hi guys just like to let you know that i have been sitting beside katie when she is writing these blogs but usually im not allowed to touch the keyboard!
also im sorry about the spelling mistakes and lack of grammar and punctuation!!!!
after the first night in Chitimba we decided to go on a huge trek up mount livingstonia and it actually turned out to be 35km not just 32...and it seemed a hell of a lot longer with the steep incline! we walked to the base of the mountain and i was quite positive at that moment. literally after the first ten minutes i thought i wasnt gonna be able to do it!! ha! but then it got a little bit easier and made it up in 3 1/2 hours. pretty good going really? dad i hope you are proud of me!
the view on the way up were absolutely amazing and you could see to the other side of the lake. on the way we got so hungry we were fantasizing about what food we were gonna have the moment we got back to england....ollie on the drive home i am so having a McDonalds! so when we got to the top you can imagine how heartbroken everone was...not only that there was no fast food restaurant but there was no where to eat at all, everything was closed!!!. we ended up waiting 2 1/2 hours for this local guy to cook us some rice and tomatoes. the experience was amazing thou and he had obviously got out his best gold, plastic plates. bless him. we paid him like 30p each and headed back down the mountain! it felt so amazing but as soon as we stopped my legs basically siezed up so we went for a swim/shower and crashed!
ooo forgot to say that on the way up we saw the most gorgous water falls ever....we were planning to swim in it but it turned out to be far cooler than we anticipated and wimped out.
the next day my knees were in agony but kates pranced about as usual. we then drove to kande beach stopping off at this wood market on the way... the things were beautiful! (mum would u like anything cus they have mahogany salad bowls/servers, boxes, games etc and i dont wanna buy you something you will. Also will you please answer my emails i have sent like 5)
kande beach is exactly the same as the one in chitimba but theres just a bit more going on. yesterday me and katie....or katie and i spent the morning in a sleeping bag in a hammock...it was freezing but so nice! i felt like i was a baby in the womb again!! in the afternoon we hired a pedalow with the Canadian girls , kate and shaana that are on our tour (my favs), and went to these rocks that were about 400m away. katie pulled put out the orienteering skills and led us to these 6 foot high rocks that we decided to jump off. Loved it!
today i did an introductory dive course.... only went for a little bit but i have the bug for it now. katie on the other hand, for some strange reason...
(just to let you know there was a power cut at this moment and i am now in a totally different part of malawi finishing it off)
.... decided to go on a horse back ride in a forest and down the beach!! when she came back it was like the set of a old western movie! katie can even pose on the back of a horse!!! she was holding the reigns with one hand looking veryy relaxed....it made me laugh thou.
we celebrated our last night in kande beach and today we drove down to lilongwe.
Hope everyone is ok
lots and lots of love
missing you all
FREDS and kates
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Thursday 30 July 2009
Sunday 26 July 2009
Rest of Zanzibar and Tanzania
Katie writing here...Internet been bit tricky to find over the past few days so only just got a chance to post! Gonna be quick as its a dollar per 10minutes...now in Malawi and things are tending to be a tad more expensive over here!
Our next day on Zanzibar was spent doing pretty much absolutely nothing...sunbathing and getting washed away by the sea. A few of our group were spending their final nights with us so we had a lovely night saying goodbye to them.
The next day we travelled back to Dar via ferry again...crappy wavey sea which caused a few sea sick casualties.
The past two days have been spent travelling down through Tanzania and today we entered our fourth country...Malawi. First thoughts are that its a lot greener than anywhere else. Malawi is the poorest country in Africa, but so far the most gorgeous. We are staying at a hostel/campsite right in the mountains and on the shores of Lake Malawi. Freds, Ellie, Alex, Dan and I partook in a bit of wavediving and swimming in the lake. Although it feels a lot more like an ocean. Its massive. No salt, just pure fresh water. Beautiful. We watched the sun go down whilst diving in and out of waves. Cold at first but worth it a million times more. We could swim in that lake forever it was so refreshing. As the showers in the campsite come straight from the lake, it was also our shower!
Freds and I are going on a 9/10 hour hike tomorrow up Mount Livingstonia. 16km there and 16km back. Excited to finally be able to use our walking boots. Staying in our campsite again tomorrow then its off to Kande Beach for some party time. Woop woop! Apparently...(mothers close your ears) the speciality of the beach resort are special brownies...again, woop woop!!
Miss you all
Love you lots and lots
Freddie and Kates
xxxxxx
p.s Freddie is gonna write next time. get excited!!!!
