Cuba
I just got an email from her -- she also had a great time in Cuba -- it's sounding to me like the Cubans assigned a couple of their students to make friends with a couple of ours & show them around the city. They went out a couple of times for dinner & had a carriage ride around the city. She said the guide for the Bay of Pigs tour was one of Castro's v-p's who was part of the original revolutionary regime & was fascinating. She's enjoyed her 1st four days of classes; says the ship's seeming "pretty small" after several days at sea but they all expected that & things are going well. She's looking forward to her Amazon voyage, even sleeping in a hammock on a boat!
By the way, Abby's room is near the stern on the main deck; her roommate's name is Gina (from Chicago area) and friend Elizabeth (Nebraska) is across the hall. She's also gotten to know Erin (the nuclear propagation professor's daughter) and Todd. Sounds like on every excursion they'll be adding to their group of friends, as they get "shuffled around."
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Brazil
Here's the latest email just received from my DD (Sunday am PST): just a quick note to tell you all that i just got back from the amazon, and i am still in one piece (so no, i did not get eaten by piranhas). i will be sending a longer email sometime in the next day or two to tell you all about it, and hopefully will have some pictures attached too. can't write more now, i have to enjoy my last few hours in brazil. i love you all and have been terribly entertained by your emails, so please keep them coming. and don't forget, snail mail makes a girl at sea feel really wonderful!!!!!!! and mother, grandma, and jessica, i got the stuff you sent. thank you so much! ok, off to explore salvador:)
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Brazil
Sorry I didn�t write all of you sooner, but I have been slightly ill for the last two days � in fact, most of the people who went on the Amazon trip got slightly sick. We�re not sure if it was from the actual trip or if it was from the airplane food or something, but we�ve all sort of felt under the weather for the last few days. Luckily today is the first day since Brazil that we�ve had to deal with any sort of rocking from the boat. On Monday the sea was only 1-2 feet and yesterday the sea was smooth. For those of you who have never experienced smooth seas, it�s incredible. The ocean looks like glass and the ship just cuts right through it, and best of all NO ROCKING. But today we�ve been going through some storms so there have been noticeable swaggers in most people�s steps once again.
So now for the details of Brazil. We arrived last Wednesday, slightly late because of a problem with one of the boilers. After clearing customs (which we all had to do individually, so it took forever), I was free the first day to walk around Salvador with my friends. It took us awhile to figure out how to change money, and in the process we met a Brazilian tour guide who agreed to help us find some of the souvenirs we were trying to collect. Doing this allowed us to see much of Old Salvador, which was fun. That night we went out to dinner and then went and sat outside and had drinks and talked to people � let me tell you, trying to understand Portuguese is difficult, particularly when you don�t speak Spanish. So that was an interesting experience for all.
The next morning, I woke up early to meet my group and catch an 8:25 flight to Brasilia, then a 10:30 flight to Manaus. From there, we headed to the river to board our boats, our home for the next few days. Basically, they were like ferry boats. The bottom deck had the kitchen, the dining area, and the bathrooms, and the top was a big open area where all the hammocks were hung. There were 25 SASers on our trip, so it was a pretty tight squeeze up there. A couple of times during the trip we hit rough waters, which was funny because the hammocks do not swing in unison (why Mr. Goode?) so there were some rather interesting collisions.
Anyway, the first day we saw the meeting of the waters, which is where the Rio Negre joins up with other rivers that all form the Amazon. This part was really interesting. The Rio Negre is black, and the other river that hits is brown. Also, the Rio Negre is colder and has a much higher pH level (around 4-4.5), so when the two hit they do not mix automatically. So when you get to the meeting of the waters, you can see where the two are mixing. Hopefully there will be a picture attached to this email so that you can all see what I�m talking about.... After going up the river a bit more, we stopped at a village and saw a rubber tree, tried part of a coco plant, and collected fresh lemongrass for tea later that evening (which was the best hot drink I have ever had).
Once we were done in the village we went back to the Rio Negre, which is what we traveled on for the rest of the trip. Since that river has such a high pH level, mosquitoes can�t survive there so we didn�t have to worry about being bit by them. So we went up the river and saw the giant water lilies, caymans (alligators), and then set off on the trip you�ve all been waiting to hear about, piranha fishing. Let me tell you, when we got on the tiny little boats for this, I was slightly worried. They drove us way out in the middle of nowhere, gave us each a bamboo stick with fishing line attached to it and a piece of raw meat on a hook at the end, and showed us that in order to catch them you stick your pole in the water and then thrash it around a bunch (like a dying fish, I guess). Then you wait. And wait. And in some cases, you feel a little tug and yank them out of the water and then try not to get bitten. In others, you wait and wait and wait and still nothing happens. The latter described my situation for about 45 minutes, and then I FINALLY felt a tug, but by that time I wasn�t paying very much attention and had lost all faith in my fishing skills, so I was completely thrown off by the bite. I yanked the pole out of the water, but the boat had a roof on it so my pole hit that, and the string started swinging towards me, piranha and all, and I freaked out and tried to catch the line but right when I caught it the damn little fish either jumped off the hook or fell off of it. I suck at fishing. So theoretically I caught a piranha but I didn�t get a picture so I�m afraid no one will believe me.
Later that night we went cayman hunting. Now some of you may have seen Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter � it was similar to this. Here we are, a bunch of helpless American college students, speeding around the Amazon in a tiny canoe FAR too close to the water, with a guide, a cayman catcher, and a boat driver. Now, in order to catch the cayman, the catcher guy has to get in the water. That means that the boat driver has to drive the boat practically on shore, into all these weeds and bushes, so that the catcher can jump into the water, thrash around and find a cayman. Then he gives the cayman to the guide, who wants everyone to hold it and touch it, but who insists that freaking people out is the most entertaining thing he can possibly do. Needless to say, we caught one, I took a picture of it, and I was pretty glad when they put it back in the river. Once back on the boat, we enjoyed the stars which were perfectly reflected in the still water of the lake we stopped on to sleep.
We woke up early the next morning and enjoyed the sunrise in our hammocks (picture enclosed). After a great breakfast, we went on our first walk through the rainforest. This was a really fun experience � our guides painted our faces with natural paint and we saw all sorts of different plants that cure various diseases. My favorite part of this hike was when some people decided to try to pick up a giant furry caterpillar. Fortunately our guide saw them going for it and yelled at them to stop, because apparently touching those things can kill you. From then on the rule was �don�t touch ANYTHING� unless they tell you it�s ok. My question is, why would anyone want to pick up a strange bug in the middle of the rainforest? It seems like common sense would tell you that�s a bad idea.... After trekking around for awhile, our jungle guide Fabio got lost. So he wound up hacking a trail for us with a machete, which was pretty fun. The next day our hike was a thousand times better though, because we went in small groups of 12, which meant we went a lot faster and it was a lot more personal.
Also that day we went a lot deeper into the rainforest, which was more like what I had expected it to be like. The trees were enormous, and there was greener than I can possibly describe. Shortly into the hike our guide cut a branch off of a tree and showed us that it produces water. When hiking around the forest for days at a time, if they need water the natives use these trees. So then he let us drink the water from the tree, which was incredible. We started on our way again, hacking through the forest, and then all around us we could hear the soft patter of rain, but we weren�t getting wet because the trees were so thick. Pretty soon though, we came to a clearing and within seconds we were completely soaked. At this point I was in absolute heaven. There is no way for me to do justice to the feeling of breathing that absolutely pure air, rain pounding all around, brilliant green completely surrounding us. I have honestly never experienced anything more beautiful than that moment in my life. All I could do was smile, because it was so completely pure and basic.
After the hike and visiting another village, we had to head back to Manaus to go to a big party to �celebrate our return to civilization.� On the way there we went through a really big storm which was pretty exciting (I got some great pictures of it). After the party we went back to the airport for our red-eye to Brasilia. Once we got there we had a four hour layover, so they decided that we should be kept busy (even though we had only had like 2 hours of sleep) so they took us on a three hour tour (when are those ever good?) of the city. Most people slept through this on the bus, but I toughed it and got out at all the stops and took pictures until my batteries in my camera died.
So that was my trip. I had an absolutely incredible time, and I can�t wait to get to South Africa!
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South Africa
I just got off the phone with Abby. She also has had a GREAT time in S.A. She did mention that part of their briefing is on what's safe to eat/drink; apparently Capetown is Europeanized enough that they don't have to worry too much.
She did the Kagga Kamma trip; she said the countryside looks just like Southern CA -- to the point that they passed signs for Porterville (SA) -- we live in Porterville CA-- and for Fresno (SA) -- Fresno CA is an hour north of us. Apparently in her group she was the only one who is an astronomy buff (she had a list of must-see things to see while in the southern hemisphere) & got a lot of attention from the guide that night & got to spend a lot of time with the telescope; he even met her at the hotel on their way back & presented her with a handwritten paper he'd prepared while waiting, on the things that are significant in their sky! She sounded extremely "up" about everything & is planning to do more on her own in some of the next ports.
