Botswana & catching Dik Dik in Namibia!

I've always said if I ever went on a reality tv programme, it would be I'm a Celebrity (only setback being that I'm not a celebrity but that shouldn't be too much of an issue - I only ever know about 50% of the contestants!)
Two nights camping in the Okavango Delta in Botswana and I feel like I've taken part in it - minus the cameras and bush tucker trials!

After loading everything we needed into mokoros, we arrived at our electricty free, toilet free resort on an island in the middle of the delta, which, as well as being a unique ecosystem, is Botswana's premier tourist attraction, reputed to be teeming with wildlife. They did pretty well at evading us mind - we didn't see much other than a few warthogs, springboks and other deer-like creatures that are all starting to blend into one by now.

A mokoro is a dug out canoe carved out of a single tree and propelled along the Delta by polers. We were told they were surprisingly stable but they felt pretty precarious to me, particularly when a spider lands in between your boobs but you can't freak out or you'd tip the boat ...

For those of you EA people who think all rivers run to the sea ... Not so! The Kavango river starts in Angola before flowing into Namibia and into the vast flat landscape of Botswana where it's swallowed up by the Kalahari sands. The river eventually loses itself in a maze of emerald green lagoons, islands and channels that make up the wetlands of the Okavango Delta.

So for two days, we had to do our business in holes (the door was a shovel - if the shovel wasn't at the side of the designated tree, the toilet was occupied!), cook on a log fire and entertain ourselves with games I haven't played since I was in Brownies, including my new old favourite, wink murderer.

In another (probably vain) attempt to get this blog up to date, I'll stop there abut Botswana seeing as we've been in Namibia for almost a week now!



Catching Dik Dik* in Namibia

I seemed to catch a 24 hour stupid bug as soon as we entered Namibia.
It started by getting up to do breakfast an hour earlier than I should have and ended with me jumping into a swimming pool with my Ugandan phone in my pocket with a million ridiculous things in between.

We have a daily Dik Dik award on the truck for the person who says or does the most ridiculous thing. Until Namibia, I didn't have one single nomination let alone the award, but within 24 hours of being in the country, I'd won with my only competition being my other three nominations.

My favourite Dik Diks have mostly gone to Jaime or Abi. Examples include :

* Jaime asking what time the meteorite would hit so she could go and watch it.
* Abi asking if you needed a parachute to sky dive
* Jaime asking if hippos could climb trees

(Jaime and Abi remind me of a someone who works in SE Corporate Services... Anyone able to guess who?)

Anyway, since being in Naimibia, we have visited a cheetah park, salt plain and a Himba tribe village, seen the worlds biggest meteorite, gone on some game drives and camped in what felt like sub-zero temperatures.

I'm writing this on the way to Swakopmund where we'll be skydiving (with a parachute Abs!), sand boarding and quad biking - can't wait!
There's also free wifi so if it's decent enough, I'll try to Skype / FaceTime.


* Please note this is a small African animal, nothing untoward!

Jumping off stuff in Vic Falls

Thanks to the return of Truck Malaria, we're staying in the nice wifi hotel again tonight after two days of living our own version of I'm a Celebrity in the Okavango Delta.
Who knew malaria could bring so many benefits?!

* * *

I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed the time we spent in Zimbabwe (sorry Ange!).
Before coming on this tour, I would never in a million years have planned to go there on holiday as I didn't know anything about what the country had to offer tourists.
Before now, when I thought about Zimbabwe, I thought of Victoria Falls, how inhospitable it was supposed to be for visitors and how bad its international reputation was - mostly due to what I've seen and heard about the Mugabe regime. As soon as he's gone, I really hope the country's reputation improves and tourism takes off as Zim has so, so much more to offer than Vic Falls.

