Muni & Molly's Travel Blog

The Final Hit

muni — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:18:49 +0000

So, here I am and it’s Molly’s birthday. Nearly March – good Buddah, Jahova and his five sisters.!!!!

I’d love to put some kind of rosey twist on life at home. How it was wonderful to see those familiar faces and places. But, I cant. By now, being home has just re-affirmed why I left. (The difference now is that I don’t have the means to leave. ) And the predictability of life being home and my feeling of this place and people have been amplified by Africa.

I’m home and it’s crap. So, head down and be a good little rat, muni.

My Rat Friend...

For now, I’ll sign off…..BUT…..are more Safari schemes in the pipeline ?

Hmmmmm……where’s that map……

muni

Filed under: Africa, Europe, ireland Tagged: Home

A Fiddler’s Wink

muni — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:14:12 +0000

The train and ferry journey back to Dublin was easy, albeit a bit long. The lights of Dublin ferry port welcoming us back with open arms. Soon we were in front of Molly’s folks, in the car and driving down the Strand Road. The view of the smoldering ESB cooling towers, across Seapoint, with a full moon in between just beautiful. It felt so familiar here but yet very strange. Almost as if I’ve not been away. We made it back to Cabinteely for some stories and some home cooked food.

The next few days we lay low so that we could catch up with family. Saturday night was a different story.

We had heard that our friends were all going out for a few drinks in Johnnie Foxes up in the Dublin hills. We decided to sneak up and surprise them all. Nervously off we went and before I could say “I miss Africa” we were there hugging, shaking hands and laughing. I was good to see them but this still felt alien to me. So many questions fired at us in quick succession I didn’t know where to begin. Purposely, I redirected the conversations to how they were and the goings on in Ireland over the last eighteen months.

For those who don’t know Johnnie Foxes is the highest pub in Ireland and a very traditional Irish pub. A warren of rooms, wooden stools, old heavy oak tables, roaring open fires, saw dust on the floor and lots of atmosphere. And as usual for a Saturday night there was traditional (a Fiddle, Guitar and Banjo with singing) music, or as we call it “Diddely I”. About as Irish as you can get really.

I had wandered off to the bar to get some drinks. On thee way back I faced the band, and in the tinyest moment, as I passed the fiddler, he winked. It was at that very moment when I knew I was home. Travel was now over and the business of re-establishing old friendships and seeing family had begun.

So, now I’m back in Planet Newbridge arguing with me Dad just like as before. It’s as cold as I remember, wet as I remember and as depressing as I remember.

Now I know why I left!

muni

Posted in Europe, ireland Tagged: Dublin, Home, Johnnie Foxes

London – Living up to it’s reputation!

muni — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:50:17 +0000

It’s

+

And therefore:

Naice wan maoity!!!

muni

Posted in England, Europe Tagged: London

Berlin

muni — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:56:03 +0000

It made sense to fly to Berlin instead of taking the train – which was considerably more expensive. Which, after taking a large amount of trains of late, is our preferred mode of transport. So, after a two hour flight from balmy Nice we found ourselves shivering outside Berlin airport. And, very strangely, I found I could understand a lot more German than anticipated.

Quickly we met up with my ugly little brother, Si. He is now living in East Berlin with his girlfriend, Kaz. That night we cooked, downed some beer and caught up. It had been over three years since I saw Si It was great to see him and Kaz. Over the next few days we bounced about Berlin. The christmas markets now abound there was a distinct smell of chocolate and cinnamon in the air which was wondrous.

There is so much in Berlin to discover and experience that it just can’t all be done in a few days. So, we met up with some friends and did the usual tourist things, The Brandenburg Gates, The Wall, The German Film Museum The Salvador Dali Museum and we even got our passports stamped with the East German check point stamps!

