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Hi. How are you ? I've been out of contact for some time, since I was in the wilderness. Let's start.
Back in Nairobi, I wanted to go to Usambara mountains in Tanzania, so I did that, and asked Ela to join me. Ela is a fascinating girl, with stories that I won't repeat since you won't believe me. She doesn't wear shoes, eats almost only fruits, and can move one eye without moving the other. Anyway, we went together to Tanzania on Thursday 12-4. Three busses took us to Moshi, and on the way we decided to go Pare mountains, which are less touristic than Usambara. The gateway to the area is the town Same, so we headed there on a VERY crowded matatu, and after an hour-or-so we had enough, so we dropped in a small village by the road, named Mgagao. We were probably the first wazungu (white people) who ever stopped there. A big crowd assembled, and watched everything we do.
Next morning we continued to Same, not before the village chief inquired us as to why the hell we stopped there. Same was only a few minutes by bus from there, and there we went to the tourist information (i.e. one of the restaurants where the boss speaks a little English). Luckily, they had a map of the mountains. Unfortunately, it was holiday (Easter Friday ), and we couldn't find a copy machine. Therefore, Ela copied the map to a paper. We also met Stephanie, who is a slender student of biology, and starts a research on elephant shrews in Chome forest. FYI, Elephant shrew is a kind of jumping rat.
So we took the dala-dala to Mbaga. Since Ele noted that it was Friday the 13th, and something bad should happen, something bad did happen. She lost hearing in her left ear. Next morning we started the big climb to Ransi dam. Tough climb and full of thorns (blackberries, mostly), but barefooted Ela never complained. Many people in the road helped us finding the way, especially after we learned to say "Ransi, ni wapi ?". My Swahili improved very much last week. Being with people who don't speak English does that to you. Anyway, on the way up Ela began to feel really bad - headache, eyeache, and eventually lost feeling in her arm. AS brave as she is, she couldn't go further. So we spent the night in the middle of the way, near a beautiful stream.
In the morning Ela claimed that she's fine and doesn't want to see a doctor and we can go on. So we went on to the dam, which was a beautiful lake, but it was too cold to swim. From there we went on to Chome, which meant descending to another valley. This valley had electricity lines, and everybody was dressed in their best clothes, since it was Easter Sunday. We met many English speaking people. One of them, Tomgeni, invited us to his home for tea, and suggested we stay the night, but we went on. We went on for an hour, and than it was night and we didn't find a place to stay. Probably because there was no hotel there, and we just wanted to put the tent somewhere! Eventually, a woman (Sofia) invited us to her home. When we got there, Ela collapsed. They gave us the nicest bed they had, and we couldn't tell them it's not necessary.
The next morning we searched for hospital and/or transport back to Same. There was a hospital about half an hour walk from there, so we went, but the doctor wasn't there. But there was a car, and it took us back to Same for the ridiculous price of 30,000 shillings - about $40. In Same we found the hospital, Ela got antibiotics, and I had a shower at last.
Tuesday I went again to the mountains. I had two destinations. One, to give something to the family who hosted us. Two, to climb Shengena peak, which is the highest in the region (2500m approx.). The dala-dala took me to Kisaka Villa Inn, the only gesti in the region, which takes $10 to camping, so I just walked on and found Stephanie. The day after I went to the forest, following Stephanie's instructions. It took almost four hours to climb, walking in one of the most awesome forests I'd ever been to. Tree ferns, Orchids, Streams, Waterfalls, birds - just beautiful. When I went back, it turned out that I climbed the wrong peak. Never mind I had a great day.
So there was nothing left for me to do in that forest, besides that I promised S. to help her navigate (she had a good map and GPS). However, that was not needed since she had a guide. She didn't want a guide, but she couldn't explain that to them. So I walked with them to the forest on Thursday morning, and after saying goodbye got myself lost deliberately, to see how it looks like without a trail. It was great but very thorny. Upon getting out, I walked to see Sofia in Ndolwa. Three hours walk. Three hours back. It was great to meet her, but I strain on my knee was too big, and the next morning I could hardly walk. Fortunately, I got a hitch to Same by Mr. Kalage, who is a project officer of the forest.
(f you get to Africa, or already here, don't miss it! It was the best African experience so far for me. You may contact Mr. Kalage in [email protected] before you go, but it isn't necessary)
When I got to Same Ela wasn't there, so I moved to Moshi, figuring it is the closest place where I can have a hot shower, international phone possibility and Internet connection. All three failed yesterday, but I got the Internet today. My knee begins to heal also, and just 20 minutes ago I stumbled into Ela again.
