So after a comfortable night spent in my hotel room, lying in bed while watching movies and the Olympics, my batteries have re-charged slightly. Sitting on our truck for 12hrs tomorrow may drain them a bit again, but for now, I have energy and will grace cyberspace with another one of my self proclaimed award winning blog posts.
If you believe everything the media tells us (and why wouldn't you since they're always right), you would be lead to believe that Africa is dirty, hot, dry, full of famine and poverty stricken citizens. And while all of that can truthfully be said about certain parts of the continent, can it not also be said about various parts of America, or other countries from where you might be reading this post? So let's address these misconceptions a bit further, shall we.
1. Dirty
For my local followers, I spent the last year before leaving for my trip working in West Baltimore. I have been to plenty areas of Africa far cleaner than that lovely part of town. But to shed more light on Africa being dirty. It is dirty. Don't get me wrong, but would any of you really come to Africa thinking and expecting it to be spic and span. Part of Africa's charm is the dirt? Small towns with dirt roads are everywhere. I have walked through plenty of towns with goats eating garbage while I dodge other farm animals on the way to my desired destination. If there was garbage pick up or the money to lay new roads, of course they would choose to live with those luxuries. If there was running water and internal plumbing, they wouldn't turn those luxuries down. Even though most people live in huts that are made from mud, metal, brick, thatch, plastic bags, and rubber bands, almost every one of them has a satellite dish sitting atop their roof and almost every person owns a cell phone. Even internet cafes are in mud huts. Do you think these people like bathing in puddles and river water? If they could all have showers, they would choose to use them. So in reality, these people, just like everyone of us, is essentially living as clean as they possibly can. Does it feel dirty compared to what we are all used to. A bit. But we are just more fortunate to live in countries where we have been able to do a better job of keeping up with the times and have governments that care about everyone (no matter your political affiliations).
2. Hot
Wrong. This place is cold. I have been traveling for about 100 days through Africa and have been hot for about 4 of them. If you have ever wondered if altitude or being near the equator has more bearing on determining temperature, I am here to tell you that altitude wins every time. Sitting on our truck for hours on end in altitude with the windows rolled up, is freezing. Upper 40's to low 50's Fahrenheit. Even when we drive through the desert, it is only late in the day when people take their jackets off while riding in the truck. Now, all that will change in the coming month when we go through the Sudan and Egypt in 100 degree (40 degree C) weather 24 hr/day. But just know, that Africa can be really really cold.
3. Dry
I have been in Ethiopia for about 2 weeks and it has rained everyday. To be fair, it is the rainy season, and up until this point, there had probably only been a few days that had sporadic showers, but if you travel to Africa, just be aware of when rainy seasons are, because it could really dampen (pardon the pun) your experience.
4. Famine
Everyone farms. There are fruit trees everywhere. Everyone has chickens, goats, and cows to use for eggs and meat. Everyone in a village works for the common cause of feeding everyone. If one villager has money, they make sure to spread their wealth. There are still areas where famine exists, but it essentially exists when the government has issues with a particular region and refuses to allow food to be sent to those regions. So yes Sally Struthers, there are starving children in Africa, but there are plenty of hungry people in the States as well.
5. Poverty Stricken Citizens
Hard to say that people live in poverty, when almost everyone lives the same way. I think the perception of poverty comes from the fact that when you show poorer Africans, they also happen to be living in the type of huts I described earlier with really really sad eyes. Whereas, in the States, our poor people still live in homes with a relatively intact roof and walls that protect you from the elements. I also think there is less of a middle class in Africa than in America which also may create the perception of more poverty. When you are either rich or poor, lots of middle and lower middle class citizens in America would then be classified as poor. Plus, if you live in a country where citizens don't earn tremendous wages, those that do earn those wages can't charge exorbitant prices for their goods in an attempt to move up in life because no one would buy their products. Africa has loads of wealth and poverty. But it might just be poverty compared to our ways of living.
