Africa – Travels With Miha

Island of Sal, Cape Verde

Miha / June 22, 2012

My colleagues and I spent relaxing days in the island of Sal, Cape Verde. We were flying there in the beginning of the first decade of the years 2000. One way flights to Angola, straight from Texas, were too long so Cape Verde was used as a stop for refueling, catering and crew changes. At the time, the plane was not yet modified to do the 16 hour flights in one shot. Cape Verde islands, strategically located in the mid-Atlantic Ocean about 450 kilometers (300 mi.) off the west coast of Africa, provided a great break for us. We used to stay two weeks each month there, flying turns to Luanda, Angola. The island of Sal is level and very dry. At the time, few new hotels were built by the beach, but there were not hoards of tourists around, as in other popular destinations we traveled to. We spent many days just taking in sun, bothered by flies at the pool, or slapped by sand carried around by winds on the near-by beach. We used to bring canned foods with us from home, and a lot of bottled water – as the food was not so great (or safe) there, and often both the food and water were contaminated. Many people suffered from an upset stomach or diarrhea because of something they have eaten or drank, and that is no fun at all. Internet was also hard to connect to back then and a phone call to the US was awfully expensive. So we were disconnected from our normal lives and lived like were in an Robinson Crusoe type of vacation, dieting and loosing weight (not always by choice), but looking good, slim and tanned afterwards. Many nights the discos in the village were open and we danced to the rythm of the ’80s,often until daybreak. Sometimes drinking would make otherwise proper people behave as nuts, and the stories were told again and again until they would become twisted, and turned to ridicule, as everyone wanted the “fun” piece of the “news”. What else is there to do in such an island? LOL

Africa, ISLANDS, Malabo

Malabo

Miha / March 13, 2012

An island that belongs to Equatorial Guinea, Malabo was one of the least developed places I have ever been to. At the time we went there, in mid 2000, the place did not have a hotel with enough rooms to accommodate the 15 of us, so we were usually split between two hotels. Hard mattresses and leeches glued on windows, the hotel rooms were not the most welcoming, but the best in town. Since then things have improved, at least in the accommodation department, as oil companies were looking into exploiting the place, and Hilton and Sofitel became part of the scenery. Tired after the 15-16 hours flights from Houston, Texas, my colleagues and I would hardly feel like exploring, but the effort made paid off in interesting experiences. From the fish market that I could not enter because of the flies and the smell that turned my stomach around, to the outside local market where all kinds of birds and animals (including monkeys) were sold alive to be cooked later, all was part of a different life style, totally foreign to us. We were strange to them, as most did not get to see white people often and I saw a mother pointing to me and telling her child “blanca, blanca”. Am I that pale? LOL From our hotel location we passed shacks and a stream of garbage in order to explore further. We saw people aligned to take water from a village well, carrying buckets and plastic cans, kids washing each other in front of their modest homes, all friendly, waving at us and laughing. We were even invited to a wedding as we were passing by, but sadly too tired and under-dressed to accept the sweet invitation.

South Africa

Miha / March 12, 2012

From Cape Town to Johannesburg and the Kruger National Park, my South African trip was a good and safe experience. Safety is a big concern mainly in Jo’burg but you are told which areas to avoid, and if you use common sense and are aware of your surroundings, all should go well. I entered South Africa flying into Cape Town and departed out of Johannesburg, traveling between the two cities in the train’s sleeping wagon. Cape Town was a very safe city and I walked everywhere. I enjoyed the walks and meals in the downtown and waterfront areas. I visited Table Mountain with the cable car, the Cape Point in an organized one day tour, and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for almost 20 years, with the ferry from the tiny harbor (a short half an hour ride). My favorite of all was the trip I took alone to Boulders Beach. It was an easy train ride from Cape Town and I would have done it more than one time, if time would have permitted. I got to soak up the sun so close to African Penguins that I could touch them (tempting but not advisable -LOL). Boulders Penguin Colony is home to the African Penguins, the only penguins that inhabit the whole African continent. The train ride to Johannesburg, in my own cabin, I enjoyed immensely. I spent little time in Jo’burg and only went as far as my own feet took me, looking for an internet cafe within vicinity of my hostel. The hostel had advertised an internet connection that did not exist. I moved on to Kruger National Park for a three day safari. Bussed from Jo’burg and back, the safari was a relaxing, fun experience, staying in a cabin one night and in a tent in the park property the other. The night in the tent was great and the little fearless velvet monkeys were present around the camp, shamelessly jumping on cars and tents, going anywhere they could steal food. Little cute, mean, loud and playful arguing thieves. Driving through the park we saw lions devouring meat from some animal that was probably alive just hours ago, gracious impalas, slow moving elephants, striped zebras, cool giraffes slowly chewing leaves, hiding leopards ready for a hunt, buffalo and mud coated white rhinos. If you like watching animals in their natural surroundings with minimal to no human interference, Kruger National Park is the biggest in South Africa. Enjoy it!