Our next day on Zanzibar was spent doing pretty much absolutely nothing...sunbathing and getting washed away by the sea. A few of our group were spending their final nights with us so we had a lovely night saying goodbye to them.
The next day we travelled back to Dar via ferry again...crappy wavey sea which caused a few sea sick casualties.
The past two days have been spent travelling down through Tanzania and today we entered our fourth country...Malawi. First thoughts are that its a lot greener than anywhere else. Malawi is the poorest country in Africa, but so far the most gorgeous. We are staying at a hostel/campsite right in the mountains and on the shores of Lake Malawi. Freds, Ellie, Alex, Dan and I partook in a bit of wavediving and swimming in the lake. Although it feels a lot more like an ocean. Its massive. No salt, just pure fresh water. Beautiful. We watched the sun go down whilst diving in and out of waves. Cold at first but worth it a million times more. We could swim in that lake forever it was so refreshing. As the showers in the campsite come straight from the lake, it was also our shower!
Freds and I are going on a 9/10 hour hike tomorrow up Mount Livingstonia. 16km there and 16km back. Excited to finally be able to use our walking boots. Staying in our campsite again tomorrow then its off to Kande Beach for some party time. Woop woop! Apparently...(mothers close your ears) the speciality of the beach resort are special brownies...again, woop woop!!
Miss you all
Love you lots and lots
Freddie and Kates
xxxxxx
p.s Freddie is gonna write next time. get excited!!!!
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Zanzibar beaches...
Our night in StoneTown was wonderful. Fresh food markets lined the small beach which we overlooked from this posh cocktail bar called Africa Lodge. Was very swish. We sipped Pina Colada from a coconut shell whilst watching the sun go down. Then it was food time! The speciality was fish, so i was determined to try it! White Shark is actually pretty good! Shrimps were vile though. Zanzibarian pizza was also fab. More like crepes but still pretty good!
Arrived in the north beaches of Zanzibar yesterday around 12ish. Half the group had gone on a spice tour of the island, but Freds and I decided against it in favour of our first real chance to catch up with the group on our tans. But as luck would have it, the day was pretty miserable with thick clouds everywhere so we got pretty depressed about having to sit inside all day. No tents here having left the truck back in Dar, so again Freds Ellie and I are sharing a room. Pretty basic, didnt have water or electricity for yesterday which was fun. The whole group is starting to smell pretty gooooood :P
The sun finally appeared around 2/3ish and we got a good few hours tannage time in. The sea is just immaculate. Turquoise blue at the edge, then gorgeous navy where the reef ends. White golden sand. Perfect. Had a rather messy night last night just chilling with the group...quite a popular destination on the tourist route so there were lots of people to chat with. Most people having just climed Kili so there were some fantastic stories to be told.
Today half the group including ourselves set off on a two hour boat trip to a reef where we could snorkel. The sea was pretty choppy and I felt rather ill (the hangover didnt help the situation) Freddie was fine having been quite used to boats and also the fact that she was still very drunk from the night before. The weather was gorgeous and I'm now a very flattering lobster colour. not the tan I was going for. The fish were just magnificent, so many and the coral was itself beautiful. We spent around a hour snorkelling and jumping off the boat when we sailed off to a remote island to have lunch. We had stopped on the way via a fisherman who had lobbed our lunch on board. the best food ive had since ive been here (yes mum - i ate more fish.) The weather then took a turn for the worst and it began to drizzle so we headed back to mainland.
Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow, but tonight i feel may be similar to last night :P
Miss you all
Love you lots and lots
Freddie and Kates
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Arrived in the north beaches of Zanzibar yesterday around 12ish. Half the group had gone on a spice tour of the island, but Freds and I decided against it in favour of our first real chance to catch up with the group on our tans. But as luck would have it, the day was pretty miserable with thick clouds everywhere so we got pretty depressed about having to sit inside all day. No tents here having left the truck back in Dar, so again Freds Ellie and I are sharing a room. Pretty basic, didnt have water or electricity for yesterday which was fun. The whole group is starting to smell pretty gooooood :P
The sun finally appeared around 2/3ish and we got a good few hours tannage time in. The sea is just immaculate. Turquoise blue at the edge, then gorgeous navy where the reef ends. White golden sand. Perfect. Had a rather messy night last night just chilling with the group...quite a popular destination on the tourist route so there were lots of people to chat with. Most people having just climed Kili so there were some fantastic stories to be told.
