Start of Nomad Tour: (Day 1) Dec-11-2013

I'm riding in a bus of 20--one being the driver and one our tour guide.  Our guide, Godfrey, is from Zimbabwe.  The driver's name is Tabby.  We just left Livingstone, Zambia.  I'll explain about the 'experience' I just had in a bit.

My morning started around 6:00.  I spent a bit of time packing up my overnight bag and my day pack.  I had several pieces of toast with butter and jam and went in front and waited for our tour group.  I met Vincent, Debby, and Stephanie--three Dutch people likely in their early 30s.  Vincent and Debby are a couple, Stephanie came by herself.  We chatted a bit, and talked about ourselves.  We started to get nervous when it was approaching 8:00 and we still  haven't met anyone from Nomad.  The three dutch people have been waiting since 5:30.

Our Truck for the Next Three Week

Finally, we met Godfrey, who instructed us to load the truck and that we had to make a couple stops to pick up the remaining 15 passengers.  We picked up 12 passengers at the Elephant Hotel.  We crossed the border and stamped out of Zimbabwe, then stamped in in Zambia after we crossed the bridge.  We picked up 3 more passengers, whom I am told are from South Africa.  They are the only 3 I have not had the chance to introduce myself too as of yet.  It's almost noon and we have a 500km truck-ride remaining until we reach our destination tonight.

There seems to be 2 people, other than myself, that are traveling alone.  There is a family of 3 from Australia-I've been talking with them the most.  The parents are tax attorneys for the government and I haven't really talked to their daughter yet, though she seems to be 18 or so?  There is another family of 4 from Australia (Noah -17, Daughter? - 21, and two parents).  There is the Swedish family of 3 that I met during my shuttle from Vic Falls Airport to my Hotel.  Their names are Hans, Sonia, and Ann Marie.

I think 1 of the South Africans may be by herself, but it's just a guess.  The 3 dutch, or D-3, for now on, constantly speak in Dutch and I find it very standoffish.  They seem to be the most fun and closest to my age, but even when I'm around them they speak Dutch.  Their English isn't as good as my AWESOME friend Kim's.  They are all from Holland...the couple live on the German border.  It seems that people from Amsterdam tend to have better English than people living in other parts of the Netherlands.

It's very hard to understand Godfrey with his broken English, but I presume it will become easier to comprehend after a few days.  In Livingstone, which is just 10km from the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, we stopped  for 25 minutes to get out some local currency and to make a pitstop at ShopRite.  I went with the D-3 to the ATM at Barclays Bank.  My ATM card was 'retained'.  Of course I was less than happy, but I kept calm, went inside the bank and took a number.  After a very long 45 minutes I was finally called.  The teller told me there wasn't anything he could do and that only certain people had access to the ATM machine.  I explained that it was my only way to access money during my travels and that I will be 1000km out of Livingstone in the next two days.  He told me he would see if he could get the guy to open it.  By this time Godfrey came in to see my progress.  I had asked the Debbie to tell Godfrey where I was.  By this time I was 20 minutes late and I felt horrible.  It is extremely important to me that I respect the others' time.  If you know me then you know I never make people wait on me.  But I didn't want to loose my ATM card this early in the trip.  True, I have redundant means to take out money, but my Ally bank had the lowest foreign transaction fee of all my other cards.

Godfrey went back and talked to the manager.  I'm not sure if it was Godfrey's conversation or not but I was able to get my card back within 15 minutes.  I was finally back on the road...though I missed the opportunity to pick up any water/supplies for the day.  Luckily I have filled my 3L bladder in my AWESOME Osprey Manta 36 Bag with water.  Sorry but Osprey makes such awesome bags they deserve the free advert.  I have been drinking the water in Zimbabwe without any problems thus far.  I have been using chlorine hydroxide to treat it.  To treat 1L of water I mix 7mls of part A and 7mls of part B together and wait 5 minutes for them to react.  Then I pour the reacting chlorine into the water and wait another 15 minutes.

Of the 18 on our tour 14 have upgraded for the 'accommodated' trip.  This means they will be staying in hotel rooms.  However Godfrey went to great length to explain the 5-star hotel rating system.  He explained these hotels are below 1-star and many don't have furniture or bathrooms.  As for the 4 of us that are camping in tents, me and the D-3, the tents usually fit 4 people, but we can pair up 2 to a tent.  He also said if we wanted he could have our own tent, but that would just mean we would have to set up and re-pack the tent ourselves.

Our Truck has 24 lockers in the rear--accessible from the inside of the cabin.  The lockers fit our entire overnight bags with ample room to spare.  I was shocked how large there were.  The truck is a simple 8-10 wheeler truck bed with a cabin built on top of it.  The cabin has 24 seats--20 of them are facing the front with an aisle in the center and 4 are facing inwards.  These 4 seats have a metal table between them.  There is a cooler beside the table for us to keep our beverages/food.  I'm sitting in the front of the cabin, facing inwards.  We have agreed to rotate our seats clockwise every day.

Right now Godfrey is explaining the rules, precautions, and details of the trip.  The routine he is describing seems to be pretty much what I expected.  Breakfast is at ~5:00, Lunch between 12:00 and 2:00, and dinner is whenever we arrive at camp.  Breakfast is a choice of 2 cereals and bread (jam/butter).  Lunch is bread and tomato and probably some type of meat (i.e. ham?).  Dinner is when we will cook, though it will be simple.  I've heard from the Intrepid group that the food they ate was delicious despite its simplicity.

Our Tents Set Up for the First Time

I'm laying in bed all ready to sleep, it's 9:30pm and it's still very hot.  After a very long drive we arrived at camp at 7:30pm.  It sure was a long day of driving...and tomorrow is even longer.  The dutch couple wanted to share a tent so the four of us camping have to pitch 3 tents.  The good news is now I have my own tent.  However I'm not eager to have to pitch a tent and pack it up every day.  I may treat myself some days and just pay for the accommodation.  It's fairly cheap at some places.  Probably 10-20 dollars a night?

Taking Out Supplies from the Side of the Truck

I talked to kelly for 6 or 7 minutes and then had to eat dinner with the group.  I wish I could have talked to her longer...I really miss her and wished she were here with me.  Although I'm sure she is happy that she doesn't have to unpack her bag, sleeping bag, blow up her mattress, rearrange her belongings, brush her teeth with bottled water, and then reverse the process every day for three weeks.

