Friday, 18 July 2014

17/7/14 - Tulum coastal ruins, another paradise beech and no room at the inn.

About 4 am both me and Ceri woke up shaking in our bed as if we'd been skinny dipping in the Antarctic! Turned out that the air con in our room must have mal functioned and gone from cool to Baltic! It was a bit like that scene from dumb and dumber when they get of the mini moto in aspen "Harry, you're hands are freezing". Ceri used all her strength to yank the plug out of the wall though and we both quite quickly stated to thaw!

8am and I made a sharp exit to go meet Adam and Rich to make our way to the ruins before the crowds started to swarm (Www.tumultuous?????) ..... this place was a whole different experience to Chichen Itza and although the ruins were not as well preserved here the site seemed much bigger and you got much more of a sense of it having been populated by an ancient race.
The coast was again completely stunning and it made such an incredible back drop for the ancient ruins. Once we'd had a good look around and taken in the views we made a rush for the exit just as the first jam packed tour buses started to arrive. We walked along the beech for around half an hour before finding a nice spot for breakfast. The lads left and Ceri came and met me later.

Me and Ceri stayed at the beech all day and slept and had a bit of a swim. We discussed our journey to Caye Caulker in Belize, and decided that we would both prefer to take the morning bus to Chetumel (on the Belize border) then the ferry to the Island rather than the night bus to Belize City. Although this meant another night's accommodation in Tulum i was happier with this plan as trying to sleep on a bus with still having a bad back would just not be an option. We decided against the ice box of a hostel room for our second night's stay and instead opted for a cheaper room with a fan..... not sure which was worse though as last night's sleep was awful...... I felt like I was in a wind tunnel in the furnaces of hell as all the fan achieved was to blast hot air at us and keep us both awake with its racket.

Before bed we headed off to the ADO (bus station) to book our tickets for tomorrow's journey and lucky we did as there were only two seats left on the bus.... when we got back to the hostel we got onto booking our accommodation for 4 night's in Caye Caulker only to find that every where on hostel world had competently booked up..... seemingly Caye Caulker is the place to be on a Friday night. Ceri did a fab job of trawling the net though and managed to get us one night in a hotel and the other 3 night's in the hostel where some peeps we'd met in Cancun and arranged to meet up with were staying.

Small world: when I was at the beech i was chatting on Facebook with one of the Israli's we'd met on our first day and had a look at some of his pics.... anyways when I got back to the hostel that evening I saw 3 girls who i recognised from his photo so I asked if they knew him and they'd met him the night before in a place further north!
Also we keep bumping into the same people.....seems EVERYONE is going the same way and to the same places. I want new people......!!

Posted via Blogaway

Posted via Blogaway


Posted via Blogaway

Sunday, 9 March 2014

18/02/14 - Final Day in TZ before flying home / front of the plane / doho and lack of sleep.........

So my final day in TZ i woke up early to catch the sunrise form my back yard:

 

My host mummy cooked breakfast Chapatis:
                                               

And then we headed into the village center so i could say my last goodbyes:

This is the lady who i bought all my material from for my clothes:

This is Raseed my PikiPiki (motobike taxi) Driver:

This is a guy who i would sit with during the local football league games:

These are my partners from KAVIPE where i worked: Left to right, Mr Wilson, Franson and Mr Sunday

This is Edita, one of the first members of the community to remember my name.Everyday when i was headed to work i would pass her shop and we'd greet each other:

Shop keepers where i'd go everyday to buy Water:

My final family picture:

In the evening my friends organised a leaving meal for me at our favorite resturant in Bukoba, The Bukoba Grill House.The Chef who we were friends with made me a cake (Cake is very rare in TZ).The Cake was delicious and one of the best things i'd eaten in all my time here.




          
The message says 'safari njema' - Good Journey, 'Tutaku Miss' Miss you.
                  

                 

           

My hair had started to pull so after only 36 hours it had to come out (Eve and Louisa helping)

All the program supervisors: left to right Aive, Me, Frank and Eve

My friend Rabindra:

Early the following morning Me and Louisa headed to Bukoba airport to catch our first of 4 flights, this one from Bukoba to Mwanza.

Me looking well impressed that our first flight would be on one of the really tiny 16 seated planes:

Making freinds with the Pilot and asking to sit up front, to my surprise he agreed that i could sit co-pilot in the cockpit!

Don't touch anything!

Co-pilot



Upon arriving in Mwanza my new pilot friend offered to give me and Louisa a lift to a near by hotel where we could get breakfast.
Pizza for Breakfast in Mwanza:

After breakfast we still had some time to kill and as our 'lift' had gone and we needed to walk back to the airoirt to catch our 2nd flight to Dar we decided to take a detour and headed across some fields to reach back to the airport.

Louisa marching ahead, full of beans:

Selfie:

The final time the camera came out, this is at Doha airport, no hours sleep, approx 20 hours travelling and 3 planes down.







Friday, 28 February 2014

17/02/14 - Last day in community and farewell house party........

Today was my final day in the community, I planned and paid for a party at my host home and invited my friends from the community, colleges from KAVIPE and some family friends. I paid for someone to cook for us so that the house helpers could have a break and also enjoy the party. I also bought Fish, Chicken and Meat and everything to go with it for 20+ people.

During the day i had my hair braided by our neighbour - it really hurt having it done but glad i did before leaving.

Chairs arriving for the party on the back of a PikiPiki: 


Rasheed Sweeping in prep for putting the chairs out:


The lovely lady who did all the cooking and joined us for the party also:


Our Cow looking very displeased that she didn't received an invite to the party:


Host Mummy preparing Mataoke (host Daddy overseeing the work)


Hair brading (i DON'T look impressed)



My friend getting done up in all my African materials:


Sanne making friends with Mkiale, Edita, Anita, Denisa


All dressed up:


The Dutch Girls: 

Fairy Lights: 

Host Daddy making his speech: 

Me trying to hold the tears whist Miki Daddy made his goodbye speech: 

Giving Daudi his gifts and thanking him for all his help: 

Mkaile's gift: 

Goodbye gifts and thank you:

Tearful goodbyes with my host mummy: 



Cuddles with Daflosa:
 
Me, Mkaile and Daflosa: 

FOOD!!!! 
 
 


Presents:

Friendships bracelets i bought for me and Mkaile:

The final photo with my family before saying goodbye: