Travelling News - 6th December 2005
Hi all,
Before we start, we have just heard about an earthquake in Africa through the Great Rift Valley. Don't know much about it, as we have not had TV, but we are fine (else we couldn't send this note). We were in the area a week or so ago, but all is fine and we are having a great time, so not need to worry. Our tour guides keep us away from any touble (such as riots in Kampala when we were there - we were camping outside the City, so no probs)
It has been a while, but over the past few weeks we have struggled to get to e-mail at all, and that we did get to was so slow we nearly died trying!
We are now in Zanzibar and roasting!!! God knows how hot it is, but we are struggling! We have quit the tour this afternoon, while we shared a quiet lunch, a stroll in the markets and a mega catch up on internet!
What have we been doing?
Well, I think we last mailed in Kampala, which is the capital of Uganda. Since then we have:
Camped at Jinja - Source of the River Nile. Most of the group rafted, but we are chickens and went quad biking instead - great pictures of us with dirt beards!!
Done some voluntary work for a cahrity called Soft Power - we helped for a day painting a school and digging holes for water tanks. We got to spend an hour at a pre-school to play with the kids. All of them were there because wither one or both parents had died of aids. Most of the kids had HIV and many were starting to show signs of AIDS with lesions. It was amazing and humbling to share some time with them. They were so pleased to sing for us and try to take photos on the digital cameras - quite a highlight for everyone. Most overland trucks get a few people willing to help out on their free day off the truck, but on our truck, all of us went to help. This meant that we were able to almost finish paintin the school in an afternoon and the kids and headmaster gave us a whoe load of food to say thanks. It was hard to accept this, given that they literally ahve nothing, but was more of an insult not to. What we didn't realise at the time, was that we ahd achieved teh most in one day than any other group that has volunteered and the headmaster was very grateful, as the kids could use the school sooner than they thought..... was good to help!
How couls we not mention seeing the gorillas in Bwindi National Park. This was amazing!!!! Just to watch them was such an honour, but we got to watch them grooming (Thought of Cooper here) and although the silverback was a bit elusive, we did get to see some pretty big fellas. In fact we got followed down a trail by 2 females. We were following the guides in search of the silverback, when we turned round and saw two gorillas coming up behind us.
Needless to say all thoughts of rationale behaviour went out of the window and we didn't get a photo, we just crouched down and tried to attract the attention of the guide, but couldn't remember how to speak. Luckily the gorillas changed direction and we were saved from them, but not from embarrasment from our group, who wondered what we were doing and why we hadn't taken a photo.
Anyhow, the trek was tough as was all down hill towards the gorillas, which is fine until you realise you have to go back up to get home. We were so tough that the 2 hr downhill trek to see the gorillas, only took us the same to get back out. Even the trackers and armed gards (yes we did have armed gards) were amazed at the pace we were heading back in, as they had estimated at least 3 hrs back. We were nearly dead by the end, but the 15 yr old porters treking in wellies, with no water and no food made us feel guilty, so we kept on going as we didn't want to look pathetic. Needless to say we tipped them well, especially for teaching us words in swahili on the way.
We are getting used to African transport, which is pretty crap at the best of tiems, but seems to do the job. On the way back from the gorillas, we were travelling along roads that were little more than creek beds on the sides of maountains. No four-wheel drive offroading vehicle for us, but a load of toyota hiace vans (minivans to be precise) These things are not really designed for cities, never mind teh kind of driving we had to do, but we made it (just) after a few hairy bends and close to the edge stretches.
Oh yes and as you drive anywhere here you are usually met by cheering kids who shout "Mzungu..... Give me my money" (Mzungu meaning - rich white person)
This was really funny when we got stuck in the mud on the way to the gorilla trek. There was no way that we could have gotten out on our own and the locals were turning up to laugh at us. This was until one shouted something and suddenly women and children appeared out of the bushes with rocks and sticks to help free us from the mud. We watched on awe as a large group set about freeing the van and marvelled at the generosity of the locals. They did a great job of freeing us and we were almost on our way, when a guy leading the group asked for money for helping. We were happy to pay and the driver suggested a sum of 3000 shillings (not a lot in our money about 1700 shilling to the US dollar). Aparently though this was not enough and they wanted 10,000. We would have been happy to pay, but as the driver explained, the 3,000 was enough to buy a large bag of maize for the group to feed them for a week, and although we could afford to pay them more money, if we did then the next person to get stuck would have to pay 20,000 to have help and so on - This is the hardest thing about being in Africa - bartering for everything, as if you dont then you get labelled a "Stupid Mzungu" and they tend to rip you off and anyone that follows you.
