The Last Post

Because this is the last post of the trip, I thought about reviewing some of the best events, learnings, thoughts, events ... but then I thought that these already live inside the daily postings ... and that they are better expressed when they are in the context of the daily events we lived through ... so I will leave it at that.

Today, we completed the packaging and shipping of the motorcycles so we are all done. We should be back in the good old USA early next week.

In the meantime, I thought it would be interesting to summarize this motorcycle adventure across Africa in numbers:

• Countries visited:           8
• South Africa
• Lesotho
• Botswana
• Zambia
• Malawi
• Tanzania
• Zanzibar (independent province)
• Kenya 

• Currencies used:              7
• Rand
• Loti
• Pula
• Kwacha
• Malawian Kwacha
• Tanzanian Schilling
• Kenya Schilling 

• Distance travelled:           9,200 km
• Days travelled:                 40
• National parks visited:     12
• Addo Elephant, SA
• Kruger, SA
• Chobe, Botswana
• South Lwangwa, Zambia
• Viphya, Malawi
• Mikumi, Tanzania
• Lushoto Mountains, Tanzania
• Ngorongoro, Tanzania
• Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
• Lake Manyara, Tanzania
• Serengeti Gates, Tanzania
• Amboseli, Kenya

• World heritage sites visited:   6
• Drakensberg Mountains, SA (Sani Pass)
• Victoria Falls, Zambia
• Stone Town, Zanzibar
• Ngorongoro, Tanzania
• Serengeti, Tanzania
• Kilimanjaro, Tanzania/Kenya

• Malaria Infections:           0 (so far)
• Ebola infections:              0 (so far)
• Cleanest border:              Kenya-Tanzania
• Easiest Border Crossing:   Lesotho
• Hardest Border Crossing:  Botswana-Zambia
• Dirtiest Border:                 Zambia-Malawi
• Highest altitude:               11,000 ft
• Lowest altitude:                0 ft
• Highest temperature:        92F
• Lowest temperature:         45F
• Police Pullovers:               4
• Speeding Tickets:             1
• Best Hotel:                       Karatu, Tanzania
• Worst Hotel:                     Karonga, Malawi
• Toughest Road:                Viphya Forest, Malawi

And, a way to assess relative development -- GDP per capita by country:

1. Malawi            $1,200
2. Lesotho           $3,400
3. Tanzania          $3,600
4. Kenya              $3,800
5. Zambia            $4,200
6. South Africa    $14,000
7. Botswana        $18,500

Confirmed ... there are a lot of amazing things to see out there! : )

Security is tight everywhere in Nairobi ... this is the first checkpoint at the airport

Motorcycles being loaded onto their pallets ... front wheels off to save space

The lobby of our hotel in Nairobi