Hey there,
It's been a little while since I've been able to get to an internet place that's fast enough and that I've got enough time to update this thing!
So I'm currently in Botswana. Just come out of the Okavango Delta, which was stunning if a little wet. I don't think I've ever camped in that much rain before, but it was fun and the lightening storms were amazing! Sadly I think the rain scared away all the animals as we only saw an elephant, giraffe, a few zebra and, possibly the highlight, a pair of shagging baboons. But no worries, it was fun trying to ploe around on a traditional makoro (canoe) and we went on some lovely walks.
So what else has been happening? I think I last wrote just before Zanzibar? Well, Zanzibar was truly beautiful. Liked the Northern beaches a bit more than Stone Town, but was good to see the difference. Managed to get in a couple of dives off Mnemba Island - private island off the north eastern coast, where it costs US$300 just to set foot on the beach! Needless to say we didn't land and just dived around the reef nearby. Didn't really do too much else there actually, chilled out and caught a game of rugby or two.
So from Zanzibar we headed back to Dar Es Salaam. Another couple of nights there on the beach, where we had our own Masai Warrior guarding the campsite - slightly incongruous site - warrior in full traditional gear, on the beach.
And from Dar we then headed to Malawi. Spent one night enroute, then into Chitemba beach. It was on the shore of Lake Malawi, but we were only there for a night so didn't see much. From there it was on to Kande Beach in Malawi. We were there for 3 nights so managed to fit in a fresh water dive (at altitude as well). The advert for the dive centre said it would be like swimming in a giant aquarium and it was. Not much by way of coral or reefs or anything to look at, but a whole lot of fish! Also managed to watch more of the world cup - saw South Africa nearly get beaten by Tonga, so close!! Didn't spend up too large, although the Malawi woodwork is amazing. Some people went absolutely crazy! So we had a very full truck after all the Malawi chairs that were bought.
So from Malawi we headed into Zambia. Into Chipata for one night, saw the second half of the NZ match against Scotland, nice work! But not much else happening there. From Chipata it was into Lusaka where our campsite was on the edges of a game park so we drove in through a herd of Zebra that were just hanging out where we were pitching our tents. Luckily they didn't stay otherwise we would have had to watch our step in the night!
And from Lusaka we then headed into Livingstone. Yes, the one of "Dr. Livingstone I presume" fame. Actually, bizzarely I had dinner in a restaurant called Livingstone in Stone Town on Zanzibar, it was apparently the place they stored his body when shipping it back to England. Anyway, it's a little town basically one main street, so not a huge amount going on there. We managed to make a night of it though as there was a sunset 'booze' cruise. All you can drink - someone should have warned them never to offer that up to Laura!! - so we proceeded to drink them dry of vodka...wasn't all my fault!
Needless to say wasn't feeling the best the next day, so lucky it was a lazy day to do nothing.
Next day we headed into Victoria Falls from the Zambian side. Not a huge amount to see from that side, but you can stand above the falls. It was only 4 of us that wanted to do that, so from there we walked over to the Zimbabwe side and headed for the campsite.
Not entirely sure what I was expecting from Zimbabwe, but it delivered more then I could have imagined. The people are lovely, yes there's a food / drink shortage (walk into restaurants and half the menu is missing) and the bar at the camp site were buying beer off the black market, but everyone's happy enough and it's really not dangerous at all. The only annoying thing is the constant request for you to trade anything for a small trinket. If I'd had anything to trade I could have come out with quite a few wooden carvings.
So we were in Vic falls for 4 nights. Long enough for me to throw myself over the Zambezi River on a flying fox, a zip line (they call a foofie slide?!) and then, the worst, a gorge swing. Before finishing off the day with a 120m abseil down into the gorge. Of course then you have to climb out of it! Tiring day!! The gorge swing is quite possibly the scariest thing I've ever done. Did it three times as well! Once forward and twice facing backwards... I only stopped to ask myself why after I'd done it!? But survived to tell the tale, so all good. The day after that I managed to book a flight on a microlight and took a flight over the falls. Just amazing. If anyone is heading that way, I definitely recommend it as a great way to see the falls. Even though the falls are in dry season at the moment, it's still so impressive. It's easy to imagine what it must be like during the wet season...just awesome!
So exit Zimbabwe and hello Botswana. Stayed for one night in Kasane just to get us into town before heading to Maun where we spent one night before heading into the Delta.
Just gearing up to watch the quarter final against France tonight, where it might be called for to have a beer or two... And then tomorrow we're off to Namibia. Looking forward to all the experiences to come, maybe even through myself out of a plane... But I'm still deciding about that one.
Anyway, I hope everyone's keeping well. I'll try and update again soon. But that was a really quick update on the highlights so far.
Oh, I've changed tours too. I left the other truck in Vic Falls, and joined a new truck with only 10 people on board - woo hoo and whole double seat to ourselves when we're driving. It's luxury! And the tour leader and driver are just amazing, so it's going to be a good couple of weeks to finish off the tour.
Take it easy, catch up with you all soon.
L xx
