Well, not much in terms of class here. Everyone is just kind of wandering around waiting for classes to actually start, but they never seem to. We are excited though because tonight we're going to the house of a couple we met at church and they told us they were going to make us Mexican! My favorite. I can't wait. I also had exciting news that my brother in law, Brian, was awarded the best composition in an ACDA competition- a huge award! His piece will be performed in Sioux Falls in March, and who knows, maybe my choir will be able to perform it because we will be there already performing. Fun news in SoDak.



Well, the news about our trip continues...and it gets crazy. We tried to leave Zambia and had some problems. When we entered the country they stamped our passports and asked how long we were going to stay. We were not all together at the time so Bre and I said two weeks to be on the safe side, but Anna and Lindsey said one week. Well, we had been there 8 days because of the slow buses and the border guard said we had to pay money to get out of the country. Bre kind of took over and was arguing with him and bartering and finally we gave him 10,000 Tsh, about 10 dollars, to give us the exit stamp. The funny part though is that he probably won't be able to use it because the schilling is a closed currency which means bureaus and banks cannot exchange for it outside of Tanzania. We were happy to leave Zambia though and enter Malawi, where more adventures law ahead.



We took a bus to Lilongwe where we quickly found the bus going to Mzuzu, near Nkhata Bay, our destination. Unfortunately, the bus to Mzuzu would not leave until it was full...and we sat, and sat...and sat. It was joto sana (very hot) and despite the bus being quite crowded, it was not all the way full so we just sat there frying, as our anger boiled with the temperature. After 2 and a half hours, and seller was leaning in the windown, and reached into my shirt pocket and grabbed 100 Malawian Kwacha. I freaked out. I swung my arm around to try to grab him, but I hit the window which slid back, picking the lady's arm behind me. I was mad I was pickpocketed! For the first time in my life, I think I actually wanted to deck someone. I just wanted to chase after him but I was pinned in the bus, roasting. We finally left after about 3 and a half hours and had a six hour bus ride in a minibus carrying roughly 30 people.



Because of the long wait we arrived in Mzuzu at dark and the buses to our destination, Nkhata Bay where no longer running. We got a cab and finally confinced him to accept US dollars because we didn't have enough Kwacha...but it was the ride from hell. We realized about half way there that this guy didn't have any breaks. He was using his parking break to stop and was going about 30 mph the whole way. As we finally reached Nkhata Bay, he didn't know where to go and was trying to turn around when his parking break failed and we backed right into a cement pillar. His car was dented in and at the same moment as he was in the middle of the intersection trying to start his car with the help of 10 people pushing, the Malawian police drove up, swerving at the last minute to avoid us. Everyone told him to just drive away and he floored it, but soon told us he couldn't take us to the Backpacker's Lodge because he couldn't make it up the hill. We just got out and walked about 2km with the help of two guys (one of them named Smart!) who walked us to the Lodge. It felt great to get there and when we arrived there was a party going on with a circus type guy doing tricks. We sat down and enjoyed and actually ran into a Swede and Norwegian we had met a week before in Zambia. I chatted a bit with them in Norwegian and then headed to bed.



We woke up the next morning to finally see our surroundings in the day light and they were amazing. We were right on Lake Malawi which is huge and looks like an ocean. The water was clear with neon blue fish swimming around and the place we were staying: heavenly. Amazing food, including pancakes in the morning, and hammocks and chairs everywhere for reading and napping. The next 3 days or so were pretty much lazy. Reading, sleeping, and playing chess with Anna. Even at night we could look out on the lake and see the fishermen who put lanterns in their boats to attract the fish...it looked like stars on the water.



Bre and I did try to change money in Mzuzu unsuccessfully. Traveller's Checks should be called stay at home checks because they don't take them anywhere! We had lots of fun at Nkhata Bay and met a crazy group of South Africans who were on holiday in Malawi. These stereotypical cocky, buff, south africans definitely made our time at the lodge funny. The last day in Nkhata Bay was also entertaining because I decided to get my hair dredded! It was the most painful thing I think I've ever done. One hour of constant pulling, knotting, and applying hot wax. What do you think? You'll have to check out the picture! Malawi Pictures



Bre, Lindsey, and I were getting excited to come back so we packed up the next day and went as far as Mbeya in one day. We had more problems at the border because they didn't want to let Bre in because she didn't have her residency permit stamped in her passport, but once again her diplomatic skills got us in, this time without money. I rode all the way to Mbeya next to a chicken too! Yeah, just on the bus, the lady next to me had her chicken wrapped up like a baby, and it slept like a baby. Occasionally given a gobble when we would hit a bump...just a regular sight in TZ. Mbeya was not the best. A guy attempted to pickpocket me but Lindsey and Bre were there to give the guy and shove and get him out of my pockets...needless to say we were ready the next morning at 5:30am to leave, although Lindsey got sick before the trip making us wish we could teleport back. I got off before the girls in Morogoro, a town about 2 hours from Dar, and stayed with a friend named Ayubuh who I met at the University. I had a great time at his house meeting his family and making sandwiches for them! They didn't know what sandwiches were so I made they a wide variety with goods from the market. I think they liked PB and J best. Then I traveled back to Dar and arrived Saturday afternoon about 4pm. It felt great to see the familiar Dala Dala's and to know what the price should be for everything. Back to Tanzania Pictures



Well, that's the travel adventures...kind of long winded, but entertaining. It's hard to describe everything but hopefully the combination of words and pictures will help. Enjoy the pics and the beginning of October tomorrow! Cheers!