Dory Syndrome

Okay so it’s true I have what is known as “Dory’s Syndrome” I forget what I hear/see in 2 seconds. Even if it is amazing. I have travelled to many places in the world, and I don’t remember half the places or the things I did there. Not to mention the names of the cities and towns or peoples names. I don’t usually keep a diary, I did on my first trip for about two weeks then I lost interest. Now after travelling to many places this is my biggest regret, however and I will change my ways. Well I hope I will change my ways, another of my faults is I only stick to things for about two weeks and then give up.

However I will try to bring back as many memories as I can now by writing,  sometimes the simple act of writing can bring back those “oh remember when we did that …..”

Here goes

As I write this I have 40 days till I travel to New Zealand, the North Island with a girlfriend, a camper and absolutely no plan. What could go wrong right.  

I have been to NZ before you see, but that time it was the South Island in 2006, we went to Queenstown. It was amazing I took my daughter who was only 8 at the time. We went with friends my girlfriend and her daughter. Although we went together we had separate accommodation and did our own thing and came together to do other things. It was a good mix for us as we had different ideas on fun. For example my daughter and I went on the “shot over Jet” which is a jet boat that goes down the canyons at high speed. I loved it and so did my daughter although it was very cold, we went in August, the end of their winter. While my friend and her daughter went craft/art shopping in a little place called Arrowtown just outside of Queenstown. You see we have very different tastes, but that’s great.

We all went horse riding outside of Glenorchy, this is Hobbit country, and apparently my daughter was riding on one of the actual horses that stared in the movie (he had the illustrious name of Ned). I know simply amazing isn’t it, who would of thought that could happen. All that aside we had an amazing day, even though I am not that comfortable on a horse, the only time I ride is when I am away on holidays.

 

Even just a wander around Queenstown itself is very enjoyable it is a nice little town with lots to see. We went down to the wharf of course which is on Lake Wakatipu which is stunning like everything in NZ. Just along the wharf you will find a chocolate shop that sells the most amazing chocolates, every day we managed to go down and taste a new delight. In one of the back alleys off the main street we found a quaint little pizza shop that sold the best pizza in town in our opinion. 

 

We took skiing lessons up on The Remarkables Mountain, now as a child I was very athletic but now I am an adult and things are a bit different, but still I didn’t do too badly at this skiing thing.  However when it came to getting up the slope to where the real people skied on the drag rope I failed miserably. Every time I tried I landed on my butt with a puff of snow drifting up around me, so after about six attempts I gave up and we stayed on the learning slope, of course my daughter caught onto it very easily putting her mother to shame.

Most of the things we did I organised in advance from home before we went this included a day trip to Milford sound. Again it was a very cold day but the bus trip was pleasant and we stopped along the way to enjoy the view. When we got there we went on board the ship and enjoyed the amazing waterfalls and scenery that is on offer in this beautiful part of NZ.

The Skyline luge was however not as much fun as we expected we went up on the chair lift and the young man who helped us onto our chair, slammed the overhead safety rail down onto my daughters’ hand as we took off into the air. We then had to go down to the conveniently located emergency ward at the bottom of Bob’s Peak. She was lucky she only had bruising to the soft tissue and got to have arm in tubigrip with a sling for the rest of the trip, she was quiet happy to show off her injury.

We also took the gondola up Bob’s Peak to “The Skyline Queenstown” where we had dinner and a wonderful Maori show, they encouraged people up on stage to join in the dancing and festivities, my daughter and her friend where with them.  We have wonderful photos and memories of that night.

 

Now this is where the memory is failing me I know we went on a helicopter ride, I just don’t remember where or why haha but I have the photos to prove it and that will teach me to keep a diary in the future.

 

So you see I have not done too badly at remembering after all this time, the act of writing does help you remember.

 Thank you for walking down memory lane with me.

 

Crisis of Faith

So I have not been on my blog for a while, and for that I am sorry.  I am unsure if I want to commit to a blog. The problem with blogging is, it takes a very large commitment and I am not sure I have that.  My biggest failing is that I start these things and never finish them, truly two weeks is usually my limit. It doesn’t matter if it is a diet a study course or an exercise plan, the problem is I get bored. Truly I am surprised I managed to finish my degree ha-ha. I am unsure if I even want to give that much time and effort to it, when all I want to do is travel “NOT BLOG”. But it is a way to stay in touch and possibly in the future develop an income, albeit small. One of the problems with committing to it now is I am not travelling, I am at home doing very little trying to save money (boring). So therefore have very little to write about on my blog. It’s a bit of a conundrum.

I am going through a “Crisis of Faith” in my ability to achieve my goals within the timeframe I have set. I am unsure if I will save enough money, as I have a set amount in mind albeit a huge amount.

I am also unsure if I am actually capable of solo travel. When looking at destinations and how to get there and get around once there, I often find the internet just a confusing waste of time. Simple things like booking flights makes me nervous, as I have done very little of that before always relying on my travel agent to do it. I have never applied for a visa myself, so that is extremely scary and I have no idea where to start. I sometimes find myself absolutely terrified at the whole idea of doing this. However I have recently found a Facebook page that have pointed me in the right direction, and a couple of interesting blogs that are very helpful. It gives great advice on many travel topics, from visas, websites, flights to jobs overseas.

