African travels

Hello all. So, internet has been scarce as we have traveled around, but I think I have enough time now for a quick update. It seems like we embarked about a bajillion years ago because we have done so much and traveled so far... in fact, I really had no idea how far we were going and just how much traveling we were doing, because the amount is pretty insane.

First we bussed it to Tanzania. The 20-hour bus ride was surprisingly bearable. In Arusha, we went on our safaria. The good news is we saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, and other magnificent things. The bad news is that our guide, who was recommended to us by someone else on the trip, was outright crazy. He was significantly drugged up for most of the day, racking up traffic violations and being well...a little too friendly. However, we deftly escaped the situation after seeing our fill of animals.

On to Moshi, Tanzania. We stayed at a backpackers hostel here, and had a guided hike to a waterfall in the foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our guide was amazing, and he took us through the village in which he grew up, and brought us to this breath taking waterfall where we climbed and went swimming the the freeeeezing water. In Moshi we got to have REAL coffee, and Zanzibar pizza which is just....amazingness. Tanzanian food far surpases Ugandan food in every way.

Another busride to Dar es Salaam, which is this crazy mix of India, Africa, and Europe. It's very Muslim and has great architecture and just feels...alive. We bought fabric and had more awesome food. I have gotten used to waking up to the Muslim call to prayer aruond 5 am... I kind of like it though. We then took the ferry to Zanzibar, an island that is part of Tanzinia but might as well be its own country, which it used to be. The main town is Stone Town, with crazy and really interesting architecture. We stayed on the coast, in Jambiani, right on the beach. The water was this absolutely crazy color of aquamarine that I would not believe existed in nature unless I saw it. We just chilled on the beach and made friends with a few rastas, one of which had a pet monkey and was rasta CERTIFIED by the rasta institute in Dar...hardcore. The aforementioned rastas hennaed our hair and nails and tought us how to cook a Zanzibar meal, which was really fun. Back in Stone Town we took a Spice Tour, which sounds kind of weird but is a really cool tour where you are taken to see different types of trees and other plants, and see where nutmeg and henna and cinnamon and chocolate and other things come from. Once again, amazing lunch, and also a trip to the ocean and a former slave cave, where Zanzibarians where kept by the sultans that used to rule the island. So we had a great time, and escaped the island before the sketchy people got...too sketchy. Because the island is such a tourist destination, locals have become very adept at getting peoples money and following you around, etc. The ferry right back was in rough seas, so almost everyone was puking (not me, of course), so that was pretty enjoyable.

Then comes the truly epic part of our journey...a 56-hour train ride. It was only supposed to be about 40 hours, but there were a few misshaps, including the need to replace the entire engine. May I mention, that this train is the most reliable train in all of East Africa. No joke. So, what at first seemed like it would be unbearable, what with living for almost 3 days in a roughly 4 by 6 cube hurtling over poorly-constructed train tracks, the train ride was pretty cool, and we met a lot of great people, including a Tanzanian woman who took us under her wing and porbably saved our lives by showing us that we had set up our beds completely wrong, thus putting people on the bottom bunk in danger of being smooshed to death, and we also spent time with a brit makin a BBC documentary about the train. He filmed us for quite a while, so be on the lookout for a hour-long BBC special about us and out travels. Just kidding. Maybe.

After disembarking the train aaaand a few more bus rides (during which we almost froze to death....no one told us it is winter in Zambia!!!) we arrived in Livingstone, Zambia, which borders Zimbabwe and is home to the illustrious and elusive Victoria Falls. We got our first night of sleep in almost a week that was not on moving transportation, and then saw the falls, which is indescribable. Kind of blows Niagra out of the water. Everyone else did the gorge swing, which is one of the only ones in the world and involved jumping off a cliff into a 3-sceond, 50 meter freefall, and then swinging at 2.5 Gs over the river gourge. Despite the fact that its very safe and that everyone else loved it, after getting all harnessed up I just could not make myself lean backwords off of the gourge edge. I think I'll get over it. A much tamer activity, we went on a river cruise in the evening with unlimited...beverage. And we even saw some hippos and crocs along the way. Today we have just been wandering and admiring the developness of Zambia (big streets, shopping malls, steady electricity...)which is so unlike anything we are used to in Uganda...basically, the US is going to be a big shock.

So, we are coming up on the last week, which is great because it means we are almost home, which I am greatly looking forward to, buuut this week is also almost all travel, with a few days to say goodbye to Kampala in the end. So, we're looking at a 6 hour bus ride, another 2 hour bus ride, a repeat of the train ride which will HOPEFULLY not be as delayed again, and then a 24-hour bus ride bringing us into Kampala. Yeah I'm crazy, I know. We should all probably be checked in to the loony bin upon arriving home. But until then, staying has definitely been worthwhile, and I am anticipating coming home even more and am definitely ready for it. I'm also really excited for airplane food and movies on the flight back. Mmm.

End of program, beginning of interesting African adventure

So, it is basically mind blowing that the program is OVER. It officially ends tomorrow but I am signed off today so I can go out of country. Most of the week before last was spent working on our papers day in and day out, but then we all handed in our outcomes of about 60ish pages, which felt wonderful. Our last night in Kampala we had a goodbye dinner with our families, which seemed like it might be very awkward but it was actually so much fun and was amazing bonding with the families. It turns out my little sister is a redonkulous dancer; she was by far the youngest one on the floor.

