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!
Monday, October 11, 2010
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!
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