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Given that we had a day off, I ventured out with some new friends to explore the Zambian side of Victoria Falls (I had been to the Zimbabwean side last year).
The first step was to hire a taxi. Which involves a bit if negotiation as to the rate, but we were armed with information about what it should be, so we were happy with the rate we paid. We also had to negotiate a bit at the entrance sane had heard that we were eligible for a reduced rate since we were here as volunteers, so instead of paying 140 ZMW each, we only paid 70 ZMW each and were given a ticket indicating that we had paid the child rate.
Now it was time to explore, and explore we did. First we walked along the back side of the gorge getting some nice initial views and spotting the rainbow.
We then headed along the edge of the gorge, towards Zimbabwe, getting many other spectacular views and a few shows from the baboons.
On the return from this foray we spotted a very beautiful little bird.
We then we grabbed some beverages before hiking to the bottom of the gorge. On the way down we spotted more wildlife.
By the time we reached the bottom, the flora had changed from dessert cacti to tropical palms.
And at the bottom we got a new perspective of the gorge itself.
The hike back up was grueling, so we stopped for more beverages and snacks before heading out along another trail that provides views from father away.
Finally, we walked to the bridge itself, along the way, as many times earlier in the day we were asked if we were planning on going bungee jumping. The answer from all three of us was an absolutely not, never, no way. Of course we were also shown many goods to purchase (and those of you who have traveled with me before may be shocked to find out that I didn’t buy any souvenirs this day).
Today we will finally have orientation and tomorrow we will start out assignments.
Wendy
I finally arrived in Zambia yesterday and met up with the volunteer organization and headed to the volunteer hours with a number of other new arrivals.
After finding our rooms and lounging a bit we ate lunch and then walked into town to shake off the effects of air travel and get out bearings. One of the first orders of business nice getting to town was to find ATMs that took our cards and get some cash. With that done we found the spur ale and picked up a few things some of us wanted, for me it was a small pack of hangers.
We got back to the house just before sunset and it was time to eat again. The food has been simple but tasty. After a few more hours of getting to know folks over conversation and a game of Uno it was time to get some sleep.
Getting ready for bed was a bit of a challenge since the light in our bathroom is burned out, but eventually I crawled into my bunk and read until sleep came.
Today we are actually just relaxing and May head over to see Victoria Falls from the Zambia side since it is a holiday so we have to wait to tomorrow to start our volunteer programs. So right now there is still a lot of anxiousness amongst us newcomers to find out exactly what we will be doing.
But it was nice to have time to unpack and organize things at a leisurely pace.
Wendy
As promised, here are some more upbeat words about my forays today.
Around 1 PM, I headed back to the office to meet up with some folks to check out the local Saturday Neighbourgoods Market (http://www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za/johannesburg/snapshots). After a very short walk, I was greeted by so any aromas it was hard to process them all. But I had had a large breakfast only a few hours before, so I wasn’t a bit hungry. So I opted for a glass of organic wine that I sipped while taking in more sites.
After parting from my co-workers, I hopped on the “hop-on hop-off” bus, it was too late to hop off, but I got a good view if areas of JoBurg that I wouldn’t have otherwise seen and learned some more history if the city as well.
After that, I met up with a couple of more TWers for a most excellent dinner where I was once again able to indulge in game (ostrich and springbok – both excellent). And of course there was pinotage to accompany it.
Very satisfied, it was back to the hotel and up to the rooftop deck to see if I could spot the Southern Cross. Before dinner I had also tried, but was thinking I had seen only the fake cross, and this was confirmed with the app on my iPad during the second, and successful, attempt. That said, it was still low in the sky, and I could really only see three of the five stars, so there is still something to strive to see over the next 5 weeks.
Now I must get off to bed and sleep a bit as I have a drive coming at 7 to get me back to the airport for my flight to Zambia where the real adventure begins. That said, I may be off the grid for most, if not all of those weeks, so be patient if you don’t see regular updates.
Wendy
After a pretty good night’s sleep considering I just crossed over 7 time zones, it was time to explore Johannesburg a bit.
First up was Constitution Hill (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Hill,_Johannesburg) not a happy place at all, but one that should be seen to remind us of the atrocities of our past and make us think about things that are still happening today that are not all that different.
While the atrocities of how some so called human beings treated other human beings are hard to https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Hill,_Johannesburg, it is imperative that all of us take the time to see them if we have any chance of truly making this world a better place.
Below I have some photos of the sites seen here, of the prison that didn’t close until 1983, apartheid itself (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid) lasted until 1994, only a bit more than 20 years ago.
And the stories behind the pictures are even worse: cell hierarchical structures that demean the newcomers even more than the act of wrongful incarceration, newcomers having to pick up raw sewage with their bare hands in the mess tent since the toilets overflowed regularly due to extreme overcrowding, a doctor determination how many lashes a prisoner could tolerate when sentence to receive a beating, food plates not being washed for months.
And while as horrific as all of this is, what I find even more disturbing is the feeling that things are not better. The recent events in the US in Ferguson (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_unrest), South Carolina (http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/charleston-church-shooting) and Texas (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Sandra_Bland) show that we really have not made much progress at all.
Don’t get me wrong, it is nice to be in a South Africa where apartheid is in the past, but even here there is still a felling of difference. Most folks in the service industry are black, and many of the nice restaurants have a very white feel. So while it is no longer the law to be separate, separation still exits here just like in many other places in the world.
I am stifling with how to bring this post to a conclusion and don’t thing that I can do a good job, so I am going to just stop toying and move on to a different post of other things from today.
