Zansibar

Yesterday we headed to Zansibar. First we took a local ferry from the campside into the city. And that was an adventure. I could not belive how many people could fit on it. From there we got on a nice ferry and after a 2 1/2 hour we arrived in Zansibar, Stone Town.

It was like finally arriving on a holiday. Beaches and sun. Room with a bed and your own shower and toilett. Tomorrow we head to the northern part of the Island wich is more beaches and action. So I have 4 more nights off a holiday.

Zansibar is know for it's spices and arabic influence. It used to be a big port for slavery. And there is heaps and heaps of activities to do.

2 girls on the trip have got Malaria so far. Until yesterday I had not been bitten at all. But I got about 5 or 6 bites. One got very sick and the other one was feel bad last night and found out this morning that she got malaria. So it's better to cover up.

Ngorongoro Crater

Just a magical place. So sceneric and cool. We saw lots of animals and got really close to zebras, wilderbeasts, black rhino and cheetas. Just amazing !!!

After the crater there was a 14 hour drive to Dar Es Salaam. We started 6 in the morning and we arrived at the campside at 20. Only stopped for 40 min lunch and few short toilet breaks. So it was a very long day and hot day. It's just getting hotter and hotter the futher south we get.

I managed to have a big night though. The bar at the campsite was right on the beach and had a swimming pool and they sold lovelly vodka slurries. Very very refreshing. Skinny dipping and alot of throwing people in the pool. Luckilly I stayed away from the pool because in the daylight the next day it did not look so nice. The water was green and very very dirty. :) But it was a good laugh.

Tanzania

We crossed the boarder over to Tanzania yesterday. Unfortunately it was way to cloudy to see Mt. Kilimanjaro :( We are staying in a town called Arusha. Which has the biggest town in northern Tanzania and half-way between Cairo and Cape Town. In recent years it has been on the news because the war trial for the Rwanda mass murders has taken place here. And a lot of treadies (sattmalum) that has been signed in recent year have been signed here.

Tonight we head into the Ngorongoro Crater where we will do some more game-driving. It is supposed to be a magical place. It is getting hotter and less rainy. On Monday we go to Dar Es Salaam. I am really looking forward to it because, when I was 9 years old and learning geography I really fell in love with Tanzania and specially 'Dar Es Salaam'. So I think it's pretty awesome to have the change to go there now twenty something years later :0) And after that it is Zansibar !! White beaches and bright blue seas !!!

Hot Air Ballooning over Masai Mara

Yesterday on our last day in the Masai Mara I went hot air ballooning over the plains.
It was so cool !!! We saw alot of game. Black Rhino ( wich i had not seen before) and Lioness with cups. Loads of Zebras and Gazelles. It was just really amazing to float over the plains and the animals in the balloon. After the ride we enjoyed a campagne breakfast on the plains. There was a chef that cooked for us and loads of campagne :)

Then we went for our last game drive. And again we were really lucky and saw loads. Again Lions, buffalos, zebras and then a Cheetha. So now I have seen the big five out in the wild. For those who don't know then the big five are: Lion, Buffolo, Black Rhino, Leopard and Elephant. The big five are the animals that were said to be the most dangerous to kill.

Then it was a 8 hour drive back to Nairobi....again on horrible roads. We got here late last night. Tomorrow we head into Tanzania.

Thanks again for all the comments. If I don't get any comments from my non-icleandic speaking friends soon .... I might change into icelandic !!!! So if you are reading let me know :)

Masai Mara

The new people arrived. 2 couples, 2 girls and 4 guys. All from Australia, New Zealand and England. The day after they arrived we headed off to the Masai Mara.

To get there we have to drive on the worst official road in Kenya (Tjodvegi). It was a bit crazy, huge potholes and alot of driving half off the road. But it was fun to look out the window because we are now into the part of Kenya where the Masai people live. And they are almost the only tribe that still wears there traditional clothes every day. So there was alot of men around the road with herds of cattles, goats and sheeps wearing red blankets. After a 4 hours drive, we came to a campside where we stayed overnight.

Following morning we where back on bad roads into the Masai Mara. Stopped at a Masai village where we did a village walk, saw dances and how they live. It was intresting but ofcourse tourism has kicked in.

