Ahhhhh! So, still in Africa! After moving up North to Nkhata Bay for three weeks to work in the nursery school there, I (and two friends) took off on a two week adventure to Botswana and Zambia! First was the hour taxi ride to Mzuzu, where we overnighted with the other interns there. Then the 7 hour bus ride to Lilongwe for a night. Off to Chipata, which was a two hour minibus ride followed by another hour taxi ride, to spend the night in a seedy motel next to the bus station! Caught the bus the next morning at 5am to Lusaka which was another 7 hours, to transfer buses within the hour to do another 7 hour bus ride to Livingstone... There we spent two nights, just relaxing for the day in the city... Then the next day it was off for a two day and two night safari in Chobe National Park in Botswana! Amazing! So many creatures! Then we headed back to Livingstone for three nights there - day one we went to the Zambia/Zimbabwe bridge and watched some Bungee jumpers and saw a piece of the falls, day two we entered the park and climbed across the top of the falls to sit in the Angel's Armchair (aptly named - lots of people fall off the top of the falls to their doom, which happens when you are leaning over the edge!), then day three we rafted down the Zambezi!
If I ever thought I was close to death it was while rafting that monster! I went off the boat in rapid 8, was swiftly fetched by a safety kayak and taken to the nearest raft... But then we flipped our whole raft on 16a - The Terminator... Which wouldn't have been so bad, except then we all had to finish swimming the Terminator AND The Terminator TWO (16b). Brutal. I've never truly had water in my lungs, all I can say is a weird thing happened that felt similar to vomiting and then I cleared the water from my lungs!
After that, we took off for three more nights in Lusaka to wine-and-dine and spoil ourselves. I could not believe it was Africa (since my image of Africa is strongly influenced by my time in Malawi)! Visa was taken everywhere, posh malls, and a CINEMA! We went twice, once to see Bridesmaids (HA) and once to see Bang Bang Club (which was traumatizing)! We ate delicious food - calamari and prawns! And amazing drinks! Yum Yum Yum! "Multiple Screaming Orgasm" is my new fav drink!
Now just three more sleeps in Lilongwe and off for home! A 6 hour layover in Nairobi means a possibility of leaving the airport to eat at Carnivores. And an 8 hour layover in Amsterdam means a chance to view the canals... YAY! Then home to cuddle my kitty-cat and give my Mom, Nan, and Nephew big hugs! <3
If I ever thought I was close to death it was while rafting that monster! I went off the boat in rapid 8, was swiftly fetched by a safety kayak and taken to the nearest raft... But then we flipped our whole raft on 16a - The Terminator... Which wouldn't have been so bad, except then we all had to finish swimming the Terminator AND The Terminator TWO (16b). Brutal. I've never truly had water in my lungs, all I can say is a weird thing happened that felt similar to vomiting and then I cleared the water from my lungs!
After that, we took off for three more nights in Lusaka to wine-and-dine and spoil ourselves. I could not believe it was Africa (since my image of Africa is strongly influenced by my time in Malawi)! Visa was taken everywhere, posh malls, and a CINEMA! We went twice, once to see Bridesmaids (HA) and once to see Bang Bang Club (which was traumatizing)! We ate delicious food - calamari and prawns! And amazing drinks! Yum Yum Yum! "Multiple Screaming Orgasm" is my new fav drink!
Now just three more sleeps in Lilongwe and off for home! A 6 hour layover in Nairobi means a possibility of leaving the airport to eat at Carnivores. And an 8 hour layover in Amsterdam means a chance to view the canals... YAY!
Then home to cuddle my kitty-cat and give my Mom, Nan, and Nephew big hugs! <3