You can only travel for so long; eventually you're just unemployed in a foreign country. Going to Rwanda Genocide Tribunal hearings the previous week, and seeing all those lawyers, reminded me that I'm supposed to be a lawyer myself in a few weeks. So I've been sending out emails and trying to figure something out. To that end, I'd arranged a phone interview with DC, and now had to figure out how to make a phone call.
Since today makes for a boring blog entry, I'm going to make a list of the things I miss most: burritos, chocolate chip cookies, moving anonymously through a crowd, Anchor Steam, Sam Adams Oktoberfest, burritos, decent coffee, football, salad, and burritos.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Basecamp at dawn
Woke up with the sunrise, and hiked out to the main road to get a view of Kili. Beautiful, and massive. Although it looked shorter than I expected- mostly because I was high up, and my view was blocked by another ridgeline- I got a sense of just how massive the volcanic cone is. That part is, from below, visible as the flat top of Kilimanjaro's peak. The weather was perfectly clear, and the mountain was beautifully snowcapped. I just stared at the thing while passing Tanzanian schoolchildren probably thought I was crazy.
Then pack everything, and hit the bus back to Moshi.
Then pack everything, and hit the bus back to Moshi.
Friday, October 28, 2011
63: Basecamp
Wake up, pack everything, hit the bus to Kili basecamp. Alright, this isn't Everest and there isn't really a basecamp, but there are small villages in the foothills, near the park gates through which climbers pass. I show up, and Kili is once again covered in clouds. Turns out my hostel isn't in the main village at all, but a few kilometers uphill. I got to have my own mini-climb, hoofing it up- at about 6,000 feet- the 45 minute walk. With a backpack. Nearly died.
The village, Marangu, is pretty and green, but empty. I was the only person in the hotel. It was hard to find food and water, and I went to bed around 8, when the power went out.
The village, Marangu, is pretty and green, but empty. I was the only person in the hotel. It was hard to find food and water, and I went to bed around 8, when the power went out.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Moshi
Wake up, and a bomb has gone off in Kenya. Conflict on the Somalian border has spread to Nairobi. So, I had to call off the half-marathon in response to international terrorism.
It happens.
When I passed through Moshi last time, the fog was so heavy I couldn't see Kilimanjaro. So I hop on the bus back, to get a better look at it. Still cloudy when I arrived, but the skies cleared up around sunset.
Kilimanjaro is amazing.
It happens.
When I passed through Moshi last time, the fog was so heavy I couldn't see Kilimanjaro. So I hop on the bus back, to get a better look at it. Still cloudy when I arrived, but the skies cleared up around sunset.
Kilimanjaro is amazing.
61: Running and Rugby
Wake up and run. Training for a half marathon, and at this point I have a week left. I'm in no way in good enough shape to run a half, but can't miss an opportunity to run a half marathon in Kenya.
Then off to the local expat sports bar, to watch the Rugby World Cup with a bunch of drunken lion-hunting South African expats. New Zealand beat France. What the hell is France doing playing Rugby, anyway?
One great thing about Arusha is the western food. We took advantage by ordering some pizza. Hard to put into words just how happy a mushroom pizza can make you.
Then off to the local expat sports bar, to watch the Rugby World Cup with a bunch of drunken lion-hunting South African expats. New Zealand beat France. What the hell is France doing playing Rugby, anyway?
One great thing about Arusha is the western food. We took advantage by ordering some pizza. Hard to put into words just how happy a mushroom pizza can make you.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
60: coffee plantation
We take a local minibus, a "dalla-dalla" to a little village east of Arusha, then cab it up a few kilometers to an even smaller village, where we meet the tourguide. He shows us the local school and church, then takes us into the coffee plantation. Much better than elephants or any of that crap.
The tour took us through the farm where the coffee is actually grown, then into the factory -a small room with a roaster- where they roast and package the beans. Obviously I bought some souvenirs. I wanted the lady to grind one bag of coffee, so I'd have something to drink. She couldn't though, because this is Tanzania and the power was out
The tour took us through the farm where the coffee is actually grown, then into the factory -a small room with a roaster- where they roast and package the beans. Obviously I bought some souvenirs. I wanted the lady to grind one bag of coffee, so I'd have something to drink. She couldn't though, because this is Tanzania and the power was out
A week in Arusha
I fell into the expat crowd, at least the intern expat crowd Hard to walk aroud Arusha now without running into people I know- it's that kind of place. More battling with the bank, a really boring documentary showing at the Alliance Francais (this is what happens when you try to be cultural).
