This post was more difficult than most to get online. Anyways, keep the updates on your lives coming. Even if I’m a bit (or a lot) late to respond, I will get back to you in the coming days.
Michelle's description of Coffee Bay, even for that one day, was pretty much spot on. I could have stayed there for much longer. Let me also say that I am absolutely thrilled that Michelle, Abhay, and I met up. We didn't have too long together, but at the end of day, it was nice to be enjoying these moments with friends. The company also turned some of the complete botches (see Amar and Abhay's experimentation with herbal medicine; also see Michelle's hibernation at the club) into great memories.
A bit on Durban, which is awesome. Durban is an amazing mix of Zulu and Indian culture. The city hosts the largest population of Indians outside of India, and has developed such a unique culture that most Indian South Africans have not even been to India. We got to see quite a bit of each of these elements on a township tour, led by a guy who lived in a local township and just walked us through the city at our own leisure. We spoke with an Indian herbal expert, bought some Zulu beaded jewellery in Victoria St. Market, brought some candy to the kids in the guide's township, and finally went to his house to meet his family. I have never felt the pulse of a city as strongly as I did on this tour.
Durban also has some really nice beaches along the Indian Ocean, and Abhay and I took a dip in some of the warmest water I have ever seen. Waves were not too bad and there were plenty of surfers, but this was before our time with Rayno, so unfortunately we were not among them.
I can't say that Durban's nightlife is more vibrant than Cape Town, but we definitely saw a lot more of it (JED-props for warning me to bring dress shoes, ask me about this later). Abhay's party spirit took over, and we went out three out of four nights, so that Coffee Bay seemed like relaxation by comparison. The 4 AM food unique to Durban is an Indian South African creation called Bunny Chow, a hollowed out loaf of bread with mutton or chicken curry inside. Delicious. Watching the Euro has also been a great way to meet people, they almost seemed shocked that Americans could be knowledgeable about or interested in something so international. We watched the quarterfinals in Cape Town (Spain-Italy was pretty damn awesome), the semifinals in Durban/Coffee Bay, and the finals in Maputo (Mozambique).
Michelle and I split from Abhay in Durban after one final night on the town. This twenty-four hour experience was downright epic. I knew it was going to be a tough morning when Abhay and I were hanging out in the hostel kitchen after coming back from the club, and another guy came in and started making some tea. We had completely skipped attempts to sleep and were now back to attempts to wake up. An hour later (7 AM), Michelle and I were at a loud minibus stand in the middle of the city. It seemed that we had found the correct minibus without a hitch, but when we got there, the following conversation ensued:
Me: will you stop at the border so that we can pay for our visas?
Ticket Collector: No, it will be fine though. Let me see passports.
Me: uh, ok?
Michelle: Are we going to be illegal immigrants in Mozambique? How are we going to leave?
The coach bus transportation from Durban to Maputo was sold out for the day we were to leave, so our best option was minibus. Minibuses are probably one of the best ways to see a typical person's life in South Africa and are also the cheapest ways to travel long distances. So why don't tourists travel like this so often? A few reasons. One, the minibus will wait as long as necessary to fill up--we got to the minibus stand at 7:30 AM to find the right minibus and waited about three hours before we left. Two, “full” means different things to different people, so that a sixteen person vehicle might end up holding thirty-two people, chickens, goats, etc (based on a true story). Third, if you aren't careful, you can be left at a border or have your bag stolen. Fortunately, there were no chickens, my bags were not jacked, and the only thing I lost was feeling below my waist.
Our time in Mozambique, was nice, but radically, radically different from South Africa. For one, noone speaks English. The immigration guys at the border thought I was giving them fake money because one of my ten dollar bills looked different than the other—I'm not sure that any of them knew what American money looked like. We spent two full days at Tofo Beach, which Michelle aptly described as a “small beach outside of a small village outside of a small town about 8 hours from Maputo”. It's a pretty popular destination for partygoers, divers, and tourists of all types, but it is still so small that we had to take a bus for about forty minutes (to the small town of Inhamabane) to withdraw money from an ATM. Michelle and I mostly just ate awesome seafood and bought some really cool stuff at the markets. We didn't get to spend a tremendous amount of time in Maputo, which I've heard is a nice city to explore, but we did manage to come across the inconvenient and even the absurd. As far as inconvenience, we were stopped by cops, asked for our passports, and hit up for money. After messing with their horrible English for a bit, I decided that my life and passport was more important than this amusement. As far as the absurd, we sat next to a table of two at one restaurant that was subsequently turned upside down because a woman found her husband drinking with a younger woman. Perhaps I'll make it back to Maputo for some Mozambican jazz, but I'm glad I at least got to see some in Cape Town.