I still don't know where I'm going now. Maybe Dar, and maybe Bagamoyo, and maybe Kigome. We shall see. I don't stay here, though. Boring town.
Love, Moddy.
The next day was a real tough organizing (we were late for everything, and Retreat was closed). And on Tuesday we took a train to Mbeya - great train. Met nice people, and slept wonderfully. Recommended. In Mbeya we went for a hike - Wednesday for an afternoon hike, and Thu-friday a two-day hike to Mbeya peak. Obviously, we lost our way and my knee cried for help. Not-obviously, Christoph turned to be a very good navigator. The scenery was great, and I especially loved the flowers. What we didn't like, and almost ruined the whole experience, was that almost everyone we met asked for money. Shamelessly. Usually without greeting. Sometimes shouting. It was so unlike the rest of Tanzania, were people helped us, and sometimes walked with us a long distance to make sure we find the way. And it was everyone - kids, adults, old people.
So, with this optimistic ending we leave Tanzania tomorrow morning on our way to Zambia. Train, again. Note - a direct ticket from Dar to Kapiri costs more than splitting the travel in Mbeya. Strange.
Zambia, here I come (Who said "Ani lo roze l'Zambia" ? Gonna be great).
Love, Moddy.
Last week I was supposed to take the train from Mbeya to Zambia, and me and Christoph went to the train station early in the morning, Instead of a train came a man who wrote a message "The train is late. At 6:00 we will tell you on what time the train is expected to come. We regret the inconveniences.
That was Saturday morning. We didn't want to lose a day, so we got a refund for the ticket, and bought a bus ticket to Lusaka (Zambia's capital), which was supposed to leave at around 3:00 pm (t leaves Dar in the morning), cross the border at 6:00, and gets to Lusaka in the next morning. Or that's what they told us.
We spent the time until 3:00 in Mbeya: Chris bought a kanga (the Swahili version of the sarong); I got a haircut and shave; And waited. On 4:30 they said that the bus will come 'any minute from now', and Chris noticed that the ticket actually says 16:30 - which means that there's no way the bus can cross the border (it is two hours from Mbeya to the border, and it closes at 6 pm). The bus arrived at quarter to 6, after I forced it to come by going to the toilet. Murphy's law always works. We got to the border after 8:00 and went to sleep in a border guest house, which was not as bad as you might think. The bus leaves the next day at 16:00 (!).
The whole of the two hours journey I was totally angry, agitated, uneasy; you name it. I wanted to punch someone but there was no-one to hit. The worse was that they lied to us, and I couldn't do anything about it. If we took the train, we would be in Lusaka in the same day, after having a nice sleep in the train. We could even take a bus to the border on Saturday morning, and catch the Friday bus, but they didn't tell us of that option.
Remember Tawfiq bus.
It took me half an hour to see the funny side; to relax; to accept the fact that we get to Lusaka a day later; to say "someone (God?) got to really hard trouble in order to ensure that we won't be in Lusaka on Sunday." I still wonder why we were not supposed to be there on Sunday. (29/4). I believe someone was there that we were not supposed to meet. Is that you ?
They day after was boring, spent in a border village with practically nothing in it besides the border itself. The funny part was that you get your passport stamped, and then you can cross the border back and forth as many times as you want, while no-one checks your passport. The bus left at around 6 pm, full of people and luggage. The alley was blocked, and the easiest way in-and-out of the bus was through the window. However, the ride was quite comfortable, Arriving in Lusaka and taxi to Cha-cha-cha backpackers.
This is a real backpackers, like in New Zealand - a small swimming pool, a kitchen, fliers of all sorts of other backpackers in Africa, and $3 for camping.
We wanted to rest a day, but Tuesday was labour day, i.e. everything's closed. So we went to work - bank, shopping, etc. We met a guy who invited us to go and listen to his band rehearsing in a pub. So we went there, and nobody ever heard of him there, but there was another band that would play tomorrow. We went also the other day, and the other band wasn't there. I don't know how come people invite you and don't show up.
And another bus to Livingstone on Wed. morning 6 am. The bus had a clock inside, and at 6:00 the bus actually started! We're not in Africa anymore, Toto.
The aim in Livingstone was to meet the Rainbow scouts in Grubby's Groto. They weren't there, and Grubby wouldn't let us stay since they only accept people with cars. So we went to Faulty Towers ($5 and boring), and after one day to Jolly Boys ($3 and cool ! +free pool table).
Ever since then we're having fun. We went to the museum (small yet interesting); We went to Victoria falls (awesome yet spectacular); We meet nice people; We cook good food; We play pool and cards and ping pong. Definitely not Africa
And on Saturday morning (yesterday), I finally met Harsita and Budgie from the rainbow. We're four! More are on the way - maybe they're here already.