That said, Victoria Falls was amazing and should be on everyone's list of places to visit as far as I'm concerned. We could hear the roar of the raging water from miles way and see the thick clouds of mist above it from at least ten miles away which was impressive enough, but seeing it in person gave me goose bumps and for once made me speechless - not a easy feat.
It was such an odd feeling standing there looking at one of the natural wonders of the world whilst getting drenched from its mist.
And when I say drenched, I mean we left there with our clothes dripping as if someone had thrown buckets and buckets of water directly at us.
It was worth it though as it really was spectacular sight to see the falls in their full rainy season glory - as was seeing a herd of elephants hanging out outside the town's Barclays bank cashpoint!
(I've never been so keen to borrow money!)

Since she booked to meet me in Africa, Anwen said time after time that she wouldn't, under any circumstances, do any adrenaline activities. I thought I'd be able to persuade her when she arrived but there was no chance.
"Like hell. I've bungeed once before and it was the worst thing I've done in my life. No way, no chance, dim gobaith caneri. NA!"

Most of us on the truck signed up for the Full Adrenaline day, which gave us an unlimited number of jumps off the Flying Fox (straight zip line), Zipline (zipline that drops at a ridiculous angle) and the Gorge Swing (same as a bungee only with the harness around your waist instead of your ankles) as well as abseiling forwards and backwards off one of the cliffs.

http://www.afrizim.com/activities/victoria_falls/High_Wire.asp

I'd been looking forward to this since for months and was adamant I'd get my money's worth somehow - even if I wussed some of the activities, I figured I'd eat as near to $150 worth of food as possible from the buffet!
Four gorge swings, four ziplines, few flying foxes later a couple of bruised ribs and some significant bruising later, I was satisfied I'd justified my spend!

Loads of people have asked how I could have done it so many times. The only thing I can answer is that the adrenaline rush it gives you is addictive and weirdly, I wasn't nervous at all.
When the instructor was strapping me into my harness for my first jump at the gorge swing, he asked me how many times I'd done it. When I replied never, he said, "So why are you so relaxed? You look like you're walking into a restaurant!"

So after all of my big talk about doing the Vic Falls bungee ... I didn't do it!
As I enjoyed the other throwing myself off stuff the falls had to offer, I've decided to spend my money (which is rapidly running out!) on bungeeing in Cape Town - the biggest bungee in the world with a free fall twice as much as the Vic Falls jump!
In for a penny, in for a pound, eh?!

* * *

I would have put some decent photos of me doing the gorge swing on here but Anwen didn't take any! Her excuse?
"I thought you'd be faffing around for ages before you jumped so I wasn't ready. To be honest, I thought you would bottle it. Da iawn ti!"
Luckily some of the others took some or I'd have had no evidence of my bravery / stupidity*

* Delete as applicable!


Ps - Rachel's getting married in the morning!!!!!!!!!

Truck malaria, breaching the peace, leopard poo & Pricey

I've decided I've gone off Malawi seeing as it gave two of our trip members a serious bout of malaria that ended up with them on an intravenous drip in a Zimbabwe hospital. Luckily, they're both on the mend, have rejoined the trip and yes I've been taking my tablets religiously - honest!

So Zim has taken over as my second favourite country in Africa after Uganda, despite its crooked police officers that tried to arrest Lauren on a Friday afternoon for taking a photograph outside a supermarket and wanted to keep her in the cells until a court appearance the following Wednesday!
After a three hour interrogation and the eventual intervention of the Chief of Police (who confirmed she hadn't done anything wrong in the first place!), Lauren had to sign an Admission of Guilt form for breaching the peace and pay a $10 fine. We're not quite sure how or when she breached the peace during the whole debacle, but she has the certificate / receipt to prove it!

After this unexpected and (eventually) entertaining hold up, we arrived at Antelope Park in Gweru much later than expected and it was bloody freezing!
As we're moving more south and deeper into Winter, the nights are getting much, much colder but happily the days are still warm and sunny.
Yesterday, I wore shorts, a vest top and factor 30 in the day and was wrapped up my sleeping bag and sleeping bag liner whilst wearing long leggings, walking trousers, a t shirt, a fleece, a hat and ski socks last night!

