My African trip draws to a close tomorrow with my final drive to Nairobi. Then it's Paris!!!!!!! I am just a tad excited to go back into civilisation and eat some Maccas...am craving a Quarter Pounder for some reason, hmmm.
Africa has been everything I imagined, dusty, dirty an smelly but so much has happened that I didn't expect. Have made many new friends on the truck, 5 of which live in England and have kindly offered us free accommodation...YAY. So that as well as Rhianna (my very distant cousin in Northern England) means a lot of free sleeps in an expensive country. So awesome.
My last three days I have been on safari in the Serengeti and sleeping out in a tiny little tent with the lions, water buffalo, warthogs, elephants...you get the picture. It was nuts but so much fun. We spotted the big five plus many more and I may now be obsessed with zebras instead of cows, I sense a black and white theme.
Anyway, in a few days I will be adding photos and calling people and yeah...can't wait.
The Adventurers
Above: Emma the Scot
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
SEAFOOD...BIT IFFY
After my last post and a lot of cheap seafood as well as fresh fruit and cocktails, have come to the conclusion that my stomach doesn't appreciate changes that dramatic! Since Monday I have had "toilet issues" and haven't felt very well at all. I'm better now though but yeah, not very nice at the time!!
Other than that Zanzibar was aload of fun. My tan is coming along nicely and I even almost went scuba diving...long story.
On Wednesday a group of 8 of us booked in with PADI to complete a try dive on the reef about an hour off the island. Well...so excited about it but still a little ill (as mentioned previously) I took a load of pills to stop my sickness from the sea and from 'the other end.' WELL..it was so rough that day, windy and in an open sided dodgy looking boat, I was a little sceptical. We had to wade out to the boat from the shore which drenched us right up to our necks, then endure the hour and a half cruise out, wind howling, no dry clothes, so cold. When there it wasn't really a shallow reef, just a slightly less deep part of ocean, a bit scary really. The waves were huge and Bex (a cool English girl from my tour) and I were in the second group to go out so we had to wait in the boat for them to finish. I started feeling a little sick and then very sick and with no toilet on board I was kinda scrunched in a ball wanting to spew or poop and not being able to do either due to the drugs. Obviously I didn't dive and just felt horrible for the boat ride back as well as all afternoon. As a further kick in the guts the dive company made me pay US$80 still! I was so annoyed but too ill to argue. Yeah...not nice. So sorry Ben, I did try but I'm afraid I am now put off for life.
On a more positive note I am absolutely fine now and tomorrow I'm off the the Serengeti! Cute lions and cheeters and giraffes here I come! I have to wait until Europe to be able to add photos as the computers here are very slow...but you will see them eventually.
Love you all
Keep posted
Other than that Zanzibar was aload of fun. My tan is coming along nicely and I even almost went scuba diving...long story.
On Wednesday a group of 8 of us booked in with PADI to complete a try dive on the reef about an hour off the island. Well...so excited about it but still a little ill (as mentioned previously) I took a load of pills to stop my sickness from the sea and from 'the other end.' WELL..it was so rough that day, windy and in an open sided dodgy looking boat, I was a little sceptical. We had to wade out to the boat from the shore which drenched us right up to our necks, then endure the hour and a half cruise out, wind howling, no dry clothes, so cold. When there it wasn't really a shallow reef, just a slightly less deep part of ocean, a bit scary really. The waves were huge and Bex (a cool English girl from my tour) and I were in the second group to go out so we had to wait in the boat for them to finish. I started feeling a little sick and then very sick and with no toilet on board I was kinda scrunched in a ball wanting to spew or poop and not being able to do either due to the drugs. Obviously I didn't dive and just felt horrible for the boat ride back as well as all afternoon. As a further kick in the guts the dive company made me pay US$80 still! I was so annoyed but too ill to argue. Yeah...not nice. So sorry Ben, I did try but I'm afraid I am now put off for life.
On a more positive note I am absolutely fine now and tomorrow I'm off the the Serengeti! Cute lions and cheeters and giraffes here I come! I have to wait until Europe to be able to add photos as the computers here are very slow...but you will see them eventually.