On Thursday I went with Shannon to the ICTR to hear closing arguments in the trial of a Rwandan official accused of participating in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Although we didn't know it at the time, an acquitted genocidaire was in the viewers gallery with us.
At one point I made Mexican food, to try and get a taste of home. It was close enough, and Tanznian avocados make for good guac.
On Thursday I went with Shannon to the ICTR to hear closing arguments in the trial of a Rwandan official accused of participating in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Although we didn't know it at the time, an acquitted genocidaire was in the viewers gallery with us.
At one point I made Mexican food, to try and get a taste of home. It was close enough, and Tanznian avocados make for good guac.
Monday, October 24, 2011
55: Settling into Arusha
Went to Shannon's gym for a 10 mile run. I failed, hopping off the treadmill at 14 kilometers- which Google Conversions tells me is less than 10 miles. Otherwise, settling in, finding a cafe and a bookstore, and making friends. I am still sore from that run, and it's been a week.
Lake Manyara National Park
The day after Nogorongoro we pile into a borrowed car and head to another national park, Lake Manyara. This safari will be unique in that we're driving ourselves, without the benefit (or trouble, or expense) of any guides.
This park is as beautiful as Ngorongoro, with a banded color palette up and down the landscape. Much of it looks like proper jungle, and the lake at a distance is home to some 3 million flamingos. The flamingos left a long pink stripe across the lake's horizon.
Manyara has a lot of elephants, and these elephants are very skittish around humans. We stopped about 25 meters in front of one, until it began to flap its ears. When an elephant flaps its ears at you, time to go. We got the hell out of there. Picture the scene in Jurassic Park where the T-Rex chases the jeep; it was basically like that. And remember, in Jurassic Park the lawyer died first. Need to be careful out here.
There had been some rains lately, leaving mud and a few puddles on the park's unpaved roads. Seepan, the driver, hit one puddle in a misplaced wave of confidence. The car became stuck, very stuck. We were in serious trouble. The water came up so high on my side that I couldn't open the door without flooding the interior. The back tires had no traction, and 4-wheel drive wouldn't engage. The engine was- at best- only a few inches from the water. Walking back to the ranger station was impossible- elephants, baboons, and leopards prevented trying- and no one got cell reception. We got out of the car, wondering how we might try to push the car. A safari 4x4 comes along, and agrees to try and help us out. We attach a tow cable to both cars, and the 4x4 guns it. Nothing. He tries again, nothing. Finally, he resolves to get closer to our car, meaning he'll be in the muddy and potentially tractionless mess just aside the large puddle in which we were stuck. We all climb into the 4x4, to make it heavy as possible. The driver guns it. Nothing. We're thinking we'll total the car, destroying either the frame or the engine. The rangers would charge an enormous fee to get us out.
The driver of the 4x4 guns it again. Nothing.
He tries again, and our car moves. It slides a bit and then pops right out, dragged by the safari 4x4 into safety. We went down a few notches from "disaster" back to "adventure."
This park is as beautiful as Ngorongoro, with a banded color palette up and down the landscape. Much of it looks like proper jungle, and the lake at a distance is home to some 3 million flamingos. The flamingos left a long pink stripe across the lake's horizon.
Manyara has a lot of elephants, and these elephants are very skittish around humans. We stopped about 25 meters in front of one, until it began to flap its ears. When an elephant flaps its ears at you, time to go. We got the hell out of there. Picture the scene in Jurassic Park where the T-Rex chases the jeep; it was basically like that. And remember, in Jurassic Park the lawyer died first. Need to be careful out here.
There had been some rains lately, leaving mud and a few puddles on the park's unpaved roads. Seepan, the driver, hit one puddle in a misplaced wave of confidence. The car became stuck, very stuck. We were in serious trouble. The water came up so high on my side that I couldn't open the door without flooding the interior. The back tires had no traction, and 4-wheel drive wouldn't engage. The engine was- at best- only a few inches from the water. Walking back to the ranger station was impossible- elephants, baboons, and leopards prevented trying- and no one got cell reception. We got out of the car, wondering how we might try to push the car. A safari 4x4 comes along, and agrees to try and help us out. We attach a tow cable to both cars, and the 4x4 guns it. Nothing. He tries again, nothing. Finally, he resolves to get closer to our car, meaning he'll be in the muddy and potentially tractionless mess just aside the large puddle in which we were stuck. We all climb into the 4x4, to make it heavy as possible. The driver guns it. Nothing. We're thinking we'll total the car, destroying either the frame or the engine. The rangers would charge an enormous fee to get us out.