We Prepare Our Own Lunch

Our lunch was pretty good.  We stopped alongside the road and I helped cut up some veggies and open some lunch meat.  We had lettuce, tomato, cucumber, bread, cheese, and lunch meat.  There were also a bunch of condiments to use.  We pulled out foldable chairs from under the truck and sat in a large circle and ate as a group.  Afterwards we cleaned our plates with a tub of soapy water and then rinsed them with a tub of fresh water.  This is also how we washed our hands prior to eating.  After our 15-20 minute lunch stop we were back on the road.  After another several hours we stopped for a bathroom break.  The men took the left side of the ride, while the women took the right...separated only by the truck.

Washing Our Hands Before our First Lunch

I continued to chat with Paul, the Aussie, about Sci-Fi books and then I tried to take a brief nap.  I slept off and on for about 45 minutes.  Afterwards I started to listen to my book on tape--Starship Troopers--by Robert Heinlein.  Great Author.  I had started the book on my trip to Asia, but had never gotten into it....so I decided to give it another chance...this time it's pretty damn good.


It was extremely hot in the bus, but it was bearable when the windows were open and we were moving.  The sun was too strong to be able to read my tablet comfortably so I just closed my eyes and listened to my book.  I don't think I'll have much time to listen to the books I brought with me, nor to read the ones I have on my tablet.

We Dine Together for Dinner

Our First Dinner

After we pitched our tents I helped Godfrey wash the dishes and set the table for dinner.  Dinner was scheduled for 8:15, but we didn't eat till 8:30.  This is when I had Kelly call me.  It's great that I am able to keep in communication with her.  If I get more time and can set aside more than 5 minutes I will try to call my parents too.  Though, I know my parents can go longer without speaking with me and not get too 'sad', for lack of a better term.

Prior to dinner, I washed my face and hands and got a beer at the bar.  It was 10 kwacha (their currency).  I only had USD so it was $2.  I had an authentic Zambian lager...it was OK.  Dinner consisted of noodles with a ground beef and some flavoring?  It was very good since I was starving, but all-in-all I would say it was average.   For getting it together so quickly and for 19-20 people I would say it was a grand success.

I've  been wanting to include some colorful commentary in these 'rants', but an trying to hold off until I have enough 'information' to state some of my opinions.  For now, that should do.  It's 9:55 and it's time for sleep.  Tomorrow starts at 4:30--as tents have to be loaded by 5:00.  On the road before 6:00.  Although we are in Africa, we ourselves, do not get to enjoy "African" Time.

Oh, in case I didn't state it, we're just outside Lusaka right now--the capital city of Zambia.  Tomorrow we'll be in Chipata and from what Godfrey said our camp grounds will be VERY basic.

A Long Day of Rafting: Dec-10-2013

Victoria Falls Hotel

It's currently just before 4:00pm and I'm enjoying a cup of tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel.  It's a very nice colonial style hotel with a wonderful view of the bridge (leading from Zimbabwe, to Zambia).  I was just checking out the town and wanted to see this hotel, since everyone reaves about it...however it's not even close to the Royal Livingstone in Zambia.

My morning started at 6:00 when I woke up with a vivid dream--a side effect of my Malaria meds.  I enjoyed a light breakfast of 3 pieces of toast and some orange juice.  There are 2 (or three?) rafting companies and my hotel owns one of them-Vic Falls Adventures.  The rate was very reasonable as we went through nearly 20 rapids, had a feast with beer at the end and transportation was provided to/from my hotel.

There ended up being 14 of us going rafting today.  I was the only one from my hotel...the rest were split between two other places.  Everyone was bussed to the lodge I happened to be be staying at-the rafting staff work around the lodge.  We were given very comical intro by a guy in dreads and Rasta-like gear.  He explained how we should hold onto the rescue canoes should we find ourselves being thrown from our raft, how to swim while kicking away nearby crocs, and other such safety-related things.  We all signed forms limiting the companies liability and waited for the truck to take us to go rafting.

I found out that 8 of the 14 in the group had just finished their Intrepid tour.  Their tour was very similar to mine but started in Kenya and went south, ending in Vic Falls.  They all seemed to love their experience but said some days were VERY long on the truck.  That Intrepid trip only had 8 people--those on the rafting trip.  My Nomad tour should have 18, but we'll find out tomorrow bright and early.

There were 3 others from Holland, and two native-born Zims--both white.  One is currently living in the Cayman Islands and was in Zimbabwe looking for properties as he wanted to move back.  The other guy, Rob, was born and raised in Zimbabwe.  We talked a bunch about his life--I found his life very unique.  He quit it job a couple months ago to go traveling.  The man from the Cayman Islands must have been 60+, but it's hard to say for sure as he gets a shit ton of sun and smokes like a chimney.

The majority of people on the Intrepid tour were Aussies, Two were Kiwis, 1 was a swiss.  Of the 8, 6 of them were couples, which is very unusual for that type of Intrepid tour....though when I was in South East Asia there were 2 couples traveling along.

We took a short ride and split into two groups, a group of 6 and another of 8.  I was in the group of 6, as the other group was simply the Intrepid group.  We got out helmets and lifejackets and headed down a very steep climb down towards the river.  We were at the top of the gorge and had a 700+ foot descent.  We were all drenched in sweat when we finally got to the bottom.  The fact that there were extremely steep and rusted-out panels for steps didn't make anything any easier....but the majority of the way we were forced to negotiate our path using the natural rocky formations.  We waited 20-30 minutes until our rafts were inflated.  There were 4 total rafts going out...two with our company and two with another company.

Rafting Down the Great Zambezi River, Zimbabwe

There were so many people helping set everything up.  A bunch of young shirtless locals working very hard did labor long since made obsolete in the developed world for meager salary.  Labor is so cheap that it's more cost effective to have 20 people working to carry and inflate the rafts than having 1 or 2 people and an automatic pump.  Minus 1 for efficiency BUT a big plus 1 for unemployment reduction.  Sort of reminds me of how New Jersey has employees that pump your gas for you.  Useless, yes....BUT it does reduce unemployment and keep people off the street....hint, hint Obama....seems better than welfare!

We were finally on the river by 9 or so.  The sun was blazing...my triceps/biceps got a little burned even after using waterproof 50 SPF sunblock and reapplying 3 times throughout the day.  The rapids were.....well...FUCKING INTENSE.  I've only gone white water rafting on class 5 rapids one other time, in West Virginia, and compared to what I experienced this morning/afternoon the West Virginia rapids were child's play.  Honestly, very few times in my life can I say I have felt looming death.  I've been on small airplanes that drop suddenly in the air.  It's a scary feeling but even that intense reaction soon diminishes and eventually vanishes---I'm using the word vanishes because I am not sure how to spell disappear.  I will explain my experience shortly--I try to keep these stories linear, it's the curse of being extremely logical.