Love you all
Keep posted
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
TANZANIA AND ZANZIBAR!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ELISE AND SARAH...no computer so sorry you didn't get a birthday message.
Paradise central everybody...basically the Whitsundays with much cheaper food, drinks and heaps of cheap souvenirs!
I'm on Zanzibar at the moment which is an island off the coast and it is amazing. White sand, crystal water and really nice food. Mum you're going to be so jealous...fish market last night...you stand at a table in front of fresh fish and say ''I want some kingfish, 5 prawns, calamari....blah blah blah'' they cook it in front of you and it costs about a dollar. I went a bit nuts. I now have a craze for banana and chocolate filled pancakes...wow.
My tan is sort of coming along in patches and I got a tattoo today. Well okay it's a henna one but is sweet as, a little flower on my wrist.
Not much time really as we're booked in for tea in about 5 mins at The Big Fish. Literally built on the beach, the waves lap the balcony.
Am missing everyone terribly and really want some hugs and kisses and my own bed. But unno...cheap seafood, funky african music and ''happy times''
Love you all and miss you
Paradise central everybody...basically the Whitsundays with much cheaper food, drinks and heaps of cheap souvenirs!
I'm on Zanzibar at the moment which is an island off the coast and it is amazing. White sand, crystal water and really nice food. Mum you're going to be so jealous...fish market last night...you stand at a table in front of fresh fish and say ''I want some kingfish, 5 prawns, calamari....blah blah blah'' they cook it in front of you and it costs about a dollar. I went a bit nuts. I now have a craze for banana and chocolate filled pancakes...wow.
My tan is sort of coming along in patches and I got a tattoo today. Well okay it's a henna one but is sweet as, a little flower on my wrist.
Not much time really as we're booked in for tea in about 5 mins at The Big Fish. Literally built on the beach, the waves lap the balcony.
Am missing everyone terribly and really want some hugs and kisses and my own bed. But unno...cheap seafood, funky african music and ''happy times''
Love you all and miss you
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
MALAWI...mmmm
Ok so after 3 days of 600 km drives on bumpy, windy, hilly roads with thousands of people with donkeys or on bikes in the way I have finally arrived at somewhere I feel at home. Lake Malawi is where I am at this huge tourist resort on Kande Beach. I feel a lot better today 'cos over the past few I have felt slightly awkward as in groups I can get a little shy..but today I made some good friends.
Lake Malawi is absolutely massive! Where I am looks like a giant bay a bit similar to Queenscliffe, sand, waves it's crazy! The only different thing is that it's fresh water not salty. This morning a group of four of us took two canoes out to a small island about an hour's paddle away. It was great because me and Jodie (one of my new buds) were sitting in the fronts while the boys Tony (an Aussie shearer dude) and Paul (a British schoolie) paddled us out. At the island we snorkled and it was so beautiful under the water there..colourful fish everywhere!! I think I might have mild sunstroke though cos I have a really bad headache and I am burnt all over! Hehe
Also when I get home someone needs to remind me to go to the doctor for a bloodtest for these worms that can get into your blood stream and eat all your insides and grow and grow and grow (gross). If anyone saw All Saints when they caught one in a guy's leg and had to pull it out...yeah thats them...so I have to get a bloodtest to see if I have them and if I do i have to have a tablet. So worth going in the water though!! It is about 35 degrees and the sand is hot so the water is very inviting.
Yesterday was a terrible traveling day. We crossed the border from Zambia into Malawi and had to do the whole visa stamp out and stamp into the next country. Well something happened and the driver didn't get the right stamp to ok the truck...so at the first police check (so many road blocks in Malawi) the police man sent us back to the border to get the right stamp...its crazy. So that added an hour in a hot bus to the 10 hour journey!
