TravelStream™ news feed for member pmyers on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/pmyers en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:29:17 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184679840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184679840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184679840/tpod.html Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:29:17 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Cape Town, South Africa

Today was spent sight seeing around the 'waterfront' section of Cape Town. This area is fully stocked with restaurants, museums, shops, and various other touring opportunities. We enjoyed dinner in this area on Saturday night.   Starting a bit earlier than yesterday, we began our journey at half eight. The commute again took roughly a half an hour and we arrived at the waterfront. After walking for a while, we found ourselves inside the Nelson Mandela Museum. It is located right next to the water.  The museum was most interesting and highlighted the black South African's struggle for equal treatment. It made light of the efforts of many men and women who fought for the black peoples of South Africa.  I found one man to be particularly influential during this movement. His name was Steve Biko. He was mentioned quite often throughout the museum. This man was every bit as influential as Nelson Mandela. Much like Mandela, he was first arrested and put in jail as a political prisoner. His message was still preached from prison. Thus, during his stint in prison, he was beaten to death by guards.  According to the government of the time, Steve Biko 'ran into a wall and died.' There were a very large number of political prisoners who were murdered. They were true martyrs. Their murders produced outcries for equality and justice. The discrimination against blacks in South African continued well into the 1980's. Can you imagine that? I was speaking with one of the church members from Cape Town. He said that in the seventies and eighties, there were separate church services for, 'colored people' and 'white people.' IN THE EIGHTIES! It was actually illegal to have a multiracial church service. It's hard to believe - but real. In the early 1990's South Africa's president released all political prisoners and, as a result, he and Nelson Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 (I think that was the year) for their efforts in peacekeeping and racial equality. Fortunately, South Africa has their racial issues sorted out for the most part. It was a wonderful learning experience to spend time in this museum. We take so much for granted in our country.      The museum was most captivating, but it was time to move on. We took a short half-hour harbor boat tour next. This tour was awful. The tour guide didn't know anything about the city's history. His comments were mindless and irrelevant. I am dumber for having listened to them. Here are some of his quotes: "That restaurant sells 10,000 liters of beer a day during on season" - WHO CARES? "That is a tugboat. It is designed to pull large barges into the harbor." - REALLY? HOW INTERESTING. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT'S WHAT A TUGBOAT DID... "That boat is a fishing boat. They fish with nets." - THANK YOU - FOUNTAIN OF ALL KNOWLEDGE - I THOUGHT THEY USED MAGNETS TO CATCH FISH... It didn't help that the man's voice was annoying. His voice sounded like Fran Dresher and Pee Wee Herman's vocal chords were slapped together and then genetically enhanced to produce volumes that any amphitheater would envy. To pour salt in the wound, he yelled his entire mindless monologue. The tour didn't even pass by anything note-worthy. Oh well. Following the less-than-perfect harbor boat tour, after my ears stopped bleeding (they weren't really bleeding), we ventured over to the Cape Town Aquarium. The aquarium was amazing. I saw very rare fish from both the Indian and Atlantic oceans. These included, sharks, eels, gigantic freak crabs, enormous psycho lobsters, an octopus, manta rays, sting rays, blue rays, seals, penguins, and tons more.  These gigantic freak crabs were something else. They lived 400 meters below the surface of the ocean and grew to have an adult leg span of 8 feet! That's colossal! Their head / main body area was the size of a basketball - a full size basketball! Yikes, they were scary.  The lobsters were also huge. Their legs and antennae were abnormally large. I never want to come across these large devilish creatures unless we are again separated by a thick wall of glass. Two hours of sea life later, we departed for a final Oceanside cruise. This time we drove around the west coast of Cape Town. We completed our ride at Dolphin Beach. This beach gave us a beautiful view of Table Mountain, Lions Head, Robin Island, and the general harbor area. Picturesque I tell you, picturesque. At this time, it was rush hour. After a glance at the map, we chose our route home. Motorcycles have free reign in South Africa. In fact, motorcyclists are expected to drive between the cars during rush hour. That's the biker's bonus I suppose.  On the highway, I drove right down the white stripped lane dividing marker. It was phenomenal. Everyone was stopped, but I was going. I could feel the envy of the delayed motorists oozing from their cracked windows.  We made it home in record time. I felt like James Bond, you know, with the traffic dodging / weaving maneuvers and all. Shortly after our return, we left the Gordon's to return the motorcycle and have dinner at the Weber's home. The Weber's live 10km away from the Gordon's, so the drive was short and the motorcycle was returned safe and sound. It was sad parting with Black Beauty - that's what I named Mr. Weber's dark rugged two-wheeled man-mover (I had to name it a girl because all motor vehicles should be named girls - i.e. my car's name is Vanessa). It was hard to believe that we road roughly 400km. I am so grateful for the Weber's generosity! Thank you so much! We all sat at the sizably large dinner table and enjoyed a fine meal of rice, beef, lasagna, salad, bread, and a delicious fruit spread. Having all been hit by an onset of drowsiness, Mr. Weber insisted on playing a few games of pool. I didn't see a pool table around the house and I was curious as to where it was. The dinner table was cleared, the top was removed, and sure enough underneath was a magnificent green-felted billiards table. Great idea! Dinner table / pool table. 2 birds - 1 stone. Fellas, you may want to run this idea by you wives. Versatility makes the home-go-round. (Random) The night melted away as we listened to the Phil Collins - Live in London DVD while playing pool and sipping on the delicious brandy that Mr. Weber eagerly distributed. All in all, it was a superb evening that put the cherry on top of an amazing stay in Cape Town.  After returning home, Aaron and I said our goodbyes to Gareth because he will be working when depart tomorrow. It was a pleasure to meet you Gareth and thank you so much for your warm hospitality! Well, Tomorrow is the final countdown. It's my last day in Africa. Here's how it will go: 11:30-4:00 - Cape Town to Johannesburg7:00pm-7:30am - Johannesburg to Atlanta9:00am-11:15am - Atlanta to Dallas3:45pm-6:00pm - Dallas to Chicago7:50 - 10:30 - Chicago to Cleveland ...Then I get to see my wonderful family for the first time in 2 months! I am not looking forward to 36 hours of flying, but I am eager to return home.  The journey is still unfolding. More to come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1192080420/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1192080420/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1192080420/tpod.html Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:27:59 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Stow, Ohio, United States

Wednesday - July 18 - 12:00pm We awoke about 9, packed our things, and waited for our departure. Claire graciously used her lunch break to take us to the airport. She came at 11:30 and dropped us off at Cape Town International Airport. After unloading our luggage from the boot (trunk), I thanked Claire and we said our somber goodbyes. The flight would be the same format as the last South African flight: two carry on bags and a personal bag. It wasn't as menacing this time because we expected it.  All too quickly we boarded, departed, and landed in Johannesburg. Once we rechecked our bags, we stopped at the ocean basket for a final meal of feesh (that was the way it was spelled on the menu - yeah... I don't know why either) and chips. It was delicious, and, by the way, the airport prices in Africa are quite reasonable. $4 for fish and chips; you can't beat that with a stick! Security was a breeze and I stopped at one of the airport stands to use up my left over Rand (South African currency). I purchased three twenty-ounce cokes. From there, we waited to board at the gate.  I was waiting at the gate when I noticed two obscure gentlemen. They were dressed differently than the other waiting passengers. Everyone but these two gentlemen was dressed in comfortable clothing. This was appropriate being that would be on a cramped uncomfortable plane for the next 20 hours. But these two guys appeared quite ambiguous. They were dressed in black suits. There crisply starched white shirts were buttoned up all they way to the base of their jaw line. It looked as though their neck measurements were two sizes small and their ties were tighter than something abnormally tight.  "Who in their right mind would wear a tight and uncomfortable suit on a 20 hour flight," I thought to myself. "That's crazy." I was wearing scrub pants and a t-shirt. That's the way to travel comfortable. Not a suit that looks like it was painted on. I mentioned it to Aaron and then I forgot about the 'soon to be if not already uncomfortable' suited men.  Our plane was slightly delayed. This was of no concern. After all, I would be spending the next 36 hours on a plane anyway. Boarding was announced and I moved through the ticket counter. Usually anything you purchase after the security check is fare game to bring onto the plane, right?  - Wrong! I went down the corridor and I was met by another security check. Not knowing what was going on, the officers searched my carryon and personal bags again. They removed my newly-purchased beverages and said I couldn't bring them on the plane.  Being American, I tried protest, but the Ex-Rugby looking security guards were not having it. I meandered down the rest of the corridor baffled as to why there were two security checks. Quite frankly, I was disappointed because I bought those cokes for the Beckster. Sorry babe! After a maze of walkways, I made it onto the plane and into my seat. Aaron and I were sitting, awaiting takeoff, when all of the sudden I looked up and saw PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER WALKING ONTO THE PLANE!!! NO WAY!  Former President Carter and his secret service agents made their way up and down the rows.  The two men dressed in the suits were JIMMY CARTER'S secret service agents - I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation for the uncanny attire.  President Carter shook everyone's hand. While walking around, people began to snap photos in his face - which is classless on all levels. As if he was used to it (and he was - hello - president), he ignored the flashes and kept to his agenda unbothered. How bizarre. Just when I though the trip was winding down, I meet JIMMY CARTER! Nice! The former president greeted everyone and we departed. Halfway through the flight I went to the back of the plane and chatted with the secret service agent. He shared some safari stories, as did I, and we spoke for another half hour about miscellaneous African experiences. Crazy. It's a small world and it's getting smaller everyday. Anyhow, 19 hours and 54 minutes after takeoff from Johannesburg, we arrived in Atlanta, Georgia. SWEET HOME AMERICA!  IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE STATES! The air was delightfully fresh and the airport walkways were filled with the sweet scent of Cinnebons and freshly brewed coffee.  Waiting - Flight to Dallas - More waiting - Flight to Cleveland ARRIVE CLEVELAND - I AM FINALLY HOME! Closing remarks: This journey has been incredible. At the end here I would like to give some recognition. The expressions of gratitude are listed in no particular order. LifeNets - You are doing some wonderful things. It was a delight to be a part of your organization. I hope to donate and volunteer again someday soon. If any of you are planning on donating money, rest assure, LifeNets is doing good in the world. They are striving to improve the quality of life for people all over the globe.  Victor Kubik -You got the ball rolling. Thanks so much for helping make this dream happen. Dr. and Mrs. Chilopora - You provided me with a home and a family for well over a month. Thank you so much for everything! We are now family. Dr. C, you gave me invaluable medical experience. You are a wonderful doctor and an even better man. Mr. and Mrs. Wallis and Family - Thank you so much for putting a roof over our head and food in our stomachs during the days we spend in Pretoria. Also, thanks for carting us back and forth from the airport! I am so grateful! Good friends we shall remain for years to come. Jason and Monique - You took us under your wing in South Africa and showed us the ropes. Thanks also for rides to the airport and the company. I consider you both good friends! Dr. and Mrs. Chonde - Thanks for a great introduction to Malawian medicine and lunch. May God continue to bless you as you continue to practice.  Mark and Meshek Chonde - Thanks for the rides to the airport as well as the wonderful hospitality during our first few days in Malawi. You always have a friend in America! The Lilongwe and Blantyre UCG Congregations - You are all wonderful people. I hope that in years to come, I can revisit Malawi and once again see all of you. Stay strong! The Johannesburg and Cape Town UCG Congregations - Thank you for your warm welcome. I can see your areas growing because of the warm personalities you all possess.  Mr. and Mrs. Weber - I can't even begin to thank you enough for extending us every courtesy available. Your generosity was amazing as well as the time we shared with you. Gareth and Claire Gordon - It was wonderful meeting you. Thank you so much for allowing us to crash and interrupt your lives for a few days. It was truly a pleasure. Please come to the states and visit us soon. DONORS! - Thank you so much! I can't express how thankful I am for your generosity. Does anyone remember the movie 'Pay it Forward'? If you haven't seen it, it's a must see. At any rate, you can be sure that I will exercise the principles from this film. I am so grateful; I am at a loss for words - for once - Haha.  