Starting overland tomorrow!

I am getting ready to go on my big overland tour to Zambia through Namibia and Botswana. I am going to see the real Africa – as real as it will get for me this time. Preparation includes shopping for anti-malaria medicine and adaptors, making copies of my passport, visas, insurance; repacking, laundry, and arranging post-departure flights, accommodation and activities.

Since I did not get Zimbabwe visa, I am leaving my group on the last day of the overland to catch a local transfer from Botswana to the Zambian side of the Victoria falls. I spend fours night in Livingstone, fly back to Johannesburg, maybe visit Drankesberg Mountains (cannot enter Lesotho – visas again!) and head to Mozambique on my second 14-day overland through Swaziland and back to South Africa through Kruger National Park. The day after I fly to India.

A special thanks goes to Rob and Shawn from Detour Africa, a travel agency here in Cape Town. Without them none of this would have been possible. I would have still been arranging my visas and what not. The guys are absolutely charming, extremely helpful and knowledgeable. To my surprise I found that travel agencies here can offer you cheaper prices on tours than the tour operators themselves. Arranging everything with Detour has been definitely one of the highlights so far and I know how cheesy it sounds.

We were told to expect the unexpected along with no connection to the outside world for the next 20 days. I expect to get some kind of internet connection in Namibia and in the end of my overland in Livingstone. Internet in Africa is expensive; and you are charged for volume.

Mapping it all out:

South Africa - Garden Route

Just came back from Garden Route, which I explored the lazy way - with Baz Bus, a hop-on hop-off bus service that shuffles backpackers from one hostel to another in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. It is quite convenient, but restricting - no interaction with the country.

I found Garden Route to be backpacker's paradise with the nicest hostels I have ever stayed at. All owners were super friendly; beds and sheets - soft and clean; bathrooms as good as at home.

My first stop was at Wild Tongue Backpackers in Nature's Valley where I spent the day hiking near Tsitsikamma National Park.

Next stop was Jeffrey's Bay (or how locals call it - J-bay), the mecca of surfing. Annual Billabong Pro contest packs this rather smalls village for a week. However, now in the winter on a cold day J-Bay was dead. At the hostel Ubuntu we were seven (max 26). On Sunday night we watched Casino Royal (every time I am trying to convince fellow travelers the main guy resembles Vladimir Putin, but I guess only Russians see it) on the big projector. Tucked between the pillows I felt I sneaked into somebody's house and should be kicked out. In fact, Ubuntu is the house of two surfers-owners living on the surfer's schedule - go to bed by 11 pm, rise at 7-8 am, check the surf. If the wave is good, surf.

The third stop was Storms River, where I tried Canopy for the first time. Maybe I was not swinging in the trees like Tarzan, but it was still pretty cool. Storm River is also home to the world's tallest bungee jump (216 m).

Then on to Wilderness, The Beach House Hostel with the views of the Indian ocean to the right, left and in front of you. I did nothing besides walking on the empty beach and hiking to Victoria Bay following the rail tracks.



The last stop was Swellendam, the third oldest white settlement in South Africa. Mountains, hiking trails and the town are charming.


More pictures on flickr

Almost perfect two weeks

My good mood disappeared this morning when I realized my brand new jacket bought in Buenos Aires was stolen last night. I do not know how or why. Instead of being upset I am supposed to be happy that it was just the jacket, but I am not... Not to mention it is freezing in Cape Town too.

South Africa - Cape Peninsula

A drive through Cape Peninsula towards the Cape Point has been so far the highlight of my week. I would have preferred to have done it on my own at my pace, but for now I did it with a tour.

We first stopped in Hout Bay where everybody went on a short boat ride to see a small colony of fur seals. Since no experience can top my encounters with them in Galapagos, I walked around the little port to take in the bright sun.



The next stop was unplanned. A little further south of Simon’s Town southern right whales (“right” is because they were right to kill for their oil and bones; story of their near extinct and revival) were playing by the shore. Literally. The whales are easily seen here between July and October as they pass by the South African shore. No boat or car needed, just stroll on the beach. The southern right whale is recognized by whitish-brownish callosities on its back and head. My camera is no good to take good pictures of wild life from a distance, but callosities are seen.




