The areas we are working in are rather large (Gambos is over 8000 km2 and Cahama and Bibala are about the same size) and rural roads are not that good (see picture at bottom). So when we have work in Taka or Chimbolelo for a day or more, we usually set up camp there.
Camping in these areas is rather different from camping in Europe or a well visited african game reserve. The top picture shows our last camp site in Chimbolelo. The corrugated iron sheet is the toilet: There is a little hole behind it and the sheet is there in order to prevent you standing/sitting in full view of passers by. The picture below that shows our bathroom in the same area. People have few qualms about taking a bath in view of others, but then again, you are supposed to keep on your underware while bathing and passers by are supposed not to look. The latter does not quite work out when a white guy takes a bath.
Food tends to be very basic. For dinner rice with a stew from a local chicken and for breakfast the left-overs of the previous dinner with tea or instant coffee. In areas like Taca we pay for the chicken with a plastic jerrycan. No-one needs money and everyone needs jerrycans to transport water. We take mineral water with us and the plastic bottles are also very popular with the community. They use them mostly for sour milk or home made beer (bafo/macau).
If we stay longer than one night, we usually take bread along, which means that breakfast is stale bread with a tin of tuna. Bread, vegetables and fruit are usually not available in these areas. As you see, a cast-iron stomach is highly recommended for this job.
Camping in these areas is rather different from camping in Europe or a well visited african game reserve. The top picture shows our last camp site in Chimbolelo. The corrugated iron sheet is the toilet: There is a little hole behind it and the sheet is there in order to prevent you standing/sitting in full view of passers by. The picture below that shows our bathroom in the same area. People have few qualms about taking a bath in view of others, but then again, you are supposed to keep on your underware while bathing and passers by are supposed not to look. The latter does not quite work out when a white guy takes a bath.
Food tends to be very basic. For dinner rice with a stew from a local chicken and for breakfast the left-overs of the previous dinner with tea or instant coffee. In areas like Taca we pay for the chicken with a plastic jerrycan. No-one needs money and everyone needs jerrycans to transport water. We take mineral water with us and the plastic bottles are also very popular with the community. They use them mostly for sour milk or home made beer (bafo/macau).
If we stay longer than one night, we usually take bread along, which means that breakfast is stale bread with a tin of tuna. Bread, vegetables and fruit are usually not available in these areas. As you see, a cast-iron stomach is highly recommended for this job.
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