Buenos tardes
I have just crossed the border into Bolivia and am in Copacabana. So much has happened since the last major post including Lima, Nazca, Puerta Inca, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno, a couple nights stay with a local family on Lake Titicaca and a visit to the floating reed islands, the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Christmas Eve, Christmas and boxing day in Cusco. We are now making our way to La Paz for New Years.
Most Peruvian cities all have a smiliar layout. The city centers around a main plaza or square and generally includes a walking street and a general market area from which you can always figure out where you are or need to go. The tree-lined plazas have all been beautiful, surrounded by ornamental and colourful buildings, often gouvernment buildings and a church or museum. In Lima we watched the changing of teh guards one afternoon while a band played a variety of tunes ranging to Star Wars-like themes. In Lima we went bowling with the group and it felt very homely. So far most of the cities have felt very familiar and modern. The language barrier is often the only thing that reminds me I´m somewhere foreign. Its not until we start driving through the country or the mountains to more remote, smaller towns that the development of the country, subsistence living and traditional culture becomes apparent. From there we continued to Nascar where I flew over the Nazca lines. They are massive symbols created by removing the red pebbles and rocks. They are supposedly made by the Nazca people around 500AD. Its incredible because the geometric shapes can only be seen clearly from above which means these people must of figured a way to essentially fly themselves.
Puerta Inca was a lovely beach side campsite surrounded by old ruins. We were only there for one night before heading off to Arequipa and we had a massive barbeque before sleeping on the beach. In Arequipa we settled in to our hotel then went off for a group dinner at a fancy steak restaurant called ZigZag, where you could have Alpaca or Ostrich in addition to your traditional meats. They also do amazing cheese fondue. Its not a cheap restaurant but its delicious. The next day we were off to Colca Canyon and we had to say goodbye to our tour leader in training, Cade, who was joining the other truck. We would see him again in Cusco in a week but its still sad to lose a member of the truck when you get so close to everyone. Luckily we had a full day with no time to sit and dwell. We were off on a reality tour of the city and then to Colca Canyon to see the condors, the second largest bird in the world. Whilst there we visited some hot springs and relaxed our muscles before the excursion the next day. It wasn´t much of a trek in the end but it was a beautiful walk and view. Its the deepest canyon in the world. The drive was spectacular though the canyon itself wasnt as instantly breathtaking as the Grand Canyon or Fish River Canyon. We did see a condor from afar and I tried chewing on the coca leaves as the locals do to help deal with the altitude. They taste like you would imagine a leaf to taste but they have spiritual meaning among the locals as well and you can make a wish if you blow three times towards the volcanoes.
The next main activity to follow was an overnight stay with a local family on lake Titicaca. The lake is teh largest in South America, crossing into both Peru and Bolivia and is over 3800m above sea level. On the way to our island we visited the reed islands where the entire surface is literally made out of reeds. They have to keep recovering the floor every few weeks. Even their boats are made out of reeds and they only last 15 weeks before the reeds have taken in to much water and begin to sink. It is quite incredible that communities still live there. Once we reached the island we were staying at we were introduced to our families and treated like royalty for 2 days. They cooked for us and dressed us in traditional clothes. We played soccer with the kids and then spent the night dancing at the community hall. We looked ridiculous but it was a lot of fun. We thanked the families with gifts we had bought earlier, toothbrushes, washing products, fresh fruit and then had proper beds to sleep in.
From Puno, the town where we boarded the boat, we left for Cusco, my favourite Peruvian city so far. It is big, beautiful and offers everything. We met up with Cade again for 2 nights, had a massive first night out on the town and then an early rest the next as we had to get up at 4am to be ready for the Inca trail by 5. Again we said goodbye to Cade, this time most likely until Rio, once the trip was over. The next few days though had been highlighted in my mind since day one so I was thrilled we finally got to start. The first day was a nice varied walk, it took the wind out of you at parts but was definitely managable. It rained occasionally but were welcomed around 5pm to pre-setup tents, a dinner tent, our bags ready and waiting and a round of applause from all the porters who had raced by us carrying 20 kilos on their back in sandals. We had been warned of the trecherous second day and though the first 4 hours did knock you down and challenged your legs, the walk was enchanting and the views were spectacular. It rained a lot more that day and was quite cold at the tallest peak, Dead Woman´s Pass, over 4000m high, but we were down at at camp before noon and had the whole day to recover. The Pachamama team prepared tea and snacks for us and once again, we didnt need to lift a finger. The third day was a mid range between day one and two. It took us about 6 hours and I was the second girl back so the hot showers were ready and waiting. This campsite had beers and cold drinks on offer as well but I decided to celebrate with a drink once I was back in Cusco. The morning of Machu Picchu we woke at 3:30am to trek about 2 hours into the checkpoint. We left the site around 5am and arrived to the sun gates in terrential rain. We couldn´t see anything but cloud. It was a disappointing enterance but it still felt like an accomplishment and I had completed the same path as the Incas so I was proud and beaming. We walked down to Machu Picchu where the postcard shot is taken and luckily the clouds parted for a spectacular, yet quick view of the ruins. It truly is an epic sight. We walked around the ruins with our guide and the craftsmandhip and precise cutting of the stones is incredible. I definitely want to go back again outside of the rainy season but the clouds did mask the other tourists and we often felt like the only group there. It was worth every slip, sore muscle and soaking wet item of clothing. Just, as a word of advice, bring a proper poncho and do not buy one of the 3 soles ponchos available at the site, they don´t close at the sides, and definitely pay extra for a porter. They complete the trek in record time whilst carrying packs larger than their own bodies, set up everything for you and clap you into the campsite...just nuts. We took the train back and successfully completed the 24 hour challenge of not going to bed until the hour you awoke. Most of our group managed this great feat by partying at Sky Bar and buying fireworks in the city square to celebrate Christmas Eve. The night was alive with deafening sounds and sparklers, even inside the club. The streets were lined with locals selling their goods from neighbouring towns so when we walked home, the streets were blocked with hundreds of sleeping families in chullos (the knitted hat with ear flaps and a pointed head). It was an awesome night and Charlie and I have stocked up on exploding things for New Years in La Paz.
Christmas will have to wait for the next blog!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Time here flies by! It's been another whirlwind week.
Our first bush camp was freezing cold at high altitude right before we crossed the border into Peru. As I have bush camped before in the cold I was able to cope pretty well, though it was a shock for some of the others who were new to the concept. It was only one night though and within the day we had crossed the border, driven down to sea level and rocked up to the vibrant beach town, Mancora. Here we spent 4 days at Loki, a resort hostel/black hole. The beautiful location, awesome staff and constant parade of activities sucks you in and makes it very hard to leave. I managed to break free a couple of times to visit another more peaceful nearby town and to hit another beach to take some surfing lessons. I have surfed once before in Hawaii in my early teens and I picked it up quite quickly so I thought that natural ability would come shining through and I'd impress the too hot for words surf instructor. Unfortunately it did not work out that way and it took me a few tries to stay up on the board. Surf goddess dreams crushed, I enjoyed the hilarity of the situation with the others that did it with me and enjoyed a fabulous day on the beach. If I ever live anywhere with a beach then I have made a promise to myself that I will take up surfing properly because I absolutely love it. At night the parties were themed and went on until 4 or 5am every night. After 4 days I had racked up a $100 US bar tab and a massive zombie like demeanor. It was awesome. I had my first cook group shop and the group trusted me to make the peanut butter satay recipe that I learnt in Africa. We hit the markets and bought heaps of vegetables and fruit and 3 massive chickens all for under 180 soles (US$2.8 = 1 sole), enough for 20 people, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also found this great little shop run by the designer herself who had just opened the day before. You could see her design studio and tailoring shop in the back and I recognized the signs of her first photoshoot on the wall, where you use your friends as models and the best natural location you can find because studios are too expensive. She had studied fashion in Equador and had always wanted to open her own store and I was her first customer! She had some amazing unique pieces. I bought 2 tops, 1 very beachy with no back and then a t-shirt with intricate sleeves and a elastic rope belt. I told all the other girls about it and I think between us we cleared out her entire stock.
From there we left to head onto another bush camp behind a giant sand dune where I slept under the stars onstead of a tent. It was amazing and so I repeated this at the last bush camp 2 nights ago at Princess Beach. I saw my first shooting star and it was just perfect. I can't believe I didn't do it in Africa, especially in Sudan when the temperature at night was absolutely right. Here it still gets a bit chilly in the very early morning hours. Everyone thankfully loved the peanut butter satay. I was a bit nervous because I had hyped it up so much but peanut butter is too expensive to buy here so we used peanut paste and added our own oil and sugar. This time we even added, ketchup, sweet chili sauce and lemon juice and it was even better then I remember. There was enough left over after people had all had seconds to feed us again for another meal but over the next 2 days it all got eaten. I was very happy it got finished though because I now hate the idea of wasting food. In Africa there was always a local hanging around to give the left overs too but here we have yet to encounter locals at our bush camps and the campsites are run mainly by foreigners that don{t really need the food. We then went on to see two museums on ancient Peruvian civilizations, like the Moche. The first was the Sipan Museum in Lambayeque Chiclayo and the Sun and Moon Temple Museum in Trujillo. An incredible people that preceded the Incas. We also saw the Chan Chan Ruins of the Chimu culture, the largest pre-Columbian mud-brick settlement in America, and the Temple of the Moon (The Huaca de la Luna) in Trujillo. All were very impressive in scale but the decoration was more simple and child-like. Very different to the Egyptians who covered every inch of wall or ceiling. I was once again blown away by the layout of both museums and the creativity of the displays.
Then it was on to another beach town where we stocked up on the next couple cook shops. They had a massive mall, Aventura in Trujillo, with a movie theatre and since there wasn't much else to do in that town Charlie, Rusty and I went to see one of the only movies in English, Devil. It was then a lazy day at the campsite and on to the Princess Beach bush camp.
Now I am currently in Huaraz. It is a small town. I have checked out the city center while most of the group has gone hiking up to Lake 69. I wasn't feeling too well and am not quite in the mood for a trek so I have stayed behind to catch up on daily chores and have explored the town on my own. I had lunch with the others who stayed behind and then we strolled through the markets to pick up truck lunch for tomorrow. It was a great chance to observe the people here and I love the fact that most still wear there own traditional dress. It is a similar style to Equador. Full pleated skirts worn from the waist are layered on top of each other to create a ruffled trim effect and are matched with a button up top and a cardigan or poncho in bright and bold colours. Often the poncho is patterned or multi-coloured and made from a thick woven fabric. Generally on top is another woven patterned fabric named K'eperina, that holds their goods or their children. They wear pale tights and loafer-esque shoes with a little heel. Most have gorgeous waist-long black hair that is then braided and topped off with the most fantastic hat. Here lies the difference to Equador. They both wear very stiff, woolen, wide-brimmed, fedora-esque hats except here in Peru the crown is much higher. I would even go as far as saying a foot high off their head. It's hard to describe but it suits the women here.
We leave tomorrow as we head down through Lima and on to one of my most anticipated highlights... Machu Pichu!
Our first bush camp was freezing cold at high altitude right before we crossed the border into Peru. As I have bush camped before in the cold I was able to cope pretty well, though it was a shock for some of the others who were new to the concept. It was only one night though and within the day we had crossed the border, driven down to sea level and rocked up to the vibrant beach town, Mancora. Here we spent 4 days at Loki, a resort hostel/black hole. The beautiful location, awesome staff and constant parade of activities sucks you in and makes it very hard to leave. I managed to break free a couple of times to visit another more peaceful nearby town and to hit another beach to take some surfing lessons. I have surfed once before in Hawaii in my early teens and I picked it up quite quickly so I thought that natural ability would come shining through and I'd impress the too hot for words surf instructor. Unfortunately it did not work out that way and it took me a few tries to stay up on the board. Surf goddess dreams crushed, I enjoyed the hilarity of the situation with the others that did it with me and enjoyed a fabulous day on the beach. If I ever live anywhere with a beach then I have made a promise to myself that I will take up surfing properly because I absolutely love it. At night the parties were themed and went on until 4 or 5am every night. After 4 days I had racked up a $100 US bar tab and a massive zombie like demeanor. It was awesome. I had my first cook group shop and the group trusted me to make the peanut butter satay recipe that I learnt in Africa. We hit the markets and bought heaps of vegetables and fruit and 3 massive chickens all for under 180 soles (US$2.8 = 1 sole), enough for 20 people, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I also found this great little shop run by the designer herself who had just opened the day before. You could see her design studio and tailoring shop in the back and I recognized the signs of her first photoshoot on the wall, where you use your friends as models and the best natural location you can find because studios are too expensive. She had studied fashion in Equador and had always wanted to open her own store and I was her first customer! She had some amazing unique pieces. I bought 2 tops, 1 very beachy with no back and then a t-shirt with intricate sleeves and a elastic rope belt. I told all the other girls about it and I think between us we cleared out her entire stock.
From there we left to head onto another bush camp behind a giant sand dune where I slept under the stars onstead of a tent. It was amazing and so I repeated this at the last bush camp 2 nights ago at Princess Beach. I saw my first shooting star and it was just perfect. I can't believe I didn't do it in Africa, especially in Sudan when the temperature at night was absolutely right. Here it still gets a bit chilly in the very early morning hours. Everyone thankfully loved the peanut butter satay. I was a bit nervous because I had hyped it up so much but peanut butter is too expensive to buy here so we used peanut paste and added our own oil and sugar. This time we even added, ketchup, sweet chili sauce and lemon juice and it was even better then I remember. There was enough left over after people had all had seconds to feed us again for another meal but over the next 2 days it all got eaten. I was very happy it got finished though because I now hate the idea of wasting food. In Africa there was always a local hanging around to give the left overs too but here we have yet to encounter locals at our bush camps and the campsites are run mainly by foreigners that don{t really need the food. We then went on to see two museums on ancient Peruvian civilizations, like the Moche. The first was the Sipan Museum in Lambayeque Chiclayo and the Sun and Moon Temple Museum in Trujillo. An incredible people that preceded the Incas. We also saw the Chan Chan Ruins of the Chimu culture, the largest pre-Columbian mud-brick settlement in America, and the Temple of the Moon (The Huaca de la Luna) in Trujillo. All were very impressive in scale but the decoration was more simple and child-like. Very different to the Egyptians who covered every inch of wall or ceiling. I was once again blown away by the layout of both museums and the creativity of the displays.
Then it was on to another beach town where we stocked up on the next couple cook shops. They had a massive mall, Aventura in Trujillo, with a movie theatre and since there wasn't much else to do in that town Charlie, Rusty and I went to see one of the only movies in English, Devil. It was then a lazy day at the campsite and on to the Princess Beach bush camp.
Now I am currently in Huaraz. It is a small town. I have checked out the city center while most of the group has gone hiking up to Lake 69. I wasn't feeling too well and am not quite in the mood for a trek so I have stayed behind to catch up on daily chores and have explored the town on my own. I had lunch with the others who stayed behind and then we strolled through the markets to pick up truck lunch for tomorrow. It was a great chance to observe the people here and I love the fact that most still wear there own traditional dress. It is a similar style to Equador. Full pleated skirts worn from the waist are layered on top of each other to create a ruffled trim effect and are matched with a button up top and a cardigan or poncho in bright and bold colours. Often the poncho is patterned or multi-coloured and made from a thick woven fabric. Generally on top is another woven patterned fabric named K'eperina, that holds their goods or their children. They wear pale tights and loafer-esque shoes with a little heel. Most have gorgeous waist-long black hair that is then braided and topped off with the most fantastic hat. Here lies the difference to Equador. They both wear very stiff, woolen, wide-brimmed, fedora-esque hats except here in Peru the crown is much higher. I would even go as far as saying a foot high off their head. It's hard to describe but it suits the women here.
