I am in Swakopmund right now. This is a "small" town at the Atlantic coast in Namibia. I have been in this country now for 4 days and it is so different from the other countries I have visited until now on this trip.
But to start. On June 21st I took the Intercape (www.intercape.co.za) from Victoria Falls (ZAM Side) to Windhoek. The trip took about 20 hours and was HORRIBLE!!!! Victoria Falls was the 1st stop and therefor I got a real good place. On the upper floor right in the front. During the day it was incredible hot but during the night. Ai! Too cold! I don't know how I survived. But the cool thing was that in Katima (Namibia), Mercia got also on the Intercape. We arrived in Windhoek at about 6am and it was freezing. I decided to go to Chameleon Backpackers as there were other travelers also going there. After some problems with the taxi driver we got let in but I only got a bed at 12. Windhoek is freezing cold and I really felt like just laying into a warm bed.
The following day Mercia took Soren (a danish guy) and myself on a city tour and to the township Katuru. That was a nice experience. The township here is very "nice" compared to Kibera in Nairobi, Kenia.
Today I took a Combi (Minibus) with Soren, Rasmus and Linda to Swakopmund. We will hire a car from here to go further south. But first we will go Sandboarding tomorrow.
Donnerstag, 25. Juni 2009
Sonntag, 21. Juni 2009
Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls
Oh my goodness!!!! The Victoria Falls from the ZIM side are just amazing. I mean it's the same falls but you get to see so much more.
I got back here on Friday night at about 10pm. I had a really good lift. We were like 3 women and 3 men and we had some good discussions. It is also on this ride that I met Mercia. Her mother is from South Africa, her late father from Zimbabwe but she grew up in Namibia. She is married to an Italian who runs a safari company in Windhoek (I believe). I hardly could believe as she told me that she is 36 and has 2 sons of which one is already 16. Mercia and I didn't agree on all the subjects which discussed but she is a great lady and I am happy that I met her. We all had a good laugh and I think there were some persons in this car which talked about things they will never talk about again ;-)
Mili, also a lady from the car trip stayed in Vic Falls on Saturday so she accompanied me to the falls and then came with me to see the "Big Tree". I took some pictures of her and asked if she could take some of me. Well, that wasn't very successful but hey, it was probably her first time to hold a camera in her hands.
As soon as I can upload some pictures you will see my beautiful pictures from the Vic Falls. I hope you will enjoy them.
I got back here on Friday night at about 10pm. I had a really good lift. We were like 3 women and 3 men and we had some good discussions. It is also on this ride that I met Mercia. Her mother is from South Africa, her late father from Zimbabwe but she grew up in Namibia. She is married to an Italian who runs a safari company in Windhoek (I believe). I hardly could believe as she told me that she is 36 and has 2 sons of which one is already 16. Mercia and I didn't agree on all the subjects which discussed but she is a great lady and I am happy that I met her. We all had a good laugh and I think there were some persons in this car which talked about things they will never talk about again ;-)
Mili, also a lady from the car trip stayed in Vic Falls on Saturday so she accompanied me to the falls and then came with me to see the "Big Tree". I took some pictures of her and asked if she could take some of me. Well, that wasn't very successful but hey, it was probably her first time to hold a camera in her hands.
As soon as I can upload some pictures you will see my beautiful pictures from the Vic Falls. I hope you will enjoy them.
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| Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls 20.06.2009 |
Freitag, 19. Juni 2009
Zimbabwe: back to Bulawayo
Lucky me, I got a lift all the way from Harare to Bulawayo. A lift doesn't mean that it's free but as I was in a private car it was about half of the time I would have spent in a bus.
A "white" Zimbabwean, Brian and a lady soon to be married to a German man, were my company. They were really very nice and we had a good talk. Brian was very helpful trying to find an accommodation for me. I had booked a double room in "Packers Rest", now "Packers Paradise", but the girl who should have shared the room with me (I met her in Harare) had contacted me in the morning to inform me that she would arrive a day later. So I stayed at "Burkes Paradise" which is a really very nice place and Norman and Christine are just lovely. I had a good night there. For the 2nd night I returned to "Packers Paradise" which I actually didn't want to do but I didn't know how I could get in contact with the other girl.
I wanted to see Matobo but the company wanted to charge me USD 120, that is a little too much for a one day trip. I am sure that I will see some rock paintings somewhere else. I then decided to wait for the girl and the following day we hitch hiked (3 hours for about 20ks) to the Khami Ruins. We got on the minibus, walked, got a ride with a carriage and 3 donkeys and walked the rest. Back home we had more luck and it didn't take that long so that I could still catch a lift to Victoria Falls.