Is Africa everything I mentioned above? Yup. But so is America. I guess the point of all this is to not judge a book by its cover. You might be surprised by what you find out once that front cover is opened.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Things Aren't Always as They Seem
I am tired. Exhausted in mind and body. Worn out. Fatigued. You may be reading this at your desk at work or following a long week of work and wonder, "How can this vagabond traveling around the world be tired? He should be full of energy because he isn't working." Well, HE isn't full of energy. HE is tired. Tired of being harrassed by kids on the street for a shoe shine. Tired of being asked by those same kids if I want ot buy chewing gum or tissues. Tired of saying NO to a tuk tuk ride. Tired of little kids running up to you and grabbing your hand as you try and walk and talk with friends froom one destination to the next. Tired of walking through dirty African cities in search of the next bar that will serve 50 cent beers. I am tired of a diet consisting of Ethiopian food, eggs, pasta and bread. I am tired of flies 'bugging' me every second of the day. I am tired of the afrernoon Ethiopian rain showers. Tired I tell ya, TIRED.
This overlanding trip has been a blast, and I expect more fun times in Egypt over the final month, but it is starting to become exhausting. At the start of the trip in April, I was looking forward to having the next 4 months of my life planned for me. As I enter the final month though, I am ready to start planning my travels again and only going to places I want to see. Eating more unique food and doing everything in my power not to be bored. The last couple of weeks in Ethiopia have had some of the most stunning drives you would ever hope to be a part of, but have also had stops in some sub-par boring cities. Addis Ababa was a dump but for seeing 10 million yr old fossils. Lalibela was interesting for its' carved out of stone churches. Axum was dull.
Our final stop in Ethiopia, Gondar, is also low on world class sightseeing but at least I am staying in a 4 star hotel with free wifi and Olympic games coverage, all for about $8 per night. Maybe after 2 nights here I will write a post saying "I was tired." Some things will never change. Give me a comfy bed in a room with a tv, relatively fast internet, and a good food and maybe I won't be so tired
This overlanding trip has been a blast, and I expect more fun times in Egypt over the final month, but it is starting to become exhausting. At the start of the trip in April, I was looking forward to having the next 4 months of my life planned for me. As I enter the final month though, I am ready to start planning my travels again and only going to places I want to see. Eating more unique food and doing everything in my power not to be bored. The last couple of weeks in Ethiopia have had some of the most stunning drives you would ever hope to be a part of, but have also had stops in some sub-par boring cities. Addis Ababa was a dump but for seeing 10 million yr old fossils. Lalibela was interesting for its' carved out of stone churches. Axum was dull.
Our final stop in Ethiopia, Gondar, is also low on world class sightseeing but at least I am staying in a 4 star hotel with free wifi and Olympic games coverage, all for about $8 per night. Maybe after 2 nights here I will write a post saying "I was tired." Some things will never change. Give me a comfy bed in a room with a tv, relatively fast internet, and a good food and maybe I won't be so tired
Saturday, July 21, 2012
July 14-19
You know when you shop for jeans, try on dozens of pairs, and curse the dressing room mirrors for making you look fat before finally finding that pair that fits perfectly. Well for me, much of Africa fits that analogy. Aside from the animals spotted on game drives, there hasn't been much to the trip that couldn't have been done somewhere else in the world. Dunes, bungy jumping, waterfalls, whitewater rafting, canyons, valleys, shopping in supermarkets, desert, ocean, drinking in local pubs, and staying at campsites. When you look at that list, I could just as easily have been describing a road trip through the USA. That isn't to say I haven't been completely blown away by the gorgeous scenery at every twist and turn on these bumpy roads, because I have. It is more to say, that in spite of all the amazing scenery, exciting activities, and good company, I haven't consistently had the feeling of really being in Africa.
July 14-19th though, felt like real Africa.
On the 14th, we went on our final game drive of the trip at Lake Nakuru. Not as densely packed with animals as some of the other drives, but there were lots of birds, rhinos, and a few lions lying in trees.
On the 15th, we left our campsite before sunrise and embarked on a journey of 4 consecutive drive days through northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. As we left the town of Nakuru on the 15th, we made one last stop in a supermarket to stock up on food and then drove about 11hrs through a landscape that transitioned from the lush green rift valley to red sand desert. We went from asphalt roads to driving on sand and rock for the better part of the next 4 days. We sat on our truck and were all covered in dust, looking as though we had just been spray tanned. We camped in the middle of the desert for 3 nights. On our first night of camping in the Kenyan desert, we were greeted by a procession of hundreds of camels being herded back to a village following a day of grazing. Camels as far as the eye could see.