We leave tomorrow as we head down through Lima and on to one of my most anticipated highlights... Machu Pichu!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Ola! I am now in Banos, Ecuador!
How to describe the past week. I´ve done so many things already it feels like the trip couldn´t have just started. I met my group. There are 18 of us, mostly British though we have someone from Holland, Spain and a few from Australia. Once again I´m the only Canadian. We have only 1 couple and a pretty even number of guys to girls. They are all pretty cool, easy to talk to and up for most things. Most have done this with Oasis or another company before so we´re all a bit more expreienced with this kind of travel. Our truck is called Felicity and she is very different to Fanny and to be honest will take a bit of getting used to. She has windows, no beach, s.e.a.t.b.e.l.t.s., and is a bit smaller in general, but especially for storage!! Nonetheless she still has seats facing in and then another section with forward facing seats and with windows, its much easier to hear and listen to music in the back.
I´ll be travelling with Christy (Tour leader) and Benny (driver) as well as Cade for the first month (tour leader in training) and Felicity (the truck). Then my fellow passengers are Charlie, Rusty, John, Dan, Dave, Keith, Kelly and Rob (out only couple), Hannah, Claire, Sarah, Sarah C, Emma (tent buddy), Cara, Marjion and Tasha. We were also supposed to get an Aussie traveller but he never made it.
I´ve been in Ecuador since we started on the 19th. We went to Otavalo, where they have the largest market on Saturdays. The streets turn into a labyrinth of market stalls reaching in all directions from this main center square. I had already been with the family before I started so I decided to walk around but luckily restrained from buying anything.
We then moved on to the Amazon, where we spent 3 days in Arajuno Lodge up the river. We trekked into the jungle, tubed down the river and visited an animal rescue center, Amazoonica. All amazing! You are just constantly surrounded by the lushious green jungle with those typical soothing bird sounds that you get on yoga CDs that you think don´t really exist, but I can tell you, they do. I sat up late in a hammock one evening and it was a perfect night. They also have a monkey named Mona who lives at the lodge and though is still wild, she is also like a family pet and always hangs around, playing with people and stealing whatever she can get her hands on. She provided hours of entertainment!
Then from there we drove on to Banos where I am now. We set up our tents for the first time, the same ones we used in Africa, and had our first truck cook group dinners! We ate chicken fajitas the first night and had lasagna last night. It looks like we will be feasting on this trip. I thought we ate well in Africa but those were 2 things we never had there, and they are our first 2 dishes! Yesterday I had an adrenaline filled day of canyonning and jumping off a small bridge before hitting the hot springs and partying hard for our first truck birthday. I have never been canyonning before and its actually quite scary. You jump off cliffs into small but deep pools, the highest was 5 meters and I was shaking a little when I jumped as its not so much the height rather than the fact you have to jump in a certain area or else bad things will happen. You also absail down cliffs and waterfalls and generally trek through the canyons. It was incredibly fun and a great way to see waterfalls up close as Banos is know for its waterfalls. Banos is a great little town, colourful and secluded, surrounded by massive mountains and waterfalls. Just watch out for the sandflies. I have been mauled by every bug alive, especially in the Amazon and my ankles don´t quite look human.
Today we´re off to our first bush camp, then on to the beach to get my tan back, which peeled off entirely after the Galapagos!
How to describe the past week. I´ve done so many things already it feels like the trip couldn´t have just started. I met my group. There are 18 of us, mostly British though we have someone from Holland, Spain and a few from Australia. Once again I´m the only Canadian. We have only 1 couple and a pretty even number of guys to girls. They are all pretty cool, easy to talk to and up for most things. Most have done this with Oasis or another company before so we´re all a bit more expreienced with this kind of travel. Our truck is called Felicity and she is very different to Fanny and to be honest will take a bit of getting used to. She has windows, no beach, s.e.a.t.b.e.l.t.s., and is a bit smaller in general, but especially for storage!! Nonetheless she still has seats facing in and then another section with forward facing seats and with windows, its much easier to hear and listen to music in the back.
I´ll be travelling with Christy (Tour leader) and Benny (driver) as well as Cade for the first month (tour leader in training) and Felicity (the truck). Then my fellow passengers are Charlie, Rusty, John, Dan, Dave, Keith, Kelly and Rob (out only couple), Hannah, Claire, Sarah, Sarah C, Emma (tent buddy), Cara, Marjion and Tasha. We were also supposed to get an Aussie traveller but he never made it.
I´ve been in Ecuador since we started on the 19th. We went to Otavalo, where they have the largest market on Saturdays. The streets turn into a labyrinth of market stalls reaching in all directions from this main center square. I had already been with the family before I started so I decided to walk around but luckily restrained from buying anything.
We then moved on to the Amazon, where we spent 3 days in Arajuno Lodge up the river. We trekked into the jungle, tubed down the river and visited an animal rescue center, Amazoonica. All amazing! You are just constantly surrounded by the lushious green jungle with those typical soothing bird sounds that you get on yoga CDs that you think don´t really exist, but I can tell you, they do. I sat up late in a hammock one evening and it was a perfect night. They also have a monkey named Mona who lives at the lodge and though is still wild, she is also like a family pet and always hangs around, playing with people and stealing whatever she can get her hands on. She provided hours of entertainment!
Then from there we drove on to Banos where I am now. We set up our tents for the first time, the same ones we used in Africa, and had our first truck cook group dinners! We ate chicken fajitas the first night and had lasagna last night. It looks like we will be feasting on this trip. I thought we ate well in Africa but those were 2 things we never had there, and they are our first 2 dishes! Yesterday I had an adrenaline filled day of canyonning and jumping off a small bridge before hitting the hot springs and partying hard for our first truck birthday. I have never been canyonning before and its actually quite scary. You jump off cliffs into small but deep pools, the highest was 5 meters and I was shaking a little when I jumped as its not so much the height rather than the fact you have to jump in a certain area or else bad things will happen. You also absail down cliffs and waterfalls and generally trek through the canyons. It was incredibly fun and a great way to see waterfalls up close as Banos is know for its waterfalls. Banos is a great little town, colourful and secluded, surrounded by massive mountains and waterfalls. Just watch out for the sandflies. I have been mauled by every bug alive, especially in the Amazon and my ankles don´t quite look human.
Today we´re off to our first bush camp, then on to the beach to get my tan back, which peeled off entirely after the Galapagos!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A week in the galapagos is like living in a live action wildlife documentary! It was amazing. We did an island every day and saw every animal on the list. I swam with turtles, sharks and sea lions. We saw penguins, flamingos, fur seals (still technially a sea lion though), giant tortoises (literally 200 years old - some probably met Darwin himself), land iguanas, marine iguanas (by the hundreds on top of each other) and the entire bird population. Each island has its own species so each day we would see something new. To be honest the scenery paled in comparison to what I had just witnessed in Africa but the proximity of the animals and their care-free, tame nature is incredible.
My best experience is when I snorkeled with the sea lions. They come so close to you it looks like they´re going to kiss you then they swerve around at the last moment and play a game similar to tag. They´ll swim up to your face then speed away, twirling and looping around you. The ease with which they swim is incredible, its like they are constantly dancing and the water offers no resistance. It is right up there with my Gorilla trekking experience.
The cruise ship we were on, the Celebrity Expedition, was superb. The service, food and naturalists were great. It was a relaxing atmosphere, no formal nights or massive stage shows. Just a small boat of 90 people. We would take zodiacs into the island as the ship could not pull into any ports and most were beach landings or dry landings onto natural rock. We would go on a walk in the morning and then again in the afternoon, with the option to snorkel whenever possible. The great thing about the Galapagos is that it is so well preserved and they are taking every effort to keep it from getting damaged and to save its wildlife from extinction. When the first people settled on the islands they used to kill the tortoises for food or keep them as pets and it almost destroyed their existence. There is only one saddle-back tortoise from Pinta island left and his name is Lonesome George as he has no one to mate with to rebuild his species.
It was a great week to detox from the fast-paced 4 months I had just gone through and to prepare me for the next 4 months in South America.
I meet my tour on Thursday, which I am very excited and partly nervous about. Another new group on a new truck in a new continent. I´m hoping I´m as lucky as I was in Africa!
My best experience is when I snorkeled with the sea lions. They come so close to you it looks like they´re going to kiss you then they swerve around at the last moment and play a game similar to tag. They´ll swim up to your face then speed away, twirling and looping around you. The ease with which they swim is incredible, its like they are constantly dancing and the water offers no resistance. It is right up there with my Gorilla trekking experience.
The cruise ship we were on, the Celebrity Expedition, was superb. The service, food and naturalists were great. It was a relaxing atmosphere, no formal nights or massive stage shows. Just a small boat of 90 people. We would take zodiacs into the island as the ship could not pull into any ports and most were beach landings or dry landings onto natural rock. We would go on a walk in the morning and then again in the afternoon, with the option to snorkel whenever possible. The great thing about the Galapagos is that it is so well preserved and they are taking every effort to keep it from getting damaged and to save its wildlife from extinction. When the first people settled on the islands they used to kill the tortoises for food or keep them as pets and it almost destroyed their existence. There is only one saddle-back tortoise from Pinta island left and his name is Lonesome George as he has no one to mate with to rebuild his species.
It was a great week to detox from the fast-paced 4 months I had just gone through and to prepare me for the next 4 months in South America.
I meet my tour on Thursday, which I am very excited and partly nervous about. Another new group on a new truck in a new continent. I´m hoping I´m as lucky as I was in Africa!
Saturday, November 6, 2010
I'm currently writing this from my hotel room in the Marriot in Quito, Ecuador (and paying for it at an extortionate price! Kudos to all the African hotels and campsites, that although had broken toilets and cold showers, offered FREE internet!)
How to sum up the end?! In 2 days I've crossed 3 continents going from Cairo to London to Houston to Quito! After spending the final few days in Cairo, taking in the grandeur of the pyramids and soaking in the last moments with my friends, we've come to the end and it is a strange feeling. I have an overwhelming want to continue with the group but the trip has ignited further excitement for the South America leg. Group dynamics have changed for better and worse, and after 4 months all cards are laid on the table. I've had my share of tension on this trip, but the brilliant thing about it is that where you are and what you're doing eventually prevails and you realise that despite trivial group quarrels, I am extremely lucky to be where I am and have met the people that I care about deeply now. My tent buddies have been the most amazing companions and I wouldn't have dreamed to have gotten as close to them as I did, as well as many other passengers that I almost can't imagine not seeing everyday. I have a list of people that I must see again, and have already set up a road trip across Canada with Jen and a road trip across Aus to see Jess and Simo at Christmas, followed by Kate and Sam. A hot Christmas – I can’t imagine, but Jess will show me the ropes! A trip to Japan to see Leah and Sean and experience real karaoke, meeting up with Colin in Bolivia and Felipe in Brazil, hopefully Rio while on this next leg. I have to go back to Cape Town to stay with Sohette and see everything I missed at the rushed start of the trip, while Rachelle and I are doing Mt. Kili and the rest of the world together and Thorbjorn has to call upon his slave for a day winnings either in Norway, England or Canada. Kirsti and Spike are a mere 8 hours or so away from my new abode in London, inches in compared to the great miles we crossed and so regular trips will be made. Carol and I have pinky promised to do a long weekend in Sharm el Sheikh and I'm dropping by the Middle East to reassure Nev that his hat is in good hands! It's 100% gouda cheese but bonds were forged on this trip that will last a lifetime.
As for the overlanding experience... it was amazing and I would recommend it to all. I'm now a fervent chef and can set up a tent in record time. I can do my business anywhere, just find me the nearest bush or if not available, what the hell, just turn around. It was exciting, challenging and exhilarating! I'm itching to get back on the second truck and do the South America portion and that is coming from a 5 star cruise ship in the Galapagos. It's a great way to meet people that also have the travel bug. I was never lonely and I got to share some of the best moments of my life with amazing people that enhanced the experience. I know if I had attempted it alone I would have missed half of the activities that we did and I would of spent much of my time dealing with the hassle of logistics. Fanny will always have a special place in my heart and a special place on my mantle piece (hand-crafted in Tanzania)! Hats off to Oasis. My one and only company of choice now!
As for Africa, where it all began, I could not nearly begin to describe all it has to offer and everything it has taught me. It’s a continent in contradictions and that is the best thing about it. Lucy took her first steps in Ethiopia and the Rwandan gorillas reconfirm my belief in evolution, yet in a tiny hole in the wall pub on the streets of Addis, a religious shrine is burning in the corner unabated by the obnoxiously loud 80’s music and prostitotties drumming about for business. It holds dome of the strongest symbols of faith yet is proud of its prehistoric origins. A continent, though torn and ravaged by its struggle for independence, internal wars, and then corruption of those in power, it holds the strongest sense of community and offers the first hand for friendship. Zimbabwe is still under the brutal regime of Mugabe and yet there I met some of the most helpful and forthcoming people. It is beautiful, with landscapes that make you want to freeze time and is paired with a mosaic of cultures, tribal and modern, to learn from – a very special shout out to the Masaai, Samburu and Ethiopian traditional dressmakers! It boasts beaches, mountains, desert, grassland, rolling hills, oasis’s; something (or everything in my case) for anyone. What I found most difficult to deal with was the lack of opportunity and thus often ambition for the majority of people. They have the work ethic and the stamina; they just need the chance to explore other fields. I never really felt threatened or unwelcome, (except when trying to shop in Sudan and they didn’t accept international cards in stores or at ATMS! WTF!!!) I was just married or engaged to every boy on my tour at some point. I’ve grown from this trip, I’m more aware, more tolerant, more mature (just ask my sister, at the airport I was tagged as the older sibling and that NEVER happens) and I know I’ll be back to do West Africa and revisit some of my favourite spots soon.
But now I guess I should summarize with my best 3 of everything, decided with much difficulty and constant changes. I could most likely have a top 10 of everything but like my photos (soon to finally make their debut) I need to cull them down:
Top 3 animal sightings:
1. Gorillas at Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
2. Mother and baby elephant at the waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
3. Lion feeding at Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
Top 3 activities:
1. 3 day Feluca ride, Aswan, Egypt
2. Rented a car with Jen, Sohette and Rachelle to drive around Zanzibar, Tanzania
3. Skydiving, Swakopmund, Namibia
Top 3 dishes:
1. Vegetable cream bake at bush camp with chipati!
2. Peanut butter thai satay noodle
3. Stuffed green peppers and mash (my group :)
Top 3 nights:
1. Goat Races, Kampala, Uganda
2. Addis Ababa 3 night bonanza, Lalibela pub and brothels galore, didn't get home before 5am most nigths, Ethiopia
3. Shoestrings after the sunset cruise, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
Top 3 items (still the same):
1. Saks beige cargo pants (so soft and baggy)
2. Serong
3. Hair brush (the truck windows are always open and it creates a wind tunnel!)
Top 3 campsites:
1. N.R.E. Campsite, Jinja, Uganda
2. Bishbishi, Darhab, Egypt
3. Antelope Park, Gweru, Zimbabwe
The hardest and most debated question... favourite country??
ETHIOPIA!
A great combination of culture, people, history, scenic countryside awe, food, nightlife and cool cities.
But an honorable mention to Sudan for the greatest adventure and sense of achievement!
Final words:
Don't forget Africa, I never will!