There are a many rapids on the Great Zambezi and they are numbered 1 through 24.  In the 'low' season--dry season--we raft rapids 1-19.  On the 'high' season--water levels raise by ~30-50ft--we raft rapids 11-24.  Rafting in the low season is much more intense and the guides try to keep the rapids 1-9 open as long as they can, but they have certain indicators as to when they should stop running them.  These indicators are not the calibrated depth gauges one would likely use in a 1st world nation.  These guides look at certain river/rock formations and notice when they start changing (e.g. certain vortexes are too strong/week, hidden pools get covered up, etc.)

Rapid number 8 was extremely intense and our guide told us it was likely we could capsize (flip our boat).  We did.  Some got thrown from the raft and had to endure the rapid on their own--not holding onto the raft.  The rest of us climbed onto the top of the upside-down raft and finished the rapid #8 before flipping it back upright.  There were half a dozen kayakers going down the rapids alongside us solely for our protection.  They would paddle over to rafters who were off the raft.

Rapid #8 today caused all 4 rafts to either capsize or loose all their rafters.  This rapid was a 10m drop.  That's 33 feet.  One cannot emphasize enough how fucking large these rapids were.  These are amung the biggest in the world...AND we went when they were at their most brutal.

Some of the class 3 rapids were also pretty rough, there were only 3 or 4 class 4 rapids.  Some rapids were a series of 2 or 3 smaller rapids, but in America each of these 'mini' rapids would be the sole attraction in many states.  I remember Rapids 12a, 12b, and 12c--they were class 1, 2, and 4 respectively.  There were referred to as the 3 sisters.  Then came rapid #13.  Fuck you Rapid #13.  Sorry for the foul mouth...but when you hear how she treated me, you'll understand where I am coming from.

Rapid #13 was called "The Angry Mother" and she's brutal.  Our guide took 5 minutes telling us about the course we wanted to take, where to swim towards (and where to avoid) if we were thrown from the raft.  Each raft had it's own river guide, which is standard for white water rafting trips.  They helped direct the raft from behind and gave orders for us to help get through the rapids.  There were cameramen and videomen along the rocks on some of the larger class 5 rapids.  Our guide would point them out and say, "look at the cameraman and wave".

I was still waving when apparently he had told us all to "GET DOWN".  'Get Down' means stop paddling, get off the side of the raft, tuck your body inside and grab the rope along the side with both arms.  Even though everyone was thrown from the raft, I was just getting my hands on the ropes when I was thrown (because I was too busy waving to the goddamn camera).

Typically when one is thrown from the raft one can see where he or she is in relation to the rapid.  This helps one to decide where one needs to be, and when to take a breath so one could have enough O2 to 'just go with it' if being submerged is imminent.  All of this went out the door when that bitch--Angry Mother-- destroyed me.  Rapid #13 was not only a large class 5, but also a long one...meaning it wasn't just a few large jolts and then smooth water.  It was rough for what had to be nearly a 80 feet...maybe more?  I was thrown just as we entered the rapids as most people were, but I had no chance to prepare.

I have to pay for my tea and get over to the Vic Falls Adventure Agency Office in town to watch the video from today.  Usually watch it at my hotel, but since I was the only one there who went on the rafting I just said I will come to the office and spare everyone else the trip.

The video was pretty good.  I gave Rob, from Zimbabwe, $10 and he said he would rip it and post it on Dropbox for me.  They wanted $35 for the video and $25 for the pictures, or $50 for both.  Yikes!

I was thrown from the raft and didn't know which way was up.  Even though I had a lifejacket on, the rapids were too strong and I just couldn't find air.  The other guide had said count to three and don't panic.  If you've gotten to three and you still have not gotten your head above water then you're in trouble.  I wasn't counting but it seemed like 20 seconds.  Was probably more like 10, but it was scary either way.  I had the boat on top of me for a little bit...though I have no Idea for how long since I couldn't open my eyes and I no part of me was above water.  I had no clue which way was up...Thanks vestibular system, where were you when I needed you most?

I finally found air and took a big breath...but it was only half air, the other half was the Great Zembeze River.  I knew I was supposed to swim right, out of harms way.  I tried but the current was so strong I felt like I was making little/no progress.  I started to swim left towards a rock formation.  At this point all I wanted was to grab onto something.  The guys in the kayaks well yelling and pointing at me so I ditched the rock and started to swim right again.  A kayak came to get me and I wrapped my arms and legs around the bottom portion of the front of the kayak (as we were instructed) and let him take me back to the other raft.  Once we caught up to my original raft I rejoined my initial group.

I was NOT up for rafting any more, but my choices were limited....ACTUALLY I only had one choice...Keep Rafting!  There were only 4 or so class 4/5 remaining.  I wasn't as eager to wave to the cameraman after Angry Mother, Rapid #13.  One of the Aussies on the other raft has a similar 'bad experience' on that rapid.  She was under for a while and thought she was doomed.  She also hurt her leg pretty bad.  Though it was probably just a soft tissue injury.

These rapids were rough but there are safe elements.  The guides go down 7 days a week and have been doing it for years.  Also, even during low waters, the depth ranges from 30 to over 60-80 meters at some places.  This means we're 'less' likely to smack our heads/bodies against rocks under the water's surface.

The crocodiles were small.  We only saw one, and it was just over 2 feet...maybe 30 inches?  This was according to the guide who got a closer glance.  The larger crocodiles that fall over the falls die, but the small ones survive.  We saw a few local Zambians fishing and cooking the fish along the river.  They catch and cook the fish along the river and then bring them back into town to fry.  We also saw a pair of small elk (or deer-like animals).  The most amazing site was the dozens and dozens of baboons we saw along the Zimbabwe side of the gorge.  There were young baboons the size of Dexter playing with eachother...so adorable!

Our guide told us they are "nasty" animals.  He then followed up with a story of a time he accidentally left his window unlocked at his house.  Baboons had opened the windows, entered his house, and made a complete mess of everything.  They even shit in his bed.

The walk back to the top was a long one.  It was equivolent to walking up 70 flights of stairs...thanks internet!  They had warned us about the steep climb up.  To be continued...having drinks at my hotel with German guy!

Ok, back now!  Had drinks with German guy and Dutch girl....she looked a bit like Megan Fox... ;)!  I also talked with one of the rafting guides for a bit.  He was telling me sometimes he goes out 28 times a month.  He's been doing this for 18 years.  There have been 2 guides that have died and handful of tourists.  He was telling me one horrible story where there was this couple rafting together...the man loosened his girlfriend's lifejacket becuase she was complaining about it being too tight.  They both went over and she didn't come up for 3 days.

The guide has been dating his girlfriend for 6 years.  I asked if she ever came rafting with him and he said no.  He said black people, especially women don't like the water.  I found that interesting...even in Africa!