We both loved Berlin and would happily return. And now that we have some family and friends there – maybe we will.

muni

Posted in Europe, Germany Tagged: Berlin

Nice – it’s nice!

muni — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:28:50 +0000

I spent hours writing this post…!

muni

Posted in Europe, France Tagged: Nice

Destinazione

muni — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:23:59 +0000

I look out of the train window. The passing scene in concert with my mp3 player becomes like the digital display from a graphic equalizer. The digital reactions intensifying as we approach towns and cities, subsiding as we depart. The Glimmers Fabric Mix is perfect. Who could of known that this old countryside is in binary synchronicity? An audio visual symphony.

The skyline is low, punctuated by church steeples and old Tuscan looking buildings. A plethora of greens, auburns and burnt yellows flash by. Terracotta tiles, ploughed fields, farms and vineyards. A sudden pang for a glass of Merlot. No visible wildlife apart from Black Crows. Cabbages, millions of them and trees laden with a strange orange fruit that defies classification. I fall into a stare and The Glimmers snap me back as a wide lumbering grey river inches closer to an imposing cathedral.

Rovigo, a station. Old buildings overgrown. A small hut is engrossed by some flowering vine type tree. Two parked rusting bulk trains, heavy and long, are behind the station. The platform is polished from years of wheeled luggage and Italian shoes. The ticket office is surrounded by Vespas and bicycles, the car park abound with Fiats and Alphas. A marble bench sits lonely and weathered next to a dry fountain. Our adjoining track is, for some unknown reason, bleached white. A dull thud indicates imminent departure. “Din Daa Daa” adds some audio strangeness to this Italian ticker tape.

“My Speed boat is faster than yours” blares in my ears as we overtake a small plane on take off. No clickety click, these rails are new. We glide forward. Ferrara station is overlooked by two Ballymun-esque towers. Topped with many satellite dishes they are grey and ugly.

An old woman fiddles with her Nokia. Frustrated, she glances over at us with a look of indignance. Maybe she is late or her son cannot make it to pick her up. Again she fiddles and with quiet resignation eventually stuffs it into her expensive leather handbag. We’re in no rush. A night in Bologna wouldn’t be too bad. “Monkey Star” has my foot tapping as we snake away…

muni

Posted in Europe, Italy Tagged: Bologna, Cesena, Ferrara, Pordenone, Rovigo, Venise

Österreich – ist nicht scheiße!

muni — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:30:27 +0000

Off the plane, back on European soil and it’s cold. BLOODY cold. The average daily temperatures here are circa 3 degrees Celsius. Vienna is our starting point for the European tour on the way home. Our main reason for being here is to visit Pete & Bini – the overlanders we had become friends with while on the road. The first thing I notice is how grandiose the place is and the speed and pace at which that everything gets done. People walk faster, traffic lights are obeyed and everything is extremely expensive.

We shuffled about Vienna like Michelin men, smothered in hats, gloves, woolly socks and warm clothes. The miserable weather taking its toll on my body and Africa on my mind. My golden tan is already fading! I have so many stories to tell now, of far away lands, but they seem meaningless. Who cares if I saw desert Elephants? or the biggest mud structure known to man? I find myself at odds with these people. I struggle with my confusing thoughts. I don’t want to be here but I want to see my friends from Africa. We walk about town to look at the this and that building. I find myself at an opera. This could not be more different and a world apart from where I have just come. Vienna is a very beautiful city but, sadly, I see no black faces.

We finally find ourselves on a train platform in front of Pete & Bini laughing and giggling at the strangeness of seeing them in Austria. They immediately took us to their lake and opened a bottle of champagne. August, the truck we know so well is still there and in good stead. We spend the next few days drinking and eating the best the Austria has to offer. From Sturm to Wurst we are constantly stuffed. We talked Africa for the weekend. The ins and outs. They were the tonic I needed. For this I feel better. They have adjusted to life again at home but travel is still in the back of their minds – like ours. We agree to meet again, maybe in Morocco, in our own over-landing car or truck.

No it's not a rock - this is "Art"!!!