Bring it on South America... those are some pretty big shoes to fill
How to sum up the end?! In 2 days I've crossed 3 continents going from Cairo to London to Houston to Quito! After spending the final few days in Cairo, taking in the grandeur of the pyramids and soaking in the last moments with my friends, we've come to the end and it is a strange feeling. I have an overwhelming want to continue with the group but the trip has ignited further excitement for the South America leg. Group dynamics have changed for better and worse, and after 4 months all cards are laid on the table. I've had my share of tension on this trip, but the brilliant thing about it is that where you are and what you're doing eventually prevails and you realise that despite trivial group quarrels, I am extremely lucky to be where I am and have met the people that I care about deeply now. My tent buddies have been the most amazing companions and I wouldn't have dreamed to have gotten as close to them as I did, as well as many other passengers that I almost can't imagine not seeing everyday. I have a list of people that I must see again, and have already set up a road trip across Canada with Jen and a road trip across Aus to see Jess and Simo at Christmas, followed by Kate and Sam. A hot Christmas – I can’t imagine, but Jess will show me the ropes! A trip to Japan to see Leah and Sean and experience real karaoke, meeting up with Colin in Bolivia and Felipe in Brazil, hopefully Rio while on this next leg. I have to go back to Cape Town to stay with Sohette and see everything I missed at the rushed start of the trip, while Rachelle and I are doing Mt. Kili and the rest of the world together and Thorbjorn has to call upon his slave for a day winnings either in Norway, England or Canada. Kirsti and Spike are a mere 8 hours or so away from my new abode in London, inches in compared to the great miles we crossed and so regular trips will be made. Carol and I have pinky promised to do a long weekend in Sharm el Sheikh and I'm dropping by the Middle East to reassure Nev that his hat is in good hands! It's 100% gouda cheese but bonds were forged on this trip that will last a lifetime.
As for the overlanding experience... it was amazing and I would recommend it to all. I'm now a fervent chef and can set up a tent in record time. I can do my business anywhere, just find me the nearest bush or if not available, what the hell, just turn around. It was exciting, challenging and exhilarating! I'm itching to get back on the second truck and do the South America portion and that is coming from a 5 star cruise ship in the Galapagos. It's a great way to meet people that also have the travel bug. I was never lonely and I got to share some of the best moments of my life with amazing people that enhanced the experience. I know if I had attempted it alone I would have missed half of the activities that we did and I would of spent much of my time dealing with the hassle of logistics. Fanny will always have a special place in my heart and a special place on my mantle piece (hand-crafted in Tanzania)! Hats off to Oasis. My one and only company of choice now!
As for Africa, where it all began, I could not nearly begin to describe all it has to offer and everything it has taught me. It’s a continent in contradictions and that is the best thing about it. Lucy took her first steps in Ethiopia and the Rwandan gorillas reconfirm my belief in evolution, yet in a tiny hole in the wall pub on the streets of Addis, a religious shrine is burning in the corner unabated by the obnoxiously loud 80’s music and prostitotties drumming about for business. It holds dome of the strongest symbols of faith yet is proud of its prehistoric origins. A continent, though torn and ravaged by its struggle for independence, internal wars, and then corruption of those in power, it holds the strongest sense of community and offers the first hand for friendship. Zimbabwe is still under the brutal regime of Mugabe and yet there I met some of the most helpful and forthcoming people. It is beautiful, with landscapes that make you want to freeze time and is paired with a mosaic of cultures, tribal and modern, to learn from – a very special shout out to the Masaai, Samburu and Ethiopian traditional dressmakers! It boasts beaches, mountains, desert, grassland, rolling hills, oasis’s; something (or everything in my case) for anyone. What I found most difficult to deal with was the lack of opportunity and thus often ambition for the majority of people. They have the work ethic and the stamina; they just need the chance to explore other fields. I never really felt threatened or unwelcome, (except when trying to shop in Sudan and they didn’t accept international cards in stores or at ATMS! WTF!!!) I was just married or engaged to every boy on my tour at some point. I’ve grown from this trip, I’m more aware, more tolerant, more mature (just ask my sister, at the airport I was tagged as the older sibling and that NEVER happens) and I know I’ll be back to do West Africa and revisit some of my favourite spots soon.
But now I guess I should summarize with my best 3 of everything, decided with much difficulty and constant changes. I could most likely have a top 10 of everything but like my photos (soon to finally make their debut) I need to cull them down:
Top 3 animal sightings:
1. Gorillas at Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
2. Mother and baby elephant at the waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
3. Lion feeding at Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
Top 3 activities:
1. 3 day Feluca ride, Aswan, Egypt
2. Rented a car with Jen, Sohette and Rachelle to drive around Zanzibar, Tanzania
3. Skydiving, Swakopmund, Namibia
Top 3 dishes:
1. Vegetable cream bake at bush camp with chipati!
2. Peanut butter thai satay noodle
3. Stuffed green peppers and mash (my group :)
Top 3 nights:
1. Goat Races, Kampala, Uganda
2. Addis Ababa 3 night bonanza, Lalibela pub and brothels galore, didn't get home before 5am most nigths, Ethiopia
3. Shoestrings after the sunset cruise, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
Top 3 items (still the same):
1. Saks beige cargo pants (so soft and baggy)
2. Serong
3. Hair brush (the truck windows are always open and it creates a wind tunnel!)
Top 3 campsites:
1. N.R.E. Campsite, Jinja, Uganda
2. Bishbishi, Darhab, Egypt
3. Antelope Park, Gweru, Zimbabwe
The hardest and most debated question... favourite country??
ETHIOPIA!
A great combination of culture, people, history, scenic countryside awe, food, nightlife and cool cities.
But an honorable mention to Sudan for the greatest adventure and sense of achievement!
Final words:
Don't forget Africa, I never will!
Bring it on South America... those are some pretty big shoes to fill
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
It's been an action packed few weeks since my last post and we are in our final country of Egypt. Currently I am sitting in my bed at Reizeky campsite in Luxor.
Last we spoke I was in Sudan about to embark on the bush camp bonanza. All I can say for the 5 nights of desert is that I LOVED EVERY MOMENT! We drove through nothingness, following only the railway tracks and the faint trails of fellow overlanders. With nothing but sand at hand it was peaceful, pensive and evoked a sense of adventure and challenge. Us vs the desert. We went to see the Meroe pyramids which were a great introduction to the grandeur of pyramids, withstanding time and preserving hyroglyphics. It was nice to feel so isolated as we were the only tourists there and you can get right up close to the walls, only restricted from literally climbing on the ruins. Over the course of the next few days we got bogged in the sand and had to dig, push and sandmat Fanny out of her ditches. One day we moved 7km in 3 1/2 hours! Even under sweltering heat I wouldn't change a thing. It was the first time we have had to get down on our hands and knees and work to get somewhere. It felt like true overlanding only to be rewarded with crystal skys and perfect night temperatures. As the temperature cooled by mid-afternoon we played international vs. Aussie soccer games and just enjoyed being the only people around for miles. Often I had to walk for what seemed like an endless journey so that I would be a dot on the horizon and could pee in private as a bush was but a distant ethiopian dream. Some bush camps were nicely set up beside mountains that acted as a perfect cover but other nights we were not so lucky. Once we reached Wadi Halfa, to a roaring standing ovation and truck cheering, we boarded the ferry to our last country, Egypt, arriving in the beautiful and scenic city of Aswan.
A stark contrast to Wadi Halfa, which boasts little more than sand and falafel, Aswan felt modern and alive. Our hotel was just by the nile front, with a rooftop pool overlooking the city and the waterfront. Felucas, row boats and moderately sized cruise ships took full advantage of the nile adding an even greater sense of luxury to the already picturesque city. Palm trees, reeds and other oasis-inspired greenery lined the edge of the nile followed directly by endless sand and desert. Though hard to admit, almost the entire truck headed straight to Macdonald's as our first call of action. Though after 4 months of truck food, local delicacies and a stretch of desert (and thus soy mince everything) the first chance to engage in a home comfort and unecessary indulgence was very exciting. The Macdonalds was right on the nile, with a view to die for and a menu far greater than the usual Rideau Street McChicken. I had a double Big Mac McChicken - Emma, I almost shipped you one home. Spike had his birthday in ASwan and requested to have it at Macdonald's as well where they brought out McHamburglar for him and brought him behind the counter for a photo op.
Aswan has the most amazing market. The souk was right behind our hotel and stretched forever. It was colourful, sold an ambundance of everything from jewelery to spices, was covered from the heat of the sun with draping canopies and was not overwhelmingly crowded. Compared to Luxor, you hardly ever got hassled or heckled, an unfortunate staple of the men and markets in this current city. We went to Abu Simbel which I found reasserted my passion for Egyptian history and mythology. Though crowded with tourists, the imposing scale and impossibility of the structure married with the delicate and intricate relief paintings and decoration is extraordinary. As with all the temples and mouments we've seen so far, the detailed and expressive narrative etched into the walls was, for me, the most awe-inspiring historical site we've been to in Africa.
I would most definitely go back to Aswan but as with the nature of the trip we were off to Luxor within a couple days. However for 2 nights we travelled by feluca up the Nile instead of with Fanny and Nev. By far in my top 3 activities so far. Iw was on a boat with Sean, Leah, Sam, Kate, Jess and Simo and we all agreed that sailing on the Nile encompassed all the best qualities of a vacation. It was relaxing, peaceful, fun and directed by nothing other than when we wanted swim or make a toilet break. The setting was breath-taking, the temperature was perfect (it hasn't rained in Aswan for 23 years) and the water was clean and refreshing. The local food provided was delicious and abundant and lounging for 2 days induced coma-like sleeps. The only issue was the mossies that were never seen or heard but magically appeared to bite you. It wasn't bothersome as I could have sworn no bugs existed on the Nile but the bites emerged quite fervently after docking. Still it is something not to be missed. It took us 2 days to go what Fanny did in 3 hours but it was well worth it!
Once we docked we went to see the Komo Omo and Edfu (for the God Horus) temples, both equally grand with their own labyrinths of rooms and columns. Every inch of sandstone or granite is covered in relief depictions or hieroglyphics. Some original colour can still be seen and you can easily imagine the temples in all their splendor during the Pharonic dynasties. Since entering Luxor I have seen, the Valley of the Kings, 4 tombs in total including King Tut as well as the Valley of the Workers and the chief builders tomb. Here the colour has been preserved to the point where it could have been done yesterday. The various styles change according to the Paraoh's preference. Tutmosis III was a warrior Pharaoh and thus he decided to build the deepest tomb and did not bother himself with detailed, painstaking relief images. Instead his tomb is adorned with stick figures and basic paintings whereas Rameses III took full advantage of larger than life depictions of the gods and his passage into his second life, with deep reliefs and detailed designs. It was in his tomb where I found the garments to be the most clearly defined. Even sheer cloth with pleats, scaled linen and embellished headresses and jewlery are recorded with the utmost care. I really admire the Egyptians for their attention to even the smallest minutia so that nothing would get lost or obstruct their storytelling. We also visited Karnak, the temple of Amun-Re (and his wife and son) and the Luxor Temple. Karnak's hall of columns is one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen. Each deserve a trip but Karnak is not to be missed. It is the second largest sandstone compound and just has chamber after chamber of history, each built upon further and further by succeding Pharohs. Disputes between Pharaohs are even written within the walls as newer Pharaohs would chisel out the faces of their prior kings and queens. Sadly a lot of reliefs throughout all the temples have been decimated by various religious groups, robbers and nature's elements but I was amazed at the amount that has survived over 3000 years.
We still have the Great Pyramids of Giza to go and I already feel a great affection towards Egypt. Unfortunately it has not settled so well with other members of the group, but I am lucky as I am easily mistaken for Egyptian and am not subjected so intensly to the harrasment a lot of the crew have found. A lot of people are genuinely friendly but on an overall evaluation of the trip, these are certainly the sleeziest and most grating people we have encountered. Though not a new phenomenon, men dominate the streets armed with demanding and inappropriate lines and a grab here and there is not uncommon. I walked around the city center on my own and did not feel unsafe but even with a scarf and a long maxi dress, unwanted attention is inevitable.
With just over a week left of the trip, the finish line is in sight - both stirring up sadness for one continent and excitment for the next!
Last we spoke I was in Sudan about to embark on the bush camp bonanza. All I can say for the 5 nights of desert is that I LOVED EVERY MOMENT! We drove through nothingness, following only the railway tracks and the faint trails of fellow overlanders. With nothing but sand at hand it was peaceful, pensive and evoked a sense of adventure and challenge. Us vs the desert. We went to see the Meroe pyramids which were a great introduction to the grandeur of pyramids, withstanding time and preserving hyroglyphics. It was nice to feel so isolated as we were the only tourists there and you can get right up close to the walls, only restricted from literally climbing on the ruins. Over the course of the next few days we got bogged in the sand and had to dig, push and sandmat Fanny out of her ditches. One day we moved 7km in 3 1/2 hours! Even under sweltering heat I wouldn't change a thing. It was the first time we have had to get down on our hands and knees and work to get somewhere. It felt like true overlanding only to be rewarded with crystal skys and perfect night temperatures. As the temperature cooled by mid-afternoon we played international vs. Aussie soccer games and just enjoyed being the only people around for miles. Often I had to walk for what seemed like an endless journey so that I would be a dot on the horizon and could pee in private as a bush was but a distant ethiopian dream. Some bush camps were nicely set up beside mountains that acted as a perfect cover but other nights we were not so lucky. Once we reached Wadi Halfa, to a roaring standing ovation and truck cheering, we boarded the ferry to our last country, Egypt, arriving in the beautiful and scenic city of Aswan.
A stark contrast to Wadi Halfa, which boasts little more than sand and falafel, Aswan felt modern and alive. Our hotel was just by the nile front, with a rooftop pool overlooking the city and the waterfront. Felucas, row boats and moderately sized cruise ships took full advantage of the nile adding an even greater sense of luxury to the already picturesque city. Palm trees, reeds and other oasis-inspired greenery lined the edge of the nile followed directly by endless sand and desert. Though hard to admit, almost the entire truck headed straight to Macdonald's as our first call of action. Though after 4 months of truck food, local delicacies and a stretch of desert (and thus soy mince everything) the first chance to engage in a home comfort and unecessary indulgence was very exciting. The Macdonalds was right on the nile, with a view to die for and a menu far greater than the usual Rideau Street McChicken. I had a double Big Mac McChicken - Emma, I almost shipped you one home. Spike had his birthday in ASwan and requested to have it at Macdonald's as well where they brought out McHamburglar for him and brought him behind the counter for a photo op.
Aswan has the most amazing market. The souk was right behind our hotel and stretched forever. It was colourful, sold an ambundance of everything from jewelery to spices, was covered from the heat of the sun with draping canopies and was not overwhelmingly crowded. Compared to Luxor, you hardly ever got hassled or heckled, an unfortunate staple of the men and markets in this current city. We went to Abu Simbel which I found reasserted my passion for Egyptian history and mythology. Though crowded with tourists, the imposing scale and impossibility of the structure married with the delicate and intricate relief paintings and decoration is extraordinary. As with all the temples and mouments we've seen so far, the detailed and expressive narrative etched into the walls was, for me, the most awe-inspiring historical site we've been to in Africa.
I would most definitely go back to Aswan but as with the nature of the trip we were off to Luxor within a couple days. However for 2 nights we travelled by feluca up the Nile instead of with Fanny and Nev. By far in my top 3 activities so far. Iw was on a boat with Sean, Leah, Sam, Kate, Jess and Simo and we all agreed that sailing on the Nile encompassed all the best qualities of a vacation. It was relaxing, peaceful, fun and directed by nothing other than when we wanted swim or make a toilet break. The setting was breath-taking, the temperature was perfect (it hasn't rained in Aswan for 23 years) and the water was clean and refreshing. The local food provided was delicious and abundant and lounging for 2 days induced coma-like sleeps. The only issue was the mossies that were never seen or heard but magically appeared to bite you. It wasn't bothersome as I could have sworn no bugs existed on the Nile but the bites emerged quite fervently after docking. Still it is something not to be missed. It took us 2 days to go what Fanny did in 3 hours but it was well worth it!
