Jan 2007

Supai! (That's how you say 'Hi' in Maa - the Maasai language)

It's been a few days since landing in Kilimanjaro airport, and I've loved every second. The weather, the people, the way of life. Although the mosquito bits are getting a bit annoying... I think I must taste nice.

So, just to bring you up to date:

I checked in at Manchester fine, said my goodbyes to everyone, and went though the airport to wait for the gate to open. Here we met Julian, our first contact with another volunteer. Got on the flight ready for Amsterdam. Delayed by 1hour. Never mind, there was over 2hours between landing in Amsterdam and our next flight so not that worried. The problem was the fact we had to fly around over the sea for 40mins as only one runway at AMS was open. We began to worry a little bit.

Next was our 1st near death experience on this trip (I say that like a good thing - only 2 hours into the trip!) Wind was bad. Very bad. Our first attempt to land ended up with the wing nearly hitting the floor and the pilot having to jet back into the skies with half the plane screaming. After another 20mins of flying we did actually manage to land, to find that we were pretty much an hour late for the flight.

We ran. Fast. And a bloody long way too! We found that the flight was waiting for us. We weren't looking forward to sleeping in the airport.

The flight was pretty uneventful, although fantastic food (all free food and drink). We met a few more Greenforce volunteers, and I slept for a few hours to catch up on the night before.

At 21:00 (+0300) we landed in Kilimanjaro airport into a fantastic smell of Africa wildlife, and a warm night.

We got our visas for our stay, then went to get our bags. Guess what was missing. My guitar. So we reported it after a few hours of queuing (about 30 bags went missing - they stayed on the plane to Dar es Salaam and 30 random bags taken off - idiots). Then we were greeted by Isaya (our Maasai teacher and warrior) and Dave our Greenforce expedition leader. Went to Arusha to our house, and slept!

I got my guitar a few days later, only a bit broken. Think I might claim on the insurance, although after a bit of superglue, and help from Isaya, It's working fine.

Since arriving we've been having Maasai lessons (about the tribe, culture and language) every morning, exploring the town, piling into the dirt cheap Dala-Dalas (200 Tanzanian Shillings, which is about 8p) and just getting to know everyone.

We all get on brilliantly, enjoy going out to the bar, and just about anything we want! Isaya is great, and we all love trying to talk Maa with him. Just as and introduction, the team is: Me, Louise, Julian, Beki, Mikey, Dani, Hannah, Ann-Marie & Conor.

We go to Eluai, the Maasai village tomorrow, and my home for the next 9weeks. I'm really excited and can't wait to meet everyone and practice my Maasai skills with them.

This might be my last time on here for a while, but I'll update you when I can. Hope everyone is well, and don't forget to email me at dudewardell@hotmail.co.uk - I want to know what everyone is up to!

Kidua Ade! (See you later!)

I'm in Tanzania, and wow. It's great! The weather, heat, wildlife, people, way of life - just about everything!

It's weird to think that we only landed in Kilimanjaro at 21:00 (+0300 GMT). After delays and the plane nearly crashing we got here OK. Albeit with my guitar not getting off the plane and carrying on to Dar es Salaam. But not to worry, I'll get it tomorrow morning (as promised by someone who didn't know what a guitar was...)

After a long night of packing, travelling to the airport and getting on the plane I was exhausted so I managed to get an hour before getting to Amsterdam, although we were delayed big time and so it meant we landed over an hour too late for our plane to Kili. Yes, I was worried. But we sprinted to the gate, to find it had been changed, so ran about 1km across the airport to the new gate to find that flight was delayed too. I think we were all a little bit pumped from the near crash our MAN-AMS flight had due to the wind. I guess it could have ben worse.

We got to Arusha at approx midnight, met everyone (they all seem cool, phew) I've had my first lessons of Maa (the Maasai language) and now we are exploring the town. Apparently we go to the village (Eluai) on Wednesday. Then our work begins.

Hopefully I'll let you know more soon as I only have 2:14 mins left on this PC and boy is it slow.

For those worriers of you, I got here safely, with most of my stuff, and I love every bit of life here.

Ciao for now...

I'm packed, and tired. It's 00:19 and I'm about to go for a quick hour of sleep as I leave in a few hours.

The flight is at 06:10 with 2 hour check-in so I've got to leave at about 03:00. Yay.

I've got everything I think I need, (including tyedye trousers) weighed it all and all seems good. Of course it won't be, I bet I've somehow managed to pack a baby gorilla in there, but I'll stay optimistic for now. Now where did I put that passport...

It's quite odd thinking that I'm about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. 5months away doing things that so many people dream of. I am excited, but as the last few hours go by, I do feel a bit aprehensive. Last person I know to have gone away for a bit didn't come home. God I sound depressing. Guess it's the tiredness.

I know I'll be fine, and as soon as I get to the airport I'll be happy and excited again, but for now I think I'm just looking at all the things I'm going to miss. The people, places and general bits and bobs around that you take for granted and get used to. Guess that's all part of the great adventure.

Right, it's been good doing my first proper 'travel blog', and hopefully there will be a lot more to come.

Living with the Maasai in mud bomas, trekking across the Serengeti, scuba diving on Zanzibar... Nah, I was wrong before, I'm ridiculously excited.

Have fun in the wind of England everyone!

It hurt so bad that I'm never gonna drink again.

The night was great, the booze good too, the emptiness of my wallet made walking easier, and the waking up in my own sick was something I won't forget any time soon.

Stage 1: The Lane Ends
A few good bye drinks after that thing we call work. That smug feeling of being unemployed and laughing at the ones who had to be in the office the next day filled my mind as I left. And a wallet full of money for having a great time.

Met up with a few friends, having a good time chatting away, being quizzed on random things such as who was in the lineup for Liverpool's Cup winning team (that meant time to go to the bar while the others answered!)

Left after a few hours with Liam and Craig, and went on to...

Stage 2: The Adelphi
Met up with Christian, Chris K, Jen and Kishu, racked up the pool table and all got a few more drinks. Got thrashed at pool. Well, I let them do it... really I did... Anyhoo, the others from the pub then caught up with us, the music got louder, everyone got blurrier, and the pub-game-machines stole half my money (and I was doing so well too). After a few aftershock challenges (who can froth aftershock round their mouth for the longest) and winning each one I was fairly hammered.

Stage 3: Tandoori Knights
Christian, Lou and I all went for food. Or at least me and Chris did, Lou just laughed as we argued over who would pay for the curry, waving £10 notes in the air and yelling a bit too much. Spilt most of it on myself. And yes that is how you're meant to eat a curry if you're drunk!

Stage 4: The Taxi (Apparently)
Apparently I paid...

Got into Louise's house, collapsed on the mattress in her lounge and fell asleep. Zzzz... (now approx 2:30am)

Woke up (5:30am)... with my arm lying in my sick, half on the floor, half on the duvet.

Sh*t.

Not my bed. Not my duvet. Not my lounge. Not my house.

Jumped out, snuck into the kitchen (staggered really) got a spoon and bowl and scooped all my sick into it. Down the toilet. Done. Nope, bedding etc. Stripped it, stuck it in the downstairs toilet. Got dressed, opened the back door and just sat there for 3 hours until someone came downstairs and found me sat in a corner looking like I was possibly a bit hungover.

I'll probably never drink again.

Managed to apologise (alot). Ate some food, slept, and eventually left at 15:00 when I was a bit better off.

I may not ever drink again.

(At least not 'til next weekend)