Jennifer Myers - It was a joy to have met you. You are a delightful and talented woman who will be able to aid LifeNets greatly over the next few years. Aaron Blue - It was a great ride man. I had a great time with you! You are going to make an awesome physician some day. Keep working hard. I know our paths will cross again soon. You are a good friend. I am a better person for having met you.  Dad and Mom - This never would have happened without you. Thanks for the help the support, and the love. You supported my all the way no matter how uncomfortable you may have been at times. I love you so much. It is the people who are listed above who made this trip happen. If you know anyone who is traveling, extend a hand. It's a wonderful experience to stay with a family for a few days. You learn so much about yourself and the person who is staying with you. If anyone needs a place to stay and a friend around Cleveland, Ohio, let me know. Travel to as many places as you can. Experiencing other areas of the world is invaluable. You can't truly appreciate what you have until you see what life is like without it. That's for sure.  Volunteer. Help someone out. It's the circle of humanity. Some are blessed with strength so they can lift and carry the weak. People helping people; and remember almost helping someone is the exact same as NOT helping someone. Finally, Thanks to everyone who has read my blog. You were the inspiration. I kept writing because of all your entertaining and supportive comments. I plan to gather these entries and write a proper book about this unbelievable journey. It may take a while though.  And now I sign off. There and Back Again: Africa 2007 is finally complete. It's been a life-changing journey and I am glad you have been here to enjoy it with me.  Take Care, God bless you, and please stay in touch. With Love,Phil
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184678760/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184678760/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184678760/tpod.html Fri, 20 Jul 2007 09:26:47 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Cape Town, South Africa

Monday morning began with Aaron and me suiting up in biker jackets, gloves, and sweet black helmets. Our destination was Table Mountain. This is the mountain formation that lies against the coast in Cape Town. It is world renown for is strange appearance.  To avoid the morning rush hour traffic, we left at 9:30. A short half-hour later we safely made it to the table mountain base.  There are two ways to make it to the top of Table Mountain. The first is to ride up the cable car which has a hefty $20 price tag. The other is to climb the mountain. Naturally, being the two burly man-hikers that we are, Aaron and I opted to climb - and a rough climb it was. The hike was supposed to take 2.5 hours. We made it up in 1.5 hours, so we ascended swiftly. Wow I am out of shape. I felt like I had an anvil pressing against my chest. Good thing in a few short days I can return to - what is it called - oh yeah exercising.  At any rate, once on top, we hiked around to the different points. These points resulted sights of Lion's Head, Devil's peak, Robin's Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned) and the Saddle - all beautiful I might add.  The vigorous accent depleted the majority of our hiking energy. Thus, we opted to pay the $6 one-way ticket fee to ride the cable car down. I guess they reward you for hiking up considering the one-way ticket down is less then half of the round trip ticket price. Once down, we made for the coast. This was an experience of a lifetime. The road we followed took us all the way around the southwestern cape of the country. At times we were winding about the green-covered mountains, and at others I could have jumped off the motorcycle and into the ocean. Along the way, we must have stopped 20 times to take advantage of Kodak moments. Fantastic!  The views were breathtaking. The ocean was a marvelous blue and the various hills and mountains emitted a warm green welcome to our cameras. Oh, and the weather was perfect! It was hot enough that is wasn't cold and cold enough that is wasn't hot. Did that make sense? At dusk, we found ourselves at Simon's Beach. This area is home to a very large African penguin population. The penguins put on a wonderful show for us. They pranced around the beach in the clumsy fashion that wingless-tuxedo birds do; swimming, dancing, and jumping about playfully. Twenty five minutes later we began the journey back to Claire and Gareth's.  The pictures from the day were shared over diner and then it was off to bed. What an exhausting day. It was incredible! The journey is still unfolding. More to come.    
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184591940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184591940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184591940/tpod.html Fri, 20 Jul 2007 09:20:11 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Cape Town, South Africa

Today is Bastille Day and Cape Town has a small French population. We woke early in the morning and traveled twenty minutes to a small town called Franschhoek. This is a small town home to multiple vineyards, shops, and restaurants.  Breakfast was enjoyed at a small café in downtown Franschhoek. Halfway through our meal, we spotted Ivan Weber and his wife. They were adorned in royal blue padded jackets and each carried a motorcycle helmet. We invited them to join us for a meal and coffee.  While conversing, Ivan inquired about our plans for the next few days in Cape Town. I told him we were planning on hiring a car and driving around the coast.  Ivan: You know mate, a car won't do the coast justice. You need to see everything on the open road. Phil: I would love to. I am going through motorcycle withdrawal right now. There's nothing like a cruise on a bike. Do you know of any places that hire them out?Ivan: No, no. You must take my bike. Phil: Are you serious? (Shocked that my newly made acquaintance has just offered me his motorcycle)Ivan: Yes, yes. Phil: Well that would be fantastic. Ivan: Yah, I'll drop it off tonight with the jackets, coats, and gloves. You're sorted mate.Phil: Oh wow! (at a loss for words - which is unusual) Thank you so much.Ivan: No worries.  NO WAY! This is one of the coolest things ever! Tomorrow we will be cycling around Cape Town like African motorcycle champions! How exciting! Following what had turned into brunch, Ivan and his wife departed and we headed for some wineries.  Tasting wines is quite fun. I don't know much about wine, but you learn what you like and what you don't like very quickly. The testing took us well into the evening. We returned to the house, made and ate dinner, and talked a bit. Ivan dropped of his motorcycle later on that evening. It was a bute - a black Suzuki Desperado complete with eight hundred cubic centimeters of brushed metal man-engine. Tomorrow will be amazing! The journey is still unfolding. More to come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184416800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184416800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184416800/tpod.html Fri, 20 Jul 2007 08:46:37 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Cape Town, South Africa

On Saturday July 14th we flew from Durban to Capetown South Africa. This was an adventure. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10:00am. Last night (Friday) we arranged a ride to the airport. Unfortunately $20 is what it was going to cost us. It seemed outrageous considering the Airport was only six kilometers away.  I suppose the gigantic STUPID AMERICAN TRAVELER stamp across my forehead makes me a prime target for inflated prices.  This morning (Saturday), instead of paying for a ride, we hitchhiked with two Dutch guys who stayed at the same lodge. They were flying out at the same time and offered to take us for free! Very Nice.  The two Dutch gentlemen filled the trunk with their belongings. As a result, we crammed all of our luggage and ourselves into the back seat. Aaron and I had two bags each that were to be checked. Also, we each had a carryon and a personal. This was a remarkable feat. We were smashed. Turns out the previous minibus rides were good preparation.  We made it to the airport in plenty of time to check in. Mango airlines would be taking us to Cape Town. While checking in, we were informed that each passenger's checked baggage must be 20kgs. Or less. Considering Aaron and I have 20 kgs. of Maize flower, this was a problem.  For starters, we placed our two largest bags onto the weighing meter. 56.6kgs lit up across the monitor. Luckily, the lady cut us a break and allowed us to check the two largest bags. Now, we had the problem of three carryons each.  The bag I intended on checking contained three primary things:Drugs - (OTC drugs from the States - NOT illegal African drugs brought for the purpose of pushing) Hot Sauce - Like 20 bottles (for gifts). 10kgs. Of maize flour (which could be easily mistaken for cocaine)  Here's the problem. In case you haven't flown anywhere in the past few years let me explain a primary rune. You aren't allowed to bring any fluids on the plane unless they can fit into a single 'pint-sized' ziplock bag. Also the bottles inside the bag must contain less than 3 ounces of fluid each. Do you see the problem yet? I don't have a ziplock bag I HAVE 20 BOTTLES OF HOT SAUCE!  Having no idea what to do, I weighed out my options. Wait, I had no options. It was carry on, or try to carry on, the highly unapproved contents of the bag or leave it behind. And everybody knows, you can't turn your back on a good hot sauce. It was game time. I walked up to the security station. The lady found it odd that I had two carryons and one personal, but my confident facial expression seemed sufficient to satisfy her puzzled expression. It was time for the x-ray machines. "Surely they will see the 20 bottles of practically flammable hot sauce," I thought as I hoisted my belongings onto the conveyer belt. Doubt-filled, I sheepishly walked underneath the metal detecting archway and waited.  My bags came through. I glanced around, sure to meet the eyes of a hardened airport security guard waiting to interrogate, but I saw no such thing. Instantly, I grabbed my bags. I couldn't believe it! I was shocked! Here I was about to board a plane with a suitcase full of drugs, hot sauce, and maize flour (that looked like cocaine). BENDING THE LAW! I hope this kind of thing doesn't happen too often. The flight was short and the descent into Cape Town was scenic.  I realized while waiting at the baggage claim in Cape Town that I am an impatient American. It only took about 15 minutes to get our luggage, but it felt like hours. I looked around and everyone was perfectly content on waiting. Not me though. Haha - It was funny how I expected my baggage to instantly appear upon my arrival - The spoils of an American airport I suppose.   I caught myself doing things like rolling my eyes (I looked like Morgan), looking at my watch (who does that? - like it's going to make a difference anyway), and making those preteen girl sighing noises... Then I got my act together and realized that no matter how bothered I was, it wasn't going to expedite the process.  We were picked up by Claire and Gareth Gordon after we collected our belongings. They are friends of Aaron. The Gordon's moved down to Cape Town a few years ago and offered us a place to crash during our stay. Thanks!  We got situated at the Gordon's and then headed to church.  We pulled in at 2:27. Church started at 2:30. After the sermon on "ANGER," church adjourned and we began fellowshipping.  The Cape Town church has about 40 members. They were a lively bunch of people, and very talkative.  One member showed a keen interest in our travels - Ivan Weber. I told him the grand theft auto tale and about our adventures throughout Africa. He found the border arrest story most amusing. After church, Aaron, Claire, Gareth, and I met up with a few church members at a local coffee house for a hot beverage. Two hour's worth of caffeine and conversation later, we departed back to Claire and Gareth's home.  Dinner was enjoyed at a brilliant waterfront Portuguese restaurant. Home and bed were next. Cape Town is tremendous.  The journey is still unfolding. More to come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184518500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184518500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184518500/tpod.html Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:57:08 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Durban, South Africa

The crazy part of the journey has begun. On Monday, July 09, Aaron and I hired a car in Pretoria and made for the Drakensburg Mountains. This mountain range is located in the eastern central part of the country and separates South Africa from the eastern portion of Lesotho.  Insokona Lodge was our accommodation provider and we arrived at 9pm. This is a quaint little hostel at the base of the Drakensburg Mountains. Upon Arrival, we spoke with a few other visitors about what to hit the next day. Then it was bed. The following morning we rose early.. The views were breathtaking. The first leg of the trip involved us hiking virtually straight up. It was most difficult. Once on top, we moseyed about the prairies and hills on top. This time was spent hiking about the mountains viewing scenic areas like Cascade Falls, Blind Man's Curve, Spinx Lookout, and Monk's Cowl. Afterwards, we descended and returned to the hostel.  From the hostel, we packed our things, and headed for the eastern coast. St. Lucia was our destination. It is a small coastal town on the east shore of South Africa. After a day of hiking and a four hour drive, we were exhausted. Right to bed we went upon arrival in St. Lucia. We woke in the morning and went on a lovely nature hike. St. Lucia is home to a rare ecosystem. There is a large lake on one side of the town and the Indian Ocean is on the other. The lake is filled by a river. As a result, the surrounding area is filled with rare types of reptile, fish, and birds.  A visit to the beach was next. Room cleaned, we checked out of the hostel and headed for the beach. The coast was amazing! The striking clear blue waves of the Indian Ocean fiercely crashed into the white sandy African beaches as far as the eye could see. It was slightly windy during our visit, but I didn't care. Natural dunes formed about 100 meters in from the water. On the other side of the dunes was rich forestry. It was an incredible  sight! White sand and sea of blue on one side and a sea of forest green on the other.  