Once we docked we went to see the Komo Omo and Edfu (for the God Horus) temples, both equally grand with their own labyrinths of rooms and columns. Every inch of sandstone or granite is covered in relief depictions or hieroglyphics. Some original colour can still be seen and you can easily imagine the temples in all their splendor during the Pharonic dynasties. Since entering Luxor I have seen, the Valley of the Kings, 4 tombs in total including King Tut as well as the Valley of the Workers and the chief builders tomb. Here the colour has been preserved to the point where it could have been done yesterday. The various styles change according to the Paraoh's preference. Tutmosis III was a warrior Pharaoh and thus he decided to build the deepest tomb and did not bother himself with detailed, painstaking relief images. Instead his tomb is adorned with stick figures and basic paintings whereas Rameses III took full advantage of larger than life depictions of the gods and his passage into his second life, with deep reliefs and detailed designs. It was in his tomb where I found the garments to be the most clearly defined. Even sheer cloth with pleats, scaled linen and embellished headresses and jewlery are recorded with the utmost care. I really admire the Egyptians for their attention to even the smallest minutia so that nothing would get lost or obstruct their storytelling. We also visited Karnak, the temple of Amun-Re (and his wife and son) and the Luxor Temple. Karnak's hall of columns is one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen. Each deserve a trip but Karnak is not to be missed. It is the second largest sandstone compound and just has chamber after chamber of history, each built upon further and further by succeding Pharohs. Disputes between Pharaohs are even written within the walls as newer Pharaohs would chisel out the faces of their prior kings and queens. Sadly a lot of reliefs throughout all the temples have been decimated by various religious groups, robbers and nature's elements but I was amazed at the amount that has survived over 3000 years.
We still have the Great Pyramids of Giza to go and I already feel a great affection towards Egypt. Unfortunately it has not settled so well with other members of the group, but I am lucky as I am easily mistaken for Egyptian and am not subjected so intensly to the harrasment a lot of the crew have found. A lot of people are genuinely friendly but on an overall evaluation of the trip, these are certainly the sleeziest and most grating people we have encountered. Though not a new phenomenon, men dominate the streets armed with demanding and inappropriate lines and a grab here and there is not uncommon. I walked around the city center on my own and did not feel unsafe but even with a scarf and a long maxi dress, unwanted attention is inevitable.
With just over a week left of the trip, the finish line is in sight - both stirring up sadness for one continent and excitment for the next!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sudan is HOT! very hot! I have never sweat this much and I do not shy away from heat. With everything covered its a welcome relief to be sitting here in my hotel upgrade under the cool breeze of air con!
Our first bush camp in Sudan, although hot, was great because we got to sleep without the tent cover, under the stars, on a soft ground. I sat on the roof of Fanny under the night sky and wrote in my journal, read a little and relaxed after a full day of driving. We had grilled fish fillets and potato slices for dinner which was the icing on the cake.
Since entering Khartoum, wholesome fun has been had by all! Alcohol is illegal in Sudan so our nights out have consisted of bowling, mini theme parks and live music at Papa Costa which has amazing food. We went twice today. Amazing pizzas, good shish kebabs and a delicious stuffed veal! Today we went to the Omdurman Souq, the largest souq in Khartoum. It was similar to the Merkato market in Addis with endless streets of everything and anything. It was quite the maze to navigate but the fabric/clothing section was well stocked and the jewelery area was another key destination for myself and Sohette. However, with great will power, I left with just a scarf and Sohette bought herself a muumuu. In this heat it is very tempting but I saved the extra dollars for another juice. Did I mention Khartoum has had the best juices so far in Africa, especially guava. He has even surpassed Mr. Juiceman in Zanzibar, a title I thought would be his forever.
A quick falafel in the morning and then its off to our bush camp marathon!
Our first bush camp in Sudan, although hot, was great because we got to sleep without the tent cover, under the stars, on a soft ground. I sat on the roof of Fanny under the night sky and wrote in my journal, read a little and relaxed after a full day of driving. We had grilled fish fillets and potato slices for dinner which was the icing on the cake.
Since entering Khartoum, wholesome fun has been had by all! Alcohol is illegal in Sudan so our nights out have consisted of bowling, mini theme parks and live music at Papa Costa which has amazing food. We went twice today. Amazing pizzas, good shish kebabs and a delicious stuffed veal! Today we went to the Omdurman Souq, the largest souq in Khartoum. It was similar to the Merkato market in Addis with endless streets of everything and anything. It was quite the maze to navigate but the fabric/clothing section was well stocked and the jewelery area was another key destination for myself and Sohette. However, with great will power, I left with just a scarf and Sohette bought herself a muumuu. In this heat it is very tempting but I saved the extra dollars for another juice. Did I mention Khartoum has had the best juices so far in Africa, especially guava. He has even surpassed Mr. Juiceman in Zanzibar, a title I thought would be his forever.
A quick falafel in the morning and then its off to our bush camp marathon!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Hello!
It's my last day in Ethiopia and I'm currently in Gondar. We went to an amazing castle today, built in the 17th century by King Alem-Seghede Fasil. Stunning ruins with phallic shaped supports, a running Ethiopian theme, as Axum stelae are also based on the male genitilia as all our guides point out. We've now seen, Lalibela, Axum, Queen Sheba's pool and residence as well as the Simien Mountians. Over 3000 years of history in a matter of weeks, though you could count Lucy in Addis and go back a few million. Luckily I also gained 7 years back and am 15 again, as according to the Ethiopian calendar its January, 2003! Back to my carefree youth. The local story behind the difference between calendars is that one of the wise men was Ethiopian and after bestowing his gift to Jesus it took him 7 years to return to Ethiopia from Jerusalem.
Of everything we've seen in Ethiopia, Lalibela has been my favourite. The monolithic, semi-monolithic and cave churches were unbelievable. They are a series of large churches chiseled out of hard rock, yet they are smooth and precise. According to the locals King Lalibela must have had help from god as there is no human way it could have been done in the 23 years as claimed. We saw 11 churches, all equally beautiful, some with fresco walls and elaborate windows. St. Mary's church is the most beautiful on the inside but my favourite church is St. George, which is the last church built and drops 40 feet into the earth. You can really see the grandeur of its size and cross shape from above and when you walk down into the grounds it has the most clean cut and precise angles. The architecture and detail is amazing and when you think of how it has been excavated out of rock, it seems like an impossible feat.
Axum was a set of great stelae ranging back to 300AD that mark the reign of kings during the Aksumite kingdom. There are 3 soaring obelisks, one that has fallen down and 2 that are standing. They predate the conversion to Christianity and were used to mark tombs. They are made of solid granite and are the pinnacle of the town. It was not as physically impressive as I thought it would be but it did feel quite grounding to be surrounded by something thats tested the ages and has such far-reaching roots.
The Simien Mountains were gorgeous and Ethiopia has now replaced Rwanda for favourtie scenery and landscape. Driving through the mountains (even if for 14 hours) was breath-taking, literally at some altitudes, with lush sights, cascading waterfalls and sheer drops. We were away from the truck as Fanny can't navigate the windy roads, but even in our little mini-bus we had a grad total of 5 busted tires. I am unfortunately without an ipod at the moment and if you ever do a trip like mine then music is an ESSENTIAL!! The views are spectacular but set to epic music (thanks to Jess and Nev) it makes it almost surreal, like you're cast in a great adventure movie. The drives were also a great way to see the locals in traditional dress called 'yehager Lebese' made of natural hand-woven cotton. Here they wear big, baggy dresses, generally beige or cream coloured with woven colourful designs down the front and around the v-neckline, then belted with a colourful scarf of the same woven pattern. I tried one on in Addis and could not pull it off, but on the women here it looks amazing. Hair in Ethipoia is also stunning. It is tightly braided with an afro skirting with an additional braid (or multiple) that form a tiara around the forehead. I had the tiara braid done in Ethiopia and loved it though it wasn't the easiest to wash.
Ethiopia is a country that cannot be missed if you ever come to Africa! Tomorrow we enter into Sudan and bush camp for a day on our way to Khartoum. Then 4 or 5 bush camps in a row again through the sweltering sun before we hit another town. Back to the desert!
It's my last day in Ethiopia and I'm currently in Gondar. We went to an amazing castle today, built in the 17th century by King Alem-Seghede Fasil. Stunning ruins with phallic shaped supports, a running Ethiopian theme, as Axum stelae are also based on the male genitilia as all our guides point out. We've now seen, Lalibela, Axum, Queen Sheba's pool and residence as well as the Simien Mountians. Over 3000 years of history in a matter of weeks, though you could count Lucy in Addis and go back a few million. Luckily I also gained 7 years back and am 15 again, as according to the Ethiopian calendar its January, 2003! Back to my carefree youth. The local story behind the difference between calendars is that one of the wise men was Ethiopian and after bestowing his gift to Jesus it took him 7 years to return to Ethiopia from Jerusalem.
Of everything we've seen in Ethiopia, Lalibela has been my favourite. The monolithic, semi-monolithic and cave churches were unbelievable. They are a series of large churches chiseled out of hard rock, yet they are smooth and precise. According to the locals King Lalibela must have had help from god as there is no human way it could have been done in the 23 years as claimed. We saw 11 churches, all equally beautiful, some with fresco walls and elaborate windows. St. Mary's church is the most beautiful on the inside but my favourite church is St. George, which is the last church built and drops 40 feet into the earth. You can really see the grandeur of its size and cross shape from above and when you walk down into the grounds it has the most clean cut and precise angles. The architecture and detail is amazing and when you think of how it has been excavated out of rock, it seems like an impossible feat.
Axum was a set of great stelae ranging back to 300AD that mark the reign of kings during the Aksumite kingdom. There are 3 soaring obelisks, one that has fallen down and 2 that are standing. They predate the conversion to Christianity and were used to mark tombs. They are made of solid granite and are the pinnacle of the town. It was not as physically impressive as I thought it would be but it did feel quite grounding to be surrounded by something thats tested the ages and has such far-reaching roots.
The Simien Mountains were gorgeous and Ethiopia has now replaced Rwanda for favourtie scenery and landscape. Driving through the mountains (even if for 14 hours) was breath-taking, literally at some altitudes, with lush sights, cascading waterfalls and sheer drops. We were away from the truck as Fanny can't navigate the windy roads, but even in our little mini-bus we had a grad total of 5 busted tires. I am unfortunately without an ipod at the moment and if you ever do a trip like mine then music is an ESSENTIAL!! The views are spectacular but set to epic music (thanks to Jess and Nev) it makes it almost surreal, like you're cast in a great adventure movie. The drives were also a great way to see the locals in traditional dress called 'yehager Lebese' made of natural hand-woven cotton. Here they wear big, baggy dresses, generally beige or cream coloured with woven colourful designs down the front and around the v-neckline, then belted with a colourful scarf of the same woven pattern. I tried one on in Addis and could not pull it off, but on the women here it looks amazing. Hair in Ethipoia is also stunning. It is tightly braided with an afro skirting with an additional braid (or multiple) that form a tiara around the forehead. I had the tiara braid done in Ethiopia and loved it though it wasn't the easiest to wash.
Ethiopia is a country that cannot be missed if you ever come to Africa! Tomorrow we enter into Sudan and bush camp for a day on our way to Khartoum. Then 4 or 5 bush camps in a row again through the sweltering sun before we hit another town. Back to the desert!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Teanastellen! (Hello in Amharic)
I'm currently in Addis, Ethiopia where we have spent the past 5 days. It's been a lot of drive days to get here but it has been worth it as they go in some of my top nights of the trip.
After Uganda we hit Kenya once again to stay in Nakuru where we went to Nakuru National Park and saw the trip's elusive black and white rhinos. Sohette and I upgraded to an awesome cottage with a conservatory and a gigantic bed and our own bath. The epitome of luxury on our trip and we thought it would be a nice treat for us as the next 4 nights as we drove through Northern Kenya to Ethiopia would be spent bush camping. The bush camps were a nice break though from the campsite scene where a bar is always available and facilities are (generally if daring enough) at your fingertips. A great chance to take in the vast landscapes, play some wholesome games and slow the pace down a little. One night we had a tent fiasco as we were in a barren area with no protection from the wind, so gale force blows would crush the sides of the tent, even with us flailing and pushing from the inside. No sleep that night but an experience to be remembered. Throughout Northern Kenya we came across another tribe similar to the Maasai called Samburu. They also were the most fantastic beaded necklaces, slightly different to the Maasai as instead of giant flat neck pieces they have a series of beaded rings around their neck that they get given as objects of admiration as they grow up, that eventually form these huge, cascading, colourful necklaces. They can be spotted a mile away across the desert.
We finally arrived into Ethiopia relaxed but dirty and drove to our hotel, described as "skanky" in the lonely planet. The brothel might have given it away but in actual fact it was a great place to stay as it was central and we had beds, a hot shower and clean bathrooms (at least in our upgrade). Ethiopia is another stunning country for clothing. The women are draped in bright, bold scarfs and fabrics, paired with beaded necklaces and silver trinkets. The drive through the city was unbelievable as we arrived on a religious holiday, Meskel (Finding of the True Cross), which is also about a week after their New Year. The streets were packed with people to the point where they weaved in and out of the traffic because the sidewalks were too full. It was an amazing sight as we arrived in the evening and everyone was holding candles, dancing and huge bonfires called Dameras were being lit in the streets. Flowers and grass covered almost every inch of ground. I felt bad for our driver, Nev, who had to navigate through the sea of people but from the back it was the best time for us to have arrived. That night we went out on the town to celebrate with the locals and didn't get home until early morning. The next few nights have followed suit as I have had no more than 2-3 hours of sleep but we have taken full advantage of the towns nightlife. During the day I have been to the National Museum where I met Lucy, the 3.2 million year old, 40% complete, 1st humanoid skeleton to be found in Ethiopia. She's quite stunning and I can see why she attracts so much attention. We also hit the silver markets and the giant Mercato market where if you can't find it, it doesn't exist. I have bought some more awesome jewelery and a full store load of baby wipes for the next set of bush camps. While here I have tasted the local cuisine. Mainly enjira, a type of bread that looks and feels like a bath mat and isn't quite to my liking (as I would describe it's taste like... wet towel - a bit sour with a hint of soggy cloth) but I would definitely recommend everyone to try it as most of my friends actually really like it and prefer it to bread. Not to mention the sauces that come with it are out of this world delicious. I also tried Fatira which is eaten at breakfast and is kind of like fried chipati with egg and honey wrapped inside. It is amazing! Funnily enough I have also had the best Italian here as well so stop by this restaurant called Castelli if you are ever here!
We are now off the spend the next week and a bit exploring Lalibella, Axum and the Simien Mountains. I have read that they are all going to be spectacular so I'm anxious to hit the road again.
I'm currently in Addis, Ethiopia where we have spent the past 5 days. It's been a lot of drive days to get here but it has been worth it as they go in some of my top nights of the trip.
After Uganda we hit Kenya once again to stay in Nakuru where we went to Nakuru National Park and saw the trip's elusive black and white rhinos. Sohette and I upgraded to an awesome cottage with a conservatory and a gigantic bed and our own bath. The epitome of luxury on our trip and we thought it would be a nice treat for us as the next 4 nights as we drove through Northern Kenya to Ethiopia would be spent bush camping. The bush camps were a nice break though from the campsite scene where a bar is always available and facilities are (generally if daring enough) at your fingertips. A great chance to take in the vast landscapes, play some wholesome games and slow the pace down a little. One night we had a tent fiasco as we were in a barren area with no protection from the wind, so gale force blows would crush the sides of the tent, even with us flailing and pushing from the inside. No sleep that night but an experience to be remembered. Throughout Northern Kenya we came across another tribe similar to the Maasai called Samburu. They also were the most fantastic beaded necklaces, slightly different to the Maasai as instead of giant flat neck pieces they have a series of beaded rings around their neck that they get given as objects of admiration as they grow up, that eventually form these huge, cascading, colourful necklaces. They can be spotted a mile away across the desert.
