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January 15, 1997

Chichiwe Words

• Palibe kantthit or Palibe chifukwa = No problem
• Zimachitika = It happens…
• Osadandaula = Don’t worry

So these are the Chichiwe/ Malawian word I’ve come to know.  I left Monkey Bay yesterday today.  Cripes, what a long day.  It all started the night before…

We went snorkeling in Lake Malawi – Brilliant! It’s exactly like swimming in a tropical fishbowl (but fresh water).  My trusty guide Malambo – is really rather a slimy fellow.  A nice guy, but he rubs me the wrong way.

Snorkling in Lake Malawi

January 14, 1997

I’ll have to finish up my list of Aussie vocabulary later.  Lisa and I parted ways in Zomba, Malawi.  She went back to Blantyre and is flying to Dar Es Salaam, and I’m heading up north through Malawi. As of now, I’m in Monkey Bay, the bottom part of the lake.  I’ts the middle of Janauary and I’m on the downhill trend toward going home.

The last couple nights I’ve been hanging out with the local blokes.  Yesterday, I sat with the local lads drinking this vile concoction of maize, sorghum, wheat and whatever else – gone sour.  It takes 1 1/2 days to make, they informed me.  Here I am drinking Napoloa “the national beer” hoping I wouldn’t catch some weird sickness, talking bullshit with these guys. Moving on to Gary’s bar, we sat around and “schilled out…” to use the proper expression.

People in Malawi are very nice, surprisingly so, considering queuing in the bank and anywhere else you have to push your way in.  To tell the truth, I’m not extremely excited to tour through malawi.  I’m going further north.  I’d like to ereach Zanzibar by the end of January.

The kids are scared of foreigners like you wouldn’t believe.  They start screaming and running away.

**Historical Note:  Apparently during the Zulu Wars, the Malawians were the pacifists who ran away from war.  They also call themselves “The Heart of Africa”

January 9, 1997

Tomorrow, Malawi-coming back through Zim was no problem. I caught a bus to Siavonga (Kariba) and walked across the Kariba dam.  Getting to the MOTH campsite where I was supposed to meet Lisa and Terrence, the lady at the reception looks at me and immediately says “I have a message from Lisa – sorry she couldn’t make it to Kariba, but she’ll see you at the lodge at Harare.”  So that was that.

Catching the bus was no problem.  But, I ended up next to some drunk that was trying to get my address.  Then some religious dude wanted it too. It seems they want a connection to the 1st world.  (I’m not into it at all). Anyway, the religious guy sorted me out.  After reaching Harare, a taxi driver gave me a ride to our “rendezvous” point.  Nobody there.

The next morning I tried calling around to several other hostels – no luck.  So I gave up.  I had a feeling that I would see them.  Changing hostels from one out of town to one closer, I sorted out mailing packages home – 3 months! and money. I tried to get rid of my Zambian kwachas, and have a statue to prove it.

Walking around Harare people shove things in your face to try and get you to buy their trinkets. Annoyingly so.  This enterprising fellow tried to sell me the statue in question. He asked if I’d like to change money.  Now, Zambian kwachas are worthless.  I had KW4, 000 maybe $US7-$8 in value. Knowing that I probably wouldn’t be able to get rid of them, I ”held onto his statue” while he conveniently went to change them for me.  On the offhand chance I would see him again, I sat down to wait. (Of course he didn’t show up).  With a flurry of movement – up walk Lisa and Terrance (they reinforced that I would never see my kwacha’s again).  Reunited once again.  So off to Malawi we go.

I must say I’m quite happy to leave Zim.  It’s growing rather comfortable. Just time to move on.

So I’ve picked up some Australian expressions.

• camp - effeminate
• tosser - loser
• casing – milling around looking for an opening
• get f*cked – ha ha
• suss – figure out the situation
• shat – past tense of shit
• tart(y) - loose
• slapper/clapper – a not so nice term for a gal
• lob – drift over
• mingen – completely gross

January 6, 1997

Volume II of my travels.

Travel Journal - Volume 2 cover

Coming from Livingstone, Zambia, the other side of Victoria Falls, I ended up in Lusaka. I decided I was going to try and meeting Lisa and Terrence.

Swimming around in the Zambezi above Victoria Falls was quite an experience – Random thought.

Anyway, I met a bunch of Swedish med students in Livingstone on their way to Lusaka. We all jumped in a bus together. One of the baggage handlers dropped pack on my Zebra masks and cracked them – no hard feelings. But, I made him pay me. I figure if you make a living out of hustling people, if you broke something the person would be very compassionate and perhaps a fool if they let it slide. I didn’t give him too difficult a time over it.