There were loads of great things to do at Antelope Park, including elephant training and riding, lions walks, kayaking and biking. My favourite activity was the lion feeding with the 'teenage' males who are being trained to survive when they are released back into the wild.
We stood behind a wire fence with a pile of meat about a foot in front of us. The lions were then released from their temporary cage and raced towards their food, each aiming to get there first to prove they were the alpha male of the group. It really was phenomenal to watch them battle so ferociously for group dominance - despite the minging bloody animal guts and lion slobber splashback that dirtied my nice clean white top.

I'll remember Antelope Park for three other things :

1. Straightening my hair for the first time since January
2. The most amazing upgrade we've had to date - a 16 bed manor house (that reminded me of Shell Cottage from Harry Potter) between three of us for $15 a night
3. Our free snake viewing. The activity sheet said it was $8 to do the snake handling activity but those sitting in the front row of our talk got to see it for free. Bad choice of shorts buddy!

After leaving Gweru, we headed towards Matapos National Park for a game drive.
This game drive was different to others we've done. Our guide, Ian, explained not only about the animals, but also about the local indigenous tribes and their ancestors' cave rock paintings which are said to be some of the oldest in the world, found us some 20 minute old leopard poo (the closest we've come to seeing the real thing - elusive little buggers!), and 'bush medicine'. Personally, I'd rather take my chances with a dodgy stomach rather than sipping elephant poo tea.

He also took us deep into the bush to see his 'babies', a family of black Rhinos. At one point, we managed to get within about 15 metres of them which was amazing albeit a little scary when they all suddenly stood up and started huffing, puffing and grunting at us!

By the end of the day, I think we were all a little bit in love with Ian, even the boys! He's one of those people that has such natural charisma that's well as his passion and charisma for what he does, you can't helped but be mesmerised by him - and his really short shorts!

We then left Matapos and headed towards Victoria falls where I met Pricey.
My plan to calmly approach her, hand outstretched with the words, "Miss Price I presume" didn't work out exactly as planned. Instead, I excitedly screamed, "Anwen!!!!!!!" from across the other side of the bar and much to her embarrassment and discomfort, ran across to her sun lounger and jumped on top of her before asking, "now, where is my Haribo, chocolate, asking boots and waxing strips?"

We've already run out of Haribo and chocolate. Anyone fancy bringing us some more?

(This is the second time I've written this blog as I just lost the whole lot as I pressed publish! Arghh!

However, due to our malaria-ridden travellers, we've had to change our schedule. Tonight we're happily staying at a campsite with wifi instead of our intended one. Wifi makes me very, very happy these days!)



Photos:

1. Our guide Ian and the Absoluters
2. Lions eating at Antelope Park
3. The Manor!
4. 20 minute old leopard poo - the closest we've come to seeing a leopard!
5. Elephant training
6. Trying to blend in with the locals. Maybe I should have ditched the sunnies...
7. Elephant ride
8. Rhino trekking.

Rachel's getting hitched!

(I'm writing this now in case I can't get online before next weekend)

Writing this from an internet cafe in Zimbabwe, I'm both ridiculously happy and deeply sad because in a few days time, one of my girls getting married thousands and thousands of miles away.The girl in question is one of my most beloved friends that I've known for about 10 years.

On paper, the (piss) artist formerly known as Miss Rachel Kay Thomas is a Welsh speaking, RE teaching, 33 year old genetically modified giant from Bargoed, daughter of Wyndham and Patricia, sister to Cerys, mam to Gruff and by this time next week, wife to Ian.
But the reality is, she's so, so much more than that. As well as being all of these things, she's quite simply a wonderful person who is one of my closest friends.

She's kind, thoughtful, caring, reliable, generous and funny (most, but not all, of the time we're laughing with her) and does the most hilarious chicken impression when playing Tregaron's Got Talent.

But she's far, far from perfect is our Rach - she snores, pukes in waste paper bins and on motorways, rarely makes a decent cup of coffee, cheers on Japan instead of Wales at the rugby ("but they look so little and sad, poor dabs. I'm cheering for them now. They're losing by too much.") and is generally a bit of a tit but we all love her to bits just the same.