The 16th was more of the same. Desert driving, camels along the side of the road, and brightly dressed villagers. That night had us bush camping amongst lots of my favorite acacia trees. You had to be extra diligent about where you went to do #2 that night. Acacia thorns in the bum aren't pleasant, as I can attest to.
The 17th had us driving through 1 small village after another with men and women dressed in their traditional clothing. There was lots of waving, smiling, and laughing between passengers and villagers. As we crossed into Ethiopia, we almost had to sit at the border for 4 hours because the Ethiopian border patrol take a leisurely lunch from 11am-3pm. We were there at 10:30 and they were already closing up shop. Luckily, we convinced them to process us, and we made it through. We later stopped in a small town to shop for some ingredients for my upcoming cook group. Clearly, very few white people ever visit this town. It was a blast walking on dirt streets littered with goats eating garbage piles, the occasional rooster, kids playing with makeshift soccer balls, and ladies selling food under tents. We spent about $3 and bought tons of veggies. I had envisioned shopping like that at the start of the trip, so to finally have that experience, was tons of fun. Essentially, we camped on rocks that night.
The 18th was a long drive through Ethiopia. Hours of African massages (the affectionate term given to horrible road induced body jostling), and a landscape that transitioned from desert to lush green farmland. If you would have told me that when I entered Ethiopia I would encounter tons of rain, lush farms and tree/house lined claustrophobic roads, I'd have called you crazy. We had a flat tire that had as standing on the side of the road for about 1 hour, as villagers gathered to stare at us. We then stopped at a small town to buy meat for that night. We camped in a field that night and had to ask the head of the village if we could sleep there. It was the last night of having villagers gather near our campsite and stare at us as we ate our meal. I had a local man help me put up my tent that night, and had a good sleep.
The 19th was a short drive through driving rain into the city of Addis Ababa. Just another big dirty African city, but it brought the 6 day adventure to a fitting close.
Desert, bush camps, shopping in local village markets, locals in their authentic garb, bodies covered in dust, camels, lions, snakes, gigantic moths, toilets without toilet paper, dirt roads, dirty energetic capital city, and some local Ethiopian food finally gave me that feeling of Africa I had been missing over the past few months. It truly felt like Africa and it felt right.
July 14-19th though, felt like real Africa.
On the 14th, we went on our final game drive of the trip at Lake Nakuru. Not as densely packed with animals as some of the other drives, but there were lots of birds, rhinos, and a few lions lying in trees.
On the 15th, we left our campsite before sunrise and embarked on a journey of 4 consecutive drive days through northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. As we left the town of Nakuru on the 15th, we made one last stop in a supermarket to stock up on food and then drove about 11hrs through a landscape that transitioned from the lush green rift valley to red sand desert. We went from asphalt roads to driving on sand and rock for the better part of the next 4 days. We sat on our truck and were all covered in dust, looking as though we had just been spray tanned. We camped in the middle of the desert for 3 nights. On our first night of camping in the Kenyan desert, we were greeted by a procession of hundreds of camels being herded back to a village following a day of grazing. Camels as far as the eye could see.
The 16th was more of the same. Desert driving, camels along the side of the road, and brightly dressed villagers. That night had us bush camping amongst lots of my favorite acacia trees. You had to be extra diligent about where you went to do #2 that night. Acacia thorns in the bum aren't pleasant, as I can attest to.
The 17th had us driving through 1 small village after another with men and women dressed in their traditional clothing. There was lots of waving, smiling, and laughing between passengers and villagers. As we crossed into Ethiopia, we almost had to sit at the border for 4 hours because the Ethiopian border patrol take a leisurely lunch from 11am-3pm. We were there at 10:30 and they were already closing up shop. Luckily, we convinced them to process us, and we made it through. We later stopped in a small town to shop for some ingredients for my upcoming cook group. Clearly, very few white people ever visit this town. It was a blast walking on dirt streets littered with goats eating garbage piles, the occasional rooster, kids playing with makeshift soccer balls, and ladies selling food under tents. We spent about $3 and bought tons of veggies. I had envisioned shopping like that at the start of the trip, so to finally have that experience, was tons of fun. Essentially, we camped on rocks that night.