We finally arrived into Ethiopia relaxed but dirty and drove to our hotel, described as "skanky" in the lonely planet. The brothel might have given it away but in actual fact it was a great place to stay as it was central and we had beds, a hot shower and clean bathrooms (at least in our upgrade). Ethiopia is another stunning country for clothing. The women are draped in bright, bold scarfs and fabrics, paired with beaded necklaces and silver trinkets. The drive through the city was unbelievable as we arrived on a religious holiday, Meskel (Finding of the True Cross), which is also about a week after their New Year. The streets were packed with people to the point where they weaved in and out of the traffic because the sidewalks were too full. It was an amazing sight as we arrived in the evening and everyone was holding candles, dancing and huge bonfires called Dameras were being lit in the streets. Flowers and grass covered almost every inch of ground. I felt bad for our driver, Nev, who had to navigate through the sea of people but from the back it was the best time for us to have arrived. That night we went out on the town to celebrate with the locals and didn't get home until early morning. The next few nights have followed suit as I have had no more than 2-3 hours of sleep but we have taken full advantage of the towns nightlife. During the day I have been to the National Museum where I met Lucy, the 3.2 million year old, 40% complete, 1st humanoid skeleton to be found in Ethiopia. She's quite stunning and I can see why she attracts so much attention. We also hit the silver markets and the giant Mercato market where if you can't find it, it doesn't exist. I have bought some more awesome jewelery and a full store load of baby wipes for the next set of bush camps. While here I have tasted the local cuisine. Mainly enjira, a type of bread that looks and feels like a bath mat and isn't quite to my liking (as I would describe it's taste like... wet towel - a bit sour with a hint of soggy cloth) but I would definitely recommend everyone to try it as most of my friends actually really like it and prefer it to bread. Not to mention the sauces that come with it are out of this world delicious. I also tried Fatira which is eaten at breakfast and is kind of like fried chipati with egg and honey wrapped inside. It is amazing! Funnily enough I have also had the best Italian here as well so stop by this restaurant called Castelli if you are ever here!
We are now off the spend the next week and a bit exploring Lalibella, Axum and the Simien Mountains. I have read that they are all going to be spectacular so I'm anxious to hit the road again.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Bonjour! As they would say in Rwanda though currently I am in Jinja, Uganda!
Since Nairobi we passed into the beautiful borders of Rwanda. It is hands down my favourite scenic country with thousands of rolling hills, cultivated to the highest peaks with banana plantations and other farmland. It is extremely lush and as you navigate the windy (and treacherous - 2 overturned trucks and 2 near head on collisions within a hairs distance) roads it is breathtaking. Naz, Jen, Sohette and I sat on the beach (the open roof at the front of the truck) the whole time and we heard screams coming from all angles as kids yell from beside the road, high up on hills or sometimes even in trees. They run from wherever bellowing MUZUUUNNGUUUUUUUUU (white person) and wave with both hands until you see them and wave back. This happens everywhere in Africa but I have found Rwanda to be the most friendly, reaching all ages. The other amazing aspect of the country is that despite their recent turbulent history, 16 years later from complete chaos and economic shambles, they have rebuilt both their country and their people and you can see how far they have worked hard to reconcile and move forward. The farm lands are the most organized, well kept and prosperous as we've seen so far, they have some of the best smooth roads (despite the madmen that speed through, weaving between trucks on blind corners) with a lot of construction still going on to continue to improve, even the houses appear to be sturdier. We went to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum, which was excellently laid out and very informative. It provides a respectable burial ground for the victims and is surrounded by beautiful gardens that represent different types of victims and events that happened. The actual exhibit would have made my professors at Ryerson proud but unfortunately no pictures inside. The large display boards were impactful and bold with hierarchy of information, large scale pictures faded as the backdrop with smaller clear images that shockingly depicted the image of that which you were reading, it was well balanced with quotes from various people involved and had testimonial video footage. You went around the building in a circular fashion and then entered the center which had 3 rooms of pictures of victims, then bone remains and finally clothing of the victims. One of the t-shirts in the clothing room said Ottawa - the heart of Canada, and had probably been worn by a 12 year old boy. The images and information was very graphic as they chronicled the factors leading up to the genocide from their German and Belgian colonisation to the events that took place in 1994 and to the post-genocide repercussions and reconciliation. They finished off the exhibit with a brief overview of many genocides that took place around the world since 1900s called 'Wasted Lives'. It was a very worthwhile experience.
On a lighter note, whilst in Rwanda I went GORILLA TREKKING!!! It was still up in the air until the day before I went because I was unable to get a permit before I left for the trip and was on a waiting list. Luckily they were able to squeeze me in and although I didn't get to go with my group I rate it as one of my top experiences here in Africa and most definitely the top animal sighting! It was well worth the US$530 and I would recommend it to all! It is one gorilla family per group of 8 people and the trek time depends on where the family is in the mountains. We only had to trek for half an hour before we found our family of 12 and from that point on it was an hour of my life I will never forget. We saw babies with its mothers, blackbacks, big male silverbacks (the head of the family) and all the ages in between. We followed them around the jungle climbing up the mountain as our guide and trackers hacked through the thick brush with machetes. They would pull you into the best viewspot and push you out of the way when the gorillas got too close. It is supposed to be a 7 feet distance between the gorillas and yourself but for the most part we were about 2-3 feet away and I was brushed by 4 gorillas as the tumbled, ran, walked and rolled by. I only had one scare when the big silverback was sitting under a tree and two younger gorillas were playing to our right. I guess the dad got angry because he got up with incredible speed and bolted at first toward us, then at the last second after we all piled into the stinging nettles, he grabbed a tree, roots out, swerved and plowed it into the younger gorillas face. It was awesome!
Before Rwanda we were at another spectacular place called Lake Bunyonyi for a few nights where we could swim and enjoy the breathtaking view. Sohette and I upgraded into a tent cabin with real beds and it was awesome. It is a must do when in Uganda!! Once we came back to Uganda after the most amazing Rwandan experience we stayed a few nights in Kampala again at Red Chilli Hideaway where Jen, Naz, Thorbjorn, Spike and Kirsti and I hit the town. We went to Bubbles O'Leary Irish pub, followed by a Latin dance club, Just Kickin' sports bar and Fat Boyz "Warm Beer, Lousy Food" Nightclub. The clubs were very similar to home and the Irish pub was like all Irish pubs scattered across the globe except when we danced we were laughed at instead of heckled! A great town for a fun night out topped with an adventure for street samosas at 3am! The next day we explored the city center, which I found very modern. We investigated the markets where I found the most amazing tailors. They are all clustered together and use traditional African print fabrics. You can choose your material then a style from a serious of pictures or choose from the designs they have made themselves. If you find one you like already made then they tailor it to fit you exactly and I was so very tempted to buy a few dresses but luckily I ran out of time and had to leave for bowling! With a few more days it could have been very dangerous for my wallet but I now have been inspired to make a dress from the fabric I have already bought when I get home. I need an excuse to refresh my sewing skills again!
From Kampala we left for Jinja where I went white water rafting on the Nile with Nile River Explorers! Grade 5 rapids!!!!! We flipped our raft 3 times and went over a waterfall. Much more intense than on the Zambezi with a lot more action on the rapids mixed with 30-45 minute stretches in between. We had a delicious pineapple lunch followed by a filling barbeque back at camp! When we got to camp we were reunited with all our former passengers and had a massive party to celebrate that we were all together.
Then yesterday went down as another top day in Africa as Naz, Jen, Nev, Thorbjorn and I all took a trip back to Kampala for the annual Ascot goat races! In the most unexpected fashion, against our initial thoughts of a big field with goats being pushed around in a pen as local spectators drank beer and waved their money in the air, the goat races were held in a fancy resort with fully constructed tents, stage and a track! Everyone was dressed to the nines, with gigantic hats as seen typically at horse races in movies (as if pulled right out of My Fair Lady), long ball gowns, heels and velvet suits for men! There was a fabulously dressed MC, VIP and owner tents and seating areas. Live performances, live music, it was as if you were at a fully fledged festival! In addition to the captivating atmosphere, the goat races themselves were the most hilarious spectacle I have ever witnessed. My goat unfortunately did not place but as they were pushed around by a giant median he put in a valiant effort! We then proceeded to sneak into as many VIP tents as possible because T.I.A. and freeload as much as possible with great success. The last tent we were in was like a middle eastern carnival with belly dances, full roasted pigs on rice scattered across the floor, shishas, shawarmas and tribal carpets. From the outside a simple white tent but just a complete chaotic surprise on the inside. We danced to the live DJ and soaked in the party vibes. The evening there ended with fireworks and when they started shutting down we moved on to the "Get Your Goat On Afterparty"! We snuck in once again under the fence and continued to dance to 'East Africa's hottest DJs', enjoyed the TWO bars and reveled in the multitude of surprises (all mentioned as incentives on the flyer)! We lost Nev by this point but luckily he resurfaced at the nick of time in the morning before we left on the 7:45am shuttle back to Jinja.
This leads us to today which has ended up being very relaxed (or lazy - take your pick). I enjoyed the gorgeous view that our campsite has to offer over the Nile and after the most frightening motorbike taxi ride into town (worse than all rafting, bungee and skydiving combined) am now checking out the town. I'm currently at the coffee shop, Flavours, which I recommend to you all if you're ever in town!
Since Nairobi we passed into the beautiful borders of Rwanda. It is hands down my favourite scenic country with thousands of rolling hills, cultivated to the highest peaks with banana plantations and other farmland. It is extremely lush and as you navigate the windy (and treacherous - 2 overturned trucks and 2 near head on collisions within a hairs distance) roads it is breathtaking. Naz, Jen, Sohette and I sat on the beach (the open roof at the front of the truck) the whole time and we heard screams coming from all angles as kids yell from beside the road, high up on hills or sometimes even in trees. They run from wherever bellowing MUZUUUNNGUUUUUUUUU (white person) and wave with both hands until you see them and wave back. This happens everywhere in Africa but I have found Rwanda to be the most friendly, reaching all ages. The other amazing aspect of the country is that despite their recent turbulent history, 16 years later from complete chaos and economic shambles, they have rebuilt both their country and their people and you can see how far they have worked hard to reconcile and move forward. The farm lands are the most organized, well kept and prosperous as we've seen so far, they have some of the best smooth roads (despite the madmen that speed through, weaving between trucks on blind corners) with a lot of construction still going on to continue to improve, even the houses appear to be sturdier. We went to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum, which was excellently laid out and very informative. It provides a respectable burial ground for the victims and is surrounded by beautiful gardens that represent different types of victims and events that happened. The actual exhibit would have made my professors at Ryerson proud but unfortunately no pictures inside. The large display boards were impactful and bold with hierarchy of information, large scale pictures faded as the backdrop with smaller clear images that shockingly depicted the image of that which you were reading, it was well balanced with quotes from various people involved and had testimonial video footage. You went around the building in a circular fashion and then entered the center which had 3 rooms of pictures of victims, then bone remains and finally clothing of the victims. One of the t-shirts in the clothing room said Ottawa - the heart of Canada, and had probably been worn by a 12 year old boy. The images and information was very graphic as they chronicled the factors leading up to the genocide from their German and Belgian colonisation to the events that took place in 1994 and to the post-genocide repercussions and reconciliation. They finished off the exhibit with a brief overview of many genocides that took place around the world since 1900s called 'Wasted Lives'. It was a very worthwhile experience.
On a lighter note, whilst in Rwanda I went GORILLA TREKKING!!! It was still up in the air until the day before I went because I was unable to get a permit before I left for the trip and was on a waiting list. Luckily they were able to squeeze me in and although I didn't get to go with my group I rate it as one of my top experiences here in Africa and most definitely the top animal sighting! It was well worth the US$530 and I would recommend it to all! It is one gorilla family per group of 8 people and the trek time depends on where the family is in the mountains. We only had to trek for half an hour before we found our family of 12 and from that point on it was an hour of my life I will never forget. We saw babies with its mothers, blackbacks, big male silverbacks (the head of the family) and all the ages in between. We followed them around the jungle climbing up the mountain as our guide and trackers hacked through the thick brush with machetes. They would pull you into the best viewspot and push you out of the way when the gorillas got too close. It is supposed to be a 7 feet distance between the gorillas and yourself but for the most part we were about 2-3 feet away and I was brushed by 4 gorillas as the tumbled, ran, walked and rolled by. I only had one scare when the big silverback was sitting under a tree and two younger gorillas were playing to our right. I guess the dad got angry because he got up with incredible speed and bolted at first toward us, then at the last second after we all piled into the stinging nettles, he grabbed a tree, roots out, swerved and plowed it into the younger gorillas face. It was awesome!
Before Rwanda we were at another spectacular place called Lake Bunyonyi for a few nights where we could swim and enjoy the breathtaking view. Sohette and I upgraded into a tent cabin with real beds and it was awesome. It is a must do when in Uganda!! Once we came back to Uganda after the most amazing Rwandan experience we stayed a few nights in Kampala again at Red Chilli Hideaway where Jen, Naz, Thorbjorn, Spike and Kirsti and I hit the town. We went to Bubbles O'Leary Irish pub, followed by a Latin dance club, Just Kickin' sports bar and Fat Boyz "Warm Beer, Lousy Food" Nightclub. The clubs were very similar to home and the Irish pub was like all Irish pubs scattered across the globe except when we danced we were laughed at instead of heckled! A great town for a fun night out topped with an adventure for street samosas at 3am! The next day we explored the city center, which I found very modern. We investigated the markets where I found the most amazing tailors. They are all clustered together and use traditional African print fabrics. You can choose your material then a style from a serious of pictures or choose from the designs they have made themselves. If you find one you like already made then they tailor it to fit you exactly and I was so very tempted to buy a few dresses but luckily I ran out of time and had to leave for bowling! With a few more days it could have been very dangerous for my wallet but I now have been inspired to make a dress from the fabric I have already bought when I get home. I need an excuse to refresh my sewing skills again!
From Kampala we left for Jinja where I went white water rafting on the Nile with Nile River Explorers! Grade 5 rapids!!!!! We flipped our raft 3 times and went over a waterfall. Much more intense than on the Zambezi with a lot more action on the rapids mixed with 30-45 minute stretches in between. We had a delicious pineapple lunch followed by a filling barbeque back at camp! When we got to camp we were reunited with all our former passengers and had a massive party to celebrate that we were all together.
Then yesterday went down as another top day in Africa as Naz, Jen, Nev, Thorbjorn and I all took a trip back to Kampala for the annual Ascot goat races! In the most unexpected fashion, against our initial thoughts of a big field with goats being pushed around in a pen as local spectators drank beer and waved their money in the air, the goat races were held in a fancy resort with fully constructed tents, stage and a track! Everyone was dressed to the nines, with gigantic hats as seen typically at horse races in movies (as if pulled right out of My Fair Lady), long ball gowns, heels and velvet suits for men! There was a fabulously dressed MC, VIP and owner tents and seating areas. Live performances, live music, it was as if you were at a fully fledged festival! In addition to the captivating atmosphere, the goat races themselves were the most hilarious spectacle I have ever witnessed. My goat unfortunately did not place but as they were pushed around by a giant median he put in a valiant effort! We then proceeded to sneak into as many VIP tents as possible because T.I.A. and freeload as much as possible with great success. The last tent we were in was like a middle eastern carnival with belly dances, full roasted pigs on rice scattered across the floor, shishas, shawarmas and tribal carpets. From the outside a simple white tent but just a complete chaotic surprise on the inside. We danced to the live DJ and soaked in the party vibes. The evening there ended with fireworks and when they started shutting down we moved on to the "Get Your Goat On Afterparty"! We snuck in once again under the fence and continued to dance to 'East Africa's hottest DJs', enjoyed the TWO bars and reveled in the multitude of surprises (all mentioned as incentives on the flyer)! We lost Nev by this point but luckily he resurfaced at the nick of time in the morning before we left on the 7:45am shuttle back to Jinja.
