Monday, 16 January 2017

BLOG 15 - DAY 36, 37 & 38

DAY 36
Today involved packed lunches and a stop at a mall that resulted in Sav buying a jumpsuit and myself buying a jersey. Since it was our last night before arriving in Livingstone: a night of celebrating was in order. To celebrate the bond and friendships we had formed that will never disappear. I am even getting emotional typing this, which I should feel lame about but instead it makes me so happy as I've had such a great time getting to know all my new friends that i am so grateful to have.  Shouting/singing to songs we know all the words to, dancing like crazy people, many cheers and an infinite amount of smiles. Going to sleep i felt sad, knowing change was soon to happen (i'm a severe creature of comfort, the idea of goodbyes crushes me)

DAY 37
I sat in the front of Kavango with Ben, i always enjoy his conversation and music. We stopped at a mall near The Waterfront- our Livingstone campsite. After hearing from George that meals at the camps restaurant cost $10 each (which is cheap in everyone elses eyes but expensive for Sav and I). Ourselves, Georgia and Emily (the australian sisters) decided to rather buy some food that we could prepare ourselves, we probably spent less than $10 each for the food that would feed us for the whole three days and nights. I must admit, I tried a piece of someones pizza, and it was delicious but our meal plan was much kinder to our budgets. Although we as a group were all still 'together' we had new groups: those going to Johannesburg and those of us going to Cape Town with new people.  Our final pft(plan of action for tomorrow) involved us learning about all the optional activities available which ranged from bungee jumping to helicopter rides.

DAY 38
Most of us spent the majority of the day in Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls from that side. The mist and rain provided a great shower, we were super soaked. The National Park had long pathways and many viewing points to show off the waterfalls beauty. We passed through a market on the way back to Zambia. It's incredibly strange to just walk from one country to another, especially for all the Australians who always have to fly to get to another country. We spent the evening relaxing around the pool and deck area.

Friday, 13 January 2017

BLOG 14- DAY 33, 34 & 35

DAY 33
Leaving Chitimba Beach behind us we began our journey to Kande Beach. While stocking up on supplies we stopped at a well known street corner that sells 'fancy dress' clothing which basically means hideous, strange and very very unique items of clothing.  We had a 2000kwacha budget ($2) for our victims (we picked names out of a hat). My victim, Steve (one of the South Africans) would be wearing a sparkly animal print one-piece with a fabulous tail. hehehe. Our drive took longer due to many trucks getting stuck in the mud on the roads. A quick change and stroll to the lake was essential on arrival. Fantastic. A fairly early night soon followed after a quick drink at the bar.

DAY 34
Today was incredible. Our walk through the local village involved learning about how the locals get clean water by using a water pump all while being surrounded by beautiful children from the school and clinic we visited. Dripping with sweat...well practically melting. This was soon sorted by a swim in the lake, well crawl, it's very shallow for many meters. Fruit punch time. Our potent concoction with a hint of fruit juice. Terrible dance moves in our terrible outfits soon followed. Gosh, we had an absolute blast. Sav looked like a gypsy and I looked like a wannabe Desperate Housewife haha. But the best outfit by far was James's (he is very tall and slim) he had a mini leopard print two piece, the top barely fitting, who am i kidding it was like a bandana.
DAY 35
Waking up slightly earlier than the rest, Sav and I cleaned our tent- which was incredibly sandy. Today we cross the border into Zambia. This is day 1 of 3 really long driving days. The border went smoothly and we spent most of the day just sleeping on the truck. We arrived at Mama Rula's campsite just in time for dinner and an early night.

Tuesday, 10 January 2017

BLOG 13 - DAY 30, 31 & 32

DAY 30
Woken up by the humid air inside and outside our tent at around 7 we packed our tent and got breakfast ready by 8. A cold shower before we left completely revived me. On our drive we passed through a large forest of baobabs. It's probably about time I did a little introduction of our newest new additions to our acacia africa family : we have a married couple from Perth, another couple from Melbourne and two sisters from Melbourne. So our current Aussie total is 11 out of 17. We later arrived at our home for the night- The Kisolanza Farm House. Luckily we set our tents up just before it began raining. The afternoon was spent in the wifi area (the wifi didn't really work) and playing a lame phone version of truth and dare. For dessert we had thee most delicious brownies from the owner of the camp.

DAY 31
After many hours driving we arrived at the friendly Tanzanian side of the border and had a quick experience. The Malawian side look much longer as many people in our group didn't have visas yet. I sat with Ben for the rest of the drive. The drive became quite hectic after stopping to buy groceries. It was pouring with rain and starting to get dark. The rain bouncing on the newly tarred roads created mini clouds over the pitch black road. Also since there are no streetlights the road is extra dark and other car lights are semi blinding . I take my hat off to Ben, his driving is honestly excellent. Myself, Sav and the two young Australian girls rented a chalet as it was still raining and none of us wanted to sleep in tents.

