Malwai to Zanzibar, Tanzania

Once again a recap is necessary to cover the last 2 weeks of my overland tour. After Kande beach we head north to Chitimba, and camped again along the beach of Lake Malawi. Rather than dance with locals on this stop, I decided to take on the 30 kilometer "walk" to the town of Livingstonia at the top of the mountain. While the walk up was an invigorating challenge, the walk down was a brutal descent as our weary legs sluggisly carried on. In the end... we made it, and head straight to the bar with a rewarding and refreshing beer! The next day we passed into Tanzania, a lush green mountainous country covered in tea plants and banana trees. We arrived in Dar Es Salaam for our first night and camped on the beach of the Indian Ocean. On Thursday we took the ferry to the island of Zanzibar and explored the narrow cobblestone streets and were pursuaded into each little shop along the way by eager vendors. Apparently Zanzibar has been without electricity for over 3 months, so any existing power was being drawn from various generators. In many of the shops we entered it was very dark and we examine the merchandise with the use of a flashlight or lantern! Later in the afternoon Julie and I went on a spice tour to a local spice farm and saw how the plants of the various spices grow and how they are harvested. Some of the spices we enjoyed were: nutmeg (comes from a nut and is a crimson red on the inside), cinnamon (comes from bark), vanilla (grows as a bean), almonds, and ginger. There were so many, I can't remember them all. We also tasted some delicious tea and savory fruits (fresh pineapple, mango, passionfruit and lichi) In the evening we tried some local Zanzibarian pizza and fish kabobs from a local open air market in a park... the food was delicious, but the aftermath was not! Hours later I was definitely feeling ill for the duration of my stay in paradise I had to remain in close proximity to a restroom... gross. But that did not stop me from enjoying my time on the pristine northern beaches of the island! We stayed at sunset bungalows near Kendwa and enjoyed snorkeling in the clear blue water, beach volleyball with the locals and simply chilling on the beach. After a couple days of being a complete beach bum, we head back to Dar Es Salaam for my last night with out tour group. The following morning I flew out of Tanzania and back to Cape Town.

Botswana to Malawi

With so many activities packed into the holiday season it has been a great challenge to keep my blog updated. So right now, I will attempt to condense the last 3 weeks into a brief (for your sake) summary.

After Swakopmund, Namibia we drove northeast to Botswana. We camped near Maun, the last city before one enter's the Okavango Delta, the world's largest inland delta . In order to enter the Delta our tour group rode in the back of an open truck for 3 hours to reach the "poling station". At the poling station we met our respective polers, the people who would navigate us with the use of a pole, rather than a paddle, in a dug out woodent canoe, also known as a mokoro. Since the water of the delta is so shallow, they use poles to project they mokoros through the tall swamp grass and water lilies. As Waco poled Lise to our campsite we were able to catch the eye of a hippo in the water only 20 feet away from us! (Mind you, hippos are known to cause the human fatalities in Africa). While camping the delta we were able to swim, go on various bush walks, try our hand at poling mokoros, and making bracelets from the grasses of the delta. During the bush walks we babboons, wildebeest, zebra, elephants, giraffes, and buffalo (which are also rather dangerous animals). On our last night our polers enteratained with local song and dance. Words cannot do the delta justice, and I will post some pics as soon as I have the technology to do so. Unfortunately, during my stay in the delta, my "WATERPROOF" camera, sustained water damage!!!! While I normally would be distraught by this event, I have learnd to let simply accept it and carry on. As most people in Africa like to say : NO WORRIES, HAKUNA MATATA, or TIA: THIS IS AFRICA. With this in mind, its easy to remain calm and enjoy every moment I have here. Since the camera break down, my friend Robert has allowed me to borrow his extra nikon camera so I am still able to capture the moments fo the remainder of my trip, although it is more difficult to upload pics for you!

After the Delta, we migrated to Chobe National Park where we saw impala, vutlures, lions, buffalo, pukus, waterbuck, colorful birds, and countless baboons and elephants (chobe is overpopulated with elephants).