From Simon’s Town we continued on to a small national park of Boulders Beach with its colony of African penguins. They are cute little creatures and their synchronized strut through dunes is a very funny thing to see. Before the African penguins were called Jackass penguins for their donkey like sounds during courtship.





At about noon we reached Table Mountain National Park. We biked about 7 km among the stunning landscape to reach our lunch spot. A bit more driving and spotting a female ostrich and we reach the main parking lot for Cape Point. We hiked up to the original lighthouse, greeting a lovely baboon on the way there.



Apparently, New York is the furthest point on my itinerary nowadays.




Rio de Janeiro – 6055 km
Jerusalem – 7468 km
New Delhi – 9296 km
Singapore – 9667 km
London – 9693 km
New York – 12 541 km


A 45 minute hike to Cape of Good Hope was amazing, but as with the tours it usually goes it was horribly rushed.



I do not know if anybody would be disappointed to learn that the Cape Point is neither the most southern point of Africa nor where Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Cape Agulhas is the place, about 300 km southeast of Cape Point. Nevertheless, the place is amazing.

We saw seals, whales, penguins, ostriches, baboons, and a snake during one day – not too shabby!

More animals and landscapes on flick.

South Africa - Cape Town

Before I start describing my first week in South Africa I think I should first say where I am writing this post. I am sitting in a Wild Tongue lodge in Nature's Valley on Garden Route. I was the only guest staying on this huge farm under bright African stars. This place is absolutely amazing and stunning. Unfortunately, this place is being sold due to family issues.

* leaving Buenos Aires

The start was stressful. For no good reason I was late for my bus and got to the airport only 1 hour and 20 minutes before departure. My bag was checked in the last as it took the desk some time to figure out my passport, visas, flights and itineraries. I walk onto the plane 15 minutes before departure. The lines was enormous, but moved quickly. In the US I am sure I would not have been allowed on an international flight so late.

* arriving Cape Town

I arrived at 9 am in the morning, half dead as I watched the movies instead of sleeping on my 7-hour Malaysian Airlines direct flight. Nevertheless, I managed to arrange both Namibia and Botswana visas on the same day. After that I slept for 15 hours in my lovely hostel Inn Long Street.

The next day I spent walking around Cape Town. Some highlights include V&A Waterfront (touristy upmarket shopping and dining), The Bo-Kaap (Muslim colorful area of Cape Town), downtown and its Company's Gardens.


Pictures are on flickr.:

V&A Waterfront with Table Mountains vistas






The Bo-Kaap colors



The Company's Gardens



* First impressions

Everything in South Africa feels new and interesting. Driving on the left side, 6 languages to choose from in the ATM, even coins with wild animals are cute.

The best surprise were the prices. I dare to say South African is cheap. The prices for food and accommodation are not higher than in Argentina. The real expense comes in when you are trying to do anything touristy... like say safari, wine tours, diving with sharks. The latter I am not doing as my heart will stop right there in the cage.

Gone

A month in one place and notwithstanding the amazing times here in Buenos Aires I am restless. I am happy to be packing, putting the heavy backpack on my back, and leaving! Africa is next!

Buenos Aires - food

Sometimes picture speaks better than words. Asado from yesterday:





Asado for four people, we managed to eat half of it. There is a legend about one customer that has eaten it all.

Buenos Aires - photos

Flickr set on Buenos Aires


San Telmo antique market on Sunday, Plaza Dorrego



Puerto Madero, Puente de la Mujer (architect Santiago Calatrava)



Palermo Hollywood




La Boca, Caminito street



Recoleta cemetery

Buenos Aires - food

I think the true top 3 in Buenos Aires is to eat, to drink, and to party. The city is amazing for it. Don't expect Rio de Janeiro beauty here.

Having spent in BA a month, I learned a lot about what typical Argentinian is.

Everybody knows that no visit to Argentina can pass without steak and wine. Actually, Argentinians prefer asado (name of barbecue technique, so asado can be of ribs, meat, sausages (chorizos, morcilla (blood saugage)), etc) in their parillas (steak houses) to my favorite bife de lomo (filet mignon).



