Jambo! Mambo!
Greetings from Zanzibar island, Tanzania, Africa!
Cam and I have been on our safari for almost 2 weeks now and we have seen and done so many new, different and at times weird things!
The trip is quite rough, we are camping, and often not in the most glamorous campsites. So far the bathrooms have consisted mostly of holes in the ground - which really compliments the stomach bug that we all have :)
But we are enjoying the challenges, and I am sure that when we arrive home we will never complain again!
The last few days have been very sunny, here on the island. We've been snorkelling, swimming, having massages from the local women!, and eating bucketloads of seafood! - And staying in sub-human lodge accomodation with a real flushing toilet and running shower!
One of the absolute highlights so far has been the 3 day game drive we did in Serengetti national park and the Ngoronogo Crater. We saw the big five animals, and plenty of lions getting "jiggy jiggy" (as the locals call it) - it was quite amazing to be there during their mating season!
Cam and I have taken enough photos to make up for every tourist who ever comes here - my ipod is getting hammered with all the CF card downloads we are cramming onto it!
I would post some today but these guys barely even have a phoneline between ten computers and it might just take the rest of my life to upload them!
It has been funny to watch Cam really getting into his group's chores on the truck. I reckon by the time we get home we just might make a decent housewife out of him. He's not even too bad at handwashing in salt water! - But his toast made over open fire leaves alot to be desired...
We've also been having some really incredible malaria-pill-induced-dreams, which makes it hard to work out wether we've actually been doing all of these cool things - or just imagining them!
A few days ago we did what all the guide books discourage (such rebellion!) and rented 4 wheel drives off some local dodgy dudes and drove up the coast - we had an awesome day - Cam felt like he was driving the Maroon again, and we got to see the only community of Colubus monkeys left in the world, and went on a spice tour where another bunch of local guys showed us around and made everything imaginable out of banana leaves and palm fronds! And that night, we made honorary Australians out of the 16 or so New Zealanders on our truck, and celebrated Australia Day with lots of local African beer, and a bit of Karaoke!
The locals here are an abolsute inspiration - we have encountered mostly rich people who survive off the tourists, and yet even they live in mud/dung huts - but they are so friendly and they all wave madly when we drive by - we stopped our 4 wheel drive at a school the other day so one of the boys could use their squatter, and we were surrounded by smilling children and locals - it was very cool (I also bought 4 cokes and two packets of Marie Biscuts for about 2 US dollars which I thought was the best bargain ever!)
Anyway should be off - Cam and I still have 50 000 tanzanian shillings and plenty of bartering to do - never know when you might need that 3rd set of wooden african salad servers ;)
cheers all! See you all in about 5 weeks
Akuna Matatta
Lauren
PS. this is where we are headed next!
http://www.absoluteafrica.com/itinerary.lasso?trip_code=SC39
Cam and I have been on our safari for almost 2 weeks now and we have seen and done so many new, different and at times weird things!
The trip is quite rough, we are camping, and often not in the most glamorous campsites. So far the bathrooms have consisted mostly of holes in the ground - which really compliments the stomach bug that we all have :)
But we are enjoying the challenges, and I am sure that when we arrive home we will never complain again!
The last few days have been very sunny, here on the island. We've been snorkelling, swimming, having massages from the local women!, and eating bucketloads of seafood! - And staying in sub-human lodge accomodation with a real flushing toilet and running shower!
One of the absolute highlights so far has been the 3 day game drive we did in Serengetti national park and the Ngoronogo Crater. We saw the big five animals, and plenty of lions getting "jiggy jiggy" (as the locals call it) - it was quite amazing to be there during their mating season!
Cam and I have taken enough photos to make up for every tourist who ever comes here - my ipod is getting hammered with all the CF card downloads we are cramming onto it!
I would post some today but these guys barely even have a phoneline between ten computers and it might just take the rest of my life to upload them!
It has been funny to watch Cam really getting into his group's chores on the truck. I reckon by the time we get home we just might make a decent housewife out of him. He's not even too bad at handwashing in salt water! - But his toast made over open fire leaves alot to be desired...
We've also been having some really incredible malaria-pill-induced-dreams, which makes it hard to work out wether we've actually been doing all of these cool things - or just imagining them!
A few days ago we did what all the guide books discourage (such rebellion!) and rented 4 wheel drives off some local dodgy dudes and drove up the coast - we had an awesome day - Cam felt like he was driving the Maroon again, and we got to see the only community of Colubus monkeys left in the world, and went on a spice tour where another bunch of local guys showed us around and made everything imaginable out of banana leaves and palm fronds! And that night, we made honorary Australians out of the 16 or so New Zealanders on our truck, and celebrated Australia Day with lots of local African beer, and a bit of Karaoke!
The locals here are an abolsute inspiration - we have encountered mostly rich people who survive off the tourists, and yet even they live in mud/dung huts - but they are so friendly and they all wave madly when we drive by - we stopped our 4 wheel drive at a school the other day so one of the boys could use their squatter, and we were surrounded by smilling children and locals - it was very cool (I also bought 4 cokes and two packets of Marie Biscuts for about 2 US dollars which I thought was the best bargain ever!)
Anyway should be off - Cam and I still have 50 000 tanzanian shillings and plenty of bartering to do - never know when you might need that 3rd set of wooden african salad servers ;)
cheers all! See you all in about 5 weeks
Akuna Matatta
Lauren
PS. this is where we are headed next!
http://www.absoluteafrica.com/itinerary.lasso?trip_code=SC39
posted by lauren at 7:05 am
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