The Slog Up North

After a hard eighteen hour mini-bus, chappa (essentially a mini-van crammed with nineteen people and one live chicken), a boat ride across the Zambezi River and a freezing truck ride on a flatbed, huddled with eleven locals to lessen the wind. I am in the small town of Quelimane in North Mazambique. It´s tougher to get around, the raods are worse and there´s lots of waiting around for the chappas to fill up before they leave. I´m taking a "luxury" "express" coach (mind you those terms are used very loosely in these parts) later en route to Ilha of Mocambique where relics of the Portuguese East Africa company remain.

Bom Dia Mozambique !

I like the capital city of Maputo. Who doesn't like a city with streets named after Ho Chi Min, and Mao Tse Tung. And from what I can see so far, Mozambique definitely has a Portuguese flair to it. Make no mistake, this is still Africa. All the buildings could use a power wash, the roads and sidewalks have potholes, garbage is strewn everywhere or piled high by the side of the road and some of the policemen try to hit you up for a bribe. Mini-buses whiz by, and you catch the occasional but unmistakable whiff of sewage.

It is undeniable the Latin influence has made it's mark on the Mozambique people. You can hear it in the music and feel it in the daily rythm as you walk along the sidewalk full of flower, vegetable and fruit sellers. Portuguese is spoken everywhere, the love for the roasted, spiced chicken (frango), kids playing footbul on the quiet streets and great pastelaria shops dot the city with strong coffee and the best tasting, crusty bread in Southern Africa.

Mozamibue does have a pesky problem with mosquitoes and malaria. And it is just coming out of a nasty civil war in the 1980's and early 1990's. One of the local gallery showcases artists who make sculptures from used machine guns and pistols. Interestingly, Mozambique is the only country I know that has an AK-47 rifle dipicted on it's national flag.

Off tomorrow morning at 5:30 a.m. to the beaches in the north. Time to grab a natta...

Sanibonani Swaziland !

I have spent the last four days in the Mlilwane Wildlife Reserve in Swaziland. The hostel is located inside the reserve and is probably the best YHA hostel in the world. Where else can you go for a hike by yourself and share a trail with monkeys, zebras, impalas, wilderbees and warthogs. You can walk pass a hippo pool and watch the bubbles of crocs breathing underwater. Some of the animals wander into camp and there was a family of warthogs happily munching on the lawn and an ostrich that is particularly fond of the one camp ground. There no big predators in the reserve, so I have been thoughly enjoying wandering around the trails and climbing the peaks, and taking a break from the African cities.

Swaziland looks like a spitball wedged between South Africa and Mozambique is a great little country. Technically, it's the kingdom of Swaziland and one of the last monarchies left in Africa with the much beloved King Mswati III. Crossing the border into mostly rural Swaziland, I immediately felt a difference. Relaxed and laidback with a proud and friendly people. Gone was the tensions in South Africa. Gone was what to it seemed to me, only white people in charge of hostels, stores, etc. Gone was the lingering effects of segregation. It feels I'm back in Africa again.

I really like Capetown and the Drakensberg mountain range made me want to get off the bus and go for hike. But the crime and violence is pretty bad in South Africa compared to home. There has been over 80 armed bank robberies and daylight are not uncommon in some cities. I've met a few travellers who have been mugged at knife point or gunpoint in the afternoon and no one seemed to help or numerous home invasions.

Could it be just poverty? With an apporximately 30 percent unemployment rate, there is definitely poverty in the townships and inner cities. Yet, India which is visibly poorer doesn't even come close to their crime rate. Neighbor Zimbabwe has an unemployment rate of 70 to 80 percent and I felt safer walking around the capital city then in Durban or Jo'burg. I keep asking why are there so many guns in South Africa. I know Africa as whole has made gun manufacturers very happy.

