Experiencing 4 Countries in less than 20 minutes

Experiencing Southern Africa has been such a joy. Each country I decided to see, left me with lasting memories.

I have made more than one trip to some of these countries. Many things took me to Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. And Zambia being my home country, has been a wonderful home.

Just to go down memory lane, I will, should I leave my country for good, always remember the Mighty Victoria Falls. It is a touristic identity of the country and being in Zimbabwe many times, I must say that the same falls will remind me of Zimbabwe as it is also found there.

I will always remember Namibia for its beaches and deserts and Botswana for its wildlife.

If the truth be told, I would love to do a revisit. What was closest to this visit I am desiring, was when I took a trip enjoying my moment on the safaris of the Chobe River, only to find out I experienced all four of these countries in less than 20 minutes!

Before I got to Chobe River for the safari, I passed through Kazungula bridge and it is at this place that Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Zambia borders meet at a quadripoint. I love that this bridge was worked on and looks beautiful and I spent time admiring the Zambezi River from this side of the country.

This Botswana- Zambia border connects two points on the Zambezi river, one with Namibia in the Northwest to one with Zimbabwe in the Southeast. This boundary on the Zambezi River is also known as the “Four Corners of Africa”. The four countries meet on the eastern side of the Caprivi Strip. What is more interesting is that research has it that there are more than 150 tripoints in the world like Egypt, Libya, and Sudan in Africa; Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela in the Americas; Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan in Asia; Austria, Germany, and Switzerland in Europe but there is only one International quadripoint in the world and I am happy to have had seen this point. It is always a great feeling to come across rare places. You will find the four countries Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana meeting at the confluence of the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers.

I bet there are other points one could enjoy this quadripoint from, but one of these is on the Chobe River. I sat on the boat waiting to come across some wildlife of Botswana. There were lots of animals to see but that is a story for another day. What made my day was learning and experiencing this rare truth that the boat I was on did not just make a stop on ordinary waters but on a spot that made me experience four countries in less than twenty minutes!

Though this point could take about five to six minutes, I decided to wait longer than this by asking the boatman for his permission. I figured this rare place could be appreciated more if there was a poster or something but because this was on water, there was little chance of this.

June 20, 2024 33

Awesome Southern African cities you should visit in 2023 (Part 1)

💕Hey you! Part 2 coming soon!💕

If there is such a thing as winning the lottery, having a get-rich-quick scheme go as planned or I just happen to afford it, I want to visit North America, Europe, Canada and my absolute favorite, Australia but the way I see it, these will remain dreams for now, but, thanks to bloggers, TV and indeed all the places I have seen and appreciated these places through. Imagine if these channels were never available.

Today I especially woke up with a dire need to share Southern African cities I have come to love and hopefully encourage someone out there to consider adding these cities to their bucket list and even if it ends up being a dream, it’s free to dream, right?

By all means do try out:

1) Livingstone (Zambia)

Let’s say you happen to be on the Southern part of the continent of Africa on Zambian soil and not made it to Livingstone, then you haven’t lived. I think at this moment, Livingstone is tired of having me. This is a place you will find African dancers communicating to you, appreciating and welcoming you through dance. Feel free to tag along and enjoy the rhythms of Africa.

I have done Livingstone sometimes just to get soaked by the splashes from the mighty Victoria Falls. I want no one to disturb me when am spending time with her. You will want to enjoy your awesome moment with her after all she is one of the natural wonders of the world! I love Livingstone! Never a dull moment here. If it’s not the falls you wanna be at, do the Zambezi river, all in one town! This river is like the fourth longest river in Africa.

You will enjoy lots of activities done on this river. Many other activities will make your visit to Livingstone memorable like the nerve-wracking, adrenaline-boosting lion interaction. Most of all, if you are a foodie like I am, you don’t want too many restrictions when it comes to food so enjoy tasty crocodile at some restaurants here but I highly recommend Zambezi Cafe. Yu-m-mmmy!

