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Departure: Mongu (Acamms Lodge)
Destination: Fringilla Lodge
Date Time Start: 2018/05/15 07:30
Date Time End: 2018/05/15 15:27
Total Travel Time: 07h57
Odometer Start: 87,834
Odometer End: 88,416
Total Distance (km): 583
Weather:
Mongu: Clear skies at 17C
Fringilla Lodge: Partly cloudy at 29C
Trip Summary:
I skipped my early morning coffee and rusks as I thought I would have it at about 10h30 which is when I planned to enter the Kafue National Park.
The M9 travelling Eastward was busier that I expected and got busier the further East one travelled.
I stopped at Kaoma to refuel (200km range risk mitigation). For the next 60km until the West entrance to the Kafue National Park, the road became tarred potholes and gravel road and both were equally bad. Speed dropped to about 60km/hr.
Once in the park, the road improved.
My plans for 10h30 coffee were now messed up so I continued until I found a lay-by in the park. I stopped and noticed rubbish lying around - Very disappointing. It was not long before the flies found me. I am not sure whether it was because I was beginning to smell or I looked juicy. The flies bothered me so I decided to continue and skip my coffee and rusks.
The Hook Bridge marks the East side of the Kafue National Park. I asked the gaurd at the control point if there was a camp site nearby. He said that Roy's Kafue Camp Site is not far and explained the route to follow. Well ... the twin tracks were deep ruts with deep pot-holes. For the next 1.3km to the camp, I could not travel more than 20km/hr. It concerned me that if I met an Elephant or Lion, I could not turn the bike around. I arrived at the camp site and decided to continue the journey as they had no water or electricty at the camp (real bush camp) and there was no-one else at the camp except the camp guard.
As I passed Hook Bridge I saw a couple in their Land Cruiser towing a speed boat.
I continued my journey and refueled once I got to Mumbwa. As I was refueling, the couple in the Land Cruiser pulled up and the guy came over to chat. They were also heading to Fringilla Lodge but taking the M9 to Lusaka and then the T2 North.
Being a smart arse, I had read the map and it showed a tar road from Mumbwa via Keembe to Fringilla Lodge which was about 80km shorter.
Fringilla Lodge - Entrance
Fringilla Lodge - Camp Site
Hook Bridge over the Kafue River
M9 Road running through the Kafue National Park - Typical scenary
Well ... after about 30km the tar road turned into the worst gravel road I had ever ridden. For the next 40km I was travelling an average of 40km/hr. I had never experienced gravel roads with potholes the width of the road that you drive into and then out of with the bottom full of thick soft sand.
I was relieved when I got back onto tar road.
Fringilla Lodge was an oasis after that trip. As you enter, you travel through a trough of chemicals to prevent the spread of cattle and pig deseases. I setup camp and headed to the bar for a beer and dinner. I was disappointed with the beef fillet. Since they are a beef farm with their own butchery, I thought they would know what a fillet is. Apparently this Chef did not (IMPORTANT: Read Day 05). The owner of the farm, George, is an elderly gentleman who suffers from Parkinsons desease. He get's around in a wheelchair pushed by his nurse. Yet, he still made an effort to visit each guest in the restaurant.
As I was heading back to camp, I met the Land Cruiser couple, Mr & Mrs Pringle. They had been bush camping in Kafue and spent 9 days fishing in the Kafue River. I sat and we talked a while and they kindly offered accommodation in Kitwe if I could not find any.
Fringilla Lodge - Garden
Fringilla Lodge - Restaurant
Kafue River running strong
Accommodation: Camping
The Fringilla Lodge camping facilities are grassed and have electricity.
The ablusions were clean but the hot shower was not hot - Someone had not got the wood burning water heater running (the Donkey). I do not think they have many campers and the ablusions need some maintenance. There was an error in their invoice and for some reason I ended up paying K400 which makes this very expensive for what I got (I did not double check and ended up paying and picking up the error once I was back in South Africa).
One thing they had thought of was South Africa travellers - They installed round 3-pin plugs along with the square 3-pin plugs.
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