Could it be corrupt police. A lot of the bank robberies and armoured car robberies are inside jobs. Perhaps it is the legacy of Apartheid. One white local speculated, the blacks were stealing because when they see someone drive an expenisve car, they assume it was because that person benefited from Apartheid. Given the low wage and high costs, the view is that one can never make the amount needed to buy the things they want. During a township tour, the guide could point out who the criminals were and could probably tell who robbed which bank or hiest. It seemed the criminals were legimate in the community as long as they didn't commit the crimes inside the township. Some of criminals actually contributed to the building of a church. So after ten years since Apartheid has ended, the black still do feel thay are part of greater society. Stealing from the whites was considered heroic during the apartheid years.

There is the fact the black community is fractionalized. There are many tribes and there is not a cohesive group, unlike say the Indian community. One Zimbabwian pointed to the conquering and often violent Zulu history and culture. There is also the fact there is no real social welfare system in South Africa. I'm sure there is a MA thesis somewhere in there.

Off to Mozambigue tomorrow to explore the sandy beaches and Indian Ocean coast. Time to get my passport from their embassy here in Mbabne.

Last View of SA

I am spending my last day in South Africa in the city of Durban before heading northward to Swaziland for some hiking in the mountain regions. Durban is the third largest city in this country and reknown for it's beaches and strong surf of warm water from the Indian Ocean. The city seems a bit run-down though but there is a big East Indian population. Great curries and somosas!!!!! There is also a cheap meal for about $2 you can get around here called the "bunny chow," which is essentially half a loaf of fresh bread scooped out and poured with lamb, mutton, or chicken curry. Delicious as the bread absorbs the sauce. I haven't tried the other South African culinary invention yet... the cheese burger pie.

Before I left Harare, I decided to visit the National Botanical Gardens of Zimbabwe. Don't bother around this time of year. It should be aptly re-named the National Burnt Grass of Zimbabwe. The place is a bit past it's hey-day and not well-maintained. I least I argued my way into using the bathroom without paying a fee. The "gardens" are located near the Presidential Palace as the the road takes you past the high walls, cameras, and impressive number of soldiers. I guess president Mugabe believes in the ol' motto of "keep your friends close, but keep your heavily-armed soldier bodyguards even closer!" Don't wander around the streets surrounding the palace between 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. as the soldiers have orders to shoot first and ask questions later.

I took the overnight bus back to South Africa to Johannesburg or Jo'burg as the locals call the city. The ride was uneventful except for two things. At the border, the immigration officer tried to extort some money from me. I was surprise this occurred on the South Africian side. One of the officers took me aside to a room with a few selected passengers. He demanded to see my passport and all my money on the pretext I was hiding drugs in them. He wanted to count how much I had in my money belt but I insisted I would count infront of him instead. I was a bit taken back when he sweetly suggested, "Wouldn't I like to give him some US dollars" in a room with two other passengers and officers. I refused and put my money away.

Then the bus driver got lost in Jo'burg for a hour trying to find the bus station with the other passengers arguing and telling him which way to go. It was pretty funny as I had already anticipated arriving late. Unlike Capetown, the city center of Jo'burg (and to much extent Durban)is pretty sketchy and daylight armed muggings are not uncommon. The area around the main bus station is pretty bad and you are almost guaranteed to get robbed if you walk out of the station. The hostel owner has picked up travellers on numerous occasions from the police station after being robbed because they decided to have a look around. I find that in the city bus stations and on inter-city buses you will hardly ever see any non-blacks. The public transport system in Jo-burg is pathetic and definitely needs to improve before the World Cup in 2010. And as much as I hate to admit it, in South Africa, I gauge how safe an area is by how many "Non-blacks" I see walking around.

