Keep Calm And Try Not To Go Broke

London is so expensive!

After traveling in countries like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe I have become used to the dirt cheap prices of an exchange rate unfairly in my favor. The shock of coming to London and suddenly paying $4 for a subway ride (as apposed to the rs. 20 in India, which I believe is like 4 cents) was really disconcerting. Luckily, you can mostly get away with going to free activities in the city but there is still food and transportation that you have to pay for. I wouldn't say I'm cheap when it comes to traveling but this is just ridiculous!

Beside that though, London is as lovely (and as rainy) as ever. I had some great adventures both by myself and with my awesome friends and family. Elanna and I went to Rochester (where Dickens lived) one day and spent time with her distant cousins. It was quite stuffy, traditional British town complete with super nice and very proper people (It just makes me realize how insane my extended family back home actually is...)

We also took a day and wondered down by the Thames. We saw Big Ben and The London Eye, which I have seen recently but Elanna had only been to when she was 5, so it was a mandatory tourist visit. We also made our way down to The Globe Theatre. Luckily, that day was not rainy, it was sunny and beautiful (for England). We even stopped at this little book market and bought Elanna this beautiful old copy of a Dickens book (don't remember which one).

The first day I arrived (before Elanna was there) I wondered around Camden and Euston all the way down to Bakers St. I did the whole, local, taking a day off thing. Bought a book, sat in a cafe, and enjoyed not being a tourist for a change. That's one of my favorite things to do when I first arrive in a city. It orients me in a strange way (seeing as I'm not really seeing the city). I think it gives me a chance to regroup and collect myself from a relaxed location while still interacting with the local people. Who really knows...

I also picked the perfect, gross, cold day to check out The Tate Modern (not the same day as the cafe wondering). I spent 8 hours in that museum... So. Much. Art. It felt like someone just vomited ALL of art history into one massive brick building. It was cool getting to see it all laid out in that way though. They have a ridiculous permanent collection. I mean, who even needs special exhibits when it's that extensive!

The last little adventure I took was out to zone 5 (if you don't know anything about the London tube, it is separated into different zone areas, 1-5. Zone 1 is central London and it goes out on both sides from there). I met Tarun, who is a friend of mine from India, in his hometown at Rayners Lane. We played pool and caught up on life and saw a really intense bar fight. Like a proper blood down the guys whole face fight. It was quite scary. However, the rest of that day was nice and relaxed.

I also got to catch up with my lovely cousin Allie (who I'll be meeting in Morocco along with our mothers in a few weeks). Don't worry, I won't give you any more spoilers. After spending a splendid week staying with my friend Sisi, I crashed with Allie the night before I headed up on a 5:40am train to Glasgow.

It was the way to travel. I crashed on the ride and woke up at 10:30am at the Glasgow central station. I walked a block or two, found my hostel, dumped my bags and am exploring until I'm allowed to check in. I am now in Scotland, totally ready to properly set out all by myself for a little bit.

The Ultimate Schmee-Venture Part 3: This Is Africa

Just to clue you all in, Goats For Superman Country, is not a thing but it should be!

For some odd reason when we were driving through Botswana, there was a sign that said GFS Country. We had no idea what this stood for but the amount of goats we had seen on the road thus far meant that 'Goats For Superman' was the only explanation.

Anyways, last we heard our young explorers were in Walvis Bay with Bhaj's family. There were only a few days left of the Africa adventure but they turned out to be much more eventful than imagined. What should have been a straight shot to the Western Cape, turned hectic really quickly.

After two days in relative civilization, which consisted of dune climbing (and running down), pelican and flamingo watching, and of course a Braai (barbecue), we set out on our last little push before reaching the farm in Robertson and then Cape Town.

That night we made it just past the Namibia/South Africa boarder. We thought about camping by the Orange river, right past the border, but once we failed miserably scouting out a good location the only reasonable next step was to move on.

We ended up finding a campsite that must have been the coolest yet. It was off the road onto some flat, solid, dirt expanse that was punctuated by what looked like massive rock piles. This was terrain right out of a Mars science fiction novel. It was also far enough off the main road that there was absolutely no one around (not so much of a blessing, it turns out). The other great thing was, since we were in the desert, no Mosquitos (well, no bugs at all really). This meant we could sleep with the doors open. If you've ever seen the night sky in the desert or in non-city Africa, you'll understand how amazing that was, if you haven't, go! Do it!

The trouble started the next morning as we got ready to get back to the main road. Bhaj seemed to be quite set on exploring our surroundings via car before we headed out. This was fine, until we hit a patch of sand that (like Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings) would not let us pass.