DAY 32
Sav left our room early to do the Livingstone hike while the rest of us slept in till 7 then enjoyed refreshing showers before we went off to learn how to wood carve in the market just outside our camp. We were each partnered with two carvers who would guide and assist us (more like fix what we did wrong haha) we could choose what we would carve - I chose an elephant. The guys helping me were so sweet, the ones name was Vin Diesel which was very entertaining. After carving we played "Bao" which is an African "board game" that involved a wooden board with grooves and many stones, i ended up buying a set to bring home. Three other names I found very interesting were: Mr Vegemite, Fantastic Steve and Cheap As Chips. After dinner we all grabbed a couple drinks and sat around the bar area chatting and showing each other our party tricks. From where we were sitting I could see the large bonfire on the beach that we had been invited to earlier that day.

Saturday, 7 January 2017

BLOG 12 - DAY 27, 28 & 29

DAY 27 and DAY 28

I'm going to keep this one very short- I was violently ill for both days. It was either really prolonged food poisoning as there were a couple of us that got sick (good old Gastro). Unlucky but the first On the first day I still managed to enjoy a very quick swim and watch the sunset which was beautiful. The next day we had to catch the ferry back to Kipepeo Camp - I had to upgrade to VIP because it felt like I was dying.

 DAY 29
An early wake up followed by a 9hour drive to Tan-Swiss Camp. I sat in the front of the truck with Ben for a few hours in the morning (our driver aka thee best driver). Our afternoon consisted of hours in the pool just relaxing. We then sat chatting in the bar/ restaurant area. Before bed I managed to get a call through to my family who had just had a late dinner .(South Africa is an hour behind Tanzania)

Wednesday, 4 January 2017

BLOG 11- DAY 24, 25 & 26

DAY 24

Waking up at 5 to the sound of the ocean and noise from the mosque we got to sleep in till 7 was a treat. After arriving at Kipepeo Beach Resort the girls decided cards and drinks were in order as it was our last Australian original's night with us. Even though she ended up going to bed soon after a few springbok shots (Amarula and peppermint liquor=deliciousness). We continued, our games of bullshit soon turned to games of "What are the odds?" (1. Person A dares person B to do something 2. B says a number {the odds} between 1 and 10 [the higher they pick the less chance] 3. Everyone counts down from 3  4. If A and B say numbers that add up to the odds B chose or they say the same number then B has to do it). Oh yes,  we also briefly met some of the newest new additions to our Acacia africa family. On my first go of Odds (the first time I've ever played it) , I had to sit at a random table of people for 20 seconds in absolute silence. We also re-met the Afrikaans guys from Lake Bunyonyi. We ended up sitting and chatting to them. Then the decision was made : it was going to be an all nighter. Tiring but a boat load of fun.

DAY 25

Packing the tents we didn't even sleep in was a little tiring not to mention the tedious journey to Zanzibar Island. The ferry was definitely over crowded, I ended up sleeping on the floor along the side guardrail of our main ferry while others were sleeping in the middle aisle: it was a great nap. My excitement was building. The customs line moved relatively quickly- there were so many people. We then caught a minibus to our hotel in Stone Town. Mazasons hotel was incredibly beautiful as well as all the small narrow streets around it. We then all did the spice tour which was incredible to see (and smell haha). Our guide was so friendly and all the other workers would sing such fun songs while climbing the trees. After visiting the night market, the girls and I stumbled upon a small restaurant near the ocean - the food was incredible. The cocktails were to-die-for but a lot stronger than we realized, feeling very tipsy after only one. We had a slow paced stroll back to our hotel through the barely lit scenic streets.  Sleep was extremely necessary and our beds were so soft, the duvets were comforting accompanied with the coolness from the aircon. It was heavenly.

 DAY 26
After the most comfortable sleep of the year we made our way to the dining hall for breakfast. Omelettes, fruits, samosas and toast galore. We then met everyone who wanted to do the snorkelling in the reception. Once at our dhow (a wooden boat ) Gladiator, we were fitted with snorkels and flippers. The water was so refreshing and a magnificent blue colour (due to the almost white sand). We had a few surprise guests join us on our snorkel- jellyfish- not really welcomed guests but they didn't sting so it was alright. While snorkelling we even saw a couple "Nemos and Gills" (clownfish and angelfish). We then jumped off Gladiator onto Prison Island and visited all the tortoises. The oldest tortoise was one hundred and ninety two years old (192!) sadly he had a broken shell from when a tree had fallen on him many years ago. There are even rumours stating that he could be older. We then grabbed a quick lunch at a quaint little restaurant near our hotel. Best chicken burger I've had in months. We all then piled into our minibus to our next destination- the Northern Beaches. Our group was split between two hotels, some stayed at Sunset Bungalows I stayed with some others at Amaan Bungalows. Both places were great. I enjoyed the beach at our hotel. The water was cooler than the water in Dar es Salaam, so it was lovely and refreshing. The water was also incredibly salty so floating was so easy and effortless. We all met at Sunset Bungalows for a big dinner.

Sunday, 1 January 2017

BLOG 10 - DAY 21, DAY 22 & DAY 23

DAY 21
We had an early brekkie full of billions of flying ants as additional guests. Witnessing 4 lionesses and too many cubs to count all eating a buffalo carcass was such a treat. It rained on and off all morning and a lot last night so the roads were very slippery and muddy. It was really cool seeing how different the environment was dry versus wet. Around 2 we drove back towards the crater to stay at Simba Camp. The view of the crater along the way was breathtaking. The food was incredible, again! After dinner while enjoying a festive campfire and gooey roasted marshmallows we could watch the buffalos grazing at the bushes nearby (only 10m away). Feeling warm and toasty from the fire we all slept like babies.