Browned from the beach sun, we returned to the road. Swaziland was our destination. Three hours of driving later, we arrived at the South African - Swaziland border. Leaving our car on the South African side, we walked across and into Swaziland with the intention of grabbing an afternoon snack, looking at the market, and returning to South Africa. The town we visited in Swaziland is a 'Tijuana' sort of thing minus the danger.  The Hamburger Hut was our lunch spot. I got the chicken curry with rice and Aaron got the chicken curry bunny chow. Bunny chow is a bread bowl with curry in it. Instead of a bread bowl, Aaron received a hollowed out half loaf of bread. It was pretty funny.  The lunch was delicious and we headed for the craft stands. We browsed about, picked up a few miscellaneous items and returned to customs. After officially leaving Swaziland and reentering South Africa we ran into a MAJOR problem. Apparently, while eating lunch in Swaziland, the South African Border Police checked our rental car plates. Our license plates read CA 104 579. When checked, our plate number registered as stolen in the system.  The report was filed in February of 2007 from Cape Town, South Africa which is on the opposite side of the country. It would be as Boston is to San Diego. According to the South African Police database we were driving in a stolen vehicle. Time elapsed: 20 minutes I calmly explained to the officer that the vehicle was legally rented from Budget Rental but that didn't matter. Our passports were seized, we were detained, and arrested. To summarize the situation: I am at the South African / Swaziland border on the South African side My passport was taken from me I was in possession of a stolen vehicle I am arrested and detained for Grand Theft Auto Oh and did I mention I'M IN SOUTH AFRICA  In order to be released, the 'stolen car report' must be removed from the South African Police system. This could only be accomplished by the officer who originally filed the report in the office it was filed. I.e. Cape Town. The day we left Pretoria, Aaron and I purchased a used cellular phone for emergency situations. THIS WAS AN EMERGENCY! Aaron called the United States Embassy and explained the situation. They got right to work for us. I called Budget Rental Car and this was the conversation: Budget Rental Car Guy (Guy): Hello, Budget Rentals this is Guy. Phil: Hello this is Aaron Blue. (I said this because Aaron rented the car. Since Aaron lacks the ability to grab confrontation and beat it into submission, I made the call) I rented a car from your office on Monday July 9th. It was a white Toyota Corolla.Guy: Oh, hello Mr. Blue. How are you today?Phil: I'm doing fine other than the fact that I am being detained by the South African police for driving a stolen vehicle that YOU rented me.Guy:...(silent pause).........can I have my manager call you? Phil: Yes you can. And Guy..... make sure he calls me within the next 3 minutes because I am not pleased right now.Guy: Of course Mr. Blue. I'll have him call you right away.Phil: Thank you.Guy: Bye Time elapsed: 1 hour Meanwhile we are still trying to sort this out in the police station. Aaron showed the police officer our rental paperwork and the officer made copies of it. He went onto explain that it was Budget's fault, but WE were driving the car. Meaning, we would have to face a judge no matter what. He said we were not in the wrong.... But we were driving a stolen vehicle.  This made no sense whatsoever, but hey, it was out of our hands. About two minutes later Dwayne, the regional manager for Budget Rental Cars phoned me.  Phil: HelloDwayne: Hello, Mr. Blue?Phil: SpeakingDwayne: This is Dwayne (so and so). I am the regional manager for Budget Rental Cars. How are you today?Phil: I am fine other than the fact that I have been arrested for driving a car that YOU rented me.Dwayne: Oh I see.  Well here's what....Phil: (INTERUPTING) Let me tell you the situation. I have been arrested. According to the South African Police, I am driving a stolen vehicle. Here's what you need to do. You need to contact the Cape Town police department, explain to them that the car I am driving is not stolen, and then have them clear this report for the police database. Did you get that?Dwayne: Yes. Is there anything else I can do?Phil: Well let's start by liberating YOUR customer from jail and then we'll see what else you can do.Dwayne: Okay.Phil: Call me as soon as progress is made because I'm in jail and the clock is ticking.Dwayne: Yes I sure will. ByePhil: Bye We waited. Elapsed Time: 2 hours. Officer Mpontshane at our police station was trying to contact the Cape Town office and explain the situation. His attempts were futile. He was a really nice guy and tried to help us out as much as he could, but his hands were tied with the law. The U.S. Embassy phoned us. They were in contact with the police station where we were incarcerated, the Cape Town Police Station, as well as Budget Rental Car. Our agent said he was doing everything he could and would try his best to free us.        Time Elapsed: 2.5 hours I received another call from Dwayne. Phil: Hello.Dwayne: Mr. Blue?Phil: Speaking.Dwayne: Mr. Blue I just wanted to let you know that we have contacted the police officer who filed the report about the vehicle you rented. He is in the process of voiding the report and you should be freed within the next half an hour. Phil: That's good news. Why don't you call me when he has finished removing the report form the database.Dwane: Yes Sir.Phil: Bye. Shortly after that, the U.S. embassy phoned and said exactly what Dwayne had just said. The report was in the process of being lifted and it would be at most a half an hour until we were released.  Elapsed Time: 3 hours Officer Mpontshane released us and said that the stolen vehicle report had been removed from the system. He also told us that it would be a full day until the report was removed from all the cruiser computers. This was because they are only updated once every 24 hours. Thus, to a traffic policeman, our vehicle would still register as stolen. His caution was beneficial. We wouldn't be speeding anywhere now, that's for sure.  Finally, after about three hours and fifteen minutes in the border police station, we were released and free to hit the road. I am just thankful officer Mpontshane allowed us to use our cell phone.  Ten minutes down the road, Dwayne phoned. Phil: Hello Dwayne: Hello, Mr. Blue?Phil: Speaking.Dwayne: Have you been released yet?Phil: Yes, we were just released after roughly three hours of imprisonment. Dwayne: I am so glad to hear that.Phil: Yes, it is a relief.Dwayne: I spoke with the national manager and you can be sure that we are going to sort this problem out to prevent this from happening again.Phil: I would hope so. Now the question is, what are we going to do to resolve this from a customer relations standpoint Dwayne?... Because I just spent three hours in a South African Jail because of your company.Dwayne: Yes, Well...Phil: (interrupting) I mean, put yourself in my shoes Dwayne. I am in a foreign country and I rented what I thought was a legitimate vehicle.... Only to be thrown in jail because it's considered stolen vehicle. How would you feel?Dwayne: Yes, that is troubelingPhil: Troubling? Troubling is when your cell phone battery dies. Troubling is when you have something stuck in your teeth. Spending three hours in a foreign prison because of rental car company is downright appalling. And, by the way, I was informed that the police traffic-car computers won't be updated until tomorrow. This means, according to a traffic policeman, I am still driving a stolen vehicle. How's that for troubling. I can't even drive without an attack of paranoia. It's a nightmare! (Okay, I was hamming it up a little.... I couldn't help it.... I was having fun)Dwayne: Wow... well I will speak with my national manger and we'll have something worked out by the time you return your vehicle.Phil: Yes, I will be returning your vehicle first thing in the morning because I don't want to risk anything else by driving it. I would return it tonight if your office in Durban was still open by the time I arrive.Dwayne: Yes, I understand.Phil: Well why don't you give me a call in the morning and let me know what you have worked out for me.Dwayne: Yes sir, I will.Phil: Thank you.Dwayne: ByePhil: Bye What an experience. I wasn't overly worried by the situation. I knew it would work itself out.  