I am also going to enrol in a TESOL course in the next couple of months. This will allow me to work teaching English and the fact that I have a degree is a bonus in the employment stakes. I am not even sure if I want to teach while overseas. Won’t I just end up working in another country and not seeing the sights, it’s just like being at home really? I will do it though as a backup for while I am away.

Saving money has come to a standstill in the last few months due to a change in circumstances, it will I hope begin to improve again soon. My original plan was to rent out the two spare rooms in my home.

I have two rooms spare in my home that are just begging for someone to rent them but for some reason I cannot find anyone to move in. This is frustrating me as it is a wonderful source of income just begging to happen. I have put them up on a couple of websites, however not luck. I am considering not renting them out at all as I am not really wanting to share the last year with anyone other than my daughter.

I am going to New Zealand in October 2016 with a friend for two weeks we will be hiring a camper van and just driving. We have no real plan but a few ideas of things we want to see.  Then in March 2017 I am possibly going to backpack around Turkey and Greece as a test run with my girlfriend for 4-5 weeks. I think this may financially delay my original plan which was to leave in Nov 2016 but only until February 2017. I am aiming for “Carnival” in Rio in 2017 so that date is set in stone at least. 

A friend of a friend is coming back from backpacking around South America soon and I am going to catch up with them and hopefully find out as much as I can. 

I guess the problem is I have taken too long to arrive at my departure date and I have gotten scared and disheartened. I am now just unsure if I am capable or if I will have enough money. 

It has taken me a few weeks to write this and in that time I have had issues in my life that has just reinforced my determination to live my life free. I AM GOING TO TRAVEL THE WORLD. It will happen next year and nothing in this world will stop me. Wish me luck and look out for my website as it changes and evolves. I don’t know what the future will bring but I know I am going to give it a go.

 

Vaccinations Then and Now

Vaccination

Okay so I am Australian and I want to travel the world.  I live on, what is basically a large island we are well protected from the rest of the world’s diseases. We have very strict quarantine laws, we have safe drinking water and strong food safety laws. In recent years we have had some Ross River Fever and our Bats have a rabies/lyssaviruses, but on the whole we are a very safe country to travel in. Oh except for the venomous snakes (Australia has about 140 different land snake, and 32 water snakes. Around 100 are venomous, but the number that could actually kill you is only 12). Let’s not forget the spiders, giant crocodiles and perhaps the drop bears, but that is a whole different topic, today we are talking about vaccinations. Before I started to travel overseas in 2005 I went to the local travel Doctor and asked what I needed for Africa and this is what he said.

1. Hepatitis A
   1. Hepatitis A vaccination is thought to provide lifelong immunity. Hepatitis A vaccination can be given alone or as a combination with Hepatitis B or Typhoid.
2. Hepatitis B
   1. A completed course of vaccination is thought to confer life-long immunity.
3. Cholera
   1. The oral cholera vaccine also provides some protection against one of the more common forms of traveler’s diarrhea. Normally the vaccine is taken in two doses 1-6 weeks apart.
4. Typhoid Fever
   1.  A completed course of typhoid vaccination provides protection for up to three years.
5. Yellow Fever
   1. The vaccination for yellow fever provides a high level of immunity for a period of ten years. The vaccination is usually quite safe but is unsuitable for a small number of individuals.
6. Rabies
   1. Normally the vaccine is used before departure to provide immunity in the event of an animal bite.  Rabies vaccination provides effective protection against this serious illness. Normally the course requires three visits to our clinic within about one month.
7. Influenza
   1. Although the vaccine only provides immunity for about one year it normally has very few side effects.
8. Malaria –
   1. Malaria is an infection it is passed on via the bite of an infected mosquito. Travellers to tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Central or South America are at risk. In malarial areas, avoid mosquito bites by wearing long, loose clothing, using insect repellents and avoiding outdoors at dusk and dawn. Anti-malaria tablets.
9. Tetanus
   1. Protection against tetanus should be considered for all travelers and normally lasts about ten years.
10. Meningococcal Meningitis
    1. The vaccine most commonly used for travelers protects against multiple strains of Meningitis and provides immunity for up to three years.
11. HIV/AIDS
    1. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). There is no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS, but medication can manage HIV-related illnesses and AIDS.
12. Japanese encephalitis vaccine
    1. This should be considered for travelers to affected regions of Asia.
13. Bilharzia
    1. Bilharzia is a parasitic disease caused by worms that enter a person through the skin when they come into contact with contaminated fresh water. The parasites enter the skin, migrates through the body to the blood vessels of the lungs and liver. It advances to the veins around the bowel or bladder, lays eggs which can either be passed in the urine or faeces, or remain in the tissues in the human host in the liver or bladder.
14. Giardia infection (Giardiasis)
    1. Giardiasis also known as gastro. It is caused by the parasite Giardia Lamblia. Giardiasis can be spread by contaminated drinking water. It can also be spread by faecal contamination of public water. Giardiasis can be treated with medications.
15. Varicella (chicken pox)
    1. Vaccination of children against chickenpox not only prevents serious disease in childhood, but also ensures immunity in adolescence and adulthood, when complications from the disease can have severe outcomes.
16. Dengue Fever
    1. Dengue fever is a viral disease spread by mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions. There is no specific medical treatment and no vaccine. The best way to protect against dengue fever is to avoid mosquito bites when in affected areas.
17. Polio
    1. A single booster during adulthood is thought to result in lifelong immunity. Polio can be given alone or as part of a combination with other vaccines.
18. Measles mumps and rubella
    1. An effective combination of these vaccines can be given as a single dose and it provides long-lasting immunity.
19. Diphtheria
    1. Boosters are normally given as a combination with other vaccines in a single needle formulation.

