Malawi

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Hello again everyone…

I just typed this entire blog entry, and clicked “publish” and the internet messed up. So this is take number 2, and hopefully it works! Sorry the blog wont be as detailed as it was, because I am running out of time.
Anyways, I will update from where I left last…Zanzibar overall was amazing! I am convinced it is the most beautiful place in the world! My last day in Zanzibar I decided to do another of the optional excursions which was a Spice Tour (Zanzibar is known for its spices). We left the beach bungalows at 9:00 am and had about a 45 minute drive to the Spice farm. We arrived and by 10 am it was already disgustingly hot (not to mention I wasn’t feeling 100% top-notch after the sunset (booze)cruise the night before). Anyways we walked around the farm and learned about all of the different trees and the spices they produce. We got to taste and feel each of them. It was really neat actually. At the end a guy climbed a MASSIVE coconut tree and we got to drink the milk and taste some super fresh coconut. We also got to try this fruit (I think they called it jack-fruit…that’s what it sounded like anyways) which was SO good! It was like a mixture between pineapple and mango…I LOVED it! We then got a chance to buy some of the spices made there at the farm, and I bought a few, which I’m looking forward to using - guess I’m going to have to learn how to cook!
After the spice tour we were taken into Stone Town, which really is an amazing place as well. We went to the old slave market (which is the other main thing Zanzibar is known for). We were shown the very small concrete room where slaves were kept for 3 days without food, water or fresh air before being sold on the market. It was really quite interesting.
We then had a local lunch. I had fish masala. The fish was rock hard and basically not edible, but the rice and masala sauce was REALLY good. Then we went to our hostel for the night, the “Karibu Inn”. I was so happy when we walked in and there was a fan! It was SO hot there! Britt and I just lied in front of the fan for about 15 minutes, and then decided to go out and do some souvenir shopping. It was really fun! I got some great stuff!
We then got ready for dinner and met the rest of the group in the lobby at 5:30. We all went to “The Africa House” for a couple of drinks and to watch the sunset, and then went down to the city center for dinner. We went to “the fish market” which is basically just a whole bunch of chefs, set up tables along the water, and the tables are FULL of all the seafood you could ever imagine! I was a really cool experience!! I had some prawns and squid and chips and salad. And the dessert (oh my god! It was sooooo good to get dessert again…) was a crepe, that had nutella and sliced bananas and then was folded over and fried, and then drizzled with chocolate sauce and condensed milk. It was absolutely amazing!!!! I MAY have gone back for seconds!
The next morning was a very early start. WE were back on the ferry by 7:00 am. This time, we only had to take 1 ferry since Nev (our driver) and the truck met us at the dock, which was a really nice surprise!
Since then we have basically had 3 big drive days, from Zanzibar to Malawi. We have been staying at “bush camps” the last two nights before arriving here, which is basically, the truck pulls over off the road and you find a level piece of land and set up your tent. NO bathrooms, NO showers….NOTHING. It was not my favorite two days… However with drive days, I do get lots of reading done and have finished a few books now and am working on “The Time Travellers Wife” and really enjoying it. But the bush camps really are….something else!
We are now at Chitimba beach on Lake Malawi…which is really pretty! We arrived last night around 4 and after setting our tent up Britt and I went STRAIGHT to the showers! I guess some people don’t swim in lake Malawi because there is a parasite in it (because its still water or something like that) that lives under your skin. The shower water is the same as the lake water, so basically we are all going to buy the pills after we leave Malawi to get rid of the parasite, just to be sure. I really couldn’t go another day or two without a shower though!
Last night we all had dinner together and then had some drinks and played darts which was really fun. Actually a few people in the group have YET to go to bed, and it is now 9 am our time. Today is just a relaxing day, and I think I’m going to spend it on the beach.
Anyways, the internet tab is probably adding up and I should be going.
Sorry I didn’t respond do anyone’s comments yet…I have not yet read them. Because the internet is so unpredictable, I decided to update first, and read the comments after if there is time! But thank you all who commented in advance!
Bye Everyone!
Love, Denise

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