Giraffe Centre

Heidi and I went to the giraffe centre in Karen last week.

We got to feed pellets to the giraffes. Their tongues are rather rough and very long (up to 45! cm) and they can curl in every direction. And they slobber!

They gave us a pellet to put between our lips and the giraffe would (kiss us) grab it from between the lips.

Zanzibar

Stone Town

The best ice cream we've ever had: Amore Mio

Grilled octopus and squid anybody?

My fried banana and chocolate thingy's

Jambo,
Jambo bwana
Habari gani?
Mzuri sana.
Wageni mwakaribishwa
Zanzibari
Hakuna matata

Jambiani

We stayed at the beach in Zanzibar at Jambiani, on the east coast.

The ladies went out everyday at low tide to harvest seaweed to sell

We got our feet henna'd

Mosi-oa-Tunya

David Livingstone was the first white person to see the Victoria Falls (in 1855)
It rained the whole time we were there and the mist was quite heavy.

The Falls are mostly on the Zambia side, so the best viewing is from the Zimbabwe side where we were. The Falls is one wide curtain 1.7km wide and about 108m tall. The trail led us along the Zim side along almost the whole width of the falls so we got to see everything.

Us and the Thomases

The Victoria Falls gets most of its waterflow from tourists like this who empty their excess drinking water into the Zambezi

Bungee, bungee, here we go bungee...

Heidi and I went bungee jumping off this bridge in no-mans land between Zimbabwe and Zambia. They wrap a towel around each ankle and connect them with a rope attached to the bungee cord. That's all you have. The harness on us is just for pulling us back up. Heidi's foot almost slipped out of the wrap (scary moment), mine stayed on fine.

Upon signing up for the jump they weigh you and write down the weight and jump number on your arm. Different bungee cords are used for the different weights.

After wrapping your feet up and having you empty all your pockets, they mercilessly lead you over to the ledge, count 5-4-3-2-1 and off you go. No time to re-think your crazy decision.

The jump is 111 meters; going down all you feel is the nothingness under you. It's a heart-stopping feeling to realize you're freefalling all that way with steep cliffs on either side and the Zambezi waiting at the bottom.

Spending so much time upside down makes all the blood pack into your head. After a few rebounds I was already holding my head because it hurt so much. It feels like your eyeballs are popping out. Heidi even got some red spots on her cheeks from little capillaries bursting.

After a little while this guy lowers down and hooks you up to the rope and we got pulled up together. It was such a relief to be upright again!

Zimbabwe

We stayed in this place while we were at Vic Falls. It had rooms in three layers with luxurious bathrooms and nice overall. Heidi and I stayed way upstairs.

What a hunk, eh girls?

This mother hog thought she had met the love of her life, when it was only John playing a joke on her. He made a warthog call and she absolutely froze with the grass still between her lips.

We took a sunset cruise on the Zambezi and saw nothing of the sun. Instead we got pelted by rain and half froze. Some of us made friends with some little girls who sat on our laps and kept us company during the ride.

We visited a croc farm where they grow crocodiles commercially. This one was just a few days old.

Lunch along the Zambezi river with the mists of the falls in the background

Lusyomo

On the day after Christmas we went out to Lusyomo. On the way we played rook and hearts in the back of Alan's truck. Once there we bushwacked out to a waterfall, which the guys promptly climbed (and nearly caused heart-attacks in the rest of us). After a quick and tasty lunch we went over to the clinic where we weighed babies and gave them shots. It was all great!

We crossed the river going to the waterfall, Nancy with her bright pretty umbrella

The mad mudmen from Zambia rising out of the river (Bjorn and Josh)

Rachel gave out cards to the mothers coming in

Kent gave out cabbages to all the mothers

We documented the shots given and the weights of the babies while the others gave the shots.

Riverside

We were at Riverside in Zambia for Christmas and New Years. Heidi and I stayed with Jodi and Elena, their girl SM's

Christmas dinner with everybody: John, Nancy, Rachel, Bjorn, me, Jodi, Elena, Pauline, Josh, Susan, Heidi, Joshua and Kent

After dinner we all went out to Ellen's house and the guys put a new tarp over her roof to stop the leaking. This young man getting a bath is Ellen's grandson, Progress.

Bjorn got a much-awaited call from home

Rachel spent all her time chasing the chickies around

The boys' pet snake Bruce

John was like a little kid taking us on roadbike rides around the countryside

We passed atleast five truckwrecks on the side of the road. In this one the second truck just bowled over the first one, smashing itself and spilling all its cargo in the mud.

We were going to visit a dam, but couldn't make it all the way because a bridge had washed out from all the heavy rains.

Malawi

Our first night in Malawi we spent at Karonga. Heidi and I got flooded out of our tent and tried to sleep in the car, but ended up just warding off bloodthirsty mosquitos. Morning had never been so welcome.

The second night we spent in Nkhata Bay where the water was beautiful and clear with fish swimming around. For supper we had noodles and a very good sauce.

Trip pics

Crescent Island

In December we went to Crescent Island for Sabbath. It's about 90 min drive from Maxwell, down the escarpment, in lake Naivasha.

After lunch we walked around and saw lots of animals close-up. It was nice. There were even some young giraffe.

Mount Longonot in the distance

One of the horses at the house

Lake Naivasha

South Africa

Dad and I flew down to South Africa in December for Adra business.

Me enjoying the waves of the Indian Ocean in Durban

The Golden Mile in Durban. (Photo by my dad)

On Monday we drove from Durban to Bloemfontein, skirting Lesotho. The mountains were beautiful all the way.

The Drakensberg mountains on the edge of Lesotho

Golden Gate in Free state

We stopped by the side of the road and bought some delicious peaches

Sunset between Bloemfontein and Joburg

Johannesburg at night