Been a long day, and I'm going to shower, try to head out for dinner somewhere other than my hotel and unwind a bit before my 14 hour carride tomorrow.  I meet up with my group/tour tomorrow morning.

I'll touch base with you later...

JUST AN FYI, this will be my last night staying in a hotel (w/ wifi). So You may not receive my postings until some time...1, 2, 3 weeks?  I'll try to post them when I'm in Zanzibar though!

Oh, an intersting note, the Megan Fox chick is also working with the "Lion Walk" and she was telling me how she helped prep the meat.  She cut apart a donkey that was still warm from the kill.  This Friday will be the first time she has to kill a chicken herself.

Cheers!

Devil's Pool and Victoria Falls: Dec-9-2013

It's about 4:30pm here and I have had a full day.  Before I jump into things I have to say that I have lost two blog postings....god-damn tablet....I should have just brought my laptop.  I don't feel like repeating everything so you'll just never know the crazy shit that I wrote in those two postings.

My day started when I heard a knock knock knock.  It was the front desk-someone had been there to pick me up.  I looked at my watch at it read 9:15.  I flipped out because I thought I had to be at the place for the Devil's Pool at 10:00.  The place was in Zambia, which meant I had to exit Zimbabwe, cross the bridge over the falls and then enter back into Zambia.  Total distance was probably 5-10kms from my hotel to the meeting place....more on that later.  I had no idea who was waiting for me at the front because I was going to arrange my own transport (walking) for Devil's Pool.  It was someone picking me up for a day Safari Ride in Chobe, Botswana.  I remembered I had inquired about such a trip via email, but never ended up paying so I assumed it wasn't confirmed....oops!

According to my watch I had 35 minutes remaining to make a trip that the front desk suggested I set aside 2 hours for.  I had the front desk hail me a taxi and skipped the free breakfast due to time constraints.  I paid $5 USD for a 5 minute taxi ride and was through customs in no time.  I had to check out of Zimbabwe first, they gave me a receipt..then I have to cross a portion of the bridge and hand this receipt to a person in uniform.  From this point onward I was checked out of Zimbabwe but not stamped into Zambia...kinda like no-man's land!  I was booking it by this time...luckily a nice woman in a car (I guess it had been a taxi) had stopped over along the side of the road and asked if I had needed a ride.  I was thankful and hopped in.  We chit-chatted and I got off at the other end of the bridge (it was quite long).  I was happy that I had gotten my multiple-entry Zambian Passport because going through customs only took a few minutes...much quicker and less corrupt than the other border crossings I've been to--though I was usually crossing borders with my overnight bag and these crossing were at relatively highly-visited areas.

The Mist from Victoria Falls Rises in the Background

I took a taxi to the Royal Livingstone, where I was to meet for the Devil's Pool adventure.  The pure sight of the hotel from the inside left me breathless.  It was just like the lodges you see in those movies...you know the REALLY NICE ones.  I had to pay the taxi $4 USD but all I had was a $10 bill, which around this part is often too much to be able to change.  The front desk at the hotel told me they don't deal with USD.  The taxi driver said it was 5 (whatever their currency is) to 1 USD. I later found out that he was being honest with me because it's actually just around 5.5 to the USD.  I gave him 25 and kept 25.  I arrived at the place where I was supposed to be and a man told me I was early.  I was confused but he said that the tour left at 10:30 and not 10, but and it was currently only 8:15.  I was so confused.....had inadvertently changed my watch while setting my alarm clock the night before?  I probably woke up around 7:15 or so.  I haven't had ANY sort of jet-lag or whatever that b/s is people always talk about when they fly.

On the Ledge of Devil's Pool, Victoria Falls

The guy at the tour meet-up location place told me I could come back at 9 for the earlier tour and I could go if there were spots.  I walked around the hotel for a little and took a few pictures.  I sat down and ordered a coffee...probably the best coffee I had ever had.  I asked where they got it from and the waiter told me "South Africa".  I went back around 9 and they had room for me.  We split into several groups of 4 and a speed boat took each of our groups to Livingstone Island.

The Guides Risk their Lives for Our Entertainment...Very Dangerous!

On the Island we had a few minutes to snap some pictures of the falls and then we got into our swimming gear.  I was happy to be wearing my five fingers shoes.  My heart was pounding and I was getting pretty nervous/scared--though I cannot say I disliked the feeling.  I felt alive and started to embrace the thrill and just went with it.

I was in a group of 4.  There was a guy from Dublin, Ireland who worked in Australia for a while working in copper mines.  His company opened a new facility in Zambia so he had been working locally for a while.  Another guy was from Vancouver, BC, Canada.  He was traveling with his girlfriend but she was too scared to go with him on the Devil's Pool adventure.  The last guy was from Germany.

We Pose for a Photo Before we Risk our Lives

First thing we did was swim 40 or so meters to get closer to the Devil's Pool.  There was one guide that was already at the pool and the guide we came with had our cameras and was taking photos for us while we were in the pool.  He was literally ON THE EDGE of the falls to get the best pictures possible.  We lowered ourselves one at a time into the pool.  I felt the current try to carry me over the edge.  There was a rock wall to stop a person from falling off the end, but one has to make sure they don't overshoot and go where the wall ends.  Also, the water was a good 8-10 inches higher than the rock wall--it wasn't as if there was a hard stop...people have fallen off in the past.

NOW FOR THE SCARY PART WE ALL CAME FOR!  One after the other we had our pictures taken while laying on the rock wall and lifting our hands over our heads, thus being unsupported while leaning OVER the edge of one of the largest waterfalls in the world.  This is what the other guide, the one that was already there when we had gotten there, was for.  He was holding our legs as to provide so me support, though at no time did I feel he was holding tight enough.  The experience was amazing and was well worth the $60-80 for the 1.5 hr trip.  I would encourage anyone who has the option to go on this tour to do so...they only offer it ~4 months out of the year when the water is low enough though.

Afterwards we took a few pictures and made our way back to a tented area on the island where we were served eggs Benedict w/ bacon.  We also had bread that would put Cracker Barrel out of business.  I had tea this time as my nerves couldn't take any more 'energy'.  We took the road back to the Royal Livingstone.  I parted ways with the German but walked for a while with the two others.  We had trouble finding our way out of the hotel's front gate.  After crossing a few impalas and monkeys we finally found our way to the main road.  They were going to the park on the Zambian side and I was on my way back to Zimbabwe.

After I stamped out of the Zambia I made friends with a family of 11.  They were from Zambia, about 1.5 hours north of Vic Falls.  They had never been to Victoria Falls before and were excited.  We chatted and walked for 20 minutes or so.  I had explained the experience I just had and they were amazed.  Then I passed my camera around for all 11 of them to see the picture of me hanging over the edge.  You should have seen their faces.