Argentinians are crazy about everything dulce de leche (slowly heated sweetened milk aka сгуженка in Russian). Dulce de leche is present in the majority of desserts, cakes and ice creams flavors. Argentinian ice cream deserves a separate entry in this blog, it is so good. Dozens of flavors are listed on the board in numerous ice cream parlors and one can only guess how a poor girl can choose two flavors from this variety. You cannot see the actual ice cream like in Brazil...

Here is an example of a small ice cream shop:



In the coffee shop Argentinians invented submarino (hot chocolate drink) - hot milk served in a tall glass comes with a piece of chocolate that you stir in the glass.



A day starts and breaks (a meal between lunch and dinner is called "merienda") with cafe con leche (coffee with milk) and medialunas (croissants) of three types - de manteca (butter), de grasa (literally fat, thinner in shape then de manteca ones), de manteca rellenas (with a filling? never tried). Medialunas are smaller than croissants in France and taste differently, but the shape is the same (half of the moon).

:)

The rest of the day Argentinians drink mate (herbal tea), which is art in itself foreign to me as I do not like green tea.

Buenos Aires - how cheap is cheap?

If you listen to my classmates from the US, Buenos Aires is cheap, dirt cheap. If you listen to my friend from Belgium who lives here, Buenos Aires is not cheap.

So what is cheap? Eating out in Buenos Aires is cheap compared to USA and Europe. On average we spend 40-80 pesos each ($13- $30) per dining experience in a nice restaurant, which would include an appetizer, a good sized steak, and a bottle of wine.

To be more specific, filet mignon (bife de lomo in Spanish) costs from 27 pesos (La Plata in San Telmo) to 50 pesos (fancy Las Cabreras in Palermo), which is cheaper than the price is dollars in some comparable restaurants in New York. [dollar to peso = 1 to 3]

The cheapest (but decent) bottle of wine in the restaurant starts at 20 pesos, which is again cheaper than the price in dollars in New York. So on average eating out in BA is at least 3 times cheaper than in New York.

It gets pricey for me if I would have decided to eat out daily. To spend $30 on a nice meal is not a lot by New York standards, but by backpacker’s it is. It adds up, but it is cheap.

Buenos Aires - nightlife

In deep pockets of my backpack I found teared out articles about Buenos Aires that I have been carrying around South America with me for three months. Having been here already two weeks, it was interesting to compare my first impression with the impression of the city articles are trying to build.

All articles but one were talking about tango. They identify Buenos Aires with tango, they recommended tango, they focused on tango. I actually forgot all about tango until I picked up those article clips. I did not see tango and I did not feel tango in the air. I just saw a very crazy city.

They say New York never sleeps. Well, compared to Buenos Aires, New York never even woke up. Nightlife is beyond insane here, it is unbelievably busy. I was ready for "eat dinner at 11 pm, go out at 2 am" schedule, but I did not anticipate "cannot get into club at 5 am - get in line".

No bottle service bullshit here, everybody dances!

Popular events weekly gather hundreds and thousands of people each day of the week! Big nights at club form lines I have never seen in my life. I though that only applied to clubs. No, bars are also packed at 5 am. Here one can party non-stop, especially from Thursday till Sunday night with a number of after hour clubs properly spinning the beats.

We are 10 people in the house. If we all go out to different venues, each of one of us reports back a packed club or bar or restaurant. It might be the culture, the number of bars/clubs, or the number of young people in Buenos Aires, but I cannot explain this phenomena.

The place to go on Monday is KONEX for the concent La Bomba de Tiempo. The performance space in a former warehouse gets packed by 5,000 crazy youngsters dancing to drums. The party starts at 7 pm ends at 10 pm (it is Monday afterall). If you show up at 8 pm, you won't get in until 9:30 pm (if ever) as the line hugs almost three blocks.




Club Museo is packed on Wednesday nights with after work party, so is Shamrock on Thursday on a slightly smaller scale. Club Niceto in Palermo Hollywood hosts the fabulous Club 69 on Thursdays. Fridays and Saturdays are just big nights everywhere with dozens of clubs in all parts of towns.

Special events such as James Zabiela last Saturday pack exhibition halls. I can only imagine insanity in Buenos Aires for Creamfields 2008 in November.

A great website for the ones appreciating electronic music with daily event listings in Buenos Aires is Buenos Aliens (in Spanish).