After all, I've found that worrying is like playing with your thumbs; it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere.  We drove straight from the Swaziland Border to the south side of Durban. Our destination was Warner Beach. Here we will stay until the 14th. From there we will head to Cape Town.  I need to sleep... And luckily, it's in a lodge and not in a prison...guardian angels for sure... it could have ended so significantly worse... The journey is still unfolding. More to come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184518440/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184518440/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1184518440/tpod.html Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:55:20 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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St. Lucia, South Africa

Friday morning I woke well rested. The ten hours of sleep was definitely needed after traveling the day before. I dressed and went to congregate with the other day walkers.  Today we would be traveling to a farm museum in Pretoria. I didn't eat breakfast because of a lack of apetite. The excess sleep provided me with a good deal of energy, however it did not improve the condition of my stomach.  The farm museum was a half hour commute from the house. The entire ride over my stomach was grumbeling. We arrived to find the museum desolate and unoccupied. It was like attending a theme park in the winter when nothing was open and running. Apparently, during their 'on' season, people make bread from scratch, craftsman stretch and shape leather, tractors are always buzzing about, and everyone is 'in costume.'  Preoccupied by the earthquake going on in my stomach, I didn't really care about the poor status of the museum. I did walk around and see rare vintage tractors, carriages, wagons, maize mills, farm equipment, sheep, donkeys, horses, chickens, peacocks, and cattle. Seeing all that stuff was indeed interesting, nevertheless I couldn't kick the funk in my abdomen..  Our stay at the museum was brief and we returned back to the Wallis home. Upon our return, I asked Aaron if his stomach had been bothering him at all. He said it had been and described the same symptoms I had been experiencing. We concluded that the CHIPS we ate during our LAST FEW HOURS in Malawi were the source of our bug. I am an IDIOT. For five weeks I was careful about what I ate only to blow it on the LAST DAY IN THE LAST HOURS!    The rest of the day in Pretoria can be described as Aaron and I sitting around the house feeling sorry for ourselves. It was a 'the internal organs in my abdomen are rotting' kind of pain.  Saturday was very similar to Friday. I woke up mid morning, had a shower, and ate a little something for breakfast. We left for church and my stomach pain came along for the ride.  We attended church in Johannesburg. There were about 90 people in congregation. I pleasantly met people, but I think they picked up on my illness. Mr. and Mrs. Wallis explained the situation to them. They were understanding and sympathetic.  After church Mr. Wallis drove us around downtown Johannesburg. What a depressing place. The streets are crowded with unemployed people, crime rates are through the roof, and the pollution is barely tolerable. Let's just say the grass isn't always greener if you know what I mean. Outside the city, there are some very nice areas. Downtown though, wow, it's scary.  Saturday night was déjà vu of Friday night. The sun rose on Sunday and so did my spirits. I was feeling better. I suppose the tiny punching boxers in my digestive tract decided to tone it down.  Sunday, we went to the Pretoria Lion park. It was unbelievable. I'll give you the accelerated description.We saw lions, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, and African deer We pet and played with several lion cubs We saw a cheetah training demonstration We watched the lions feed  I'll just touch on the feeding. This was unreal to watch. A park worker drove into the park in a caged 4x4 and threw quartered goat segments out of the truck. The lions immediately snatched the large sections of meat and began eating.  Lions have extraordinarily sharp teeth. They cleaned the goat bones like they were licking butter off a knife. WOW! Sometimes two lions would even fight over a piece of goat. Fantastic!  Seeing a lion tear the raw muscle off of goat bones made me FEEL manly. I wish my stomach would allow me to feel 100% manly. I was pretty close to being all better though. We returned home, ate supper, and headed off to bed. The real excursion begins now. Another philosophy from Tom Robbins' book that I hold dear: "To physically overcome death - is that not the goal? - we must think the unthinkable thoughts and ask unanswerable questions. Yet we must not lose ourselves in abstract vapors of philosophy. Death has his concrete allies, we must enlist ours. Never underestimate how much assistance, how much satisfaction, how much comfort, how much soul and transcendence there might be in a well-made taco and a cold bottle of beer." The journey is still unfolding. More to come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183913460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183913460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183913460/tpod.html Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:53:49 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Pretoria, South Africa