I will always associate Jo'burg with strip malls and shopping complex. I stayed mainly in the safer suburbs of Jo'burg for grocery shopping, cooking and watching movies at hostel. I took a tour of Soweto, probably the most famous township in South Africa. The tour was expensive and felt a bit rushed, but I got a passing glimpse of life in the township. Soweto has homes that range from brick buildings that look like they are from an average suburb to shanty shacks with tin roofs and wooden walls where the one room acts as a kitchen, dining room and bedroom and running water is non-existent. Soweto also has the Hector Pieterson Museum, near the site where the eleven year old boy was shot in 1976 during a protest march against being forced to use the Afrikaan language in school. The anti-apartheid movement gathered momentum after this occurred.

The bus is here.. got to go.

Because... this is Africa

"Because... this is Africa." With those simple words you can just about apply to any situation in Africa that requires an explanation. From why the lights don't work in the train compartments to why the police stop our minibus five times on the same road to why the Zimbabwe economy is in the dumps. Can you believe the capital city has run out of cooking oil and it can't be bought anywhere until the next shipment. Last time it was sugar.

I am traveling with a Japanese guy for a few days before he heads east and I, back down south. We have arrived in Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe, having passed through Bulawayo and Masvingo. Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo is neither congested or noisy, and although there really isn't much to see, it's easy going and hassle free. Bulawayo does have an affection for fast food and every block has a Mr. Chip's, Pie City, or Creamy Inn, Baker's Inn, Pizza Inn and of course, Chicken Inn with the motto, "Luv Dat Chicken!" People in Southern Africa really luv salt and pour it on their food. By far it's the favorite (and at times only) spice/ condiment.

The small town of Masvingo is a good base to see the Great Zimabawe ruins, the largest archeological stone structures in Africa next to the Pyramids. Built in the 11th to 13th century by the Shona people, the ruins are basically a series of walls and building made entirely of carefully placed stones wedged together without any cement or motar. There are two main complexes, one on a hill which overlooks the other complex, 'the great enclosure' in the nearby plains below. Some of the walls reach impressively eleven meters high and five meters thick, and are completely flushed. The soapstone bird which is dipicted on the national flag was also found here.

As for Harare, it's sprawling with wide avenues and streets and a compact city center, but dimly lit when it gets dark. And yet another African city you don't walk out at night unless you like getting mugged. There's definitely more hustle and bustle here, with men in suits, beggers, school children, all going about their business.

A very charming custom in Zimbabwe is the clapping of their hands to say "thanks." When you give something to a local, they clap and cup their hands together to receive it. I like it. For the most part, the Zimbabwians are good natured and always quick to smile or laugh. As one mini-bus passenger put it, "I don't mind (worry), as long as I'm alive." Depsite their financial difficulties, the locals do show spontaneous acts of generosity. An old woman missed her stop yesterday about 250 km away, and soon after, almost every passenger was contributing money to help her get home.

A good test of patience is riding the local bus or mini-bus in Africa. Don't worry about time tables, the buses and mini-buses only leave when they are full. And when I mean full, I mean not just the seats are filled but the aisle must be crammed with standing passengers as well. Yes, this can mean a hour wait at the station while you watch other passengers watching you and the constant flow of fruit, biscuit and drink sellers knocking at your window. A 24 km minibus ride took two hours with constant stops for pick ups and drop offs and a flat tire.

Another good test is using the internet in most of Africa I have seen so far, or what I call, "bushnet." Think of the slowest dail-up internet connection you have ever used... and double it. It can take up fifteen minutes just to read one mail. Add in the sudden power outage or occasional telephone downed line. And why you ask, "because... this is Africa!"

Dr. Livingston, I Presume

Night has fallen on the small town of Victoria Falls (a.k.a. Vic Falls). The dusty streets are pretty quiet with only a few people walking around. Even the black market money changers have all gone home. Zimbabwe's has an official rate and the "real" rate on the pararel or black market which is four or five times the official one. So 1 US gets you 250 Zim dollars but on the black market, it gets you 1200 to 1300 Zim dollars. The problem is everything is pegged to the street rate and it's illegal to change on the street. You will get arrested if you get caught so it's a bit tricky changing the money without getting ripped off. You can go to the post office and buy a stamp for $4 US or use the black market and pay 80 cent. Go figure. The economy in Zimbabwe is so unstable that the money is useless outside of this country and Zambia, and won't be exchanged to another currency. Plus, it's the only currency I know that has an expiry date. The new money issued on August 1, 2006 is only good until July 31, 2007. Nobody talks about President Mugabe or the government openly.