Getting into the bus, the first sign that we were going to have trouble was probably the fact that they had to push start the entire bus. We went along well for a while, and then it happened. The big breakdown. It was raining and we had to get our bags down. One thing about these African rains is they come hard and fast.

Push Starting the Bus - Lusaka, Zambia

We ended up having to hitch ~200KM back to Lusaka. No problem, I guess Lusaka is like Jo-burg -lots of crime. I got sorted out with the Swedes at the hospital. All the students are women and they’re all beautiful and all extremely nice. I’d date a Swedish doctor!

As I finished transcribing the first volume of my travel journals, it occured to me that the art of the handwritten journal may be dead.  All of the adventure and mystery stories, clues and revelations from ancestors and beyond were forever hidden until discovered by an explorer.  Saying that you stumbled across a hidden file in an old computer sort of kills the romantic idea of tying an advernture to any historical context.

One has to think that in 10 years a “blog” may be as outdated concept as a handwritten journal.

A couple images of the first journal below. I’m catching up on journal 2.

January 4th, 1997

Yesterday, we decided to come to Zambia. It’s actually the 4th of January now. Getting organized in the morning, I got a Wimpy’s brekkie and loaded up for Zambia. Crossing the border, we hit a bummer deal. Terrance couldn’t get the car through. Apparently he didn’t have the right papers. So, I came on alone. I was about ready for the split anyway. So today, I saw Vic Falls in total. Swam around in the pools above the Falls, DREAMY. I bought a bunch of art work, haggling my ass off. It was great fun. Such a sense of accomplishment when you get a price down from $Z150 to $Z70 for two.

I’m going to try and meet Lisa and Terrance in Kariba, I decided. I’m not hearing rave things about Zambia. Thus comes the end of volume I of my world travels.

January 3, 1997

The BIG DAY! Running the Zambezi. Meeting at the Ilala Hotel, we got organized. It was the exact feeling you get when everything is as you hoped it would be. Going through the pleasantries we loaded up and headed down the gorge.

Zambezi River, Ilala Lodge. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Getting on the bus to the Zambezi River put-in

Hiking down was BEAUTIFUL! It was brutal straight down. When we got to the put-in there was no beach or ramp, but everything was done on the basalt rock. I paddled with a bunch of never ever English blokes and shaking my head at all the “typical questions.” There is definitely a Zamb river attitude from the guides. I got questions like “So, how does the Colorado River compare…” being the most common. I must say I had an incredible time. Flipping in rapid 8 was big. I feel much more comfortable with that aspect of guiding. I caught such a buzz from that trip.

Victoria Falls and the mighty Zambezi

January 2, 1997

Terrance, Lisa and I have now spent about three days in Victoria Falls. We finally got up here after waiting for Terrance to show up, a flat tire and driving around half the night looking for a place to sleep. Getting into Victoria Falls and deciding that the campsite wasn’t where we wanted to spend New Year’s (1996-1997). We stopped at every hotel and asked if they had rooms. Sending us on a long chase we ended up at the Zambia border. Driving around at night – we did see an elephant and a hippo, stuck in a tiny little car, not the safest feeling. Finally getting back into town we conveniently drove over an island and almost took out five people. Dragging ourselves to the campsite, we set up and had a mellow New Year’s Eve.

Victoria Falls Campground - Warthogs!

The next day we went to the mighty Zambezi! We spent the day lazing around and swimming in the water. It was quite a pilgrimage for me. Here I was in the Zambezi River, the main reason I came to Africa – three months later – here I am. Later in the day after I decided to do the rafting, I went around and talked to some of the companies. The first one I stopped, Frontier Adventures, turned out to be the golden egg. After bullshitting with the guy in the front for a few minutes (Regular River Rat chat), he offered me the “mates rate” $Z100. Incredible deal. I tried to get something for Lisa and Terrance, but he wouldn’t go for it. Going to the hotel afterwards we sorted out our food and accommodation for the night. Chalets next to the river for Z$375. At the hotel I sorted out postcards for everyone back home.

Swimming in the Zambezi - Crocodile!

December 29, 1996

A couple of days after leaving Gonarezhou, Terrance and Howard (the two nice South African blokes Lisa and I met) left us at a junction of Bulawayo and the border of South Africa.  Booted out of the car you might say (not really) to go on with our separate adventures.