Also at one of our many toilet stops on the side of the road (yes i have to pee in the bush and sometimes there are little black children pointing at my white bottom and laughing...not nice) I thought I'd be smart and go behind a large tree rather than a small bush...well I disturbed a group of wasps and one stung me on the underarm-through my clothes! It swelled up straight away and I thought automatically ''I'm going to die alone in the African wilderness!'' So I ran so fast back out of the bushes to the road without even peeing cos I didn't want to die and I showed the Kenyan tour host Sammy. And yeah...he laughed at me and patted me on the back and said I wasn't gonna die. One of my nine lives gone. So for the following 2 hours until the next stop I had my legs crossed busting to go! Another funny thing..this time it was Ash not me (hehe), at the same toilet stop she must have squatted over the wrong type of bush cos when she came out she was itching like crazy and got a big rash on her bum, back and legs. That made me feel better about my wasp sting!
The trip is still going well and it's been almost a week and I'm not homesick yet. Good sign. We have another 2 nights here at Kande and then we drive onto the resort island on Zanzibar which sounds amazing but very expensive...and yep I am running out of money.
BY THE WAY (nick you're gonna be so jealous) US$0.50c Cokes all the way..in glass bottles. So cool.
Anyway...I am running out of money because I am buying a lot of Cokes and the visas are expensive and I am scared to draw out any money from the ATM because...ok another story. Joel (an american guy) withdrew the minimum he could in Zimbabwe to buy a drink. It was the equivilent to US$4.00 aznd with the corrupt government controlling the exchange rate, when he checked his bank balance later it said US$400 down! Thats just scary so I'll try to scrimp in Zanzibar, where we have to pay our own accomodation and food. Wish me luck.
My love to everyone and home and Sarah in Canada.
Keep posted
Lake Malawi is absolutely massive! Where I am looks like a giant bay a bit similar to Queenscliffe, sand, waves it's crazy! The only different thing is that it's fresh water not salty. This morning a group of four of us took two canoes out to a small island about an hour's paddle away. It was great because me and Jodie (one of my new buds) were sitting in the fronts while the boys Tony (an Aussie shearer dude) and Paul (a British schoolie) paddled us out. At the island we snorkled and it was so beautiful under the water there..colourful fish everywhere!! I think I might have mild sunstroke though cos I have a really bad headache and I am burnt all over! Hehe
Also when I get home someone needs to remind me to go to the doctor for a bloodtest for these worms that can get into your blood stream and eat all your insides and grow and grow and grow (gross). If anyone saw All Saints when they caught one in a guy's leg and had to pull it out...yeah thats them...so I have to get a bloodtest to see if I have them and if I do i have to have a tablet. So worth going in the water though!! It is about 35 degrees and the sand is hot so the water is very inviting.
Yesterday was a terrible traveling day. We crossed the border from Zambia into Malawi and had to do the whole visa stamp out and stamp into the next country. Well something happened and the driver didn't get the right stamp to ok the truck...so at the first police check (so many road blocks in Malawi) the police man sent us back to the border to get the right stamp...its crazy. So that added an hour in a hot bus to the 10 hour journey!
Also at one of our many toilet stops on the side of the road (yes i have to pee in the bush and sometimes there are little black children pointing at my white bottom and laughing...not nice) I thought I'd be smart and go behind a large tree rather than a small bush...well I disturbed a group of wasps and one stung me on the underarm-through my clothes! It swelled up straight away and I thought automatically ''I'm going to die alone in the African wilderness!'' So I ran so fast back out of the bushes to the road without even peeing cos I didn't want to die and I showed the Kenyan tour host Sammy. And yeah...he laughed at me and patted me on the back and said I wasn't gonna die. One of my nine lives gone. So for the following 2 hours until the next stop I had my legs crossed busting to go! Another funny thing..this time it was Ash not me (hehe), at the same toilet stop she must have squatted over the wrong type of bush cos when she came out she was itching like crazy and got a big rash on her bum, back and legs. That made me feel better about my wasp sting!
The trip is still going well and it's been almost a week and I'm not homesick yet. Good sign. We have another 2 nights here at Kande and then we drive onto the resort island on Zanzibar which sounds amazing but very expensive...and yep I am running out of money.
BY THE WAY (nick you're gonna be so jealous) US$0.50c Cokes all the way..in glass bottles. So cool.