Our final proper breakfast came with the morning on Wednesday (July 4th). We ate a bit later than usual, packed our maize-filled bags into the ambulance, and made for Lilongwe.  An hour into our journey, we stopped at Dr. Chilopora's former childhood school. It was a charming complex. At this school, the students live, learn, and play. Imagine living in a dorm building starting at age 6!  To our surprise, the Chilopora's granddaughter Chiku was currently attending there. We met Chiku a few weeks earlier. We took a brief walking tour, said goodbye to Chiku, and then continued on our way. We arrived in Lilongwe around 2:00. The subsequent hours would be spent trying to locate the lodge we would be spending the night at. It was a frustrating stretch because while searching, the Chilopora's cell phones ran out of calling units. This meant we could not call the lodge to get directions (all cell phone service in Malawi is prepaid).  Turns out, the name of the lodge was recently changed. Of course, the new name was the only one we had. Locals recognized the former name, but not the new one. Thus, when we stopped and asked people, they were clueless.  Like a carosel, we went up, down, and around Lilongwe for a solid 2 hours. This was not pleasant considering the roads in Lilongwe are littered with potholes (up), unexpected speed bumps (down), and floods of people (around).   After far too much driving, we made it to our lodge. By this time it was almost dark. You don't want to be in the streets in Lilongwe after dark. It's not the safest city.  The lodge was like staying in a cabin with several other people. Our room was quite nice. It had lockers where we could put away our belongings. There were four bunk beds which meant six other travelers would be sharing our room for the night. We chose our bunks, locked up our bags, and returned to the ambulance for our farewells.  It was difficult saying goodbye to Dr. and Mrs. C. I've grown very close to them over the past few weeks and they have become family. "This is the first goodbye," I said trying to put a positive spin on the parting. "I'm not sure how soon I can return, but as soon as I can, I will." With that I received a final tender embrace from Mrs. C and the ultimate husky bearhug from Dr. C. They got inside the ambulance and drove off into the setting sun. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING DR. AND MRS. C! IT'S BEEN A GREAT RIDE! Everyone can take a page out of the Chilopora book. They are wise, kind, and respectable in everything they do. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from them. Without words, Aaron and I looked at each other and walked inside. Entering our room, I experienced a shocking revelation. The emotions of the moment made me forget about a primal need that I had unconsciously suppressed. Food.  Sara, the middle-aged hippie British front-desk attendant, pointed us in the direction of a little Indian place around the corner from the lodge. Off we went, exercising extreme caution and awareness of course.  The food was mediocre yet filling and we returned to the lodge in the same manner we came. The lobby of the lodge conveniently doubled as a lounge and a number of travelers had gathered there during our absence. Since it was the 4th of July, it was necessary to have a celebratory drink with all of the Americans (4 including me). Sleep then stole me away for a few hours.  Beep Beep echoed my watch alarm at 8. It was off to the market to pick up a few miscellaneous items before Meshek, Dr. Chonde's son, picked us up to take us to the airport. The market was a 20 minute walk from our lodge so we had to scoot.  I bought an extra bag, to carry the 25lbs. of maize flower bestowed to me, and Aaron got a much needed hat. In the midst of running around hunger came knocking.  Aaron: Do you wanna grab some chips (fries) from this vendor quick?"Brainless Phil: "Can I say yes? Besides, we won't get to eat until we get to South Africa so .... We better eat something now.  Gary (I don't know his real name), the chip man, seemed to be selling a clean and healthy product. We grabbed the chips, which were in take away bags, and rushed back to the lodge to shower and pack.  Getting Clean, packed, and ready to leave on a jet plane took us right to ten'o'clock. Fortunately, Meshek showed at half ten which was exactly what I was hoping for. I told him ten so he would be there by half ten. Local time.... you get used to accounting for it. My watch ready 12 pm when we arrived at Kamuzoo International Airport. We checked in and waited. An hour later our flight boarded and we were off to Johannesburg, South Africa.  Two hours into our four hour flight, my stomach started to grumble a bit. Not in a nauseous 'I'm going to vomit' way, but an 'internally sore' kind of way. The flight time passed rather quickly and we landed in Joburg.  Customs took an extraordinarily long time because of the hundreds of foreigners that somehow simultaneously accumulated. Thank God for staggered flights in America. This sort of thing wouldn't be unheard of in the States. We patiently waited, picked up our bags, and eventually met up with Mr. and Mrs. Wallis who took us back to Pretoria. En route to Pretoria, my stomach continued to act up. It wasn't a pressing 'I need to see a doctor' kind of pain, but more of a 'this isn't normal to feel like this' discomfort.  Safe and sound within the Wallis premises, I unpacked, had a wonderful steamy hot shower, and told everyone about our adventures in Malawi. Lost in conversation, I didn't even realize that dinner time had crept upon us. At this point my stomach wasn't overly upset and the food smelled delicious, so I ate. I am glad I did. The food tasted better than it smelled. It was a delicious South African curry with beef, raisins, and several other traditional ingredients.  Stomach full of delectable South African cuisine but still upset from earlier, I went to bed.  "I don't know what this funk is in my stomach. I hope it feels better in the morning," I thought to myself as my head struck the pillow. "What did I do to myself?" The journey is still unfolding. More to come.   
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183801740/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183801740/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183801740/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jul 2007 06:02:14 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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Ntcheu, Malawi

Sunday night was wonderful. I had come to miss the Chilopora's very much during our tour in Zambia. Monday and Tuesday were our last two days in the clinic, our last days at Zabi's, and our last days in Ntcheu and Balaka. Monday was busier than expected. We saw a total of 11 patients. One woman's case was quite puzzling.  The woman was 34 years old and had been pregnant for the past 5 months. She came into the clinic because her body had been swelling and she had been experiencing distension in her abdomen for the past 3 months. Also, spouts of breathlessness had been occurring recently.  The woman's abdomen was large and appeared swollen as if pregnant, but an examination deemed that there was no fetal heartbeat and no mammary development. Similarly, a fetal head could not be identified upon palpation of the lower abdomen. This was most peculiar. Baffled by the findings, we turned to our mentor for an explanation. "In some instances women will experience what we call a pseudo-pregnancy," said Dr. C.  Pseudo-pregnancy? Apparently, on rare occasion, women can undergo chemical changes and the uterus will develop as if pregnant. CRAZY! The woman was referred to a larger hospital for ultrasound evaluations. How bizarre! My Man-Bonding Experience with Dr. C: At home, later that night, I was in the middle of fixing the kitchen cabinets when I heard a loud high-pitched squeal. Knowing that bats are very common both in and outside the house, I ignored the shriek and continued working. Sure enough a few seconds later a bat came crawling across the counter.  Staying calm and collected, I took a glass bowl and flipped it upside-down over the bat and trapped it. I had no idea what to do with this bat. Dr. and Mrs. C weren't home so I left it.   Immediately after I finished the cabinets Dr. C returned home. He came in, I told him about the bat, and this was the conversation: Phil: Hey Dr. C, I captured a bat intruder and I was thinking of naming it Jimmy.Dr. C: Is that so?