We ended up spending 7hours digging ourselves out of the quicksand. In that time we only moved 14meters, that is 2meters an hour. At first we had no clue how we were going to get out. Bhaj tried just digging but that did not work. In the end we found some big (relatively flat) rocks and put them in front of our tires to inch onto. Having two wheel drive meant we only had the front to worry about and also that we were essentially dragging the back of this delivery van through the sand. After we inched onto the first rocks, we put some more in front of those and inched onto them, and continued doing this until we were finally out.

The verbal excitement that we both let out when the van finally drove from the pit of doom, probably woke some sleeping goblins, somewhere. It was one of the most fantastic moments of my life seeing that thing actually drive.

Working from 9:30am til 4:30pm in the middle of the desert, is not my idea of a good time. All it means is sunburn, dehydration (regardless of the excessive amounts of water we consumed), and exhaustion.

I don't even remember the drive from there to Robertson (besides the most incredible sunset I think I've ever seen, complete with double rainbow).

We arrived to the farm at midnight and crashed. That was enough excitement to last through the next days of relative monotony that is an Eco-village farm.

I spent a few relaxing and welcomed uneventful days, cooking with fresh vegetables from the garden, catching up on internet, and playing with cats, dogs, horses, and pigs. Once I got my fill of the retired life, I headed into Cape Town.

I spent four lovely days in Cape Town and needed about 40 more. I saw old friends, walked around the city, was hit by the largest wave of nostalgia in my whole life, and saw an incredible exhibit at the National Gallery. It was a short yet extremely sweet visit that will have to be repeated sometime soon, definitely with more time allotted.

Now a few little facts, before we leave the Africa roadtrip adventure too far behind.

The amount of money we paid out to police as bribes for our trip was 1300 ($130) rands in tickets only 100 rands of which was legal. The legal bit went to a police man in Zim who actually wrote us out a ticket. We paid 300 in Namibia, 900 in Mozambique (700 to one guy and 200 to another) and nothing in Botswana (where I think we only saw one cop the entire time)

The things on our driving that we almost hit (this doesn't include the thousands of bugs and butterflies we did massacre, sorry). We barely missed a cow in SA; a chicken, a rabbit, and a kid in Mozambique; a goat in Zim; and a donkey in Botswana. There was also a police officer, but I don't remember where that was...

This reflects the living things we saw way too many of along the side of the road in each place. In Mozambique there was never a second that some person was not walking along the highway. In Zim, Goats! Botswana was the land of donkeys, and I'm pretty sure we didn't see any life, anywhere, in Namibia.

These two weeks were jam packed with action and the only regret I have about my entire time in Africa is that there wasn't more of it. Literally, if you ever go traveling through Africa, give yourself a year! At least!

I am now in London, missing Africa but becoming ever more excited to see where the road will lead me next.

The Ultimate Schmee-Venture Part 2: Goats For Superman (GFS) Country (cause what else could that stand for?)

When we left off, our hero's were just about to leave their comfortable beach cottage in pursuit of some danger and adventure.

The next step of our journey landed us right back in the heart of Mozambique. Leaving a bit late that day we did not cover much distance before dark arrived. We found a little corner to park the van (amongst tall grass and unbeknownst to us, a stones throw away from a little village).

Luckily, nothing happened that night and we set off for the province of Sofala. When we fist arrived at the Mozambican border in Swaziland we had been warned that there were rebels fighting in this area. We thought about changing our route but that would mean heading back along the road we came. Instead we asked at Turtle Cove. The lady there told us that as of this month there was officially two months of peace. This was enough assurance for us to push on.

When we got to the weigh bridge that marked the entrance into Sofala, the guards stopped us and in their broken English and my broken Spanish communicated to us that we would have to wait until 2pm (it was 11:30 at the time) to cross. As we waited in a little patch of shade, we saw groups of soldiers arriving in trucks, decked out in their uniforms with guns and amo.

That wait and the following convoy assembling that occurred after we crossed the bridge, were quite worrying. In fact, I felt most concerned before we actually headed into Sofala than I did the whole time we were there. The convoy was 130K of slow buses and annoying cars trying to overtake, but at least we didn't get killed by bandits.