Oh my God is he kidding, I know right, there is no way I am going to do all of that, but luckily for me here in Australia a lot of that has already been done in childhood or through work related vaccines. So we can tick off a possible 10 (the ones in bold) off that list straight away and some may not be relevant to the destination you are going to travel to for example my first trip away was Africa so I am not going to need Japanese encephalitis.

Interestingly the varicella vaccine is fairly recent to Australia so therefore I did not get vaccinated in childhood. This was one that my Doctor pushed quiet strongly and I argued with him that I was immune to it, as I had nursed all three of my children and not been infected. He insisted that I be tested and I was right I had a natural immunity.

I did not get the Rabies vaccination for my first two African visits but by the third time I was going overseas, this time to the Middle East I thought I had pushed my luck too far. Rabies if contracted WILL KILL YOU there is no cure once you show the first signs and symptoms.

My Doctor did not insist on the cholera vaccine so I did not question his judgment and Meningococcal vaccine is also fairly new and was not offered as strongly as others.

Malaria tablets are started as a course two weeks prior to your departure so you have an existing immunity and continued for two weeks after leaving the affected areas. I was taking Doxycycline which is the cheapest and most common daily administered medication for Malaria. On the second day in Africa when we are heading out of South Africa and into Mozambique I noticed this rash and I was scratching my skin off my arms and torso. I discuss my options with the driver of the truck, he offered to drop me at a Doctor clinic before we crossed the border (South Africa has a much more reliable medical system than Mozambique). I was quiet nervous when they dropped me on the side of the road in front of this building that looked more like a shack than a GP office, and then they drove away. I went inside as I had few other options, once inside it more or less looked like your typical doctors surgery. People waiting around reading magazines, children coughing and sneezing and the general look of impatience people get when they have been waiting for a long time.  The GP gave me some cream for the rash and some tablets for the itch and a new medication for the Malaria. He had all the require medications in his office so he was the Doctor and Pharmacist in one convenient location. That night we were heading to a beach party in a town called Vilankulo on the coast of Mozambique. All I will say at this point is you should always read the labels on your medication, especially the bit about mixing medication with alcohol, I was sick for days.

So when it came done to it I only really needed a couple of injections and some basic hygiene and mosquito protection oh and if I met that certain special person to practice safe sex.

So now here we are 10 years later and I need to revisit this list and see what is still current and which ones I will need to have done again. Oh joy wish me luck !

 

South Luangwa National Park Zambia Africa – (the need to pee!)

We started in Zimbabwe in Victoria Falls, we stayed at a fenced in camp site in traditional round houses. Helena my niece and I shared a room and my son Jono had a room to himself.  On our first day I watched my son jump off a bridge and survive (bungy jumping 111 metres to the river/rocks below). At this point I want to point out, if you have never been to Africa, they have absolutely no concept of “work place health and safety”.  Prior to Jono jumping off Victoria Bridge they marched us off into the bush, and as we came around a bend in the path we saw a tent hidden away from the road. At first we are wondering what the hell was going on. You know thoughts of being marched off to your death runs through your mind, and then when we get there they make Jono sign an ‘indemnity waiver’. Jono gets back to the bridge and gets out on the ledge, the guy running the show asks Jono “do you trusts me” Ha. They tie his feet together and tell him to hop forward to the very edge of the ledge. He tells him to be brave and look out at the horizon and enjoy the ride down. Then he counts 5 -4- 3- 2- 1 BUNGIEEEE. Jono dives out into the abyss, I can hear him yelling out as he goes down, and it is the ride of his life.

The next day we go white water rafting on one of the most dangerous rivers in the world, see my previous blog for that ride, here we go we have started our adventure. We are leaving Zim and are heading to Zambia in a huge truck that has only 5 passengers.  Due to the political situation in Zimbabwe at this time there are only 5 people brave enough to go on this tour, governments have recommended to limit travel in this country at this time.    We are heading to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia, as we drive into the blazing African sun, the horizon encompasses the full front window of the truck.  We are travelling along  red dirt roads that are totally corrugated. It is jarring and ends up being painful after hours of driving, Africans call this a massage.

We arrive at our campsite its called “Flatdogs” that is the term for crocodile in Africa. All the tent sites are built up in the trees away from the wild life. However there is a flaw in this plan, our tents are too big for the platforms. So they give us the option we can sleep in the truck or we can pitch our tents on the ground like you would normally. We just pitch our tents like normal people do, I mean what can go wrong right. The other two people travelling with us opted for to sleep in the truck. Our guides have cabins to sleep in although they are greeted by a snake when they first go in.

We take a bit of a tour around camp to see where everything is. Amenities building, bar, swimming pool and the river. We go kill some time at the swimming pool with a few cold drinks, check out the internet access the usual stuff. That night we go to the bar for dinner and a few more drinks, the meal is nice the company is great. I decide to leave early as I am tired, I head to bed in the tent I am sharing with Helena. Later that night I hear Helena come in and I go back to sleep, then in the early hours of the morning those beers I had with dinner came back and tell me I needed to go to the bathroom.

