Kayleen Travels

Either I hate roosters. I hate hate hate hate roosters.  Or Oh my goodness these rats sound like small children...

Perks of Lindsey's life here that I am taking advantage of-- Running water.  Her very sweet host family who makes us a great Gambian lunch almost daily.  A thirty minute walk from the beach.  Ultimate frisbee games on Monday and Thursday afternoons organized by Dave, an American who has lived here for about five years... Takes me back to my high school youth group days... Game night on Saturdays, also hosted by Dave.  A great circle of Peace Corps friends and German volunteers.  A beautiful bookstore close by, owned by a British woman. Once I step in there I have a hard time leaving. And not just because of the air conditioning.  Senegambia, where you dance until dawn.  It's been a good week. 

Nicknamed The Smiling Coast. Smallest country in Africa.  90% Muslim. Polygamy is common here.  Women usually do most of the work, both in and out of the house.  Very safe country.  Almost all in poverty. 

Look at Mel, giving these Gambian teenage boys a talking to. So good.  Just goes to show, you can take the girl out of youth work but you can't take youth work out of the girl. 

Not as bad as you would think. After waking up at 5am on October 17 and traveling over ten hours we arrived in Lagos, Nigeria for our 15 hour layover. Their system for transit passengers is very different and they don't give you much information at first, which makes the whole thing confusing and frustrating. They take your passports and lead you upstairs before they tell you why, and because of the airport's reputation this made me a little panicky. They take you to the waiting room for transit passengers. It's a small room, but has some couches, Internet, and air conditioning. This is where Mel and I spent the night along with two others. We each got our own couch and slept very well for about six hours of the night. Mel, who has slept overnight in airports many times throughout the U.S. and Europe, said this was the best overnight situation she ever had at any airport. Then some hours before your flight they lead you past security and past long lines of travelers to get ...

My time in Africa's southern region is coming to a close. Though I was able to visit seven countries, I spent the most significant time in the country of South Africa. Two weeks is barely scratching the surface, but here are some things that stuck out to me about South Africa specifically: It is mountainous and gorgeous.  In my opinion, South Africa was the most beautiful country.  In comparison to the other African countries I have been to, South Africa is quite racially diverse.  Generally there are five racial groups: Afrikaans (descendants of the Dutch), white South Africans (descendants of the British), Indian South Africans (descendants of India--South Africa has the world's largest Indian population outside of India itself), colored South Africans (referring in South Africa to those of mixed race), and black South Africans (of which there are many different ethnic groups, including the Zulu and the Xhosa people). There is great economic inequality.  In ot...

African proverb

Typical lunch on the road: cold baked beans and leftover rice mixed with tuna.  Livin' the life ;-)

Rent a car. It is more cost effective than public transport (as long as you split between three or more people) and gives you more freedom. BUT you must know how to drive a stick, or at least hope your companions do. I do not know how to drive a stick, but both Mel and Suteh do. It is also important to have multiple drivers to share the load.  Buy groceries. Split the cost. Share everything. Only eat when you are hungry. Only get foods that will last a long time.  Camp if you can.  It is so much cheaper than a room, but you still have access the facilities of the lodge. Prioritize. Know what is at the top of your list to do/see and know what you don't mind canceling if you run short on time or money.  Know the entry requirements of each country. We traveled South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The only country that required us to purchase a visa was Zimbabwe. We probably wouldn't have even bothered with Zimbabwe if it wasn't for Victoria Falls...

Downy wrinkle releaser (suggested by my friend Amber and it I use it all the time- THANK YOU!) Baby wipes and Olay face wipes.  Sunblock (given to me by the Leskowski family, thank you!!!!). My skin has been very protected.  The one sweatshirt I brought; I have worn it about everyday at some point. Facebook. Not only is it the easiest way to keep everyone at home updated, it is also the easiest way to stay connected with people I meet throughout my travels.  My iPhone. It is my calendar, my music, my camera, my notepad, and my mini computer when I have access to wifi.  My journal (thank you NBC youth group!) Good travel buddies and new friends I have met along the way. 