This leads us to today which has ended up being very relaxed (or lazy - take your pick). I enjoyed the gorgeous view that our campsite has to offer over the Nile and after the most frightening motorbike taxi ride into town (worse than all rafting, bungee and skydiving combined) am now checking out the town. I'm currently at the coffee shop, Flavours, which I recommend to you all if you're ever in town!
Friday, September 3, 2010
JAMBO!
I am in Nairobi, Kenya! Another border crossing and another fantastic place. We are at the halfway point on our trip so we say goodbye to 6 friends, Carli, Glynn, Courtney, Nick, Sean and Rachelle. We had our goodbye party last night and they leave tonight for their next volunteer adventures in Uganda. We will see them there for a few days as we visit the organization that they will be working with but still it is very sad. Included in those 6 is my tent buddy, Rachelle, and I can honestly say that it will be a hard couple of weeks adjusting without her. She is awesome and I can't believe the luck I scored for the firs 2 months. Having said that I will be bunking with Sohette next and we have already combined our assets and bought some home decos to spice up our tent so its going to be fantastic aswell.
Right now we are just preparing the truck for the next 2 months and re-organizing our bags. I have inherited many clothes along the way and now some from Rachelle which means my bags are busting from the seems. One of my best purchases are these Africa bags from a grocery store called Shoprite that are heavy-duty plastic zipper carry-all bags with African animals emblazoned on the front, and is now my honorary travel closet. My Old Navy flip flops have busted 6 times but nothing a heavy amount of duct tape and super glue hasn't fixed. Although my advice to all is to bring a few pairs of your favourite brand, either Old Navy in my case, or Havianas, because the flip flops here just don't compare in comfort or style. I got one pair with tire soles that are pretty cool but they still rub and broke in 3 days.
Since the last post we said goodbye to Tanzania but not without visiting Snake Park, Arusha, the Ngorongoro Crater, Manyara National Park and the Serengeti! No wonder they are African must-sees and highlights in guidebooks because neither failed to amaze. They have bumped off quite a few of my top 3 lists, mainly involving animals and meals. To summarize (difficultly) what we saw, Manyara N P offered up a herd of elephants, old and young, right beside the jeep, hippos galore in, out and around the water and hundreds of monkeys, baboons, blue-balled velvet monkeys and blue monkeys. The Crater, which I didn't expect much from and thus was sorely wrong, not only had herds of wildebeest and zebra but 14 lions stalking and surveying the land on top of breathtaking scenery of flat pastel plains with sun-lit patches contrasted against lush green oasis's surrounding lake Makat. Then to top off our gaming adventures the Serengeti not only provided excellent lion sightings but a LEOPARD lounging on an open fallen tree trunk, maybe 15-20 feet away and then 4 CHEETAHS lounging right beside the road only a mere 5-10 feet away! Both are rare to see on their own, let alone both within close enough range to not need binoculars or your camera lens! To top off those few days our tents were put up for us by the tour guides who took us round the Crater and the Serengeti and all our meals were provided for us in plentiful amounts! I ate pancakes for breakfast, roast potatoes for lunch, curry rice and bolognaise for dinner and banana fritters for desert!! I never thought I'd eat roast potatoes on this trip so its going to number 1 on my food list! It was a small reminder of home, and with a little imagination I could pretend to smell the roast chicken and gravy.
At Snake Park we went on a Maasai village walk. They have the best traditional clothing in Africa. It generally consists of 3 draped tartan/plaid fabrics in the red, purple and blue colour scheme and held in place by a leather belt and knife sheath. They are knotted in different ways around the waist and shoulder then topped off with elaborately beaded necklaces, earrings and bracelets of all colours. It is very bold and absolutely stunning. It rivals the Kangas in brightness but beside the mountains of jewelery it has a very distinct colour palette. I tried to take photos but they are very reluctant to have their photo taken without money so unfortunately I only have a few out of the many outfit combinations found. Nevertheless they are my favourite traditional dress so far in Africa. I have even bought some Maasai jewellery to bring home with me.
On the truck we have welcomed a new member to our crew aswell. She arrived yesterday, her name is Cat. It must be hard to come in half way but she wasn't shy and grabbed a beer with us all, despite being tired from all the travel, so I'm sure she'll fit right in.
I would like to come back to Tanzania and climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Rachelle and I have made plans for a trip back in the future! As for now we are off to Uganda in a few days, then Rwanda and will return to Kenya again after that. EXCITING!
A quarter of my adventure through and I just want to say to my family and friends that I miss you terribly and hope you are all doing well!
I am in Nairobi, Kenya! Another border crossing and another fantastic place. We are at the halfway point on our trip so we say goodbye to 6 friends, Carli, Glynn, Courtney, Nick, Sean and Rachelle. We had our goodbye party last night and they leave tonight for their next volunteer adventures in Uganda. We will see them there for a few days as we visit the organization that they will be working with but still it is very sad. Included in those 6 is my tent buddy, Rachelle, and I can honestly say that it will be a hard couple of weeks adjusting without her. She is awesome and I can't believe the luck I scored for the firs 2 months. Having said that I will be bunking with Sohette next and we have already combined our assets and bought some home decos to spice up our tent so its going to be fantastic aswell.
Right now we are just preparing the truck for the next 2 months and re-organizing our bags. I have inherited many clothes along the way and now some from Rachelle which means my bags are busting from the seems. One of my best purchases are these Africa bags from a grocery store called Shoprite that are heavy-duty plastic zipper carry-all bags with African animals emblazoned on the front, and is now my honorary travel closet. My Old Navy flip flops have busted 6 times but nothing a heavy amount of duct tape and super glue hasn't fixed. Although my advice to all is to bring a few pairs of your favourite brand, either Old Navy in my case, or Havianas, because the flip flops here just don't compare in comfort or style. I got one pair with tire soles that are pretty cool but they still rub and broke in 3 days.
Since the last post we said goodbye to Tanzania but not without visiting Snake Park, Arusha, the Ngorongoro Crater, Manyara National Park and the Serengeti! No wonder they are African must-sees and highlights in guidebooks because neither failed to amaze. They have bumped off quite a few of my top 3 lists, mainly involving animals and meals. To summarize (difficultly) what we saw, Manyara N P offered up a herd of elephants, old and young, right beside the jeep, hippos galore in, out and around the water and hundreds of monkeys, baboons, blue-balled velvet monkeys and blue monkeys. The Crater, which I didn't expect much from and thus was sorely wrong, not only had herds of wildebeest and zebra but 14 lions stalking and surveying the land on top of breathtaking scenery of flat pastel plains with sun-lit patches contrasted against lush green oasis's surrounding lake Makat. Then to top off our gaming adventures the Serengeti not only provided excellent lion sightings but a LEOPARD lounging on an open fallen tree trunk, maybe 15-20 feet away and then 4 CHEETAHS lounging right beside the road only a mere 5-10 feet away! Both are rare to see on their own, let alone both within close enough range to not need binoculars or your camera lens! To top off those few days our tents were put up for us by the tour guides who took us round the Crater and the Serengeti and all our meals were provided for us in plentiful amounts! I ate pancakes for breakfast, roast potatoes for lunch, curry rice and bolognaise for dinner and banana fritters for desert!! I never thought I'd eat roast potatoes on this trip so its going to number 1 on my food list! It was a small reminder of home, and with a little imagination I could pretend to smell the roast chicken and gravy.
At Snake Park we went on a Maasai village walk. They have the best traditional clothing in Africa. It generally consists of 3 draped tartan/plaid fabrics in the red, purple and blue colour scheme and held in place by a leather belt and knife sheath. They are knotted in different ways around the waist and shoulder then topped off with elaborately beaded necklaces, earrings and bracelets of all colours. It is very bold and absolutely stunning. It rivals the Kangas in brightness but beside the mountains of jewelery it has a very distinct colour palette. I tried to take photos but they are very reluctant to have their photo taken without money so unfortunately I only have a few out of the many outfit combinations found. Nevertheless they are my favourite traditional dress so far in Africa. I have even bought some Maasai jewellery to bring home with me.
On the truck we have welcomed a new member to our crew aswell. She arrived yesterday, her name is Cat. It must be hard to come in half way but she wasn't shy and grabbed a beer with us all, despite being tired from all the travel, so I'm sure she'll fit right in.
I would like to come back to Tanzania and climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Rachelle and I have made plans for a trip back in the future! As for now we are off to Uganda in a few days, then Rwanda and will return to Kenya again after that. EXCITING!
A quarter of my adventure through and I just want to say to my family and friends that I miss you terribly and hope you are all doing well!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Hello!!
I am in Zanzibar, Tanzania. 3 countries have flown by since my last post. A quick one night bush camp stop in Mozambique, then Malawi with a relaxing few days at Kande Beach and another 4 nights on the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Since Mozambique we have driven through plenty of villages and towns and its been the first time I've really seen the daily life in action. South Africa is very modern and the cities feel very familiar, where as Namibia and Botswana were vast desert lands with a couple of shacks or shanty houses sparsely scattered around until you got into a city. The past few weeks I have had my head out the window the entire drive!
There have been lots of markets, making cook group shopping a lot more fun and challenging! The landscape has changed drastically too. It is incredibly lush and green, covered by banana plantations, palm trees and spice and fruit farms. Lake Malawi was gorgeous and when you swam in it it felt like the ocean with big waves crashing onto the beach. Here on Zanzibar we have snorkeled and wandered through the narrow alleyways of Stonetown. Jen, Rachelle, Sohette and I rented a car and drove around the island to find more secluded beaches and take in the area. That has to be one of my best days in Africa so far. We ate at a tiny restaurant with the freshest food. I was boring and had bolognaise but it was amazing. Though being here has pushed me to eat more adventurous meals and I had some excellent calamari!
Also this is the first time my fashion radar has kicked in. The women from Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania all wear these beautiful fabrics called Kangas. They are bright and patterned and the women mix and match. Outside of Tanzania they would be wearing a colourful top with a Kanga skirt and head wrap, which I believe helps them balance the massive baskets on their head, and here in Tanzania, since it is a very Muslim country, their head scarf and skirt combinations have been stunning. The fabric is very bold but I bought a few to take home and see if I can pull it off!
Next we are onto the Serengeti and then into Kenya!
I am in Zanzibar, Tanzania. 3 countries have flown by since my last post. A quick one night bush camp stop in Mozambique, then Malawi with a relaxing few days at Kande Beach and another 4 nights on the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar, Tanzania. Since Mozambique we have driven through plenty of villages and towns and its been the first time I've really seen the daily life in action. South Africa is very modern and the cities feel very familiar, where as Namibia and Botswana were vast desert lands with a couple of shacks or shanty houses sparsely scattered around until you got into a city. The past few weeks I have had my head out the window the entire drive!
There have been lots of markets, making cook group shopping a lot more fun and challenging! The landscape has changed drastically too. It is incredibly lush and green, covered by banana plantations, palm trees and spice and fruit farms. Lake Malawi was gorgeous and when you swam in it it felt like the ocean with big waves crashing onto the beach. Here on Zanzibar we have snorkeled and wandered through the narrow alleyways of Stonetown. Jen, Rachelle, Sohette and I rented a car and drove around the island to find more secluded beaches and take in the area. That has to be one of my best days in Africa so far. We ate at a tiny restaurant with the freshest food. I was boring and had bolognaise but it was amazing. Though being here has pushed me to eat more adventurous meals and I had some excellent calamari!
Also this is the first time my fashion radar has kicked in. The women from Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania all wear these beautiful fabrics called Kangas. They are bright and patterned and the women mix and match. Outside of Tanzania they would be wearing a colourful top with a Kanga skirt and head wrap, which I believe helps them balance the massive baskets on their head, and here in Tanzania, since it is a very Muslim country, their head scarf and skirt combinations have been stunning. The fabric is very bold but I bought a few to take home and see if I can pull it off!
Next we are onto the Serengeti and then into Kenya!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
HEY!!!
Just left Antelope Park, and am in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. If you ever touch African soil you must make your way to Antelope Park! I blew the bank a little there with a lioness package but it was well worth it. I did 2 lion walks (where the lions are honing their hunting skills and getting exposed to real African bush). They are such beautiful creatures and to walk with them and see them stalk other wildlife was amazing. Then I did the lion feeding as mentioned in my previous post - just incredible speed and ferocity in the big cats! Then I did the cub viewing, where I saw 9 week old cubs. At that age they are exactly like kittens. So playful and fluffy and CUTE!! Then I did the night encounter where you go on a night stalk with big cats again (but in a truck with spotters), we saw a crazy antelope chase, which they didn't end up catching, and then we saw them a bit later with an antelope kill. It was too fast to see the take down but we saw the gory, gruesome death and devouring of the antelope. At one point one of the trucks got stuck in a ditch so all of us had to pile into one truck while the staff pushed the truck out, while the 4 lions (2 female, 2 male) stalked around us, and the number 1 rule of the night encounter is never get out of the vehicle because these lions only have one agenda, to kill, and that point they hadn't made one yet. Luckily they just watched from behind a tree but it was still quite nerve-wrecking in the pitch black. It was also an exciting time to be at the park because they were releasing a pride back into the wild. The rehabilitation and release program there is really well done and I would love to go back as a volunteer. I also went to see the elephant training the morning we left and did a horseback game ride through the park. On a horse you can get up to 5-10 meters away from the wildlife!
Thus my top 3 animal sightings have changed:
1. Lion cubs, Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
2. Mother and baby elephant at the waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
3. The Lion Feeding (the big boys), Antelope park
Surprisingly, despite getting closer to the equator, it has gotten colder again, especially at night and the power is often cut off. It was nice to get out of Vic Falls and see a bit more of the real Zimbabwe and interact with more locals. We had a group perform traditional song and dance again last night. Also we had a very interesting talk with our guide for the Great Zimbabwe Ruins (which we also did yesterday) who had a hard life story, having lost both his parents due to the political struggle in the country. Nevertheless he was a very positive and welcoming man!
The group has gelled really well together and I already know its going to be hard to part from them in 1 month for a few and 3 months for all.
Just left Antelope Park, and am in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. If you ever touch African soil you must make your way to Antelope Park! I blew the bank a little there with a lioness package but it was well worth it. I did 2 lion walks (where the lions are honing their hunting skills and getting exposed to real African bush). They are such beautiful creatures and to walk with them and see them stalk other wildlife was amazing. Then I did the lion feeding as mentioned in my previous post - just incredible speed and ferocity in the big cats! Then I did the cub viewing, where I saw 9 week old cubs. At that age they are exactly like kittens. So playful and fluffy and CUTE!! Then I did the night encounter where you go on a night stalk with big cats again (but in a truck with spotters), we saw a crazy antelope chase, which they didn't end up catching, and then we saw them a bit later with an antelope kill. It was too fast to see the take down but we saw the gory, gruesome death and devouring of the antelope. At one point one of the trucks got stuck in a ditch so all of us had to pile into one truck while the staff pushed the truck out, while the 4 lions (2 female, 2 male) stalked around us, and the number 1 rule of the night encounter is never get out of the vehicle because these lions only have one agenda, to kill, and that point they hadn't made one yet. Luckily they just watched from behind a tree but it was still quite nerve-wrecking in the pitch black. It was also an exciting time to be at the park because they were releasing a pride back into the wild. The rehabilitation and release program there is really well done and I would love to go back as a volunteer. I also went to see the elephant training the morning we left and did a horseback game ride through the park. On a horse you can get up to 5-10 meters away from the wildlife!
