Author Archives: thehighclasshobo

Beautiful Botswana

My laptop is up and running again. Thanks goodness because all of my pictures that were on my camera (which is now at the bottom of the Zambezi River) are on my laptop. The computer technician said that some of the wires had literally melted in the desert because it was so hot. It’s been a long time coming; with no further ado, I give you Beautiful Botswana!

To get into the country of Botswana we took a ferry across the Zambezi River at the point where Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Botswana meet After immigration we walked through a disinfectant and dipped the soles of our shoes in the liquid to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease. At various points through Botswana we had to repeat this process and the truck-trolly had to drive through big puddles of disinfectant. One of Botswana’s major exports is beef so they need to ensure that the cattle stay healthy.

Pretending I’m on the Titanic.

During our first night in Botswana we camped at Thebe River Safaris. We spent the afternoon dominating the pool (a trend that would continue throughout the trip) with extreme versions of childhood games such as 500 up and MarcoPolo. These were later to be known as “Danger” activities. This inside joke followed us throughout the entire trip. I love the people I’m traveling with, they’re hilarious! In the afternoon we went on a River Safari where we were welcome to bring a cooler of our own booze (Hobo win!). We saw many animals up close such as crocodiles, hippos, buffalo, elephants, and we ended the safari with a beautiful sunset over the water.

A Hippo going for a dip in the River.

The next day, after a short drive we stopped for lunch at a place called Elephant Sands. It was named accurately because Luzinda (our driver) had to gun it to get us through the sand so we didn’t get stuck on the way in. We were doing well until an elephant blocked our path and refused to move. Eventually we got to the lunch spot where the elephants had taken over. There is usually a watering hole but it had dried up because the elephants smelled the water coming out of the pipe and they broke the pipe with their trunks. The dominant male elephant had claimed his spot at the swimming pool bathing and slurping up the last of the water that existed in the area.

Dominant Elephant hogging the last of the pool water

After lunch we had a quick stop of the grocery store then we hit Planet Boabab. This camp was scattered with many Boabab or “upsidedown trees”. In the past people believed that God gave every animal a seed to plant. The hyena was given the Boabab seed and because hyenas are jerks they planted their seeds upsidedown, which is why it looks like the roots grow from the top of the tree. Planet Boabab is home to one of the oldest and biggest Boabab trees in the world. It is at least 1500 years old!

Boabab Tree lit up at night

1,500 year old Boabab Tree!

The following day we traveled to River Safari Campground. We were excited to find a pool again but when we went to jump in the staff told us it was being cleaned at the moment. Around 2:00 we asked again if we could go in the pool. The staff attendant leaned over the pool (I thought he was going to do a pH test) but instead he sniffed the water, took a taste, and told us it was good to go! That evening we took care of any business we had on the rare, free wifi and prepped for our outing into the Okavengo Delta.

The Okavengo Delta is a river that starts in the highlands of Angola (the country to the North) and travels down to Botswana where it splits into tributaries. Beyond the tributaries the water simply disappears and evaporates into the desert. This gives you an idea of how HOT it is here. There was one point where I peed on the side of the road and there was actually steam rising from the ground because my urine was so much cooler than the scorching dirt. Our trip into the Okavengo Delta was true bush camping. We took only what we needed and hopped aboard a boat which wound through the twisting tributary for an hour until we arrived at the Poleing Community.

The fastest poler in the community – Lee

At the Poleing Community we transferred our items to Mokoros which are dugout logs that act as little boats. Each team got a “poler” and we set off weaving through the reeds as our poler used a giant stick to push the boat along. As you sit in the Mokoro you are pretty much even with the water level. You can’t make any sudden movements because the Mokoro will tip over. It was so much fun to wisp through the reeds and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine.

Gliding through the reeds

We reached our destination and set up camp. In the afternoon we swam in the crystal clear delta water and tried our luck at balancing and steering our own Mokoro. It was much harder than it looked! If you weren’t in the water that afternoon, you had to be in the shade. That day was the most intense heat I’ve ever felt in my life; I drank 5 litres of water and still felt dehydrated. Once it “cooled off” around 4:00 we took the Mokoros down the Delta so we could go on a walking safari. We had to wear pants so we didn’t get spiked by the thorny vegetation. We walked in silence for 2 hours and saw a Tsessepe which is a rare antelope that can run up to 70 km an hour. We also saw some giraffes running (they are so awkward with their gawky, long legs), a hyena nest, and a giant termite mound.

Huge, rock hard termite mound.

Upon returning to our bush we got to sample a traditional Botswana meal which consisted of a hearty, thick beef and vegetable stew served over milliepop which is like a thick porridge-mashed potato mush made of ground maize. Since it was a traditional African meal, it had to be served like a traditional meal. Each girl in our group had to pick a boy to serve. We were expected to know the proportions that our man would want and then had to serve it to them while kneeling down in front of them. Only after all the males were served could the females go help themselves to dinner. We spent the evening around the campfire listening to the locals sing traditional songs, dancing with them, and playing campfire games under the desert stars.

The shores of camp

Upon our return to River Safari Campground the next day we all hopped into a much-needed shower and hit the road again. Our next stop was a secluded quarry campsite that we had all to ourselves. The old quarry was filled with a beautiful green water that was perfect for swimming. Later that evening we went for a walk with the San Bushmen. The San people talk in a click language so we had a translator. They took us through the shrub of the desert and taught us the medicinal use for certain roots they dug up. The San people are trying to keep their traditional way of life so they still dress in minimal animal skins and hunt and gather their food. The San people found giant caterpillars in cocoons for us to eat and they cooked them over a fire they started by rubbing two sticks together. To wash down their meal they drank water from a hollowed out ostrich egg that acted as their water bottle. The San people are SO resourceful and fascinating; it’s amazing how they survive.

Meeting the San Bushmen

Bushman water bottle

Building a Fire

Compared to the other African countries I have been to Botswana is very forward thinking. The tourism industry is based on “high quality, low impact” which basically means they jack the prices of tourism up so less people will come which leads to a healthier impact on the environment while still gaining financially. The President of Botswana is the son of a previous president who was exiled from his own country for marrying a white woman. Now that the current president from the original family is back in power the national animal of Botswana is the black and white Zebra to represent the acceptance of interracial marriages and families.

The next day we crossed to border from Botswana into Namibia, but I’ll save that for another post. Ka-a-os (good-bye in Damara) for now!

We have raccoons that dig through our garbage. Botswana has Pumbas.

North Namibia

2 Replies

I have skipped writing about the country of Botswana. Actually, I shouldn’t say I skipped it because I have the entire blog written and the photos picked out. Unfortunately that particular post is on my laptop that won’t turn on anymore. I think the poor thing got fried in the desert. Anyway, it’s in an African computer shop now and I’m praying that they can fix it. If they can, Botswana will be posted within the week. So, for now I give you …

North Namibia!

Windhoek is the capital of Namibia (not just the name of a popular African beer) and that is where we stayed our first day upon entering this new country. As far as cities go it was nice. It’s very evident that things are getting more luxurious the farther south we travel.The highlight of the day was going out to dinner at a funky establishment where we tried eating a wide variety of animals we had ogled over on safari the past 30 days. I tried the Bushman’s Special which consisted of kudu, oryx, crocodile, zebra, and springbok. Kudu tasted like steak, the zebra was a gamey tasting beef (no white or dark meat). My favourite was the juicy and succulent oryx and the chewy tough crocodile didn’t even make it down my throat.

The Bushman’s Special with Milliepop and Salad

The next day we started driving into the desert towards Waterberg National Park. Once there we were excited to go to the pool but to our dismay the baboons had taken it over! This might sound cute but those things are vicious and the males are enormous. Their teeth are longer than those of a lion. We watched them for awhile contemplating our plan to get into the pool area. We could see another group of tourists trapped on a portion of the deck. Surrounded by baboons they had sticks in hand ready to fight; it looked like a scene from Planet of the Apes. Eventually after having a baboon run directly at our biggest human male we took the hint and left.

They may look innocent but baboons are crazy!

Not all was lost though, we went on an amazing hike up the Waterberg Plateau later that afternoon. The colours in the rocks were incredible and the view from the top into the flat desert land was a scene I could have stared at for hours.

Colourful rock at the Waterberg Plateau

The fabulous view; worth the hike!

The following day we headed to Etosha National Park which is approximately 24,000 square kilometres. We game drove into the park and stayed there for 2 nights. We saw the usual elephants, giraffes, zebras, kudu, springbok, and jackals. We also finally saw the last animal we needed to see to complete our sighting of “The Big Five,” – the Black Rhino!!!

