Hey All,
After a restful week at Mayoka Village in Nkhata Bay, then a shared car down to Lilongwe for few nights at Mabuya Camp, I now have a dorm bed at Chachacha Backpackers in Lusaka, Zambia. I'm staying here through Monday waiting for the Habitat office to open so I can meet with them and then head to Victoria Falls.
Unlike Arusha and Nkhata Bay, Lusaka is a big city (though still most everything is closed on Sunday thwarting my attempt to buy more video tapes) and no one talks to you as you walk down the street. They stare, but that could be the shorts - not hoochie shorts, mind you, but between the sunglasses, shorts and backpack and walking around on my own, I guess I am something of an oddity to behold.
The photos are from Malawi... a fish eagle swooping down to catch a fish in Lake Malawi, some of the boys from Mayoka Village and perhaps my favorite shop of all time.
Below are more random tidbits from the road:
Recent Journal Entry
09/14/07 - 6:10am on the Zambia-Botswana Luxury (ha!) Coach in Lilongwe, Malawi
Over the noise from the bus engine, the rattling windows and the talking I hear the singing. About 25 women from the Reformed Church of Zambia (if the writing on their kangas is to be believed) are spread throughout the bus singing as we drive through a city slowly waking up. An older woman, by the sound of her voice, sings a verse from the back of the bus then the rest of the women join in. Call - response - harmony. It's one of the random travel moments that you can't plan, expect or forget. I love it!
We turn down a dirt road (is this really the road to Zambia?) and see women standing in the street waving tree branches, sweeping the road and calling out to the bus. We stop in front of a church, bells ringing and the singers exit the bus to be greeted with hugs and smiles. So begins the 14 hour journey to Lusaka.
Favorite Malawian Men's Nicknames:
- Chicken Pizza
- Cheese on Toast
- Lemon Squeeze
Favorite Malawian Men's Real Names:
- Gift
- Preacher
- Special
After a restful week at Mayoka Village in Nkhata Bay, then a shared car down to Lilongwe for few nights at Mabuya Camp, I now have a dorm bed at Chachacha Backpackers in Lusaka, Zambia. I'm staying here through Monday waiting for the Habitat office to open so I can meet with them and then head to Victoria Falls.
Unlike Arusha and Nkhata Bay, Lusaka is a big city (though still most everything is closed on Sunday thwarting my attempt to buy more video tapes) and no one talks to you as you walk down the street. They stare, but that could be the shorts - not hoochie shorts, mind you, but between the sunglasses, shorts and backpack and walking around on my own, I guess I am something of an oddity to behold.
The photos are from Malawi... a fish eagle swooping down to catch a fish in Lake Malawi, some of the boys from Mayoka Village and perhaps my favorite shop of all time.
Below are more random tidbits from the road:
Recent Journal Entry
09/14/07 - 6:10am on the Zambia-Botswana Luxury (ha!) Coach in Lilongwe, Malawi
Over the noise from the bus engine, the rattling windows and the talking I hear the singing. About 25 women from the Reformed Church of Zambia (if the writing on their kangas is to be believed) are spread throughout the bus singing as we drive through a city slowly waking up. An older woman, by the sound of her voice, sings a verse from the back of the bus then the rest of the women join in. Call - response - harmony. It's one of the random travel moments that you can't plan, expect or forget. I love it!
We turn down a dirt road (is this really the road to Zambia?) and see women standing in the street waving tree branches, sweeping the road and calling out to the bus. We stop in front of a church, bells ringing and the singers exit the bus to be greeted with hugs and smiles. So begins the 14 hour journey to Lusaka.
Favorite Malawian Men's Nicknames:
- Chicken Pizza
- Cheese on Toast
- Lemon Squeeze
Favorite Malawian Men's Real Names:
- Gift
- Preacher
- Special
Coming Next:
For me a trip to Victoria Falls. For the blog, info on the Mazingira Monkey Project.
See you then.
Miss K
P.S. "Dear Jesus, don't cut too much off, I'm just trying to get rid of the split ends."
See you then.
Miss K
P.S. "Dear Jesus, don't cut too much off, I'm just trying to get rid of the split ends."
Posts
2 comments:
Jambo-sana missy!
hey, Habari yako?
You probably aren't in Swahili country anymore, and I'm not even sure about what I just said it's been so long, but I've been catching up on your blog today. Wow. that's about all I can say--Dan says I'm jealous, and I'm like "duh!" Also a lot of your descriptions bring back ancient memories for me of Kenya. Especially budget travel and long bumpy rides with hours of tire-changing and duct-tape like repairs by the side of the roads. I loved your description of matatus, but you forgot the loud crazy guitar melody african rock music (otherwise known as "matatu music"). Unless you were in a different CLASS of matatu altogether--we rode in the back of a lot of Toyota pickups with canopies and benches (hey, we were like 19 or 20 years old).
Your recent entries and the links now make me really want to come up with some reason to go to some of these countries - Lake Malawi? beautiful. And Victoria Falls? ohmigod - are you going to bungi jump?
The handicraft sites are not so easy to navigate, but I'll try and do some christmas shopping soon.
I miss you, and I'm so happy to read about your adventures. I am thinking of calling your backpack place in a couple of hours (there's a number on the link you included) - is that crazy? Would it take them an hour to scare you up? I guess we'll see!
love and kisses, Janet
Hey Sunshine,
I MISS you but it's so great to "hear" you. You are such an inspiration and I live for your updates (so do it often!).
It sounds like you're as blessed to be there as they are to have you, just tell us now if you're going to stay!
Can't wait to see you and see more pictures. How do we see the products made by these people to know what to order? It's amazing what a little creativity and imagination can do!
Keep blogging...
Emily
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