We part company and head back to Vienna and tomorrow we head for Northern Italy where hopefully the weather picks up. My nose is protesting and my bones feel cold!

muni

Posted in Austria, Europe Tagged: Austria, Neulengbach, Vienna

Google Route

muni — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:50:33 +0000

I have updated our route page to have a more interactive map. It can be dragged and zoomed in on etc…

To see it click above on “the route” link or click here

muni

Posted in Africa Tagged: Route

Our African Ponderings

muni — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 14:22:48 +0000

We have spent a bit of time writing up what it was like to spend time in Africa and our experiences. We have created special pages for just this. (on the top right)

Molly’s page is : HERE

Muni’s page is : HERE

muni

Posted in Africa Tagged: Africa, Ponderings

Beware!

muni — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:04:20 +0000

muni

Posted in Africa Tagged: Animals, Sign Posts

The All Africa Oscars

muni — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:39:40 +0000

Well now that we leave Africa soon (Boo Hoo!) Muni & Molly’s African Oscars are now published.

The categories are : (drum roll please)

1. Best Accommadation / Hotel : Green Turtle Lodge, Dixcove, Ghana
2. Worst Accommadation / Hotel : Pensão Leeta, Mocimboa da Praia, Mozambique

3. Best Meal : La Colombe, Constainia, Cape Town, South Africa
4. Worst Meal : Cafe No Name, Arsi Negele, Ethiopia

5. Best Transport : CTM, Morocco
6. Worst Transport : Burundi

7. Friendliest People : Tied at Burkina Faso and Malawi
8. Unfriendliest People : White Namibians

9. Best Value : Ghana
10. Worst Value : Rwanda

And last but by no means least…

11. Best Beer : Primus 720ml, Burundi
12. Worst Beer : Laurentina Stout, Mozambique

And the most coveted award for biggest tosser in Africa goes to….

The fat, Afrikaner, make-up put on with a cement mixer, hair-do like a bulldog’s arse, manager of the Cat Nap Guest House in Springbok for her inability to take a booking 3 whole weeks in advance. Moan about the check in time, lie about her presence prior to us checking in and then only say that we had booked one night when two were requested. I hope you catch the clap from a toilet seat and you choke on some worm infested biltong again. Congratulations, your golden Oscar is in the post.

We’ve also added some additional categories for those that were worthy of such an acolade.

They are:

Toughest Day : 8th April 2009, Butare, Rwanda after visiting a genocide memorial. (I talk about it HERE)

Most adventerous moment: Boarding a tug boat to travel down Lake Tanganyika en-route to Kigoma, Tanzania

The 5 best highlights (in no particular order):

1. Getting up close and personal with 5 Silverbacks in Parc National de Volcans, Rwanda
2. Being pamered in Madikwe Safari Lodge, South Africa
3. Juming out of a dhow, after spotting Dolphins, onto the best beach in Africa. Praia de Chocas, Mozambique
4. Standing on the precipace of the plateau in Dogon Country, Mali
5. Giggling at the confluence of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean’s at the southern most tip of Africa

Muni & Molly

Posted in Africa, Burkina Faso, Burundi, East Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, West Africa, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zanzibar Tagged: Africa, Oscars

The Do’s & Dont’s

muni — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 09:30:59 +0000

The Do’s & Dont’s of Travelling Africa – our take.

Do:

keep your pack small, compact and especially light
plan the journey but be very flexible
grow some patience – you’ll need it
throw yourself into local cultures
bring one luxury – ours was a two cup travel coffee press
sign up for Skype – it will save you a mint for calling home

Dont:

let the reputation of a country put you off
travel after dark
offer bribes
give your travel documents to just anyone who asks for them
be afraid to make a total mess of the local language (Mambo!)
let a child sit on your lap – it will pee

muni & molly

Posted in Africa Tagged: Do's & Dont's, Travel in Africa

Our Madikwe

muni — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 07:04:20 +0000

We left the Plettenberg Bay area and made for an enchanting town called Hogsback. With its J.R. Tolkien connection the town has an odd feel. Surrounding areas with names such as Hobbiton and Middle Earth. Our accommodation was called “Away with the Fairies”. It too was quirky and somewhat enchanted – sort of!