And with these happy news I'm off to tent. Keep your good health and positive thinking (same thing).
Love, Moddy.
I finally managed to go to an Internet place. It's damn expensive here, and I'll be short. Since last time I've been scouting Zambia for a gathering place. We found a few suitable sites, but no decision was done yet. We pass the time in a camping site a few kms from Lusaka, which has a herd of zebras ad a herd of impalas inside - we see zebras everyday near our tents ! I generally have a good time, though sometimes the group stress is too much. Among the ten of us, 5 got malaria. I'm healthy.
Many small adventures and small things, like we got to a wedding, and gave them a 2 liter bottle of oil as a gift. The result was clapping and hurrahing and dancing from them - it seems we were extravagant!
But time is running short ... it will take a while till I have more e-mail time. Until then, long live and prosper.
Love, Moddy.
So - for the details. The last thing that happened in Livingstone was seeing the falls at night! Yes. In the full moon with lunar rainbow - beautiful and recommended. After that started the scouting. I wrote to you about it, and I won't say more, only that after a while I got a little fed up with it, and decided to go to Malawi for a week. Only a week, since you can leave Zambia for a week and return without paying a visa again (this is called "reentry"). So - I took a bus to Chipata, and stopped in Luwangwa bridge for the night. The bus should have taken 2 hours, but took 5. Next day I tried to hitch to Chipata, and waited in the police block, while the policemen stopped the cars and asked them to take me. About four cars passed in an hour, non of them went to chipata, so I took a bus (supposed 4 hours; took 8). On this bus I met nice people, so it was good.
I spent the night in a place called "Yellow chicken", and it was amazing - they have no electricity, but they have a lake ! and ducks swim, and vegetables from the garden, and herbs ... and the owners are a couple from UK/Aus, lovely and funny and ... I just loved this place.
Next morning, in the border it turns out I need a reentry visa for the scheme, so I had to go back to chipata, and again, and so lost my friends Ian and Mark. Stayed the night in Lilongwe. The next day I'll remember for a long time. Bus to Mzuzu. Supposed 5-6 hours. But ... I got to the station in 7:30. Bus left at 11 am After six hours, and a few breakdowns, we got into a garage, and changed buses (only nobody told me, and I found myself alone on the bus, not knowing what to do). at around 6:00 the other bus stopped, since it didn't have lights! attempts to fix, and than the conductor took a hitch to mzuzu, in order to fetch another bus for us. Waiting... in 8 pm I started to hitch again, and a bus stopped and took me. 9:30 I got to Mzuzu. Tired and angry.
Next day - easy ride. 1 hour to Nkhata bay, which took 1 hour! I slept most of the day, and didn't find ant interesting thing to do, but a local guy found me, and talked to me all the evening. The next day he took me to see the other parts of the bay, which is beautiful, but it was a cloudy day. However, in one other place I met Lucy !! which I met before in Livingstone, and there she is, with her local boyfriend Lumbani, and Neil - and since than I had a great time in Malawi - evening party in Papaya, morning walk to a nice beach, swimming, just great time. It turns out that in two days you know every white person in town, and every night you're invited to some party.
However, I had to leave, so I went back to Zam, stayed again in yellow chicken, and hurried to Lusaka - but from Chipata I phoned the scouts, and it turns out they all went to Zim, and I have no reason to hurry. So I went to South Luwangwa National park (4 hours ? - the minibus broke down a few times, one of them next to army barracks, where a local sergeant said that non-Zambians are not allowed to break their cars there, since it's a restricted area, and we should therefore go away. WE couldn't, of course, and he was shocked by the fact that we took a local bus. He took our names, and the driver's name, and we went away. 8 hours)
Flat dog camp in the park is amazing. It is on the river bank, and has no fences. So wildlife enter, including hippos, elephants, monkeys and lions (I didn't see the latter, just told about). Just sitting in the pool you see elephants crossing the river, and crocodiles .. WOW.
I took two game rides but saw nothing special. The way back to Lusaka took 23 hours (should be 10), and I arrived dirty and tired in Eureka camp site, to find that Bill and some others are planing to go scouting for two days - Haimosh found a site, and though most of the group went to Zim, other people arrived - two south Africans, two Germans and three Canadians. So me and Bill and Haimosh and the South-Africans (Andrew and Gareth) went to this place. Spent the night, and had a good time, besides the fact that there's an itchy plant there that is worse than thistles, and I bumped to it every time I moved, and so screamed a lot.
That's it. I'm in Lusaka now, and plan to go to Zim on Monday morning, if they decide to hold the final council there. Until then - have a good time!!!
Love, Moddy
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