Then we went on our first game-drive. Saw loads of animals. Lions, hyenas, elephants and more. And same in the evening.

Back to Kenya

We are back to Kenya. Visited Lake Baronga yesterday which is a National Park in the Great Rift Valley, famous for it's birds. Around the lake there are around 460 types of birds, hippos and Nile Crocodiles.

We camped right on the lake, very close to the hippos. And last night they where
feeding around our tents. It was a bit scary, because hippos kill most people in Africa after Malaria. So no going out to the toilets in the middle of the night.

We went on a boat cruise around the lake and so hippos, crockodiles and sea eagles up close. It was so cool to see the sea eagles catch fish with there claws.

Now we are heading to Lake Navasha where we will spend 2 nights and after that we
head into the Masai Mara. Tomorrow we get some new people joining the group and some are leaving. We (the girls) are hoping that it will be the male sweedish volleyball team that is joining us :) And the boys that it is the female one.

knus og kossar

Gorillas in the mist

Been to the forrest and seen the gorillas. And wow it was just awsome. We got so close. Saw a big silverback. 2 younger once where just playing around for us, and i got so close that one almost touched me. Pretty cool. It was a family of 8 gorillas.

We tracked for 2 1/2 hours in there and spent an hour with the gorillas.
And then it took about 1 1/2 hour to get out again. But it was so worth it.

We are back in Kampala now and we are heading back to Kenya the day after tomorrow.

Some people are getting sick on the truck. One got a mild malaria. We are in malaria hotspot so every night it is alot of "deet" (sem er algjort eitur).

OAO

Kabale (Uganda)

We are in a small town in Uganda called Kabale, where we are
based for the next 3 days while we trek the Gorillas.

Only 8 people are allowed to visit each family per day, so we are split up to smaller groups for the next days. I am going tomorrow. We drive for a few hours up to another campside where we sleep for one night and very very early the next day we go into the forrest to trek. We are told to expect anywhere from 15 min up to 10 hour of trekking before we reach the Gorillas.

We are staying in somekind of courtyard in middle of town, it is called "Little Ritz in Africa". Very "cosy" with a 3 m high fench around with broken class on the top. Behind a bakery and a bar. But it is nice to be in the middle of things and get to mingle with the locals. Because so far we have been staying at campsides that are a bit out of the towns.

Uganda is beautiful and the people so friendly. Everything is so green and fruits and crops growing everywhere. When you walk down the street you hear "Mzunugu, msungu" which means a white person. The children are very friendly and come up to you to practice there english.

Thank you for all the comments !!!
Knus og kossar

Nukuru and Uganda

The tour started the following day. We drove out of Nairobi to Nukuru National Park
where we did our first game drive. We saw alot of rinos and flamingos.
The next day we did another one and saw a leopard!!! They are really hard to see.
But this one was just taking a stroll on the road infront of us. Really cool !!
Got some really wicked photos with my new camera !!!

Now we have crossed over to Uganda on our way to the Gorillas. At the moment
we are in Kampala, the capital. We will be going on sunday and monday up to the Gorillas. We are in the short rainseason. Which means that it has rained every day for a short time. And we are talking about serious downfalling. And since we are camping, it also means very wet and moist sleeping arrangement!!! And alot of mud !!!
So a few bears before you go to bed is actually a good thing, so you just sleep
through it all. :)

Nairobi

Got to Nairobi ok, but was really really tired.
When we landed we had to wait in the plain for almost an hour.
Because the tire fell of the tow-car that was towing us to the gate.
Welcome to Africa. Met the group. Alot of Australians and Kiwis on the tour.
All really nice !!! And we have alot of fun together. My tent mate is a really
nice australian girl. She is deaf, so it makes communications in the dark a bit
difficult. :)
p.s. You must excuse my spelling, I am in a hurry

Ca. 4 hours to departure

I have packed my backpack, it's 15 kg. The aim was 10 kg, but I just can't get it any lighter. Have to admit that I am getting very excited!!!

During the week I've said goodbye to my friends and moved out from Søren.
My home for almost 4 years. The longest time I've lived somewhere after I left the nest of my parents :) It was very strange to walk out the door the last time and know that next time I will only be a guest. It has been so nice but it was time for a change. Thank you Søren.

But now I'm off to Kenya via London - Dubai - Nairobi.

Later