The driver of the 4x4 guns it again. Nothing.
He tries again, and our car moves. It slides a bit and then pops right out, dragged by the safari 4x4 into safety. We went down a few notches from "disaster" back to "adventure."
Friday, October 21, 2011
53: Safari in Ngorongoro Crater
On Saturday I went with Shannon and a bunch of UN kids to the Ngorongoro Crater, a wildlife-filled volcanic crater in a conservation area contiguous with the Serengetti. Descend deep into the crater, 600 meters down, down the road's switchbacks. You can see the ring of mountains all the way around the entire crater. The animals can and do leave, but it's immediately apparent why they'd choose not too. Steep ravine on one side, flat land on the other.
We saw lions with a fresh buffalo kill, so exhausted from the hunt they couldn't eat. They sat and panted, waiting to catch their breath and have dinner. Elephants, hippos, giraffes, all that. Beautiful landscapes, with bands of green, brown, and white in the distance, framed by blue and green mountains for a full 360 degrees. The layered color palette on my photos is like nothing I've ever seen.
After lunch, the guide tried to cheat us by leaving the park early. But we've been in Africa too long for that crap, and after a heated back and forth he brought us back into the crater. Such a beautiful, unique place, though, that not even Tanzania's worst safari guide could hope to ruin it.
We saw lions with a fresh buffalo kill, so exhausted from the hunt they couldn't eat. They sat and panted, waiting to catch their breath and have dinner. Elephants, hippos, giraffes, all that. Beautiful landscapes, with bands of green, brown, and white in the distance, framed by blue and green mountains for a full 360 degrees. The layered color palette on my photos is like nothing I've ever seen.
After lunch, the guide tried to cheat us by leaving the park early. But we've been in Africa too long for that crap, and after a heated back and forth he brought us back into the crater. Such a beautiful, unique place, though, that not even Tanzania's worst safari guide could hope to ruin it.
52: Friday in Arusha
Wake up, pack nothing. Nice to ust stay the hell put sometimes.
I go on a walking tour set up by Shannon's roommate. I didn't really intend to, but they were headed into town, and I had errands to run. Then I was on a walking tour and before I knew what was happening I was somewhere where I didn't know where I was. That sentence is a metaphor for my general confusion. No food, no coffee, not even any water, and Shannon's roommate doesn't like sarcastic people. You can imagine how this went.
But I got to see Arusha and it's markets. Arusha is a pretty little town, lush and green in contrast to the savannahs and woodlands covering much of Tanzania. Purple and cloud-shrowded Mt. Meru, one of the highest peaks in Africa, frames the northern landscape.
That night the tropical rains came in, so heavy you could barely see.
I go on a walking tour set up by Shannon's roommate. I didn't really intend to, but they were headed into town, and I had errands to run. Then I was on a walking tour and before I knew what was happening I was somewhere where I didn't know where I was. That sentence is a metaphor for my general confusion. No food, no coffee, not even any water, and Shannon's roommate doesn't like sarcastic people. You can imagine how this went.
But I got to see Arusha and it's markets. Arusha is a pretty little town, lush and green in contrast to the savannahs and woodlands covering much of Tanzania. Purple and cloud-shrowded Mt. Meru, one of the highest peaks in Africa, frames the northern landscape.
That night the tropical rains came in, so heavy you could barely see.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Arusha pt 2
Arusha is a little slice of the West, it seems. I meet Shannon at a western style cafe she calls "the Tanners of East Africa," where you can buy things like actual coffee. One of the world's largest coffee production regions and I can't tell you how hard it is to find actual- not instant- coffee.
Meet up with Seepan, another recent USC grad, and we head to the movie theater on a UN shuttle to watch Captain America. Stopped briefly for Mexican food. It's like we're home!
Except the power went out three times during the movie, and the theater wouldn't show the scene after the credits. Some sort of cultural misunderstanding prevented us from convincing them to show us the last scene. So it all seemed very western until the continuous power outages reminded us that yes, in fact, we are still in Africa.
Meet up with Seepan, another recent USC grad, and we head to the movie theater on a UN shuttle to watch Captain America. Stopped briefly for Mexican food. It's like we're home!
