Malawi Livin'

July 13 - 17, 2011

Straight through Zambia really, and into Malawi - one of the world's poorest countries and warmest people. I spent a few nights in Kande Beach making nice with the locals (check out the wedding I crashed) and am now in Chitimba enjoying more R&R on the pristine beaches, swimming in the warm waters of Lake Malawi, horse back riding and hiking! It's hard to imagine a better life!


Everyone needs a hug . . . and a new wardrobe. I wish I had brought my old clothes with me, most people here would prefer to trade items for clothes or shoes instead of money.


School's out for the summer! About 60 kids to one teacher! A better ratio than the local hospital which has one nurse and one mid-wife for the whole village of 4,000.


Cassava - the favorite, local staple food. And quite delicious fried too!


Lake Malawi - amazing!


My beach chalet on the Lake. I upgraded from my tent for $2 a night. Score!


I ended up at the mariponga - or yearly dance competition (men only) in a neighboring village near Kande Beach.


I am positive this Team was going to take first place - bragging rights only.


Nelson, my new friend, on the left taught me how to play drums one night on the beach.


I tried to go to church for the music and fun and found myself having a one-on-one with Father Paul and attending a wedding instead.


My new church friend, Beck. I missed attending the wedding reception (i.e. the real fun) though to go horse back riding.


Check me out on my rearing horse! They said I proved myself enough to handle the non-beginner horse . . . grrreeeaaattt.


Best horse back ride ever! I was only bare back for the final 20 mins. Most of the ride was in clothes and a saddle.


Vegi shopping for dinner tonight in a local market in Mzuzu.


I have never seen such colorful beans in my life before! The ones upfront are green!


The campsite bar, reception and restaurant in Chitimba.


The view from my tent in Chitimba.

Vic Falls

July 8 - 10, 2011

I am sad to be leaving Vic Falls, and once you see the pictures you will understand why. The Falls clearly deserve to be labeled 1 of the 7 natural wonders of the world! This little town must also be one of the adventure sport capitals of the world! I only did the helicopter ride and white water rafting, which was more than enough for me! Class 4 Rapids with small crocodiles along the way!!! - now that's what I call adventure . . . and incentive to stay in the raft!


Traditional Zimbabwe Dancers - famous for their high knees and kick moves!


The bungee bridge - connecting Zimbabwe to Zambia over the Zambezi River.


Amazing!


The famous rainbows at Vic Falls.


Two wonderful sculptures!


Vic Falls aerial view - it's huge!


The spray from the Falls is so strong that you have to wear a poncho or rain coat when walking along the cliff. And even then I was literally dripping wet when I left the park.


John, myself, and Ade getting ready for our helicopter ride over the Falls.


I got to ride front seat in the helicopter with the pilot Raymond!

Chobe Lovin'

July 6/7, 2011

Since Chobe National park actually runs along the Delta, this is technically an overlap . . . I did a few game drives through the park and even spent the night in a bush camp in the wilds of the park. This was the best game drive so far with the open air vehicle and how insanely close we got to herds of elephants, buffalo, antelope, and giraffes - to name a few. We even saw two male giraffes fighting. They use their necks to swing their heads at each other and the whacks and thuds could be heard across the field! There was even blood - eeewwww, gross!


The stork - this clearly explains how babies are born!


Ramen and I on our game drive. The elephants got even closer than this one!


Jesus Christ Giraffe.


Human foot . . . elephant footprint.


Elephant skull in the middle, kudo skull to the right, water buffalo to the right of that. And welcome to the entrance of Chobe Park.


Our boat game cruise on the Delta inside Chobe Park.

Okavanga Delta Living

July 2-6, 2011

I spent quite a few nights on different parts of the Delta, including two nights at a remote bush camp (as in we hacked down trees to squeeze in tents and shared a swimming hole with an elephant) and even flew over the Delta after wards for a bird's eye view. Too much fun - well minus, all the watch for crocodiles and elephants . . . and they were everywhere!


Our polers singing traditional songs around our campfire one night.


Pretty, pretty.


A Baobob tree. They are huge and home to that crazy baboon from The Lion King.


Getting ready to fly over the Delta with our fine 22 year old pilot. Man, what was I doing when I was 22???


The traditional mokoro - that's how we got to our campground. I just wish I had a video to share of how terrible I was at trying to pole ourselves to the swimming hole from the campground.


Okavanga Delta sunet.


Our launch point with the mokoros. The locals say they have never seen the Delta this high before!


Our campground, Rainbow Lodge, on the Delta. No swimming allowed!

Animals!

June and July 2011

After entering Botswana, I have done nothing but see loads of amazing animals in Etosha National Park, the Okavanga Delta and in Chobe! So instead of trying to split up these posts - I am just going to make this a big post of animal lovin' - the non-eating kind!

The first lesson from the bush - elephants make absolutely NO noise while walking and they camouflage surprisingly well! One moment you are alone, one moment there is a bull elephant in full musk only meters away. And they are huge and surprisingly not so welcoming!


Happy Hour at the watering hole.


Africa's number 1 killer's butt. Ha Ha.


These ones were only about 9 feet long - big enough to see from a few feet away and thankfully not as long as some can be - up to 15 feet.


A happy looking water buffalo.


Pumba the warthog!


The rare black rhino - only 2,700 of these bad boys left in the world.


The mighty and somewhat unattractive wildebeest.


Thousands of Spring Bok - well loved by meat eaters and South Africa rugby fans alike.


A jackal, begging for some table scraps, much like Spot.


Baby elephants are the cutest!!! A very old bull elephant.


The Tijuana painted donkey. Who knew these lived in Africa too?


And one of my personal favorite, Toys-R-Us rep, Geoffry.