Anyway...I am running out of money because I am buying a lot of Cokes and the visas are expensive and I am scared to draw out any money from the ATM because...ok another story. Joel (an american guy) withdrew the minimum he could in Zimbabwe to buy a drink. It was the equivilent to US$4.00 aznd with the corrupt government controlling the exchange rate, when he checked his bank balance later it said US$400 down! Thats just scary so I'll try to scrimp in Zanzibar, where we have to pay our own accomodation and food. Wish me luck.
My love to everyone and home and Sarah in Canada.
Keep posted
Saturday, June 9, 2007
AFRICA AFRICA AFRICA
Hey everyone!!!
OMG Africa is totally crazy. It is so different and scary and amazing all at the same time. this is the first time I've been able to find a computer let alone the internet, so I'm sorry for anyone (MUM AND DAD) who may have been pulling their hair out and biting their nails waiting for some news for me.
Right at this very moment I am sitting in the upper level of a thatched roof house above the bar and restaurant at The Water Front Lodge. It is on, literally on the Zambezi River which forms the border from Zambia (the side I'm on) to Zimbabwe and various other countries.
I have so far been at this lodge for one night adjusting to life in a tent (albeit a pre-errected luxury tent with beds, a light and extra blankets and a fluffy pillow) and tonight is the first night of ruffing it in the same tents and mattresses we use for the next 21 nights. So much to tell you that I'm doing but I'm not sure about how much time I can afford to pay for but I'll try my best. Its a bit hard too 'cos the keyboards are a bit different to Aus. I'll start at the best place...the start
Saying goodbye at the airport to my boy Nick was very difficult, I thought I'd already cried out all of my tears the previous night, but I was wrong. So yeah, sad and yeah..miss you baby.
But the next thing I was on the plane and thinking 'my adventure has started' so I got a bit happier and the flight to Sydney was okay. THEN I got really happy when I got on my plane for the 14 hour flight to Johannesburg and read my interactive plane entertainment. Oh my god...ok so a great selection of movies at the cinema now, all genres, like heaps, heaps of them...as well as classic movies and a lot of great TV shows and CDs and just everything on this screen in front of me...so remote in hand I just went nuts.
From then on everything has been smooth sailing, no more tears Nick, I'm having a blast. Hope you're okay
The airport at Jo'burg was an eye opener. Took about an hour to get through customs...so dodgy, a lot different to Australian. And then the second we stepped out into the main part the culture just hit us. Straight away a tall dark dude grabbed our bags and whisked us off to the buses for transfers to hotels. Then he asked for $50 Australian for doing so. We only had US$ plus there was a giant sign at the airport saying to not pay porters in foreign currency as it's a federal offence. So we all crapped ourselves and are like we have none, then he got a bit angry so we crapped ourselves further...Sharon gave him AUS$5 and he seemed disappointed but thankfully left. So in our first five minutes we broke the law! whoops.
The Grand Airport Hotel sure was grand. It was huge, our room luxurious and we stayed for one night. With an early transfer back to the airport we were met by a massive buffet breakfast. Everything you could ever imagine for breakfast plus more was on offer. I stuffed myself silly.
Flight to Livingstone (Zambia) on a tiny plane and ikky food, but it was ok cos my stomach was totally full already. Got off the plane and a completely different scene to South Africa met us. A teeny airport, relaxed customs, easy. Except...at the front of the line Ash and I found out that our application to get our Visas waived 'didn't arrive' (even though Tristan and Sharon applied on same form and did get them waived) so we had to pay : (
Nothing to report on the first night, other than what i said before, luxury tent but it was located near the pool. We were a bit paranoid about all of the mosquitos around so we smothered in Ridd and settled in for an early night...so tired.
Next day (today) you would never believe it but we went and interaction with some giant lions....not only that but we crossed to Zimbabwe (bit scary). We had to get up extremely early, pack our giant bags which didn't work too successfully for me because I am terrible at it. Just finished in time to be picked up for a transfer to the border. At the border we found out that 'cos Ash and I had only a single entry visa we had to pay not only to get into Zimbabwe but also to get back into Zambia. The border was spooky. Lots of people trying to sell stuff, people begging for money (a lady in a Tshirt saying 'help for aids' and the kids hit me hard), lots of giant baboons and heaps of huge semi trailers lined up ready to cross the border and waiting to be custom checked. The semis were taking up almost a whole side of an already skinny and dodgy road so going around corners...very fast might i add, the drivers are usually in a hurry here...not being able to see if there's one coming the other way was very daunting. Shut my eyes...total wuss.