Halfway along the bridge there were people bungee jumping.  For $130 USD I decided to pass.  Also, about 18 months ago an Aussie had gone and her rope broke and she had fallen into the river.  She survived, but still, I had no compulsion to go.  I met a local Zambian named "Innocent" and he tried to sell me some Zimbabwe currency.  He had a 100 trillion dollar bill and I told him I had no money.  We talked for 15 or so minutes.  I parted ways and headed towards the Zimbabwe border again.

Along the way I met a man and what seemed to be his older son.  I had asked how he was and he said he was good but he was hot.  He went on to tell me how horrible it was that these "tourist places" charge such high rates and do not even include water.  We talked about South Africa and Nelson Mandela.  He told me that "Many people outside of Africa think Nelson Mandela was a great man, but what he did to South Africa was horrible".  This man was black-as have been most people I've talked to here-and I was a little shocked to hear him be so frank about his disapproval of Nelson Mandela.  Remind me to tell you about this character I met last night...

I will not get into the details of the conversation but he seemed really upset that Nelson allowed all the property owners to retain their current property after the regime change.  This guy had a problem that 80% of the property was owned by individuals and he felt if he wanted land to farm on or to build a factory that he should be able to.  OR COURSE I had an opinion on the matter but I tried to suppress it and really understand this man's view.  I found out that so many of the land owners are 'rich' europeans that never use the land.  I kept wanting to draw parallels on how the US gained its land from ripping off the natives, but I figured this man wouldn't know enough about US history to get my point.

We talked about his business and a little bit more on the South African (and to a large extent all of Africa) issues.  He told me, while I was in line at the Zimbabwe customs, that all of Africa a shit.  I was standing in a line with 20 of people and it had been at least an hour since I have seen any white person so you can imagine how uncomfortable I felt.  But we talked about how the people of a nation should never be judged by their government/politicians.  We could both agree on that.

It was probably close to 11:30 at this time and I have been on my feet, swimming, and talking to people since probably 7:45 in the morning.  But if you have ever traveled with me you know that I NEVER rest...there is plenty of time for that on long bus rides, night time, and when the weather is bad.

I paid the $30USD entrance fee to the official Victoria Falls park and spent ~2 hours taking photos.

The falls were beautiful...though there was significantly less water volume than during the wet season.  Many of the locals claimed it was more impressive now since you could see more-as there wasn't the mist blocking the views.

Cataract Island View - Victor Falls

I chatted with a few families/people along the way.  With one family from Zimbabwe, the wife told me that they had been all over Zimbabwe and this was the last place to go.  I enjoyed that there weren't too many foreigners.  I would say at least 80% of the visitors in the area are native to Zambia/Zimbabwe.

I bought a 7-up for $2 and left the Falls to walk to my hotel...which was still another 5-7km away.  The boy I met yesterday was waiting for me and told me he had the item I asked for.  I waited for him to get it.  The craftsmanship was poor but had promised him I would buy it from him so I made an offer of $5 and he laughed.  Then I said $6 because I felt bad but I am not about the pay any games.  He said $15 and then I started to walk away.  He started to tell me how it was handmade and that it was real ebony.  I wasn't about to tell him I thought it was junk, but I did tell him I could get something of better quality in Chinatown NYC for half what he was asking.  He told me that getting something from the artist was important, but I told him I couldn't be sure that he even made it.  He told me he did, so obviously I was wrong.... ;)

A man next to him told me to just make another offer and that he would accept it.  I said I am not playing games and I walked away.  He waited until I took a few paces and said, ok $6 for you.  I told him no and that I already had offered $6 and that he was greedy and was trying to take advantage of me.  I told him he tried to play games to rip me off and that I no longer wish to do business with him.  He kept insisting that I pay $6 but I just walked away.

Later while I was back in my hotel room (about to shower) the front desk had informed me that there was a man in front requesting me.  It was the guy trying to sell me the thing for $6.  I told the man to instruct that guy that I was ill and was no longer interested.

Steak & Fries at Vic Fall Lodge

I took a short swim at my hotel, showered, and then went outside to write...which I have been doing for the last (almost) 2 hours.  I'm drinking a Zimbabwe Beer called "Golden Pilsener" and eating a steak and fries.  The food is "eh" but pretty cheap and I'm not too eager to spend a lot of money taking cabs to and from more expensive hotels for dinner.

---about last night...

I met a South African man at the bar at the hotel last night.  I talked with him for a while but realized over the course of the night we was a complete asshole and that I after a while I not wish to speak with him any more.  He was a racist self-righteous Christian moron.  He told me, "Blacks and Whites should just not mix".  He told me it "wasn't natural".  I responded by saying I didn't think it was natural for a white man like him to be in South Africa and that he should move back to Europe if he was so concerned about 'being natural'.  He didn't like that, but he continued to buy me drinks and actually bought my dinner too.  He went on to tell me that "Whites" were more "Evolved" and it just made me sick.  He told me that Indians were the product of when whites and blacks have kids.  I told him that archeologically speaking, Indians were in fact Caucasian, just like 'us Whites'.  He did NOT like that.  Then he said if "we were all equal" then why are we not all the same color.  I knew this man didn't have the IQ, education, or personality to understand but I tried anyways.  I explained that people with lighter skin would get cancer more often and have higher mortality rates and that natural selection would favor darker-skinned people.  I even explained why certain people put on more weight than others, why some people have wider-set hips, etc... He just wasn't getting it.

"He told me people can always look for answers but it's just easier to believe something and stick to it".  WOW!  At this point he had begun sounding a lot like a Baptist/Islamic extremist...I moved far away for Memphis for a reason!

I was 'saved' when a German guy came to the bar and ordered another beer.  We all talked for a bit but when the South African went to the bathroom the German told me he had to leave.  I told him I couldn't stand this guy either so we just moved down a few seats and continued talking for an hour or so.  At around 10:15 we each went off to our respective rooms.  The German, Ben, was 'volunteering' here for 16 days at the Lion Walk activity.  It's not really volunteering though as he has to pay for room, food, airfare, and the $1500 program fee  The Lion Walk is where tourists pay $130 or so to walk alongside young (1 to 1.5 year old) lions.

This guy had just turned 30 and designs the interior of grocery stores.  He uses both business and psychology in his work.  I've heard about marketing psychology before.  Last year he had spend 2 months in Kenya teaching at an orphanage.  For his recent birthday his friends wanted to throw him a huge party but he had told them if they wanted to than all the guests can not get him a gift.  If they wanted to they should donate to the orphanage in Kenya he had worked at.