(I took him to the trapped bat)Dr. C: Ah. That's very good.Phil: What should we do with it?Dr. C: This bat had been caught trespassing. therefore, it deserves to die a sinner's death.Phil: Uh... Okay...Dr. C: How does a sinner die?Phil: Well... I suppose a sinner burns...Dr. C: Yes yes... that is correct. Bring the bat and follow me. (Are we really going to burn this bat? Or is he joking?) I carefully slid the inverted glass bowl onto a flat tray and followed Dr. C with bat in hand. We proceeded outside to the fire pit. Dr. C: You throw the bat onto the fire pit and I'll cover it with kerosene and throw a match on it.Phil: Uh... Okay...? (At this point I know he's serious) I shook the bowl/tray cage to disorient the bat and then tossed it into the pit. After dousing the bat with enough fuel to combust a forest, Dr. C struck a match and tossed it at the soaked bat. Flames immediately flew.  For about three minutes Dr. C and I stood there, in silence, as the bat was transformed from rare to well done. That's a man-bonding experience. It doesn't get much manlier that catching trespasser bats and setting them ablaze as punishment - IN AFRICA! (see the 3 D's of Manly Jobs) Ha-ha! It was an awkward and memorable experience to say the least.  The rest of the night paled into comparison to burning trespasser bats. Night came, sleep felt good, and the sun always rises.  Just as Monday, Tuesday passed equally fast. Tuesday was a gloomy day. It was dark, windy, and rather cool. The skies even spit on us periodically. Today we would say goodbye to Balaka. Jimmy, the Chilopora's grandson who is our good friend, came up from Blantyre to surprise us and say goodbye. Jimmy is 18 and waiting entry to college. He came up on a minibus. Great surprise! Around the same time Jimmy arrived, our friend Nigel came into town. We met Nigel in Zambia on Safari. The four of us enjoyed a wonderful 'final' lunch in Balaka at Zabi's Tasty Food.  Shortly thereafter, we said our farewells to Nigel and Jimmy and they departed. Aaron and I then made our way around Balaka to say our goodbyes. This included the following people:Henry - The grocery store baggerPatrick - The grocery store managerZabi - The wonderful owner of our lunch spotPhilip - Our waiter at Zabi'sSalos - One of the clinic maintenance workersErnest - One of the clinic maintenance workersMatthews - One of the clinic maintenance workers By the time our adieus had been said, it was time to close down the clinic and head back to Ntcheu for one last evening.  It was a somber yet joyous evening. Mrs. C prepared a delightful feast for our 'last supper.' It included nsima, rice, chicken, mincemeat, steak tips, CHAMBO, red beans, green beans, cabbage, and turnip leaves. I ate until I couldn't move. Like usual, the table was cleared and Mrs. C brought out drinking yogurts and bananas. I force-fed myself her offerings, rolled away from the dinner table, and retreated to my room to begin packing. While packing, Mr. C brought in a few items we were to take with us. Traditional nsima making spoons, twenty pounds of maize flour, and two wrapped gifts were given to both Aaron and I. The wrapped items looked like artwork and were roughly 1x2 feet. A lovely gesture and beautiful artwork I'm sure, but a suitcase packer's nightmare.  Fortunately we found a way to fit everything, and after packing, we returned to chat with the Chilopora's. We spoke for a short amount of time and everyone retired. That was our last night with the Chilopora's. How sad. The journey is still unfolding. More to come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183801260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183801260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/pmyers/africa_2007/1183801260/tpod.html Sat, 07 Jul 2007 05:48:32 -0400 There and back again: Africa 2007

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South Luangwa, Zambia

Again, we woke despicably early. A proper breakfast was served to us today complete with eggs, beef sausages, toast, baked beans, and fruit. Baked Beans? I thought the same thing. Back to Malawi we go! The vehicles left camp at half seven. Before exiting Zambia, we stopped at a crafts area. It was a touristy place. It even accepted credit cards. The safari company that took us didn't even accept credit cards. Ha-ha.  On principle I refused to buy. Any rural African shop that accepts credit cards is charging too much. If they can perform a credit sale, than how genuine could their crafts really be? They didn't have anything of interest anyway. They sold mostly bed sheets, cloth paintings, clothing, and pillowcases. Yippee!  The stop was brief and we progressed toward the Malawian border. Customs was uneventful, which is always good, and we returned to the road.  Two hours later we arrived back in Lilongwe. It was nice to be in a familiar area again, but the traveling wasn't over yet. We had to catch a minibus back to Ntcheu. We walked a few kilometers back to the minibus station, picked one out, and waited for it to fill.  A minibus in Africa will not leave until as many people as possible are smashed into it. Thus, one is subject to waiting if you are one of the first few passengers to enter. Just my luck, I was one of the first passengers AND I was sitting directly in the sun while waiting to leave. Now, it's the cold season in Malawi, but the sun is still smoking hot. At first the sun was nice. Thirty minutes later I was dripping. ONE AND A HALF HOURS LATER I was soaked with my own filth. The bus finally filled to the brim and we departed. Fortunately the bus' airconditioning was working and I cooled off rather quiclky. Of course by air conditioning I mean it had windows and by working I mean the windows were functionally capable of opening.   After two hours of physical compaction in the minibus, we arrived back in Ntcheu (en-che-oo). Sorry, I suppose I haven't told you how to properly pronounce the town until now. All said and done,  it only took us 12 hours of driving, waiting, and sweating to return from South Luangwa, Zambia. It was nice being welcomed home. We had only been gone 4 days, but it felt exceedingly longer. It was nice to get a big burly man-hug from Dr. C and a gentle grandmotherly hug from Mrs. C. I missed them.  Over a lovely dinner, WITH NSIMA (en-see-ma), we told the tales of Zambia complete with visual aids. Quite a few pictures were snapped in Zambia and they helped illustrate the story.  Oo-ing and awing frequently, the C's thoroughly enjoyed our colorful rendition of the trip.  It had been a long drive, a long wait, and an overly long day. I retired quite early. Zambia was incredible!  I thought you might enjoy Tom Robbins description of February in his book Jitterbug Perfume. I like to apply it to the entirety of winter. "However abbreviated it may look, February feels longer than any other month. It is the meanest moon of winter, all the more cruel because it will masquerade as spring occasionally for hours at a time, only to rip off its mask with a sadistic laugh and spit icicles into every gullible face, behavior that grows quickly old. If February is the color of lard on rye, its aroma is that of wet wool trousers. As for sound it is an abstract melody played on a squeaky violin, the petty whine of the shrew with cabin fever." I thought that was very clever. I don't appreciate winter. Tom Robbins and I definitely have that in common.  The journey is still unfolding. More to Come
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