The lions were worth all of it. They were so cute and docile and although I felt a bit sorry for them in the first place, they are part of a breeding program to put them back in the wild, so i figure...good cause. The poachers are nuts here so the animals need all the help they can get. Last night at the rhino walk one rhino was poached and the other maimed so he won't live : ( and they (I think) were the only ones on the whole of Zambia. So anyway...the lions were 18 months old and sooooooo gorgeous. We walked a bit track through the bush with them, patting them, holding their tails and watching them play. I got lotsa cool shots, which I'll add when internet is cheaper.
Tomorrow once again we must get up early to visit the Victoria Falls, which we have already seen from a distance, hear at night time and see the spray at the river. So cool. Can't wait. So the falls in the morning and then our tour officially begins.
There are 23 people on our tour, lotsa Aussies, some British, and an Iceland couple. The Iceland dude is actually a doctor so I feel pretty safe and an Aussie chick is a nurse. The guides seem really cool and funny. They're Kenyan and yeah they're just cool. The truck is cool. Everythings cool.
My neck is beginning to burn sitting here cos it was hot today and I sat by the pool sunbaking....SUNBAKING. Haha you guys in your Ballarat, rainy, crappy, cold winter. HaHaHa. Nah, I hope everything's ok. I want updates in my inbox from you all about what's going on. Want to here everything. If anyone doesn't alreayd have me email its water_baby24@hotmail.com so write away. Also, i know that a few of you might be worried that I could run out of money and be stranded...fear not as I haven't even bought anything to keep yet, only food and drinks and now internet.
I may not be able to be updating this for the tour cos i really don't know how often i can get on but just know i am in very safe hands, eating well, getting a tan and having a ball.
Love you all
MWA
OMG Africa is totally crazy. It is so different and scary and amazing all at the same time. this is the first time I've been able to find a computer let alone the internet, so I'm sorry for anyone (MUM AND DAD) who may have been pulling their hair out and biting their nails waiting for some news for me.
Right at this very moment I am sitting in the upper level of a thatched roof house above the bar and restaurant at The Water Front Lodge. It is on, literally on the Zambezi River which forms the border from Zambia (the side I'm on) to Zimbabwe and various other countries.
I have so far been at this lodge for one night adjusting to life in a tent (albeit a pre-errected luxury tent with beds, a light and extra blankets and a fluffy pillow) and tonight is the first night of ruffing it in the same tents and mattresses we use for the next 21 nights. So much to tell you that I'm doing but I'm not sure about how much time I can afford to pay for but I'll try my best. Its a bit hard too 'cos the keyboards are a bit different to Aus. I'll start at the best place...the start
Saying goodbye at the airport to my boy Nick was very difficult, I thought I'd already cried out all of my tears the previous night, but I was wrong. So yeah, sad and yeah..miss you baby.
But the next thing I was on the plane and thinking 'my adventure has started' so I got a bit happier and the flight to Sydney was okay. THEN I got really happy when I got on my plane for the 14 hour flight to Johannesburg and read my interactive plane entertainment. Oh my god...ok so a great selection of movies at the cinema now, all genres, like heaps, heaps of them...as well as classic movies and a lot of great TV shows and CDs and just everything on this screen in front of me...so remote in hand I just went nuts.
From then on everything has been smooth sailing, no more tears Nick, I'm having a blast. Hope you're okay
The airport at Jo'burg was an eye opener. Took about an hour to get through customs...so dodgy, a lot different to Australian. And then the second we stepped out into the main part the culture just hit us. Straight away a tall dark dude grabbed our bags and whisked us off to the buses for transfers to hotels. Then he asked for $50 Australian for doing so. We only had US$ plus there was a giant sign at the airport saying to not pay porters in foreign currency as it's a federal offence. So we all crapped ourselves and are like we have none, then he got a bit angry so we crapped ourselves further...Sharon gave him AUS$5 and he seemed disappointed but thankfully left. So in our first five minutes we broke the law! whoops.