Vic Falls is the main and for many tourists, probably the only place they will visit in the country. A fine place for the government to earn hard currency. Hence, Vic Falls is expensive, from accomodations (some only accept US money) to food to activities. The Falls themselves are impressive. Cost you $20.00 US to see them but I was surprised how wide the actual falls are and how dry it can get. It's the tail end of the dry sesaon so there is only about 8 percent water flowing. The Zambia side is compltely dry and you see the bare rock face going 90 to 100 meters down below where the water would normally fall. Dr. Livingston has often been credited with dicovering Vic Falls but as one local scoffed, the Falls had been seen many times before and Dr. Livingston was only the first white person to have seen it.

Vic Falls is also known for a lot of adventure activities like rafting, bungy jumping, helicopter and ultra-light flights, gorge swinging, and river boarding. But it's not cheap and they only accept US dollars.

Yesterday morning I walked out of the washroom only to see a staff from the hostel whacking a black mamba snake in the head several times with a very big stick. Good Morning Africa!!!!! No messing around here, as it's head got smashed. The snake's poison can kill a man in 25 to 35 minutes and the closest anti-venom is stored in Pretoria, South Africa. A good advice.... don't get bitten. The snake had been trying to make a nest in the same white water rafts we were going to use later that day.

The rafting on the Zambezi River was very intense and most of the rapids were class fours and fives. The waves were nothing I have seen before and really pound you down if you fall over. Having taken my glasses off, I could still see the sheer size of waves. I was surprised how far some of the drops were of 4 to 5 meters and wished I hadn't eaten that spicy chicken for lunch. Our raft flipped over twice and I kind knew it was going to happen when I saw the massive wall water rise up and spill over the front of the raft. I got stuck under the raft the second time and luckily we had already pass the rapid. It's probably the best commericial rafting you can do anywhere in the world.

The overland tour has finished and I miss seeing the other people around. Going on an overland tour has it's pros and cons. On the one hand, you cover alot of ground (4863 km in 19 days) in the least amount of time and at times, money. Taking the tour is also very stress free and my biggest worries was washing my clothes and where to set up the tent at night. I would never have imagined that I would sleep or eat so much. On the other hand, it feels very insolated when you take a tour and I wan't sure I was in Africa at times. We get glimpses of the "real" Africa (the Africa that most people live in) as we passed the straw and mud hut villages or dusty towns.

My impression of Africa so far, is that it is (with the exception of South Africa) not as geared for budget backpacking as other places in the world. Some of the Parks and Reserves can't be reached by public transport so you have to hire a car or require you be in tour anyways. The transport system is not great (especially in Zimababwe with the fuel shortage and at times, locals have to wait at the gas pumps for days to fill up). I'm taking a train tomorrow night for 491 km that will take 13-16 hours.

With the exception of Capetown, all the towns and cities I have seen so far are pretty ugly and nothing like the pleasant descriptons given in the guidebook. I notice in many these towns and cities, you don't go out at night for safety reasons. One camp site we went to had five armed guards. The barb wire business in Africa is very good here. There's an underlying tension in a lot of these places.

But Africa also has a raw beauty to it. The wildlife is Africa is simply amazing from the birds chirping in the early morning, the monkeys trying to steal your food, a pride of lions sleeping in the afternoon sun to the giraffes nibbling on tree leaves. My favorite park has been in Chobe in Botswana and taking the game drive or river cruise, you will see a herd of elephants crossing a river, hipppos taking a mud bath or crocs sun bathing.

Off to grab some maize and stewed beef....