Oh, and she said her township visit was so incredible she would have to write about it instead of trying to summarize on the phone. She did say that the trip leaders make decisions about each port "as they come up", since things can change so rapidly; so although I would think they'd have more concerns about the Korea situation, they apparently are still undecided about Tanzania and India, which could be too close for comfort if the Iraq situation breaks. She said there is an international cricket competition going on in S.A. & they got to watch a game on TV with some of the locals.
She hasn't had any bad side effects from the Malarone & is over the worst of the Amazon revenge; seems that they're all beginning to accept "travelers diarrhea" as a part of the experience. I'm looking forward to seeing posts from other phone calls! She's also promised a long email about "everything" once they leave port. Oh, and I'm probably the "California mom" who had sent the birthday card. Glad to hear it arrived!
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South Africa
The ocean was really crazy a couple of days ago when we were sailing between Madagascar and Mozambique. Around 6am I woke up because my stuff kept falling off my shelf and onto my bed. Even those with relatively good sea legs had trouble walking. It�s especially strange when you�re sitting on deck and tables start sliding around.... The swells were 9-13 feet. The only other really bad day we�ve had so far the swells were 6-8 feet, so you can sort of imagine how much fun we had. For the last two days though, the ocean has been as smooth as glass and we are currently making good time on our way to Tanzania. We are about 250 miles away, and we�ll be there early tomorrow morning. I�m EXTREMELY excited because this is my most anticipated port � I can�t wait to go on safari!!!!!
By the time we arrived I was getting really tired of being at sea, so I was absolutely THRILLED to be going to Kagga Kamma, a nature reserve about four hours from the coast and pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The bus ride also provided a great opportunity to see the countryside of S.A. Let me tell you, it looks exactly like California.
We drove through the wine lands and then stopped for a bathroom break in a little town called Prince Alfred Hamlet. When we got back on the bus to leave, though, the bus wouldn�t start. After several tries it became obvious that we weren�t going anywhere for awhile, so we piled back off the bus and went to a hotel bar where we enjoyed lunch, drinks, and the Namibia vs. England game in the International Cricket Tournament. Three hours later our bus was fixed and we finished our drive to Kagga Kamma. The drive involved absolutely breath-taking scenery � breath-taking in the sense that if you looked out the window at the tiny little dirt road we were driving on that was perched on the side of an extremely large mountain and realized that there was no rail to prevent a spectacular plummet to the bottom of the valley, your breath was literally snatched from your chest. (Did you notice how that last sentence takes your breath away if you read it aloud? I did that on purpose to give you the effect.)
That night I had ostrich for dinner and then had an opportunity to do some astronomy. Let me tell you, this was a fantastic experience. A local astronomer came and set up his telescope on the lodge property and we got to look at all the Southern Hemisphere stuff. Mr. Goode, Thomas, and Heather, you should all be extremely jealous of me. None of the other SASers were really all that interested, and they certainly didn�t understand why they should be taking advantage of the opportunity. So I made friends with the astronomer and got him to show me EVERYTHING. I saw the Large and Small Mag. Clouds, the Southern Cross, Alpha Centauri, Beta Centauri, Omega Centauri, the Jewel Box, the Keyhole Nebula, the Tarantula Nebula, etc. It was amazing.... I can�t even describe how beautiful. Then the moon rose and we went on a night game drive.
For my third day in South Africa, I spent the morning visiting the largest township in Cape Town. When we�re on the ship taking classes and preparing for our experiences in port, professors and lecturers try to give us an idea as to the conditions we will witness. While we were told many times about the townships, there was absolutely nothing that anyone could have told me to prepare for that experience. I am sure that I will not be able to fully put into words what I saw, but I will do what I can.
We drove to the township on big tourist buses, complete with padded seats and air conditioning. The enormity of the things was only exaggerated once we pulled off the highway and into the neighborhood � three or four of the makeshift "houses" could have easily fit inside our bus. I use the word "house" only because these are where people live; certainly our American minds would never even consider calling one of these shacks home. The structures were made of leftover aluminum siding and old signs, all found in various dumps in the area. (Since there is such a huge housing shortage in South Africa, building companies "graciously" leave their leftover scraps for people to use to build shacks.) There was virtually no space between homes, so when children are sent outside to play they play barefoot in streets scattered with broken glass, garbage, and used condoms. At least now there are communal outhouses so they don�t have to run around in human waste....
