Jul 2006

Well here I am in Africa at long last!

Arrived in Nairobi after some more great service from Emirates.. while I was waiting for my friend Roos, I went to have a beer at the bar by the pool. Not sure of what was available, the helpful waiter started rattling off names so I asked for 'just a lager please' and he nodded enthusiastically and said yes, we have tusker larger (what are the chances?) Anyway, tasted pretty good and inadvertently ended up with another one as said yes when he cleared the table thinking that he was asking if okay to take it away...

Roos, my friend from Holland arrived a bit later due to a traffic jam and it was so great to see her - really crazy small world that we are in Nairobi at the same time! She is travelling with her friend Monica from Germany and we all went to an Ethopian restaurant down the road called Blue Nile. Interesting experience as you eat with your hands and they bring out a big platter with flat, almost soggy bread on it and toppings that looked very much like animal excretions. You scoop up the food with the bread and toppings and it was surprisingly tasty and filling, despite less than aesthic appearance!

Staying at Silver Springs Hotel, which is quite basic but actually nicer than I was expecting. Only complaint is that there is some construction going on pretty much next door to my room however this was advantageous this morning as alarm clock battery was flat!

First morning just went wandering the streets of Nairobi and really so far there is not much to recommend the city, except that it makes a great people watching spot. It is one of those places that even those who don't physically live on the street, seem to live a lot of life on the street sitting outside shops, on the pavements, outside houses.. everywhere there are people. On the way from the airport caught a glimpse of some tin shack abodes and you can see a definite divide of wealth when the next thing you pass is a brand new apartment building. Driving along people are standing on the road hawking all sorts of goods, on offer are jumper leads, garden tools, newspapers, caps and some strange kind of reflective road signage... The traffic here isn't as crazy as I expected but they do drive quite fast with disregard to lanes and road signs (maybe that is what the reflective road sign is for?) so still have to run and pray a bit crossing the road.

We went up to the top of the Kenyatta Conference Centre for a look at the view which was mostly a vista of concrete and ugly buildings, the train station and the airport - the only thing that was of any inspiration was the Nairobi National park. In the afternoon, Roos and I went to the movies movies, as they have really cheap cinemas here - obviously playing in English. Really funny as they play tinned version of national anthem first and you have to stand for it with the option of hand on your heart and singing!

Next day checked out the curios markets in Westlands about 2km from city centre and heard many cries of 'sister, sister, step into my shop, looking is for free' (glad about that) ... they were very small crowded stalls, very much tin shacks so stepping into the shop was only a small step up!! Great bargaining to be done here but kept purchase to scarf only as am sure will have plenty of time to add to my giraffe collection!!

Speaking of which, went out to the giraffe centre in Karen to feed the giraffes - really feed them as they actually wind their big purple tongues around your hand!! Great for close up shots and the volunteers there really helpful so learnt all about the different types of giraffes. Had no ride back to Nairobi so was cheeky and asked a guy with a carful of kids if he was heading back, unfortunately not, so walked along the road a bit.. then he offered a ride to the junction so I could catch a matatu (local bus)... as it turned out joined them in going to a bead and pottery factory, then Karen Blixen museum (expensive and a definitely overrated - buy a postcard), another small glass shop then back to Nairobi right outside my hotel. Was really fun and my kind companions (dad was Charles plus 6 kids) were Nigerians, living in Kenya with the strongest English accent you ever heard! Was great afternoon and without them would never have seen the extras after the giraffe centre.

That night met the group for dinner at cheesy touristy place called Simba Saloon and pretty much discovered that we are a travelling UN with 11 nationalities amongst 24 people!! The age range is actually much higher than I expected, so not the grandma by any stretch. Tour begins first thing Sunday morning...