Namibia

Sandboarding to blazing speeds in Namibia

Miha / March 12, 2012

Enjoying this country came through a combination of work trips and exploration in between. A lot of trips to Germany and England were scheduled from here, as Windhoek is a growing city. Germany was a close part of this country’s history (Namibia became independent in March 1990). Windhoek, the capital city is small but clean and safe. One wonderful trip my colleagues and I took was in the desolate Namib Desert. The National Parks are about 15.5% of the land size of this country and there is a large variety of game. We watched animals in their natural and unspoiled habitat and enjoyed richly colored sand dunes, taking a lot of pictures. The high iron concentration gives this desertunmatched colors that become a photographer’s dream. A trip I took on my own by local bus (a minivan full of local people) was to Swakopmund, a unique town by the beach. The scenery along the way changed from dry to green and it was a delight watching. In town I found a nice hostel not far from all happenings and I enjoyed the best sunset I have ever seen in my life. Later, pleasantly surprised by the arrival of one of my fellow traveling colleagues, we found the most appealing activity: sand-boarding. We had quite an adrenalin rush as the board speeds reached new heights. Sweating and full of sand we returned to Windhoek with the same kind of public bus/minivan. Excited, we downloaded the new pictures into the computer, showing them to all in the van. Namibia is one of the safest and most stable countries in Africa. Also a great country to see for the variety of its people, like the San Bushmen and the Herero, as well as the Himba (Herero descendants that wear few clothes and rub their bodies with fat and red ochre to protect themselves from the sun). Hearing the clicking sounds of the tribe’s language provided a strange delight. One other thing I had to do in Africa was braiding my hair. For less than $25 my shoulder length hair became mid-back long and I totally enjoyed it for about 3 weeks afterword. Yes, it took about four hours of work, done by three girls at the same time, but I loved the results. 🙂

Ethiopia

Miha / March 8, 2012

I had only a single day in Addis Ababa and I would go back anytime. With beautiful and friendly people and lots of different ethnic groups, this country consists of a mix of ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. It is a country with more than 80 different ethnic groups, each with its own culture, customs, language and tradition. It has 83 different languages with up to 200 different dialects spoken. A few of my colleagues and I dined in a restaurant that presented us with a piece of rich traditions and culture, sharing and enjoying the local foods and their presentation, along with some of the music and dance of the area. The bread, called injera, was of a sponge-like texture and a big flat piece was presented on a large plate. It is iron rich, made of teff flour, fulfilling and of a different taste. The rest of the foods were set on it in circles and we all shared beans, cheese spinach and meats combined with local spices. The next day we went to see Lucy, in The Ethiopian National Museum. She is the oldest hominid that has ever been found. The 3.18 million year-old skeleton was named after the Beatles song, “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” which played often in the celebrations that followed her discovery in 1974. Three plus million years on this land! Wow! Wonder how life was then? After visiting with Lucy we went to the local market to buy souvenirs. Mainly a Christian country, with the majority of Christians being Orthodox Tewahedo Christians, we found lots of hand painted orthodox scenes. Too tired, I got confused about the money conversion and got frustrated with the prices at first, only to later discover that all was so inexpensive I could hardly believe it. I ended up carrying home lots of hand woven grass crafts, wood carved intricate crosses, wood painted orthodox scenes, and a wooden priest statue. On the plane coming back, a lot of Americans were returning with beautiful and quiet adopted Ethiopian children, amazed by their new surroundings. Others had went there to help, volunteering with children. In 2008, when we visited, the UN announced that millions of children in Ethiopia were at risk of malnutrition, following a severe drought, and a lot of people adopted children there. One family I talked to went to adopt a boy bu,t while there, they found out he had a brother. So they came back with two kids. One of them was so affectionate, he hardly let go of the adopting father during the whole flight. Sweeeeeeet….. Nice kids…. nice people that help! I love this world and its people! Sometimes. 🙂

Morocco

Miha / March 5, 2012

My first Morocco encounter was not a planned one. As my plane got delayed on the way to France, where I was going to start my trip on the Camino, the connection through Casa Blanca was a failed attempt. Tired and a bit frustrated, I landed in a small hotel by the beach in the famous Casa Blanca, all expenses payed by Royal Air Maroc. The French I studied in school did not come back easy and English did not take me too far in the small hotel. I had time to venture out on the beach and walk far on the boardwalk, and it seemed like the whole town was taking the day off and came out to relax on blankets on the grass, or on sand by the water, watching kids and teens play soccer. I did not get to see much else there but when I made it to Marrakesh, a few years later, it was love at first site. The hostel I chose was right in the middle of the main market, on one of the narrow streets. It was a great (and lucky) choice, and so easy to find. I instantly loved the local, colorful and friendly place. The building was a few stories high with painted wooden doors , window frames, bed boards and closets, and had wonderful old lamps and tiles. Later, for dinner, the smell and taste of tajine, cooked by the manager for all the guests (who wanted to joined in to assist in the cooking) so all could eat together, was a heaven sent gift. Marrakesh really was a delight for my senses with the abundance of colors, smells, tastes, and sounds.The central market was possibly the most exotic market I ever seen. It gave me the feeling that I had plunged back in time, into an old setting of an adventure book I might have read long ago and forgot about. I felt like I might not ever get enough of the color and smell of leather, carpets and spices, the sound of music made by small groups dressed in different national costumes, and the visions of snakes and monkeys providing entertainment. I regret not going there a few days early so I could have had more time before my next assignment and possibly take a few day trips to the desert with the Bedouins. Bummer. Maybe I will go back someday again. Hope so!