As proof that life ebbs and flows, after our easy bus trip from Blantyre to Lilongwe, we experienced a hellish 10-hour bus trip from Lilongwe to Mzuzu. Not only was it very long (it should have only been about six hours) but about seven hours into the trip, we stopped at a town and the bus got so packed that people were standing in the aisles and sitting on the backs of the benches. A lady with a chicken stood over Vicky which caused Vicky (the English Princess) to freak out for the rest of the three hour journey. In addition, a baby being held near Vicky peed on her. I laughed as, after having traveled in India, everything is EASY. After the hellish bus trip, the girls wanted no more "public transportation" and we took ... read more

Once again, the ride on the northern roads of Mozambiqe was rough and slow going. And once again the girls and I crammed into the back of the pick up truck. But we were all smiles as we realized trying to traverse this area on public transport would have been excrutiating! We reached Tete after sundown and found our way to the only place in town...the Tete Motel. It was expensive ($40 per person) but at least it had hot water and air conditioning...something I have not had in a while. We all showered and then ventured out for dinner. Somehow we ended up at a nice place and we ate dinnr while sitting along the Zambese River. The next morning I tried to snag a ride to Malawi by talking to guy with an Avis ... read more

The bus ride to Inhambane was a rough one. As usual, it took longer than estimated...after 10 hours we made it to Inhambane and grabbed a free mini bus ride to Tofo (courtesy of Bamboozi Backpackers). Neike and I took beds in the large round dorm room which housed about 15 beds. Upon arrival, we were the only ones in the room (but that would change the next day and soon the room would be full). It was almost sunset when we arrived but after the long, hot bus ride, I quickly ran into the ocean which I found out was very warm. Nonetheless, I needed it bad! Neike and I had a great dinner at the Bamboozi bar/restaurant (which has amazing food) and I went to bed early as I signed up for an early ... read more

I drove to Swaziland with Meke and Irena.....Meke almost drove through the border without stopping before a uniformed man with a gun halted "stop!". Passing through the border was simple and we drove very slowly (they take speeding in Swaziland very seriously) to Matsapha where we stayed at The Swaziland Backpackers (highly recommend this place!!). There were a great many other travelers staying there so I was able to swap stories and tips on traveling. The following day Meke, Irene and I (along with a wacky Irish dude) went quadding (4-wheel motorcycle riding) up in the hills surrounding Matsapha. We stopped to visit a few families and took swim at a waterfall. I even had a wicked accident when I inadvertantly crashed into Irene's quad and I flipped over my quad's handlebars. No injuries luckily. I ... read more

The stretch between the Garden Route and the Wild Coast is known as the Sunshine Coast. It is primarily known for the surfing mecca of Jeffrey's Bay (known as J-bay). In the morning, I luckily got ride from the Tube n Axe to the highway where I was looking to once again board the local bus. My luck was strong that morning for when I reached the highway, the bus was just coming down the highway. I waved it down and boarded it...and again I was the only white face. I found a seat towards the rear, inserted my earplugs and enjoy music from my MP3 player as the lush scenery passed by the window. Shortly the bus filled up and next to me sat a youngster. I handed him a pair of headphones so he ... read more