Except the power went out three times during the movie, and the theater wouldn't show the scene after the credits. Some sort of cultural misunderstanding prevented us from convincing them to show us the last scene. So it all seemed very western until the continuous power outages reminded us that yes, in fact, we are still in Africa.
51: Arusha
Wake up, pack everything. Fortunately, my next stop is only an hour away, so I'm in no rush. I can actually walk around Moshi. I bought a belt for three dollars. Then hopped on a bus and went one city over, Arusha, tourist capital of Tanzania. Being an hour away, it took 3 hours to get there.
Moshi and Arusha are the big towns on Tanzania's northern circuit. The northern circuit is a geographically diverse, wildlife-rich destination. You can find alkaline lakes, mountains, escarpments (essentially sheer cliffs that mark dramatic changes in elevation from one side to the next, rippling across the Rift Valley landscape all over the region) savannah, mountains. The northern circuit has Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorogoro Crater, Mt. Meru, Arusha National Park, the Usambra Mountains, volcanic craters, coffee plantations, and, most famously, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti.
Arusha is also home to the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, overseeing prosecutions of perpetrators of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Shannon and another law school friend are working here as interns, and so I'm staying here- for free- probably until Shannon kicks me out.
Moshi and Arusha are the big towns on Tanzania's northern circuit. The northern circuit is a geographically diverse, wildlife-rich destination. You can find alkaline lakes, mountains, escarpments (essentially sheer cliffs that mark dramatic changes in elevation from one side to the next, rippling across the Rift Valley landscape all over the region) savannah, mountains. The northern circuit has Lake Manyara National Park, the Ngorogoro Crater, Mt. Meru, Arusha National Park, the Usambra Mountains, volcanic craters, coffee plantations, and, most famously, Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti.
Arusha is also home to the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, overseeing prosecutions of perpetrators of the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Shannon and another law school friend are working here as interns, and so I'm staying here- for free- probably until Shannon kicks me out.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Day 50: Moshi
For those of you keeping track, I haven't been to a new place in a week or two. Since Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, I'd just done a return trip north back through Vic Falls town, Livingstone, Lusaka, Kapiri Mposhi (Africa's armpit), the train, and then onto Dar. Sure, there was some new scenery from the train, including a animal-free jaunt through the Selous National Park, but I was ready for something new.
So here it goes: wake up, pack everything, ride the bus. The bus is supposed to take 6 hours and cost 25,000 shillings, but it took 10 hours and cost 50,000 shillings. I won't translate that into dollars out of sheer embarrassment for how badly we were ripped off. When the guy at the bus stand tried to charge another 20,000 shillings as a "baggage fee," a well-known scam, I let loose a pretty long string of expletives. At this point I've been in Africa for nearly two months, and bus-ticket-overcharge notwithstanding, I wasn't going to fall for a baggage fee scam.
So me and a friend from the train hop on the bus to Moshi, on Tanzania's famous northern circuit. We pass through green mountain chains and- although it was too cloudy to see- Mt. Kilimanjaro. Once in Moshi, my travel buddy had some friends who ran a cafe/travel agency downtown. We had dinner and then they found us a cheap hotel.
Today didn't turn out to be much of an adventure, but at least I was once again seeing new places.
So here it goes: wake up, pack everything, ride the bus. The bus is supposed to take 6 hours and cost 25,000 shillings, but it took 10 hours and cost 50,000 shillings. I won't translate that into dollars out of sheer embarrassment for how badly we were ripped off. When the guy at the bus stand tried to charge another 20,000 shillings as a "baggage fee," a well-known scam, I let loose a pretty long string of expletives. At this point I've been in Africa for nearly two months, and bus-ticket-overcharge notwithstanding, I wasn't going to fall for a baggage fee scam.
So me and a friend from the train hop on the bus to Moshi, on Tanzania's famous northern circuit. We pass through green mountain chains and- although it was too cloudy to see- Mt. Kilimanjaro. Once in Moshi, my travel buddy had some friends who ran a cafe/travel agency downtown. We had dinner and then they found us a cheap hotel.
Today didn't turn out to be much of an adventure, but at least I was once again seeing new places.
Back in Dar
so the first part of day 49 technically began when the train got in at 1:00am. But that's been covered.