After a fairly taxing journey involving three eight-hour bus rides, a plane ride, one free hike, and one stressful taxi ride (through Jo-berg at 4 am), I'm back for the last leg of my trip, three weeks with my sister at her village in Namibia.. I am loving it, but it’s a different experience. More on this later.
Btw, I take Dean R. and Le-anh's posts about propriety of posts to heart, but I hope people continue posting in small portions or just send private email updates (like the good old days). It's nice to read up on everyone, even you working folk.
Amar
P.S. Reading List update: Currently reading Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. I read Divisadero quite slowly, and found it somewhere between depressing and beautiful. Definitely worth reading.
Showing posts with label Amar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Amar. Show all posts
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
INTO AFRICA: CAPE TOWN
I realize that I haven't posted in some time, not that anyone's waiting with baited breath, but I'm back again. I suppose I never intended for my trip to be slave to constant blog posts, and I just caught with travelling and then some stuff back home. That said, I probably write most when I miss people back home. If you get a chance, hit me up and let me know what you're up to!
So let me bring you up to speed (skipping some portions of course). Between June 12 and June 23, I was exploring Cape Town. A few things struck me about city. First, I read somewhere that cape town was the gastronomic capital of South Africa, and I am a complete and total believer. First, my sister and I diverged from a PBJ type diet to go to Aubergine, which was described by the nytimes, lonely planet, and just people in general as one of the best places in town. There was a pre-set menu with two options per course, and we each ordered a different three course meal. And destroyed it. Actually, my favorite part wasn't even a course, it was the inter mezzo (thank you Michelle for this term): a sweet and spicy plum sorbet. Then, there's the seafood. For those of you who read Michelle's post, bar for seafood here is pretty high. We bought some fresh snoek (apparently, this is barracuda?), and Michelle and I bought what would later become a mean Tandoori Kingclip. Third, the wine. About an hour outside of Cape town, in Stellenbosch, is some of the best wine in the South Africa. I went on a wine tour with my sis, and then later took a two-day trip with Michelle that was both stainful and epic. We ate at a place called 96 Winery Road, highlights were the Crocodile Kabobs and ask me for a picture of my Duck and Cherry main course--it was art.
Although I wouldn't say we were party animals, Cape Town definitely has some diverse nightlife. When I was staying for the first few days with my family, I went to a place with my sis called Cafe Ganesh in a suburb outside of town. In one room with the bar, people were watching Euro 2008, in another others were listening to Mozambiquan jazz. Ami and I polished off a bottle of wine and one of the best desserts I've ever tasted in my life (the lemon meringue). I'm not exaggerating, and I dragged Abhay and Michelle back there for a bit the next Saturday to prove it. On Saturday, to commemorate the party's arrival (and by the party, I mean my friend Abhay), we got on some list at a club called Hemisphere through a hostel. The club was on the 31st floor of a skyscraper in Cape Town, and though the view was not as amazing as expected, the music and experience was pretty sick, or "luxury" as one might say. Last call is also 4 am. Nice.
Otherwise, we've just been doing the quintessential Cape Town things. When I think about Cape Town, I have always imagined it as a port city, which it is, but it is also a city nestled in a mountain. The streets are hilly, and the view driving into the city is downright imposing every day. The crazy thing about Table Mountain is that, although it is commercialized and close to the city, even the easiest hike was a tough 2 hours and a lot of people have to take the cable car up. The view at the top was amazing, but the different angles and scenery along the way was equally impressive...definitely worth the sore quads. Michelle, Abhay, and I also rented a car (yes, I was driving again) and took a day trip to Cape Point. Besides the assorted detours involving chasing penguins and jumping around boulders, the Cape of Good Hope was the highlight. I went to a boulder out on the very edge on the rocks, and got hit by a wave of water so tall I honestly thought I was about to get swept into the ocean. Abhay watched the wave hit me as if I was crazy, until he decided to join me and we got soaked again. Michelle and about ten other skeptical onlookers stood farther back, as if preparing to call 911, but I needed to feel the ocean water to be convinced that I was literally at the edge of the earth. Finally, we toured Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were kept for decades before the end of Apartheid. The tour was only two hours, but it was compelling. I've read Mandela's autobiography, but 17 years in this place is pretty damn real. For some reason, the hole in the limestone quarry was what stuck out to me the most. It must have been at least 20 meters tall and the size of a football field, and the thought of how many days it would take the political prisoners to chip away a hole that big was humbling.
