Morruz » Moi

That’s all for now

Moi — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:08:19 +0000

Well, back in Canada. The trip from Bangor went smoothly, good rail and underground connections and Simon got me a room at Acton town as my flight left quite early yesterday. Char picked me up last night and I’m adjusting.
See you all when the next trip starts.

Just about over

Moi — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:10:36 +0000

So, I’ve spent the last few days with S&J just hanging around Bangor. They live on top of one hill and high street is at the bottom so a lot of up and down, good food, good visit, its time to let them be.
Tomorrow I start the journey home, staying somewhere near London then catch an early plane across the water. I can tell you that this was all in all quite an experience but I’m going to be glad to put my feet up and suffer through Aries and Peanut again. I guess that in about a year I probably will have the bug again, anybody?
moi

Little tour

Moi — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:01:37 +0000

So, we did a small tour of Scotland. Rented a car in Liverpool and drove to Balloch the first day. Got up and looked at the end of Loch Lomond. Drove up along the lakes including Loch Ness past Inverness to the Balblair distillerry and had a great 1 on 1 tour and a few samples but not of the 1200 pound a bottle stuff. Returned to Elgin where Simon fell in love with the whiskey bar, Laichmoray Hotel, with more than 100 different whiskeys to try. Went and shot a round (I shot a 94, 4 bad holes). On 12 I was 6 inches off the green on a 276 par 4. We then drove past Aberdeen to Arbroath and had a great evening, Mitch runs a great Smugglers bar. Today we just drifted home, Simon asked me to find smaller roads for him to drive on.
Tonight walking home it was so nice to stop and hear the quiet of Bangor.

moving on, leg3

Moi — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:56:46 +0000

Well, the flight from Nairobi went well and figuring out the underground of London also went well, I was waiting outside the Bangor station when Sion showed up.

On the last day in Africa I went to my watering hole, nothing to do with a specific lady working there, really. Later we went out to the Carnivore restaurant but was only able to add crocodile to my taste buds and likely won’t again, salty and fishy beyond what I like. Otherwise, they just kept bring skewers of meat and carving for us until we lowered our flag.
Said goodbye to that group and life continues.
Finally looked through my pictures with Simon and some turned out not too bad, we’ll add some tomorrow. S&J and me will do supper tonight and life will continue.

Time for a change

Moi — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:03:37 +0000

Last morning in Africa, in 24 hours I’ll be trying to find simon and Jennie.
Although we were here in the rainy season we barely saw any rain just a few showers. Lots of heat and sun as we were basically directly under the sun at noon.
The finishing two days of this trip were anti-climactic but nothing can erase what the rest was like. Our group is disbanding as we head to different destinations to continue trips or lives.
Now, I putter away a day, have a few Tuskers and off I go. See you all soon, Michael

Safari 2009 leg 2 almost over

Moi — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:14:53 +0000

Well folks, its 7 in the morning in Arusha, Tanzania, I’m up and have had tea. Both Kenya and Tanzania are 10 hrs off home. Tomorrow we go to Nairobi and then off on leg 3 of thisw excursion.

Christopher, we did not actually see the cheetah do the killing but I have pictures of her and her 2 cuubs eating, they were abouty 15m from the truck. nWe’ve had lions rub against our vehicles. The other morning, 5:45, walking to the toilet an elephant walked out the other side of the building no more than 15m from me.

Hey, that early and the dark tree area starts moving and has tusks you think you are still sleeping. Due to light I didn’t get an exceptioinal photo but do have one. For this portion I experienced so much that I just cant remember it all to tell you.

By going thru photos it’ll all come back though. My apoplogies ahead of time, I have lots of photos.