Yesterday started my day with Dad who was in town for a meeting, so met up in the city for a light breakfast. It is always quite bizarre to meet up with someone elsewhere in the world who is also visiting at the same time... there is something quite synchronistic about it. Afterwards went shopping and having limited space in my pack was not tempted by all the designer labels, didgeridoos and other such Australian souvenir essentials, instead bought very exciting things like sunscreen and jandals (do you know how hard it is to buy jandals in winter even in Sydney!!). Have made one exciting purchase though - an MP3 player (a creative zen) which will make the long drive days on the truck a lot more bearable. Although haven't purchased much of consequence suspect that my pack will weigh in a bit heavier than the 16.2kg I left NZ with. Had some yum sushi & sashimi for lunch at a sushi train place and it is always dangerous situation as when all the food innocently passes by, you just can't help but try one more plate... had a little bit of a pigout actually as thought I would need the energy to climb the bridge (well that was my excuse anyway!).

By forgoing the afternoon beer that I was craving on a sunny 21 degree Sydney afternoon, I managed to pass the breathalyser test so I could climb the bridge! Was quite a process to get onto the bridge - first we donned rather drab jumpsuits and attached to little metal rings all the accessories one might possibly need at 134 meters above sea level - beanie, nightlight, fleece, cap, radio, headset, hankies and hairties - all provided as not allowed to take any personal belongings on whatsoever... which of course means no cameras and the group photo provided does no justice to the view. You are fully attached on a little rail so no danger of falling, which is quite comforting as while I'm not scared of heights, am not really that fond of them either and walking over the catwalk part and up the narrow stairs was not the best moment to look down!!

I had booked in a twilight tour so climbed up at around 4pm and got to the top as the sun was setting which was just stunning with all the colours and hues lighting up the skyline with the blue mountains in the distance. By pure co-incidence had booked on the day it was full moon which meant the view over the other side was just as spectacular with the moon peeking up over the opera house. Climbing down got the Australian version of Champs-Elysées rubies and diamonds with the cars beneath and then a hell of a fright as the train thundered past right next to me on the western arch - if it wasn't for a bit of mesh, it is so close you could put your fingers on the track. Seeing Sydney sprawled out beneath me and twinkling into life as the sun went down was definitely worth it.

To finish off the day had dinner with Liz and Mark at a Thai place in Balmain that had fantastic views of the bridge. If it hadn't been for the squashing a few bugs that crawled down the wall every few minutes would have been perfect!! Still they appeared only on the wall and not in dinner which was good and am sure have to brave more nuclear-sized insects in Africa!

Today went into town to go on the monorail, a nice floaty sensation that gives a really interesting perspective to the city. Only bought a single ticket and for a $4.50 price tag, I decided to do a few loops to get a good look around and my moneys worth! Finally disembarked in Darling Harbour and walked down to the fish markets. The markets were more shops and food stalls than an actual produce market (at least the part that was open to the public) and wandering round couldn't help but partake in some of the delicious offerings - scallops, calamari, kingfish and octopus on the brunch menu! Headed down through Darling harbour again and went into the Chinese gardens that are in the central city. A surprisingly refreshing and quiet space, it is well worth a look and the only indication that you're in the city is the skyscrappers in the background. Strolled through China Town back to George St and caught a bus back home. Needed to give myself a few hours to cram things into my pack again as suffered from a reasonable dose of pack explosion on arrival so knew it would take some time to put it all back!

Flying out of Sydney tonight and will be in Africa sometime tomorrow - seems quite surreal!!

Not an auspicious start to the trip when I left New Zealand carrying battle scars on my nose, following an encounter with a usually mild mannered cat bearing the ferocious name of Smitten. Still a lesson to be learned that engagement with any animal with claws should be handled with caution no matter the size!! Other than this incident departure was relatively smooth.

Must say that completely rate Emirates airline for service, food and entertainment. The only bad point was they had so many movies to choose from that by the time I decided on one, didn't actually have time to finish it before landing! However am sure can catch up on the next leg. Am almost looking forward to the flight even - as much as one can look forward to sitting for hours on a flying metal tube.

Sydney has been fab so far... strange taxi ride screaming through the back streets and was wondering if I had arrived in the city at all as didn't pass through any well-lit areas as headed towards Leichhardt, a suburb in the inner west with a strong Italian influence. Upon arrival had a few wines, followed by my forth meal of the day at a great little Italian place down the road, imaginatively called Bar Italia. The food was cheap, basic and delicious and the ice-cream was melt-in-your-mouth fantasic - can definitley recommend Tiramisu flavour!! Actually seem to have spent the last few days eating... lots of ice-cream, fresh fish-n-chips over in Watsons Bay overlooking the water (never mind fighting off the pesky seagulls), potato scallops at Manly and today's foodie highlight was Harvey's pie cart with a tiger curry pie (beef not tiger!) with spud and mashy peas!