2) Walvis Bay (Namibia)

This is a port town on the coasts of Namibia. It is said to be the second largest city in Namibia and the largest coastal city in the country. You will enjoy being in Walvis Bay as there are lots of boating and cruise companies to help you enjoy the Atlantic ocean and all that you can do there. Wanna enjoy the Atlantic ocean on African soil? Choose Walvis Bay. The cruise agency I highly recommend is the Laramon Tours which changed its name to Catamaran Charters. They offer variety of cruises suitable for all ocean lovers.

Walvis Bay is known for its varying birdlife for all those birders out there. Bucket list this place for all good hotels near the Atlantic ocean like Protea Hotel where you could enjoy your meals and stays with beautiful views.

3) Cape Town (South Africa)

I was amazed at how beautiful this city looks at night from where I stood. I was quite stunned. Coastal cities happen to be my favorite for some reason. Unlike other cities I have toured in my own style, I love that Cape Town offers city tours and the well known company offering these tours is the City Sightseeing red bus which is the hop on and hop off kind of touring. This absolutely gives you the opportunity to see Cape Town, Seapoint area in style enjoying the views of the Table mountain, Cape Wheel, Nobel Square and a boat cruise tour near the harbor area.

Sunsets in Cape Town are beautiful. It pays off to have a long beach walk and get rewarded with an amazing sunset. For your travel sustainable, clean accomodation, I recommend Mojo hotel in Seapoint right next to where the Atlantic and Indian ocean meet.

4) Dar es salaam (Tanzania)

We celebrate Tanzania because of its beautiful city of Dar es salaam. Everytime I have been here, I always find that this city gives me a whole new vibe. Its beautiful beaches could be well appreciated from pleasure resorts like Azure Boutique Resort. I wanted a quiet moment at the beach and didn’t want a public beach. It was only me, the ocean, the birds and this moment I will not forget. I knew that though Dar es salaam is such a loud town, I would enjoy the coastal town by trying out a private beach.

The market place in Kariakoo, I loved! I went round, shop after shop and all sorts of things by the market place are sold and I even took time to ask what some of this stuff was. I especially enjoyed taking a personal tour round the town center area and Mbezi area using their mode of transport I was enjoying to use because we don’t have these kinds back home. Try Dar es salaam for lots more other activities I did not do. Because it’s on the east side of Africa, you will love the sunrise in this town and you know what else caught my attention? Coconuts! Coconuts! Coconuts!

5) Swakopmund (Namibia)

This beautiful city full of awesome scenery is found on the Western part of the country. The beauty with this town is how you can enjoy the best of two worlds, the desert and indeed the coast right in one space! How amazing can it get?!

I had way too much choice here. Took a walk down the road from the place I lodged at and bumped into a tour company right in the desert area called Desert Explorers.

Looking at camels then quad bikes, the adrenaline in me picked the bikes. You will appreciate the dunes using these tours. I was there for hours and would have loved to be there longer!

💕Hey you! Part 2 coming soon!💕

July 1, 2023 2

The 9 things you must do in Kenya, Mombasa as a solo traveller in 2024

When you think of visiting Africa to get the feel of it, one of the first countries that will cross your mind is Kenya.It is the epitome of Africa. Maybe at this moment, you are planning on doing Kenya or perhaps you even recently got here. You will surely love the Africa it really is. We all wanna visit Kenya for different reasons be it for work, projects, sport, politics whatever…., the fact is, there is that one day you will be up to planning what to do there.

Though this is a thought that could come from a local person as well, the tourist would have to get more knowledge on what this place has to offer. What activities can you do that may involve money (but not always) and still make your stay in Mombasa worth while, well spent and enough reason to wanna tell a story to someone like am doing?

About Mombasa

Mombasa is a coastal city in Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It has been said to be the second largest city in Kenya. This town is one of the coastal touristic spots in Kenya and I discovered it is super rich in history!!

