… one will hear this very often while strolling through the white and windy streets of Stone Town, the heart of Zanzibar. This relaxed and friendly island became a marvelous rest-spot after the long sticky-smelly train journey Zambia-Tanzania. Smiling back colorful faces greet you on every corner with ‘karibu Zanzibar’ (Zanzibar is welcoming you), the reply ‘jumbo poa, mumbo poa’ (how are you? fine) is obligatory. Here the local hawkers are so relaxed, hassle-free and politely inviting, that they no longer seem to threaten as a ‘tourist trap’.
The country of trillionaires
Zimbabwe now is very different from what the media usually served us. It is friendly and safe. The shops and gas stations are well stocked. There is a quite good infrastructure, normal asphalt roads, and plenty of cars on the streets. Somewhat surprising, especially after Mozambique.
June 15, 2010
Maputo
The city is devastated. Civil war ended 16 years ago, although it seems not enough time to clean up the debris and garbage. The most representative districts, as for instance the Mao Tse Tung Street with all the foreign embassies and ministry edifices, simply stinks unbearably. A huge pile of awful trash lies at every corner and you walk on rotten rubbish. The sidewalk is a disaster. Watch out you step or you might end up in a 1m deep sewer hole just in the middle of pedestrian zone.
Swaziland is different from Switzerland
What is this country that always pops just next to Switzerland in various dropdown lists in the Internet? There is not much that we can say about Swaziland. We’ve spent in this kingdom only one night, in Manzini, the capital, just 30 km north of Mbabane.
June 8, 2010
Yo from Jo
So we crossed the third big water, the Indian Ocean and landed in Johannesburg. During the long flight, I watched two movies: the beautiful scenes of ‘Australia’ (a good-bye the vast, dry, red continent), and inspiring ‘Invictus’ (hello South Africa, and World Cup, and apartheid).
Yes, apartheid. Read the rest of this entry »
June 3, 2010
Winter in Sydney
I added Sydney to the rather short list of citiesI could like to live in. It is nice and clean, modern and green. Sydney’s CBD (Central Business District) makes an impressive background for the Opera house, which, placed on a little peninsula, seems to be another boat passing by towards the great Harbor Bridge.
May 24, 2010
Koalas and Kangaroos in Adelaide
Next stop was Adelaide, where we were hosted by Hung and Tam in their house in the green suburbs. We were also greeted by 8 month old Bella, their small girl always curious about everything around her. With Bella, we had our crash course on how it might be being a parent. Did not so bad!
May 16, 2010
The land of Kiwis
New Zeeland welcomed us with a cold breeze. At least that’s how it felt after the warmth of Fijian beaches.
April 12, 2010
Tikal’s pyramids and falling mokeys
In El Remate, a small city which serves as base-camp for Tical, we met Adam and Greg – the first visitors on our RTW! It was a huge change for us. They came with their own car that, although registered for as many as five people, usually carried no more than five people! Read the rest of this entry »
April 4, 2010
Antigua: the smell of burning shoe soles, dyed wood dust and incenses.
People here in Antigua, Guatemala, get really crazy during the Holly Week of Easter. Various religious processions circulate simultaneously the streets of this beautiful colonial town. The climax is on Good Friday, when Read the rest of this entry »