the road

Waiting for speech
and translation

Our tents
next to the village

Typical hairdress of
everybody there

Fun fun fun

Learning songs in Romanian
and Bushmen language

Typical bedroom. That´s
how they catch tuberculosis.

Translator Ryno, friend of
late Nixau who acted Xi in
Gods Must Be Crazy movie

After pulling out the tooth

Food

Truck

Translator Ryno

New cloths for children

New cloths

Driving to Nyae Nyae Pans
in Namibia, near Botswana

Making fire to cook
next to dry lake Nyae Nyae

FIRE

Sunday morning at KNH centre
near Omatako in Namibia

Etosha and camping next to the road

2013-05-16T16:51:00.000+02:00

It was already dark yesterday when Alfred drove me with safari company's jeep to the neighbouring lodge to withdraw money from my maestro card. That was the only way how to pay my safari trip to Etosha as I don't carry so much cash in my pocket everyday here in Africa. You know, 'they' might rob you. :)

Alfred is 34 and is a safari guide. He was born in Etosha. His mother and his sister still live here, his father runs a cattle and goat farm 80 kms away.

As Alfred noticed I will do camping and as he knew I cant do it close to the lodge, he told me his uncle is camping nearby. He's name is Boy and is a road worker. They are camping with other road workers just 20 kms away, next to the road of course. It was dark night already when I found the workers. They were sitting around the fire. I said hello and told them that Alfred is my friend. They welcomed me to stay with them. I pitched my tent, put my Chalaka can into the fire and we had a nice little chat about life and lots of laughs.

Later during the night I watched namibian stars again and listened to some music from my iphone. In early morning (4am) it is getting pretty chilly outhere, anyway it's winter time here in Namibia. :) One hour before sunrise I've heard one of the workers came out of the tent and I saw he started a fire. Thank you man, it was freezing already. :) Brand new day in front of me, what a feeling! :)

Btw.

Etosha is 100 and some years old national park. I call it big zoo as it is big as my country Slovenia. They don't let motorbikers in so I had to find another solution how to get in. I did it with a neighbouring lodge's safari drive.

Inside of the park I saw many very loud cars and trucks (more than on the main road), packed with tourists, some of them equipped like Rambos with all those huge almost one meter long photo objectives. Animals don't even pay attention to cars and people anymore. We saw girrafes, elephants, zebras, kudus, springboks, rabbits, you name it.

My impression about national (game) parks in Africa again and again repeats. I mean I like the idea of national parks in general, how it was at the beginning. But how it turned out after so many years, I don't like national parks anymore. It's turning to another big industry, destroying more than rescuing. It's similar than charity with no idea if it helps or spoils.

Milk at petrol station in Oshivelo

Drinking up the Oshivelo
cattle milk

Turn to Etosha park

Alfred driving

View from our safari vehicle

Somebody's sleeping

Morning next to the road

Hansie, Rice, Oupit, Rubben

& Boy

With Rice & Oupit

Oupit, me, Rubben & Boy

Position of my tent

'Rice' with my guitalele
in the morning

Tsumeb town

It looks meteorites fall down
often around here

Slowly turning right

2013-05-14T21:34:00.001+02:00

What a start of a day! I woke up this morning in my tent pitched next to Kunene river the night before. No signs of crocodiles's visits overnight. So everything fine. I drank my coffee together with two couples from South Africa which actually brought me to this amazing place. Two brothers (around age 42 plus/minus 20 - that's our joke:) ) and two wifes, all from South Africa. We had a great fun last night, also with my guitalele (little guitar-ukulele) which is traveling with me on motorbike and entertaining people here and there.

Anyway, I started my engine and after 50m I felt to sand and dust. Karel helped me to pick up my bike. Not even 300 metres later I felt again, this time to rocks. Karel and his brother helped me to pick up my bike. I drove 500 metres further to reach more normal road. I stopped my bike and stepped to puff adder. Yes, the snake! But little one, just 20 cms, but pretty hectic reaction from her. The brothers explained me it was some Horned or something-adder which is very very poisenous. What a start of the day. :)

Geograpchical description:
After reaching Namibian-Angola border at Epupa Falls there was no way further up for me. I slowly turned right if you look on the big map of Africa. My way was to Kunene river lodge and from there to Ruacana falls / dam. Falls are of course dry because of the dam. Damn. The road from Ruacana led me to the town of Oshikati, which was 170 kms east. I am staying here in Oshikati for the second day.

Himbas, bike and dust

Camping next to Kunene river

Dusty and bomb proof engine

Ouchh on the steep uphill

Steep downhill

Direction of Ruacana falls,
next to Angola border

Big plant provides 80 pct of
Namibia electricity

Where meteorite hit the ground
three days ago. That was close.

My heroes in Opuwo

2013-05-08T22:57:00.002+02:00

Today I asked a youngster (security guy) at Opuwo Country Lodge camping if he wants my tent. He looked at me soooo bright and he just uttered 'yes'. So I gave him my tent. He was so happy that he was almost crying. He said that I've realized his biggest dream. 'Now I have my house', he said. 'You gave me a house. I'm so happy'. I've told the guy that it's was my biggest pleasure and that I am really happy even more happy than him as I know that the tent will be in right hands. We almost started arguing who is more happy... :) Anyway, his name is Mbimbo, he is Himba and he is around 18 (I suppose, I didn't ask). He lives in a small village Ofeoupaua 20 kms north of Opuwo. So if you see a green tent with sign 'Easy camping', that is his tent now. It has been served me for a long time in Africa and it's still in good condition. I have another one.

Today I've also noticed that my motorbike has got an injury. The frame at the back where the suitcase is attached to it was broken and it would probably fall off if we've wouldn't weld it right away. It looks that the last road from Sesfontein to Opuwo gave my bike a lot of pressure. Bobi was really kind and he welded my frame well I hope. Thank you Bobi, you are my hero.

Capital of Kaokoland

Opuwo Country Hotel

Resting

Dirty bike

Himba Moms in Opuwo
are buying it

Camping site no. 4

With Bobi The Welder

With Mbimbo, new home owner