So, tango. Besides street performers in San Telmo and La Boca I have not seen tango and do not have any regrets. I am happy to have experienced the energy of the city in its winter mode.

African nightmares in Buenos Aires

I have my passport with the South African visa in it (missing an official stamp to make me absolutely comfortable). Time line of this bad show is now irrelevant. I am leaving Buenos Aires on Sunday.

Summing up - souvenirs

I have not shown my souvenirs since Colombian times. In fact, I do not have that much to show. I think souvenir shopping in Peru built a great immune system against shopping anywhere else. Bolivian stalls even though cheaper did not make my heart jump. I have seen it all in Peru. I have spent days bargaining for it all in Cuzco.

These is alpaca hat (chullo) and matching socks, woolen socks and mittens.



Silver in Peru is cheap and quite pretty, but the eye gets tired after a week of the same designs...

From left to right - my precious chacana (or Inca cross), which I guess can be considered the most important symbol of Inca culture', jewelry with coca leaves (hojo de coca), and a carved alpaca (or lama? or camel?) from stone.



In Bolivia I just bought a handmade belt that I am using as my camera strap.



The theme in Brazil was the Brazilian flag. I got myself Havaianas flip flops with a tiny Brazilian, sarong of the Brazilian flag's colors and a Gilson Martins' ipod case with Christ the Redeemer.

Summing up - photographs

I created a new set on flickr - my favorite pictures/views from my 4 months in South America, time that lasted a second but felt like a century. It is a weird sensation to look back at my first pictures in Colombia or even from Peru. I cannot believe this part of my trip is over.


Best from South America (54 pictures) set on flickr

Any favorites I missed?

Summing up - beer route in South America

My "relationship" with beer has started this year in Mexico, but it got stronger after backpacking through South America. Each of these brands bring back a lot of fun memories...

Bogotá, Colombia - Aguila
Cartagena - Club Colombia

Quito, Ecuador - Pilsner

Cuzco, Peru - Cusqueña

Arequipa, Peru - Arequipeña

Copacabana, La Paz and the rest of Bolivia - Paceña

Salta - Salta

Buenos Aires - Quilmes

Rio de Janeiro - Brahma, Skol

Big weekend in Buenos Aires

Tonight a huge party



I remember SOS at WMC Miami 2008. They were in the room next door to RA vs. Kompakt Party at Pawn Shop.

Tomorrow we are going to an opening game of the season for Boca Juniors, the most famous football team in BA, against the team from Jujuy - Gimnasia.

Summing up - my route in altitude

I created this little chart as an alternative way to look at my route. It is quite amazing to realize I have been going back and forth between sea level and high altitudes sometimes within one country!

Summing up - budgets

Bolivia - 21 days

Airfare

Accom

Transport

Food

Activities

Fees

Internet

Souvenirs

Other

Total

$64

$69

$76

$144

$329

$5

$27

$6

$53

773

$3

$3

$4

$7

$16

$0

$1

$0

$3

$37

Bolivia turned out to be really cheap, dirt cheap in fact. My average accommodation costs are slightly screwed by dividing the total amount spent by 21 nights, whereas some nights (6 to be precise) were included in tour prices. Adjusted costs per night were $4.6.

For $329 spent on activities I got a 3-day jungle trip, 3 days in Pampas, 3 day Uyuni tour and a mine tour. Not bad at all.

Also appears I spent a lot of hours on internet :)


Chile - 2 days

Accom

Transport

Food

Activities

Internet

Souvenirs

Total

$20

$49

$33

$59

$3

$1

$166

$10

$25

$16

$30

$1

$1

$83

I only spent two night in San Pedro de Atacama and I did not feel it was THAT expensive. Dorms for $10/night, food - $8-$10 per menu. Three short tours costs me $59, again reasonable for Chile. A $50 bus ride to Salta (Argentina) hiked the daily average up to $83.


