Melgrice
Mel Grice Joined: February 19th 2007
Logged in: August 29th 2009
Logged in: August 29th 2009
Being a naive 21 year old this is sure goin to be an eye opening experience one that will no doubt influence my outlook on life. anxiously awaiting departure on March 8th 2007 my journey to Malawi begins.
volunteering with Ripple Africa in what looks to be beatiful part of the small country on the Myawa shores, i will be situated here for three months before headin south to Cape town to volunteer in a surf school and hopefully get a much needed warm shower and beer.
wish me luck.... whoooooooooooooo!!
Untill i leave for Africa
Travel Blog Posts
RECOVERED
Plan.. what plan..? that got thrown out the window along with my brown (no it was never red) hair color. So after my last blog the journey to Victoria Falls lasted a whole of about quarter of an hour. And instead of visiting the world famous, most incredible display of nature, not to missed etc etc Vic Falls... Heather and I found ourselves in the messed up, panic station, politically and economically unstable Zimbabwe. Ooopsie Here’s how the journey changed route. Carrying our 30kg rucksacks stampering km's down the main arterial out of Lusaka with one hand flicking the road for a ride and the other shooing away people trying to sell crap Heather and I managed to conquer the art of hitch hiking. Just when we were re thinking our strategy, and considering to ... read more
Nkhata Bay District Hospital
Mel, The African Discovery Adventure Mel Grice Here's to hoping all things happen in three's!! 1. Chicken Food Poisoning 2. Mushroom Food Poisoning 3. MALLARIA 4. there better not be, or I’m getting a helicopter off this continent! So why go to Africa without experiencing everything, that’s my theory. So to put it into practice i was fortunate enough to pay the lovely hospital another visit. This time things were a little more scary as Mallaria's not something you really wanna play around with. Although if nipped in the butt early it can pass without too much trouble. However stubborn Mel, who thought it would pass without visiting hell (thats my nickname for the hospital) prolonged getting treatment. Well needless to say that turned out to be a big mistake. Mallaria takes over your whole ... read more
Tiny tots
Back Again... This time just a quick note.. The last week i have been spending my mornings at the local nursery school with the tiny tots whom are adoreable. The first days i was there i would make at least one of the kids cry when they saw me.. ow :( but thankfully their getting used to the Mzungu. The poor teachers have no supplies including sugar which is the main drawcard to get the kids to school as they give them tea, but lately have not been able to. From the picture you can see their toy cupboard consists of a mere couple of pieces of lego so we struggle to keep them entertained. I've chipped in as much as possible but if anyone has any old toys, clothing etc that they no longer ... read more
too cute!
Often the most precious moments in life are not those that cost a lot of money to see, or are surrounded by hype but rather the simple things are those that really take your breathe away. I've played pool with a Masaii, drunk beer with corrupt police, been within meters of a wild lion, seen the largest mountain in Africa and sun bathed on the golden sands of Zanzibar... and although its been a journey of a lifetime none of these experiences would make it to my top ten moments in Africa. Why? Because i've learnt that it's the small, unique moments that really make you stop and think.. wow life is bloody awesome! One afternoon after a marathon beach soccer game as I was retiring to my chalet, i was stopped by one of ... read more
School children walking us home
Jumbo.. (hello) From Zanzibar to Arusha the journey has entailed a lot of good, accompanied with several bad... and oh so many ugly (predominately my feet) as I will endeavor to explain. The GOOD. Zanzibar Spice Tour costing US $10 was a full day of site seeing around the rural areas of the island. We were treated to local fruits, many of which I have never heard of but weren’t half bad, including the delightful jackfruit which is a cross between a pineapple and a banana. Three US ladies joined our bus tour which were hysterical but very affluent and had experienced a different island than Amena and myself. They knew of Zanzibar as a tropical paradise with air conditioning, pools, waiters and chauffeurs. We knew Zanzibar as hot, mosquito infested, potentially dangerous food, sun ... read more
Stone Town
You know you've been roughing it when you board a ferry and are oooohing and ahhhhing at the carpeted floors, cushioned seats and televisions. Amena and i are now happily in Zanzibar... Not as planned but neverless we're here and it's hidiously beautiful (i'll explain later). So we departed Mbeya on Friday morning for Arusha (Northern Tanzania). Our journey had an interesting route via the east Dar Es Salaam. On our way we travelled throught a national Park and I saw my first Elephants. They we're right there in little heards of 4-5. It was so surreal. i whacked Amena in excitement when i saw two girraffes just chilling out. We also saw antelope but no lions as yet/. It was crazy cos we were'nt expecting it and had been riding in the bus since ... read more
Mwaya Beach
oh where to start.. so it seems most of you heard bout my smooth sailing to the airport :) After nursing my hang over back to health on the 10 and 8 hour flights I finally arrived in Malawi last friday and it feels like i've taken a step back in time. I travelled to where i am located at Mwaya Beach by minibus which crams about 40 people into a twelve seater bus.. cargo and all. I enjoyed a 8 hour journey sitting next to a lady holding a chicken and my bag strapped to a basket of fish. there is zero personal space in this country and its something ive come to get used to. I bought an aussie flag @ melb airport and proudly take it everywhere i go. After seeing the Malawi ... read more