Rhinos at the watering hole

There are White Rhinos and Black Rhinos. The funny thing is that they are both grey. The White Rhino was actually called, “wide rhino” because it’s lip is wider and more hooked than the other rhino. There was a miscommunication and someone thought it was named White Rhino, so when they discovered the other rhino they named it the opposite; Black Rhino.

Mama Rhino and Baby Rhino

Some other highlights we saw on safari were a giant male lion crossing the road in front of us, a rare spotting of a leopard up close, a dead elephant, and two male lions that were eating and wrestling over a springbok they had killed.

Leopard spotting (no pun intended)

We spent our time in the evening at the watering hole. Basically there is a big pond of water with some floodlights shining on it and a fence cutting off the national park from the campsite. You can wander down to the watering hole and sit on a bench or lean against the fence and watch rhinos, giraffes, elephants, and lions come and go to drink from the watering hole. Everyone watches in silence. It’s like a giant movie theatre but way better! …. a great way to spend an evening.

Elephant and Rhino enjoying a drink

Our last stop through Northern Namibia was Twyfelfontein which translates to Doubtful Fountain. In this area we strolled among 5000 year old rock engravings created by the San Bushmen. Some of the rock carvings were used as maps to show water sources, others were like chalkboards to teach the children what certain animal footprints looked like, and other pictures such as the human-lion were used for traditional ceremonies.

The “chalkboard” to teach the younger generations about the animals

Our last night before heading to the opulence of Southern Namibia involved a desert walk to look for scorpions. Scorpions glow in the dark so we brought a black light but that was our only source of seeing. We only found one baby scorpion and one crazy-fast, big, white spider. What was way more entertaining was following people around with a little piece of grass and brushing it over their feet or up their legs to watch them jump or swat non-existent scorpions off themselves.

The next day we packed up our dusty tents and headed to a life of luxury waiting for us in Swakopmund!

Only in Africa can you ride an elephant skull!

Zambia

Leave a reply

The first night in Zambia we stayed outside of the capital city of Lusaka in a border town called Chipata. There was an immediate difference between Zambia and Malawi. There were way more cars, way more white people, and many of the buildings were made out of cement as oppose to mud brick. These huts had a thatched roof with a pointy top. Zambia’s main income is copper and tourism. Unfortunately the government does not manage the natural resources very well and deforestation is a major issue, but if they are smart enough they may be able to rely on tourism as a source of income in the future.

Waking up to zebras outside our tent

In Chipata we woke up to zebras roaming around our tent and giraffes not too far off in the distance. A giant dog named Mufasa made sure the wildlife didn’t get to close to the visitors. After a full day of travel we spent 4 days in Livingstone. Livingstone was like entering a whole new world! We stayed at Waterfront Zambezi Lodges and Campground. There was a gorgeous restaurant, bar, and pool area that overlooked the river with the country of Zimbabwe on the other side. The first thing we needed to do when we got there was to book our excursions. Livingstone is an adrenaline junkie’s paradise but this is NOT the place for a Hobo. Livingstone is very expensive so I had to pick and choose what activities I wanted to do the most. Seeing as the bungee jump consisted of 2 towels and one strap around your ankles to hold you in I decided to skip that option. The microflights and helicopter ride were $200 + for 15 minutes which I simply could not justify. Whenever I travel I try to go whitewater rafting. I think it’s a great way to view the scenery, get some exercise, and bond with other people on the trip. The full day raft down the Zambezi River was a no brainer for me. I also decided to dedicate a day to go to Victoria Falls National Park and day to go to Devil’s Pool.

The first day of adventure was rafting. 13/14 people in our tour group also decided to do the full day rafting. Two of those people could not really swim and a few other were not very comfortable with the water. Before booking we watched the promo video of the raft flipping in huge rapids to some extreme music in the background. Those of us that had rafted before assured the rest of the group that the raft flipping was worst case scenario and they were just trying to market the day to look more exciting. I felt really bad once we got on the water because I realized my advice couldn’t have been more far from the truth.

Paddling our hearts out before being flipped into a rapid

Our rafting guide’s name was Steve and he had been guiding on that river for 23 years. You know those people that are bored with their jobs so they have to amuse themselves at work so they don’t go crazy? I think this was Steve. He took pure joy and pleasure in watching us struggle. For instance, one of the girls fell out on the first rapid. We pulled her in and in between coughs she told Steve she had swallowed a bunch of water, to which he responded with an ice cold face, “Keep your mouth shut then, Singapore.” I would catch him grinning sometimes when he thought we weren’t looking; he was genuinely amused by what we felt were near death experiences.

The names of the rapids should have been our first hint that the day was going to be intense.

By the third rapid I had figured out that Africa must have a different way of rating rapids. Rapids can be class 1-5. I have rafted Class 4 and felt perfectly confident and safe but these were a class all on their own! On the rapid named, “Devil’s Toilet Bowl,” our entire boat flipped and I got stuck underneath. They tell you in the safety debrief to stay calm and walk your hands along the raft until you reach the edge. I did that but I wasn’t getting anywhere. After what felt like an eternity (even though it was probably less than 5 seconds) Steve reached under, found me, and pulled me out. Even though he is the least sympathetic person I’ve ever met he is in my good books now.

This wasn’t the only rapid we flipped on. There were 25 rapids total that day and we fell out on 6 of them. Now, that doesn’t sound like a lot but when you are being tossed around underwater in what feels like a washing machine with no idea when you’re going to surface again, it can get pretty strenuous. Once you do surface you then have to take a quick breath because you know you are going to get slapped in the face with another giant wave and go back down again. If you’re lucky enough to have been able to grab the “oh shit rope” that is tied around the edge of the raft you have to try not to get smacked in the head with the bobbing raft or squished between your raft and the rocks on the edge of the river bed. All in all, it was a terrifying outing but one of my favourite days on the trip so far. It was so much fun telling our stories in the bar afterwards and we still talk about it almost every day. At this point in my blog I usually insert some cool pictures. Unfortunately my waterproof, indestructible camera is somewhere at the bottom of the Zambezi River. Like I said, the rapids were a lot more intense than I was anticipating so I naïvely brought my camera. So there are no pictures of me rafting. 😦

Bird’s eye view of the first rapid, “The Boiling Point”

The following day we went to Victoria Bridge which connects the country of Zambia to Zimbabwe. It was here that I watched some of my fellow travelers do the “Big Air Experience” which consisted of ziplining across the gorge, bungee jumping 111 m towards the Zambezi River, and swinging off the bridge. It looked terrifying. In the afternoon we went to Victoria Falls National Park too see one of the Natural Wonders of the World. Mosi-oa-Tunya which means “the smoke that thunders” is original name for the Falls. David Livingstone renamed the waterfall Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria upon his “discovery” of them. One million liters of water fall second down the 108 m cliff into the 1.7 km wide gorge. In the wet season it would looks like a giant, continuous curtain of water. It is the end of the dry season now but it was still a spectacular sight.

Victoria Falls National Park

David Livingstone plaque

The following morning consisted of a trip to Devil’s Pool, the most extreme infinity pool in the world. We took a taxi to Livingstone Hotel which was beautiful and cost $800 a night! Needless to say we used a lot of the free moisturizer in the bathrooms and one girl even took some of the nice smelling potpourri to put in her tent. We took a little boat out to Livingstone Island. It’s a weird feeling voluntarily driving towards a 108 meter waterfall drop. When we got to the island we had the chance to stroll close to the edge (no fences, ropes, or warning signs in sight) and essentially get as close as we wanted to peek over the side into the gorge. The Falls were stunning from above and there was a gorgeous double rainbow!

Double Rainbow

After taking some pictures we were led to a chunk of water we had to swim across. There was a bit of a current but we made it across safely. Once on the other side we climbed up on a rock. The Falls were no less than 10 meters ahead of us with a little pool of water between us and the drop down into the gorge. Our guide backflipped in and simply floated to the edge where he climbed up and STOOD ON THE EDGE OF THE WATERFALL. One at a time we cautiously slipped into the water and allowed the current to push us to the other side where we held onto a little rock ledge so we wouldn’t topple over the falls. Once everyone was in we sat up on the ledge for a picture.

Sitting on the edge of a waterfall!

As if being nervous about toppling over Victoria Falls wasn’t enough, the Devil’s Pool was filled with little fish that like to eat the dead skin cells from human bodies. So once in a while you’d get a little nibble on your feet, legs, or even bum from these fish trying to get a meal. To get us out of the pool someone threw us a rope and dragged us back to the rock where we battled the current to swim back to Livingstone Island.

Cautiously taking a peek over the edge.

The next day we hopped on our truck-trolly with our new tour guides Lucinda and Colleen to continue our journey to the border of Botswana. The High Class Hobo had survived Zambia!

