People have been so good to us. We have laughed and cried a lot over the past several days as we read all the emails and talk to family at home. We are feeling the love. Russ was discharged yesterday from the hospital and he is taking it easy at the home of our friends Annette and Eicker who live close to the hospital. “Lifestyle change” is the number one prescription. We generally eat well (although Russ loves his meat and salt, which he is heroically cutting out for now). We walk quite a bit. We figured out that we could probably find some different ways for us both to handle stress so that is what we are focusing on now. There are a lot of decisions to make in the next month or so, so Russ and I decided to take a break from that, and reflect on the past three and half months. We made up some fun lists and here are a few of them:
Most amazing “took our breath away” experiences (in no particular order)
Traveling to the remote waterfall at Semonkong, Lesotho
Experiencing the heavy volume of water at Victoria Falls
Cruising the Chobe River
Walking the beach at Vilanculos
Climbing Dune 38 at Soussusvlei
Some things that we’ve lost along the way (although not all in the same place)
A towel
Russ’ swim shorts
The really good vegetable peeler
A headlamp
A cutting board
One of my socks and one of Russ’ (but together they are unfortunately not a pair)
The camera transfer cable
One of the adaptor plugs
(We did however manage not to lose our passports, cash, or sanity)
Some of the items women carried (oh so gracefully) on their heads in Mozambique
Buckets of fish
Firewood
Ten gallon water jugs
Long poles
Suitcases
Long rolled up reed mats
Nicest loviest places to stay (in no particular order, and not including friends’ homes)
Karma Backpackers (Kestell, SA) for its warmth, homey-ness, and delicious jams
Turtle Cove Yoga Center (Tofoinho, Moz) for its tranquility
Roma Trading Post (Roma, Lesotho) for its beautiful gardens, well-stocked kitchen, and movie selection
Okakuejo Camp (Etosha, Namibia) for the Out of Africa romance it inspired
HIVU Cottage (Bvumba, Zim) for the amazing sunrise views from the bedroom, eggs, and hearth fires
Casa Piccolo (Windhoek, Namibia) for the German attention to comfort and detail
Old Vic Traveler’s Lodge(Nelspruit, SA) for the spacious apartment right outside the lush garden & pool
Camping at Chobe Safari Lodge (Kasane, Botswana) for its incredible beauty and wildness.
Absolutely the most terrible roads (in order)
From Ramabanta to Semonkong, Lesotho
From Hochfeld to Okahandja, Namibia
From Inhambane to Chimoio, Mozambique
Most of South Africa
Best tarred roads, a pleasure to drive (in order)
Most of Namibia, except Windhoek with washed out streets and massive potholes
Most of Zimbabwe, except Harare which was almost as treacherous
Entertaining road signs in Zimbabwe
Give way (Yield)
Lay bye (Rest stop)
Humped zebra crossing (Crosswalk with speedbump)
Deadly danger (Hazardous road)
“Would love to eat again” meals (in no particular order)
Grilled seafood orgy our first night in Vilanculos
Matopos dish also in Vilanculos
Fish curry in Tofo
High tea at The Victoria Falls Hotel
Every Namibian braai we were at (but we are going to lay off the meat for awhile)
Coolest most interesting animals
Wild dogs (just the prettiest dogs you have ever seen, yet also the most vicious hunters which one would
never guess to look at them)
Elephants (for their emotional group interactions)
Hippos (for their sheer girth and speed, also potential to kill humans)
Even a couple of regrets (first one - definitely, second and third - not really)
Not having travel insurance (we’re still kicking ourselves for that gamble)
Going into Mozambique at the chaotic South Africa border instead of from Swaziland (but we would
have missed an awesome stay in Kruger’s Crocodile Bridge Camp)
Not going to Malawi (but it would have been too rushed)
Things we will not miss when we finally leave Africa
The price of petrol
Dogs (most places we stayed at had several animals who were annoying and not well-trained…and we
like dogs)
The rain (especially while camping)
Police roadblocks
Runny tummy
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