The best way to support them is to pay a fair price for stuff, which can be achieved through bartering and supporting them through tourism while we are here. We have tried to buy souvenirs directly from villagers and not from tourist shops, so we know that the money goes directly to the people.
We didn't know it but minivans would be the mode of transport for a lot so far. They are everywhere and usually have people, goats or chickens crammed into them with a few hanging on to doors and windows, just to maximise the payload. It is crazy here.
A bit about the scenery - We have seen some specatular scenery, the best so far has been Uganda which is a lucious green farming country with fertile soil. The people are wonderful and we have had a great time. Kenya in contrast (altough richer) is dirty and appears less organised and more frantic. We felt more at ease in Uganda than Kenya, but I have been amazed by how much rubbish there is everywhere! Even in the Masai Mara, the villages are covered in rubbish and plastic bags.
Game Drives - We have just finished a few days in the Serengeti and Masai Mara, which were both fantastic. We got close to all the animals and saw loads of lion, hyena, elephant (brilliant). We even got to see 2 leopard, close up and almost saw one begin a hunt. We have seen 2 cheetah and even caught the end of the wilderbeast migration in the Serengeti. The Wilderbeast travel with Zebra, as the Wilderbeast have a great sense of smell and the Zebra have great eyesight, so they rely on each other to avoid getting eaten. We managed t o spend som time watching tehm trying to cross a crocodile infested river. It was hilarious, as the Zebra were far more daring than the wilderbeast adn a few hardcore Zebra went in first nd then began calling the others to follow. These promptly chickened out and ran away.... was quite funny to watch! This part has been real Africa and all the pictures we had seen were just like real life. We even bushcamped in both teh Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, whilst listening to hyena and bushbigs raoming round the tents..... NO quick trips to the toilet after dark on those nights!!!
We are now glad to be resting in Zanzibar for a couple of days as I (Yvonne) am struggling to get over a chest & sinus infection. I have even been given chest physio by some fellow travellers to help with breathing!
We are both pretty tired as most mornings start at 5am with some 4am starts. What we are seeing is brilliant, but we are feeling the strain of 4 weeks of camping and crap showers and toilets. We have upgraded to rooms on a few nights to try and recharge the batteries, but have been lucky enough to have met some great people to share the experience with.
Monkey is enjoying his holiday - he hasn't done much except sit looking out of the rucksack, but he is happy.
Well, I bet you are all bored now as this is one hell of a long e-mail. We will be going out for some famous seafood tonight on Zanzibar (makes a change from rice..... food has actually been great and we have both got fatter!!) We are heading into Malawi next and then onto Vic falls!
Gross Stuff so far:
Toilets - when is a long drop not a long drop? - when you are crossing from Keny into Uganda and they are full up!!!
Our Tour guide - Serina has a worm in her foot (she picked this up 12 days ago in Jinja (they grow in the sand) and is currently operating on herself to remove it - V gross. Apparently these worms are pervalent in Malawi - Great! That is where we go next!!
Malaria - one girl from our tour has this so far - Jade - she is an Aussie maniac who although only 23 has been travelling for the past 4 yrs and only goes home to ride her motorbike adn save up more money. She has just failed to climb Kilimanjaro and suffered 4 days of altitude sickness, gastric flu, septic throat (this was the start of the malaria symptoms) and a broken toe. All this and she is still smiling! I had better not whinge about a chest infection any more!
Well - we shall love you and leave you all for now and will e-mail when we next get the chance.
Lots of love
Sandy and Yvonne
xxxxxx