Okay, well I can't seem to keep these things short, but I can promise that my next post will not be as long. Actually, I can't.
--
Amar Shah
Somewhere in Southern Africa
+27 72 901 9840
So let me bring you up to speed (skipping some portions of course). Between June 12 and June 23, I was exploring Cape Town. A few things struck me about city. First, I read somewhere that cape town was the gastronomic capital of South Africa, and I am a complete and total believer. First, my sister and I diverged from a PBJ type diet to go to Aubergine, which was described by the nytimes, lonely planet, and just people in general as one of the best places in town. There was a pre-set menu with two options per course, and we each ordered a different three course meal. And destroyed it. Actually, my favorite part wasn't even a course, it was the inter mezzo (thank you Michelle for this term): a sweet and spicy plum sorbet. Then, there's the seafood. For those of you who read Michelle's post, bar for seafood here is pretty high. We bought some fresh snoek (apparently, this is barracuda?), and Michelle and I bought what would later become a mean Tandoori Kingclip. Third, the wine. About an hour outside of Cape town, in Stellenbosch, is some of the best wine in the South Africa. I went on a wine tour with my sis, and then later took a two-day trip with Michelle that was both stainful and epic. We ate at a place called 96 Winery Road, highlights were the Crocodile Kabobs and ask me for a picture of my Duck and Cherry main course--it was art.
Although I wouldn't say we were party animals, Cape Town definitely has some diverse nightlife. When I was staying for the first few days with my family, I went to a place with my sis called Cafe Ganesh in a suburb outside of town. In one room with the bar, people were watching Euro 2008, in another others were listening to Mozambiquan jazz. Ami and I polished off a bottle of wine and one of the best desserts I've ever tasted in my life (the lemon meringue). I'm not exaggerating, and I dragged Abhay and Michelle back there for a bit the next Saturday to prove it. On Saturday, to commemorate the party's arrival (and by the party, I mean my friend Abhay), we got on some list at a club called Hemisphere through a hostel. The club was on the 31st floor of a skyscraper in Cape Town, and though the view was not as amazing as expected, the music and experience was pretty sick, or "luxury" as one might say. Last call is also 4 am. Nice.
Otherwise, we've just been doing the quintessential Cape Town things. When I think about Cape Town, I have always imagined it as a port city, which it is, but it is also a city nestled in a mountain. The streets are hilly, and the view driving into the city is downright imposing every day. The crazy thing about Table Mountain is that, although it is commercialized and close to the city, even the easiest hike was a tough 2 hours and a lot of people have to take the cable car up. The view at the top was amazing, but the different angles and scenery along the way was equally impressive...definitely worth the sore quads. Michelle, Abhay, and I also rented a car (yes, I was driving again) and took a day trip to Cape Point. Besides the assorted detours involving chasing penguins and jumping around boulders, the Cape of Good Hope was the highlight. I went to a boulder out on the very edge on the rocks, and got hit by a wave of water so tall I honestly thought I was about to get swept into the ocean. Abhay watched the wave hit me as if I was crazy, until he decided to join me and we got soaked again. Michelle and about ten other skeptical onlookers stood farther back, as if preparing to call 911, but I needed to feel the ocean water to be convinced that I was literally at the edge of the earth. Finally, we toured Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were kept for decades before the end of Apartheid. The tour was only two hours, but it was compelling. I've read Mandela's autobiography, but 17 years in this place is pretty damn real. For some reason, the hole in the limestone quarry was what stuck out to me the most. It must have been at least 20 meters tall and the size of a football field, and the thought of how many days it would take the political prisoners to chip away a hole that big was humbling.