The 18th was a long drive through Ethiopia. Hours of African massages (the affectionate term given to horrible road induced body jostling), and a landscape that transitioned from desert to lush green farmland. If you would have told me that when I entered Ethiopia I would encounter tons of rain, lush farms and tree/house lined claustrophobic roads, I'd have called you crazy. We had a flat tire that had as standing on the side of the road for about 1 hour, as villagers gathered to stare at us. We then stopped at a small town to buy meat for that night. We camped in a field that night and had to ask the head of the village if we could sleep there. It was the last night of having villagers gather near our campsite and stare at us as we ate our meal. I had a local man help me put up my tent that night, and had a good sleep.
The 19th was a short drive through driving rain into the city of Addis Ababa. Just another big dirty African city, but it brought the 6 day adventure to a fitting close.
Desert, bush camps, shopping in local village markets, locals in their authentic garb, bodies covered in dust, camels, lions, snakes, gigantic moths, toilets without toilet paper, dirt roads, dirty energetic capital city, and some local Ethiopian food finally gave me that feeling of Africa I had been missing over the past few months. It truly felt like Africa and it felt right.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The Little Things in Life
For all of the extreme activities, game drives, national parks, and gorgeous scenery I have experienced since the start of my trip in February, I consistently find that the smaller and less extravagant moments of any given day create similar lasting memories to those more grandiose activities.
Today, I went whitewater rafting down the Nile River in class 3-5 rapids. There were 8 separate rapids throughout the course of our day long trip. Our boat flipped over 3 times. It was challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, headache inducing, and something I will never forget. Every few days seems to bring about another large scale memorable activity. For instance:
1 week ago: trekking with mountain gorillas
2 weeks ago: Serengeti
1 month ago: Zanzibar
2 months ago: mugged in Cape Town
The list goes on and on. But it is chock full of challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, and headache inducing experiences which I will never forget.
Similarly, my days over the last 5 months have been filled with these activities:
-Playing toy trucks with a 2 year old son of an Aussie friend I met in Switzerland 4 yrs ago
-Being provided with lodging and treated to delicious home cooked meals by her brother, whom I'd never met
-Sitting in the middle of the road while hundreds of sheep engulfed my car
-Going to a cricket match with 2 complete strangers whom I met in a Brisbane bus station
-Going to a St Patrick's Day and Downs Syndrome Day Parade in Singapore
-Getting a $2 haircut/scalp massage in Penang
-Picking peanuts with local farmers in Ban Pin, Thailand
-Sitting on a train for 29hrs from Guilin-Beijing drinking beer/eating eggs-peanuts with non-English speaking locals
-10 hole mini golf on a concrete golf course in Uganda
-Shooting the breeze with fellow truck mates at campsite bars
-Waving from our truck to screaming kids who excitedly run towards the truck with both arms waving frantically at us myzungus (white people).
It is that last thought that drove me to write this post. Not a day goes by on this trip where I don't smile and laugh at the sight of these screaming African kids. These kids have the biggest smiles on their faces and couldn't be happier to see foreigners drive through their village. I never understand a word of what they are saying when they scream but it doesn't matter. They are everything from clothed to naked. They could be kicking a soccer ball made of packed plastic bags secured with twine, pushing a tire around (as that might be their only toy), riding a bike made for an adult, or just playing in the mud. Whatever it is they are doing, they will always stop and wave and do it with a smile. Their smiles always bring a smile to my face.
It is those little moments scattered about in a sea of extravagant high priced adventures that really make a travel experience whole. And it is those moments, whether when traveling or in everyday life at home, that make each and every day unique. May all of your days be filled with such smile inducing moments. Cheers.
Today, I went whitewater rafting down the Nile River in class 3-5 rapids. There were 8 separate rapids throughout the course of our day long trip. Our boat flipped over 3 times. It was challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, headache inducing, and something I will never forget. Every few days seems to bring about another large scale memorable activity. For instance:
1 week ago: trekking with mountain gorillas
2 weeks ago: Serengeti
1 month ago: Zanzibar
2 months ago: mugged in Cape Town
The list goes on and on. But it is chock full of challenging, exhausting, exhilarating, and headache inducing experiences which I will never forget.