DAY 22
A game drive through the Ngorogoro Crater (named after the sound a cows bell makes when they walk). After changing a flat tire and an impromptu bathroom stop we sped off to lions- a beautiful male lion and 2 females but more soon appeared. It looked as though they were going to hunt a baby zebra nearby but instead they moved off lazily into the shade. Roaming the plains were two lone Ellie's, I've never really seen elephants as solitary animals (other than the bulls that are exiled by the the matriarch). We saw many hyena, and even some foxes and jackals. After ascending the crater and admiring the view we drove to a place called the African Galleria - which had wifi.  I managed to receive old messages and send a few replies. My dad had sent me message explaining that the reason my bank cards stopped working was because the bank cancelled them believing they'd been stolen and used by someone in Central Africa (nope, it was only me haha) - but he sorted it all out. 2 of 3 vehicles then arrived at our camp (snake park again) as the others had broken down. After emptying our vehicle our driver rushed off to fetch the rest of our group. After a long shower (& washing my VERY dusty hair for the first time in a couple days) I felt so much more alive. After a tour of all different kinds of snakes and even getting to hold a few. We then grabbed drinks and joined the others in the dinner area. We played card games till dinner. After a huge dinner that made me feel like I was at home (braai meat, coleslaw, salad, potato salad AND garlic bread) we continued our drinks closer to our truck. It was only 10 and our dancing was already in full swing, around 11 power naps were necessary. Although the partying restarted at 11:50 haha. Dancing and singing to Queen as the New Year began. It only lasted till 12:20 then everyone scattered to their tents (we were all really tired and knew we had a 5am wake up)


DAY 23
Waking up at 5 and leaving at 6 left like it took at least 3 hours, as many were not feeling quite themselves (tipsy or hungover I'm not too sure) . A 9hour drive turning into a 13hour drive to Bagamoyo due to speed limit changes gives you time to think, sadly. It's weird that it doesn't even feel as though Christina's has passed. I think these last couple days that I've started thinking about home more, like wondering what everyone else is up to. Sleeping on the truck I had a good sleep. After finally arriving at Firefly Camp we were so excited- the place was exquisite. The camp is right on the beach, there's a pool, and you can feel the salt in the air. Gosh how I miss the ocean. We all thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing swim as well as the beautifully lit bohemian outside area. Dinner was the best chicken we have had so far. Sitting and chatting on the couches with the others and even a quick call to my family allowed time to pass very quickly. All the windows wide open in our tent and we were still hot, sticky and gross.

Thursday, 29 December 2016

BLOG 9- DAY 18, DAY 19 & DAY 20

DAY 18
We headed back to Karen camp where we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch just outside Nairobi.  We chilled at camp and caught up with the rest of the world with the available wifi. I sat on George's laptop typing my blogs and posting them. We then played a few rounds of cards which made me cherish the friendships made on this memorable trip.


DAY 19
With an early 6.30 wake up approaching New Year's Day, everyone making calls to their families to wish them happy New Years (in case there's no wifi). We departed camp at 8AM and started our scenic journey of a drive to the border to cross into Tanzania. The border was quick and easy but exciting. We then picked up A new addition to our Acacia Africa Truck family- a South African gentleman. Sad to say goodbye to Kenya yet saying hello to the new adventure is exciting . My highlight of today was when George, our original Australian lady and myself briefly left the group to venture to a place called The Tanzanite Experience. She had done a lot of research about this place with her boyfriend (who's back in Aus) and so she was going to choose the centre stone for her engagement ring which her boyfriend will then have put together. Special moments are endless on this trip.hilled at camp and caught up with the rest of the world with the available wifi. I sat on George's laptop typing my blogs and posting them. We then played a few rounds of cards which made me cherish the friendships made on this memorable trip.

DAY 20
Sav woke up early to make pancakes, yum! We transferred from Kavango into 3 smaller 4x4 vehicles that are more suitable for game drives. Our vehicles name was Scott. While the guides organized our entry passes we all had our delicious packed lunches. On our game drive my main highlight was 3 lionesses and one male resting on large rocks. The way the light shone on them was incredible. The Serengeti has definitely reached and exceeded all expectations and stories! Arriving to our tents already pitched at the Serengeti National Park Campsite was amazing. This campsite has no fencing, so wild animals can roam freely in amongst our tents and the facilities. While walking with Sav and the two newer young Australian girls to the dining hall we even got a glimpse of a hyena about 10m or so from our tents (we could see the shape and eyes). Really cool! And really big and fast steps followed as we walked very briskly to our dinner. Dinner involved the most incredible vegetable soup I've ever had. It felt great not having to cook! It rained a bit throughout the evening and after hearing stories of large snakes we were all in closed shoes. Sleeping was almost impossible as we were all too excited and hoping to hear anything that came through camp.