Now I wake up in Dar, a hot, muggy, maze-like city right along the Indian Ocean coast. It was a rainy, overcast day, and the general plan was to get the hell out as soon as possible. We hit up the internet cafe, assuming our loved ones had already reported us missing to the State Dep't, but it seems everyone is getting used to the idea of me going missing for 4 days in Africa.
Two friends from the train had treated themselves to a high end hotel, where we soaked up the un-train-like comforts and caught up on the weekend's World Cup Rugby quarterfinals.
Although I didn't really want to be in Dar, I couldn't have been bothered to pack up and catch a bus at gunpoint. The train was exhausting, so today was just a day to sit back, stay out of the rain, and relax.
Now I wake up in Dar, a hot, muggy, maze-like city right along the Indian Ocean coast. It was a rainy, overcast day, and the general plan was to get the hell out as soon as possible. We hit up the internet cafe, assuming our loved ones had already reported us missing to the State Dep't, but it seems everyone is getting used to the idea of me going missing for 4 days in Africa.
Two friends from the train had treated themselves to a high end hotel, where we soaked up the un-train-like comforts and caught up on the weekend's World Cup Rugby quarterfinals.
Although I didn't really want to be in Dar, I couldn't have been bothered to pack up and catch a bus at gunpoint. The train was exhausting, so today was just a day to sit back, stay out of the rain, and relax.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
45-48: sometimes you are on a train for a long time
Wake up. Pack everything, head for the bus. We had to leave Lusaka for a place called Kapiri Mposhi, to catch the international train. This would be like leaving Los Angeles to catch an international flight from a truckstop outside Barstow. What the hell, Zambia. The first day was a lot of time in a train station. I was with two English med students I met in Lusaka, and another English kid I met back in Livingstone, as well as a Norwegian girl he'd met somewhere in Zim.
My plan was to head to Mbeya, the halfway point between central Zambia and the end of the line, coastal Dar Es Salaam. In Mbeya I could meet up with a friend in the Peace Corps I'd met earlier in my trip, assuming I could get ahold of him once I was in town.
On Day 2 of the train ride, the luggage compartment totally derailed. No one was hurt, but the train was totally out of commission, and the railway line north was blocked. A rail strike (unrelated to the previous rail strike I dealt with in Zimbabwe) meant everything was even more pole pole (slow) than usual. All in all, this meant a 24 hour delay- on a friggin' train- and I'd be skipping Mbeya. No time; I had to be in Arusha by the end of the week, at the northern edge of Tanzania. I was now on this train for the long haul. Dar Es Salaam or bust. At least there were 5 of us, so we were in it together.
The train was supposed to arrive in Mbeya on the second day, and Dar around lunchtime on the 3rd day. Instead, it arrived at 1:30am on the 5th day. If it weren't for the other travelers, I'd have probably gone insane. We hadn't showered, and I felt like I was covered in chicken fat, dust, and shame. Finally getting to our hotel in Dar (3rd visit to this craphole town) I jumped in the shower.
The water was lukewarm, and the showerhead gave more of a drizzle than anything actually resembling a shower. But it was the best shower I've ever had in my entire life.
My plan was to head to Mbeya, the halfway point between central Zambia and the end of the line, coastal Dar Es Salaam. In Mbeya I could meet up with a friend in the Peace Corps I'd met earlier in my trip, assuming I could get ahold of him once I was in town.
On Day 2 of the train ride, the luggage compartment totally derailed. No one was hurt, but the train was totally out of commission, and the railway line north was blocked. A rail strike (unrelated to the previous rail strike I dealt with in Zimbabwe) meant everything was even more pole pole (slow) than usual. All in all, this meant a 24 hour delay- on a friggin' train- and I'd be skipping Mbeya. No time; I had to be in Arusha by the end of the week, at the northern edge of Tanzania. I was now on this train for the long haul. Dar Es Salaam or bust. At least there were 5 of us, so we were in it together.
The train was supposed to arrive in Mbeya on the second day, and Dar around lunchtime on the 3rd day. Instead, it arrived at 1:30am on the 5th day. If it weren't for the other travelers, I'd have probably gone insane. We hadn't showered, and I felt like I was covered in chicken fat, dust, and shame. Finally getting to our hotel in Dar (3rd visit to this craphole town) I jumped in the shower.
The water was lukewarm, and the showerhead gave more of a drizzle than anything actually resembling a shower. But it was the best shower I've ever had in my entire life.
Day 44: Lusaka
Wake up. Pack everything. Take the bus.