We spent Chrismtas day in Zimbabwe, at the mighty Victoria Falls. For dinner I went to the Boma restaurant where we were dressed in traditional African prints, had our faces painted, joined in the drum and dance circle. We also tasted various game meats such as: eland, ostrich, baby crocodile, warthog, and impala. I recieved a certificate for successfully consuming a mopani worm for dessert! Also, I paid a visit to the Shaman who informed me I will have 5 grandchildren. Victoria Falls is simply majestic, as it spans 1 kilometer wide, my favorite view was from "Rainbow Falls". On the 27th I went on a rafting trip that started at the base of the falls and conintued through 21 rapids. On rapid "4, Morning Glory, I was quickly ejected from the raft and frighteningly pinned underneath the raft as I tried to hold onto the raft with my right arm, while my left simultaneously held onto the paddle. After what felt like eternity holding my breath under the raft, I let go and soon resurfaced to be grabbed by our guide and pulled back onboard. Did I mention that this was a class 5 rapid? I survived the Zambezi in the end and it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!

After vic falls we took a quick cruise through Zambia to get to Malawi for New Year's. We spent New Year's eve at Kande Beach on Lake Malawi. Lake Malwai is Africa's 3rd largest lake and appears more like an ocean than a lake! On January first my friend Julie and I went on a village walk through Bamba and had a chance to join in a dance competition between 3 villages. Julie danced with the locals while I snapped hundreds of phots of children who were begging to have their picture taken. They are such sweet children so eager to meet you and share their delighful smiles. There was one girl in particular who would not leave my side and fell asleep in my lap while we watched the talented dancers. Right then I almost stuffed her in my purse and took her back to camp.... but my voice of reasoning kicked in and I left her there (*tear*). We also saw the local school and met the headmaster before heading to a local pub to try Chimbuku, the locally brewed beer. This beer was unlike any I have tried before since it has a pulp-like texture and is served at room temperture. We finished off our village walk with fresh mangoes (they're everywhere around here!). Tonight we will have a pig roast at our campsite to celebrate our last night at Kande Beach. How's that for a "summary??" lol

This is my Africa Travel Company group photo from Chrismas

Cape Town to Namibia

After completing my 2 week surfing course in Jeffrey's Bay it was time to get off the island (vibe). While in J bay I had met Radi, a biomedical engineer student studying at the University of Cape Town and ran into her again at another backpacker's lodge in Knysna, only an hour east of J bay. So I hitched a ride with her and her friend Meel to Cape Town. Together, we hiked to the top of Table Mountain for a aerial view of the city. On December 3rd I migrated from Radi's place to Ashanti backpackers lodge, which was much closer to long street where all the action of bars, clubs and shopping is. Since the 2010 Fifa world cup will be held in South Africa this year, the draw to determine the groups, pots, matches ... well, to be quite honest, I don't know how it all works out but they held the draw in Cape Town and held a huge party to celebrate. The city completely barricaded off several blocks of long street for the festivities and exciteable soccer fans. During the day I ventured out on my own tourist excursion and joined the red Cape Town Siteseeing hop-on-hop off bus which traveled through the heart of the city, to table mountain and then to pristine beaches of Camps Bay and Clifton Beach. After a couple hours of soaking up the sun at Camps Bay I hopped back on the bus for a cruise along the coastline back to the waterfront. I was running late to the huge party on long street and by the time I arrived, they had reached maximum capacity and were no longer allowing anyone in. However, my clever friend Jen jumped the barrricade and somehow managed to find us "media" passes which granted us access to a private party with a spacious view of the stage and complimentary drinks and food. Later that night when we joined the masses on long street, someone swooped my camera from my front pocket!!! While it was disappointing to have a 2nd camera stolen this year (the first was stolen in Jamaica), I was fortunate that I had just changed my memory card earlier that day and only lost one day's worth of pictures. On Saturday I filed a police report and bought a repalcement camera.
On Sunday I hopped aboard an Africa Travel Company truck with 20 strangers was off on my next adventure. The overland tour I selected travels from Cape Town to Zanzibar, Tanzania and we are scheduled to arrive on January 10th. I may, however, extend this tour and go to Nairobi, but have not made a decision yet. We are split up into 3 different groups and rotate our various duties such as washing dishes, food preparation, and cleaning the truck each day. I have been sharing a tent with Lise, an adorable Norwegian girl who is studying at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Our first night camping we enjoyed wine tasting. Usually during the day I sleep on the truck, although the further north we travel, the roads become much more rugged and it is much more difficult to get some rest. Each day presents new scenery and activities, some are definitely more noteworthy. This week: I went on a leisurely canoe ride down the Orange River, watched the sun set at Fish River Canyon, the 2nd largest Canyon in the world. Celebrated my birthday, December 10th in Sossulvei, Namibia by climbing Dune 45. On December 11th, to extend the birthday celebration a little longer I skydived in Swakopmund, Namibia!!! It was easily the most adventurous acitivity I have ever attempted and absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! Later that night my fellow overlanders joined me for a birthday dinner and dancing at a local club. It feels great to be 27!

