Dear people that I miss dearly, I am back in Maputo after a wonderful week of beachside living. There are way to many details to tell without paying a bizillion dollars for internet usage, so here's a brief summary. Finished PADI advanced diving course. Went on many really great dives in Indian ocean, saw whale sharks and manta rays up close. Lived on the beach in a tent for one week and made a ton of friends, some very good friends from Italy, and Chile. Bought and cooked lobster, ate tons of really fresh seafood. Started dating someone I went diving with -- a sailor. Well, rather a skipper. Runs large sailboats from Mozambique to Madagascar. Met lots of locals, learned some portugese and MaZulu. Played with cute babies of people who lived in village. Spent night with locals in grass hut with no running water or electricity. Hung out with Irish, Swedes,and people from many other nations. Danced a lot at local bar, swam in warm clear waters, spent evenings around campfire telling stories and singing with friends. Went to see "Ismael lo" live last night in Maputo with friends, and was a great great concert. He's from Senegal. Then went out on the town, with safety escorts of course, and met peace corps worker from San Jose who was lots of fun. She and I told each other all our secrets that we haven't been able to tell anyone else the rest of the trip. Tomorrow, I will be on a bus all day to Johannesburg, on Friday, I fly to Malawi, going bug hunting for the weekend with an entomologist, then off to Kenya. Really wonderful trip so far, really good friends here, miss Ayla and everyone at home. Please take care, I love you all lots. Also, grandma/mom, please please send e-mail updates about Sam and yourselves at least once a week. Also, Mitch, please outfit Havanna as dive boat and meet me in Mozambique. Have skipper. P.S. Meat is pretty much exactly like I remembered it, I don't really like the texture. Goat is much better than beef, but also too chewy and stringy. Was tempted to try Gazelle yesterday, but didn't smell good. Meat never smells good to me. I have been eating it when I have to, but I think I just fundamentally don't like it. Exception for seafood which I can't seem to get enough of. Had pizza with mussels, calamari, extra garlic, and shrimp for dinner last night. mmmmmmmmmmm...Traveling alone is weird, because I think so far, I've only managed to be alone for 20 min or so, and only one meal. Anyway, it's 2:30, and the Swedenator is sitting at the computer next to me asking me to finish so we can go have lunch. Bye!
- posted by Sarah @ 5:33 AM