We talked a bit on how important it was/is to take vacations away from it all and really experience the world as it is.  It helps re-base oneself and to allow one to see what is truly important in life.  People in Africa are magnitudes MUCH HAPPIER than those living in the US.  When everyone has nothing there is no concept of jealousy.  It really makes you think, "why can't I be happy living in a house 1/3 the size of my current house"?  We need big houses to hold all of our 'stuff'.

Even the locals trying to sell me stuff are nicer and more willing to talk with me and laugh than the people in my OWN building in Philly!  I don't think I can live in Africa, but if anyone knows of any opportunities in Asia please pass it along.  Tomorrow is Rafting...can't wait!

Touchdown in Zimbabwe: Dec-8-2013

Everything went smoothly getting my double entry visa at the Victoria Fall's airport.  Had someone waiting for me to take me to my hotel.  There were 3 other people sharing the van.  Funny story actually, they are all on the Nomad tour that starts Wednesday.  Their names are Hans, Sonia, and Ann Marie.  They are Swedish.  I was dropped off at my hostel, The Adventure Lodge, which is a budget hotel about 10-20 minutes outside of the falls.  They place has free Wi-Fi, but it keeps breaking up and fore some reason will NOT work on my tablet.

While at the front desk I booked a rafting trip for Tuesday and a swim at Devil's Pool tomorrow (Monday) morning. 

I unpacked a bit and showered...relaxed for well over an hour.  Then I got dressed and walked into town.... at least whatever town they had.  I felt like I was back in India.  Everyone kept approaching me trying to shake my hand and asking me where I was from.  I knew their game, but I am immune to any/all guilt and high-pressure sales tactics so I let them at it.  I seemed to have really pissed off a couple of them because the took my willingness to talk with them as some type of promise I would buy their shit? 

The Adventure Lodge, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Along my way to the Fall's a tourist police came sprinting my way.  He had told me that the people were not allowed to sell to the tourists in certain areas and that he will walk with me to keep them at bay.  We chatted a bit, but his English was rather broken.  He took me to a few lookout points and I was thankful.  I haven't seen the fall yet...I'm excited for tomorrow.  The man walked me back showing me a few shortcuts along the way.  We ran into some wild hogs and their babies.  Also we saw half a dozen baboons.  He pointed out a restaurant to me that had live music.  I was going to go out to eat tonight, but am kind of tired, so I am planning on staying in tonight.  I gave the tourist police a $2 tip and walked back alone..... Well, sort of alone.  A half dozen people trying to sell me “activities” and their trinkets accosted me again.  I told them I had already booked "devil's pool" and a rafting trip for the day after.  One of the locals walked with me the entire way back to my place as he said he lived in the housing unit just past my bungalows.  We was a nice enough guy and left me alone when I told him there was no way I would give him any money but I was happy to talk with him.  He pointed out my clothing and camera was nice...I pointed out the incredibly high rent prices in America so it all evens out.  He understood and then we were able to speak more frankly towards one another.  I told him what I was looking for and if he could make it for me by tomorrow I will visit the craft market and I will give him the business.

I'm sitting at our outdoor bar/restaurant now.  There are about 8 people (7 ladies, 1 guy) sitting and talking.  They are all volunteers here.... probably just helping with keeping the grounds clean and doing laundry, etc....in exchange for free room and board.  Pretty typical, I first discovered this 10 years ago when I went to Rome.  I can see myself doing this type of thing when I take my RTW trip.  I think I may have lost some blog postings (thanks digital world). 

As I sit waiting for my supper, I see stray cats playing with each other and one of them is black...makes me think of Dexter.    There is also one that looks a lot like Charlie.  "Kelly, can you make sure Diana didn't abandon Charlie yet?".

I just took a break but have to go.  I've been talking with a guy at the bar here.  He's from South Africa (most people seem to be from there).  We've been talking for well over an hour.  He's also traveling alone.  He may be in his low-mid 40s?  He was telling me about Devil's pool.   Wow I am so scared.  You have to swim against the current as it takes you to the edge of the 340ft waterfall drop.  It's a good thing I won't be able to post this until after I have already come back from the experience because I'm sure it would scare the shit out of my mother.

Ok, my dinner is being served, something with 'Pat'?  Not sure what I got, I had the South African guy order for me.   It's supposed to be authentic for this area.... all I know is that I will be eating with my hands

Arrival In London: Dec-7-2013

Caught my flight out of Philly at 10:00 pm.  It was very hard leaving my love back at home, but I know she will be ok (she's a strong little lady).  I hadn't thought about finding out beforehand in which terminal British Airways was located, but I definitely missed it by 3 terminals.  I had to walk back outside, in the rain mind you, and hike back to the first terminal get my tickets and check my bag.  While walking outside I found a woman who was struggling with her bags.  I got off the phone with Kelly and asked the girl if she needed help with her bag(s).  I took a bag and we were on to the ticketing.  I hung out with her for the duration leading up to our departure (she was also on the London flight).  Her name is Sarah and she was an Au Pair, which is a live-in nanny. 

JUST AN FYI...NOT ONLY DOES THIS APP ON MY TABLET NOT HAVE A SPELL CHECK, BUT ALSO MY SPELLING COMPREHENSION IS OFFICIALLY THAT OF A 6TH GRADER...DEAL WITH IT!  We ALL have strengths and weaknesses now...now you know my spelling is my Kryptonite.

She has been living in a wealthy suburb on the main line...which I'm sure gave her a very stilted perspective of "American Life" as it was her first time in the states.  She has had a boyfriend for the last 3 years and was long distance for the last year...that HAS to be hard!  She was en route to her home country, Austria.

After buying an apple, turkey, Brie, and craison salad I boarded my flight.  I chatted for a while with the gentleman next to me.  He lived ~1 hr. outside London and was in Philly for the week on business.  He said he worked in IT...but was hesitant.  I think his job was more complicated but he was trying to keep things simple for me.  I have asked him if he had seen the show, "The I.T. Crowd"?  He said he had and that he thought it was Brilliant.  Actually he said that main guy with the Afro is a funny comic in Britain and that he performs often.  Please watch that show if you get around to it.  I watched it on Hulu.   It was such a success they made a US version.  PLEASE do yourself a favor and watch the UK version.  This is series does not follow the same relationship that the UK "The Office" did when it came to the US.  The UK version is ACTUALLY much BETETER!

I told him about my pending adventures through Africa and he told me about two of his friends that recently took quite the adventure.  They had a truck that they converted to a camper--Installed a bathroom, cots, etc.  He wanted to call it a Lorry (I'm not sure what this is, but I presume it is a robust overland recreational vehicle).  They started in London and drove all the way down to Cape Town, South Africa.  It took them 18 months and they stayed no longer than 10 days at any one location.  They then shipped the vehicle back to London and vacationed in nice hotels while in South Africa.   That is a great trip that I would love to do through the American National Parks.