Wendy
First, I finally made it to JoBurg, and have a good night’s sleep behind me. But there was a moment when it wasn’t clear that fate would play that way.
After about 7 hours in the São Paulo airport, I headed to the gate for my flight to JoBurg. And I sat there, striking up a few conversations with others waiting as it got closer and closer to, and then beyond the scheduled departure time. Finally one of the agents came over to those of us waiting in the premier section and said that he wasn’t getting a lot of info from the pilots and suggested that we head back to the lounge to wait as it could be 5 minutes or 30. I decided to stay for a while, but after the 30 had passed, opted for the lounge.
And then I tried to get information, and information I got – it just wasn’t consistent nor complete. I was told anything from they were finding a new plane, to it will likely (make that may – lost a bit in translation) cancel, but I wasn’t allowed to change to the other flight that night since it hadn’t cancelled yet. And the worst piece of misinformation was that if it canceled, since I didn’t have a Brazilian visa, I would have to fly back to the States rather than waiting for another flight (yes scenes from Terminal flashed into my mind). Later information changed this to that they can get provisional visas for folks when this kind of thing happens.
Thankfully, the flight left, 5 hours late, but it left and I didn’t have to test the visa question nor did I have to go back.
And even better, the driver I had arranged for a pick up at the airport in JoBurg was able to wait and got me to my hotel just after my check in time (so at least I didn’t have to worry about what to do if I couldn’t get into my room early as would have been the case of the flight had been on time).
After freshening up, I headed a few blocks away to the ThoughtWorks office to say hi. It turns out that it was home office day so tons of folks we’re around and that turned into a party, complete with dancing, while the night was still young.
Eventually hunger won over and I convinced a few folks to head out to grab some food, so we headed to a local establishment (Great Dane) which is known for their hotdogs. It’s interesting how worlds seems to come together. The name of the establishment reminded me of my college days in Madison and the hotdogs were an interesting twist with me living in Chicago. Not that I can say that I have ever had a Mac & Cheese hotdog before (another nod to Wisconsin?), but I can tell you it was quite good and really not the spot after my long journey.
Sadly, around 9 I hit the wall and was able to catch a ride back to my hotel with a coworker where I slept quite well and am now ready to see a few sights around town before heading onward to Zambia tomorrow.
Wendy
I’m generally not a person who gets into this alternative celebration of Christmas, but I sure wasn’t going to turn down the gift that was dropped into my lap as I boarded my flight from Chicago to São Paulo. I had booked my ticket in business class on miles so was quite surprised when I got upgraded to first as I got on the plane. I’m not sure what all played into it, because normally with a miles ticket you aren’t eligible for upgrades. But I wasn’t going to complain.
And it was awesome. I are so much that I was close to exploding. And I have never seen a pork chop as think and succulent as the one I was served. I also slept very well, which I am sure I would have done in business as well.
So now I am sitting in São Paulo, sipping Starbucks since the lounge doesn’t open until noon (which will be when I can actually post this since I don’t have wifi as I write). Once it is open I’ll only have 6 more hours until my flight to Johannesburg – and it will probably start boarding an hour or so before take off, so I’ll only have 5 more hours to kill.
That’s all for now, as my journey has just begun.
And, yes, now in lounge and posting (after a quite nice free hot shower).
Wendy
At times it seems as if it’s a count up, as my todo list seems to be growing instead of shrinking (despite the fact that I am checking things off of the list). So I am recalling those related rates problems from my calculus days many years ago, hoping that the equations will change over the next week so that the list does start to shrink. And then again, when my plane departs, only minutes under 2 weeks from now, whatever is done will be done and I’ll just have to make due. Somehow I don’t think that will be a problem.
Of course there are the things that can’t be ignored, such as one last post-sabbatical trip out to see mom (and the preparation for temps over 100 that comes with that), 5 final days of work, and getting all the documents that I need for various Visas, etc. organized and in one safe spot in my carry on bag.
I do also hope to have all of my travel plans solid, and I am very close on that – just waiting on a final booking of a spot in the south of France for my first week there, and the train tickets to and from there. And I want to learn at least a little bit of Nyanja before getting to Zambia (maybe I can do that for at least part of my flight time to and from mom’s this weekend.
So I am glad that while I finish up my pre-sabbatical work next Friday, I am not flying until the Wednesday after that, and I will be able to hopefully change those rate relationships during that time. And I will be able to pack while not feeling rushed. And that will be after a relaxing yoga weekend at Stonehouse Farm.
Wish me luck!
Wendy
As the dates of my second sabbatical got closer, I got more serious about spending at least part of it doing volunteer work and the other part continuing to learn French at the same school where I studied during my first sabbatical (I’ll even be staying in the same super cute studio).
When I originally thought about the volunteer portion, I was hoping to find a location where I could use my French. However, as the time got closer this did not seem very practical. Thankfully, without out much searching I found that IVHQ had many opportunities, and shortly after that I was registered and planning for spending 5 weeks teaching in Kenya.
Since my break officially starts on July 27th, and I don’t leave for Kenya until July 29th, I was also able to slot in a weekend yoga retreat to kick things off. It’s at a center near Chicago so it will be easy to get to and from.
Even though the trip is 137 days away, I already have a pretty extensive packing list created. And I am sure the time will go fast now that it is warming up here, and I have a lot of things to get in place (immunizations, visa research, etc.). And I have to make a few plans for the week before and the week after my time at the school when I will be in France, but not necessarily in Aix.
As things get closer, I may have a few more stories to share, and once I am there I will share as much as I can, dependent of course on connectivity. Wendy
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