WOWi I’m in Malawi!

Leave a reply

Malawi, aka: “the warm heart of Africa”. I can definitely see how the country of Malawi has earned this reputation. Everything about this country communicates kindness and welcoming warmth. Malawi is about the size of the US state of Pennsylvania with Lake Malawi covering one fifth of the country. This means that many Malawians depend on the freshwater Lake for their survival. Lake Malawi has more species of fish than any other Lake in the world! Most of the locals fish in dugout canoes in order to make a living.

Dugout canoes in a small fishing village

We arrived around mid-day at the border between Tanzania and Malawi. The border crossings are MUCH different than back home. We hopped out of our truck-trolly then strolled to an office to show our passport. After that we had the chance to change money. 1 US dollar = about 1100 Kwacha. To put things in perspective, a giant bottle of beer costs 500 Kwacha. This country was made for High Class Hobos!

After changing our money we walked across the border… yup walked. We entered an office where they recorded our names and passport numbers by hand. We were all fine except for poor Ling, my tentmate. They made her pay $50 US dollars plus a 10 000 Kwacha processing fee for a visa that she didn’t need. Unfortunately Singapore was on the “list” of countries that need visas. This list was either really old or completely made up. Ultimately it didn’t matter though, the choice was to pay or to stay in Tanzania and fend for yourself.

Later that day we stopped in Mezuzu to go to the “shopping mall” which was just a gated grocery store where we could buy some more water and snacks. A bunch of us also bought some pills that will kill the Lake Malawi parasites. Apparently this parasite comes from snails in the Lake and can get into your blood stream. For 2$ I bought the pills that I will take 6 weeks from now just in case I get infected.

We set up camp on the shores of Lake Malawi. The campsites have far exceeded my expectations. Most have toilets and showers (not always warm, but at least it’s a shower), and they usually have a really great bar area full of character. The following morning I woke up early to sit on the beach, drink my coffee, and watch the sunrise. It was so tranquil and stunning. The locals came and sat with us for a bit. Often when I see the locals approaching I know they want to sell me something. However, these children just wanted to sit with us and chat and enjoy the sunrise too. Malawians are different.

Sunrise over Lake Malawi

The next day we packed up and drove to a Kande Beach which is further down the 500 km coast of Lake Malawi. This spot was amazing. We had a big party night with some other tour groups which included dancing on the bar, jumping on each other’s backs, crowd surfing through the bar, and an awful rendition of “Bless the Rains down in Africa” performed by our group. It was an absolute riot.

The next day we went for a long walk down the beach. We wandered off the beach and through some of the tiny fishing villages. Three local teenagers followed us the entire time. We told them we were not going to give them any money but they were welcome to walk with us and chat. They did just that; they walked with us for 2 hours asking us all sorts of questions and pointing out different things to us as we strolled.

Cassava Crops

That afternoon was a beach day. I applied my SPF 50 sunscreen and enjoyed the warmth of the sparkling sand. A beach volleyball game, a swim, and a nap later the afternoon had turned into evening.

The next morning I woke up early and went for a run down the beach. I jogged past the fishing village where everyone was up before sunrise to do their dishes or washing in the Lake and get their nets ready for fishing. The sun rose in the sky like a giant golden ball surrounded by gentle cotton candy coloured clouds. Definitely worth waking up for!

After breaking camp we drove to our next destination, the capital of Malawi, Lilongwe, to stay at Senga Bay camp. The Malawi children love to wave at us in our truck-trolly thing. At one point we stopped for a scenic view and there was a little girl there. Some of the people on the tour had some books, pencil crayons, and candy they had brought for the children. Once the girl received a gift all of a sudden kids started appearing out of paths in the bushes and sprinting down the road towards us. They were like a flock of seagulls trying to get a scrap of bread. Anyone who had anything to give was swarmed. It was really funny. When we ran out of things to give them they all stood together and sang us a song as a thank you. It was really cute.

Observing the local kids

However, once we got to Lilongwe, the locals weren’t quite as kind. The day before we arrived there had been riots in the streets. Apparently the lower class had set up a market in a space they were not allowed to be. Their warning to move had expired by a week so the government came in to encourage them to move. From what I understand the market was set on fire, then the market owners retaliated by setting tires on fire as well as a primary school funded by the First Lady of Malawi. Fortunately, some of the teachers evacuated the children to one of the teacher’s houses before the mob got to the school. Needless to say the people in Lilongwe were a bit on edge. At one point we actually had rocks thrown at our truck-trolley. We detoured our route for fuel and supplies to an area further away from where the riots had taken place and when we stopped for lunch later that day our driver did some abnormal off-roading into the bush before we stopped. Mwendwa said he was looking for shade for us but I think they were just trying to get out of sight. It kind of backfired though because there was a village in the distance and once the people discovered we were there they all gathered around. We gave them our leftovers from lunch and our empty water bottles but they kept hanging around. From the look of the children with their distended bellies I think these people were quite hungry. Eventually John lured the group away with a loaf of bread while we opened the door to the truck-trolley, all scrambled on, then drove out of the bush sans John. Our fearless leader caught up with us on the main highway running our direction with a smoke in hand and no more bread.

Front page news

Later that day we made it to the Malawi-Zambia border. This border was similar to the other one we crossed. We showed our visas and yellow fever certificates, had our temperature taken as an Ebola precaution, and received a free condom each to discourage the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Overall, I really liked Malawi. From what I’ve read it is a major up and coming tourist destination. If the government can stabilize itself I think it has great potential. Next up, The High Class Hobo enters Zambia!!!

Zanzibar

1 Reply

To all my followers: Thank you for your patience. WiFi spots have been practically non-existent for awhile. I’m going to try to release a few blogs over the next few days. My spelling and grammar might have some mistakes too because I often have to type blogs on my tiny little iPhone. Thanks for reading!!!

I made it to the Zanzibar! I’m not talking about the strip club in Toronto …although there were some people skinny dipping in the Ocean. After our safari we camped for one night then woke up at 3:30 in the morning to tear down our tents and get on the road. I thought Toronto commutes were bad but apparently traffic in the city of Dar es Salaam is even crazier. 12 hours later we arrived at a beautiful campsite on the beach with a funky bar and small swimming pool. It’s a shame we didn’t get to stay longer but what was waiting for us after a 2 hour ferry ride was way better! We stayed at the gorgeous Nungwi Hotel on the North tip of the Zanzibar Island. There was a clean pool, a white sand beach, stunning turquoise water, and a delicious bar and restaurant. This place was an African Ritz.

The next day we went snorkeling over the coral reef in the clear blue water. We saw starfish, trumpet fish, zebra fish, sea urchins, and so many other fish of various shapes and colours. Lunch was some fresh tuna, rice, and veggies cooked over the fire on the beach.

Star fish

That evening we decided to do a group pub crawl down the beach. It essentially consisted of us strolling down the beach trying to get into the fancy hotels to buy a beer and then being asked to leave. Eventually we gave up and decided to have dinner at the cheapest spot we could find. They set up a cute candlelit table on the beach for us and I feasted on a burger, fries, and a giant bottle of beer for $8.12. That was almost as cheap as the amazing Maasai steak dinner I ate the night before for $9.02.

Beach Crawl!

The whole gang at sunset

The next day we headed to a spice plantation. The Zanzibar’s main export is spices and it was also a major port for slave trading. As we toured the area they gave us leaves to smell or bark to chew on and we had to guess what type of spice it was. At the end a man climbed a really tall coconut tree for us as he sang a Swahili song. The tree was at least 15 m high and he shimmied up it like it was nothing! We drank the coconut water and ate the coconuts while they made us little crowns and hats made out of grass. It was really touristy but lots of fun.

Slurping down some coconut water

After the spice plantation we made our way to Old Stone Town, the main port of the Zanzibar. This area is predominately Muslim so us girls had to wear pants that would cover our knees and t-shirts to cover our shoulders. It was HOT! I have no idea how the females wear their long dresses and head scarves all the time. I tried to turn on the air conditioning in our hotel room but the electrical switch sent sparks all over the shag carpet below so I made the executive decision that we would go without air conditioning for the day and night. Our group had lunch at a classy restaurant overlooking the sea and then we had the afternoon to wander. They say the best way to explore Stone Town is to simply get lost. Well… we did. There were so many twisting alleys and little side streets filled with shops it was easy to get really, really lost.

Some of the local girls in their school uniforms

When we eventually found our way back to the hotel we went for dinner to the Forodhani Gardens. This was an area where people come and set up little stands to sell Zanzibar pizzas, chips, samosas, sugar cane juice, and a wide variety of seafood with flies buzzing all over it. I went for the home made French fries and a banana-nutella Zanzibar pizza. It was delectable and only 2000 shillings ($1.20) each!