Okay, well I can't seem to keep these things short, but I can promise that my next post will not be as long. Actually, I can't.
--
Amar Shah
Somewhere in Southern Africa
+27 72 901 9840
Monday, June 9, 2008
INTO AFRICA: WEEK 2
Ok, so I think I left off when we came into Nambia—keep in mind that I didn’t get much internet access in Botswana, so this is a bit staggered. We flew into the capital city of Windhoek (I think vind-hook is decent approximation) on May 28. The first thing that occurred to me was that Windhoek was developed and empty. There was a ton of development, as Namibia was actually a part of South Africa until 1994, and there are so few people that even the capital city does not seem crowded. To give you an idea of the pop. density, take all the people in Manhattan (about 2 million?) and put them in a country the size of California. Actually, this is not really a happy fact, because the low population is said to be the result of more than a few atrocities during Apartheid, but let’s move past that unhappy reality for the moment.
First thing we did was drive to Ami’s village in Northern Namibia, called Omuthiya. At some point driving North, we crossed a checkpoint called the Red Line, above which development was vastly behind that in the South. According to Ami, the areas above the Red Line were basically left to themselves during Apartheid, so the North has the largest population but very little of the country’s wealth. It’s a bit shocking to enter a foreign country where race is as present (if not more present) than the US, and even more shocking to be in such an environment where Indians are a part of the racial equation. Although they are less present in Namibia, a ridiculous amount of Indians have straddled the line between Blacks and Whites in South Africa for decades. Even bread consumption is racially charged. According to Ami, only whites in Namibia were permitted to eat white bread, while blacks ate wheat (or dark bread). Insane.
Omithuya Gui Iipundi, the formal name of my sister’s town, translates as “chair under the thorn tree”. Omuthiya emerged as a stopping point along a major highway, and residents from nearby villages have gradually occupied it to form a growing town. Ami doesn’t live in poverty, as she has electricity, a gas stove, and a friend in a government office who has DSL, but let’s just say that she’s learning to live in a way that most of us were not brought up. She can take baths inside, but has to go to the outhouse to use a toilet (in the loosest sense of the word). She walks everywhere, washes her clothes by hand, and keeps her room closed off in every way possible to avoid the cockroaches, flies, and mice that inevitably move through her “apartment” (her bedroom door is the only one that closes fully, so there’s a blurred line between inside and outside).
It’s not as bad as it sounds though. She’s made a comfortable life here, and what always shocks me is how important the background details can be to one’s life, the details that don’t really crystallize in periodic phone calls. Ami’s got four host sisters (mostly orphans who are given a home on the homestead and materials for school if they work on the farm). “Younger sisters” aptly describes the relationship, as they will do just about anything she says. She throws impromptu dance parties for the five of them in her living room, and when the two eldest pass their Grade 10 examinations in November, she’ll be the person cheering them in the audience. She has a cat and three dogs left by the previous Peace Corps volunteer. The previous volunteer named this cat Takamitha, which means Be Careful, because she got Takamitha after accidentally stepping on and killing her first cat. Sounds ridiculous I know, but she also named one of her dogs Cutie Pie, so, even though I’ve never met this woman, I wouldn’t put it past her. Ami’s officially a health volunteer, but when Ami actually got here and asked the community what they needed, she found that computer training for teachers and community development projects were what they needed. It’s an interesting situation. There’s an infinite amount of resources to solve the AIDS problem here, but when it comes to poverty, Namibia’s problems don’t quite get enough attention.
While we were in Omuthiya, we attended a fundraiser for a Microfinance group that Ami helped start to encourage small business opportunities. The fundraiser was selling meat outside of a bar. Let me remark that Namibians love meat. A lot. They were selling barbequed mutton with no veggies, no bread, no condiments…and not one person asked for any of these things. Some days later, when my mom told a woman at a café in the Windhoek airport that she didn’t eat meat, the cashier looked puzzled and responded, “But why? Meat is so good!” It might have been offensive if she wasn’t so sincere.
After some quality time in Omuthiya, we headed to Etosha National Park, where we got to see wildlife from a few more angles. If you read my previous post about the Boiling Pot, ditto for the Moringa Watering Hole in Etosha. If my life ever gets so complicated that I just feel like I can’t think things through, I need to save up a couple g’s and come to this spot. I feel like I could sit there forever. I also caught National Geographic Moment #2 on a nighttime game drive; we saw lions feeding on a freshly killed zebra. The park at night is a different world, but the feeding was actually pretty gross, so I’ll spare you details. If you’re interested, you’re a sicko (but don’t worry, I’ve got video).