Mozambique!

From top to bottom: all aboard our sailboat back to the mainland of Tofo from the Island of Inhamabane, last night out in Tofo with (left to right) Britton, Liana, Katie, Chrissy, Robin aka "Mom" and Charlotte, a perfect sunrise, chillin on the beach, and a tour to the Island of Inhamabane, posing with Wawa, Manny and some of the local children

Living the dream in Jeffrey's Bay

I arrived in J-bay, South Africa on Monday and have been attempting to surf the last three days. I was scheduled to begin lessons on tuesday, but due to the excessive onshore winds lessons were postponed til wednesday. Ruben, from Holland has been my instructor for the first few sessions where I have been working on my body placement and technique in standing up.Yes, I have been able to get to my feet! We start lessons at 10 am- noon each day, and i am usually exhausted at the end. I plan practicing twice on Saturday when the wind should be offshore with much more favorable wave conditions. I am staying at the Island Vibe backpackers lodge, the ultimate place to chill with fellow backpackers and surfing school staff. I have a top bunk in a room that sleeps 10 total, so I constantly have new roommates. So for the most part I'm just relaxing and enjoying myself, surfing, shopping, eating, drinking and making countless new friends!!!

sweat, blood, and tigers!

I am now currently at Kwantu Private Game Reserve in South Africa (check out their website!). My computer/internet access is even more limited then when i was at my previous placement, so I'm a little behind of my updates. First of all, my trip to Mozambique was amazing, i swam alongside a whale shark for 20 mintues straight! Now, here at Kwantu I am voluteering with about 15 others, most from the UK. We help with weeding, fixing and clearing fences surrounding the game reserve, go on weekly game counts and drives and interact with 2 four month old bengal tiger cubs, Tika and Masala. More pics to come when i can get back on this silly computer! The pics posted: wrestling with a bengal tiger cub, playing net ball with the girls from Grahmstown combined school near kwantu game reserve, viewing a lion feeding, and Mustafa the largest male lion in the predator camp at Kwantu

Adventures in Swaziland..

Hm.... I can't remember what I wrote last time so I'll do my best not to repeat myself. I think my last post talked about Kruger National Park, which was absolutely amazing... I could honestly spend another week there scoping out the wildlife if I had the time. Since then, my fellow volunteers and I have started our various projects. My volunteer projects involve 1) Building a new child care center for orphans who cannot afford to go to school. Many of these children do not have parents and they have lost them to HIV/AIDS. At the building site I have experienced manual labor like never before using wheelbarrels to haul dirt and cement to make bricks in a brick machine where we have to pump a lever up and down to compress the dirt and cement to form a brick, then remove it from the machine, place it on the ground and wait a couple days for it to dry to use it on the bulding. The first day I started the building had no walls, today the building's walls are about 4 feet high! In addition to the care center which is really like a daycare/school, we are also constructing an open-air soup kitchen to feed those in the community who are in need. Also, there is a wooden store room which is nearly completed. And last, but definitely not least, the there are 3 separate rooms for the toilets for girls, boys and teachers. There is a public shool only 50 feet away from our building site for young children and their parent's pay for their schooling. However, the children use their playground as rest room because someone tore them down. It's unsettling to look over and see the children urinating where they play, but that's just how it is Most people here in Swaziland live much different lives than we are used to in the states. They have chickens and goats running freely, wash their clothes my hand, carry heavy items on their heads, and speak a language that i can barely understand. And I love it. It has opened my eyes a great deal and allows me to appreciate everything I have back at home... (and realize I have way too much "stuff"). One of the women who works for our volunteer organization was so kind as to invite the voluneers over to her one room home and make us traditional Swazi food. We packed her home with all ten bodies and had a great time listening to music and dancing!
A little bit about Swaziland: The Kingdom of Swaziland is run by the king and is a patriarchal society where the men rule the roost. Men are able to take many wives, but have to pay a dowry to their fiancee's family. They pay this dowry in cows. So frequently Swazi men will ask you to marry them, and we give them response "how many cows will you give me?" apparently 25 is a good number, but I ususually tell them my parents are asking for more. I have to get off the computer now so I have to cut this short. I will be going to Mozambique Oct 26-31 to snorkel in the indian ocean with whales sharks, I will try to get some pics to share!!!!