A "white" Zimbabwean, Brian and a lady soon to be married to a German man, were my company. They were really very nice and we had a good talk. Brian was very helpful trying to find an accommodation for me. I had booked a double room in "Packers Rest", now "Packers Paradise", but the girl who should have shared the room with me (I met her in Harare) had contacted me in the morning to inform me that she would arrive a day later. So I stayed at "Burkes Paradise" which is a really very nice place and Norman and Christine are just lovely. I had a good night there. For the 2nd night I returned to "Packers Paradise" which I actually didn't want to do but I didn't know how I could get in contact with the other girl.
I wanted to see Matobo but the company wanted to charge me USD 120, that is a little too much for a one day trip. I am sure that I will see some rock paintings somewhere else. I then decided to wait for the girl and the following day we hitch hiked (3 hours for about 20ks) to the Khami Ruins. We got on the minibus, walked, got a ride with a carriage and 3 donkeys and walked the rest. Back home we had more luck and it didn't take that long so that I could still catch a lift to Victoria Falls.
Mittwoch, 17. Juni 2009
Zimbabwe: Harare and Balancing Rocks
The capital of Zimbabwe, I made it. The 1st accommodation in the Lonely Planet for Harare is USD 55 which is not true. I stayed at the "Small World" for USD 11 per night for a dorm. So that is sorted.
My mission for the first day was to try to get some money. As Zimbabwe is not using their own money anymore (except in the Combis in Harare), the ATM's are not in use. After going for 2 hours from one bank to the other I figured out that I couldn't change my Traveler Cheques. I still had some money for the following two or three days but what should I do after that? Well lucky me that there is a thing called "Western Union". Though this company wouldn't help me if I wouldn't have such great parents which are there for me or let me say for all their three children at any time. Thank you soooooo much!!!!!
THE thing to see in Harare are the "Balancing Rocks". If you ever have seen Zimbabwean money you know what I am talking about. Isn't it impressive?!?! Pictures will follow soon hopefully.
To be honest there is not a lot more I did do in Harare but I did have a good time. Just easy, no hurry, polle, polle.
My mission for the first day was to try to get some money. As Zimbabwe is not using their own money anymore (except in the Combis in Harare), the ATM's are not in use. After going for 2 hours from one bank to the other I figured out that I couldn't change my Traveler Cheques. I still had some money for the following two or three days but what should I do after that? Well lucky me that there is a thing called "Western Union". Though this company wouldn't help me if I wouldn't have such great parents which are there for me or let me say for all their three children at any time. Thank you soooooo much!!!!!
THE thing to see in Harare are the "Balancing Rocks". If you ever have seen Zimbabwean money you know what I am talking about. Isn't it impressive?!?! Pictures will follow soon hopefully.
To be honest there is not a lot more I did do in Harare but I did have a good time. Just easy, no hurry, polle, polle.
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| Zimbabwe: Balancing Rocks 15.06.2009 |
Montag, 15. Juni 2009
Zimbabwe: Great Zimbabwe 12.06.2009
Righ now I am in Harare. Traveling in Zimbabwe is actually pretty easy, except that it's expensive compared to other African countries and that getting cash is almost IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!
From Bulawayo I took the public bus to Masvingo. I traveled with 4 guys from England, they had also decided to visit "Great Zimbabwe". 5.5 hours for 270ks.....
Great Zimbabwe is amazing. It has been built between 1200 and 1500 A.D. and is a National World Heritage Site. It was occupied by an ancestral Shona community, which I believe is the biggest "tribe" in Zimbabwe. The ruins are very impressive. The "Great Enclosure" is the largest single pre-colonial structure south of the Egyptian pyramids.
I am really happy that I did decide to come to this beautiful country. It is a shame that they get so much bad publicity. I spent the entire morning in the park and left with the other guys at about 1pm in direction of Masvingo.
From Bulawayo I took the public bus to Masvingo. I traveled with 4 guys from England, they had also decided to visit "Great Zimbabwe". 5.5 hours for 270ks.....
Great Zimbabwe is amazing. It has been built between 1200 and 1500 A.D. and is a National World Heritage Site. It was occupied by an ancestral Shona community, which I believe is the biggest "tribe" in Zimbabwe. The ruins are very impressive. The "Great Enclosure" is the largest single pre-colonial structure south of the Egyptian pyramids.