Brazil - 19 days

Accom

Transport

Food

Activities

Visa

Internet

Souvenirs

Other

Total

$273

$387

$273

$145

$20

$2

$37

$74

$1,211

$14

$20

$14

$8

$1

$0

$2

$4

$64

Even if a $64 average does not scream an EXPENSIVE country, I can assure you Brazil was the most expensive country I visited. On $64 a day I was lying on the beach, cooking at night for the first time on the trip, and trying to cut costs in all the ways possible. Obviously hostels are expensive - $14/night, or rather $17/night adjusted to 3 nights slept on buses. $145 spent on activities do not buy you much - just entrances to Sugar Loaf and Corcovado and a 3-hour boat ride. The killer category was transportation - I spent a whooping $387 ob busing within the country. I took a bus from the Bolivian border to Campo Grande, on to Sao Paulo, on to Rio, on to Foz de Iguacu. Expensive!

African nightmares in Buenos Aires

So to continue my fabulous story...

This morning at the embassy - I have not yet had a chance to discuss your case with the consul. Please wait.

Twenty minutes later - We can refer your case to Russia, but we do not follow up. The Embassy has other priorities. If they get back to us, we will issue a visa, but in 50% of the cases they do not respond.

I suggested to send my case to Sweden as according to the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visas for RSA are processed there. She said she would verify and send it to the right embassy.

When?

When she gets to it. Maybe today, maybe today [read - maybe never]

Unfortunately, you have to learn it the hard way, she told me.

I asked if she could send my case later today, so I could follow up with them tomorrow. Indefinite answer.

Well, they are one hour behind. So you can follow up with them almost immediately.

me - Who is one hour behind? Sweden? How about 6 or 7 hours ahead.

the end.

*
What can I say at this point. I paid the fee. My best case scenario she sends my case somewhere on Monday. The case will be reviewed and sent to New York, the city of my residence or something like that. Or it will be lost or denied or forgotten.

I guess I am coming back to New York. And I think I can blame myself for not approaching the embassy the first week in Buenos Aires. I just could not have imagined what it takes to get a visa. The website says, I quote, "the normal processing period is 2 business days. Visas from non-Argentine or non-Paraguayan residents require special referral and may take up to 5 days."

5 days, huh?

African nightmares in Buenos Aires

The Embassy of South Africa in Buenos Aires is the most ridiculous institution I have been to in my life. According to the visa department, there is a 50% chance the embassy will not accept my passport for processing BECAUSE I AM NOT A RESIDENT OF ARGENTINA. I was told I was supposed to apply for a visa in the country of residence. Nothing wrong with my application (I was though asked to present my itinerary in SOUTH AMERICA up to this date, entry and exit stamps in my passport are not enough!). Just procedure.

I did try to get a visa for South Africa in advance. In March the RSA embassy in New York said I could not apply so early in advance. I left two weeks later.

So far my impression about South Africa is beyond bad. I DO NOT COMPREHEND. I wish I could. I have obtained visas for Brazil in Bolivia, for India in Argentina and never heard that I could not apply for a visa in the nearest embassy. The RSA website says otherwise too - visa processing for non-Argentinean residents takes longer, but it does not say it is impossible. But then again, rules do not apply here. I can point to that website for days and years. I was told (do not understand meaning tough) - "We refer, but we do not follow up!". What did the lady mean? They would refer my application to New York, but would not follow up? Or do they ship my passport and forget about it? or they advise me to ship my application to New York? By the way, New York embassy does not seem to have out of the country service either, just out of state.

It might be just the way the embassy treats "unwelcomed" tourists. Maybe I have been spoiled so far and embassies are there to treat you like shit, to make sure you realize the entrance to their beloved countries is an honor. To spend money in their country is a privilege. Obey the letter of bureaucracy and remember you are NOBODY.

At this point I am so disgusted by the whole story I do not want to go. I understand I make no difference, but I wish I could bring this story to somebody's attention who does.

Even if my application is accepted, I take this personally. I consider myself the best visitor ever - I spend money, take beautiful pictures and advertise the country. Not even being understanding of my situation is outrageous.

African nightmares in Buenos Aires

Today I can confirm that information is GOLD.