Today half the group including ourselves set off on a two hour boat trip to a reef where we could snorkel. The sea was pretty choppy and I felt rather ill (the hangover didnt help the situation) Freddie was fine having been quite used to boats and also the fact that she was still very drunk from the night before. The weather was gorgeous and I'm now a very flattering lobster colour. not the tan I was going for. The fish were just magnificent, so many and the coral was itself beautiful. We spent around a hour snorkelling and jumping off the boat when we sailed off to a remote island to have lunch. We had stopped on the way via a fisherman who had lobbed our lunch on board. the best food ive had since ive been here (yes mum - i ate more fish.) The weather then took a turn for the worst and it began to drizzle so we headed back to mainland.
Not sure what the plan is for tomorrow, but tonight i feel may be similar to last night :P
Miss you all
Love you lots and lots
Freddie and Kates
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Sunday 19 July 2009
Travelling...
We have had two days and nights pretty much living on our truck. Which is MASSIVE. But not entirely comfortable for 6/7 hour journeys. Freddie has even managed to squeeze out a wee in the bush when she got too desperate.
We travelled from Arusha to Kwonge (maybe??!) which was half way to Dar, no one really fancied going the whole 13 hour journey in one stop. Pretty average campsite. lovely dribbling cold showers. Then set off yesterday morning to Dar Es Salaam. On first sight a very dirty messy city. Hustle and Bustle everywhere, absolute mayhem on the roads. But when you leave the centre you hit the jungle. Gorgeous scenery overlooking the sea and beaches. Our campsite was heaven. Outdoor showers and a swimming pool. An actual pool. BEAUTIFUL. The campsite had it's own private beach which we jumped straight in off the truck. Mind you...we were warned from the back of the toilet door that "Camp = safe, Outside Camp = Not safe" so no one dared leave the beach for the rest of the evening. We played volleyball (which Katie now has ridiculous bruises all over her wrists - hardcore) and swam in the sea...it felt more like the Carribean paradise than Africa.
We left Dar this morning around 9ish to get a couple of ferries over to Zanzibar. We were soon warned of the dangers of carrying our backpacks when Jenna's shoes were cut off by the laces from her bag. Luckily she realised but everyone was a lot more vigilant after that. Now in Stonetown, Zanzibar which was once probably a lovely little town which gorgeous buildings, but tourists and dirt have made this elegant place seem quite messy. We are now off to a reccomended cocktail bar, overlooking the sea and a night sea-market to sip margeritas and munch on chocolate pizzas (the speciality apparently!) oh the life of a traveller...
Love you all, missing you lots and lots
Freddie and Kates
xxxxxx
We travelled from Arusha to Kwonge (maybe??!) which was half way to Dar, no one really fancied going the whole 13 hour journey in one stop. Pretty average campsite. lovely dribbling cold showers. Then set off yesterday morning to Dar Es Salaam. On first sight a very dirty messy city. Hustle and Bustle everywhere, absolute mayhem on the roads. But when you leave the centre you hit the jungle. Gorgeous scenery overlooking the sea and beaches. Our campsite was heaven. Outdoor showers and a swimming pool. An actual pool. BEAUTIFUL. The campsite had it's own private beach which we jumped straight in off the truck. Mind you...we were warned from the back of the toilet door that "Camp = safe, Outside Camp = Not safe" so no one dared leave the beach for the rest of the evening. We played volleyball (which Katie now has ridiculous bruises all over her wrists - hardcore) and swam in the sea...it felt more like the Carribean paradise than Africa.
We left Dar this morning around 9ish to get a couple of ferries over to Zanzibar. We were soon warned of the dangers of carrying our backpacks when Jenna's shoes were cut off by the laces from her bag. Luckily she realised but everyone was a lot more vigilant after that. Now in Stonetown, Zanzibar which was once probably a lovely little town which gorgeous buildings, but tourists and dirt have made this elegant place seem quite messy. We are now off to a reccomended cocktail bar, overlooking the sea and a night sea-market to sip margeritas and munch on chocolate pizzas (the speciality apparently!) oh the life of a traveller...
Love you all, missing you lots and lots
Freddie and Kates
xxxxxx
Friday 17 July 2009
Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater
WOW. Is probably the only word to describe how beautiful this place is. From Arusha we drove about 3 hours for what was to be a 3 day safari. Expensive at $400, but worth every single cent.