Mmmmmm yes the bathroom, now where was that again, we had been told if we wanted to go anywhere during the night that there were guards with guns that would escort us. During the day the toilet block seemed like it was just there beside the tent, but now in the middle of the night I realised it was a long way away. Where were, those guards anyway, how was I supposed to find them in the dark if I wasn’t allowed to leave my tent. Then I remembered a temporary toilet that was just a hole in the ground with a tarp strung around four posts. It was literally just 5 metres from our tent. I decided that was where I was going to go, I would sneak out and pee and be back before you could say “lion attack”.

So very quietly I rummage around and find the toilet paper and I unzip the tent, I stand up and wait for my eyes to adjust. It is very dark in the African bush, then I see these silver glowing disks, my heart stops, I have no idea what it is. My heart starts pounding painfully in my chest I can hear it in my ears, it is roaring. I look to the left and there are more silver disks, my right is also blocked with these horrible silver glowing disks.

After about 30 seconds I realise what I am looking at, hippo’s I am surrounded by hippopotami there must be at least a dozen maybe more. I realise they have come up from the river during the night to feed on the flowers that are dropping from the trees. The trees we should have been sleeping in, not under this is why the tent are up in the trees. I slowly edge my way backwards into the tent, I know how dangerous these animals are. I am then squatting in my tent thinking to myself “I need to pee, I need to pee, I need to pee”. Well I thought I was thinking it, I was actually talking in a whisper and Helena pipes up with a ‘so do I’.  I filled her in on the situation, she stuck her head out and agrees that the toilet was out of the question. This did not solve the immediate problem however, so I decided we had to risk it. It took a little bit to convince her but what else was there I was not going to pee in the tent.

So we unzipped the tent and edged our way down the side of our tent. When we got to the back of the tent I told her to face one way and I would face the other this was not for privacy but for safety. She was to watch for hippos in that direction and I would watch for them in this direction. It was the fastest I have ever peed in my entire life. We snuck back into the tent and then we sat and watched the hippos for a while through the window in the side of our tent. I mean this was an up close and personal encounter with the most dangerous animal in Africa, later we could hear them brushing up against the side of our tent. TIA (this is Africa).

You never feel more alive than when you are scared to death!

 

 

So where to ?

So today we are going to talk about Where!

This is an important question for many reasons firstly and importantly for me, it is about desire and then about cost. For some people it is cost first destination second not for me though. If it was totally about cost I would go to Asia first. However I have always wanted to go to South America and have a desire to learn Spanish. I have been trying to learn for years but without using it on a daily basis I forget it within weeks. I want to spend a year traveling through all the countries of SA. Then I am torn I would like to then continue up through Central America transvers through USA up to Canada and into Alaska. Here cost is an issue because I feel I should do one continent at a time. This way not having to spend extra money on expensive airfares. However that would mean one year in SA and then I think another year doing CA, USA, Canada and the Alaska. I would like to come home and visit the kids in between. My thinking is perhaps keep an eye out for great specials on airfare and flying home somewhere in between. This of course is making the assumption that I don’t get totally homesick within the first three months and come home back to reality.

Once I have completed this in whichever way the universe dictates in the end, I want to go to Nepal, India and Bhutan. The reason for this is, at this time I already have a holiday booked to go to Bhutan/India/Nepal with a tour company, this has been in the making for about six years. However I have recently decided to cancel this tour and go to Nepal solo and then take a tour through Bhutan from Kathmandu. The tour I have booked now will cost me roughly $10,000 for six weeks that much money traveling solo would last me almost a year in Nepal and India. It will still cost me a considerable amount to go into Bhutan from Nepal as the Government of Bhutan have a tourist cost of $220.00 per day per person, and you MUST go with a tour company you are not allowed into the country as a backpacker. They have a desire to keep their country just as it is and not let us riff raff spoil it (good for them). This will mean paying about $3000 as most tours go for around twelve days. This is considerably cheaper than $10,000 for 6 weeks. I will lose the deposit I have already put down but I think it is a fair exchange to save so much and travel so much longer.

I believe after that another trip home to recharge, maybe work for 3 months just to keep my registration up, make a bit of money see my children and grandchildren. Then I feel Africa may call me back again. I will always and forever continue to return to Africa. I believe that you either love it, or hate it, and once it gets into your blood you will never stop going or wanting to go. I have been to most countries on the East Coast of Africa. I have not been to any of the West Coast and I missed half of SA. I have also not gone farther north than Kenya and have not really done Kenya justice yet. I may spend a year catching the bits I have missed and watching as many sunset as I can during my stay. TIA.

Okay now things get a bit fuzzy, I am talking about 4 years on the road now and I believe money may be an issue. I am hoping to have enough to travel for 5 years without having to stop and work in a real job for too long.  I am happy to teach English voluntarily but do not want to commit to a 12 month contract at this point.  Go home and work for a year? Or get a job in China for a year, this is my thinking. I can get a job teaching English in China very easily with my degree and a TESOL course. I could take a 12 month contract and see the country on my days off, try to save for my next destination. If I choose well in the contract I accept, the money can be good and accommodation may be paid for. It is however a very real commitment with long hours. I can also look at working in Asian countries closer to home and then be able to come home for a few visits along the way. Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia are good places to get TESOL jobs these countries are very cheap to live as well.

If I make it to my 5 years on the road without having to take on TESOL jobs that will put me at retirement age at home and I will get my super policy which will give me another 5 years on the road traveling.

So off we go again, the plan now is Greece, Italy and Turkey spending considerable time in all (I know you say you have already been to Italy but…..) and then into Europe spend as long as possible touring all these amazing countries. This will have to be timed well though everyone knows how I feel about the cold if it’s too cold I won’t go. I am thinking that will chock up another couple of years.