I am really happy that I did decide to come to this beautiful country. It is a shame that they get so much bad publicity. I spent the entire morning in the park and left with the other guys at about 1pm in direction of Masvingo.
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| Zimbabwe: Great Zimbabwe 12.06.2009 |
Mittwoch, 10. Juni 2009
Zimbabwe
Yesterday I crossed the border into Zimbabwe.
Why Zimbabwe? Why not?
Ok, I can understand that Zimbabwe will not be the main destination for summer holidays this year but I am sure there are great things to see here. No I didn’t talk to any other travelers about the situation in the country because I didn’t meet anyone who has been to Zimbabwe (except Joe, but just for a very short trip). That is why I am so excited, coming to Zimbabwe is something really special. But I know that Cholera is over and things are more or less fine. I took the transport from the north to Bulawayo and that was very easy. Accommodation is about the same price as in Zambia but the food is a lot cheaper. But still, I only plan to spend about 9 to 10 days in this country.
Tomorrow I am going to see the Great Zimbabwean ruins, after that I will check out the Eastern Highlands, take the train from Mutare to Harare and from there back to Bulawayo. I will then return to Victoria Falls from where I plan to take the Intercape to go to Namibia.
Hope to write soon again.
PS: It is really cold here at the moment
Why Zimbabwe? Why not?
Ok, I can understand that Zimbabwe will not be the main destination for summer holidays this year but I am sure there are great things to see here. No I didn’t talk to any other travelers about the situation in the country because I didn’t meet anyone who has been to Zimbabwe (except Joe, but just for a very short trip). That is why I am so excited, coming to Zimbabwe is something really special. But I know that Cholera is over and things are more or less fine. I took the transport from the north to Bulawayo and that was very easy. Accommodation is about the same price as in Zambia but the food is a lot cheaper. But still, I only plan to spend about 9 to 10 days in this country.
Tomorrow I am going to see the Great Zimbabwean ruins, after that I will check out the Eastern Highlands, take the train from Mutare to Harare and from there back to Bulawayo. I will then return to Victoria Falls from where I plan to take the Intercape to go to Namibia.
Hope to write soon again.
PS: It is really cold here at the moment
Dienstag, 9. Juni 2009
Zambia 31.05. - 09.06.2009
There is actually not a lot I can say about this country because I haven't spent enough time exploring it. I just entered into it in Chipata, took the bus to Lusaka where I spent 2 nights and then continued to Livingstone.
The thing I can say is that I was surprised to see a "Spar" in a rather big shopping mall. I am not used to these kind of things anymore. I mean Kenya had also shopping malls but they didn't look that nice (sorry).
The thing I can say is that I was surprised to see a "Spar" in a rather big shopping mall. I am not used to these kind of things anymore. I mean Kenya had also shopping malls but they didn't look that nice (sorry).
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| Zambia 31.05. - 06.06.2009 |
Montag, 8. Juni 2009
No risk no fun…….. not always true
Mike Honigberg and Brian Stone, this is all YOUR fault!!!!!!
1st of all Mike wanted to take me on a boat cruise. You pay USD 45, get snacks, dinner and you can drink as much as you want. As I don’t drink, get seasick and am not so friends with boats at the moment, I had to disappoint him. But he had signed up for the “Gorge Swing” (Abseil Zambia) for the following day and I thought I could do that with him. Lucky me I got sick.
But there was Brian and as he didn’t know what to do I told him he should do the Microlight Flight and the “Gorge Swing”. He was also scared and he wouldn’t go alone, so I agreed to go with him. I thought it may be a good preparation for the Bungee Jump in South Africa.
I got really nervous and I mean when people know that I don’t even like 1st floor balconies, they may understand that the “Gorge Swing” with a freefall of 52 meters is really a big challenge for me. I did cry a lot but hey, I signed up for it, how could I possibly turn around and walk away.
1st of all Mike wanted to take me on a boat cruise. You pay USD 45, get snacks, dinner and you can drink as much as you want. As I don’t drink, get seasick and am not so friends with boats at the moment, I had to disappoint him. But he had signed up for the “Gorge Swing” (Abseil Zambia) for the following day and I thought I could do that with him. Lucky me I got sick.
But there was Brian and as he didn’t know what to do I told him he should do the Microlight Flight and the “Gorge Swing”. He was also scared and he wouldn’t go alone, so I agreed to go with him. I thought it may be a good preparation for the Bungee Jump in South Africa.