The view from the rim of the crater was just immense, the sheer drop into what looked like a huge bowl was incredible. In the distance we could see a herd of wilderbeast making there way across the vast landscape. We drove down the steep mountains to enter the crater, but we were going to the Serengeti first. Serengeti in Swaheli (?!) means endless place and boy is that true. The flatest most nothing landscape imaginable. I was thinking how could anything survive in this place when we hit the animals. Elephant, Gazelle, Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Baboons, Hyena, Cheeter, and so many more! We could get stupidly close to the animals, we ended up stalking a lioness with her 3 newly born cubs - the cutest thing!! The mother had killed a gazelle so they were busy munching on that! We camped in the middle of the Serengeti, with no fence around us, so was a bit dubious as to whether lions liked eating people in tents. We had our dinner cooked for us which was nice as we are cooking for ourselves every night. The next day was in the Serengeti aswell with more Safari, but we camped at the edge of the Ngorogoro at night. Freezing cold. most people were complaining that they didnt sleep for the cold. Oh how I love my Season 4 sleeping bag!!!
We were desperatly hoping to see the Black Rhino on our last day through the Ngorogoro but our truck driver Livingstone (who was BRILLIANT at knowning everything about the animals) said we would be really lucky to see one as there are only around 18 in the crater. We had luck on our side though as the previous day we had been the first group to see a leopard in the Serengeti for 3 months, so we were pretty hopeful to see a Rhino...and we did! Admitadly, it was from about a mile away, but we saw one! and through binoculars he was pretty darn impressive.
We have now driven back to Arusha and spent last night at a camp with HOT showers. The first of our trip. It was wonderful. Freds hair had been getting pretty matted so she was really grateful to be able to wash it. I was upset as I really want her to grow some dreads.
We are now on our way to Dar es Saleem and Zanzibar!! WOOOOOOP!
Loving it loving it loving it,
Miss you all muchos
Freddie and Kates
xxxxxxx
The view from the rim of the crater was just immense, the sheer drop into what looked like a huge bowl was incredible. In the distance we could see a herd of wilderbeast making there way across the vast landscape. We drove down the steep mountains to enter the crater, but we were going to the Serengeti first. Serengeti in Swaheli (?!) means endless place and boy is that true. The flatest most nothing landscape imaginable. I was thinking how could anything survive in this place when we hit the animals. Elephant, Gazelle, Lion, Buffalo, Leopard, Baboons, Hyena, Cheeter, and so many more! We could get stupidly close to the animals, we ended up stalking a lioness with her 3 newly born cubs - the cutest thing!! The mother had killed a gazelle so they were busy munching on that! We camped in the middle of the Serengeti, with no fence around us, so was a bit dubious as to whether lions liked eating people in tents. We had our dinner cooked for us which was nice as we are cooking for ourselves every night. The next day was in the Serengeti aswell with more Safari, but we camped at the edge of the Ngorogoro at night. Freezing cold. most people were complaining that they didnt sleep for the cold. Oh how I love my Season 4 sleeping bag!!!
We were desperatly hoping to see the Black Rhino on our last day through the Ngorogoro but our truck driver Livingstone (who was BRILLIANT at knowning everything about the animals) said we would be really lucky to see one as there are only around 18 in the crater. We had luck on our side though as the previous day we had been the first group to see a leopard in the Serengeti for 3 months, so we were pretty hopeful to see a Rhino...and we did! Admitadly, it was from about a mile away, but we saw one! and through binoculars he was pretty darn impressive.
We have now driven back to Arusha and spent last night at a camp with HOT showers. The first of our trip. It was wonderful. Freds hair had been getting pretty matted so she was really grateful to be able to wash it. I was upset as I really want her to grow some dreads.
We are now on our way to Dar es Saleem and Zanzibar!! WOOOOOOP!
Loving it loving it loving it,
Miss you all muchos
Freddie and Kates
xxxxxxx
Thursday 16 July 2009
Nairobi - Arusha
Hello everyone! This is the first opportunity we have had access to the internet, but hopefully we will have more chances more often!
We arrived in Nairobi very tired, having stopped over for a few hours in Dubai (nicest airport EVER!) with neither of us managing to get much sleep. Visas were all fine but had to wait an absolute age to get our bags, Freds was getting very stressed out thinking they had been lost... Our transfer car was waiting for us in arrivals, a brilliant Kenyan man named Smiley. He was the most eccentric funny man, laughing constantly at anything that we said. Traffic was pretty hectic driving to Karen, our first campsite, about an hours drive away. Smiley decided to take a detour to avoid the highway and we drove along the bumpy sidetracks causing hilarity again from Smiley as he watched Fred and I bouncing around in the back. We drove passed Nairobi National park giving us our first glimpse of wildlilfe, Zebra. nice.