Liz and Mark have been great showing me the sights and been through quite a few of the different suburbs, from Kings Cross, Bondi, Paddington, Balmain.. People say that Sydney is quite like London or Auckland and while I can see that there are some similarities, it seems to have a style all of its own with a realy eclectic mix of people and architecture. Also with iconic Aussie landmarks like the harbour bridge and the opera house you certainly can't mistake where in the world you are! Travelled up to Manly beach plus a bit further up the coast and over to Bondi which are pretty impressive for city beaches. Unfortunately not quite swimming temperature however the weather has been fantastic, warm and sunny - t-shirt weather in July which is quite surreal!! Liz has just reported that tomorrow will be around 22 degrees.

Did a walking tour round 'The Rocks' this morning which was really interesting passing through cute alleyways and the sandstone streets and buildings. Yesterday did a leisurely 8km walk round the bays locally, passing through the doggy park with all the owners and pets out for their Sunday strolls, though no time to stop at the Dog Bones cafe for a puppachino this time round... Tried out my Nordic walking traveller poles which thankfully the dogs ignored but not so the witty Australians who like their kiwi counterparts couldn't help themselves making smart comments about snow and skiing...

This morning got up early (yes this meant 4am start!!) to watch the football world cup final and then afterward walked down to Norton street (closed for the occasion) where seemingly every Italian in Sydney was celebrating the win with flags, flares and a lot of car horns and shouting. Couldn't have slept through it if I tried!! On the subject of sport, of course watched the All Blacks vs. Wallabies on Saturday night at the very same Harlequin pub where Mary met the Prince of Denmark not so long ago. No royalty there to my knowledge, mostly filled with sad faced Australians... though surprising number of smiling silver-ferns could be seen in the crowd. In true kiwi style stayed and drank to our success to the wee hours.

Have another few days in Sydney to explore a bit more. Having already been over and under it, tomorrow will attempt the climb over the harbour bridge provided I pass the breath test..

This is the itinerary of the Oasis Grand Adventurer trip - days 1-73 doesn't include the time in Nairobi before trip started or the several days afterward in Cape Town.

Days 1 - 5
Our trip began with a short drive north from Nairobi into Africa's greatest natural feature, The Great Rift Valley. Our journey took us into the valley where we visit Lake Naivasha. We camped near the lakeshore where Hippos fed at night! Here you could also walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life - and cream teas! You could walk through Hells Gate National Park - the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are allowed to walk.

From here a mountainous drive through the spectacular Nandi Hills brought us to our next stop at Eldoret. The following morning, we crossed into Uganda and camped near Jinja. We spent the following three nights at Bujagali Falls, just downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and a superb place to go whitewater rafting. Then we went to visit a local school and helped paint a classroom on a volunteer day for Soft Power Education.

Days 7-12
We traveled to Lake Bunyoni where you could hire canoes, play volleyball, or swim in the deepest lake in Uganda. From the town of Kabale, we headed to Kisoro near the Uganda/DRC border and visited the Parc Nacional des Virunga to see the Moutain Gorillas. The rainforests on these mountain slopes are home to several families of Mountain Gorillas and is a highlight of travel in this area. Spending time with these fast-disappearing gentle giants of the forest is an awe-inspiring and humbling experience for everyone that trekked to see them.

Days 13-16
We headed back to Lake Bunyoni for two nights and then continued onto Kampala, the capital, where we had a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots. We then continued west through patches of forest and green fertile countryside and passed a number of small towns and villages along the way where we could see local crafts people at work.. We also stopped at the spot where our route crosses the equator.

Days 17 - 19
Ending the first stage of our tour and our travel in Uganda, we re-entered Kenya and traveled to Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake and our game drives here allowed us to see its world famous flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos, as well as a wide variety of wildlife including Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe.