Similarly, my days over the last 5 months have been filled with these activities:
-Playing toy trucks with a 2 year old son of an Aussie friend I met in Switzerland 4 yrs ago
-Being provided with lodging and treated to delicious home cooked meals by her brother, whom I'd never met
-Sitting in the middle of the road while hundreds of sheep engulfed my car
-Going to a cricket match with 2 complete strangers whom I met in a Brisbane bus station
-Going to a St Patrick's Day and Downs Syndrome Day Parade in Singapore
-Getting a $2 haircut/scalp massage in Penang
-Picking peanuts with local farmers in Ban Pin, Thailand
-Sitting on a train for 29hrs from Guilin-Beijing drinking beer/eating eggs-peanuts with non-English speaking locals
-10 hole mini golf on a concrete golf course in Uganda
-Shooting the breeze with fellow truck mates at campsite bars
-Waving from our truck to screaming kids who excitedly run towards the truck with both arms waving frantically at us myzungus (white people).
It is that last thought that drove me to write this post. Not a day goes by on this trip where I don't smile and laugh at the sight of these screaming African kids. These kids have the biggest smiles on their faces and couldn't be happier to see foreigners drive through their village. I never understand a word of what they are saying when they scream but it doesn't matter. They are everything from clothed to naked. They could be kicking a soccer ball made of packed plastic bags secured with twine, pushing a tire around (as that might be their only toy), riding a bike made for an adult, or just playing in the mud. Whatever it is they are doing, they will always stop and wave and do it with a smile. Their smiles always bring a smile to my face.
It is those little moments scattered about in a sea of extravagant high priced adventures that really make a travel experience whole. And it is those moments, whether when traveling or in everyday life at home, that make each and every day unique. May all of your days be filled with such smile inducing moments. Cheers.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Fireworks on the 5th of July
I don't know how all of you spent your 4th of July, but I hope your time spent with family and friends was enjoyed by all.
It was a bit strange celebrating Independence Day with a bunch Brits in the heart of Rwanda, but an amazing day was had by all.
On the night of July 3rd, it was my cook groups' turn to cook everyone a meal. As I have previously stated, we don't exactly have a huge budget with which to feed everyone, but I had decided that our group was going to prepare as much of an American cookout meal as possible. Mind you, most of our meals are some form of rice or pasta with meat and marginally fresh bread. Our meal wasn't much different but we were able to buy ground beef, which allowed me to make fresh hand made burgers. We splurged on cheese and sifted through dozens of bags of rolls at the local Ugandan bakery in search of rolls that didn't feel like rocks. We bought our onions for grilling, peppers and tomatoes for the pasta salad, and managed to put together a really tasty meal. We cooked this meal in a parking lot of a seminary, where we happened to be staying during our time in Rwanda. Not exactly like sitting at my parent's place overlooking the Chesapeake Bay with fireworks going off down the river, but it was more than sufficient.
That meal was prepared both to satisfy my need for an American cookout, but also to provide all of us with the sustinence needed to go mountain gorilla trekking on the 4th. We left our seminary at 6am and went to Volcanoes National Park. A group of 8 (5 of us and 3 other random people) went on the trek to find the gorillas living in the Sousa group. There were 2 other groups of gorillas to view as well, but I wanted to see the Sousa group as one of the other members in our group highly recommended we see them. The hike to get to the gorillas was the most demanding of the 3 trekking options. It took nearly 2 hours of hiking before getting to the group, but once we got there, the effort was more than worth it. It is a group of nearly 30 gorillas with a 28 year old male, a 3 month old, 1 year old twins and lots of other aged gorillas in between. We were advised before the trek that we probably weren't going to be able to get closer than 7-10 meters from the gorillas. I think they meant to say 7-10 centimeters because we were close enough on many occasions to just about pet them. When you see these creatures you can definitely see how we evolved from them. One of the males was sunning himself in a spread eagle position with arm overhead much the same way my dad and I can often be found watching TV. The babies were swinging on branches as if on parallel bars, and all of them were eating wild celery like it was beef jerky. We got to spend about an hour with them and it really was amazing to watch these creatures in their natural environment just going about their lives as if us humans weren't even there.