I awoke the next morning to the sound of an urgent voice yelling over a loudspeaker talking rapidly in Swahili. I had no idea what it was but I can tell you it was not the most relaxing way to wake up. Was the Zanzibar under attack!? Pirates? It turns out it was simply the Call to Prayer. Basically someone comes on a loudspeaker at 5:00 in the morning every day and says a prayer for the Muslims. I’ll never curse my beeping alarm clock again; it’s tranquil in comparison.

Winding streets in Stone Town

We hopped on the ferry back to the mainland. The ride was a lot rougher than before. A lot of people were puking at the back of the boat. I’m lucky I have decent sea legs and Daddy-obo taught me to sit at the front of the boat and look at the horizon. Once back in Dar we met up with Mwendwa our driver and climbed aboard our beloved truck-trolly thing.

I highly recommend the Zanzibar for anyone looking for an exotic beach destination with a lot of history and culture too. I could have easily spent a week there lapping up the luxurious views and visiting the delicious and affordable restaurants. Next stop, Iringa (the capital of Tanzania) and then onward to the country of Malawi.

My breakfast view.

Living the Lion King

Leave a reply

I began the next step of my journey in Arusha, Tanzania. I joined a “participation camping” tour. This means that we drive around as a group in a great big truck-trolly thing. We almost always cook our own meals and set up and take down our own tents. Touring this way saves a lot of money. I joined the group a day late at Snake Park; thank goodness it was not named accurately!

The following day we packed our things and headed out to the Serengeti for a three day safari. I’m not really an animal person and the idea of a safari intrigued my expectations for the experience were not that high. Wow, was I wrong! The Serengeti itself if something to marvel at. Serengeti means “endless plain” in Maasai. The Maasai picked a perfect name for it. You could look into the distance as far as the eye could see and it was a never ending plane of arid shrubs and dust spotted with various animals. If the sheer size of the area does not amaze you then the animals living there will.

I thought a game drive would involve driving around in a beat up Land Rover for hours with the occasional sighting in the distance of a giraffe or some sort of buffalo. Once again, I was proven wrong! Before we even arrived through the official Serengeti gates we saw zebras, giraffes, and baboons.

I was expecting a game drive would involve driving around in a beat up Land Rover for hours with the occasional sighting in the distance of a giraffe or some sort of buffalo. Boy was I wrong! Before we even arrived through the official Serengeti gates we saw zebras, giraffes, and baboons. Shortly after we got through the gates we saw a cheetah standing statue still on a giant boulder. The next thing we knew the cheetah had disappeared into the long grass. We were so busy watching the cheetah that we didn’t notice the group of gazelle behind us crossing the road from the opposite side. The next thing we knew all the gazelle were scattering except for one that had been taken down by the stealthy cheetah who had snuck through the long grass. The cheetah found its friend and in between pants to catch their breath they scarfed down on the gazelle. Once in a while the cheetahs would pop up out of the grass to take a break from eating and they looked like a pair of drag queens with a bad lipstick job. Blood was everywhere but I suppose that’s the Circle of Life.

We drove on for a while longer and suddenly got a radio call. The driver was speaking rapid Swahili and before we knew it, Seif (our driver) was ripping off down the road in search of god knows what. We tightly held the bars in the jeep and ducked just as time as a flock of birds flew right across the path our jeep was heading. Our jeep smoked a few but we all came out with featherless smiles so we were ok with that.

We veered around a dirt pile and saw a few other jeeps. We also saw two giant male lions resting and we were about 15 meters away! This pair of brothers weren’t the only lions we saw. There was a solo lioness that had just eaten a huge meal and was strolling down the dirt road without a care in the world. A few days later we saw a lioness with her cubs. Needless to say, a lot of references to the Disney movie “The Lion King” were made.

Lioness strolling casually down the road

We continued on our drive and saw numerous zebras and wildebeest. The wildebeest travel in large packs and they all run together in a big herd. Wildebeest are the animals that accidently trampled Mufasa in the Lion King. It turns out that the wildebeest are really stupid so they follow the zebras around because they know that the zebras are smart. However, the wildebeest are not as dumb as the warthog (or pumba as they’re called in Swahili … and the Lion King). Warthogs have a memory span of 3 minutes. They might be kneeling down eating and then suddenly forget why their kneeling. Similarly, they might be running from a predator and forget why they are running. I think they need to take a page out of the Wildebeest’s book and follow the zebras around.

We set up our tents at DikDik camp that night. We were taught how to shine our flashlights into the grass to look for reflective eyes so we could stay safe. We also had to open the bathroom doors carefully because once a small lion wandered in and when it turned to try to get out the door shut behind it. One of our guides clients went to use the washroom and the lion tried to pounce to get out of the stall but instead accidently shut the door on itself again. I doubt the client would have needed the toilet after that scare! Our guide (John) also told us of the time a lion was brushing up against his tent, trying to scratch itself. John was afraid the whole tent would come down and the lion would step on him so he moved over to the side of the tent and gave the lion a quick punch in the side. Although it would be super cool to say I punched a lion, I’m really glad no wildlife bothered us at night.

The next day our game drive started at 6:30. Two people in our group went on a hot air balloon safari but this hobo couldn’t justify the $500. Our jeep went and picked them up before lunch and as we were driving back we saw a leopard with its kill. The leopard was slowly dragging the gazelle body over to a tree. When it eventually got to the tree it must have decided it was too heavy to drag up the tree (which is what they usually do) so it simply ate a bit them climbed up to relax. The ease with which it climbed was amazing!

We stayed at Simba Camp the next night which was at the top of Ngorongoro Crater. It was COLD. I never realized how chilly the desert got at night and definitely should have packed my warm jacket. Ngorongoro Crater is named after the sound of the bells that the Maasai used to put on their cattle and goats so they wouldn’t lose them. It is one of the largest unbroken volcanoes that is not a lake in the world.

We made the steep drive to the bottom in the hopes that we would see the endangered black rhino. We didn’t see the rhino but we did see more elephants, hyenas hunting, ostriches, baby jackal, tons of hippos (literally), baboons, a bird carrying a green mamba snake, secretary birds, a family of giraffes, blue balled baboons (named accurately), flamingos, and many more zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, and gazelle.

Seeing the vast landscape and the incredible wildlife was so much more remarkable than I expected. Needless to say, I will be borrowing Mama Hobo and Daddy-obo’s VHS copy of The Lion King when I get home. But first, The High Class Hobo is hitting up the Zanzibar. Tutaonana for now!

Life at Peace Matunda

5 Replies

After a week of living at Peace Matunda I have comfortably settled in. I honestly cannot believe that I will be moving on so soon. I can see how people spend months or years in places like this.

Peace Matunda was founded by a man named Kaaya Unabwe. Kaaya was a former tour guide who realized there was a need in the area for an orphanage and free/reduced cost schooling. Peace Matunda School and Orphanage is funded in a few different ways. The first way is through the donations of volunteers through the Ciciley Foundation based in the UK. Secondly, volunteers that visit the school and orphanage to spend time at Peace Matunda also contribute. I paid a fee to come to Peace Matunda – part of this fee covered the volunteer visa, another part went towards my food and board, and the rest was put towards funding Peace Matunda. The third way Peace Matunda is funded is through tourism. Since Kaaya has a tourism background he has organized tours for which people can sign up. The profits of the tourism assist in funding Peace Matunda. Some of these options are tours common to Tanzania such as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, climbing Mt. Meru, cultural tours to learn about the surrounding area and orphanage, safaris, and the Maasai tour that I took when I first arrived here. The tours offer really authentic experiences and are comparable in price to other tours offered. So why wouldn’t you take a tour with Peace Matunda and know that the profits are going to a good cause?

One day they let me tag along with an Austrian family on the Waterfall Hike free of charge – Hobo Score!

Peace Matunda functions like a small community. Everyone has their jobs and when individuals work together it runs smoothly. Jackie and Claudia are in charge of organizing tours and taking care of administrative concerns. The “Mamas” make sure that dinner is cooked and laundry is done. This is a full time job because the beans need to be peeled and the laundry has to be done by hand in a bucket then dried on the line. The volunteers (myself and Matias) teach some of the classes at school and play with or entertain the kids in their spare time. The children are in charge of keeping their rooms clean and helping with chores such as cooking, washing dishes, piling firewood, sweeping, etc.

Unisi sweeping the leaves into a pile.

Doing the laundry by hand.

Peeling potatoes for dinner.