Namibia is beautiful in the diversity of its landscapes, so when we finished at the game park, we headed to Swakopmund, the resort town where sand dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean. This is Angelina Jolie’s Namibian playground, and it was quite comfortable. We finally got to an internet café long enough to send an update, so that’s where I sent the first one. My parents went quad biking on some dunes, while I climbed one. I think the pictures are pretty epic. If not, I’ll be pissed because it was grueling. We also ate some amazing seafood, but I’m really looking forward to Mozambique for seafood.
At this point it is probably worth mentioning that I’ve been driving quite a bit here. At first glance, this might seem normal, but a few things are worth clarifying. First, our rental car was a stick shift. I didn’t know how to drive stick shift two weeks ago, but automatic rental cars are very expensive and my dad doesn’t like driving so much, so a brief driving clinic ensued. Second, Namibians drive on the left side of the road. If the manual driving wasn’t a problem, why should I let a small thing like different traffic patterns stop me? Third, the drive from Swakop to our next destination involved two mountain passes. I wasn’t afraid, but my mom may have thrown up a prayer or two in the car. Anyways, long story short, I can now drive a manual, but it may have cost that Toyota Corolla its transmission.
We couldn’t get too comfortable, as my dad only had about three weeks in Africa total, so we then drove to the Namib Naukluft Desert. The red sand dunes in Sossesvlei (am I the only one who thinks of Mars when I hear about red sand dunes?) are said to be some of the tallest in the world, and we got a workout climbing them. Otherwise, we just enjoyed being in the middle of a beautiful desert and finally relaxing after our three week race. After a short time, we headed back to Windhoek, where we saw my dad off on his return to America. BTW, let’s all let out a collective sigh for my father. He was originally planning to arrive back from his thirty-six hour trip home at 11 pm on Sunday night, only to start work on Monday morning in Richmond. Unfortunately, the last leg of his flight (Detroit to Richmond) was delayed three times and finally cancelled at 1 AM. He’s still in Detroit.
Wow, very very long again, but I’ve been implored not to cut down. So I won’t. Anyways, I’ve appreciated every email back, so please keep them coming!
Amar
P.S. Jed, I am laughing like a lunatic in a Ministry of Trade office in a small town in Namibia, particularly because I can’t explain this story to anyone around me. If I saw you in an airport, I’d do a lot more to you than take your seat. Punk.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
AND IT'S HERE: INTO AFRICA, WEEK 1.
Africa
I don't think I could have prepared for the trip even if I wanted to. I began in the Richmond Airport, continued to Detroit, then to Amsterdam, next to Johannesburg (with an overnight stay), and finally a short hop to Livingston, Zambia. I left on Tuesday at 4 PM, and arrived in Livingston on Thursday at noon. The ten days since have been a blur, and rather than cover everything chronologically, I'll try to lump stuff together. This does not bring you up to present, only week 1.
Victoria Falls
When I rolled into Livingston, and took my shuttle to the resort where my parents and I would meet my sister, I was blown away. Slight clarification--I was blown away by the resort (at that moment, I was completely unconcerned with the Falls). The Zambezi Sun is right along the Zambezi River, with its own private entrance to Victoria Falls. All of our accomodations would not be so luxurious, but it was a pretty sweet way to start off the adventure. We saw the falls from every angle. First, we walked directly in front of the Falls, across a bridge that must have been at least 150 meters above the Zambezi river. I couldn't hear anything, water was all over me, and I couldn't even see the edges or bottom of the water fall. They say that something like a million liters of water travel over the Falls per second (or is it minute?), and it was completely overwhelming. I haven't been excited to see a rainbow since I was nine, but I saw two overlapping rainbows. One of the rainbows was so full I could have sworn I could find the hidden treasure. Once we were a bit dried off, the four of us hiked down (i mean hiked in the intense sense, wading through water and such) from that bridge to a place at the foot of the River called the Boiling Pot. Its called the Boiling Pot because the water swirls together. To be sitting in a canyon, look up 150-200 meters to where I had been standing before, and then stare down the winding river, it was a rare moment when I felt like I had just discovered a part of the world for the first time, as if I was the first and only person in the world to have been lucky enough to see it. Even after these two angles, I had not seen the Falls in its entirety (i.e. from the angle that you see in a postcard). Each of us dished out some dough, and went microlighting (sp?). This basically involved flying above the Falls, where the only thing between the Falls and myself was a motorized bike with wings. No glass windows, just a bike. Okay, so I think people expect the Falls to be amazing, but even for a cynic like myself, this doesn't make the place any less striking.