After chatting for ~45 minutes we started to watch our respective in-flight entertainment.  I caught up on 3 episodes of "The Big Bang Theory".  The medicine I took prior to boarding had been taking its hold on me and I stopped fighting it.  I took out my inflatable travel/backpacking pillow (Filo Nemo - $45 retail).   I was sleeping in no time.

Woke up for dinner:  Chicken curry w/ rice, a salad (that I didn't touch), a roll (that I didn't touch), and a cinnamon cheesecake like dessert.  Food was all in all very good.  Also woke up for breakfast, which was a sweet croissant.

I decided to go into central London for a few hours since I had ~8 hrs. till my next flight.  I took the Piccadilly line (and NOT the faster express) because it was 1/4 the cost.  I am taking the Piccadilly Underground to the Piccadilly Circus stop and will transfer to the Bakerloo line.  I plant to take this to the Waterloo stop.

My Plans while in London (for the 3 hours that I am here):  Start off south of the River Thames and work my was northwest following the Jubilee line.  If I make it all the was to the Green Park stop on the Piccadilly line I will head east to the Piccadilly Circus stop and get back on the head back to the Airport.  I wanted to walk around Piccadilly Circus (the reason for walking back that way).

I really like meeting people while traveling alone...even if it's when it's on the airplane or in the airport.  They are like you're best friend because at the time there is no one else either person has and it's human nature to form connections with people.  Traveling alone really gives the traveler the ability to reach out and talk to anyone.  I met a great couple from France on the Piccadilly line.  They are visiting London for the first time.

Or I forgot to mention...I was able to use my first aid kit for the first time EVER.  And I have taken it with me to at least half a dozen countries and on at least half a dozen overnight backpacking trips thus far.  That girl, Sarah, had actually fallen and torn her jeans and cut up her knee pretty bad.  I guess that was the reason she was struggling with her bags when I met her outside.  I used antibacterial spray and a Band-Aid.... You would have been proud, Mom!

Just finished walking around London and switched onto the Piccadilly line to Terminal 5 (where British Airways is)--should arrive at the terminal w/ 2.5 hours before my flight.  I have needed to go to the bathroom since I was on the plane but still haven't found time yet...I'll be able to relax a bit at the airport before my 12 hr. flight to J-Burg, South Africa.

I walked west along the south bank of the Thames River and visited a large Ferris wheel and merry-go-round.  There was

a fair going on and what seemed to be a weekly farmer's market.  I could see Big Ben from across the river and took a few photos.  Along the way I came across a handful of street performers--some were actually very good.

I walked up to Big Ben and approached Westminster Abbey.  I was a bit disappointed...I guess I was expecting more.  I mean, don't get me wrong.... it WAS beautiful!  I think I just appreciate different elements of countries when I visit.  Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and Trafalgar Square were ok.  Nothing I haven't seen before.  I went into the free National Museum but didn't have the time to have my bag searched so I just looked at the interior.  It was beautiful. 

The entire square was a bit too touristy for me.... THIS is the entire reason why I have NO desire to travel through Western Europe.  I'm trying to work out the logistics of a Round The World (RTW) trip sometime in the next 5 years.  Seeing as I want to skip over (much) of Europe I think I can avg ~15/yr.  But I guess that is for another blog.

All on all I really enjoyed London...more so for the people than any one thing I actually saw.  Everyone has been extremely nice--though most people I stopped on the street to talk with are not even from the UK.  Did I already say how Touristy London was/is?

After 4 solid hours of walking around London I'm ready to take breather.  Call me odd but there is something so fulfilling about pushing oneself through fatigue and getting completely engulfed in the culture/environment.  I probably asked a dozen strangers all around down if they wanted me to take their photos.  About 80% of them said yes.  Of those 80%, a bit more than half seemed to actually be grateful.  Either way, it allowed me to spark up some great convos.

Trafalgar Square

I am on the train right now and it doesn't feel too different than the regional rail in Philly.  The Subway in Philly is pretty Ghetto, no a problem with all the train/underground lines here.  My guess is that there is some type of 'Urban'' influence on the matter...

I was able to get Wi-Fi for a bit at the airport and checked my email.  I was able to secure a spot on the Dec-9-2013 Devil's Pool tour ($80) in Zambia and a spot for the rafting trip ($140) along the Zambezi River.  Sources have stated that this rafting trip is the best, more intense, one-day rafting trip in the world.  The guides make us actually take our raft out of the water and walk around some of the rapids that they think is not safe.  They call some of these class-6, but I've never heard of this?  I know people say that different regions will grade their rapids on dissimilar scales, but I've only heard people use the 5-grade system.

The cost of my train ticket, which can be used on ANY train/underground as many times as I want for the duration of the entire day, was ~8.5quid.  In the previous sentence I used quid because I thought 8.5pounds didn't look right.  Also, what does lbs. REALLY mean?  Is it the abbreviation for the word pound or for JUST the weight?

Nothing else to say...probably already said too much for only having been gone not even a full day.  But I'm bored on this train and this is keeping me busy.

Keep you Posted!

Introduction and Itinerary

Hello All,

I would like to take this time to introduce myself as well as the following blog.  I am Scott Biales, as most of you likely already know. I will be traveling to Southeast Africa for a camping safari and ending my trip in Amsterdam.  I will be gone for a total of 30 days, from December 6th thru January 5th.  For the first leg of my trip I will be in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, and Kenya for about 25 days.  I will then be flying from Nairobi, Kenya to Amsterdam where I will spend three nights with my friend Kim for the second leg of my trip. 

Although I will not be visiting the following locations, I will be stopping at their airports:

• London, England  (I have two layovers in London that are ~9 hours long so I may get some time to spend there.)
• Johannesburg, South Africa

In the past I've kept a travel blog alongside a personal written journal.  Given the nature of this trip (long bus rides) I will not be keeping a personal handwritten journal.  I will use this blog as my main travel journal.

Nomad Tours Video

ITINERARY

(NOTE: "Organized Portion of Trip"  is a trip provided by Nomad Tours.  Day 1 denotes 1st day of tour.  A negative number indicates relative time with respect to tour start date.)

Day -5 Philadelphia (Philadelphia -> London)

Flight leaves Philadelphia at 10:00pm, 

Day -4 London (London -> Johannesburg)

Flight arrives in London at 10:10am. 8hr 35m layover in London then 6:45pm departure to Johannesburg

- 8hr 35m layover in London -

Day -3 Johannesburg (Johannesburg -> Victoria Falls)

Flight arrives in Johannesburg at 7:35am.  3hr 50m layover in Johannesburg then 11:25am flight to Victoria Falls.  Arrive Victoria Falls at 1:05pm.  Have half day to check in to my hotel for the next three nights and relax after a 3 legs and 2 long days of flights.