There are 25 orphans that live at Peace Matunda and they range in age from 2-13. The totos (translates to babies in Swahili) live in the Amani House with a full time Mama to take care of them. There is a house for the older boys and a house for the older girls. The children attend school Monday to Friday, but these 25 kids are not the only ones who attend Peace Matunda School. There are about 220 students who attend. If the families can give $5 a month for them to come to school, they do. If the family cannot afford for them to come to Peace Matunda the fee is waived so the child can have education regardless of the financial situation. Children here are fed lunch which is usually maize and beans. However, on their way to school they must pick up a piece of firewood and bring it to the kitchen after opening exercises in order to earn their lunch for the day.

The Toto’s house.

After investigating the education system more I have learned that Peace Matunda is actually a very good school. They teach English starting with the Primary age. This sets the students up for success because when they get to secondary school the entire curriculum is in English so they have a better understanding of the language and content. Also, in the government schools the families need to pay for uniforms and books for the students. There are up to 100 students in each class. I have trouble reaching the individual needs of 25 students in a class so I can only imagine the quality of education in a government school. Furthermore, sometimes the teachers do not show up to teach the classes.

Class 4

A typical day at Peace Matunda means waking up around 6:30… if you are lucky enough to sleep that long. The roosters start crowing as early as 4:00 and there is a cow that I swear must come over and moo right into my window to wake me up around 5. The kids are running, screaming, and playing by 6. How do they have that much energy in the morning!? If there is water you can have a quick shower.

My aim improved at a record rate since I am in charge of cleaning my toilet.

Breakfast is set out by Mama Shani and consists of instant coffee (which is a shame because one of Tanzania’s cash crops is coffee beans), white bread, peanut butter, and red plum jam.

Breakfast

We head over to the school around 7:45 where the students partake in opening exercises. They sing their national anthem as well as some hymns. Announcements are made and then the Tanzanian flag is raised. After exercises children run to give the House Mama their firewood to ensure they get their lunch and then scramble to their classes which start at 8:00.

Opening Exercises

The classes last one hour and twenty minutes! This is without the entertaining interaction of smart boards, fancy powerpoints, and the variety of other exciting resources that we have in Canadian schools. The classrooms are basic with wooden benches and desks and a chalkboard, but they are clean and not overcrowded. The students get a 20 minute break to play at 10:40. At home this is lunch time but at Peace Matunda we don’t get lunch until 1:00. Lunch usually consists of some sort of rice or maize and beans. Unfortunately, meat seems to be non-existent here. After lunch there is a different activity every day. Some of the activities include debate time, dance and drama, religion, or the most popular, sport time. In fact, there seems to be a lot of sport time that gets substituted for class time. These kids (and maybe the teachers too) could play Football for HOURS! Around 3:30 or 4 students are dismissed to go home.

The boys playing “Boxing” in their spare time.

The children at Peace Matunda have time to do their chores and then free time. Free time usually consists of, yup, you guessed it, more Football! Sometimes the girls will play different low organized games or care for the younger children who are not yet able to keep up with the game. Sometimes I will run a “workout class” in an attempt to tire the kids out. Dinner isn’t until 7:30 or 8:00. I’m not going to lie, this kills me. I’m used to my 3 square meals a day with snacks in between, and a diet rich with meat or other sources of protein, and vegetables. Dinner, again, is usually some sort of carbohydrate and some sort of bean. After dinner we watch some TV or read. There’s usually about 10-15 of us piled onto a couch and a few chairs. There are no personal space bubbles in Tanzania so children are flopped all over each other (and me) like a litter of pups.

Kids Everywhere!

After being here a week I have started to get into a routine. I find myself looking forward to certain things. For instance, I look forward to Tuesday nights because we get Chips Mayai for dinner. This is essentially homemade French fries baked into an egg omelet, with some cabbage and watermelon on the side. SO GOOD! I also look forward to Friday and Saturday nights because the other volunteer, Matias, brought a projector all the way from Argentina and we watch movies from his laptop projected onto a white sheet on the wall. I like Thursdays because we get Chupatta’s and beans for lunch. Chuppatas are like a thick fried wrap or pita. But out of all the days Friday afternoons are my favourite because we have a BIG football game.

A low key football game

Football Fridays consist of walking for 25 minutes to get to the real soccer field which has wooden goal posts but still no line markings. The male teachers and all the bigger boys or younger boys who are incredibly skilled get to play. I joined in and played on Friday in the hopes that I would be a role model for some of the girls to join in as they usually just watch or play other games on the sidelines. I’m not going to lie, I got schooled by a few of the kids; their speed and ball control are phenomenal. The teachers scored most of the goals. They weren’t going easy on the students! Overall I was holding my own and I was OK with that. I just wanted to show the girls that they could play Football if they wanted to. It was lunch time and the game was tied so one of the teachers yelled, “Next goal wins!” This really increased the intensity of the game as everyone wanted to be the scoring hero. Lucky me, I was in the right place at the right time and as the ball crossed the net I was able to get a foot on it. My team erupted in cheers like we had won the World Cup and I’m not going to lie, a big grin spread on my face and I may have done a little victory dance. Not only could girls play football, but we could score the winning goal! For the rest of the day I got lots of high fives, fist bumps, and congratulatory handshakes on my big goal.

The older girls caring for the young ones.

So just as I am starting to fit into everyday life at Peace Matunda I will be leaving. I can honestly see why people spend months or years here. It is such a welcoming, safe and easy atmosphere to be in (as long as you don’t mind being constantly followed or surrounded by children with the speed and energy of mini tornadoes). I know already I will miss some of the kids. Aaron always jumping at me looking to be spun around, Amanda with her sweet, curious eyes always asking questions, Steve with his contagious and incredibly adorable grin, Diki who is only 3 feet tall but can carry a soccer ball well enough to compete with the adults, Godson the smart aleck who’s always correcting me on my knowledge of Tanzania or pronunciation of Swahili words. Ferraria is the tallest boy and he accompanies me on walks to town, translates for me, then insists on leading a special route home that takes an hour longer than the shortcut we could have taken. I will miss Margaret, the 13 year old girl who cares for the young ones and rolls her eyes like a typical teenager when the others poke fun at her, Happy who is ironically usually sulking in the corner or hitting someone, Shani the youngest one who follows me around and climbs all over me like it is her job while not speaking a lick of English. I will even miss Itchy. Itchy is the dog who also follows me everywhere. He has grown on me despite the fact that I don’t really like dogs. Yes, I will miss them all but a part of me is glad I am leaving so I don’t get any further attached to them. I simply could not imagine leaving after staying 6 months or a year. Matias will be taking one of the orphans home with him to Argentina and Claudia will be going home for Christmas then coming back. I’m not sure when or if I will ever be back. As of now, my dream is to one day have a family of my own and bring them to Peace Matunda so I can then share this incredible experience with them. But that is many adventures away, first more traveling for The High Class Hobo!

My entourage.

Goat Tales/Tails

4 Replies

Where do I begin? I arrived at Peace Matunda School and Orphanage at 1 in the morning on Wednesday. Just to really make sure the culture shock set in I decided that on Thursday I would travel to the “nearby” Maasai Villages and stay in the Maasai community for 3 days. I packed a small backpack with a change of underwear and a toothbrush and off I went with Harry and Sombuoy in a rattly old Land Rover to the bush. We drove (and by drove I mean veered wildly in and out of traffic) for an hour until our turn-off onto a dusty dirt road. We continued on this road for another 3 hours deeper and deeper into the depths of dusty nothingness. I shouldn’t say nothing; I saw some giraffes, a few ostriches, dikdika, zebras, and gazelle. At the point where I thought I was surely going to choke to death on savannah dust we pulled off the dirt road into a Maasai community. This was clearly a booming metropolis for the Maasai because the community had a well, a school, a few houses made out of cement (as opposed to sticks, rocks, and mud), and a few “shops”. As we rolled into town, everyone stopped and stared. And I mean, EVERYONE. You know that awkward feeling when you walk into a room and people had just been talking about you and everyone just stops what they are doing and looks at you? It kind of felt like that. What I found rather ironic is that they were staring at me! As if I was the one that looked weird! I guess my skin, hair, and eyes were a different colour, and I guess I was wearing different clothes; I wasn’t wearing sandals made out of recycled tires, and I guess I didn’t have giant holes in my ears, but really, I didn’t think I looked that odd. My first clue that I was the only white person for miles around was when all the toddlers ran away crying when they saw me.

Which one of us doesn’t belong?

After I was shown my room (I got to stay in one of the cement houses) and we ate some ugaldi (mushed up maize) we took off in the LandRover with Michael who owned the house I was staying in. We went on a “safari” but I think it was just an excuse to go bomb around in the bush. We did get out a few times to try and find baboons but had no luck. After dinner and sunset I went to bed.