The next day we crossed the border into Zimbabwe and as we did we both let out a unison sigh of relief. We were finally free from the prison of coconuts (which I mentioned in the last post and goes back to a little comment from a friend of mine in India about Amritsar being a prison of butter. Those of you who have lived there know what I mean...) and on into Zim where the landscape was breathtaking, the weather was cool and crisp, and the people were super chill. We went through ridiculous police road blocks in Mozambique and ended up paying 900rands in bribes, whereas in Zim when we got to the same checkpoints, the police would stop us purely to ask how our day was and than let us continue. We ended up paying 100rands and the dude actually wrote us out a ticket and everything, no pocketing the cash at all.

Besides the Zim people being chill, the roads were actually drivable. We even were able to go off the highway onto a main road (and it was still nicer than the one highway in all of Mozambique). Who would have thought!

That day we spontaneously stopped at the Save River (Rio de Save in Portuguese, since we had passed it in Mozambique as well). To make it even better we decided to jump in and go for a swim. The water was clean and refreshing (tip number 135, when roadtripping one should never give up the chance to bathe).

It was as if this day couldn't get any better, until we found the perfect camping place. Down a dirt road and under the most picturesque African tree. We arrived at sunset and set up camp. Under the most magnificent stars I have ever seen in my life we retired and watched the Lion King (yes, we are major cheese balls).

The morning came too early with regret that we would be leaving Zim. With this sadness, however, was the excitement of exploring Botswana.

I thought people couldn't get much chiller than Zimbabweans, until we were in Botswana. Beside the fact that they have like half the population so you scarcely even run into people anywhere, those you do meet are lovely (and I don't remember ever being stopped at a police check point).

That day we drove through the land of Bushman. It was a long, hot, pretty boring day. The landscape was virtually unchanging and flat, and the sun beat down through the windows. Somehow, even though this day was longer than the one from Maputo to Inhambane, it was not nearly as stress inducing.

We pitched camp quite early that evening in the middle of some salt pans. As we sat and watched the sunset a woman and her child from a nearby village stumbled over to us as she herded her cattle. We struck up a conversation. I ended up getting a picture and she got some of our extra yams (that we bought in the Plumtree market earlier that day).

The next morning we headed towards the Namibian border. Driving through the Kalahari, all I wanted to do was jump into some water. The map even showed me that there would be a lake on the way, just after we passed the base of the Okavango Delta. Unfortunately, that dang thing lied to me. There was no lake, only more of the same flat, boring landscape that we had grown accustomed to seeing in Botswana.

We didn't quite get to Namibia that day, instead we camped in the desert. We pulled off of yet another road to camp near a tree, this time amongst hundreds of locusts (but much fewer Mosquitos, so that was nice.)

The next days journey, took us through yet another border, and yet another currency change. We headed towards Walvis Bay, where Bhaj has family. Heading towards his Aunts place we drove, and drove, and drove some more. Pretty soon we went from the prairie right into the heart of the desert. There really is nothing like sitting in a car and just watching as the landscape shifts, right before your eyes.

As we got to Walvis we encountered one I the most incredible sunsets over the sand that came about due to the heavy mist that descended from the sea. It felt apocalyptic (not the first time on this trip). We decided to pull over and eat some leftover oatmeal from that morning and watch the sunset. We would have to arrive at our destination in the dark anyways.

We arrived and had a nice meal, some hot tea, a refreshing shower, and warm bed. Of course this was after we spent a few hours joking around with Bhaj's aunt, uncle, and cousin.

The saga will continue with the rest I our stay in Walvis and the journey to Cape Town. Just hang tight.

The Ultimate Schmee-Venture Part 1: Prison of Coconuts

We set off at 7pm from the factory, only to return five minutes later to get a forgotten tire gauge. Eventually, after settling all of our previously forgotten errands we headed out, for real.

The drive that night was dark and shrouded in fog. We made it out of Johannesburg eastward towards Swaziland. The border closed at 10pm and due to our late start we had to make due pulling off the road before we made it there, so we could find an adequate camp site. We ended up stumbling upon the perfect place. It was close to the road, yet still secluded enough. We had a forest on one side and an open view of the hills and mountains on the other. This made the next morning absolutely lovely. We woke up, had a breakfast of oatmeal and rooibos tea, packed up the van and headed to the border.

Crossing was easy. When we arrived in Swazi, our initial reaction was an apocalypse had hit. The highway was deserted at 11am and covered in a fine layer of red dust. But as we drove through the country I became enamored with the relaxed atmosphere of the mountain kingdom and it's gorgeous scenery. I did not begrudge them their lack of people.

For lunch we stopped under the shade of a tree by a massive cornfield and chowed down before Bhaj took a two hour nap. I wandered a bit, read, and generally lounged in the road trip vibes.