I went to Lusaka. It's okay. I had some good Thai food.
I was planning on heading to Malawi from Lusaka, but the prices for transport were prohibitively expensive. Also, East Africa is at the edge of the rainy season, and I wanted to get further north (my flight home leaves from Nairobi, Kenya) before tropical rains destroyed these poorly constructed Africa roads. I noticed the Zambia-Tanzania train was leaving the next day, so I decided to head back north.
Met a few English kids headed the same way. Decided we'd split a cab.
I went to Lusaka. It's okay. I had some good Thai food.
I was planning on heading to Malawi from Lusaka, but the prices for transport were prohibitively expensive. Also, East Africa is at the edge of the rainy season, and I wanted to get further north (my flight home leaves from Nairobi, Kenya) before tropical rains destroyed these poorly constructed Africa roads. I noticed the Zambia-Tanzania train was leaving the next day, so I decided to head back north.
Met a few English kids headed the same way. Decided we'd split a cab.
Monday, October 17, 2011
41-43: no rush to leave Livingstone
So the days blur together. I had to rest and wait for a weekday, to hit up the bank once again. I spent my days playing in the pool. I even went for a run- great way to see a city. One night we packed up my friends' 4x4 and went to the swanky Royal Livingstone Hotel, a $500/night 5 star joint with a helipad right on the Zambezi river. We saw zebras and we obviously did not fit in. The mist from the waterfall was easily visible just a few hundred yards away. Then we headed to a more relaxed place, a boat dock on the upper part of the river- the wide part- where the 6 of us could watch the sun go down.
Days were spent watching World Cup Rugby and eating traditional food in the nearby market. The most basic dish, nshima ("SHEma") is made from corn flour and water. It has the texture of mashed potatoes, and about the same taste. You roll a ball up in your right hand, dip it in broth, and enjoy. Usually served with some braised beef, and pickled cabbage. It is bland and simple, but filling and warm. With enough chili sauce and salt, it's really enjoyable.
On my last night, we decided to fire up the grill at the hostel, and have a massive bbq. Here, a bbq is called a "braai" ("bry"), from the Dutch word via South Africa. In the end I think we had about 10 people in on it, and it was a great last night for all the people I'd come to know in the Livingstone/Victoria Falls area.
Days were spent watching World Cup Rugby and eating traditional food in the nearby market. The most basic dish, nshima ("SHEma") is made from corn flour and water. It has the texture of mashed potatoes, and about the same taste. You roll a ball up in your right hand, dip it in broth, and enjoy. Usually served with some braised beef, and pickled cabbage. It is bland and simple, but filling and warm. With enough chili sauce and salt, it's really enjoyable.
On my last night, we decided to fire up the grill at the hostel, and have a massive bbq. Here, a bbq is called a "braai" ("bry"), from the Dutch word via South Africa. In the end I think we had about 10 people in on it, and it was a great last night for all the people I'd come to know in the Livingstone/Victoria Falls area.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Back to Zambia
Wake up, pack everything, head for the border. This meant I got to walk back over Victoria Falls bridge and see the canyon once again, 350 deep. At the border I run into some people from the Zimbabwe hostel, and we split a cab back to Livingstone. Getting back to Livingstone, the town where I stayed 4 nights while resolving bank issues, was a nice homecoming. Several of my friends were there, including Nick and Zuulfa, the Australian couple 14 months into their years-long African trip. They'd adopted a pet chameleon, Sid, and fed him flies. Later a few of us tried Livingston's Mexican restaurant. It was . . . a nice effort.
The Adventure Continues
Day 39 starts with me eating breakfast by myself, wondering how I'll get out of Bulawayo. Then a Polish couple shows up and invites me on a daytrip to the nearby national park, Matopos. Their plan was to have a taxi take us down and drive us through the park, and it'd be cheaper the more people joined in. I figured, why not? So we head on down to Matopos, but the rangers won't let us into the park; no taxis allowed. The local tour operators had paid off the rangers so that no taxis could come in, forcing visitors to rely on the tour operators. Zimbabwe is a shady, shady place.
The Polish kids notice that a large SUV is behind us, a private car looking to tour the park. They talk our way into that car, a group of South African retirees road tripping through Southern Africa. They let us squeeze into the back of their car and drive us all around the park. Matopos itself is known for it's unique granite formations, and looks a lot like parts of the Sierras. Frankly the Sierras are nicer. The guards wouldn't let us see the park's main vistas without paying another $10 at the trailhead. On principle, and because we couldn't be sure this was the last bribe, no one paid. We drove around the park for a couple hours though, and it's a beautiful place.