The next day after breakfast we took the Land Rover out to a school that Peace Matunda supports. Years ago the school was a mud hut with no desks or chairs. The school I saw was upgraded to metal sheets and had wooden benches inside and a chalkboard. It was surrounded by prickly bush which acted like a fence. The surrounding desert was the toilet. I watched the Maasai teacher give a lesson and then I got to teach the students. After the lessons we went outside to play and I taught them the game Octopus. All the other games they played involved various forms of racing. Like, the game “run and grab the stick”, or “run around the bush fence”, or my personal favorite, “run to the tree and back”.

Peace Lenkai School for the Masai

“Run to the tree and back” – an all time favourite.

Next we went to Bombei, a nearby Maasai community. I was welcome to look around at their mud huts and they showed me their goats. I had no idea I would be meeting up with one of these goats later that day. Inside the mud huts it was very dark. The women slept in one section of the hut and the man in another. The men had multiple wives and they would visit different huts each night and eat with that family. But the women could not watch the men eat and the women and her children would get the leftovers of the man’s meal. …. I don’t think I would have survived in a Maasai community.

You can tell which hut the man will stay at for the night because he leaves his spear outside the door.

As I wandered I took a picture of a Maasai woman and her children, then showed them the picture. This lady howled! She thought it was the funniest thing. The other women came and they all wanted pictures. They were especially loving the selfies; I guess that it must be a universal thing with young women.

Selfie with the Maasai Ladies

After saying goodbye we went back to the main town and I wandered down the street and to the well which was the happening place! There were goats and cows and donkeys all trying to get a slurp of water. There were people trying to fill up their water jugs and hitting their animals with sticks to try to herd them in a certain direction. A bumpin’ little spot. When I returned home I sat on a rock for awhile. It seemed like the thing to do, everyone sits on rocks and watches everyone else. Exciting times. But a little downtime was OK because I had to rest for the big BBQ that evening! I had no idea we were having a celebration but I’m usually up for a party so I was in!

The town well.

After dinner we took the rattly Land Rover to the edge of town and picked up a Maasai man. This man taught me that Maasai don’t hunt, they herd their meat. I asked why they carry big spears then and he said it was for self defense against lions. I asked him if he had ever killed a lion and he said, yes, 9 other men and he had to kill one because it was going to attack their herd. Their herd is their livelihood so I guess they have no choice but to fight the lion because if they don’t, it’s death by starvation for the whole tribe. So, Harry, Sombuoy, Michael, the Masai man, and myself drove out into the darkness of the desert. I have no idea how they knew where they were going, it was pitch black! At one point some Maasai people with sticks and flashlights starting chasing us and Harry sped up. I don’t think they were threatening, they probably just wanted a ride somewhere but I was happy Harry shifted into high gear and tore oughta there.

All Maasai men carry a spear or stick and a machete with them.

We arrived at our destination which was the Maasai village I had visited earlier that day. After greetings, the male children were told to go light a fire. The females were sent back to the huts. As I helped collect kindling for the fire I heard a “Baaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!”. It sounded like a cute baby lamb but when I turned it was a beautiful, white goat being dragged by the ear over to the fire area. I put two and two together when I saw the Maasai men sharpening their knives on a rock. If you love animals or are slightly faint hearted skip the next part of my story. In honour of my visit we were going to have a BBQ… a goat BBQ. So one man held the legs and the other held the goat head and started sawing at its neck. Unfortunately rocks don’t sharpen knives very well so the goat had a rough last few minutes of life. I swear this all happened, I mean, I can’t make this stuff up! Finally hitting the artery, they let the goat bleed out and it stopped kicking. At this point I thought to myself, “when in Rome ….” And I offered to help skin the goat.

Skinning a Goat.

They taught me how to get the fur without cutting the meat. When I asked they said they would use the fur for clothes or to sleep on. I also helped dissect the goat and I will give the Maasai credit, they did not waste ANY of that goat. The only thing they threw away was the intestines. Some ribs, a leg, and the liver were skewered with a stick and placed near the fire to start cooking. Everything else, except the head and the hooves, were thrown into a pot of water with acacia twigs and then put over the fire. The children gleefully took the hooves and bottom portion of the goat legs and put it near the fire to burn the fur off. Once the fur was off they mowed down on those goat hooves like it was a Chunky KitKat bar. I also witnessed two boys roast and share the goat testicles, the testicles!!! This was like a challenge off of a reality TV show.

Barbecuing some goat leg.

After some chitchat and rotating the skewers the Maasai man decided the liver was done and gave it to Sombuoy to cut up. It was cut into delicate little pieces and placed on a dainty white plate with a little fork then handed, yup you guessed it, to me. Apparently the liver is the best part of the goat and because I was the guest of honour I was given the goat liver to eat. What could I do? They were all watching me. So I gently put the smallest piece of goat liver I could find on my fork, placed it in my mouth, and forced an “Mmmmmmm”, a smile, and a thumbs up. This seemed to please them and they started hacking up the rest of the goat and shoveling it into their mouths … no plates or forks for them. The liver really was the best part because they gave me a chunk of the leg and ribs to try and I had to pretend to cough and spit it out into some toilet paper I had in my pocket before I gagged. During our BBQ a stray dog wandered by and took off with the goat head. I thought, good riddance but the Maasai leader yelled at one of his boys to chase the dog and retrieve the head. The boy returned later with the goat head and they cut the eyes out (giving me one, I’m not sure why) and then put the head in the fire to roast so they could eat it later. The leftover bloody goat broth and acacia twigs were poured into cups and slurped down by the men and children. They said this was medicine and it helped them stay healthy and avoid malaria. I’ll just stick to my Malarone pills, thanks. Eventually the BBQ wrapped up and I was driven back to the cement house and put to bed. In the morning my body rejected the goat liver but I won’t go into details about that.

My souvenir gift – a goat eyeball.

On Saturday morning I was lucky because there happened to be a massive Maasai market! Some people had walked for two days with their herds of cows and goats so they could buy and trade animals. There was also lots of rice, maize, sugar, tea, and other foods for sale as well as beads and other odds ‘n’ ends. It reminded me of a flea market, Maasai style! I didn’t buy anything but Michael bought a cow.

The Masai Market

After the market I packed my bags, said my goodbyes, and loaded myself back into my chariot. I waved goodbye to the Maasais as we ripped out of town. I was happy to shower back at Peace Matunda and pretty pumped for a change of clothes. Despite the dust, dirtiness, and slaughtering of the goat it was the experience of a lifetime jammed into three short days. My blog may have just jumped the shark, I’m not sure how anything can top this story, but we’ll just have to wait and see what adventures lie ahead for The High Class Hobo.

My Chariot

Packing Hobo Style

1 Reply

Despite the fact that the High Class Hobo is not packing everything in a dirty handkerchief tied to a stick like the cartoons, packing is still one of the toughest parts of the pre-trip preparations, It’s difficult trying to essentially stuff your life into a backpack without any regrets. When you’re packing it is REALLY easy to think you need certain items only to return from your trip later realizing you used it once or not at all. Through a series of trial and error packing experiments The High Class Hobo concludes that she has finally discovered how to pack the perfect backpack. I present these findings below:

Clothing – Like most females I ALWAYS overpack on clothing. What if I’m hiking, at a pub, going to the market, in the mountains, on the dance floor, going for a run, viewing a temple, on the beach … we need so many different kinds of clothes! One little word … versatility. Try to pack clothing that will do double or triple duty for multiple scenarios. This will also save you money because you won’t need as many items.

2 Bathing suits – one sport and one for beach lounging

2 Bras – one beige and one black, nothing fancy. Buy ones with the hook on the back straps so it can convert into a racer back bra

1 Sports Bra – you will thank yourself if you invest in one with the “modesty pads”

Yes only 3 bras but bathing suits can convert to bras and unless you have gross amounts of boob sweat bras stay clean longer than most clothing.

5 Dryfit Underwear – now I’m not one to tout brand names but “Lululemon Light as Air” underwear has altered my life. It feels like a glorious cloud swirling around my bottom. I will never wear a cotton, piece of crap, loin cloth again! Buy a pair of these babies and you won’t experience swAss even if you are walking through the Sahara Desert. Wear them one day, turn them inside out and wear them again the next day to make a pair last longer. Buy them at the Vaughn Mills Mall where they are half the price of a normal Lululemon store.

Light as Air Dryfit Underwear

Pack of thin sport socks – wait for this deal, socks always come on sale in sport stores sooner or later. I really like the UnderArmour socks but you can also buy a padded pack of Champion sport socks at Costco for $14 (get that kind relative with a Costco card to bring you shopping)

1 Pair of Wool Socks – You HAVE to get a pair of Redhead socks from the Bass Pro Shop. I swear these socks must have been woven with a million mini rays of sunshine. You’re feet will be warm and dry all day.