Now that you are here or still thinking to be, not all your days can or should be planned. Sometimes we leave room for spontaneity. The day you choose to just go by a plan, do remember to jot down some of the activities you could do whilst in Mombasa and these are based on what I personally did. Some activities are totally free but some would cost just a few bucks.

1. Take a free ferry

Yes you heard me!! Free! This is a ferry you would enjoy free of charge for a good 10 to 15 minutes and there are a number of trips made in a day. Mombasa being on an island is the reason to enjoy Likoni Ferry which serves Mombasa and Likoni. You will find ferries carrying both road and foot traffic. These ferries are operated by Kenya Ferry Services. It is completely free as a passenger but there is a cost for vehicles, motorcycles, trucks etc. I used this ferry for a necessary move but I must confess because we don’t have a beach in Zambia (what I hate about landlocked countries), I sometimes used this ferry for the fun of it.

2. Enjoy some tennis at Mbaraki Sports Club

Sorry to be specific here but you could actually play other kinds of sport here by making either prior arrangements or just popping up and joining in. This gives you the opportunity to mingle with and get closer to the real Kenya through associating with the locals. I had so much fun having tennis tournaments with the local kids I met at Mbaraki Sports Club.

3. Spend time with camels at Diani Beach

I chose to spend some time at Diani Beach just because a camel is one animal I saw last when I was little…at a zoo and I really did not like the reaction I got from it because I tried getting it’s attention by calling out but it didn’t even bother to look or even move. My impression was camels are not that friendly and my opinions of camels changed when I visited Diani Beach.

To enjoy these camel rides just have about 5 to 10 bucks on you and I guess you could pay more if you keep increasing your hours on its back. I was happy to have met a camel that reciprocated my love unlike the one in my childhood. Laban was his name and my regret is not packing some apples or bananas before this trip. I really don’t know what sort of menu Laban has but I should have shown him a bit of appreciation for taking advantage of him.

4. Hike and hydrate on the beaches while picking shells

I know that heat levels in my country Zambia can be quite high and unbearable but not to the extent I found the heat in Kenya! As you enjoy this overdose of Vitamin D, cool off with some coconut water sold almost everywhere at the beaches and in town.Take a hike on the beach enjoying all the lovely views and you could even make them longer!My favourite of them all is to add to my shell collection!

5. Spend time with locals on the Shelly Beaches

Beaches do differ in vibe and while others are touristic, others aren’t. I must say Shelly beach is a beach you will find locals. I did spend time surveying it but I must say I met many wonderful locals there and ate lots of good local food. Try this place out!

6. Do shopping malls

I don’t know about you but I do like me some shopping! Don’t you? You could shop hop and enjoy some treats. Next to street food, the cheaper places to get your meals from are supermarkets and I recommend Naivas which came in handy when I didn’t have to do restaurant food.

7. See some of the cool landmarks of Mombasa (Pembe Za Ndovu)

Some of the other activities I involved myself in were to get to know my immediate environment and appreciate cool landmarks like the Pembe Za Ndovu or Pembe Mbili monument which is so highly valued and is a story for another day………This monument is a set of elephant tusks you should never leave Mombasa without showing some love to. If it means a lot to the Kenyans, it should be appreciated by tourists. A good 10 minutes was enough love for them.

8. Grace Fort Jesus with a visit

I was here for a tour that I feel in my heart did not really end probably because of time. This fort is the pride of Mombasa and is so rich in history which explains my need to go back because I did not finish reading articles displayed in the museum but if it so happens that I don’t go back, I must say it was amazing to still see this fort. I learnt quite a lot here.

