Malawi and horseback riding!

Lake Malawi is infamous for it's bilharzia so many people are hesitant to jump right on into the lake! But me being the huge water lover that I am jumped right in...okay okay okay, only after three intense games of beach volleyball did I then jump right on in! But regardless the water was the perfect temperature and so clear that I could locate my hair tie after it had fallen toward the bottom. The other great characteristic about Malawi...it's wood carvings! So I purchased quite a few...look forward to your present being made from wood! ;) So Malawi is the poorest country in Africa and these men who hassle you to purchase from their stall will do just about anything to get your sale. So I "bartered" in a pair of ski pants, a camera case and my papa's Steeler's cap! These guys were so happy! Their work is incredible all hand-carved...right in front of you if you want! Amazing artisans!
This next paragraph's for you, ABBY!!! I went horseback riding and even cantered!!! I'm not going to lie...I really wasn't in control of my horse! It very much so had control of me! But I had a great time learning how to trot and canter through the bush!! At the end of the ride we rode the horses into the lake...kind of like a dream! Swimming with horses...yet another thing I thought I'd never do?!! OH what a wonderful experience!!!

PS. Don't worry I took the preventative meds for bilhazria, so I'm doing well avoiding African diseases...oh that reminds me I've got to take my anti-malaria pill...

The Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater

I spent three wonderfully amazing nights in/around the Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater!! Between both areas I saw the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo)!! The Ngorogoro Crater was incredible...a crater so enormous with semiarid land at the base to lush greenery towards the rim and many species of animals living together! Driving into a volcanic crater is something I never thought I would be able to say I did! The rim of the crater is about 3000-4000m above sea-level and the base...well I'm not certain on that stat, but can tell you its hella deep! It's honestly a giant bowl and it's amazing to see the sky over such a wide expanse of land!
The Serengeti...again a mind blowing sight! An area of land so vast and semiarid, with again a number of animals, little shade and water. We are driving along in the safari vehicle with the top raised and eyes peeled for anything that looks like an animal and our first sighting...WILDEBEEST!!! So many migrating from Kenya to Tanzania...or maybe it was the other way around...sorry can't remember. Anyway, herds and herds of these funny looking scaredy cat looking creatures, but to see them run with such force would scare anyone! Other animals I saw were ostriches, hyenas, pumbas (warthogs), all kinds of antelopes, elephants, zebras, and hippos. We were very lucky those two days to see full grown male lions (yes full mane and all) devouring what appeared to be a buffalo. Two males three lionesses and a few cubs were having their late lunch that afternoon. Also when we thought the only cheetah we were going see was the one so far off in the distance it looked like a dot, luckily as we were exiting a lovely large cheetah just strolled across the road without a care in the world! The grace and beauty of this creature is definitely a sight to be witnessed with your own eyes, not a nat geo show or discovery program, but definitely with your own eyes! Last but not least when we didn't think we were going to see the Big 5 we saw not only one but two leopards just casually relaxing in a tree on the branches, keeping cool. Cats do climb trees and these kids didn't need any firefighter to bring them down!
So my favorite animal...GIRAFFE!!! See Michelle, Lex and I have a common interest! ;) The funny animals are just so cute, the print is so pretty and I'm a fan of the awkward ones!
Two of many of world's greatest sights and I witnessed them...Thank you!!!!

Tour or De-Tour??

I chose the latter...So my tour (Niv) leader fell in Zambia and suffered a 10x7cm hematoma in her right thigh. After one week her leg was looking worse so she went to the hospital in Maun, Botswana while I spent two lovely nights relaxing in the Okavango Delta. At the hospital the doctor ended up performing an I & D and told her the dressing needed to be changed daily. So I decided to stay behind with her because she needed the help to get around. We left the day after the tour truck set off for Etosha National Park in Namibia. We decided to take a $7 bus from Maun to Ghanzi (4 hours) then another bus (2 hours) from Ghanzi to Charles Hill (near the border of Namibia) the bus drops you off about 8K from the border, so we hitched a ride with two people. We were very fortunate to find two very nice gentlemen from Sri Lanka (Niv's also Sri Lankan) who offered us not only a ride to the border, but all the way into Windhoek (which is 300K from the border). Anyway, they dropped us in town at a gas station and we planned on getting a taxi from there when a wonderful local German couple offered to take us to our accommodation. We've been so fortunate!!! We also lucked out on our accommodation in Windhoek, because it's really heaven...slate tiles throughout the rooms and in the shower a comfy bed with two huge pillows (I appreciate the small things after camping for the last 40 some odd days)!! It was so nice after such a long day of traveling!! Niv is doing well and we went to the hospital today and the doctor said the wound looks good and is healing just fine. So rest easy everyone, she and I will rejoin the tour in Swakopmund tomorrow!!