The Grand Airport Hotel sure was grand. It was huge, our room luxurious and we stayed for one night. With an early transfer back to the airport we were met by a massive buffet breakfast. Everything you could ever imagine for breakfast plus more was on offer. I stuffed myself silly.
Flight to Livingstone (Zambia) on a tiny plane and ikky food, but it was ok cos my stomach was totally full already. Got off the plane and a completely different scene to South Africa met us. A teeny airport, relaxed customs, easy. Except...at the front of the line Ash and I found out that our application to get our Visas waived 'didn't arrive' (even though Tristan and Sharon applied on same form and did get them waived) so we had to pay : (
Nothing to report on the first night, other than what i said before, luxury tent but it was located near the pool. We were a bit paranoid about all of the mosquitos around so we smothered in Ridd and settled in for an early night...so tired.
Next day (today) you would never believe it but we went and interaction with some giant lions....not only that but we crossed to Zimbabwe (bit scary). We had to get up extremely early, pack our giant bags which didn't work too successfully for me because I am terrible at it. Just finished in time to be picked up for a transfer to the border. At the border we found out that 'cos Ash and I had only a single entry visa we had to pay not only to get into Zimbabwe but also to get back into Zambia. The border was spooky. Lots of people trying to sell stuff, people begging for money (a lady in a Tshirt saying 'help for aids' and the kids hit me hard), lots of giant baboons and heaps of huge semi trailers lined up ready to cross the border and waiting to be custom checked. The semis were taking up almost a whole side of an already skinny and dodgy road so going around corners...very fast might i add, the drivers are usually in a hurry here...not being able to see if there's one coming the other way was very daunting. Shut my eyes...total wuss.
The lions were worth all of it. They were so cute and docile and although I felt a bit sorry for them in the first place, they are part of a breeding program to put them back in the wild, so i figure...good cause. The poachers are nuts here so the animals need all the help they can get. Last night at the rhino walk one rhino was poached and the other maimed so he won't live : ( and they (I think) were the only ones on the whole of Zambia. So anyway...the lions were 18 months old and sooooooo gorgeous. We walked a bit track through the bush with them, patting them, holding their tails and watching them play. I got lotsa cool shots, which I'll add when internet is cheaper.
Tomorrow once again we must get up early to visit the Victoria Falls, which we have already seen from a distance, hear at night time and see the spray at the river. So cool. Can't wait. So the falls in the morning and then our tour officially begins.
There are 23 people on our tour, lotsa Aussies, some British, and an Iceland couple. The Iceland dude is actually a doctor so I feel pretty safe and an Aussie chick is a nurse. The guides seem really cool and funny. They're Kenyan and yeah they're just cool. The truck is cool. Everythings cool.
My neck is beginning to burn sitting here cos it was hot today and I sat by the pool sunbaking....SUNBAKING. Haha you guys in your Ballarat, rainy, crappy, cold winter. HaHaHa. Nah, I hope everything's ok. I want updates in my inbox from you all about what's going on. Want to here everything. If anyone doesn't alreayd have me email its water_baby24@hotmail.com so write away. Also, i know that a few of you might be worried that I could run out of money and be stranded...fear not as I haven't even bought anything to keep yet, only food and drinks and now internet.
I may not be able to be updating this for the tour cos i really don't know how often i can get on but just know i am in very safe hands, eating well, getting a tan and having a ball.
Love you all
MWA
Monday, June 4, 2007
Some Photos
Here's the photos you wanted Elise.
Just click on one and you're linked to a page where it comes out as full size and then you can save it from there. I had to do it this way because sending through hotmail takes ages and ages.
Hope these are the ones you wanted..
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Saying Goodbye
Last night all the girls went out for tea at our favourite local restaurant Sebastians (we're there a lot). Tea was yummy but saying goodbye was a little sad.
Afterwards, we met up with the boys and went out on the town. I piked way too early and had to go home to bed. : (
Can't wait to hop on that plane on Wednesday morning!!
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