As the bus twisted its way through the streets, all the residents of the area came out of their homes to have a look � at this point I began to wonder if poverty should be a tourist attraction. But if people don�t witness the conditions first hand, then what are the chances that people with the power to change them will?
We were taken to Vicky�s B&B. Vicky is a woman who lives in the townships and decided that all the tourists coming to Cape Town were not getting the real experience, so she opened up her home as a bed and breakfast. People come and stay with her for a night or two, eat in her home, and walk around to get to know the residents of the area. When we got off the bus at Vicky�s, I realized I had forgotten my camera. At first I was upset, but once I started walking around I was thankful that I didn�t have it. This is not because I was afraid of being mugged, but rather because not having it forced me to really interact with the people rather than simply taking pictures of them and showing them what they look like (which is what the kids expect when they find out you have a digital camera). When we stepped off the bus there were about ten children waiting for us. After we saw Vicky�s accommodations we walked down to a school and played with all the children there. We did high fives and they wore my sunglasses, but mainly they just wanted to hold my hands. It was absolutely incredible � imagine ten 7 or 8 year old children all clamoring just to touch you, to have some sort of human contact with you.... That�s all I will say about the township visit here.
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India
Yesterday was our only completely free day of the entire semester, the day after India. Everyone is still completely exhausted emotionally and physically. I don�t think very many people are sick with Delhi-belly, and I have not had any signs of any sort of illness. Also as far as I know there were no major incidents while we were in-port.
I had not scheduled any major SAS trips for India and initially planned to just participate in day trips around Chennai. Erin and I decided to travel independently to Madurai. We took an overnight train the first night and arrived in Madurai really early the next morning. Most people in this area of India speak Tamil, so we had a little bit of difficulty trying to get directions to the hotel, but eventually we found it. This was the only time during our entire trip that we were able to find something we were looking for without having to get a rickshaw � it turns out that in this city there are virtually no street signs and on the off chance that there IS one, since each street has two or three names, invariably the name you find on signs does not correspond with any of the names on your map. We basically just walked around the town, enjoying the local cuisine and wandering through markets and stuff like that. The next day we went to an old palace in town, the Gandhi museum, and a huge Hindu temple. That night we caught another train back to Chennai, and arrived back at the ship around 6am. At 9am, we met Erin�s dad [note from mom -- he's a professor on the ship] and then all took a rickshaw to the bus station to catch a ride to Pondicherry. After a very harrowing 3 hour bus ride we arrived there and wandered around that town. We stopped at an ashram, shopped and played in the Bay of Bengal. After dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Bay (and enjoying a beautiful moonrise over the ocean) we went back to the bus station and rode for 3 hours back to Chennai. By the time we got back I was completely exhausted, so I immediately fell asleep. On the last day I took an SAS trip to the poorest neighborhood of Chennai. I still can�t really put into coherent words what that experience was like. There were so many kids. And so much garbage. And the houses were positively microscopic.
I know this email is lacking in its descriptiveness, but honestly I saw so much and have so many different feelings about the whole trip that it�s really hard for me to get into any detail about it right now. Sorry. But I will tell you, the SAS people were right when they said that India changes you. The ship feels different now, and I�m not sure if that�s because I�m just so exhausted or if it�s because we really have been changed.
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Ship Life
Well, we finally have a destination after about 4 days of aimless floating. After stopping in the harbor in Singapore for fuel and food supplies (we weren�t allowed off the ship because of SARS), our destination officially became �North.� Apparently on the website it said �Days to Destination, n/a.� I think that�s pretty funny. But now we know that our next port is Nagasaki, Japan. We�re supposed to arrive on April 1 and leave April 6. After that, we have no idea where we�re going.
Everyone on the ship is going crazy. To make matters worse, the other night we hit rough waters for the first time in several weeks, so we have to get used to that all over again.
Some of you have asked what we�re doing on the ship to pass the time. So far we�ve continued to have classes just like any other ship days, but they�ve added a few extra TBA days (no classes). I plan to relax and watch movies and catch up on my journal. Oh, and SLEEP
Have I mentioned Pirate Duty yet? I don�t think I ever told y�all about it. Well, there actually ARE pirates! I thought that that rumor was a joke until we hit the Malacca Strait, which is between Singapore and the Philippines. At that point they brought out the hoses and crew members stood out on the stern of the boat and watched for pirates. If they see pirates, then they turn the hoses on the boats (I think it�s supposed to create a current strong enough to deflect their boat....). I thought some of you might find that little fact particularly amusing.
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