Back safe at White River

Just got back from our 2 week journey. 4,717k (2,948 miles) round trip. Had a brill time, and now unpacking the car in the rain.

Last leg

We are leaving the project in Mozambique tomorrow (Saturday) morning, and should be back at White River by some time on Sunday. I have driven 2,000 miles already, so will let you know the full distance when we are back.

I am in (a) Gondola

... but not in Italy, but a town in Mozambique. I have driven 3,200k (2,000 miles) so far, and I expect to be here about a week.

In 2003 Hands at Work began working in the central Mozambican community of Gondola, 120 km west of the coastal city Beira. Gondola is an extremely rural setting, but located on a major trucking route called the Beira corridor, leading from Beira inland to Zimbabwe, making it a flash point for HIV transmission.

See http://www.handsatwork.org/mozambique/ for more info

Documents!

It's been a very long day today. Been up since 6:00, and driven 1,000k on roads with potholes the size of a car, burnt out wagons, other potholes that can rip a wheel off, cows and abandoned vehicles. There are 14 of us in 3 vehicles, and when we got to the Mozambique border, they wouldn't let us through, as they said the documentation was not adequate. We were delayed 2 hours, but they did eventually let us through, and we are now in Mozambique where we are going to stay a week. The previous group were delayed 31 hours, so it could have been worse.

Off on my travels again

Today we drove from Zambia back to the Zimbabwe border, on the way to Mozambique. I am towing a trailer, and got a puncture, but apart from that all is going well.

Busy boy

I have been right busy today. Up at 04:30 and drove to Kitwe, which is the second biggest city in Zambia. You could look at http://www.handsatwork.org/newsroom/category/Zambia for the work that is going on there. I have been helping build a new school and then set to work on a Mazda pickup with 500,000 on the clock. It's a bit different from my dad's MX5!

Safe in Zambia

I have arrived safe on the farm in Zambia after a 3 day 1,941k (1,214 mile) drive. We stopped off for the second night in Zimbabwe, and had a 13 and a half hour drive to arrive at the farm. I even managed to phone my mum form Zimbabwe and wish her a happy birthday. At that point we had a mobile signal but no electricity!

I am pleased to say that all of us are safe and well but tired.

Africa is a big place...

It has been a long day travelling across Zimbabwe. We have stopped for the night about 100km from the Zambian border. No problems, although the place we are staying in has no power. An early night I guess!

We are on our way

All going well so far. We drove up through the hills, and I texted mum and dad when we were at the Zimbabwe boarder crossing. We travel through Zimbabwe in to Zambia. Will let you know more when I can, but will be out of touch for a few days at least.

I'm on the move!

I am preparing for a trip to other Hands at Work projects in Zambia and Mozambique. The plan is to leave this coming weekend, and drive a team up there. Our route details are sketchy at the moment, but the Zambia projects are at least 800 - 1,000 miles from White River, and it will be a 3 day journey. We expect to be away about a fortnight. As soon as I know more, I will let you know

Say a prayer for a safe journey please

Zambia was the location of Hands at Work’s first expansion outside of South Africa. In 2001, Hands at Work entered the northern Copperbelt region of Luanshya and spread soon after to the Central region of Kabwe. Subsequently, the work has expanded to many communities surrounding Kabwe and Luanshya and plans are underway to move into the eastern region of Chipata and west into Mongu. Zambia is a geographically strategic location, from which expansion is happening into very poor communities in DRC, Malawi, and Zimbabwe

In 2003 Hands at Work began working in the central Mozambican community of Gondola, 120 km west of the coastal city Beira. Gondola is an extremely rural setting, but located on a major trucking route called the Beira corridor, leading from Beira inland to Zimbabwe, making it a flash point for HIV transmission. Subsequent work has challenged churches in communities all along the strategic corridor and into Zimbabwe. Work has also expanded north along another trucking route, the Tete corridor, into Malawi. Future expansion is planned into Nampula province in northeastern Mozambique

Joburg here I come!

I am off to Johannesburg until Monday. We are going to stay on a farm. There are only 2 of the volunteers left that I met when I came out, as some were only doing a short term volunteer, and others have moved on to other projects. I am spending a lot of my time mending cars, vans and 4x4's, and may move on to other projects to do similar work there. It is partly dependent on having the money to buy spare parts. It's no good me going out with my spanners and having no bits to work with. If any of you out there have gift aid money, or other charity monies talk to my mum and dad. Sponsor a shock absorber. You know it makes sense.