Redhead socks

While we’re on feet we might as well talk footwear. Resist taking “those pumps you’ve always wanted to wear out partying” or “that cute pair of strappy sandals that would match your sundress perfectly!” You are on your feet all day and blisters ruin vacations. My recommendations:

Running Shoes – yes, they’re not stylish but they are meant for running! Which means they are definitely meant for walking all day. Also you won’t need to spend money because who doesn’t own a pair of running shoes? (even if they are buried way in the back of your closet from the last time you fell off the New Years Resolution wagon)

My Running shoes with a hiker sole. Wait for end of summer deals on the clearance rack at Sail.

Basic Flip Flops – I’m talking about the $3 garbage ones from Walmart. You will want these on the beach (you won’t be afraid to leave them while you go swimming) and you will want them in the shower (because who knows what kind of fungus grows in hostel showers). Try to get the really thin ones, they pack better.

$3.99 Clearance special

Birkenstocks or another solid sandal – It is nice to have a good pair of sandals that you can walk all day in for the really hot climates or for the times your shoes get soaking wet and won’t dry because the air in Ecuador is so frikkin’ humid! … wait for them to come on sale at the end of the summer season before you buy.

Another versatile footwear option is hiker/sandals. They are like low cut hiking boots but there are open spots around the toes with a draw string lace. Can be worn with socks or not, no faux paux there. Extremely versatile and can be found at sports stores like Sail. Check the sale rack, Hubby Hobo found his Solomans for $30.

1 Ball Cap, 1 Touque, 1 Scarf, 1 Pair of Gloves – The ball cap is nice to keep sun off your face or when you’ve gone 4 days without showering and your hair is gross. A toque provides a lot of warmth for only the little bit of space it takes up. For a scarf I bring a stylish paschmina. You can get these for under $10, it provides warmth, can dress up an outfit, can cover your shoulders in temples without being too hot, and you can use it as a rope to tie stuff to your bag. I like gloves because my hands get cold and if I’m climbing or hiking there can be sharp vegetation.

Outwear – I bring one jacket on vacation because no matter where you go, it is always going to get unexpectedly cold. I remember vacationing in Honduras and wearing a toque and every layer of clothing I had in the evening because they had a record low cold snap. For my upcoming trip I splurged on a Mountain Hardwear down jacket. These are incredibly warm and it can be squished and then zipped up into one of its own pockets! In Canada these usually cost $280 and upwards, but in true hobo fashion I waited it out until I found one on sale for a smokin’ deal! I am also going to bring a rain jacket because while down is extremely warm, it is not waterproof. Before I bought my new rain jacket I was wearing my Mom’s old Northern Reflection one (does that place even exist anymore?). I pretty sure that jacket was made out of recycled nascar tire rubber and chewing gum; it was SO hot and sticky to wear! The new jackets breath really well and mine also folds up into it’s pocket. If you don’t want to bring a rain jacket I would recommend the 99 cent poncho from Sail. But be warned: it’s a one time use only because once you take it out of that tiny little ziplock bag there is NO WAY you are going to be able to stuff it back in.

Super warm jacket

Jacket folded into the pocket.

Tops – One word; DRYFIT. There is nothing worse than having a dirty, sweaty, pit stained shirt and then having to put it on and wear it the next day, and the day after that… and the one after that. I’m pretty sure dry fit was invented by a wizard or some magical fairyland creature. How does it work!? It just soaks your sweat up and makes it disappear! I will be packing 4 t shirts and 4 tank tops. Two of each will be dry fit, one of each will be cotton, and one of each will be a nicer top that I can wear out at night or dress up an outfit with. I will also be packing two long sleeve dry fit hoodies. Dry fit hoodies are key when doing any type of hiking because you don’t get too hot yet all your skin is covered which protects you from bugs and vegetation. You can put a ball cap on and your hood, draw the drawstring tight and not too much can get at you. For Hobo deals I suggest getting a group of friends and going shopping at the UnderArmour outlets in the States for a weekend.

Bottoms – Pick versatile bottoms because they can take up a lot of room. I have a great pair of black Columbia pants that fit nicely, dry well, can convert into capris, and have a lot of zippered pockets. I will also bring a basic pair of tights because they don’t take up much space, can be stylish, and can also be used as an extra layer for warmth. I have a pair of workout shorts, a pair of short board shorts, a pair of longer board shorts, and a pair of jean shorts. Do NOT bring jeans! They take up way too much room, provide no warmth, and for the most part are very impractical.

Sunglasses – pick a sport pair with good UV protection.

Sundress – Yes, you may pack ONE sundress because they can go over a bathing suit, be worn out at night, or maybe even worn as a shirt over tights if you get desparate.

Accessories – sorry, you don’t get any. Pick one pair of earrings to wear. Make sure they aren’t dangly and that you don’t care if you lose them. Leave all your jewellery at home, it just makes you look rich which makes you more of a target. You can, however, bring a headband. This can be a bandana or a thick yoga headband. This will cover your greasy hair for the days you can’t shower, will soak up sweat, and is key to sleeping on a plane. When you want to sleep, simply pull the headband down over your eyes and voila, instant night time!

My favourite headband.

Medication – I am going to do a whole post on medications and immunizations, stay tuned.

Toiletries – this is another easy section to overpack in. I know that “your hair just doesn’t handle the humidity well’ but you’re going to have to leave home your $300 straightener and special salon shampoo.

Toothbrush, Toothpaste – buy travel size, good deals at Target or Walmart

Brush and Hair Elastics – again, buy travel size

Hand sanitizer – you might not always have a chance to wash your hands.

Tampons – these are a pain in the butt to haul around but it is often hard to find Tampons in other countries. The good news is that as your trip goes on, your load gets lighter. You could bring a DivaCup but then you have to worry about washing and disinfecting it and those amenities aren’t always available.

Deodorant – .. or not, you can choose if you want to make friends or be alone. Buy travel size.

Shampoo and Conditioner – sometimes you can buy a two in one. Try to train your hair before you go on vacation to be washed less. Simply start washing it less and less (for God’s sake, please still shower though!). You’d be amazed how long your hair can go without looking greasy after you “train” it. This will make your shampoo last longer and your hair healthier.

Bar of Soap – leave that luffa and body wash behind, a bar of soap is way cheaper and takes up way less space.

Detergent – these mini tide to go packets are genius! They will save you lots of money on having someone else do your laundry. You can do your own laundry in the sink with these. Since you’ve mostly packed dry fit, it will all dry quickly.

Mini Tide packets for laundry in the sink.

Sunscreen – in touristy areas, especially near a beach, they gouge you for sunscreen! Pack a sport version with a high UV protection. Even if you have a good base tan, the sun is A LOT stronger than a heatwave in a Canadian summer.

Straightener – now I know I said earlier to leave your straightener at home, but you can get mini styling tools that actually work pretty well! I have a tiny straightener I will be taking. It is a good conversation starter too. Girls are suckers for straighteners and will ask to borrow it if they see it plugged in on a counter. This is a great conversation starter which might end with an invite to hang out for the evening.

Mini Hair Styling tool

Makeup – If you’re like me and you have blond, non existent eye lashes, people get genuinely concerned when you don’t wear makeup. They think I am ill and ask me if I’m OK. For the space a tube of mascara takes up, I will be bringing it so people don’t treat me like I need a bowl of chicken soup and bed rest.

Dry Shampoo – if you know you are not going to have access to a shower dry shampoo is a lifesaver. It’s pretty much baby powder in a bottle and you spray it in your hair. It doesn’t actually clean it but it makes your hair look like it’s not about to transition into dreadlocks.

Dry Shampoo – a shower in a bottle!

Toilet paper – in many parts of the world you have to pay for toilet paper in a public restroom or they only offer a spray/budday option. The travel ones are $1 and they come with no roll in the middle and a plastic case so your paper stays dry.

Toilet Paper in a waterproof container

Razor – if you’re going to the beach you might not want to look like a wooly mammoth. You don’t realize how much you miss a razor until you go without. I remember visiting an impoverished rural area in Cameroon, Africa. The students rushed out from the schools because they had never seen white people. They ran their hands up my legs to feel my white skin and I hadn’t had a chance to shave for a week. They must have felt like they were petting a cactus!

Technology: everyone will be different on this department depending on where you’re travelling and how much you choose to shut yourself off from the world.

Smartphone – I bring mine because for the small amount of space it takes up I can take pictures, videos, update my blog, and when I have wifi I can text and FaceTime my friends and family at home. Just make sure you turn your settings to “airplane” mode or you find a nasty phone bill waiting for you upon your return. I also have a waterproof sealable case I bring so I can take my phone rafting for pictures or out if I get caught in the rain.