Okay so I think we have now hit 7 years’ worth of plans, I know that is ridiculous as plans cannot be very solid for that length of time. This is a rough guide and I realise it may and probably will change. However this is what I will always come back to, I may throw in trips to places like Myanmar or Brunei and let’s not forget Kazakhstan or Mongolia these are all places on my list or any of the other hundreds of places I wish to go.  There are arguably between 194-257 different countries in the world and I have only the rest of my life to see them all. Like I said so many places to see and so little time, I should have started sooner.

I have not even mentioned things like, I have always wanted to follow the Silk Road or follow the path Jesus took on his last days on earth. Let’s not forget the epic beginnings of the modern day Marathon a 26km race from Marathon to Athens or walk the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Warriors.  See where Dracula once resided or to see the modern day Harry Potter Castle “Alnwick” in Northumberland, I know dorky. Oh and to see Hadrian’s Wall or what about ‘Stone Henge” The Hebridies in Scotland, The Northern Lights, although that one may be a wee bit cold for me. I would like to consider doing the “Camino” in Spain, although while in Spain I have said I will never do a bull fight, also the Trans-Siberian Railway trip. I have not even gotten to Japan and Mount Fuji or I have heard that Komodo Island is absolutely amazing. Up to this point I have only seen 13 countries. If we go with the USA count of 194 I have 181 to go, I may have left it too late to start.

The list is endless, I plan to try to see as many as I can before I die.

White Water Rafting

White Water Rafting

What is white water rafting you ask?  Well that is when a group of people climb into an inflatable raft and try to navigate a raging river and live to tell the tale. This raging river will have varying degrees of rapids that will challenge the occupants of the raft to greater or lesser degrees of risk and skill. The only way to get to the end of this challenge is to work as a team. White water rafting is considered to be an extreme sport and can have fatal consequences. If you are travelling you should always remember to check your insurance covers this kind of activity, if it doesn’t get extra cover.

The first time I went white water rafting was in Cairns Queensland on the Barron River in 2003, this was a half day adventure with a company called ‘Raging Thunder Adventures” http://www.cairnsrafting.com.au/barron-river-rafting/  The Barron River Gorge rapids are classed as grade 2-3 (see list below for grading) this is relatively easy learning curve and probably a good place to start. We got there mid-morning and they gave us the usual safety instructions. You are asked to fill in a liability and medical waiver and you and seven other excited inexperienced people get into the raft. Your equipment consists of an 80kg, 3 metre rubber raft, a double bladed paddle, a safety helmet and vest, you also have one experienced guide with a single bladed steering paddle at the stern of the raft. Once in the raft you are taught a few basic paddling techniques (about 5 minutes practice) and you are also told what to do in the event of a boat capsizing or if you are thrown out.

 

What is that you ask, well that’s simple lay on your back, point your feet down river, cross your arms over your chest, and Pray. Oh and if you get sucked under the surface, start counting if your down for more than 20 seconds you may be in trouble.

The second time I rafted was in 2005 and the third time in 2007. I went rafting on the Zambezi River below Victoria Falls in Africa with a company called ‘Shearwater’, http://www.shearwatervictoriafalls.com.  This time we were serious, the Zambezi is graded a 5 extremely difficult  with violent long rapids that have big drops and pressure areas with steep gradients, there is no higher grading for the novice rafter.

This was the most scary and most amazing thing I have ever done in my life and I will do it again whenever the opportunity arises even at 52 years of age. I have done both the ‘low water’ run rapids 1-18 and the ‘high water’ run 11-23 of the Zambezi. I have never been in a boat that capsized, I have however been thrown out, but it was in a relatively safe area and had no problems getting back into the raft. My travel companion was not so lucky he did fall out, kicking another rafter in the face on his way out. We started counting as soon as he hit the water, and by the time he came up we were starting to get very worried. He was down for a long time, way more than 20 seconds. So what can you do? The answer is nothing all we could do was wait and watch to see if he surfaced, which he did eventually. The whole day was thrilling and scary and stunningly beautiful, it made you feel alive and free.  Anything that brings you close to death or scares you seems to makes you appreciate your life that much more.

Okay,  so you have rafted the most amazing river in the world, you have survived. Now time to relax, have some lunch and a drink and recharge. Wait, you are at the bottom of a gorge, that’s right- think about that for a moment. You’re tired and battered and bruised and now you have to climb out of this gorge. This is a very steep climb of about 250 metres almost straight up (or feels like it) do not be fooled this is the hardest part of the day. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to achieve this climb. When you finally make it to the top your guides who ran up the 350 metres, are there waiting with lunch and plenty of cold drinks and beers.

Interesting facts about the Zambezi rafting trip:

• The climb down into the gorge is on a ladder that is missing not only rungs but most if not all of the rails it is straight down in most places.
• The river has crocodiles in it just to spice up the day, and if you want you can take a boogie board down the rapids.
• Two young boys who help with the gear carry the 80kg rafts down to the bottom and back up again in record time and don’t even break a sweat.
• The trip home in the back of the truck goes past a cemetery that is exclusively for victims of AIDS, it is a very large cemetery.
• When I was there a group behind us ran rapid # 9 ‘Commercial Suicide’ class 6, it capsized of course and one man was down way too long and eventually came out way down river. It pays to go with a reputable company.
• A Class six is commonly known in the industry as a ‘commercial suicide’, because people will die and your business will be shut down if you take clients down them.
• The canyon has steep walls and there is no game within the gorge.
• Due to the fast flowing water there is no risk of Bilharzia a disease you can get swimming in Africa.