Over the last week I was going crazy about my upcoming trip to Southern Africa. It started off nicely - I was researching all the available overland tours, companies, their reviews on forums, etc. Then I started to look into my visa situation. To my surprise the embassies I needed did not really exist in Cape Town (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe). Everybody and everything was suggesting I should fly to another side of the country, to Pretoria, to obtain visas first. That would have ruined my already perfectly planned itinerary. I emailed the embassies in Washington DC, in Pretoria, to visa handling firms in South Africa, to travel agents, to tour operators, almost to anyone who would listen to me one simple question - how do I get Namibia and Botswana visas in the shortest period of time. I also realized I cannot end my overland tour in Zimbabwe (visa takes 8 days to process in Pretoria), have to go to Zambia (can buy visa on the border). Yet again I had to go through all the tours and note, which overland company ends in Livingstone (Zam) rather than in Victoria Falls (Zim). To confuse me even further, I was told on forum that due to political situation in Zimbabwe a lot of tours now end in Zambia anyway. All of this is very boring and not interesting, but challenging and quite stressful.

My life has changed yesterday when I talk to Rob from Detour Africa in Cape Town. He said, yes, he understands why I cannot go to Zimbabwe, not a problem, I can get transfer to Livingstone on the last day of the tour. And yes, it is very easy to obtain Namibia and Botswana visas here in Cape Town.

I go silent. WHAT???? Easy? I've been emailing half of South Africa because I cannot obtain visas in Cape Town.

Rob - Yes, give me 5 minutes to call. Yes, Namibia will cost you R465, 30 minute processing time, Botswana - R614, 1 hour processing.

me - WHERE?

Rob - in downtown of Cape Town, both countries have some sort of tourist offices here who issue visas.

I could not believe it. I got numbers and I called South Africa today to verify. Yes, it is true. I can get two visas basically within a day. Is it magic or what?? How is it possible that google does not know, LP forum people do not know, embassies of the respective countries do not know, tour operators do not know, but Rob does.

I am relieved, happy and excited. Yet again my persistence paid off.

Surfing through the net

Above Namibia slide show by Clive Crook - something to look forward to!

A happy state of mind

Today I am celebrating my 28th birthday, my happiest state of mind so far. I would want to change a thing.

Thanks for reading the Blog!

Yours truly,

Dudado

African dreams in Buenos Aires

I have been in Buenos Aires for two weeks now and I have not taken a single photo with my big Nikon D70. The time flew by, the weather has changed from magic sunny +25C to gloomy cloudy gray +15C.

I am completely unpacked and acclimatized to non-hostel lifestyle, however, over the last three days I feel I live in Africa. I think Africa, I dream Africa, I plan Africa. In two weeks I am flying to Cape Town for my two month adventure in Southern Africa. My knowledge about South Africa just two days ago was limited to two drawn maps by my fellow travelers. As always, everything seems overwhelming, confusing and complicated. In fact, it is not. South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana seem to be the most well-traveled countries one could think of. There are a number of tour operators who load trucks of 15-30 people and take them through a very standardized route that I have learned by heart visually (I cannot pronounce these long names like Swakopmund). Unless I am ready to pay A LOT more, I have to live with another "gringo" trail. But I am not complaining. What I am about to see should be at the very least amazing and breathtaking. The problem is my passport and all the visas I need to obtain before. Since I am not sure how it will work out with mailing my passport to Pretoria or Johannesburg (there is no Namibia or Zambia or Zimbabwe consulates in Cape Town), I am afraid to book the tour. The tours, however, are being booked quite quickly. It makes sense, most probably people book 30-day overland trips in advance, not a day before departure. It is not 3-day Uyuni tour I am talking about. So I am very busy - reading, comparing, sending out emails to embassies, making phone calls to South Africa and deciding on what to do.

As of today I am think I will do Garden Route and Capetown myself, then join a 22 day overland trip from Capetown through Namibia and Botswana to Victoria Falls, come back to Johannesburg, get another visa, then join another overland through Swaziland to Mozambique and return back through Kurger NP. If everything works out, it might be a trip of my life :)







Today I left my passport with the Indian Embassy (if all visa departments were like this one, my life would have been easy!). Next week I am braving the South African Embassy.

Meanwhile in Buenos Aires life is good. So far I have managed to
- eat steak three times
- shop in Palermo Soho
- go clubbing in Palermo Hollywood, San Telmo, Microcentro, Once
- wander around San Telmo's Sunday Market
- visit Puerto Madero
- get lost in Recoleta's cemetery and pick at Evita's grave
- make numerous walks through downtown of BA
- stroll through Tigre's market

Still have to visit la Boca, go to a football match, see a tango show. My next post will be about tango... sort of.