This past week we went as a group to King Fisher Resort in Jinja, which is home to the source of the Nile and many rapids and water falls, etc. We all had to give our presentations, but besides that it was a nice and relaxing week with some pool swimming involved. And then all of a sudden we have landed back in Kampala, and it seems we are in this strange liminal period where things are over but we are still here. But, things will get much more exciting very soon when I leave on the bus for Tanzania with my four friends. Here is a lowdown on the next few weeks (per my mother’s persuasion):

Sunday, May 17—Bus ride to Arusha, Tanzania (21 hours….yeeeesh)
Monday, May 18—Arrive in Arusha and find someplace to stay
Tuesday, May 19—Safari! See lots of awesome animals
Wednesday, May 20—Travel to Moshi, Tanzania, and hike in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro
Thursday, May 21—Bus and ferry to Zanzibar island
Friday, May 22 to Monday, May 25—Staying on the beach in Zanzibar, swimming, snorkeling, etc
Tuesday, May 26—Getting to Dar es Salaam and taking the sleeper train to Zambia
Thursday, May 28—Arrive in Zambia, visit Victoria Falls, hike, etc
Tuesday, June 2—Take train back to Dar es Salaam
Thursday, June 4—Spend a couple nights in the capital, Dar es Salaam
Saturday, June 6—Return to Kampala, Uganda, via bus for one night
Sunday, June 7—Get to Entebbe, where the airport is
Monday, June 8—Return home! Layover in London and be back in Boston by around 9pm

Of course, everything remains tentative and subject to common occurrences such as bus companies going out of business, mudslides, swarms of giant garbage eating storks, military coups, etc. Just kidding, it won't be that bad.

Decisions...

Ok so, somehow quite a bit has happened over the last week. Firstly, going back to stay with my family was the best decision. Arriving home was really great—everyone was there, including and especially Eddie! And it was good to see everyone and they all had questions about my time in Gulu so we just sat and talked for a while and had dinner together…and then watched Saw V to top everything off. Lovely bedtime film. Because the boys are home, I am back in Irene’s room (the housekeeper), but I know her a lot better now so I kind of enjoy it. And being back in Kampala is really nice, so different from Gulu but I'm used to it now, and I sort of relish the hecticness after the calmness of Gulu.

I guess actual life has not been that interesting, mostly just coming into town every day to work on our big papers due Monday. Mine is going really well, and it is mostly all written so now I am just fine-tuning. And it is 60 pages! Ack! But, we have been café hopping, trying different places out where ever there is a place to plug in our computers, and I have discovered a lot of nice places, including a coffee shop with wireless at the top of this HUGE skyscraper that does not feel like it is in Uganda at all, and a café in a gas station with amazing quesadillas and chocolate chip cookies (actually, there was a mouse in said café that crawled on my friends foot and I felt obliged to take it outside, at which everyone in the restaurant stared at me for about 15 minutes). I have also been hopping on boda-bodas to go home instead of the taxi, because night boda rights are just too enjoyable to pass up.

But okay, the big big news is that after a few days of complete indecision, I have decided to stay in Africa for three weeks after the program ends to travel! I have always thought of this in the back of my mind, but just never thought it would work out. But all of a sudden, the deadline for changing my flight was looming near, and I realized four of my good friends had planned a pretty awesome trip involving traveling in Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia, and it was just too good to pass up. So, now my summer seems quite shorter, and I am going to be somewhat broke in the upcoming year, but oh well, when would I ever get to do this, especially with good friends? I am still kind of in shock that I am no staying, but it does seem like the right decision, and I am definitely excited.

PS Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Back in the K’La

So, I have just arrived back in Kampala from Gulu, officially done with my research and now just concentrating on writing my paper. Kampala is kind of a shock after being in Gulu for a solid 5 weeks. But, not nearly as shocking as the first time, and I like this city so I’m glad to have one more week here. And I was debating where to stay; I never thought I would go back to my family, but I decided that I kinda would like to do that, especially if Eddie is back which he might be. However, I am slightly concerned about Martin the stabber being there, especially since he called me the other week asking if he could have my iPod. Yet, while she doesn’t openly express it, I do think that my host-mother enjoys having me there. So, I am curious about how this week will go.

Looking back on my time in Gulu, I really really enjoyed it. My time with RHU was great and I was really sad to say goodbye to everyone at the organization… I have everyone’s contact so hopefully we will stay in touch. My parting gift to them was a bottle of barbeque sauce from the US, which was very well received. I will also miss Gulu itself, craziness and all. This past week I didn’t really do much work, just went to the market, to the pool multiple times, got really good food. Yesterday was a really good last day, involving finding an amazing craft store at an HIV/AIDS NGO, Indian food, trivia night at a local bar, and getting stuck in a crazy rainstorm on the way back.. The bus ride back today was also slightly amazing. Several chickens were on board, in very close proximity to being able to peck my feet. We also peed on the side of the road in complete view of all the other passengers and a bunch of soldiers. I also bought some cassava to suffice as breakfast/lunch, and it was honestly the size of my entire forearm. Thus, I shared it with many other people on the bus.

Well, I am going to take care of things and prepare to move back into my host family for a little bit, so until then~