9. Admire the Old Town

Old Town is on the South of Mombasa and I was amazed by the historical buildings that date way back in time and history says it was the main centre for trade between Africa and the Arab world. It was amazing to see in this place the first hotel in Kenya and just walking around In this town made me feel I used a time machine to go back in time

April 27, 2023 4

Would I tour Fort Jesus again?(Part 1)

Given a chance and money, there are lots of places one would love to view whilst travelling.My time in Mombasa was not planned for. It was more of, ”I will see and enjoy whatever is in Mombasa.” Plus, I needed just a change of scenery to clear my head from being that busy high school teacher who never easily gets free time.

I usually do countdowns towards the end of a school term because of a dire need to unwind in places far from home.Talk about the power of change of scenery! It was my first trip to Kenya and not in the slightest do I regret being in Mombasa. You can’t separate Mombasa from Fort Jesus which is a tourist attraction in this old town of Mombasa that is dated ancient. Where are all the historians?

Getting there

As usual, this depends on where you are in Mombasa. And am thinking you are in the heart of Mombasa so getting to Nkurumah road should not be a problem. I took a boda boda (motorcycle) to the Fort. This didn’t take too long.

Now of course being a non resident, do not expect to pay the same price as the locals would and this is usually the case when it comes to tourist attractions unlike other things like taxi fares, groceries and what not. No discrimination fee here lol! Fort Jesus will cost you just about 10 dollars or so.

Historically speaking, what about Fort Jesus?

I have shared before how I am not a history geek nor am I geeky in general but at least I know why my history results in school weren’t that appealing. I am a hands on kind of person and not having enough school trips in history class back in the day could be the reason but it’s never too late to appreciate history the way I would have loved to. But then again am thinking, how much was it gonna cost to learn about Europe all the way from Africa the hands on kind of way! Lol! Pricey, right?

I discovered that this fort was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century on the coastline near Old Town, Mombasa. It was designed by an Italian architect Jao Batista Cairato and built as a refuge place for those Portuguese that lived on the coastal areas.

It has been said that this fort was built in the shape of a man when viewed from the air that is and later on after a series of its capture and recapture, was under the British rule converted into a prison. In the 20th century, it was declared a national park and later on UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. It turns out that in this day and age, Fort Jesus is one of the most visited places in Mombasa, Kenya. But will I tour Fort Jesus again?

March 17, 2023 4

Down history lane with Cape Town’s artistic sculpture

I am no history geek but because I have stepped in zones that have beautiful art, I found catchy, it has triggered me to dig deeper than what meets the eyes. I love art and do appreciate it though not an artist myself. I came to realize how deep art can be both to the artist and the consumer of the art. Sometimes what we put out there burning from deep within us could either trigger positives or negatives.

I loved Cape Town and though there is much talk about dangers of solo travelling to this destination, I went solo….. period. I hadn’t made a list of what I wanted to see because I was just there to rest and not doing what a regular tourist would be doing. I picked the perfect area for my rest which was called Sea Point and as is the name, I was next to where the Atlantic and Indian ocean meet. Perfect beachfront accomodation.

When you lodge in such places, morning, afternoon and evening walks are like the order of the day. I did that many times and the one sculpture that I kept seeing there was a giant size pair of sunglasses.Super cool I thought! I did sit there, chilled there and took a pic or two there. Little did I know that this art had some intended meaning from the artist’s point of view but did the rest of the neighborhood, town or perhaps country empathize?

Would you ever connect a giant pair of sunglasses to a renowned, respected and heroic figure like Nelson Mandela of South Africa? He was an anti apartheid activist, politician and first president of South Africa and pretty sure was at the back of the mind of the artist behind the sculpture in question.But who is this artist behind this piece?

Michael Elion an artist and architect with a degree of architecture from University of Cape Town was the master mind and like earlier mentioned, art can either be welcomed with open arms by the masses or be the reason for some commotion.

Michael titled his piece,”perceiving freedom” and because these giant sunglasses stare out at Robben Island on the Atlantic Ocean where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for almost three decades, the artist had in mind Mandela’s time behind bars.

The masses however found this piece to not be fit for a man like Nelson and deemed it disrespectful and because this project was co- financed by eye wear maker Ray-Ban, some saw this as a promotion stunt pulled and also because it was unveiled in summer.

As I posed next to this piece, I had no clue it’s previous state had lenses on them but were vandalized by those against the artist’s theory. I will treasure the picture I took next to the remains as a lesson that sometimes simple looking things may have such deep meaning.

January 22, 2023 6

Mombasa to Nairobi train experience (review)

In this world of “microwave” experiences, people want to get to their finish line very fast! We are in a rush to arrive. We don’t want delays, stops or any interferences to our goals. And this is okay! I was not up to this kind of speed even if I had the option to book one of the faster trains called Madaraka Express or Kenya Railways. I loved the coastal side of Kenya that I didn’t find it too thrilling to do a big city like Nairobi and stay there for long so a night in Nairobi with the sole purpose of enjoying the train trip was gonna do for moi.

BOOKING PROCESS

Like earlier mentioned about this world being so “microwave -like”, speed is very important and I give them a plus for having an online booking process because that is definitely not the case in some African countries.

“Madaraka Express – Travel Kenya – Online Booking” https://metickets.krc.co.ke

All you do is book online but the con was how you had to book at least five days in advance or else you would not stand a chance in this world to use the train! Searching four days away before departure was almost all the time showing fully booked but again this was a con maybe just for me because I had no clue it gets filled up so quickly and I also didn’t plan this trip to Nairobi, it was abrupt. As one planning on doing Kenya, I advise that you do your booking five days in advance but then again it was festive period am pretty sure it was peak of the season. After making the payment, you could only get a ticket from the station either through the cashier’s office ( lots of queues here) or go to the section where you could print it out on a machine.Choice is yours. The other con is that you can’t complete the transaction or payment with your bank card online.

I only saw payments using Mpesa which only works if you have a Kenyan sim card and in this trip I really advocated for the saying that goes, “lets wander where the wifi is weak” and so I wandered from home but I didn’t wanna be online every single moment! With that being said…I asked a local to pay for me using their Mpesa and I gave them cash. So my unbiased review score as far as the booking process is concerned was a cool six out of ten. I think they should accommodate those travellers that plan every of their movements ahead considering that Kenya is a touristic country.

FARES

Like earlier mentioned, there is an online booking process. Even before I air out my views on this, we all know that saving a few moneys is always at the back of most people’s minds. Check their website for different fares. There was provision for the fastest train that took about four hours to get to Nairobi from Mombasa. I will or may use it later. It was the first class costing about 24 dollars for adults and 12 dollars for the younger folk but the other train I used was an inter county train costing about 8 dollars and 4 dollars for adults and younger folk respectively. The children less than three years of age were allowed to be free loading. So as far as prices are concerned, Kenyan Railways fares are fair and I rated this a nine out of ten. Of course this is according to me, subject to lots of scrutiny of course.

LOCATION OF THE TRAIN STATION

Depending on where you are staying, getting to the train station is as easy as finding a bus called Coast Bus in Mwembe Tayari road and try getting there at 7 o’ clock in the morning and you will pay just a few pennies for the ride to the train station which is approximately 24 minutes away. If you are loaded, you could drive or take other types of transport to the train station but the tuk tuks and boda bodas do not get to the train station. So the means to get to the train station have been made so that everyone is able to be at the station in good time in good time not to miss the departure time. I rated this service at nine out of ten not because of the appearance of the bus but the fact that everyone can easily get to the train station in good time. Thumbs up here!

THE VIEWS

You know what? As far as tours are concerned, every tourist wants to have as many of them as possible. And countries like Kenya are those that you can’t visit minus thinking of doing a safari trip. Though I have had my fair share of them, this trip had a touch of a safari trip as we spotted lots of animals along the way like zebras, camels, the antelope family, buffalos, monkeys, elephants and the like and I must add that the views were absolutely breath taking which is why I think the day train is a better option for a first timer to Kenya than using the night train because you miss out on all this.

I remember asking a local lady for her window seat and explained to her that I really needed to enjoy the views up close as I was not a local and guess what? She was so willing as she probably noticed my ‘wow’ face as I stared outside the window. As far as views are concerned, this was a nine out of ten and the reason for not awarding a ten was because I think it was going to be nice to see members of the cat family doing their thing in the wild but then again….that’s really a rare commodity even on an actual safari!

FOOD, TOILETS AND GENERAL CLEANLINESS

I couldn’t stay on an empty stomach for long and it was three hours into the journey. My stomach protested like crazy and since I was curious to experience first hand of their services, I stopped the next hostess that had a trolley of food. They just had snacks, juices and sodas but I wanted warm food so I ordered rice, chicken with veggies. The food was well prepared, pretty much the same you would have on a plane or decent cafeteria. I think an eight out of ten for the food specifically. Their menu had some variety of finger foods, chicken, chips, wraps and juices.

I have seen trains with toilets so dirty, it is better for your bladder to pop! I loved that this train has a cleaning service and even as you enjoy the train ride, the cleaning can be done in places they feel have to be cleaned especially if it was a customer that messed up. The toilets were very clean and they do have tissue available and hand wash and the cleanliness of the train was a nine out of ten. They should keep up the good work!

January 15, 2023 4

Overcoming fears of solo travel as a female

Being female comes with its own blessings and curses.We love our male folk but sometimes the feeling of surviving without them around paralyses many a female folk that some have decided to embrace the paralysis and not pursue their dreams.

Without really targeting any culture, it is a well known fact that in some cultures, what women are capable of doing freely, they can’t really do in others. In the African culture, a woman is seen as one who is a helper at home and don’t get me wrong, in many cultures, I should think that is the case. With that being said, the issue of traveling should not be much of a problem until they hear the word ‘solo’. I mean, where are you going on your own?

In my opinion, this question could be coming from the fact that even males do am sure get fearful when traveling on their own. But can this fear be overcome? Can it magically just disappear after sessions with a therapist? There is no one good answer but my observation travelling in Southern African counties as one who belongs in this region, I noticed there are some fears that grip that one female ( especially from Africa) from just stepping outside one’s comfortable place

After travelling to a few countries here in Southern Africa, it’s safe to say these are some of the reasons other females have not stepped out of their comfort zones.

1)How do I even fit in?

It’s no doubt that some people fuss over food, friendships and to some extent, why not?I am used to having my English breakfast, why should I have chapati, omelette, lemon tea and fruit for breakfast ( which by the way was the kind of breakfast I had in Kenya)

Part of travel involves experiencing culture that is different from yours.You could either go and entirely refuse to be a part of it or embrace it. How can you do that? Embrace change, accept differences, go to the park and mix with locals. There is of course the danger in some places of being bullied for being different. At one time in East Africa, I could clearly get that I was being mocked for not knowing the local language

The sure way out of this is really to adopt a care free attitude. Let them talk about how you speak differently, don’t allow yourself to be bothered by that because some locals embrace foreigners. Train your taste buds to accept change, chances are that though different, you may like some foods and ultimately, the other way to overcome the feelings of not fitting in is to stop being judgemental and stereotypical.

2)Will I be safe?

This feeling of not being safe affects many even in places we call home. The feeling is just worse in an unfamiliar place. Hundred percent safety is not a guarantee everywhere but some things that will keep you safe are things like avoiding walking late nights on your own, being intoxicated and try at all costs to keep your stuff safe (bank cards, passport, cash etc) and I have seen some keep their documents in a secure sash that goes in one’s underwear. Pretty cool.

3) Loneliness?

It’s funny how some travellers feel embarrassed or is it insecure of having a meal on their own.Which one is better, to ditch that solo trip because you can’t be on your own, or wait ages or forever for that group trip? I am okay with enjoying that meal on my own.It is embedded in some minds that when you travel alone, you are alone and lonely all the time but that is not true. Starting from your mode of transport which could be a plane, cruise, train or bus to the hotels, hostels and what not, you do meet or find people everywhere. Loneliness is sometimes a negative mindset you should shake off.

4) Family disapproval

Males travelling is usually not as much of a problem in families as opposed to females doing the same.Sometimes it is our family members that disapprove of the solo travel. One way that has worked for me is to update them of my whereabouts and everything you are upto. Taking good care of yourself everytime you travel and family having confidence in you and how well you take care of yourself, will reduce their complaints.

January 2, 2023 6

Safari vibes at Chaminuka Game Reserve (Part 1)

You probably have big issues if you don’t enjoy discounts. Almost every one of us enjoy freebies. I enjoyed a good package of a game drive, boat cruise and buffet lunch at Chaminuka lodge which is the same place you find the game reserve in the town of Lusaka, Zambia. I have pushed my luck in things like lotto, competitions and what not…..I suck! I am proud to say though that the trip was at a discounted price and off I went to enjoy this package. When you visit Zambia, do consider doing this tour, it is worth it. The place is known for giving discounts on some packages and this particular deal was for teachers on Teachers Day.

If the truth be told, I was kinda getting tired of having this place on my bucket list, I was so happy when I checked it and it was worth the while.I was not just day dreaming about it long before it happened….nah!It kind of just was a boom! I have to do this today kind of thing.

DISTANCE AND LOCATION

I was not mobile or driving because I was in Lusaka for just a few days. When you arrive in the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka at the airport, you are basically an hour away from the place. You could even get on the metered cabs from the airport provided you download the app called Yango or Ulendo using a Zambian sim card or better still, ask one of those nice people at the airport to book it for you on their phone. Both is good. After close to an hours drive from the airport, you will find this sign post welcoming you to one of our most beautiful havens of game life.

WHAT WAS IN THE PACKAGE?

The animals!

One thing is for sure, I wanted to spend a night at the lodge in the game reserve but their rooms were more on the pricey side and because this trip was not planned for, I was doing a day trip and that’s it! Because I got there by 9 o’clock, I just waited an hour for the game drive guests from the lodge to fill up the vehicle we were using. So I was not alone on this drive. Little Miss Solo traveller was not going solo. The game drive vehicle was full and off we went.

The first animals I saw were the cheetahs which were actually caged because they are used for an interaction tour and because that wasn’t part of the package, I could not ( with a tear from my left eye) enjoy this beastly interaction. I just interacted with them with a wire barrier in between.Even though I desired to interact with them, I heard they were also on observation of some sort.I also was not in the mood to say the ‘ let them not shred me to pieces’ kind of prayers.

We then spotted some elephants with a man and I thought we could have close interaction with them as I am very sure they are also used in an interaction tour but we were only allowed to view them from the vehicle. The same thing was true for the caged lions that I heard roaring .

I am ashamed to say but this was my first time to see ostriches! My desire was to see them run because I hear they could win in the Olympics. In this game drive, you will catch a glimpse of the above mentioned animals.

The animal I have struggled to spot in most of my game drive tours is the giraffe.

I am not sure about the population of giraffes in Zambia but I know for sure I have missed it on my past game drive adventures. My time came. I had my chance to view giraffes up close! I have never seen such peaceful looking creatures and my dream is to be licked on my face by a baby giraffe in Kenya!!!!!

November 28, 2022 3

Hiking through the trails near Victoria falls

It’s time I headed south of my country Zambia.The south of the country is known for touristic spots the most popular of them being the Victoria falls. When you visit Zambia, try to at least sound one with us by calling it Mosi- oa -Tunya falls which literally means “the smoke that thunders.”

