Quick Update

Sorry for the absolute lack of communication. It's been an interesting few weeks and I haven't had much access to the internet. Let alone the time to do an extensive update. I don't have the time for one now either but I thought a quick message will do.

I'm in Mozambique! Pemba to be exact and it's paradise. I may never leave! Just kidding :) But with the white sand beaches, clear turquoise water, it will be difficult.

The people I was going to meet in Kigale, Rwanda, to discuss volunteering opportunities had to go out of town the entire week we had planned to get together. I took this and our inability to meet the previous time we were in Kigale as a sign that I shouldn't do it. So I decided to continue on traveling with Dona.

We wanted to go to Malawi which required 6 hard days travel through Western Tanzania. That was a trek that required mulitple daylong bus rides and staying in local villages. We finally reached Malawi and stayed in an animal reserve where herds of elephants ate right outside our hut in the evenings. We also had a few luxurious days on Lake Malawi - Nhataka Bay. I'd never seen a lake so clear. It really did look like the ocean. Went snorkelling and rock diving. Great fun until I found out the lake had Blizharia (schistosomiosus [sp?]) so we have medicine to take in three weeks time to kill the parasite and any eggs it laid in our organs. Nice!

We traveled south and decided to take the train across Monzambique so we headed in that direction. Made it to Cuamba and the town where the train took off in three days. Not bad we thought! The train was brilliant. Comfortable in our sleeping car. I slept for 3 of the 12 hour trip and read the rest of the way. Mozambique is beautiful. It has amazing mountains that made me think of Mark and Will and their climbing gear. (You guys would love those mountains!)

We ended up eventually at Ila de Mozambique, the capital back in the day when the Portugese colonized. That's right, they speak portugese here and pretty much no English. Ordering food at restaurants has been an adverture. Luckily we've had nothing horrid, yet! Ila was strange. Amazing old colonial buildings now suffering the effects of neglect and delapidation. It was pretty much desolate as well so we decided one day and one night was enough to experience the place. We did manage to see in our one night the traditional dance (Tofo I think). They paint their faces white. It was really cool. They had a dance that involved a jump rope and we decided to join them in this so got up and got in line. Turns out they don't want to make it easy for you and whippped the rope down and we couldn't escape without the rope slicing into our shoulders. After they finished we showed them how to do the limbo and after awhile everyone was chanting "how low can you go" bending under the rope. Memorable to say the least.

The next morning we headed to Pemba, our current location. We are hoping to arrange a scuba dive but I am getting over a cold so not sure if I'll be able to equalize. If not, just snorkelling for me. But with the clarity of the water that should be amazing anyway.

So on that quick note, I'll go. I've got some serious laying out to do. Wish you all could be here with me. Caio!