Brandon Bosch Memorial Ride - Africa 2021

[DASKOP]

At Maramba, this young man, Derrick Mukena, approached me and started sharing with me.

For some reason, it was not the first time, and it proved not to be the last, the young men and women of Zambia, seemed to gravitate to me and they would tell me about their lives, where they started, how they progressed and what their dreams and aspirations were. I found them all to be open, friendly, intelligent and very well spoken.

But their opportunities were limited. There was a corrupt Government in power, who sold their souls for personal financial gain, some becoming billionaires in the process, by awarding contracts to foreign powers, who brought in their own labour force, thereby robbing the Zambian locals of employment opportunities.

Elections were coming up on the 12th of August. There was election campaigning taking place all over Zambia. The favourite candidate among the people was an economist, who was a billionaire in his own right and it was hoped that he would win the elections as he would not have to **** the country for his own financial gain. Only time will tell.

 

[DASKOP]

When Charlie and I met that morning, we both had intended to leave Maramba on that day, but we had such a nice chat, we both decided to stay another night and continue our discussion while having a braai. Which we then did. No photos were taken, we just had a good time sharing experiences.

Because of the cold nights, Charlie offered me the use of a warm sleeping bag which he had not used, but the he remembered that he had given it to someone in need somewhere along his travels through Africa, but he found a brand new electric blanket which could be powered from the 12V socket on Matilda. I was keen to try this out as we were in for another cold night and I said that I would return it in the morning, but he said that I should either keep it or give it to someone else in need. Charlie has a heart of gold.

One photo was taken, just as we were finishing our braai, we heard a Hippo right next to us, and we hoped to have evidence of its proximity to us. Needless to say, Charlie was very tentative about the walk in the dark back to his campsite.

 

[DASKOP]

06 June 2021

Before the obvious is stated by someone else, yes, the electric blanket helped, for a few hours, but it completely drained Matilda's battery.

Fortunately, I had a battery charger on the bike, so Charlie and I heaved her across the muddy terrain to a nearby power point and put the battery on charge. Lesson learnt.

We made some coffee at my campsite and then the elephants came to visit again.

 

[DASKOP]

It is amazing how quiet and gentle these massive creatures are.

I just noticed now that there is a Hippo or Croc in the bottom right hand corner of the last photo. Comments?

 

[DASKOP]

There are times that the elephants actually come into the lodge and campsite area, hence the warning. Thankfully it did not happen during our stay.

 

[mother]

Hi Daskop/ Marius

Im sorry i only saw this post now...

Your trip and this RR touched me in a way no other report has on this forum......
I feel your pain and sadness....so so sorry for your loss
Truly hope that you will find the comfort and healing through your chosen process .... this motorcycle trip is a blessing and spiritual path you needed to take
I can so relate to connecting to the universe through it
Blessings to you
Take Care
Yours in Biking
Chris /Mother

 

[DASKOP]

Somewhere in the Sudan, Charlie encountered two oncoming trucks passing on a blind rise. There was not enough of a shoulder for him to get off the road completely and one of the trucks clipped his side mirror. No side mirror has the potential of turning into a messy situation at police roadblocks, meaning bribes, but Charlie had a solution. He found his shaving mirror, which he was going to leave behind in London, did the Magyver thing and no bribes required.

 

[DASKOP]

Hi Daskop/ Marius

Im sorry i only saw this post now...

Your trip and this RR touched me in a way no other report has on this forum......
I feel your pain and sadness....so so sorry for your loss
Truly hope that you will find the comfort and healing through your chosen process .... this motorcycle trip is a blessing and spiritual path you needed to take
I can so relate to connecting to the universe through it
Blessings to you
Take Care
Yours in Biking
Chris /Mother

Thank you Chris. Your kind words mean a lot to me. Thank you.

 

[DASKOP]

We were both packing up to leave.

I asked Charlie if I could put a Brandon sticker on his bakkie, thinking maybe on the back of the canopy, but Charlie suggested on the windscreen, so that they would be traveling together and he would have a continuous reminder of our time together. He even found a license disc holder for the sticker.It humbled me and was very emotional.

Charlie and I were supposed to meet and I immediately knew that we will meet again.

Charlie, it was an honour and a privilege to meet you, and I know that we will be mates for life.

 

[DASKOP]

I went to reception to settle my bill and then had a quick visit to the deck, when I saw this Hippo coming out of the water and then proceed to defecate, doing the tail swirling thing to spray the crap around.

Also encountered one of Mad Max's mates.

 

[DASKOP]

On my way out, I saw elephants next to the road and stopped to take a photo of the train.

I actually went onto the train in 2013, as covered in that RR, so I was not going to do it again. Time was an issue, I was heading for Lusaka, a long way to go, and I had left later than planned.

 

[DASKOP]

Livingstone to Lusaka.

Constant reminders of the dependency of locals on the charcoal trade, a matter of survival, but also a matter of great environmental concern.

 

[DASKOP]

My first toll gate encounter. Did not see motorbikes indicated, but I stopped at the toll gate booth, just to be waved on. No toll fees for Matilda.

 

[Knucklhead/knuckey]

Lovin this Daskop  :thumleft:

 

[DASKOP]

The road from Livingstone to Lusaka is in no way remarkable at all.

But, you have to make the most of the opportunity, so you look for something to think about.

How do people survive, when side by side they all are selling the same goods, whether it be tomatoes, other vegetables or charcoal? The charcoal, I can sort of understand, there is apparently a huge market for it, but it is run by a cartel in Lusaka. Big trucks come through to collect the charcoal, the locals are paid a mere pittance for their efforts, it is taken who knows where, and then sold and shipped by the cartel to who knows where, and they are making a fortune out of it.

This fact will be confirmed by an encounter I had later during my trip.

 

[DASKOP]

My route was Livingstone, Choma, Mazabuka, Lusaka.

The towns along the way are not worth elaborating on, but for those of you have not ridden this road, I will post the photos I took, so that you may consider an alternative route, if ever in the area.

When there are so many other obvious needs in Zambia, why would you build an over the top bus station in the middle of nowhere?

 

[DASKOP]

As I said, competition is fierce.

 

[DASKOP]

I stopped to give my rear end a rest.

There was this gentleman with his orange container clearly displayed. So, I thought I would engage him in a conversation.

"What is the orange container for?"

"It is for diesel."

"Where do you get the diesel from?"

"I buy it from the trucks."

"Do you take it out of the truck's tanks?"

"Yes."

"But, is that not stealing?"

"No, I am buying it, I pay for it."

"Do you pay the owner of the truck or the driver?"

"The driver."

"But the diesel does not belong to him, so how can he sell it to you? He is stealing from his boss."

"Not my problem, I am paying for it, so I am not doing anything wrong."

End of conversation and on to the next unimpressive town.

 

[DASKOP]

Election campaigning is obvious everywhere.

 

[DASKOP]

Livingstone to Lusaka  :sad5: