House boating with hippos and crocs in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe

As we boarded our spacious house boat we were all quick to jump on rooms; Sean and I quickly claimed one of the 'honeymoon' suites upper deck which was three single beds (that can be pushed together) a mozie net, some cupboards and best of all an open corner railing (canvases can be unstrapped in the eve)! It was an open air room and we were stoked to watch the white wash of our boat as we sailed in the massive man made lake. 

Two nights was barely enough on this beauty; we spent our days soaking up the sun on the day beds, eating copious amounts of delicious food prepared by our chef on board, jumping off the decks (only once the boat was out deep enough away from crocs and hippos), fishing..(I caught one of the only and the biggest which was disappointing considering it would barely measure up to my hand), and game boat driving to sight to shy hippos and curious crocodiles. The nights contrasted the days smacking us with a crisp coldness that was hard to escape, however we tried by drinking ourselves silly with games and dancing!

 

The lake's size was almost unfathomable, as we woke in the morning by the sting of the sun we couldn't even sight land in the far! It was a magical two day escape from land and we were all pretty sad to leave behind our floating house, however I left with a present; a big, nasty, relentless cold.

After disembarking Osprey, we were reunited with Mugo & the truck, & shortly on our way to another transit camp for the night. We reached the camp, 'Nitolo Caves' quite late, & it was the creepiest site so far, not helped by the fact the power was out for hours! It resembled something out of a horror film with its bare, twisted trees, pitch black toilet block, & bats flying overhead. After a cool evening of sleep, we were up early, & eager to reach our next major destination, 'Antelope Park.'

Kande beach and kids in Malawi

Darkness still loomed when we all crawled out of our tents at 4am, packing down we sleepily boarded the truck, the engine growled and we were back on the road before the sun had woken. Traffic coming out of the city was chaotic, and slow... It was not even 5am and we were barely moving. This was to be one big driving day, we all read, slept and browsed out the window at Tanzania, only occasionally stopping for toilets... (Running off into the bush it long grass by the road, a piece of toilet paper in hand or shake and bake baby). Lunch was at a passing local cafe which was an oily serve of chips Malai (basically an egg omelette with chips backed in it.) It was dark when we finally reached our transit camp, head torches helped us set our tents up before coming together for a meal that had been cooked for us. The meal of beef stew and veggies was delicious, using only fresh produce from the property it was aromatic and tasty!! 

After dinner we all headed up to a candlelit mud hut, decorated with haystacks and cushions; clustered with people (there was a rugby tournament they were hosting), the bar was adorable and very country like. On recommendation we ordered an Amarula laced hot chocolate (Africa's version of baileys) and a brownie before bed. 

Rising just before the sun again we were packed up and back on the road before 6. A few dirt roads and dodgy tracks later, we reached the boarder of Tanzania and Malawi before 1pm. Crossing into Malawi itself was a long, & arduous progress that ended up taking 3 or so hours. A couple more hours of driving & we all breathed a sigh of relief as we pulled into 'Hakuna Matata,' a campsite on the edge of the tremendous Lake Malawi. The lake covers 40% of the total land mass of the country! We set up camp & after treating ourselves to a Konyagi & Tonic with diced cucumber, we tucked in to a substantial steak dinner. After another long day, we were again snug in our tents around 8:30, & before we knew it, we'd drifted off.

After waking up at 8am the next morning, feeling like we had a sleep in, we were back on the truck & en route to Kande Beach, another lakeside campsite famed for it's many water sports & friendly locals. The road weaved through the mountains, & the views of the lake from the highest point of the climb were magnificent. We stopped at a local market in Mzuzu to buy the most ridiculous, tacky clothes we could find for a long running, traditional fancy dress party the next night, where we picked the victims we were to buy for out of a hat!

We arrived at the Kande around 4 & were keen to check out the beach right away. It was hard to believe it wasn't the ocean we were looking at, & that the water wasn't salty! Immediately, we were approached by a gang of beach boys introducing themselves with ludicrous names such as 'Donald Duck,' 'Cheese On Toast,' & 'Four X!' Robbo & Sean were kicking around the football with them & it wasn't before long that they were challenged them to a game as the sun was setting. I was on 'chef' that night so after a delicious (if I do say so myself) feed of nachos we all headed down to the beach for songs by the fire followed by a bunch of the locals playing drums. 

We all rose leisurely and spent the morning catching up some much need washing before a swim. Hollie, Katie and I then decided to call a taxi and check out a local health clinic, and before too long an ambulance arrived?! Miscommunication and a lack of local taxis (the ambulance was called as they thought we were ill), we jumped in and were taken to the clinic. 

Pulling up we jumped out of the van and 'salty popcorn' took us through the waiting area; It was a small open quad, with cement slabs as chairs and packed with about 100 people waiting to be seen. We passed through and were introduced to a nurse, standing in a small room with 6 naked beds he told us the main issues they are faced with; that being malaria and HIV and what they are doing to prevent/help the issues once contracted. 

Malaria being most common in pregnant women and children under 5, the best solution is a mosquito net and the appropriate repellents, however this package per person costs $10USD, which is extremely expensive in such a poor country like Malawi. (Schooling in Malawi is free but the school uniform which is compulsory costs $9USD, so even still a lot of children who's families can't afford this miss out). The three of us contributed some money to the small wooden box before being taken outside to see the rest of the clinic. There was one more open shelter which was used for families of patients to cook in whilst at the clinic. 3 women with two babies sat here waiting to be fed, one of which was only 5 days old to an 18 year old women. Behind them three women payed on straw mats, heavily pregnant and looking rather ill themselves, however we were assured all of them were in fine health. 

And that was the full tour of the main public health clinic which services 4 other small communities nearby. Back in the ambulance we were dropped at Kande beach to browse some local markets of wooden items and paintings before escaping back beyond the big gate and into the 'tourist' sanctuary. After a few hours of simply messing around, it was time for the party to start.

We all revealed our outfits to the people we were buying for, & before long we were all dressed. The costumes were hilarious, flashes of colour, sparkles & cross dressing. We ate a tasty pig on the spit that had been to staying all afternoon, drank overly sweet, however potent punch, & danced the night away in the campsite bar. (At one point going  full Coyote Ugly on the bar!) It was an over the top night, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. 

Arising the next morning a little hungover, but not too badly, we headed to the lake for a much needed swim in the cool freshwater. After sun baking for a wee while, we retired to laze in the nearby hammocks & read our books. Another day of not doing much at all, which was followed by a local dinner at a nearby home. As we left the big gates of our campsite we were greeted in the early evening by a bunch of young local kids, all jumping on our backs or holding our hands leading us down a dark and sandy path until we came to the home, I luckily got the lightest of the bunch and she was quick to jump in my back and play with my hair. We entered to a small courtyard which was decorated with young children getting the maize from the cob (much like a corn on the cob and the maize is used to make a dough like putty to mop up the juices on your plate).  

The group of us sat on large straw mats that were laid down for us. Our host, William, gave us a wee introduction & started to bring out an abundance of local fare. We were presented with a large beef curry, fresh fish, a delicious spinach dish, beans, maize dough & rice. It was enough to feed an army, & we were happy to learn that the leftovers would be shared around the home. After dinner, the mats were cleared & we were sat down around the edge of a makeshift dance floor. About 30 local kids stood before us, eager to dance, sing & show off. William led a bunch of claps & sing songs, & the kids took turns shaking it! For the last few songs, they picked us out one by one & danced with us all, a few even getting too up in our grills by grinding our legs!! We gave them a huge round of applause, & then we left, heading back to the camp for one beer, & then it was time for bed. 

After a night of broken sleep thanks to a loud, racist American guy yelling around 1am, we were up 4 hours later & back on the truck for a long drive through Malawi to the Zambia border. The drive itself was incredibly long, with bumpy dirt roads that stretched for kilometres. We reached the Zambia border just before lunch time. The immigration process was long, one officer even held a laser gun to each of our heads to get a temperature reading, a measure put in place to stop Ebola from seeping through. 

After being processed & getting our visas granted, we continued on our way to a transit camp. We arrived at the camp just after dusk had fallen, the camp itself being nothing special. We basically got there, had dinner & got into bed, only to be on the road again by 6 the next morning for another long drive into Lusaka, the capital of Zambia

. 

More of the same the following day, the roads in Zambia were still being developed in a lot of places so we were driving on dirt road diversions for a lot of the trip, which meant a bit of a bumpy ride! We stopped at a massive shopping mall in Lusaka to stock up on food supplies & booze to take on the houseboat we were to being living on for the next few days, & also treat ourselves to Nando's. Lusaka is a growing, developing city, & with the rich resources consistently being mined around the country, it shows no signs of slowing down! We reached our next camp south of Lusaka in the late afternoon, zebras greeting us at the gate. The large camp was a massive improvement on the last, with the added bonus of two devastatingly cute pet terriers who hung around, relishing the attention. 

Back on the truck at 8 the next morning (sleep in!) We thankfully had a short drive ahead of us into Zimbabwe & to Lake Kariba.  Passing through yet another border around midday, we met the owner of the Lake Kariba Houseboat company, KP & eventually reached the lake shortly after. The boat we were about to board was named 'Osprey,' & our eyes sparkled with excitement at what the next two days would hold! 

Zanzibar; a slice of paradise.

I'm We arrived into the Mikadi camp around 4pm as traffic and city life slowed our tracks. We set up our tents and splashed straight into the pool. The beach front camp was thumping already with beats and drinks, which didn't stop until about 2am. Not that we attempted to see that hour through, most of us headed to bed after a delicious feast of grilled seafood and rice. 

A light sleep later I awoke at 7, all of us jumped into tuk tuks at 8, most packing a day bag for the next few days at Zanzibar Island. We caught a local ferry overspilling with people and cars to the other side and then waited for our big passenger ferry. The journey was about 2 hours and dropped us to Zanzibar island at 11:30. After passing through a small immigration and customs area we followed a local through pebbled streets until we came to our hotel in 'Stone Town'. The name was fitting as most of the older buildings were made out of a coral like stone. The streets themselves reminded me of small passageways in Morocco or Italy, It had a certain charm about it which I loved. 

After settling into our lovely but smoke-smelling rooms at the 'Safari Lodge,' we met in the foyer to find a familiar face; Nick, who was to be reunited with us for our time on Zanzibar. Our plan was to head out for a local lunch, & then go on a Spice Garden tour. After a short bus ride we pulled into a regular looking local cottage, where we all filed inside into the living room to be met by a floor laid out with a spread of chapatis, rice & curry & watermelon. We realised it wasn't a local restaurant, just a friend of our local guide's, it was truly a local lunch, however the food was delicious! Satisfied, we jumped back into the van & before long we arrived at 'Big Body Spice Garden & Tours,' a laughably strange name which only sort of made sense when we met the tour guide, a large local man who we nicknamed Big Spice, along with his trusty assistant, Little Spice! 

The tour was informative, & we even received a free drinking coconut & hand woven souvenirs! The girls were given baskets, necklaces, rings, handbags & a flax crown. The boys were given ties & hats that made them look like King Julian from Madagascar. We finished the tour with a tasting of several different island fruits which was great & filled a slight hunger void. We bid Big Spice & co. farewell as we hopped back into our van & headed back to the hotel.

Thirsty for the evening to begin we headed to a fancy beach side, roof top bar to enjoy happy hour cocktails and watch the sun set over the calm ocean. In the dark, we then made our way to the night food markets to feast over kebabs of fresh sea food, fresh sugar cane and sweet pizza pancakes. 

Nik, Hollie, Katie, Robbo, Sean & I then made tracks back to a beach side bar for a night cap before orienteering our way back through the now eerie silent streets of stone town. 

The next morning after brekky on the roof top of our Lodge, we were more than ready to get on the road at 8:30 for an hour's drive to Kendwa Beach. We arrived at our accomodation, 'Sunset Bungalows' just before check-in. Dropping off our bags & walking through the resort to the beach, our hearts thumped with excitement at the thought of residing in the gorgeous bungalows either side of us, nestled right on the sand. We hired towels & dumped them on sun chairs, eager to dive into the pristine ocean. We weren't disappointed, in fact we were overjoyed! The water was as clear as any I've seen, & for the first time thus far on our journey, the coolness of the water took my breath away. 

After splashing around for a fair bit, we dried ourselves down, laid out on our chairs for a little while, then decided to get organised & check in. We walked back up to reception, & after being told that our initial room wasn't ready, we were handed the key for the room next door. 

Turning the key in the lock of the large wooden door, we pushed it open & were immediately wowed. The room was wonderfully spacious, with a private wooden balcony, four posted large bed draped with a mosquito net, desks, chairs, tables & a fridge. The bathroom was large with two sinks & a hot, pressurised shower! After taking a wee while to get set up, our bellies decided that they were hungry, so we ventured a conveniently short distance over to the hotel's 'Bikini Restaurant & Bar.' Running into the manager earlier, he had kindly promised 10% discount off food for all hotel guests. We ordered onion rings & a fungi pizza, both of which were largely basic, but did the job. 

We spent the rest of the day in & out of the ocean that lapped the shore a couple of hundred metres away from our front door, stopping to do some much needed laundry in between. Before we knew it, the clock struck 4pm & it was time for a happy hour cocktail in preparation for the pre planned sunset cruise, featuring all you can drink!!! We sat down on some comfy chairs & I ordered the old faithful Piña Colada, & Sean ordered a Hurricane. My cocktail was below average, & disappointingly naked, However, that didn't compare to the monstrosity that was put down in front of Sean. His Hurricane cocktail was luminous green and tasted of mouthwash; He took a sip & immediately regretted that decision, ending up returning it to the creator & settling on a cold beer instead.

Before long, Vee collected us all & we were led down the beach & onto a rickety old looking boat that was to be the vessel that housed us for a cruise around the beaches as the sun descended closer to the water. We headed up the ladder & onto the top deck ready for some partying, swimming & boozing. There were six local boys up the front playing the drums & dancing enthusiastically, (one particularly overly sexually thrusting guy we nicknamed 'African Spencer,' as he looked uncannily like my mate Spencer back in Sydney!) & there was one other boy serving us as many drinks as we could stomach. As the sun slowly sunk, we were invited to dive into the Indian Ocean. Sean wasted no time, ran up to the top & leapt off. I quickly joined him, & the breathtaking orange-red sunset provided a back drop that was second to none. 

More than a few beers, & much too many rum & cokes later, we were all of a sudden back on dry land, Sean fell off the boat while trying to disembark.. After one more beer, a few bad song choices & dancing, we stumbled home, made friends with the loo, & passed out in our lovely bed.

We drearily woke up the next morning with a hangover looming. Our heads were thumping, however we managed to crawl out of bed & head over to the restaurant for breakfast. The hotel's breakfast was stock standard continental. Eggs, toast, fruit, beans & jam. Not too much else happened for the rest of the day apart from more swimming, the cool, fresh ocean washing over our bodies helped the hangover a little. A spot of shopping at the market stalls that lined the beach killed time before we ran home to hide from the afternoon rain. The afternoon crept by & the sun crept closer towards the water, & before we knew it, it was dinner time. 

The whole gang grouped together & we made tracks to a quaint little restaurant we had walked past earlier in the day. The place was fittingly; named 'Happy,' as the young Italian owner greeted us with a massive grin & 'welcome guys!' We took our shoes off & took a seat on the cushioned floor around a massive table. We learned that the owner was only 23 & he also worked as the chef cooking the Italian side of the menu, leaving the local chefs to cook the local fare. We ordered an Anchovy pizza & Kingfish & chips. The pizza was incredible, & so it should've been, being cooked by an Italian. Thin, crispy, oh so simple but oh so delicious, two thumbs up. The kingfish we learnt wasn't like the kingfish we get back home, it looked more like a tuna, however it was still tasty. A few glasses of red later we ventured home for a reasonably early night. 

The group rose together at 8, to venture off snorkelling in a small motored boat after breakfast. We slowly followed the coast all the way up for about 2 hours before we came to a stop. The rain was drizzling but didn't stop us, we dove in to the blissfully blue ocean to find not much more than some pretty plain coral and a collection of average fish speckled with the occasional pretty one. After about an hour of splashing about we boarded the boat for lunch.. A very underwhelming plate of dry pasta and coloured with a sparce coating of tomato sauce. Back in the water for another hour we found an eel, some starfish and a few crayfish, but nothing to keep us there any longer. Back on land about 4pm the afternoon was spent soaking up the sun and taking in the beautiful serenity of this paradise island. 

As it was low season in Zanzibar due to chance of rain fall it was hard to quite grasp how beautiful it would be in its prime. I much prefer not dealing with chaotic crowds and exuberant prices when opting for low seasons! For our last supper that eve we opted back to happy for more delicious Italian and some inconsistent cocktails! Later, curling up in our big bed of white linen after a warm salt water shower... I wasn't quite ready to leave the island the next day and slide back into a dark tent fighting away the Mosquitos.. But I was excited to see more of this incredible continent.. Thoughts of Africa soon sent me to sleep and our Alarm sounded what felt like moments later.. Time to leave paradise. 

Farewelling Jason and Nic, our shuttle pulled out and journeyed back to StoneTown. With two hours the spare before the ferry we hit up the local markets and toured the slave market; which was where all of the slave trading took place, where people were kept in horrible cells underground like animals, then brought to the stage to be bargained over and primarily sold off to the West Indies, the Middle East, and South America. This was only put to bed officially in 1875 but continued underground! It was extremely sad and confronting to see the reality of this market and the lives that it had stolen from the people of Africa. 

Time rushed away as it does when you're on an island and we all hurried to catch the ferry back to Tanzania mainland. The sea was rough and left most of us feeling pretty vulnerable as we climbed off and onto the other public ferry. Meeting a bunch of tuk tuks on the other side we scooted off returning back to Midaki camp to meet our big yellow truck; Eeyore, and our tents which were still standing. We all agreed on an early dinner of beef stew after splashing about in the pool for the afternoon. It must not have even struck 8pm and most of us had zipped up our tents and settled into our sleeping bags, it had a familiar comforting feel and sounds of the night sent me into a deep sleep.