Days 19 - 27
A half-day drive brought us back to Nairobi for a day, before continuing south towards Tanzania we stop at the town of Arusha from where we used a local safari company to guide us through Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks. On the crater floor we spent the day viewing wildlife including Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, White Rhino, Hippo, Antelope, Crocodile and Pink Flamingos. From here we went into the Serengeti for a day, where vast herds of Wildebeest roam the plains. We also visited a local Maasai Village and learnt about their culture and way of life.

It was a one-day drive to Dar Es Salaam, passing a number of small towns and villages along the way and the towering peak of Mt Kilimanjaro (which we didn’t see!). We camped for 1 night in a campsite on a beautiful Indian Ocean beach. From here everyone took the ferry out to Zanzibar for four days and relaxed on Zanzibar's famous white beaches in the northern area. We ventured into the narrow bustling streets of Stone Town and its exotic spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons for the night. Then it was back to Mikadi Beach campsite in Dar to relax before a long drive across Tanzania.

Days 28 - 35
After Zanzibar we began our journey through the interesting and often mountainous hinterland of Tanzania. We passed through the peaceful national park of Mikumi where we saw Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra and Antelope from the roadside. Passing rivers and small waterfalls we entered Malawi, which is dominated by its huge fresh water lake. We spent several days at small laid back campsites on the edge of the lake. Most people chose to relax on the sandy beaches or try their hand at diving or windsurfing as we followed the lakeshore south. Leaving the lake we continued to Blantyre in the south of the country, where we stopped for two nights and organised our Mozambique visas.

Days 36 - 42
From Blantyre we crossed the border and began the next stretch of our travel in Mozambique. We follow the infamous 'Tete Corridor' which was well known in the days of Mozambique's long running civil war as the 'Gun Run'. We entered Zimbabwe and traveled to Harare, the capital, and spend two nights here before continuing to Gweru where we visited Antelope Park and went game viewing on elephant and horseback. Plus we did the walk with lion cubs which was a great highlight.

Days 43 - 48
From Gweru we traveled to The Great Zimbabwe Ruins, once the greatest medieval city in Sub-Saharan Africa and from where the name Zimbabwe is derived, literally meaning 'house of stone'. Next we headed to Bulawayo for the day. We were supposed to catch the old colonial-style sleeper train from here but had to drive instead due to train wreck, so arrived a day early at the adventure playground - Victoria Falls.

Days 49 - 57
Mosi oa Tunya 'The Smoke That Thunders' is another highlight of the trip. There is something here for everyone, from grade 5 white water rafting and canoe trips, the Flight of Angels, to one of the world's highest commercial Bungee Jumps, plus jet boating, gorge swings, abseiling and a whole lot more!

After all the adrenaline had been spent we headed into Botswana and Chobe National Park was our first stop, where we took a cruise on the Chobe River - a less intrusive way to view its wildlife, particularly the hordes of elephants. From here we then organised our trip into the Okavango Delta. Had the chance to go on a Mokoro (dug out canoe) and explored the extensive waterways of this unique desert wetland as well as take several game walks.

Days 58 - 66
Heading west, we crossed into Namibia and traveled towards Etosha National Park, recognised as one of the world's greatest wildlife viewing areas and where we could game watch by night at one of the floodlit watering holes. From Etosha we visited a local Cheetah Park before continuing on to the Brandenberg Mountains in Demaraland and the Skeleton Coast. We visited the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony where thousands of these mammals - and their accompanying odour pervade the coastline, before making our way to Swakopmund where we spent three days. Indulged in quad biking and dune sledding as well as lots of delicious food!!

Days 67 - 73
A one day drive took us to the Namib-Naukluft Park, a vast expanse of desert which contains some of the highest sand dunes in the world. At Sossusvlei we stopped and explored the area and the dunes. Continuing south we entered the semi-desert, until we arrived at one of Africa's most sensational natural features, Fish River Canyon. Then we moved onto Ai-Ais Hot Springs for the night to soak in the lovely hot pools. A couple of hours drive away we cross the Orange River and enter South Africa. Near Stellenbosch we visit several of the historic Cape Wineries before reaching the exciting and vibrant city of Cape Town.