The South Africans drove us back to Bulawayo. They were headed back to Victoria Falls, and offered to give me a ride. Really, really good luck.
I started the morning alone, stranded, and wondering how I was going to escape Bulawayo. I ended up seeing the national park very cheaply, and getting a free ride back to the doorstep of the backpacker's hostel in the town of Victoria Falls. My friends from the first visit were still there, to welcome me back.
The Polish kids notice that a large SUV is behind us, a private car looking to tour the park. They talk our way into that car, a group of South African retirees road tripping through Southern Africa. They let us squeeze into the back of their car and drive us all around the park. Matopos itself is known for it's unique granite formations, and looks a lot like parts of the Sierras. Frankly the Sierras are nicer. The guards wouldn't let us see the park's main vistas without paying another $10 at the trailhead. On principle, and because we couldn't be sure this was the last bribe, no one paid. We drove around the park for a couple hours though, and it's a beautiful place.
The South Africans drove us back to Bulawayo. They were headed back to Victoria Falls, and offered to give me a ride. Really, really good luck.
I started the morning alone, stranded, and wondering how I was going to escape Bulawayo. I ended up seeing the national park very cheaply, and getting a free ride back to the doorstep of the backpacker's hostel in the town of Victoria Falls. My friends from the first visit were still there, to welcome me back.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Day 37-38, Into Zimbabwe
Day 37 was another errands day, getting my photos copied to a CD, buying a train ticket, etc. Everything takes awhile here, and no one is in a rush. Finally, I board a ticket to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city. The train was this beautiful shiny machine, well lit and with a nice dining car. Not nearly as bad as everyone says. Then, at boarding time, the oldest, crappiest, most run-down piece of crap you've ever seen limps along to the platform. It doesn't have food, water, or electricity. I ended up rooming with a tv sportscaster from the capital, Harare. Nice guy.
Of course, the train breaks down the next morning, delaying us a few hours. A chunk of the rail broke. And the railway union was on strike, so the train refused to enter Bulawayo, dropping us off 5 km away to fend for ourselves. And the hostel was 4 times the price quoted in the guidebook. And a friend-of-a-friend, who I was supposed to stay with, was in Europe, and was unable to get me a place to stay. And the buses were so bad the guidebook refused to give any info. And again, the trains were on strike. The tourist buses only went to South Africa. Impossible to leave, but too expensive to stay. Even a daytrip to the local national park was going to cost me $120. No way.
Bulawayo is a pretty town, with wide streets, colonial architecture, purple jacaranda trees in bloom. It's very multicultural, as Africa goes. But I would have to leave somehow. The crappy hostel, wherein I was the only guest, refused to run the generator when the power ran out. So I sat, by myself, in the dark, reading my book by candlelight and wondering how the hell I would get out. Maybe Vic Falls, maybe Harare, or another national park, but somehow I had to leave. I could tell this was the end of my southward journey, time to look north and head back towards the equator. Oh well, can't win 'em all.
Of course, the train breaks down the next morning, delaying us a few hours. A chunk of the rail broke. And the railway union was on strike, so the train refused to enter Bulawayo, dropping us off 5 km away to fend for ourselves. And the hostel was 4 times the price quoted in the guidebook. And a friend-of-a-friend, who I was supposed to stay with, was in Europe, and was unable to get me a place to stay. And the buses were so bad the guidebook refused to give any info. And again, the trains were on strike. The tourist buses only went to South Africa. Impossible to leave, but too expensive to stay. Even a daytrip to the local national park was going to cost me $120. No way.
Bulawayo is a pretty town, with wide streets, colonial architecture, purple jacaranda trees in bloom. It's very multicultural, as Africa goes. But I would have to leave somehow. The crappy hostel, wherein I was the only guest, refused to run the generator when the power ran out. So I sat, by myself, in the dark, reading my book by candlelight and wondering how the hell I would get out. Maybe Vic Falls, maybe Harare, or another national park, but somehow I had to leave. I could tell this was the end of my southward journey, time to look north and head back towards the equator. Oh well, can't win 'em all.
Mark Johnson
I have been request to blog about my good buddy, Mark Johnson. I want to announce that I have absolutely replaced him with Africa, and I regret sincerely that I cannot bring him any malaria.
