Africa with Elise!

So I made it back from Africa in one piece. I was not attacked by lions, leopards, or cheetahs. I did almost hit a hyena on the way back to Elise's house after dinner.

Flew into Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and got the quick run down of the town, booked our adventures for while we were there, and got settled into the house we were staying in while there.

The house was owned by a family friend that now lives in Kasane, Botswana and is taken care of by Robert and Unice (two of the nicest people I have ever met). The house was amazing and the bed was the most comfortable bed I had slept in in over a year or so. We took it easy the first night because the first couple of days were going to be killer.

Sunday we got up and went to see Victoria Falls. It's high season so there was tons of water going over the 1.7km long water fall that stands just at 100m tall. The Zambezi was very high while I was there which made the viewing of the falls not so great but amazing all the same. After about an hour of wandering about the paths by the falls we came up to the bridge that we would be jumping off of in a matter of how long it took us to walk there after we left the view. We are both chickens and thought we would both chicken out so we didn't want to watch, but as someone jumped we were glued and watched another 3 or 4 people go. Elise went first and jumped right away. The girl that was supposed to go before me chickened out and since we were the same weight, it was my turn. I had to have a little help but I did jump. It was such a rush and so amazing. Watching the water get closer and closer. Coming back up on the first bounce and being weightless and completely out of control before heading back towards the water. I really want to go again.

Monday we went white water rafting down the Zambezi River. The water was high so we didn't get to do the first 11 rapids but we did rapids 12 through 21 or 22. We did the paddle trip, so no holding on just bracing yourself with your legs and paddling till you got through the rapid and had a rest before getting to the next one. I got ejected from the raft on the first or second rapid (the small ones). I took Elise's dad with me when I got thrown out and then the raft moved over me. I was under the raft trying to get back to the surface. When there was no more raft above me I still wasn't coming up. I was coming up under the person I took out with me. They finally got me out from under him and back in the boat, took a paddle from someone in the back and gave it to me and the paddling continued. At this point I was looking for a way to walk the rest of the way...haha. The rest of the trip was great, scary as can be, but great. On the biggest rapid our guide told us, "Whatever you do not fall out on the first part of this rapid. If you do you will go down 3 rapids on your backside." Did I mention the whirl pools that would suck you under for 'most likely no more than 10 seconds' and could possibly suck your shorts off or you out of your life jacket? Or the boils that were hyper-aerated which caused your life jacket to pretty much be useless until you got out of them? So we watched the first raft go through and flip on the first huge wave. Our guide said, "OK, let's go get them, paddle as hard as you can!" We ended up with 3 of their 6 man team in our boat. One girl almost ended up going down another 2 rapids on her backside, we got her just in time. At the end of rafting we had a nice little hike out of the gorge. And by nice I mean beautiful view but killer. Elise and I were the first 2 out!!

The rest of the time in Zimbabwe we spent wandering around the town, shopping, and went on a sunset river cruise. I saw my first hippos and an amazing sunset!! Not sure how it happened but we ended up on the Senior Citizen cruise. It was nice and relaxing though and we had some nice catching up and reminiscing TAMU-Commerce.

We also had dinner at The Boma. Traditional African cuisine and entertainment. I ate crocodile tail, impala, wart hog, cape buffalo, and a mopane worm. Everything was great until the worm. It tasted like really burnt steak that wouldn't chew up. The entertainment was dance and drums and then they got everyone a drum and the entire restaurant drummed together.

We headed to Kasane about an hour and a half away. It was a beautiful drive. Went to dinner at a place that some friends of hers own. We played some Titanic, ate some great food, and I met some new friends. While in Kasane I went on another sunset river cuise and saw another amazing sunset. Saw tons of wildlife. Went on a bird count (exactly what it sounds like...count the birds on the water...if I never see a white faced duck again, I'll be okay) where I saw tons of giraffes, zebra, and many other animals. Kasane had wart hogs walking down the side walk with you.

Sunday after church we went to tea and started talking about what I was going to do the coming week while Elise was at school. I told them I wanted to go the the Okavango Delta if possible. With that said, it was as if i stuck a stick in a bee hive. Everyone and their friends/parents were working to get me a flight the next day, someone to pick me up at the airport, a place to stay not at the delta, and a spot at a camp. I can't thank them all enough. I had someone at the airport to pick me up, a couch to sleep on, and a huge boa constrictor capture.

The Delta was beautiful. We took a huge tank of a vehicle 2 hours out (through some meter deep rivers) where we met up with our mokoros (dugout canoe) and the polers. When we got to the camp we set up the tents and headed out for a bush walk. We didn't see much that evening. Dinner was amazing over a campfire. We were told if we hear something in the middle of the night...don't get out of your tent and if you have to use the restroom shine your light out first and go with someone. The next morning we woke up at 6 am, had breakfast, and then went for another 4 hour bush walk. We saw tons of giraffe (got to see them run and one bend down ), tons of zebras, and a few hippos. Then it was lunch and back to the mokoros for the trip back to the vehicle.

The last day in Kasane I packed everything and shipped my mom's huge drum home (almost made it in one piece). Went on a bike ride with Elise running (training for a half marathon). Had dinner with everyone I had met and watched a movie. Got on my transfer back to Zimbabwe.

Early morning, customs going into and leaving Zimbabwe. Flight left an hour and a half late causing me to miss my connecting flight so I got to stay a night in Johannesburg (I had no money so ate my heart out in the hotel and relaxed). Made it to Hong Kong and then to Seoul, where I found out my bag was "still in London" and responded "I was never in London" "Ok, your bag is in London". Filled out paper work to get my back back in a few days "after we find it". Flight left an hour late from Seoul, got to Busan and had to borrow money from Charlie (life saver) to get back to my Apt. Got home at 1:30 and had to work at 9 am the next morning.

Watched my bungee video with all my classes and got nervous each time. The kids loved seeing the pictures and watching the video.

Great trip... pictures to come in the next post
(sorry it's so long...it was a long trip and a lot happened:)