I got really nervous and I mean when people know that I don’t even like 1st floor balconies, they may understand that the “Gorge Swing” with a freefall of 52 meters is really a big challenge for me. I did cry a lot but hey, I signed up for it, how could I possibly turn around and walk away.
Dormitory
Fawlty Towers is a real nice backpackers in Livingstone and I have really nothing to complain about it, but I had to share the dorm with this 3 Canadian girls which were really not dorm compatible.
I know that when you decide to stay in a dorm that you must be aware that people may come in late, get up early, talk till late and stuff like that but these girls.......
For the 1st time on my trip I got sick and I spent like two entire days in bed. That would not really interest these girls, they would come back at 10.00 pm, switch on the light, discuss what they could do, stand around, go out again, come back later, switch on the light again, talk on the phone, eat sweets and just keep the light on. And if one had to go to the bathroom in the night (04.30 am) she would ask the other one, but not by going to her bed but from talking to her from the door. Then after they had packed for 1 hour at 11pm the night before leaving, it took them another 15min to pack in the morning while talking and switching the light on and off.
I am really not complicated and I can handle dorms, because backpackers do somehow have the respect for others. But these girls should have really taken a private room.
I know that when you decide to stay in a dorm that you must be aware that people may come in late, get up early, talk till late and stuff like that but these girls.......
For the 1st time on my trip I got sick and I spent like two entire days in bed. That would not really interest these girls, they would come back at 10.00 pm, switch on the light, discuss what they could do, stand around, go out again, come back later, switch on the light again, talk on the phone, eat sweets and just keep the light on. And if one had to go to the bathroom in the night (04.30 am) she would ask the other one, but not by going to her bed but from talking to her from the door. Then after they had packed for 1 hour at 11pm the night before leaving, it took them another 15min to pack in the morning while talking and switching the light on and off.
I am really not complicated and I can handle dorms, because backpackers do somehow have the respect for others. But these girls should have really taken a private room.
Freitag, 5. Juni 2009
Zambia: Victoria Falls 04.06.2009
The main reason for me to come to Zambia were the Victoria Falls.
Yesterday I went to see the Victoria Falls from the Zam side (Zambia). You can not see as much as from the Zim side (Zimbabwe) but what you can see is already very impressive.
Wow!!!
I could give some adjectives as impressive, powerful, amazing, breathtaking, but this would not be enough to describe the falls. You have to come and see them to understand how amazing they are.
There are a lot of activities one can do but I opted for the Microlight flight. It was pretty expensive but I think it was really worse it. Better then climbing Mount Kili for USD 1'200. Others do Bungee Jumping, Boat cruises, White Water Rafting (who would do something like this?), helicopter flights......
This was not the 1st and last time I have seen the Vic Falls. Tomorrow or a day after I will go to Zimbabwe and see them from the Zim side. I am really looking forward to that spectacle.
Yesterday I went to see the Victoria Falls from the Zam side (Zambia). You can not see as much as from the Zim side (Zimbabwe) but what you can see is already very impressive.
Wow!!!
I could give some adjectives as impressive, powerful, amazing, breathtaking, but this would not be enough to describe the falls. You have to come and see them to understand how amazing they are.
There are a lot of activities one can do but I opted for the Microlight flight. It was pretty expensive but I think it was really worse it. Better then climbing Mount Kili for USD 1'200. Others do Bungee Jumping, Boat cruises, White Water Rafting (who would do something like this?), helicopter flights......
This was not the 1st and last time I have seen the Vic Falls. Tomorrow or a day after I will go to Zimbabwe and see them from the Zim side. I am really looking forward to that spectacle.
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| Zambia: Victoria Falls 05.06.2009 |
Mittwoch, 3. Juni 2009
Mazhandu Family Bus Services
The bus company to use between Lusaka and Livingstone.
The company has several departures from Lusaka and Livingstone.
I paid ZMK 80'000 for my ticket from Lusaka to L/Stone, this is the price for the first two buses in the morning. You book a seat and this is also where you get to sit. If you have luggage they will give you a luggage ticket just as you receive when you travel by plan. They have a little stair so that the bus can be entered easily. The bus left on time and we got a little cake and a juice.
We arrived in Livingstone on time!!!!
The company has several departures from Lusaka and Livingstone.
I paid ZMK 80'000 for my ticket from Lusaka to L/Stone, this is the price for the first two buses in the morning. You book a seat and this is also where you get to sit. If you have luggage they will give you a luggage ticket just as you receive when you travel by plan. They have a little stair so that the bus can be entered easily. The bus left on time and we got a little cake and a juice.
We arrived in Livingstone on time!!!!
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