Thus my top 3 animal sightings have changed:
1. Lion cubs, Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
2. Mother and baby elephant at the waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
3. The Lion Feeding (the big boys), Antelope park
Surprisingly, despite getting closer to the equator, it has gotten colder again, especially at night and the power is often cut off. It was nice to get out of Vic Falls and see a bit more of the real Zimbabwe and interact with more locals. We had a group perform traditional song and dance again last night. Also we had a very interesting talk with our guide for the Great Zimbabwe Ruins (which we also did yesterday) who had a hard life story, having lost both his parents due to the political struggle in the country. Nevertheless he was a very positive and welcoming man!
The group has gelled really well together and I already know its going to be hard to part from them in 1 month for a few and 3 months for all.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Hello
I'm sorry for another long pause between blogs but I am in Zimbabwe (since the 2nd) and the power often cuts off at random so there has been few internet opportunities whenever we have had free time. Even here at Antelope Park the internet isn't working so I'm sending this from a cafe in town. Carol says that this is one of the longer periods that we will go without internet for a while though so stay with me!
Since the 21st I have continued to be overwhelmed with all the amazing things we do on this trip. Right now I am at Antelope park, near Gweru, in Zimbabwe. We just got here yesterday and despite the name it is known for its lion encounters. This morning I went on a walk with lions (10 months old) in their Stage 1 release program. Their aim is to re-release the lions back into the wild and reverse the rapid decline on African lions. Yesterday we saw a lion feeding, with fully grown lions. It was incredible. They are so fast and so strong and they put the meat right by the fence so they charge at you at full speed, claws out. All the meat is in one spot so they have to fight for it like in the wild. I have a video that I will post when possible. Later today I am going elephant training and tomorrow I will be playing with the baby 2 week cubs!! Soo excited.
In Zimbabwe we started at Vic Falls where I went white water rafting with grade 4 rapids on the Zambezi. We all fell out at some point into the crocodile-inhabited water, my second swim with the crocs. We saw them bathing on the banks and so we paddled faster. That night we watched the Tin Can Kids perform at Shoestrings, the backpackers hostel down the street where we spent most of our evenings. They are a group of kids aged 5-11 who were discovered in the streets dancing and creating music out of tin cans and garbage. They were the best dancers I have ever seen and they were so passionate about it. They were raising money for school fees and books. Then the next day I went bunji jumping (3rd highest in the world) off of a bridge over the Zambezi. It was much scarier than skydiving, and much harder to jump initially but it was the biggest rush I have ever had and I would do it again in a second. In fact I now want to jump off the highest and 2nd highest in the world to complete the trifecta! We then went on a sunset cruise also known as the booze cruise, followed by an adrenaline day of gorge swinging, zip lining, abseiling and doing something called "the Flying Fox" (a straight zipline over the gorge). Up to Vic Falls we went to the Cape Cross Seal Colony where there are thousands of fat, lazy, smelly, suuuper cute seals all lying on the beach, on top of each other and in the water. I am certain my dog Ziggy has been reincarnated into a seal. Then we went on to see The White Lady cave paintings the next morning and ended in a Cheetah Park to camp. The park has 3 tame cheetahs that you can pet and live with the family in their house and then they have over 50 wild cheetahs that they look after so that the farmers don't shoot them, as they are considered pests in Namibia. We went on an evening feeding with the wild cheetahs which was amazing. We were loaded into these open trucks with just one bar between you and the cheetahs with a bucket of raw donkey parts attached to the front, whilst drinking Savanahs. When we got inside the compounds you could see the cheetahs starting to stalk around the cars and it was quite intimidating since they literally brushed past the truck. We have learnt that in Africa, safety isn't a major concern so we just laugh, say T.I.A. and hold on for dear life. Then the guide opened the bin and started throwing meat out and 10-12 cheetahs started fighting for their meal. Following the Cheetahs we went to Etosha National Park where we went on a few game drives and saw animals galore (a list to follow). At night you can go and sit by this waterhole and see what animals come in. They fence it off and put low floodlights on all night so we stayed until we couldn't keep our eyes open and returned at 4am. It was incredible! We saw elephants (mum and baby), rhinos, giraffes, the works. Soon after we crossed the border into Botswana and have started a game that lasts for life called 'Bull'. From now on we all have to drink from our left hand, if your caught drinking from your right you have to scull the whole drink. Pretty brutal, but now my left hand almost feels natural.
In Botswana we had the most amazing 3 days in the Okavanga Delta. We took Mokoro (small wooden boats - similar to canoes but very low on the water). Then we camped on an island, went on game hikes, relaxed and swam (with crocs and hippos) in the Delta and enjoyed traditional song and dance (after which we had to return the favor and thus performed the Chicken dance, and YMCA- not quite as intricate). They are amazing dancers but as we found out in Vic Falls, they learn at a very early age. We all had the best time and has topped a lot of our activities list. A few of us then did a flight over the Delta to get a real idea of its enormous size. It is a stunning place. Following the Delta we went on a river game cruise up Chobe river (in Chobe National Park) where we enjoyed hippos, crocs, elephants and wilderbeast. Some of the most beautiful animals have actually been the different birds. They come in the most vivid colours and are often quite funny-looking. I can also now identify almost every animals poo, a real skill if you ask me! And now we are in Zimbabwe. Tomorrow I am bunji jumping in the morning, followed by having a picnic by the Falls and finishing the night off with another cruise. The guides that camped with us even took down our tents for us so it felt quite luxurious.
Our facilities and campsites have far exceeded all my expectations! The bathrooms have been clean, even if it was a drop hole, the water has been hot or at least warm in most places. I've only had to have 1 cold shower. Even bush camping has been a lot of fun and presents interesting and hilarious challenges (I'll leave those up to you to figure out). We have bush camped at Spitzkoppe National Park, Brandeburg, and beside the largest baobab tree in Africa, in Namibia, as well as Tsodilo Hills, the Okavango Delta and a random dirt road in Botswana. Even more shocking are the gourmet meals we've been having. I was literally expecting the bare minimum for $2 a person a meal, but we've been eating like Kings! We've had bolognaise, stroganoff (my cook group), mac and cheese, pad thai, stirfrys, bangers and mash, shepards pie, Kudu fahjitas, jacket potatoes with beans and cheese (my group again), curry, beef stew and soon to enjoy lasanga! For breakfasts we've had lemon sugar crepes, beans on toast, even eggy bread!!! I have to say I feel spoiled almost because a few of those are on my favourite dishes list back home.
Here is a list of my truck mates:
Carol - tour leader
Nev - driver
Passengers:
Narelle, Jen, Sohette, Rachelle - tent buddy (only to Nairobi), Glynn + Carli (only to Nairobi), Courtney + Nick (only to Nairobi), Cameron, Leah + Sean W., Sean M., Colin, Kate + Sam, Corne, Spike + Kirsty, Felipe, Simeon + Jess, Thorbjorn
Also in light of everything thats happened so far, despite how hard it will be to pick, I've decided to make a few top 3 lists:
Top 3 animal sightings:
1. Mother and baby elephant at the waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
2. Lion feeding at Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
3. Hippo yawning at Matopaso Park, Zimbabwe (rivaled closely by Kamil, the giraffe at the Cheetah park who stuck her head in our truck)
Top 3 activities:
1. Skydiving, Swakopmund, Namibia
2. Okavanga Delta trip, Botswana
3. Bunji Jump, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
Top 3 dishes:
1. Peanut butter thai satay noodle
2. Jacket potatoes with beans and cheese
3. Bangers and mash with onion gravy (rivaled closely by lemon sugar crepes)
Top 3 nights:
1. Shoestrings after the sunset cruise, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
2. Swakopmund night after sky diving dance party, Namibia
3. Cheetah feeding, Namibia
Top 3 items:
1. Saks beige cargo pants (so soft and baggy)
2. Serong
3. Hair brush (the truck windows are always open and it creates a wind tunnel!)
Top 3 campsites:
1. Antelope Park, Gweru, Zimbabwe
2. Rest Camp, Vic Falls Zimbabwe
3. Sitatunga Camp site, Botswana
I can't believe we're almost a month in! To sum up so far I am having an incredible time with incredible people!
I'm sorry for another long pause between blogs but I am in Zimbabwe (since the 2nd) and the power often cuts off at random so there has been few internet opportunities whenever we have had free time. Even here at Antelope Park the internet isn't working so I'm sending this from a cafe in town. Carol says that this is one of the longer periods that we will go without internet for a while though so stay with me!
Since the 21st I have continued to be overwhelmed with all the amazing things we do on this trip. Right now I am at Antelope park, near Gweru, in Zimbabwe. We just got here yesterday and despite the name it is known for its lion encounters. This morning I went on a walk with lions (10 months old) in their Stage 1 release program. Their aim is to re-release the lions back into the wild and reverse the rapid decline on African lions. Yesterday we saw a lion feeding, with fully grown lions. It was incredible. They are so fast and so strong and they put the meat right by the fence so they charge at you at full speed, claws out. All the meat is in one spot so they have to fight for it like in the wild. I have a video that I will post when possible. Later today I am going elephant training and tomorrow I will be playing with the baby 2 week cubs!! Soo excited.
In Zimbabwe we started at Vic Falls where I went white water rafting with grade 4 rapids on the Zambezi. We all fell out at some point into the crocodile-inhabited water, my second swim with the crocs. We saw them bathing on the banks and so we paddled faster. That night we watched the Tin Can Kids perform at Shoestrings, the backpackers hostel down the street where we spent most of our evenings. They are a group of kids aged 5-11 who were discovered in the streets dancing and creating music out of tin cans and garbage. They were the best dancers I have ever seen and they were so passionate about it. They were raising money for school fees and books. Then the next day I went bunji jumping (3rd highest in the world) off of a bridge over the Zambezi. It was much scarier than skydiving, and much harder to jump initially but it was the biggest rush I have ever had and I would do it again in a second. In fact I now want to jump off the highest and 2nd highest in the world to complete the trifecta! We then went on a sunset cruise also known as the booze cruise, followed by an adrenaline day of gorge swinging, zip lining, abseiling and doing something called "the Flying Fox" (a straight zipline over the gorge). Up to Vic Falls we went to the Cape Cross Seal Colony where there are thousands of fat, lazy, smelly, suuuper cute seals all lying on the beach, on top of each other and in the water. I am certain my dog Ziggy has been reincarnated into a seal. Then we went on to see The White Lady cave paintings the next morning and ended in a Cheetah Park to camp. The park has 3 tame cheetahs that you can pet and live with the family in their house and then they have over 50 wild cheetahs that they look after so that the farmers don't shoot them, as they are considered pests in Namibia. We went on an evening feeding with the wild cheetahs which was amazing. We were loaded into these open trucks with just one bar between you and the cheetahs with a bucket of raw donkey parts attached to the front, whilst drinking Savanahs. When we got inside the compounds you could see the cheetahs starting to stalk around the cars and it was quite intimidating since they literally brushed past the truck. We have learnt that in Africa, safety isn't a major concern so we just laugh, say T.I.A. and hold on for dear life. Then the guide opened the bin and started throwing meat out and 10-12 cheetahs started fighting for their meal. Following the Cheetahs we went to Etosha National Park where we went on a few game drives and saw animals galore (a list to follow). At night you can go and sit by this waterhole and see what animals come in. They fence it off and put low floodlights on all night so we stayed until we couldn't keep our eyes open and returned at 4am. It was incredible! We saw elephants (mum and baby), rhinos, giraffes, the works. Soon after we crossed the border into Botswana and have started a game that lasts for life called 'Bull'. From now on we all have to drink from our left hand, if your caught drinking from your right you have to scull the whole drink. Pretty brutal, but now my left hand almost feels natural.
In Botswana we had the most amazing 3 days in the Okavanga Delta. We took Mokoro (small wooden boats - similar to canoes but very low on the water). Then we camped on an island, went on game hikes, relaxed and swam (with crocs and hippos) in the Delta and enjoyed traditional song and dance (after which we had to return the favor and thus performed the Chicken dance, and YMCA- not quite as intricate). They are amazing dancers but as we found out in Vic Falls, they learn at a very early age. We all had the best time and has topped a lot of our activities list. A few of us then did a flight over the Delta to get a real idea of its enormous size. It is a stunning place. Following the Delta we went on a river game cruise up Chobe river (in Chobe National Park) where we enjoyed hippos, crocs, elephants and wilderbeast. Some of the most beautiful animals have actually been the different birds. They come in the most vivid colours and are often quite funny-looking. I can also now identify almost every animals poo, a real skill if you ask me! And now we are in Zimbabwe. Tomorrow I am bunji jumping in the morning, followed by having a picnic by the Falls and finishing the night off with another cruise. The guides that camped with us even took down our tents for us so it felt quite luxurious.
Our facilities and campsites have far exceeded all my expectations! The bathrooms have been clean, even if it was a drop hole, the water has been hot or at least warm in most places. I've only had to have 1 cold shower. Even bush camping has been a lot of fun and presents interesting and hilarious challenges (I'll leave those up to you to figure out). We have bush camped at Spitzkoppe National Park, Brandeburg, and beside the largest baobab tree in Africa, in Namibia, as well as Tsodilo Hills, the Okavango Delta and a random dirt road in Botswana. Even more shocking are the gourmet meals we've been having. I was literally expecting the bare minimum for $2 a person a meal, but we've been eating like Kings! We've had bolognaise, stroganoff (my cook group), mac and cheese, pad thai, stirfrys, bangers and mash, shepards pie, Kudu fahjitas, jacket potatoes with beans and cheese (my group again), curry, beef stew and soon to enjoy lasanga! For breakfasts we've had lemon sugar crepes, beans on toast, even eggy bread!!! I have to say I feel spoiled almost because a few of those are on my favourite dishes list back home.
Here is a list of my truck mates:
Carol - tour leader
Nev - driver
Passengers:
Narelle, Jen, Sohette, Rachelle - tent buddy (only to Nairobi), Glynn + Carli (only to Nairobi), Courtney + Nick (only to Nairobi), Cameron, Leah + Sean W., Sean M., Colin, Kate + Sam, Corne, Spike + Kirsty, Felipe, Simeon + Jess, Thorbjorn
Also in light of everything thats happened so far, despite how hard it will be to pick, I've decided to make a few top 3 lists:
Top 3 animal sightings:
1. Mother and baby elephant at the waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia
2. Lion feeding at Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
3. Hippo yawning at Matopaso Park, Zimbabwe (rivaled closely by Kamil, the giraffe at the Cheetah park who stuck her head in our truck)
Top 3 activities:
1. Skydiving, Swakopmund, Namibia
2. Okavanga Delta trip, Botswana
3. Bunji Jump, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
Top 3 dishes:
1. Peanut butter thai satay noodle
2. Jacket potatoes with beans and cheese
3. Bangers and mash with onion gravy (rivaled closely by lemon sugar crepes)
Top 3 nights:
1. Shoestrings after the sunset cruise, Vic Falls, Zimbabwe
2. Swakopmund night after sky diving dance party, Namibia
3. Cheetah feeding, Namibia
Top 3 items:
1. Saks beige cargo pants (so soft and baggy)
2. Serong
3. Hair brush (the truck windows are always open and it creates a wind tunnel!)
Top 3 campsites:
1. Antelope Park, Gweru, Zimbabwe
2. Rest Camp, Vic Falls Zimbabwe
3. Sitatunga Camp site, Botswana
I can't believe we're almost a month in! To sum up so far I am having an incredible time with incredible people!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
FINALLY!! Internet is up and working. For the past 2 cities that had internet it was down. So now I have a lot to write about. Its been 9 days since the tour began and everything has been fantastic, except maybe the weather. It has been cold, not surprising since it is winter, though no where near the winters of Canada so I am coping well, but my tent buddy is from Australia and it has hit her hard!