Day 36: sunset cruise
"Sunset cruise" is a well-known euphemism for an all-you-can-drink boat ride. But here I can claim it was a cultural experience, as we set off on a two hour cruise along the Zambezi river. Animals are most active at dawn and sunset, so this is the perfect chance to spot some wildlife. We spotted several hippos- the most dangerous animal in Africa- a croc, and an elephant.
There was an old guy on the cruise from San Francisco, but he didn't know anything about the 49ers. Forget that dude.
There was an old guy on the cruise from San Francisco, but he didn't know anything about the 49ers. Forget that dude.
Day 35: Zimbabwe
Wake up, pack everything, say bye. Going to Zimbabwe means a quick cab to the border, then walking across an old bridge over the canyon. Beautiful way to see a new country, and an easy way to travel. Once into Zim, paid for my cab with their funny green currency, the "US dollar." Saw Vic Falls from the Zimbabwe side, this time facing the falls directly. I was able to see people on the Zambia side jumping into the Devil's Pool, and still not one death.
I met a guy at the hostel who works on a game reserve to stop rhino poachers.
I met a guy at the hostel who works on a game reserve to stop rhino poachers.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Day 34
I fought glorious battle with the bank, and prevailed with cash. Then I went to a crocodile farm just outside Livingstone, a reptile sanctuary with about 70 crocs and a nice collection of cobras. I got to pet a baby croc; they have soft bellies. The guide poked one large, old croc with a stick, provoking him to snap.
The real story of the croc visit, however, is the herd of wild elephants we came across wandering just outside. Foraging at first in the bush, then stopping traffic as they crossed the road. We got close enough to where we felt comfortable so long as they paid us no attention, but once they turned towards us it was time to get out.
One upshot of getting money is that it meant I was leaving Zambia. After 4 nights in one place, the longest I'd sat still since California, I'd be crossing the border the next morning into Zimbabwe.
The real story of the croc visit, however, is the herd of wild elephants we came across wandering just outside. Foraging at first in the bush, then stopping traffic as they crossed the road. We got close enough to where we felt comfortable so long as they paid us no attention, but once they turned towards us it was time to get out.
One upshot of getting money is that it meant I was leaving Zambia. After 4 nights in one place, the longest I'd sat still since California, I'd be crossing the border the next morning into Zimbabwe.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Day 30-31: Livingstone
7 hour bus ride -ask me about it sometime when I'm back home- and we make it to Livingstone, Zambia's side of Victoria Falls. Staying at probably the best hostel in Africa, a little place called Jollyboys. A pool, plenty of patios and places to sit around, a bar area with a tv, and lots of other travellers. On the first full day, me and my Japanese friend Yoichiro took a guided tour along the edge of Victoria Falls, a massive and completely impressive gorge where the Zambezi river hits sheer cliff dropping over 300 feet into a canyon. The falls are very long, and you can't see all the way down because the mist thrown up by the falls is too dense. We hiked along the edge, wading knee-deep through parts. At the end of this hike we jumped into a spot called the Devil's Pool, a small hot-tub sized spot without any current. Right in the middle of a cataract, right at the edge.
And then I went to the ATM, but Chase had shut me down. Someone jacked by debit card info, and Chase is utterly confused by the existence of foreign countries, and especially the presence of their clients in these strange and unknown places. They assured me they would send a new card to Martinez, California within 5-7 days. When I asked if they could send a card to Zambia, they used a tone indicating that I was the dumbass. (Expletives deleted).
But the day wasn't over, even if the cash flow was. Some Australians with a car invited me and a few other kids to go watch the sunset over the gorge. We found a completely random spot over the rapids, also about 300 feet up, and the 6 of us watched the sun set over Zambia. Hell of a day.
And then I went to the ATM, but Chase had shut me down. Someone jacked by debit card info, and Chase is utterly confused by the existence of foreign countries, and especially the presence of their clients in these strange and unknown places. They assured me they would send a new card to Martinez, California within 5-7 days. When I asked if they could send a card to Zambia, they used a tone indicating that I was the dumbass. (Expletives deleted).
But the day wasn't over, even if the cash flow was. Some Australians with a car invited me and a few other kids to go watch the sunset over the gorge. We found a completely random spot over the rapids, also about 300 feet up, and the 6 of us watched the sun set over Zambia. Hell of a day.
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