Day -2 Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)

Victoria Falls, white water rafting, game drive in Botswana, etc.

Day -1 Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)

Victoria Falls, white water rafting, game drive in Botswana, etc.  Get rest for early start tomorrow, when our tour meets up and leaves early.

Organized Portion of Trip (Nomad Tours)

Victoria Falls (START) to Nairobi (END)

Day 1 Lusaka (Zimbabwe)

Leaving behind the natural wonder of Victoria Falls we begin our expedition. After Livingstone we journey towards the bustling Zambian capital of Lusaka. You will notice the vegetation becoming sub-tropical and the roads a little rougher.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Day 2 Chipata (Zimbabwe -> Zambia)

Today is a long drive through lush country, crossing rivers en-route to Chipata, the gateway to the South Luangwa NP. Zambia is truly African and an adjustment from the more Western ways of Southern Africa.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3 South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

Early in the morning we drive from Chipata to the border of the South Luangwa National Park where we spend the next two nights right on the banks of the Luangwa River. You can often see hippos and other animals from the camp bar. This afternoon we enjoy a sunset game drive in the South Luangwa NP.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4 South Luangwa National Park (Zambia)

In the morning you have the opportunity to take another game drive. The park is known for its high concentration of leopards and hippos. After lunch we visit the community run tribal textile project and a local village. Optional Activities: Morning Game Drive, Game Walk inside park.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 Lilongwe (Zambia -> Malawi)

Today we visit the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Malawi’s only sanctuary for rescued, orphaned and injured wild animals. The Centre is set in 180 hectares of beautiful woodland, Lilongwe’s only protected wilderness.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6/7 Kande Beach (Malawi)

This morning we have the opportunity to participate in a 2 hour city tour, before we take a scenic drive to Kande beach. We will spend the next 2 days enjoying the many optional activities available, such as horse riding and different water sports. We will go on a guided village walk in order to meet the local people and learn more about Malawian life. Optional Activities: Scuba diving, snorkeling etc.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 Lake Malawi - Chitimba (Malawi)

We travel further north and spend our last day in Malawi at Chitimba beach.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Tanzania - Iringa (Malawi -> Tanzania)

Today we leave Malawi and enter Tanzania. We ascend out of the Great Rift Valley through some spectacular mountain passes, passing vast tea plantations in the highlands before arriving at our camp outside Iringa. This evening our dinner is in a local Masai Hut where we enjoy a traditional Tanzanian evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Mikumi (Tanzania)

We leave Iringa today and head north to the Mikumi National Park. Mikumi is home to lion, zebra, wildebeest, impala, buffalo and elephant and today we have the opportunity to enjoy an optional afternoon game drive through the park.  Optional Activities: Afternoon game drive in Mikumi NP.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)

Our journey today brings us out of the cool highland region to the humid Indian ocean coastal city of Dar es Salaam. Meaning ‘house of peace’ in Arabic, Dar es Salaam is the economic and trade capital of Tanzania, but inland Dodoma remains the official capital city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12/13/14 Zanzibar (Tanzania)

A local ferry will take us from Dar es Salaam (where we leave the truck) to Zanzibar. We take a transfer to the northern part of the island where we will spend our time relaxing on the beach. On the 3rd day, we head south to Stone Town, the capital of Zanzibar, where we will spend the night. Here we have time exploring the historical and unique architecture. There are also spice and seafood markets to be explored. Optional Activities: Lunch and Dinner, Motorbike hire, Spice tour, Walking city tour, Swimming with Dolphins, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling etc.

Meals: Breakfast x 3

Day 15 Lushoto  (Tanzania)

Today we leave Zanzibar and catch a ferry back to Dar es Salaam and return to our truck. We continue on to Lushoto, the major town and district centre, albeit small, in the Usambara Mountains, halfway between the coast and the parks. The popular pot plant Saintpaulia has its only wild occurrences in Tanzania, and particularly in the Usambara Mts. Here you will have the chance to hike in the surrounding area, or just relax.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 16 Karatu (Tanzania)

Today we take a scenic drive via Arusha to the picturesque town of Karatu. The area’s cool climate, verdant hills, and pleasing views made it popular with settlers and farmers. Vast and extensive fields cover the slopes of the volcano and the lands around Karatu town. Karatu is also a stone’s throw away from the world famous Serengeti and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17/18/19 Serengeti and Ngorongoro Excursion (Tanzania)

These 4 days are set aside for the optional 3-night camping excursion into the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. This area has one of the most densely inhabited large animal populations in Africa. On the first day from Karatu to Ngorongoro, there will be time for visiting the Oldupai gorge and museum.

The Serengeti excursion is in open topped 4x4 safari vehicles in order to tackle the challenging side roads in the parks. For those not going to the parks, take this chance to absorb some of the fascinating local culture. Optional Activities for those not doing the Serengeti Excursion: Various Serengeti & Ngorongoro Excursion packages, Lake Manyara game drives, day hiking & village tours and many more various day trips.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 20 Arusha (Tanzania)

Today the group meets up again and we have the chance to exchange stories of the various adventures that we participated in over the past few days. In the afternoon we visit the local Masai Mara Museum and Snake Park in Arusha. Optional Activities: camel ride to local Masaai village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 21 Kenya - Nairobi (Tanzania -> Kenya)

After crossing the border into Kenya we continue to travel towards Nairobi and the end of our journey. Usually we end the tour with a group meal out at one of Nairobi’s excellent restaurants. Optional Activities: Dinner out.  Check into my hotel for the evening and likely lay low for New Year's Eve..

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

- End Organized Tour.  New Year's Eve Tonight -

Day 22 Kenya - Flight Out (Kenya -> 11pm Flight)

Spend New Years Day in Kenya keeping a low profile and repack for this evening's 11pm flight to Amsterdam via 9hr layover in London, England

- 9 hour layover in London -

Amsterdam Portion of Trip

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Day 23 Arrive Amsterdam 4:55pm

My friend, Kim de Winter, has offered to have me as her guest during my stay in Amsterdam.  She has also offered to both pick me up and drop me off from the airport.

Day 24 Amsterdam

TBD

Day 25 Amsterdam

TBD

Day 26 Amsterdam (Amsterdam -> Philadelphia)

Depart Amsterdam at 10:35am.  Arrive London at 11:00am with 1hr 15m layover.  Depart London at 12:15pm and arrive Philadelphia at 3:10pm.

- End of Entire Trip -