Karen Camp was lovely, we spent two nights there in a dorm with a girl who is now on our tour, Ellie from Norfolk. She's lovely! Another guy was there called Mark who had biycled from London to Kenya, madman. We spent the day with him listening to his stories and swapping tales. The rest of the African Trails group were already camping at Karen when we arrived, didn't really get much chance to chat to them as they were already on the booze...I feel this trip might involve a lot of drinking!! (ahhhh shame... :P)
Early monday morning we set off from Karen in our truck to make the 7/8 hour drive to Arusha. We had two trucks as there was not enough people to take us all in one. We were told there would be the daddy of all trucks waiting for us in Arusha which could hold about 30, which was good as our trip size is about 25!! Most of the people on the tour our mid-20s. All really nice...some spoken to more than others. A couple of Canadian girls who are our age so that's been good. Most people have come in couples and are from England, but there is an Irish couple and a few girls who have come on their own. A VERY annoying 20year old lad aswell who does nothing but moan. Very gay sounding but keeps talking about ex-girlfriends so I think he's a bit confused...
We arrived in Nairobi very tired, having stopped over for a few hours in Dubai (nicest airport EVER!) with neither of us managing to get much sleep. Visas were all fine but had to wait an absolute age to get our bags, Freds was getting very stressed out thinking they had been lost... Our transfer car was waiting for us in arrivals, a brilliant Kenyan man named Smiley. He was the most eccentric funny man, laughing constantly at anything that we said. Traffic was pretty hectic driving to Karen, our first campsite, about an hours drive away. Smiley decided to take a detour to avoid the highway and we drove along the bumpy sidetracks causing hilarity again from Smiley as he watched Fred and I bouncing around in the back. We drove passed Nairobi National park giving us our first glimpse of wildlilfe, Zebra. nice.
Karen Camp was lovely, we spent two nights there in a dorm with a girl who is now on our tour, Ellie from Norfolk. She's lovely! Another guy was there called Mark who had biycled from London to Kenya, madman. We spent the day with him listening to his stories and swapping tales. The rest of the African Trails group were already camping at Karen when we arrived, didn't really get much chance to chat to them as they were already on the booze...I feel this trip might involve a lot of drinking!! (ahhhh shame... :P)
Early monday morning we set off from Karen in our truck to make the 7/8 hour drive to Arusha. We had two trucks as there was not enough people to take us all in one. We were told there would be the daddy of all trucks waiting for us in Arusha which could hold about 30, which was good as our trip size is about 25!! Most of the people on the tour our mid-20s. All really nice...some spoken to more than others. A couple of Canadian girls who are our age so that's been good. Most people have come in couples and are from England, but there is an Irish couple and a few girls who have come on their own. A VERY annoying 20year old lad aswell who does nothing but moan. Very gay sounding but keeps talking about ex-girlfriends so I think he's a bit confused...
We're here!
Okay, so not really sure how long this internet connection will last so just gonna post a quick to begin with to tello everyone that we're having a GREAT time!!! and we're all safe, now in Tanzania
xxx
xxx
Friday 10 July 2009
wow.
Okay so some of you will find it quite odd that Freds has managed to set this thing up and not me...Freddie, organised?! And blogs are notoriously my thing, so even more suprise there. We're hoping to have internet access every 3/4 days so keep checking for updates!
So yerrrr we leave this afternoon! Feeling pretty scared to be honest, only just hit me that two months is rather a long time! (omg two months without facebook...) Excited too but I think it won't really hit me that we're actually going until we get to the airport! Seeing as we actually only decided to go little over a month ago, I think most people are pretty shocked that we are still going to Africa...most of all, Freds and I.
I'm all packed up, my rucksack suprisingly heavy grrrr. So first its off to Nairobi, Kenya!!!! (via Manchester and Dubai...) See you all in September! Will miss everyone ridiciously, love you all lots and lots and lots
Katie
xxxxxx
The day we fly!!!!!!!!!!
i have no idea what this blog is all about but im giving it a go....
we are going to fly to africa todday and its a right ball ache of a journey cus we are flying to dubai before africa with adds a few more hours and we have to get the train to manchester!!!
i think me and katie are shitting ourselves! we have no idea what it is gonna be like and i dont wanna get mugged! but anyways i think i will have a lot more to write when i am actually there, im gonna miss everyone so much and i hope you all have a wonderfuul summer
lots of love
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