The vegetarian option is always better.  Three to a tent is miserable unless you are in the middle.  Always roll up your windows on gravel roads.  Baked beans on toast is a very common breakfast meal in many parts of the world.  Combing Mel's hair is a project that takes a good 20-30 minutes. Longer if I try not to rip her scalp off.  Sunrise > sunset  Always wear dark underclothes. You never know when the opportunity to swim may come upon you.  Toilet paper is a great luxury. As are toilet seats.  Air conditioning may be the difference between feeling exhausted and feeling alive.  There is no easy way to turn down food without offending. It doesn't matter if you are so full that one more bite will make throw up. It also doesn't matter if you have been sick with stomach issues all week. The Gambian grandmothers will still try to force-feed you.  Some children could care less if you only know English and will talk your ear off in Wolof...

So I have done a lot of hiking and INEVITABLY I have slipped or tripped or fallen on my butt. And every time I think, "Pebble. Watch out for the pebble, I just tripped. Someone should put down some orange cones, there's a pebble over there!" Oh Ellen. Still funny after all these years.  Anyway, thinking of you :-)

This is the fifth hike of the trip, albeit a very short one.  Good thing my hiking shoes have good grip! And once we reached the top, underneath the mountain overhang we saw... dinosaur prints! After further exploration we discovered a cave... There was even evidence of a recent small cooking fire.  I'd say it was a successful hike.

(Mount Moorsi, Lesotho)

If you look closely here you can see the road on the mountains.

we spent the day (at least ten hours) cruising the mountains of Lesotho. We basically live in this car. 

Of all the things I have ever seen, the most beautiful is the kindness of strangers. My heart swells to see people looking out for their fellow man, regardless of age or sex or race or nationality or status or how well they know them. Especially when there is no expectation of anything in return. And to be on the receiving end of that kindness over and over again is its own great experience. I am very thankful. I feel very taken care of.  There is something especially sweet about travelers taking care of each other; it is like being part of this great community that transcends national boundaries.  In Namibia we had the opportunity to pay it forward when we passed a young girl hitchhiking as we headed from Cape Cross to Walvis Bay. We picked her up and took her to her hostel which was on our way. Vicky, who is from China, had been traveling for 15 months through Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and now southwest Africa.  As we drove with Vicky I realized we had four di...

But beyond the white desert, the sunrises, the sand dunes, the mountains, and the bigger cities, the most memorable part of being on the road in Namibia is the dust from driving gravel roads. It was ridiculous!!!!

(according to my very limited knowledge of the country and my few experiences...) Drive through Etosha National Park. You have a chance of seeing zebras, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, lions, and many others! Go to the Skeleton Coast. We couldn't do this because the car we rented would not have made it. But I have heard great things.  Stay on the main roads. Otherwise, roll your windows up. Desert dust will get everywhere. Your clothes, your hair, your lungs. And it will be very hard to get rid of. Unfortunately there are some things that are only accessible from gravel roads, so this may be unavoidable depending on what you want to do.  See Meteorite Hoba. World's largest meteorite. Climb on top of it and snap a picture and then hope that a larger one doesn't crash into the earth tomorrow because seeing the second-largest meteorite isn't nearly as cool.  Go to the seal colony in Cape Cross. Seals are hilarious. It will be worth it. It will also smell a bit.  Stop in...

On our second day in Namibia we headed for the Seal Colony in Cape Cross. It did not disappoint. Seals are hilarious to watch.  Then we stopped in Walvis Bay where we were surprised to see flamingos!

Desert land. So white and dusty and dry.  Zebras for days.  So close!!! Ostriches.  This waterhole was very popular! Elephants look like they are smiling whenever they take a drink :-) Can you spot the rhino? Wilderbeast are so ugly and strange looking. There are LIONS under that tree back there!!!