I have been to this part of the country like a zillion times, but every time felt like a new experience. There are many cool experiences one could enjoy there like helicopter rides over the falls to enjoy that awesome view, bungee jumping or zip lining but I have at times just enjoyed taking hikes in the tiny trails found there.

BUT WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT?

The weather patterns in Zambia are something like from November to April, we experience lots of heat (well, Africa is always blazing) but it’s pretty much ten times hotter than you are imagining at this moment! With this kind of heat, comes lots of rains. The beauty about hiking at this time is that you receive a bath from the heavens which you will most likely need should the heat and the thirst be unbearable due to high levels of heat.

THOSE VIEWS

The view of the falls during this season is to die for! You can’t visit Zambia let’s say all the way from Europe only to find a falls that resembles a desert! I mean there is Namibia and Botswana for that.The other seasons aren’t exactly the wisest of times to visit this place because the water levels would be too low but it’s worth experiencing for yourselves.

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR THIS HIKE ?

Assuming I have already inspired you to pack your bags and give this place a shot, start imagining seeing the best of views as you approach the deep crack in the earth they call Victoria falls! It’s amazing!As you head to the entrance, do all that is necessary like payments of about 30 to 40 dollars and do carry some sunscreen or a rain coat ( for that rainy day) but as for rain coats, it is needed all the time you have to pass through a certain part of the falls as there is lots of splashing that will definitely get you drenched.

LOSING THOSE CALORIES

Depending on your pace, who you are with and all, the hike could take a good two to three hours if you have to be very near the falls area.Be ready to lose a bit of those calories because it’s quite a distance. I would advise you to carry food so you replace those calories but there will be one risk in doing so……. You aren’t all alone in that trail.You have company. This company is usually bad company that is after what you are eating or enjoying.Monkeys.

MINGLE WITH MONKEYS

Just a confession here, I find a reason to still be a tourist in my country and this one time I was doing the same with friends. It turned out we became the tourist attraction because we attracted lots of monkeys as we were hiking or hoping to hike sipping on some fanta and eating fruits. it was the dumbest move ever because we got spotted by monkeys and the one lesson I learned was a monkey can open your fanta or water bottle and drink the contents, then throw away the container when done. I couldn’t believe my fanta bottle was taken by a notorious creature. We started seeing camera flashes from all directions.Not cool!

THOSE SOUVENIRS

It’s usually expected to bring a piece of evidence of the place you visited. You will find all sorts of beautifully hand made African pieces of work. My advice to you is don’t fall for the first price that is quoted. Negotiate with the sellers..As a tourist, they see or sense one is not from Zambian soil, it is almost a reflex action to hike the price of a product. All these products are found near the entrance to the falls.

SWIM IN THE DEVIL’S POOL

Are you that daring person willing to take the risk of swimming close to this crack in the earth? Thrill seekers , risk lovers this is your place. Many have taken pictures doing this great stunt. Am not quite sure why I have never attempted to do it!

November 13, 2022 13

Ahh…so that’s the Old Fort of Zanzibar

The older it gets,the more touristic value it seems to have

The Old Fort of Zanzibar is a beautiful historical feature found in Stone Town, Zanzibar.This feature also goes by the name The Arab Fort.If you ask me….this old fine piece of work is actually a ‘ tourist puller’.One of the much talked about touristic places in Zanzibar.

This feature was built by Omari Arabs in 1699.It was used as a prison.It is now used for film festivals though in the 20th century it was used as a depot.This piece of touristic work is now being used as a centre for cultural activities like curio shops.

On the left are curio shops ….sorry not clear 😜

The Fort is essentially a square of high brown walls with merlons,protecting an inner courtyard.In the courtyard there are some remnants of earlier buildings including those of a Portuguese church and another Omani fortification.

This place is now used for entertainment like live dance and music shows held mostly in the afternoons and evenings.

This group was here for what appeared to be workouts 🤔

September 4, 2022 6