The rapid names and grades:

1. “…against the wall” # 1: Class 4/5: The Boiling Pot. From here the river hits a wall forming a wild cushion wave and eddy.
2. “…the bridge” # 2: Class 3: A wild mixture of waves clearly visible to bungee jumpers and spectators on the Victoria Falls bridge.
3. Rapid # 3: Class 4: A steep and radically fast wave with an easily avoidable hole.
4. “Morning Glory” # 4: Class 4/5: The first major rapid with an almost river wide hole at the top and a big hole at the bottom.
5. “Stairway to Heaven” # 5: Class 5: with an 8m drop over 10m, very steep and powerful. Avoid the waterfalls and a hole on the left called the “catcher’s mitt” plus a large pour-over on the right.
6. “Devil’s Toilet Bowl” # 6: Class 4: A Short rapid with a deceptively steep and powerful hole.
7. “Gulliver’s Travels” # 7: Class 5: A very respectful 700m of class 5 with high volume of white water. The run consists of a 4 channels called the “Temple of Doom”, “The Crease”, “Patella Gap” and “Land of the Giants”.
8. “Midnight Diner” # 8: Class 3/5: This rapid has 3 runs. The left is “Star Trek” with a hole about 5m reserved for the brave. The “Muncher Run” in the centre takes you through a window of “Star Trek”. On the right is the “Chicken Run” this is self-explanatory.
9. “Commercial Suicide” # 9: Class 5/6: The Zambezi’s most infamous. This is a river-wide pour-over with a very narrow slot of less than a metre on the right – commercial portage!
10. “Gnashing Jaws of Death” #10: Class 4: An easy run the name is deceptive
11. “Overland Truck Eater” # 11: Class 5: Watch out for the hole, eddy line and whirlpool.
12. “Three Sisters” #12A, B, C: Class 3/4: Rafters prefer the term “three little pigs”.
13. “The Mother” # 13: Class 4/5: A massive wave train at its best, first 3 waves are super-fast.
14. Rapid # 14: Class 3: Big S-bend in the river. Center chute to be avoided at lower water levels.
15. “Washing Machine” # 15: Class 5: Simple wave train but un-runnable in the middle because of a huge crashing hole
16. “The Terminators I and II” # 16: Class 4: A massive wave train and trough at higher levels.
17. “Double Trouble” # 17: Class 5: A simple wave train but un-runnable because of 2 large holes – also known as “The Bitch”.
18. “Oblivion” # 18: Class 5: Three waves make up the rapid on the Zambezi. The 3rd crashing wave is responsible for more raft flips than any other in the world
19. Rapids #19 to #25: Class 2/3: Easy runs.

Rapids are graded according to the degree of difficulty of the rapids.

Class 1: Very small rough areas, might require slight maneuvering.

Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require some maneuvering.

Class 3: Whitewater, small waves, maybe a small drop, but no considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering.

Class 4: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe rocks, maybe a considerable drop, and sharp maneuvers may be needed.

Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, large volume, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering.

Class 6: Class 6 rapids are considered to be so dangerous that they are effectively unnavigable on a reliably safe basis. Traversing a Class 6 rapid has a dramatically increased likelihood of ending in serious injury or death compared to lesser classes.

Free Accommodation While Travelling

Okay so today’s blog is about how I am actually going to do this.

Today we will look at my first priority, I want to travel without spending any money on accommodation, this may be an unrealistic expectation but it is what I want.

So with that in mind I started researching “travelling overseas without spending any money on accommodation”. You would be surprised at how many websites and blogs there are on this topic. They don’t all jump out at you in the first web search but they are there if you dig a little.  Well actually if you dig a lot, but the point is they are there for anyone to find. I will give you a bit of a rundown on the ones that I have found and how they each accommodate you (no pun intended).

World Packers was the first one I found and it was like I had discovered the meaning of life, I was so excited. I thought I was the only person who had made this amazing discovery and then when I dug a bit deeper, I realised I was the last person to find out. The concept of World Packer is, backpacker accommodation around the world that you can apply to work for your accommodation and sometimes a meal and laundry. There are many different ways to do this depending on your experience and time. Some want you to stay for a couple of weeks, some would be happy for you to stay a year.

The work ranges from bar work to front of house to cleaning with some entertaining and tour guiding thrown in for good measure. You may have experience but if you don’t some are happy to train you. Let’s face it though how hard is it to clean a few toilets and make a few beds, if it comes with fee accommodation.

There is an annual fee that applies that gives you access to all the backpackers that are available. You can however look at all these backpacker’s opportunities, without paying the fee upfront so you can get an idea of what you are signing up for.

 

From there I found another one that is along similar lines Work Away is the same concept however it works with family’s,  individuals or organizations. It is aimed at budget travellers wishing to enhance language and or cultural learning.  It has obviously got different and varied opportunities for work from babysitting to teaching English and even farming.

Woofing is agreed upon work for your accommodation and usually meals, however this is only within the organic growers around the world. It is farm work and all that goes with that, animal husbandry, fencing and planting etc. However be aware that Woofing is set up within each individually country around the world. So if you plan on going to Germany for example don’t join the Australian Woofing website.  There is an international website for Woofing that will tell you every country involved in Woofing. http://wwoofinternational.org/

Then of course there is the tried and tested House Swapping and if you don’t have a house to swap like me House Sitting. Swapping is self-explanatory you swap your house for theirs for an agreed length of time. This may also give you a pet to look after and access to a car, depending on the owners situation.

Sitting is only different in that the owner is going away and you are going to stay in their home while they are off on holidays or whatever. Again there may be a furry friend to care for and a car to use. There are numerous websites and they all come with varying degrees of security checks and annual fees. My best advice is to trust in google, read reviews look for forums on each one. Ask your friends also they may have used some of these or know someone how has.

The next couple of options cross over into two categories, accommodation and non-paid /paid work. These are Crewing a Boat and Au Pair work, so let’s start with Boat crewing there is a Mooloolaba website that you can find a boat looking for crew members to travel from point A to point B. There are also boat crew needed to do day tripping work in a constant location. Obviously if you are traveling from point A to point B the accommodation comes with the job. It is agreed on application if you are paid for the hours you work or if you are a non-paid workers or even if you are to share in the costs of the trip. On the website they will tell you how long they wish you to stay with the crew, the destination, what kind of boat it is and if you need any experience and a few other housekeeping bits, there is of course the annual fee.

Au Pair work is caring for someone else’s children while they are either at home or away at work. You usually live in the family home and have agreed upon days and hours of work, sometimes with an on-call option or date night option for the parents. This job is usually reserved for 18-30 year old ladies, however that is not always the case and sometimes gender is not an issue. Experience is preferred but again not always essential. There is usually a small wage that goes with this position but you must remember it is only small. You will not save much money doing this, but it will stop you from spending your own existing savings. Meals usually come with the position, you essentially become a member of the family for the length of your stay. There are numerous website covering this one, there are even some agencies dedicated to getting you work.

Lastly I am going to buy a very lightweight tent that I can use in an emergency situation when I run out of options, for whatever reason. I will try what is called wild camping which is free, tucked away from prying eyes camping. Or will stay at free camp sites when possible or if pushed will pay for a sight.

At this point I will point out that I have not used any of these websites and have not joined any of them yet. That is something that I will wait and do closer to the time of my departure. Then I will choose which and when to join them at appropriate times. There is not point spending money for example on Boat Crewing if I don’t intend to do it in the next 12 months.

Africa – Antelope Park Zimbabwe

Antelope Park Zimbabwe

We came into Antelope Park late in the day as is usual when travelling on an overland truck, we had had a long day driving. We had dorm rooms available to us in this camp site, which was unusual, normally we had to put up the tents.  Here we also had an option to upgrade if we wanted. I was sharing with a girl called Sarah, every chance we had (if the price was right) we would upgrade. On this occasion we went from a dorm room to a tent, I know “a tent” Yes a tent. This was a tent with a difference though, it had a wooded floor with a proper bathroom and a flushing toilet. Two single beds with electric blankets and a fridge. It also had a veranda with a couple of deck chairs that extended out over the water, all for the ridiculously low price of $20 US. Small price to pay to sit on the deck with a sundowner and watch the evenings activities on the water.  Sitting there we listened to the Lions roaring in the distance. It is an experience you will never forget, to hear that primeval sound come out of the night. That deep resonating call of territorial ownership that can be heard from up to 5 miles away.

I mean really, close your eyes and imagine, – you are in Africa, and it is an extremely dark pitch black night. Across the water the sound travels and seeps into your body, instinctively your heart rate increases, your fight or flight mechanism is activated. The hairs on the back of your neck rise up and you listen intently, trying to locate the direction the roar is coming from.

Then you remember it’s okay they can’t get you, you are safe. There is nothing more stimulating, that makes you realise you are alive.

The next day we go for a horse safari, we ride out and become a part of the wildlife, the other animals ignore us thinking we are just another animal, all they can smell is the horse. You can get right up close to the animals before they realise and move on. The heat of Africa is all around you, the smells of the horses and the other animals is in your nostrils, the dust that is kicked up by the Giraffes as they take off into the distance. The grass is a honey straw colour, the same colour as a lion you realise.

Camouflage

Horse Safari

On awaking the next day we are all very excited, today we get to “walk with the lions”. We have a safety talk first telling us what to do and more importantly what NOT to do when in the presence of lions. The Lions that we are going to walk with are about eighteen months old they are fully grown, however they will fatten up with maturity. We walk for about two hours following them as they learn the stalking and hunting skills they will need to be released back into the wild.

Walking with Lions

We get to interact with them and watch them play with their siblings. Later that day we also get to go and assist in the feeding of the older more dangerous lions. These are not free to roam the park they are fenced off from the rest of the Lion Park. It is a scary thing to watch a group of lions savaging a piece of meat these are the lions we had listened to the night before.

Siblings getting up high

That afternoon we get to have an absolutely amazing experience, we get to cuddle and play with the baby lions, they are like big kittens except they can put their claws through your shoes and into your foot, these guys are around 8 weeks old.

Cubs

Antelope Park has a breeding and release program, with the aim to set the lions free into wild life parks

Africa 2005

I thought I might give you a bit of a look at what kind of travel I have been doing over the past ten years. This next two years are going to be a bit lean on holidays and a bit heavy on learning curves. So I though instead of boring you totally with just the technical and menial stuff we could also look back at my past adventures.