I tried my luck at hitching, but to no avail.  But, Lisa’s first try and the car stapped.  A mini-taxi, but suffice to say it’s easier to catch rides with a woman. Gonarezhou was lovely.  It was a short detour on my way to Botswana.

Well Terrence is on his way to Bulawayo and I”m considering not going to Botswana.  Reasons: extremely expensive.  I mean I’ll be paying $100 per day or more U.S.  I really should go, but people have been saying that around March or April is really the time to go.  It’s the rainy season now and all.  Now I’m thinking about going back to Malawi.

Lisa is a great gal.  Fun to travel with and funnier than hell.  We’ve spent over 10 days together almost 24 hours a day.Everything is going pretty mellow.  I’m really enjoying myself.  Talking to Lisa today, she was telling me that when I get back to the States, I’m going to look at all my friends and be just like “These people are SO Boring!”  It will be interesting to see what happens with that.

We were laughing last night about the fact that we tend to jump into random people’s cars and end up in very strange places. Gonarezhou, Harleys.  We ran into some fellas last night who were white Zimbabweans.  (Racist as hell). They were trying to talk us into going up to Victoria Falls for New Years.  “All whites only.”  “No bush casts like that” – pointing at a beggar boy. What a bastard. Anyway, jumping into on of these cars we ended up at a club – the “White Zim hangout.”  It’s the very place we wanted to avoid.  Yuk.

December 25, 1996 – Christmas Day

Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe. Meaning “the place of the elephants” in the southeast corner of Zim. I saw my 1st African elephant.

It all started back in Mozambique.  After leaving Xai Xai, I went to Inhambane.  This is a fantastic little town up north.  Walking around, I was greeted in regular Portuguese style with kids coming up to me – so I thought – to beg for money.  As it happened this kid wanted me to stay at his house, a little reed hut.  I thought – my luck is too good to be true…but then I got kicked out when his father came home.

No worries.  I ended up getting a ride to one of the “praia’s” beaches.  I first went to Tofu.  Beautiful-but not a whole lot to do. I met some South Africans on holiday and ended up getting organized to go diving in Praia do Barra the next day.  These guys were SCUBA fiends…and laywers.  We got sorted with this guy who was just starting a dive company.  Diving in the ocean is a thousand times different than in a saltwater lake.  Fantastic!  The fish were amazing.  I stayed behind at the dive shop for about 2 days.  (I’ll you what, snobby South Africans on holiday  SUCK!).   Here I am thinking I’m in remote Mozambique and around me are hundreds of SA’s on vacation – ah well.

Taking a dhow across to Maxixe, I got sorted on a bus to Vilanculos.  Excellent also, but I got tired of the beach life.  I took another dhow from there to Margenque Islands (sp?), part of the Bazaruto Archipelago.

I met a German traveler. Actually I met him in Inhambane.  Anyway we traveled up to Beira together (a hellish 12 hour bus ride!). We spent the night there. A couple of random thoughts -  you get to the point where you can suss out a city in a few hours.  It’s really strange all the Mozambique girls thought hot stuff.  People pointed out to me, girls flirted obviously and the general attitude towards me was quite different from the way they reacted to other guys.  Definitely a different feeling.

I was supposed to catch the 12:00 bus to Mutare, but working on Mozambique time, I didn’t get on a bus til 4:00 in the morning. Sleeping in a bus station is becoming second nature.

I got a ride to Mutare and found my way to the hostel.  Getting there, I tried to figure out how to get to the Okavango Delta.  Marcus – German traveler – talked me into going.  So I decided I wanted to get there for New Year’s (1996-1997).  We ended up parting ways, I ended up meeting this Aussie gal Lisa and we somehow ended up going to Chimanimani National park.  She had just gotten out of Mozambique also.  Sick of her friends, we ended up hitching partway to the park and catching a bus the rest.

Getting to Heaven’s Lodge, we organized a couple of days camping in the park.  So it was the most exercise I’ve had since I got to Africa.  Lisa is a hilarious travel companion.  We basically hiked a hell of a lot in 2 days and covered the park.  Although trails are clearly marked, we still got lost a couple of times.  Side note-also, the map in the Lonely Planet guide is NOT to scale!.  The banana route is MUCH longer than it looks..and there are deadly green mambas on the trail.

Getting back to Heaven Lodge were both sort of – not sort of – but extremely stuffed (dead tired).  We sat down, had few Boulies (Bollinger beers) and met these other 2 blokes from Durban.  And thus the story.  Inviting us to come along, we piled into the care and here we are in Zimbabwe.