The 5th of July is when I actually heard fireworks, or rather the distant rumble of artillery shells. Rwanda borders Uganda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). A group of us decided to go for a hike up the Bisoke Volcano on the 5th. At its' peak, it is around 3700 meters. We had guides leading us up the 30-45 degree incline volcano face as well as 3 AK-47 armed guards. The reason for the armed guards initially wasn't clear. We were told there could be buffalos and elephants on the hike, which on our way down from the peak proved to be true in the form of a buffalo. No shooting was necessary though. But the other reason was to shoot potential armed rebels that might be trying to flee into Rwanda from neighboring DRC. You see, as we were hiking up the volcano, were heard about a dozen artillery shells being fired. At no time did I ever feel scared, but it was sort of a Star Spangled Banner 'bombs bursting in mid-air' kind of moment. The hike was amazing though. At the top was a crater lake, from when the volcano collapsed in upon itself, surrounded by lush foliage. It was peaceful in spite the artillery shells, and a great way to conclude my African July 3rd-5th holiday.
It was a bit strange celebrating Independence Day with a bunch Brits in the heart of Rwanda, but an amazing day was had by all.
On the night of July 3rd, it was my cook groups' turn to cook everyone a meal. As I have previously stated, we don't exactly have a huge budget with which to feed everyone, but I had decided that our group was going to prepare as much of an American cookout meal as possible. Mind you, most of our meals are some form of rice or pasta with meat and marginally fresh bread. Our meal wasn't much different but we were able to buy ground beef, which allowed me to make fresh hand made burgers. We splurged on cheese and sifted through dozens of bags of rolls at the local Ugandan bakery in search of rolls that didn't feel like rocks. We bought our onions for grilling, peppers and tomatoes for the pasta salad, and managed to put together a really tasty meal. We cooked this meal in a parking lot of a seminary, where we happened to be staying during our time in Rwanda. Not exactly like sitting at my parent's place overlooking the Chesapeake Bay with fireworks going off down the river, but it was more than sufficient.
That meal was prepared both to satisfy my need for an American cookout, but also to provide all of us with the sustinence needed to go mountain gorilla trekking on the 4th. We left our seminary at 6am and went to Volcanoes National Park. A group of 8 (5 of us and 3 other random people) went on the trek to find the gorillas living in the Sousa group. There were 2 other groups of gorillas to view as well, but I wanted to see the Sousa group as one of the other members in our group highly recommended we see them. The hike to get to the gorillas was the most demanding of the 3 trekking options. It took nearly 2 hours of hiking before getting to the group, but once we got there, the effort was more than worth it. It is a group of nearly 30 gorillas with a 28 year old male, a 3 month old, 1 year old twins and lots of other aged gorillas in between. We were advised before the trek that we probably weren't going to be able to get closer than 7-10 meters from the gorillas. I think they meant to say 7-10 centimeters because we were close enough on many occasions to just about pet them. When you see these creatures you can definitely see how we evolved from them. One of the males was sunning himself in a spread eagle position with arm overhead much the same way my dad and I can often be found watching TV. The babies were swinging on branches as if on parallel bars, and all of them were eating wild celery like it was beef jerky. We got to spend about an hour with them and it really was amazing to watch these creatures in their natural environment just going about their lives as if us humans weren't even there.
The 5th of July is when I actually heard fireworks, or rather the distant rumble of artillery shells. Rwanda borders Uganda and the DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo). A group of us decided to go for a hike up the Bisoke Volcano on the 5th. At its' peak, it is around 3700 meters. We had guides leading us up the 30-45 degree incline volcano face as well as 3 AK-47 armed guards. The reason for the armed guards initially wasn't clear. We were told there could be buffalos and elephants on the hike, which on our way down from the peak proved to be true in the form of a buffalo. No shooting was necessary though. But the other reason was to shoot potential armed rebels that might be trying to flee into Rwanda from neighboring DRC. You see, as we were hiking up the volcano, were heard about a dozen artillery shells being fired. At no time did I ever feel scared, but it was sort of a Star Spangled Banner 'bombs bursting in mid-air' kind of moment. The hike was amazing though. At the top was a crater lake, from when the volcano collapsed in upon itself, surrounded by lush foliage. It was peaceful in spite the artillery shells, and a great way to conclude my African July 3rd-5th holiday.
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