D43-45: Mt Moco - bush camp +- 40km S of Huambo (185 km) - +-94km N of Matala near Tchililima (132 km) - Matala (104 km) = 421 km

We headed towards the border - another 6 days' worth of travelling along rutted vehicle crunching roads - a long 853 km in total. 

Here are the first three days' memories:

D43 (2013.07.18, Mt Moco - bush camp +-40km south of Huambo, 185km) 

Before leaving our camp on the eastern side of Mt. Moco, we decided to walk into the surrounding area to find some of the special birds. We hopefully saw Oustalet's Sunbird and the Angola Lark (photo below) - two of the Mt.Moco specials. One flowering Erythrina tree gave us an  excellent birding opportunity, but otherwise the birds were scarce - perhaps we were too late?

Around us people were going about their usual daily life.

A wise woman cooks lunch for her husband in the field where he's working.

Cabbages ready for market.

Most of the Montane Forest has been cleared for cultivation. Small patches of trees remain above the fields. Can you see Mrad amongst some of the remaining trees?

We speculated whether the graves dotted at the edge of the little forest had contributed to its survival? Were we trespassing on sacred ground? What is the symbolism of the "head stones" on the fresh graves? Pity there's a language barrier between us and answers to our questions.

We headed back to our vehicle and headed downhill. Interspersed between the challenges of the road (heading towards the correct road as specified by Michael Mills), we passed friendly people and saw some of the natural wonders Mt. Moco has to offer.

Eventually we reached the main road  at +- S12 19.454 E15 08.710 where we initially should have started our trip to Mt. Moco (hopefully next time?). Happy to be on a better road, we headed back towards Alto Hama to continue our trip southwards.

By 5pm we were seriously looking for a camping site. We found suitable trees in the middle of a fallow mealie-land which would do for a camping spot. 

A motorcyclist directed us to the nearby village where Mrad asked permission to camp from the "soba" (headman). Before the negotiations he was hatless (see second person on the left in the photo below). However, when he realised that we had asked to speak to him in an official capacity, he sent an underling to fetch his cap - just look how formal he looks!

 

The whole village turned out to watch this unusual happening.

Did you know how deep a mealie-land furrow is? Up-down, up-down we went and slowly reached the trees we had earmarked for our night's camp.

D44 (2013.07.19. From our mealie-land bush camp, 40km S of Huambo, we proceeded further south towards our next bush camp +-94km N of Matala near Tchililima, 132km)

Our next notable town is Caconda. The road is extremely rough, diverse and the sand changes colour as we travel south. Some sights:

Near Caconda where we bought diesel, this monument and the beautiful church caught our eye.

We were stopped by a rather deep river. The motor-cyclists negotiated the crossing on the right of the river path. Our men folk wisely decided to test the depth by foot.

Many motorcyclists stopped to practice their English by chatting to us. Can you see how the goat is tied up to be transported on a motorcycle?

Walking is the main mode of getting from one place to the other.

Our bush camp was so far from anywhere that there wasn't even anybody from whom we could get permission to camp. Gnats plagued us, but at sunset they simply disappeared. We spent a peaceful night.

D45 (2013.07.20, +94km N of Matala - Kunene river bush camp, Matala, 104km)

Once we had packed up, we travelled further south (by now you must realize that our objective is to get to Ruacana.)

The people next to the road were friendly and inquisitive when we stopped for tea.

Some sights along the road:

Oxen drawing water for the household. Just look who was riding along at the back on the sled!

Based on our previous river crossing which was rather deep, we hesitated before this river too, The truck driver of the truck which was syphoning water from the river, gave us one look and deliberately walked toward us to show us that the river wasn't deep - how good of him!!

More sights:

The previous water point had been dry. This fenced UNICEF community water pump offered us plenty of water and was well-used by the locals.

Matala surprised us with this spectacular railway station!

Motorcyclists queuing at a petrol pump.

The impressive bridge over the Kunene which we crossed to reach our camping spot (compliments of T4A).

As usual, daily life continues: collecting wood and doing washing.

The men checked whether there was a suitable camping spot across this stream from the Kunene.

Needlessly to say, the T4A campsite couldn't be reached - things change quickly in Africa! However, we were satisfied with this campsite after we'de raked the thorns away.