By the time we made it to the other side of the country, I regretfully accepted leaving Swazi for Mozambique, which promised beaches and tropical weather. However, the border crossing became a journey of its own.

At first it seemed easy. Stamp your passport, on your way. But when the guard at the gate asked for the car registration and Bhaj shook his head saying we didn't have it, the problems began. Apparently in SA no one carries their car registration with them in the car because you don't ever need it, I know, I was as shocked as you!

Sitting in the police captains office, I began to wonder whether we would even be able to continue our trip. The captain rambled on about rebels in Mozambique (which ended up being accurate, but that's a different story) and corrupt police (also accurate) who would take thousands from us for not having the right papers. Oh yeah, and also the fact that no, we would not in fact be allowed to leave Swazi without the registration.

Luckily, thinking on my toes, I suggested that we have one of Bhaj's employees at the factory scan and email the document to print. It wouldn't be the original but the police reluctantly agreed. He made sure to throw in a "you're free to do that but I am warning you, those guys over there will not like it" (barely anyone has said anything. I say barely because we did have to bribe one guy who noticed.)

Oh, but the never ending border saga does not conclude there. After two hours waiting to get online, so we could sort out our papers, we made it across to the Mozambican side of patrol. Here I had to get myself a visitors visa, which was a breeze, but what was not so easy was the "insurance". Bhaj had insurance coverage from SA, however, the stupid guy who got it for him wrote on the document that it only covered Botswana (not true and also the only place they didn't ask for any). We argued with the skechty "insurance" guy who was sitting outside of the patrol station waiting for his next victims, that we did, in fact, have coverage. "This will not work here in Mozambique," he said "the police will take all your money." (Hmmm... That sounds familiar.) We ended up buying the 150rand ($15) policy, just in case.

By this time we were done, it was already past 8pm, which is when the border officially closed. The gate had been shut and everyone was leaving. "You will have to sleep here tonight" said the guard at the door (luckily he was joking and eventually let us through).

Into Mozambique we went, ready to pass out from the unexpected problems we ran into. However, we chugged on until we got to Maputo. A city I have now only seen in the dark. Not regrettably so, although I'm sure it is lovely. We ended up 'camping' in the parking lot of a navel (yacht) club right by the ocean.

Waking up the next morning covered in sweat and surrounded by sounds of cars whizzing by, added to the atmosphere of city dwelling that we had spontaneously found ourselves in. Such vagabond we became. Camping in the back of a van, in a random parking lot, albeit by the ocean (Oh, how the mighty have fallen.)

With no oatmeal breakfast that morning, we headed off. Our destination? Turtle Cove, in Inhambane (really though, it's in Praia de Tofu. Yep, Tofu Beach).

We got a bit lost on our way out of Maputo and ended up in this little village right off the ocean. It had these gorgeous red dirt roads and some very friendly people who pushed our van to get the tire unstuck (one of the three times this happened that day). As we were trying to find our way to the main road we stopped to ask these two ladies waiting for a minibus. "Is this the way to the highway?" She mumbled something in Portuguese and than began to open the van door to get in the back. I was quite shocked until I realized they wanted a ride to the next town. I guess at that point what else was there left to do on our adventure except pick up some hitchhikers (turns out there was a lot more).

The eventful bit of that day (beside the hitchhikers, successfully making sandwiches for lunch while Bhaj continued on driving and the epic car battery charging contraption we made) was the lady I saw standing on the side of the road, signaling us with a bow and arrow in her left hand and a white rabbit in the right (as if I can understand ancient alien greetings, jeez). It was also quite entertaining when Bhaj got the van stuck trying to harvest coconuts, which are now rattling around in the back, amongst our food, water, and bedding.

Speaking of getting the van stuck. We had about three instances on that long drive to Tofu, where the sand was just too much. Whether it was some backroad that we never should have been on, coconut harvesting, or really just trying to get to our lodging, that thing got itself stuck. Every time that happened, superBhaj came to the rescue with his tire gauge, knife, and shovel.

After we finally made it to our little slice of paradise, we took much needed showers and slept in proper beds. We awoke to a tropical oasis and headed down to the beach. I am convinced that this area would be the best place in the world to honeymoon. It's quite, secluded, and beautiful. A spectacular beach setting without the obnoxious tourists and tourism industries. But I would fly directly in and not deal with driving from SA.

After our beach recoup we hit the road again. We were going to go on an ocean safari and see whale sharks but the other people who were to come with us bailed. We waited around all morning just to find out it was a no go. That just meant we could hit the road earlier.

So, off we set on the next part of our journey...

To be continued...