Animals
First, let me note that the resort in Zambia was also a wildlife preserve. I'm not sure whether these animals were trained, medicated, or what (the employees said they were free roaming, but a bit less afraid of humans), but I got within about fifteen feet of giraffes and zebras. Let me say that giraffes are huge. I mean, I knew they were big, but I thought I could take one if it came my way. No way. From Zambia, we travelled to Botswana, where our fall from luxury would begin. We stayed at a fairly nice lodge outside of Chobe Game Park, where there are two elephants per square km of the park. For reference, the park is 11,500 square km. It was here that I crossed elephants off the list of animals I could fight. We went on a wildlife boat cruise, and a game drive. The game drive was basically a safari at 6 AM, and, although we saw more animals than I could describe (Hippos, Elephants, Jackals, Impala, Kudu, Bulls...the list goes on), this is where I had my National Geographic moment. We came across four lions (a mother and three cubs), and watched them as they quietly spread out and stalked a group of impala. Cross lions off the list as well. At this point, we had seen animals up close, but now we proceeded to Okavango Delta, Botswana. I think this site was rated the #1 place to see in 2006 by National Geographic, and we saw it in a very hardcore way. We took a motorboat three hours into the delta, camped next to a local village (albeit with some extra luxury for my parents...chef=crucial), took dugout canoes through the delta to the main wildlife reserve, and tracked animals on foot. I learned more about droppings than you'd ever want to know, but if you're ever not sure whether and/or when a giraffe shat on your lawn, I'm your man. For a bit extra, I'll even tell you if it was a male or female.
Other
So I realize this has been hella long (and it's just the first week, I'll save some of this week for later), but a couple general observations. First, there are no clocks here. It is horrible. and fabulous. and horrible. I didn't realize how obsessed I was with time, and I'm not even a remotely punctual person. Still, it has been a tough adjustment to not be so concerned about using every minute, but I'm slowly making it work. Getting up at 6 am is pretty standard, and last night I even went to bed at 7 pm. Dean, note for APT: Mother nature said I should get eleven hours of sleep, and who I am I to say no? Second, I retain some pride to be an American. We met an Indian guy at Vic Falls who was getting real uppity about America, saying shit like "well, I don't think I'll ever be that way, I hope I never have to visit America!" I was actually quite offended. My sister made a good point. You can insult the policies and even American tendencies, but to generally dismiss the country and it's people is just disrespectful, and let's not forget who give Namibia,Zambia, etc. money for free HIV testing (survey says...AMERICA!). Anyways, so I realized that I actually will defend America abroad. Bizarre, but maybe not so bizarre.
Anyways, this has been too long, so I'll post from now on in the blog, but PLEASE keep in touch. I'll be gone for some time, and I hope to still have friends when I return, so let me know what you're up to (jobs, nothing, school, whatever).
Amar
P.S. Reading list update: Atonement=done and quite good. Divisadero is in progress and seems promising.
I don't think I could have prepared for the trip even if I wanted to. I began in the Richmond Airport, continued to Detroit, then to Amsterdam, next to Johannesburg (with an overnight stay), and finally a short hop to Livingston, Zambia. I left on Tuesday at 4 PM, and arrived in Livingston on Thursday at noon. The ten days since have been a blur, and rather than cover everything chronologically, I'll try to lump stuff together. This does not bring you up to present, only week 1.