Camera – I have a FujiFilm XP. This thing is waterproof and virtually indestructible . Perfect for a rough hobo like me!

Indestructible Camera.

Surface – I was lucky enough to find a Microsoft surface on kijiji for a quarter of the price of what they cost. This is a tablet with an attachable keyboard. Why I chose the surface over the iPad is the USB port. I will not always have wifi but if I have movies on a USB I can still watch them. Not that I plan on watching a lot of movies but sometimes it’s nice for the long bus rides. It is also easier to book flights and other travel arrangements on a computer as oppose to a phone.

Backup Charge – this separate device can recharge your phone for you. It is handy for when you’re camping and going days without electricity but you still want to use your phone as a camera. You get a free one in a 24 of Budlite right now or you can find them cheap on http://www.wagjag.com

Charger for phone or computer.

Earbuds – sometimes you just need to block out the baby crying on the plane or the chicken clucking in the bag on the bus beside you. Pop in some tunes to reenergize.

Alllll extras:

Flashlight/headlamp – a lot of the rural parts of the world are pitch black when darkness comes. It makes for beautiful star gazing but no vision.

Sleeping Bag – ideally you want your sleeping bag to provide you extreme warmth and take up virtually no space. It seems that the smaller and warmer the sleeping bag, the more money it will cost you. My dad found me a very small bag on sale at Canadian Tire for $50. It is good to 7 degrees Celsius. For the places I will be travelling this should be fine but if you are travelling to Nunavut, a high mountain area, or Antarctica you may want to look into something better.

Pillow – please don’t bring your pillow from your bed at home… No matter how comfortable! One of the blow up airplane pillows or one of the foam squish into a small bag pillows will do. Another options is to forgo your pillow and stuff your sweater into your sleeping bag holder and use that.

Earplugs – aka: sanity savers. A good nights sleep = a good day. There will always be people talking or snoring. You can sleep really well with earplugs, but don’t worry, they let enough sound in that you’ll hear if something major happens and you need to wake up.

Towel – a microfibres towel is key. It takes up very little space and is quick drying. And hey, it’ll make you appreciate that fuzzy, warm, large bathroom towel you have when you get home even more.

My Hand is in the picture for comparison.

Knife – jack knives always seem to come in handy. Don’t bring it in your carry on!

Nuts/protein bars/granola bars/trail Mix – the diet in North America boasts a lot of protein. Oh, and the Germans like their meat too. Anyway, if you don’t want to feel the protein withdraw and watch your muscles shrink bring some protein. The rest of the world eats a lot of rice!

Collapsible water bottle – this will save you money if there is a spot fill up your water bottle with CLEAN water. Once your done it can fold up and be put in your backpack or pocket.

Fold Up water bottle

Passport, hotel bookings, flight papers, money, credit cards – bring alllll your paperwork, then take pictures of your paperwork, documents, and cards so you have a copy on your phone. Then photocopy everything and put it in 2 different bags (backpack and day bag). Leave a copy of everything with a loved one at home. Always keep your passport strapped to your body. (In Cameroon 4 of us got stopped by the police and they wanted to see our passport. Only 2 of us had them. They weren’t going to let us go and finally the cab driver translated that we could go if we gave them beer or $20 each…. We didn’t have beer so $80 later we were free to carry on). If you’re in a safe hotel you can leave it but hide it somewhere. Also disperse your money and hide some mad money somewhere. I like to hide money in an empty Chapstick tube.

Lonely Planet Travel Book – these take up a lot of room but in my opinion it is completely worth it. These books were written by people who travel a certain country in depth and give accurate and trustworthy advice on EVERYTHING. It also provides any information you could possibly want to know on the country. There are handy maps and suggested itineraries based on the amount of travel time you have. You can buy the books based on continent rather than country to get more bang for your buck.

Journal – even though I have a blog I’ll want a spot for my private thoughts and experiences. It also comes in handy later when trying to figure out captions for pictures.

Other things I will be bringing are first aid kit, mosquito net, Canada stickers etc for the kids I’m going to teach, arm band for running, ankle braces, lip chap, whistle, and donations for the school/orphanage.

Well, that’s all that is fitting in this Hobo’s backpack. Let me know if I missed anything before it’s too late!

Hubby Hobo

2 Replies

When I tell people I’ve decided to take half a year off work to travel they do one of two things:

a) Good for you! That’s going to be great. You only live once. Do it before you have kids. I’ve always wanted to do that. etc.

b) *judgemental look* What? Why would you want to do that? You’re nuts/crazy/ungrateful/selfish etc.

I found the second response really hard at first because I like to please people. I also really agonized over this decision because I felt guilty about leaving my job, I felt guilty about leaving my husband, I was worried about money, etc. so the response of other people was furthering my self doubt as to if I had made the right decision.

I have to say that my #1 supporter with this decision has been Hubby Hobo. He has the most to lose yet he was adamant that I go. Before I entered my career I had wanted to take a few months off from my job, school, life, etc. and just go see the world. Hubby Hobo knew this and reminded me to look at the Big Picture. 20 years down the road am I going to remember going to work everyday or am I going to remember the time I backpacked around and explored the world?

Often when I have a goal or I need to focus on something I will write it down on a piece of paper and tape it to the ceiling above my bed. I see it every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to sleep. It gives me direction and helps me focus my actions.

I put the word “Big” In a picture frame. Get it? Big Picture, haha. The two words in the top corners are words I repeat to myself a lot. The first word is “Imperfect”. Often we are our own worst critics. A lot of times I judge myself too harshly and I do not handle failure (perceived or real) very well. Imperfect reminds me that I’m not perfect, my life will never be perfect, and those around me are not perfect. If I make a mistake, I simply need to forgive myself and move on. The second word is “Impermanent”. Basically this word reminds me that nothing lasts forever. When things are going really well it is important to remember this word so you enjoy the moment. I also remember this word when I’m feeling down or frustrated. The situation will pass, my mood will pass, this too shall pass. It is all Impermanent.

Since the decision for me to partake in this adventure (made jointly by myself and Hubby Hobo) I have had days where I am super excited and days where I am scared I will miss my routine life. Hubby Hobo is ALWAY there to remind me that this is all Impermanent. In fact, I was going to come home halfway through my adventure to see him for a few weeks, but selflessly, he told me it would be a better use of my time to keep travelling!

Hubby Hobo has provided me with various forms of insight to encourage me to follow through with my dream. He is the one that came up with “Big Picture” as a mantra. He showed me links to videos and articles that helped me put things in perspective and understand where he is coming from in his point of view. And then there were the times where he just said, “GO! Get it done! I don’t want to hear about the time you never followed your dreams!”

One of my favourite pieces of helpful media Hubby Hobo showed me is a commencement speech by Jim Carrey. I have included a link to the short version (worth the watch!), but basically the line that resonated with me was, “So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. What we really want seems impossibly out of reach and ridiculous to expect so we never dare to ask the universe for it.” I’ve always known that this travel dream of mine has be something I wanted to do, but I was held back by the fact that it is totally impractical. I mean, we have a mortgage, I’m not going to get pay cheque for half a year, it doesn’t seem practical to leave my safe home and amazing family and friends for some weird, foreign destination … but I was just afraid. Afraid I will be homesick, afraid I’ll be eaten by a shark, afraid I will run out of money in a foreign country, afraid I will be bit by a snake, afraid I will regret my decision, afraid a rabid dog will attack me, afraid someone will steal my passport and I’ll be trapped in some random country forever! …afraid of the unknown. And I was using practicality as an excuse to not follow through with this goal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajMpfPYlHi4

The other piece of wisdom Hubby Hobo passed to me was a Psychology article. Ironically the title of the article is, “The Best Thing you Can do for your Partner… and it won’t cost you a cent.” The article discusses marriage and the writer’s view that he thought a successful relationship involved denying oneself pleasure that wasn’t compatible with their mates and putting their partner’s needs ahead of their own. The article goes on to conclude that it is important to do things for your own happiness, because when you are content you can give more to your relationship. “Taking care of ourselves isn’t selfish; it is the most generous and responsible thing we can do.” Now, I know I am taking this advice to the extreme but Hubby Hobo still thought it applied to our situation. The title is ironic because of the “… it won’t cost you a cent,” part. Hubby Hobo told me to ignore that part of the article. 🙂 http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/stronger-the-broken-places/201402/the-best-thing-you-can-do-your-partner

So Hubby Hobo, I can’t thank you enough for being my #1 fan and supporter! I’ll wish you were with me everyday but I guess something has to be imperfect. I’ll enjoy every one of those impermanent moments for you.