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Some Recollections about Bali Mauladad

by

Lee M. Talbot, Ph.D., November 2, 2009

I first met Bali in connection with his professional hunting.  I knew him as a very big man, an affable, able hunter who got his clients remarkable trophies.

In the 1961 East African Safari Rally, as Rootes Motors competition driver, I was looking for a co-driver and Bali was one of those who volunteered.  He was a very good driver and was tough – necessary for a three-day and night event that covered about 3,400 miles of very rugged, mostly unpaved “roads” through Kenya, Tanganyika (now Tanzania) and Uganda.  Relations between driver and co-driver very often get strained or worse in a long and difficult event of this type.

However, my recollection is that we had no such problems.  He was a fine companion. We got along very well and I know that I had a very good time with him.  We spent something over three weeks in advance of the event on a reconnaissance of the route, covering around 10,000 very fast miles in the process, and then the three days of the event itself.

One of my vivid memories of Bali is that during the reconnaissance, from time to time, Bali would ask that we stop, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Invariably an African friend would appear, bringing him information on potential trophy animals for his next clients, and often bringing a bottle of some high-test liquid.

Another non-driving memory is that whenever we stopped to eat he requested “Sauce hot”.  He had an apparently unlimited capacity for Tabasco pepper sauce, or its even-hotter local equivalents.  I also remember that wherever we went he had a great assortment of friends and acquaintances.

We did very well in the event.  For the whole 3,400 miles we were always at the front, either in the lead or close to it.  At the end we received the Lucas Trophy for first in class, and we were fourth overall.  If I recall correctly, we were some 40 seconds out of third overall and about 2 minutes out of second.  It was an amazing run!

Bali told me about his racing at the Langa Langa track situated in Gilgil in Kenya, East Africa.  It was the only road race track in East Africa at the time.  I never drove there but I recall Bali saying that he raced a Jaguar, and possibly other cars there. He had done some other motor sports also but my memory of that is most hazy.

Mr.Lee Tablot