Victoria Falls
When I rolled into Livingston, and took my shuttle to the resort where my parents and I would meet my sister, I was blown away. Slight clarification--I was blown away by the resort (at that moment, I was completely unconcerned with the Falls). The Zambezi Sun is right along the Zambezi River, with its own private entrance to Victoria Falls. All of our accomodations would not be so luxurious, but it was a pretty sweet way to start off the adventure. We saw the falls from every angle. First, we walked directly in front of the Falls, across a bridge that must have been at least 150 meters above the Zambezi river. I couldn't hear anything, water was all over me, and I couldn't even see the edges or bottom of the water fall. They say that something like a million liters of water travel over the Falls per second (or is it minute?), and it was completely overwhelming. I haven't been excited to see a rainbow since I was nine, but I saw two overlapping rainbows. One of the rainbows was so full I could have sworn I could find the hidden treasure. Once we were a bit dried off, the four of us hiked down (i mean hiked in the intense sense, wading through water and such) from that bridge to a place at the foot of the River called the Boiling Pot. Its called the Boiling Pot because the water swirls together. To be sitting in a canyon, look up 150-200 meters to where I had been standing before, and then stare down the winding river, it was a rare moment when I felt like I had just discovered a part of the world for the first time, as if I was the first and only person in the world to have been lucky enough to see it. Even after these two angles, I had not seen the Falls in its entirety (i.e. from the angle that you see in a postcard). Each of us dished out some dough, and went microlighting (sp?). This basically involved flying above the Falls, where the only thing between the Falls and myself was a motorized bike with wings. No glass windows, just a bike. Okay, so I think people expect the Falls to be amazing, but even for a cynic like myself, this doesn't make the place any less striking.
Animals
First, let me note that the resort in Zambia was also a wildlife preserve. I'm not sure whether these animals were trained, medicated, or what (the employees said they were free roaming, but a bit less afraid of humans), but I got within about fifteen feet of giraffes and zebras. Let me say that giraffes are huge. I mean, I knew they were big, but I thought I could take one if it came my way. No way. From Zambia, we travelled to Botswana, where our fall from luxury would begin. We stayed at a fairly nice lodge outside of Chobe Game Park, where there are two elephants per square km of the park. For reference, the park is 11,500 square km. It was here that I crossed elephants off the list of animals I could fight. We went on a wildlife boat cruise, and a game drive. The game drive was basically a safari at 6 AM, and, although we saw more animals than I could describe (Hippos, Elephants, Jackals, Impala, Kudu, Bulls...the list goes on), this is where I had my National Geographic moment. We came across four lions (a mother and three cubs), and watched them as they quietly spread out and stalked a group of impala. Cross lions off the list as well. At this point, we had seen animals up close, but now we proceeded to Okavango Delta, Botswana. I think this site was rated the #1 place to see in 2006 by National Geographic, and we saw it in a very hardcore way. We took a motorboat three hours into the delta, camped next to a local village (albeit with some extra luxury for my parents...chef=crucial), took dugout canoes through the delta to the main wildlife reserve, and tracked animals on foot. I learned more about droppings than you'd ever want to know, but if you're ever not sure whether and/or when a giraffe shat on your lawn, I'm your man. For a bit extra, I'll even tell you if it was a male or female.
Other
So I realize this has been hella long (and it's just the first week, I'll save some of this week for later), but a couple general observations. First, there are no clocks here. It is horrible. and fabulous. and horrible. I didn't realize how obsessed I was with time, and I'm not even a remotely punctual person. Still, it has been a tough adjustment to not be so concerned about using every minute, but I'm slowly making it work. Getting up at 6 am is pretty standard, and last night I even went to bed at 7 pm. Dean, note for APT: Mother nature said I should get eleven hours of sleep, and who I am I to say no? Second, I retain some pride to be an American. We met an Indian guy at Vic Falls who was getting real uppity about America, saying shit like "well, I don't think I'll ever be that way, I hope I never have to visit America!" I was actually quite offended. My sister made a good point. You can insult the policies and even American tendencies, but to generally dismiss the country and it's people is just disrespectful, and let's not forget who give Namibia,Zambia, etc. money for free HIV testing (survey says...AMERICA!). Anyways, so I realized that I actually will defend America abroad. Bizarre, but maybe not so bizarre.
Anyways, this has been too long, so I'll post from now on in the blog, but PLEASE keep in touch. I'll be gone for some time, and I hope to still have friends when I return, so let me know what you're up to (jobs, nothing, school, whatever).
Amar
P.S. Reading list update: Atonement=done and quite good. Divisadero is in progress and seems promising.
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