Together and with others, we've shared happy times, drunken times, sober times, times when we've laughed so hard a little bit of pee came out (her, not me), completed the See How Many Things You Can Buy in Asda For a Pound Excluding Food Challenge (I won hands down), we've had WOFs, DOFs, NOFs, 16 HIDs, extreme laugh offs, speed dance offs, rap offs, crock offs, worst insult you can think of offs, sunny days, rainy days, nights in, nights out, and so many other fantastic times that I'll always laugh out loud to.

On the other hand, we've helped each other through some difficult and truly tragic times that neither of us will ever forget. Without realising it at the time, this is probably the foundation of our friendship and what makes you so special to me Rach.
And not just because we know too much about each other, but also because we both have photographic evidence of each other's grubby halos!

From the moment you first told us about Ian, the sparkle in your eyes, huge smile on your face and the air of unusual girly shyness about you told us your life had changed forever before your words did.
Admittedly, we didn't expect it to change quite as quickly as it did, but when your little (!) bundle of joy eventually (!) arrived on that snowed in (!) December day, you and Ian began your biggest adventure together. Gruff is evidence that you're as amazing as parents as you are with each other.

So Rach, I'm going to stop rambling now.
I love you to bits and back and am so, so sorry I won't be there in person watching you get married on Saturday. You're beautiful, inside and outside and I bet you'll look breathtaking in that new posh frock of yours!
But please don't ruin the illusion by doing the whole chicken act on Saturday. Let Ian enjoy being married to you before you inflict that on him.

I hope you have a wonderful wedding day.
You don't need luck for the future because I know the Bendall family will have an amazing life together.

Caru chi i gyd.

X

Ps. I have the Tregaron's Got Talent video footage if anyone is interested.

Flying through Zambia & into Zimbabwe

(Just to let you non-face bookers know, my Ugandan phone hasn't worked since Malawi so that's the reason you cant get through (although it should start to work again by the time we get to Botswana). So that's why I haven't been responding to texts - I'm not ignoring you honest!

I have my work mobile with me so you can use that number (ends with 494) in the meantime. Otherwise, email my yahoo email account. The next time I pick up emails should be on the 16th)

* * *

We only had a two day flying visit through Zambia. I'd like to say something really profound about it, like talk about its dreamy landscapes, beautiful blood red sunsets or its nighttime eruption of shimmering stars, but to be totally honest, my lasting memory of it will be the luxurious flushing toilets, Nandos and my footlong steak and cheese Sub at the newly opened Manda (!) Hill shopping mall.

In comparison to the rest of the countries we've travelled through, the capital, Lusaka, was positively cosmopolitan with its American style shopping malls, chain restaurants and ex-pat style bars. Internet still didn't bloody work though.

We crossed the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe at the Kariba Dam and were immediately warned not to take any photographs of any police officers, Government buildings, critical infrastructure which is illegal in Zim.
(Remember this for my next blog which will probably be entitled Arrested in Zim!)

Lake Kariba was created sometime in the 60s when low lying land was flooded to feed the Kariba Dam Hydropower scheme. The edges of the lake are dotted with ghostly dead trees that stick up out of the water in a really eerie fashion, crocodile and hippos. Luckily, the crocs and elephants that inhabit the lake fringes don't like deep water so nobody got eaten alive when, after a few VnTs for dutch courage, we decided to jump off the roof of our houseboat which was about 15 metres high! (preparation for the Vic Falls bungee!)

As soon as we arrived at our houseboat (which came, for our exclusive use, complete with an on-board chef, hot tub and speed boats!), we were welcomed by the owner - a lady from Dolgellau who was delighted to be able to speak Welsh with me and paraded me proudly to her staff telling them to take extra good care of me. Us Welshies like to look after each other!

Anyway, there have been loads of other brilliant things we've done and seen in here, but in an attempt to get this blog up to date, I'm going to stop there ... but not before I tell you my favourite thing about Zimbabwe.

Because the economy here crashed a few years back, the country now uses US dollars as its currency but only dollar notes. So if you go to a supermarket and your bill comes to $4.30, you're due 70 cents change (that's Maths even I can do!). But because they don't use any US coins here, you get your change in sweets - yesterday, I got 7 lollies and a chocolate as change from my weekly shop!