Again, this is a camping trip. I would recommend it for anyone who leans that way. If you’d rather just do the Serengeti/ngorongoro there are quite the flyt in lodges there. Quite the variety of landscapes. People are friendly, here in Tanznia they speak a bit less english and that is accented. Kids wave at the truck all the time. Sellers here are back to the aggressive type like Egypt.
Hot showers last night!!!!
I guess that’s it as I just can’t remember all I want to say, this has been a 2 week experience that I’ll never forget. luv, moi

Safariing away

Moi — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:50:48 +0000

Well, I am down in the SW corner of Kenya, Kericho. This is a camping safari, we set up our own tents nightly but do have a camp cook. We went from Nairobi up to Naguru then back to Lake Nakuru national park then to the Masai Mara national reserve. I’ve seen all types of antelope and gazelles, lions, wildbeasts, cheetahs (including on a kill), giraffes, elephants rhinos, etc. It is quite interesting and I’m having fun.
What a basic trip, cold showers, bathrooms that barely fit our description, good food, travel in a large safari truck, what a different country.
Tomorrow we go into Tanzania for the last week of this trip with our first night on the shore of lake victoria.
Having a good time with our group, mostly auzzies. Did a tea plantation tour today.
Hopefully find a better connection soon or else may not post until the 15.

Nairobi

Moi — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 10:13:18 +0000

Well, I am here. First thing I noticed on the ground is that they drive on the wrong side of the road, not bad when you are in a taxi but I’m still not used to which way to watch for cars while crossing the street. By the way, I am now a professional j-walker.
Nairobi itself is quite a nice city, lots of green. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that there is minimal garbage downtown, one of the cleanest cities I’ve visited. It is really helped by the fact that there is a major fine if you smoke on the sidewalk, they have designated areas only for my evil habit. Even so, they don’t litter like most places I’ve visited. But, note, I’ve only seen downtown.
Tonight I get together with my next group and we leave tomorrow. Boy is the sun wicked hot here in the afternoon. Supposedly, right when we get back is the start of the rainy season. Interesting how the working women hit on you.

End of leg one

Moi — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:05:31 +0000

OK, I did Alexandria. Different historical place as it is alot more greco-roman in flavour. It really is a large resort town for Cairo. Population of 4-6,000,000 but about triple that in summer. I did go to El Alamein museum and cemetery. It’s not a tour I would overly recommend but it was important to me. You don’t really see the battle site as I was told there are still lots of land mines, about two a day still hurting people. My guide is studying for his Phd in Egyptology. I was asked at least twice to sponsor someone to come to Canada.
On my last morning I had about 4 hours to kill so walked to the citadel, about 1.5 hrs each way around the bay. people were shocked. When I went to get my shirt I had a taxi all afternoon and he took me to a great hole in the wall restaurant, not cheap but good sea food. Later I actually found a cheap bar for beer 10 minutes from the hotel.
I have to keep saying it, people are very friendly just watch out for the friendly who wants you to come to his store for his card.
This is my last day in Egypt, I fly out tonight for an overnight to Kenya.
The weather has been nice, some hot days but mostly 15 to 25. I’ve actually seen clouds.
Boy am I saving up a ton of punch buggies.
I’d really like to see Christopher drive here, at first he would love it, horns to pass, to clear the way, just to make noise, to signal it’s OK to come in my part lane. You would really get irate at the people who drift across lanes though. In grid lock, there is lots, its a miracle there aren’t more accidents.
Hope you’re all well, luv, moi

So much to say and…

Moi — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:22:19 +0000

just no way to say it all. Trains planes and automobiles and boats and livestock, what a way to travel. By the way, lights while driving here are optional, headlights and signal lights. Crossing streets is an art. Lanes are optional.
I am in Alexandria for those who care. This is a very arabic area but there is enough english around for me to survive. I’m actually quite pleased with my arabic and get complemented on it. If there is a media report of Hogan in Egypt it wasn’t me.
I don’t know if you heard but there was a bomb in Cairo last night not too far from where we were having supper but I never saw anything, security went up a notch though.
I’m liking the buying of supper while the seafood is still moving, they give you too much food.
Great view of the mediteranean out of my hotel window right across the street.
Take care all, moi