AFRICA

I flew into JOBURG airport and through my window I saw the most amazing sunrise I had ever seen in my entire life.

Sunrise in Africa

I believed coming here was Fate.

I had organised a transport to my backpacker accommodation, they drove me about 45 min through town to the outskirts. On the drive I noticed the busy city, the opulent mansions with massive fences, I also noticed the electrified wire around the fences. As we got farther out of the city the houses got smaller and the fences got shorter and now they were topped with glass. Farther still the houses were shacks and the fences were barbed wire. Oh and there was a dead guy in the gutter.

“Culture shock!”

When I got to the backpackers the van drove away, I buzzed at the gate and they opened it from inside. I was let into a section with another gate, basically I was now in a cage. While I stood there waiting for the next gate to open, I noticed someone looking out the window to see who was at the gate, then they let me in.

“Security system”

First stop was Kruger National Park that’s right probably one of the most famous wild life parks in the world and I WAS THERE. Everything about Africa is bigger, brighter, shinier and more dangerous. When we left Joburg we had an issue with the truck its alternator was playing up so we couldn’t stop it or it wouldn’t restart without being pushed. We are in the middle of Kruger NP with signs everywhere stating ‘you are not allowed out of your vehicle’ because of the lions. Makes sense its a wildlife park. Our driver forgot about the alternator and stopped the truck!

So we are all there looking at each other thinking to ourselves “I’m not going out there to push the damn thing”. So the tour guide climbs up into the back of the truck and says, okay all the guys need to get out of the truck and push, while the girls stay in the truck and keep watch for any movement in the bush. That was the fastest push start in history.

We did see what we came for though “The Big Five” in case you don’t know what that is:

Elephant

Lion

Rhino

Cape Buffalo

Leopard

The Leopard however escaped our eyes this time, and actually to this day I have still not seen a leopard in the wild. It is still on my list and when I go back again (and I will) I will see a leopard.

The Hippo, Gorilla, Giraffe and the Cheetah did not make it to the list and this is because, this list was originally made by the Big Game Hunters, it was a kill list.

I spent three weeks in Africa with an overlands tour company, we started in Johannesburg South Africa up through Mozambique across into Zimbabwe and then Zambia and Botswana and back to Joburg.  Every night you put up your tent and  every morning you took it down, you slept on a self inflating mattress on the ground. The truck had a driver/cook and a guide they were great, very knowledgeable and looked after us. We had some long drive days and I swear every road in Mozambique was one big pot hole, but it was an amazing experience. I was in love I never wanted to travel anywhere else. I just wanted to come back again and again.

Island off the coast of Mozambique

Chobe National Park

Okavango Delta

I will continue this story if your interested over the next couple of years, after all we haven’t even left South Africa yet.

 

Highlights of the tour

• Botswana • Okavango Delta • Canoeing and Game Walks • Maun • Chobe National Park • Chobe River Cruise and Game Drive Zimbabwe • Victoria Falls Town • Bulawayo • Matobos National Park • Antelope Park • Lion Walk Mozambique • Vilanculos • Dhow Safari • Bazaruto Archipelago • Inhambane • Ponta da Barra Beaches • Maputo South Africa • Kruger National Park • Johannesburg

So this is the Beginning

Hello my name is Tammy Mahon I am a 50 something year old single woman and I am embarking on an adventure. This is just the beginning, I am planning to Follow the Sun for as long and far as I can. I am going to save every penny I can over the next two years and I am going to buy a plane ticket and I am going to fly far away from my hum drum life.

I am very scared about this whole idea, but I am going to take the bull by the horns and see what happens.  The worst case scenario is I don’t enjoy the solo life or I run out of money or ????? If that happens I will come home with my tail between my legs and get a job and start again. I will however come back with a lot of new stories to tell and hopefully a new group of friends to add to my friends list.

This is not an easy decision to make as you can probably imagine. I have just started on a new career in Nursing at the ripe old age of 50, so I will be giving up a well paid full time position to run away. Some people will think I am crazy, others will applaud my decision and wish they could come with me.

My reasons for doing this are vague I am not sure why I have decided this is a good decision. I am finding I am not as satisfied with my career as I thought I would be, so I have fallen back on my only real passion- Travel.

I was a late comer to travel my first overseas trip was only back in 2005, I have always travelled with tour companies. Albeit overland tour companies, so no real luxuries when I travel, its usually a tent and a camp chair. It does have the comfort of being organised with a driver and a tour guide so this is the scary part for me.

So this is the beginning over the next two years YES I will be saving like a tight you know what. I will however be doing lots of other stuff as well, this blog is one of them. I am not that savvy with technology but I am venturing forth to try to learn. I will be also doing a TESOL course so that I can teach English to Speakers of Other Languages. I am also going to do a Front of house course, and perhaps a bar course. Any other ideas you can think of please feel free to suggest to me.  Oh and of course I will continue to TRY to learn Spanish.

That’s right I have decided that South America will be my first port of call. At this stage it is all by the seat of my pants, There is No Real Plan. That will happen over the next two years, with research, research, research. I am spending multiply hours in front of my new little computer at the moment. Looking at other peoples blogs, researching accommodation ideas, transport, airfare options. The list is huge and I am feeling quiet confused and sometimes feel like the room is spinning. It will all come together. I will share my ideas and thoughts over the next two years, and then while I am away you can perhaps “Follow the Sun” with me. Share in my adventures and my disappointments, learn with me as I journey around the world.

I have time.