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Published: August 6th 2007
Hi,
Sorry it’s been so long since the last update. Believe it or not this is the first chance we have had to update the blog since Rwanda. So, where to start…
Well since we last wrote we have left Rwanda and headed back through Uganda and Kenya and arrived in Tanzania. Currently we are on Zanzibar Island and I am writing this from a beach hut on the white sands whilst watching people playing volleyball - yip life is tough (NOT!!!)
So quick luggage updates:
21 days after arrival I received my luggage (hooray!), however the event wasn’t quite the monumental occasion I had hoped for as the day before our roll mats, sleeping bags, pillows and liners were stolen. As you can imagine that went down like a cup of cold sick (especially as the event likely occurred when I got up at 4.30am and placed it all outside the wrong truck) So, don’t worry Gareth we will buy you a replacement on our return. Happy to say we obtained a police report from some hick police station on an A4 handwritten piece of paper and await the joys of dealing with the travel insurance company on our return. Fair to say we have now have a reputation on the truck and that was further cemented when the 2nd roll mat I borrowed blew out the window the other day (fortunately we managed to save it but every one was in hysterics).
Right I’m starting to waffle so on with the good bits.
We went White Water Rafting for a day on the Nile River on Grade 5 rapids - it was totally insane. Our raft flipped on the first three rapids incurring various injuries and states of panic by the team but we managed to refine our technique (meaning we jumped out of the raft before it flipped on top of us and hoped for the best). It was a fantastic day, there were definitely a few near death experiences but all ended well. After that little excursion we have been guaranteed to get Bilhazia - microscopic worms, but for a fiver you get the cure, so we will be doing that before we leave.
Ironically the night before the white water rafting we had a fancy dress party (which mostly required cross dressing for the guys) to celebrate one of the teams birthday. Fair to say everyone was a little under the weather next day! (Pictures will definitely follow in the next installment with Al in his purple floral dress and red head bandana stating “Jesus loves me”.
Whilst in Rwanda we also spent a day painting a school for charity. It was a million degrees and I got over it very quickly. Sounds wrong I know but my painting ability is crap and I ended up wearing most of the paint on me - much to the amusement of the kids.
So the next major highlight was the dawn Hot Air Ballooning over the Masai Mara. It was a gorgeous day and the views spread forever, unfortunately we didn’t spot the migration that happens at this time of the year, but the flight was followed by a Champagne breakfast. I think most of us booked for the breakfast and we were not let down, free flowing bubbles and all you could eat food was quite a novelty for us. Needless to say that we were both pissed by about 8am (this was the 4.30am start) and thought it was a great day.
Moving on to the parks we have visited the Masai Mara, Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater. All had something to offer but the best was seeing a lion stalk and eat a Wilderbest. It was like something out of National Geographic and quite rare to see. It was funny we all commented how at home when you watch Our World/Planet Earth type programmes you always will the zebra to run away from the lions, well, we are so the opposite now, we try an point out to the lions where the animals are and then will them to attack (mmm must be an African thing). We have also had a 2 lions walk right past our 4 wheel drive that we were standing in and eyeball us - amazing how quick you can move when that happens. We have been mock charged by a gigantic elephant, seen hyenas eating a buffalo carcass, seen crocodiles eating a dead hippo and seen all the game you can except for the black Rhino (that includes Leopards and Cheetahs) so all and all our game drives could not possibly have been any better!!!!
Fair to say we have done so many other fab things in the last three weeks but my fingers are getting sore from typing and I can hear a morning Pina Colada calling. So just a couple of quick funnies before I sigh off:
1. It is fine to eat biscuits out of a packet that are freshly opened if they are stale and covered in ants as long as you take the adequate measures to do the biscuit shake in advance.
2. Not showering for 5 days is perfectly acceptable. (Wet wipe or Maori showers optional).
3. You will become the size of a 10 tonne elephant whilst on safari as it is essential to drink warrior bottle beers (and cocktails where you can) every night and eat a minimum of 50 pieces of bread a day.
4. Al has tongue pashed a Giraffe (I will send photographic evidence in the next blog - he wont mind me sharing that gem I’m sure)!
Lastly sorry for no photos. We already have 4 GB (mm think that’s the amount) burnt on to a dvd but we left it our truck when we took the ferry here, so as soon as I can we will just do a quick photo upload to go with this entry.
Also thanks for all the blog comments and emails, I know we haven’t replied to everyone but we do read them all so keep them coming.
Kels -stoked you have booked your trip cant wait to see you and Big G in Dec.
Steve - Happy Birthday for the 5th hope Aussie was great.
???? - Congratulations to you know who (unofficial still), I can’t wait to start shopping at Baby gap!!!!
Hope all is well for all of you at home, wherever that may be
Nic & Al
PS - Al will write soon but he is on the Motorbikes with the guys today!
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Nic and Cal
non-member comment
Nice work guys
Africa sounds amazing! Cant wait to see the photos. We left South America with something like 10GB - eeekk. X