After Marieke and Jon left for Lalibela on their very early bus, Cheryl and I had a lazy morning, enjoying the superb buffet breakfast at our hotel and got a free ride to the airport with their airport shuttle at…
How to Hike the Simien Mountains Independently- and Save (Some) Money
I was determined to do the Simien Mountains without joining a tour. Partly because I knew it would be cheaper, particularly for a group, and partly because most people joined a tour, so I wanted to buck the trend. The…
The Hassles of Hawzen
I had been warned that Ethiopia was a bit of a hassle. But I also figured that I had just spent months traveling around Africa, and so would be fairly prepared. This experience helped, but it also meant I was…
Finally, the end of rainy season- Kisumu, Kenya
After two matutu (minibus), one boda boda (motorbike), and another matutu ride, 7 hours after I left Mbale, I arrived in Kisumu. I walked to the de-facto hostel which was really a hotel that was reasonably priced, in a good…
Sipi Falls and Mbale
After a week in Jinja, I was rested and recovered and ready to move on. Of course, a 3 hour road journey ended up taking 7, but I arrived in Sipi Falls before dark, giving me time to set up…
Shivering on Lake Bunyoni- Uganda
As I drank my fifth cup of tea for the day, I realized it was only just after noon. I had slept in til nearly 8am, a result of the one hour later sunrise in Uganda, the pouring rain and…
Transiting in Tanzania- Part I- Livingstonia, Malawi to Sumbuwunga, Tanzania
After a great last night in Livingstonia, I woke up 4 minutes before my alarm was set to go off at 5:00am, woken by the birds and the sun starting to rise. I packed my tent and headed up to…
Last Stop on Lake Malawi- Nkhata Bay
After recovering from the crazy journey from Mulanje to Likoma Island, I was rested up and ready to tackle the ferry from Likoma to Nkhata Bay. There were 7 of us leaving the island that day for the journey, so…
Likomo Island- worth the journey
Heading into Malawi, I knew I wanted to hit Likomo Island. I hadn’t actually met anyone who had made it there due to complicated ferry schedules, but I was determined to make it work. With one ferry heading north once…
Welcome to your own private island- Djembe Island and Cape Mclear
I had been recommended a hostel to camp in Cape Mclear, and I was not disappointed. I set up my tent right on the beach, beside Paul from Holland, who I would end up hanging out with for the next…