Yet again we were frustrated by a bank holiday weekend in visiting a game reserve. This time it was Kruger. As the quotas had been reached we were refused entry. Undaunted we continued to the Blyde River Canyon the next day only to find more of the same, except worse. The traffic was unbearable. We took consolation at the Three Rondvels and headed for Johannesburg.

Groot Marico was a quick stop over on the way to our holy grail, Madikwe. Let me explain what Madikwe means to us. When the days and nights got hard we kept telling ourselves “Madikwe!”. When the hotel room was flea ridden and the food was dire we kept telling ourselves “Madikwe!”. When it all got too much we kept telling ourselves “Madikwe!”.

We knew Madikwe (from a previous trip) had giant earthy well thought out lodges with fluffy king size beds and pillows, an out door shower with a view, beautiful food, attentive service, game drives and all nestled in the bush. It has been our Mecca ever attracting us from the start and it didn’t disappoint. Especially once I finally got to see Wild Dog.

Our pictures just dont do the lodge justice so CLICK HERE for more info.

The African Safari is now officially over. Flights off this great continent booked. But to where? Watch this space…

muni

Posted in South Africa Tagged: Groot Marico, Hazyview, Hogsback, Kruger, Madikwe, Three Rondavels

The Southern Africa Oscars

muni — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:10:03 +0000

Well now that we leave Southern Africa soon Muni & Molly’s Southern African Oscars are now published.

The categories are : (drum roll please)…

1. Best Hotel : The Gecko Lounge, Malawi
2. Worst Hotel : Pensão Leeta, Mocimboa da Praia, Mozambique

3. Best Meal : La Colombe, Constainia, Cape Town – by far
4. Worst Meal : Hotel Palma, Palma, Mozambique

5. Best Transport : Zambia
6. Worst Transport : Namibia

7. Friendliest People : Malawi
8. Not so Friendly People : Namibia

9. Best Value : Mozambique
10. Worst Value : Malawi

And last but by no means least…

11. Best Beer : 1 Litre Frosted Glass Hansa Draught – Namibia with Maluti a very close second – Lesotho
12. Worst Beer : Laurentina Stout – dire!

And the most coveted award for biggest tosser goes to….

muni

Posted in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zambia Tagged: Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Oscars, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zambia

Swaziland

muni — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:00:15 +0000

So, here I am again trying to talk about a country that we only spent a few days in. And to be honest, Swaziland isn’t really famous for anything apart from a polygamist king who likes to spend lots of money. People laughed when they heard of us going to Swaziland. Seemingly to spend more that an afternoon there was uncalled for. Regardless we ploughed on.

We arrived and left in dampness and smothered in cloud so the road down into and leaving the Ezulwini Valley wasn’t as spectacular as expected. After some bobbing about we eventually settled into a B&B run by some Spanish folks. The next day we went to the national museum which was fairly sparse. It did, however, have the old king’s cars which I found interesting. After that the artisan village with its usual cheap African carvings and various animal shaped candles.

Both of us were delighted to find a fine silver smith that made jewellery in house. The quality the best I’ve seen since Mali. Delighted I bought a sterling silver ring made with Giraffe hair and design. Molly a Giraffe hair bracelet. We also ended up in a place called the House of Fire. A strangely arty venue with a very Gaudi feel. We liked it.

I found Swaziland more “African” that we have seen over the last few months. It’s people are very welcoming, friendly and giggle a lot which is nice. We’ve kinda missed “Black Africa” and this was just the dose we needed. Would I go back? No. There’s nothing there!

The picture below is only one of three that we have of Swaziland!

Pineapples!!!

muni

Posted in Swaziland Tagged: Ezulwini Valley, Silversmith, Swaziland