Blogs from Africa - page 3305

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Africa » Namibia July 21st 2005

Namibia is awesome! It's a big country - four times the size of the UK, but with a population of less than 2 million. It's a place of arid deserts, jagged mountains and haunting beauty. It's also a place that cries out to be photographed. So, despite ruthless deletions of photos from my digital camera, I've still uploaded 88 photos for this blog. Distances between settlements in Namibia are huge. Public transport to many of the places that you would want to visit is non-existent. Also, many of the roads are not tarred. That means, it is necessary to either rent a four wheel drive vehicle or book yourself onto a camping tour. I used the budget camping option. One of the main reasons for using a tour is that I really didn't fancy driving the ... read more
Quiver Tree Forest at Garas Park Camp
Ghost Town - Kolmenskuppe
Sossusvlei sand dune

Africa » Zimbabwe July 21st 2005

It was now time to move on to our next safari camp, located north in an area called Mana Pools and right on the banks of the Zambezi River. One of the first things I noticed while in the air, were the many Baobab trees. Most of us know these trees from the Disney movie “The Lion King”. It’s the huge tree that doesn’t blend in with the landscape and doesn’t have any leaves on it. It looks dead most of the time. If I had to describe them I would say they remind me of about 4 large dead redwoods stuck together. They are absolutely huge and dwarf the surrounding landscape. The one you see in this picture would take about 20 people to surround it. They are very dramatic. This camp was completely different ... read more
Chickwenya Safari Camp

Africa » Ghana July 20th 2005

I got up today had a nice breakfast on top of the guest house I am staying at and went to Eguafo. Eguafo is a village that I stayed in when I was here doing archaeological excavations in summer 2001. I went out there to see my friend Kofi. He worked with us as a laborer that summer and also in 2000. On my visit to Eguafo I gave Kofi some clothes that I had been saving for him. I have not been in contact with him since I left Ghana in 2001. So I wrote his name on a card and took it with me to use when asking for him. I was not sure how hard it would be locating him, if I could at all. It did not take much effort though. The ... read more

Africa » Tunisia July 20th 2005

After my college year I felt like doing something different. And so i did. 2 weeks Monastir was just the thing I felt like doing. Normaly Tunesia is not a country people going to from The Netherlands. I stayed in Club Skanes Garden just 10 minutes by bus from Monastir - Habib Bourguiba International Airport. Skanes stands confessed its endless white beaches, clear blue sky and sea. This quiet, but coloured holiday harbour lies between Sousse and Monastir a the east coust of Tunisia. The meaning of this trip is enjoying the country travel around and enjoy the sun. So the first couple of day's I didn't do anything. Enjoying the sun at the beach or around the swimmingpool. Because of the All Inclusive formula at this resort I dronk and ate a lot. The first ... read more
The tomb of Habib Bourguiba
Sousse
Monastir

Africa » Uganda » Eastern Region July 20th 2005

I’m traveling now with Dror - one of the Israelis I met in Tanzania few months ago. Dror and I are like twins who got separated at birth - we have the same personality only exactly the opposite character…. So - we went to sipi falls. Beautiful spot - amazing views, mountains. All I wanted to do is: sit on the balcony and watch the falls… All he wanted to do is: go and swim in the falls - aka go hiking….   So - we decided that we’ll go and have some breakfast in the village and then - Dror will go hiking and I’ll sit on the balcony. Since it was Sunday I put on my best shirt (best = almost clean t-shirt, 50% of the t-shirts I have) and my sandals and went ... read more
sandals
Anna
one of the falls

Africa » Zimbabwe » Harare July 20th 2005

Geo: -17.8289, 31.0406Eventually got to visit Uncle Colin (my Father's younger brother), Auntie Chanda and co in Zimbabwe. It was fantastic!After the challenge of how to spend a whole day in Jo'burg we got on the night 'Greyhound' coach to Harare. The 16hr ride was pretty painless as we were still shattered from safari and just slept all the way. Immigration was entertaining. I was quite worried about getting the Zimbabwean visa but it was the most unofficial and run down immigration ever! Got a fat jolly official who seemed quite happy to see us, shuffling through his tracing paper files and popping our 70 USD each into his front pocket! No computers or interrogation. Next we moved onto customs where Rebecca was given a marriage proposal by the cheeky customs officials. Zimbabwean immigration is definitely ... read more
Tea and Scones
The family
The Farm

Africa » Ghana » Central » Cape Coast July 19th 2005

I left Hans Cottage at 9 am. I am headed to Sammo Guest house. It is very close to town and about half as expensive, the beds are half as comfortable too! There is rooftop restaurant here with good meals, which are also half as much. It’s a decent place but nothing to brag about. I have a ceiling fan and which makes everything good. I've seen a lot of Europeans here. I guess this is the place that all travelers stay. Its cheap, clean and close to the city. I will not move anywhere else. I've paid for my entire stay up front to get the 10% discount. It cost me $113 or $6.64 per night. Not bad! I like it. I'm one floor below the rooftop restaurant and that makes getting my morning coffee ... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg July 19th 2005

Geo: -25.7419, 28.1877... read more

Africa » Egypt » Lower Egypt » Cairo July 18th 2005

Well after the initial flight dramas I arrive in Cairo airport at about 1am and was met by our Contiki rep who introduced me to two other girls who'd been on my flight, Wendy and Kathy which was nice. We boarded our shuttle and headed towards our hotel. The first thing you notice is the traffic, it reminds me of my time in Thailand, there are no lines on the road and seemingly no road rules except the old survival of the fittest!!! the streets were jammed packed going back towards the city and they tell me that that is because Egyptians work 24 hours a day. The streets were packed with people too busily going about their business. Probably the most amazing thing we saw was our first glimpse of the Pyramids, right from the ... read more

Africa » Egypt » Upper Egypt » Aswan July 18th 2005

Ok, getting back to the story!! So I arrived in one peice to Aswan, 800 miles south of north Cairo. it's very hot, about 39 degrees at 9.30am. However they tell me during July and August it can get up to 50 degrees in the shade!! thank god my tour got put back to now instead of next month! don't think I would have made it! There is no humidity here. Our guide said that it rained for about 10-15 minutes just once this year. Aswan is surounded by the Sahara Desert and is a prodominately African city. Most of the buildings are made of stone and cement. Aswan has the biggest granet quarry in Africa. It has been running for 5,000 years so far and they say that is it an endless quarry as they ... read more
Overnight Sleeper Train
In front of the Dam
The Boat




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