The Cage Diving was amazing!I have all my limbs intact so I can say it couldn't have been better. We saw Great Whites within 5 minutes of lowering the anchor and they just kept getting bigger and bigger up to 10 feet, and more aggressive with the fake seal. They would swim right up to the cage and stare at you. It was scary. Some even tried to take a chunck out of the cage! We were in the (very cold) water for about 30 minutes on rotation and on the boat for about 4 hours. Up close Great Whites are very intimidating and powerful. We were told not to touch them (obviously!!!) even if they turned away because they can turn the full length of their body in a second. We also saw an island covered in seals. The next day I hiked Table Mountain with a couple on my trip. It was a spectacular view of the coast and the ocean and of the city. It had a great little cafe at the top where we had a latte and took in the view. We left Cape Town the very next day for a long drive down to the most southern tip of Africa, Cape Agulas. It is where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet and it is beautiful. We had lunch there and headed up to Stellenbosch. The truck is called Fanny and is monstrously big. Plenty of room for all my stuff and much more so I'm not holding back on souvenirs. There are no windows, just plastic flaps to tie down when it rains. It has an area on top called the beach, where you can sit and look forward up in the open. The seats are lined along the sides so we all face in. Its a great design as we have passed many other overland trucks that are set up like school buses and aren't really designed for talking to each other and getting about at the back. We have plenty of space to move around in. On the drive With the flaps up the wind was quite harsh so we all huddled into our sleeping bags.
In Stellenbosch we went on a wine tasting tour to 4 different vineyards. It was a great way to spend a rainy day. They all had a red wine called, Pinotage, which is a South African specialty. It is a mix between 2 types of wines, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. My favourites were always the white wines. From Stellenbosch we went to our first Campground in Trawal, called Highlanders, where you had to watch for scorpions under your tent. For the next few days it has been early rises to cross the border into Namibia and for sunrises over Fish River Canyon, the second largest after the Grand Canyon and a sunrise drive into Soussesvlei, where we watched from the top of Dune 45. INCREDIBLE! Up until Namibia it didn't really feel like Africa. The landscape was beautiful but still very green. Besides Table Mountain, Cape Town feels like most major cities. Now that we are in Namibia you really feel like you are entering Africa. The desert landscape, high sand dunes and mountains that turn a deep red in the evening. So far we've only seen Springboks, that look like Antelopes, lizards but we met another Oasis group yesterday that promised us the whole Circle of Life to come. In Soussesvlei we went on an awesome tour of Sousses Park, where we walked up dunes and saw Dead Vlei, where the river bed had dried up and left 900 year old trees. I got a 900 year old splinter. Our guide, Boesman, was so cool. He would run off into the sand and catch a lizard that we didn't even know was there and then open a spiders hole and trick it into coming out. He picked up beetles and droppings and explain how the Bushmen used to live in the area. He was an amazing storyteller and so far definitely a highlight of the trip. We were supposed to bush camp the night before but instead we were able to stay in a camp site nearby which was a bonus!
Next we drove onto Swakopmund, where we have been for the 3 days. We stayed in a hostel again and it has been an adrenaline packed, highly addictive, intensely fun 3 days. We arrived late on the 18th and went to bed. The next day I went skydiving! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Thanks Amy (it was my birthday present from my sister)!! I now want to take the course. The freefall was just undescribable. I will hopefully put up the video soon. Then the next day it was Sandboarding and Quad biking. Sandboarding was like snowboarding except it didn't hurt when you fell which was great because I fell a lot, including a backflip over a jump that was caught on camera. The dunes were huge and it was hot which was a welcome change. Almost the whole group went quad biking so it was a lot of fun to do together and the dunes were the best terrain. It got your heart pumping at 70-80 km/h and the guides had no mercy! The landscape again was just amazing, all you could see was sand dipping low and snakeing around to peaks so high you just prayed you'd get over. I would do all 3 activities again in a second. Each night the group went to the local bar and I can't be more excited and happy (and relieved) about our group. Everyone is cool and everyone is just having a blast.
So now we are off the to the first bush camp for 2 nights! Wish me luck (No bathrooms!)
(Also photos are causing a bit of trouble. I'll try my best at the next stop! Sorry)
The Cage Diving was amazing!I have all my limbs intact so I can say it couldn't have been better. We saw Great Whites within 5 minutes of lowering the anchor and they just kept getting bigger and bigger up to 10 feet, and more aggressive with the fake seal. They would swim right up to the cage and stare at you. It was scary. Some even tried to take a chunck out of the cage! We were in the (very cold) water for about 30 minutes on rotation and on the boat for about 4 hours. Up close Great Whites are very intimidating and powerful. We were told not to touch them (obviously!!!) even if they turned away because they can turn the full length of their body in a second. We also saw an island covered in seals. The next day I hiked Table Mountain with a couple on my trip. It was a spectacular view of the coast and the ocean and of the city. It had a great little cafe at the top where we had a latte and took in the view. We left Cape Town the very next day for a long drive down to the most southern tip of Africa, Cape Agulas. It is where the Atlantic and Indian Ocean meet and it is beautiful. We had lunch there and headed up to Stellenbosch. The truck is called Fanny and is monstrously big. Plenty of room for all my stuff and much more so I'm not holding back on souvenirs. There are no windows, just plastic flaps to tie down when it rains. It has an area on top called the beach, where you can sit and look forward up in the open. The seats are lined along the sides so we all face in. Its a great design as we have passed many other overland trucks that are set up like school buses and aren't really designed for talking to each other and getting about at the back. We have plenty of space to move around in. On the drive With the flaps up the wind was quite harsh so we all huddled into our sleeping bags.
In Stellenbosch we went on a wine tasting tour to 4 different vineyards. It was a great way to spend a rainy day. They all had a red wine called, Pinotage, which is a South African specialty. It is a mix between 2 types of wines, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. My favourites were always the white wines. From Stellenbosch we went to our first Campground in Trawal, called Highlanders, where you had to watch for scorpions under your tent. For the next few days it has been early rises to cross the border into Namibia and for sunrises over Fish River Canyon, the second largest after the Grand Canyon and a sunrise drive into Soussesvlei, where we watched from the top of Dune 45. INCREDIBLE! Up until Namibia it didn't really feel like Africa. The landscape was beautiful but still very green. Besides Table Mountain, Cape Town feels like most major cities. Now that we are in Namibia you really feel like you are entering Africa. The desert landscape, high sand dunes and mountains that turn a deep red in the evening. So far we've only seen Springboks, that look like Antelopes, lizards but we met another Oasis group yesterday that promised us the whole Circle of Life to come. In Soussesvlei we went on an awesome tour of Sousses Park, where we walked up dunes and saw Dead Vlei, where the river bed had dried up and left 900 year old trees. I got a 900 year old splinter. Our guide, Boesman, was so cool. He would run off into the sand and catch a lizard that we didn't even know was there and then open a spiders hole and trick it into coming out. He picked up beetles and droppings and explain how the Bushmen used to live in the area. He was an amazing storyteller and so far definitely a highlight of the trip. We were supposed to bush camp the night before but instead we were able to stay in a camp site nearby which was a bonus!
Next we drove onto Swakopmund, where we have been for the 3 days. We stayed in a hostel again and it has been an adrenaline packed, highly addictive, intensely fun 3 days. We arrived late on the 18th and went to bed. The next day I went skydiving! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Thanks Amy (it was my birthday present from my sister)!! I now want to take the course. The freefall was just undescribable. I will hopefully put up the video soon. Then the next day it was Sandboarding and Quad biking. Sandboarding was like snowboarding except it didn't hurt when you fell which was great because I fell a lot, including a backflip over a jump that was caught on camera. The dunes were huge and it was hot which was a welcome change. Almost the whole group went quad biking so it was a lot of fun to do together and the dunes were the best terrain. It got your heart pumping at 70-80 km/h and the guides had no mercy! The landscape again was just amazing, all you could see was sand dipping low and snakeing around to peaks so high you just prayed you'd get over. I would do all 3 activities again in a second. Each night the group went to the local bar and I can't be more excited and happy (and relieved) about our group. Everyone is cool and everyone is just having a blast.
So now we are off the to the first bush camp for 2 nights! Wish me luck (No bathrooms!)
(Also photos are causing a bit of trouble. I'll try my best at the next stop! Sorry)
Saturday, July 10, 2010
HERE!
Hey Everyone
After 2 days of flying I am here in Cape Town and the atmosphere is amazing. I'm at the Tudor Hotel in Greenmarket Square and it's singing and dancing in the streets, I can hear it from my room! I'm going to take a stroll around but I won't stay out too long as I have booked cage diving with Great Whites tomorrow morning and I have to be up early. Don't ask me why, it's my biggest fear, but I'll have to face sharks sometime, why not the biggest and baddest. Pray I don't lose a limb!
Everyone is soo friendly, already I had my flight neighbor give me her business card for any help while in Cape Town and my receptionist is awesome, he even let me borrow his converter. Things are looking bright!
No photos yet, but from the drive from the airport, I will be taking plenty tomorrow! TableTop mountain is spectacular at night all lit up, so I can't wait to see it during the day.
SO EXCITED!
After 2 days of flying I am here in Cape Town and the atmosphere is amazing. I'm at the Tudor Hotel in Greenmarket Square and it's singing and dancing in the streets, I can hear it from my room! I'm going to take a stroll around but I won't stay out too long as I have booked cage diving with Great Whites tomorrow morning and I have to be up early. Don't ask me why, it's my biggest fear, but I'll have to face sharks sometime, why not the biggest and baddest. Pray I don't lose a limb!
Everyone is soo friendly, already I had my flight neighbor give me her business card for any help while in Cape Town and my receptionist is awesome, he even let me borrow his converter. Things are looking bright!
No photos yet, but from the drive from the airport, I will be taking plenty tomorrow! TableTop mountain is spectacular at night all lit up, so I can't wait to see it during the day.
SO EXCITED!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Leaving on Friday!!
Hello again
After a long hiatus I am back. I promise you won't have to wait months between blogs again, I'm hoping to write a couple of times a week on the trip.
Since I last wrote a lot has happened. I graduated from Ryerson University, won the Ryerson Gold Medal, went to China with my family, visited my sister in England then took a trans-Atlantic cruise on the Norwiegan Epic back home, turned 22 and said goodbye to all my girls at home, who I will miss terribly.
I have also packed and bought all my last minute things...
Here is a list of the clothing that I am bringing:
8 tank tops
1 long sleeved shirt
2 shirts
2 shorts
2 capris
1 pants
1 legging
3 dresses
1 tunic
1 fleece sweater
1 cardigan
2 serong (to double as scarf and towel)
1 anorak
2 sandals
1 pair of flipflops
1 pair of walking/hiking shoe
1 hat
1 pair of sunglasses
1 belt
3 bathing suits
2 bras
10 undies
The rest and majority of my backpack is filled with equipment, toiletries, first aid items and the important random items like a roll of toilet paper, playing cards and a jar of marmite. Plus to make myself feel more like a girl, I threw in 2 insta-dry nail polishes.
Right now I'm in Hilton Head, with my parents and I have just had my favourite meal, my dad's carbonara, so I feel like I'm ready to go. I've said bye to my sister, who I wish could come with me so all that is left is to finish my Stieg Larsson book and say goodbye to my mum and dad.
I've thought about how to write this blog and since it takes a long time uploading photos, i will post my best few shots and then upload all the rest for your viewing pleasure on flickr. The address will be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophie-travels/
so wish me luck!
After a long hiatus I am back. I promise you won't have to wait months between blogs again, I'm hoping to write a couple of times a week on the trip.
Since I last wrote a lot has happened. I graduated from Ryerson University, won the Ryerson Gold Medal, went to China with my family, visited my sister in England then took a trans-Atlantic cruise on the Norwiegan Epic back home, turned 22 and said goodbye to all my girls at home, who I will miss terribly.
I have also packed and bought all my last minute things...
Here is a list of the clothing that I am bringing:
8 tank tops
1 long sleeved shirt
2 shirts
2 shorts
2 capris
1 pants
1 legging
3 dresses
1 tunic
1 fleece sweater
1 cardigan
2 serong (to double as scarf and towel)
1 anorak
2 sandals
1 pair of flipflops
1 pair of walking/hiking shoe
1 hat
1 pair of sunglasses
1 belt
3 bathing suits
2 bras
10 undies
The rest and majority of my backpack is filled with equipment, toiletries, first aid items and the important random items like a roll of toilet paper, playing cards and a jar of marmite. Plus to make myself feel more like a girl, I threw in 2 insta-dry nail polishes.
Right now I'm in Hilton Head, with my parents and I have just had my favourite meal, my dad's carbonara, so I feel like I'm ready to go. I've said bye to my sister, who I wish could come with me so all that is left is to finish my Stieg Larsson book and say goodbye to my mum and dad.
I've thought about how to write this blog and since it takes a long time uploading photos, i will post my best few shots and then upload all the rest for your viewing pleasure on flickr. The address will be:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sophie-travels/
so wish me luck!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Hello, I'm sorry I've been so slow in getting started but this is my first travel blog and so it will be updated whenever possible especially on the trip where internet will be scarce at times. But for now I am still in Canada and the checklists are being checked, the (few) outfits are being chosen and the excitement is mounting...
For my family and friends you know who I am and have heard the long version, but for new readers here is a little about myself...
I am a 21 year old fashion student going on an 8 month trip around Africa and South America. I will graduate from Ryerson University in Toronto in June and when I leave for my grand trip I will be 22. I was born in London, England and I lived in Kingston Upon Thames until I was 9. My family moved to Ottawa, Ontario and is currently where I am living. I have some ideas of what I want to do now that I'm done but I'm hoping this 8 month trip will enlighten me even more. Traveling has been a big part of my life and I caught the bug early!This blog will serve as a diary of my journey, a way of letting my parents sleep, helping me remember what I have done (as many know is difficult for me) and to explore the fashions of the places that I will visit. This is going to be a travel blog with a focus on style, fashion and culture.
Now for the best part! THE ITINERARY!!
I leave for Cape Town, South Africa July 9th to meet up with my tour group with Oasis Overland. We will be driving to Cairo, Egypt in a great adventure truck, while camping along the way. The truck carries up to 25 fellow explorers but the average is around 20 people per truck. Instead of listing off the 12 countries in Africa and the 7 countries in South America, here are maps of the trip itineraries:
All my shots are in and most of the necessities have been bought. I can't wait to start, but there is still a lot to do before I go, including a trip to China in 6 days with my family and a trip to England to stay with my sister on June 14th along with insurance, packing and a passport renewal!
For my family and friends you know who I am and have heard the long version, but for new readers here is a little about myself...
I am a 21 year old fashion student going on an 8 month trip around Africa and South America. I will graduate from Ryerson University in Toronto in June and when I leave for my grand trip I will be 22. I was born in London, England and I lived in Kingston Upon Thames until I was 9. My family moved to Ottawa, Ontario and is currently where I am living. I have some ideas of what I want to do now that I'm done but I'm hoping this 8 month trip will enlighten me even more. Traveling has been a big part of my life and I caught the bug early!This blog will serve as a diary of my journey, a way of letting my parents sleep, helping me remember what I have done (as many know is difficult for me) and to explore the fashions of the places that I will visit. This is going to be a travel blog with a focus on style, fashion and culture.
Now for the best part! THE ITINERARY!!
I leave for Cape Town, South Africa July 9th to meet up with my tour group with Oasis Overland. We will be driving to Cairo, Egypt in a great adventure truck, while camping along the way. The truck carries up to 25 fellow explorers but the average is around 20 people per truck. Instead of listing off the 12 countries in Africa and the 7 countries in South America, here are maps of the trip itineraries:
All my shots are in and most of the necessities have been bought. I can't wait to start, but there is still a lot to do before I go, including a trip to China in 6 days with my family and a trip to England to stay with my sister on June 14th along with insurance, packing and a passport renewal!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Welcome
Hello friends, fam and fellow travellers!
Bear with me as I start my blogging beginnings...so bookmark and check back soon.
Bear with me as I start my blogging beginnings...so bookmark and check back soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)