for me Gili T is Koh Tao but with more horse poop and better diving.
partied every night and danced my heart out to reggae music – reedd reddd wiiine & girl i want to make you sweat, sweat till you can’t sweat no more 🎶
had the best turtle-filled dive at Turtle Heaven which was a magical underwater land that i never wanted to leave. the turtles were bigger than me and there were so many fish i have never seen before. i was worried i was breathing too fast and using up air cause i was so excited, but we were down there for 45 mins. my fave is when a turtle decides to venture from the bottom and they swim past you up, up, up into the light at the surface. Egy from blue marlin dive was my little munchkin with afro dreads and he took me on all 3 dives. dive #3 was only 17 mins on account of getting swept away in an insane current to a depth i will not disclose as an open water diver. but there was a magical moment in the deep when we saw a giant manta ray – like bigger than my apartment – in the dark depths of the sea and then it bolted away into the abyss. i thought it was a dream. officially hooked on diving i want it all. the. time. !!!
rented a bike and went around the island to watch sunset with british Mat from blue marlin – banana daiquiris at exile. the next night same thing with Jules and Jess from Aus, and when the sun went down the locals built a bonfire and played the drums. i hula hooped, hoping to apply full time but tbd if they’ll hire me.
danced at sama sama every night, lil monsoon party at Gili Mansion with some obnox australian fetuses, ladies night cocktails at Irish Bar, dancing at Blue Marlin with my fave twirler from Sky Garden. living my bestest life in my classic se asia dance uniform.
one of my absolute FAVE parts about Gili – the friendly, hilarious locals who yell whatever the hell they please. they LOVE life and i LOVE them.
– hello! where you go! come back to me!
– canada? justin bieberrr (roll the r)
– I LOVE ME! I LOVE MY MOM!
– lalalalala girrll i want to make you sweat. (or any other reggae song))
– HAPPY NEW YEAR!
– how are you? good you? better than you! i don’t think so! OHHHH!
– see you again! you come back? ya in two weeks. two WEEKS?!?
stayed at Gili Castle one night and switched to Turtle Bay resort because wifi and toilet paper. take the fast boat from Serangan and take a gravol. banana shakes are $1 more than Thailand but still are life. restaurant right next to sama sama (?) i got the poke but jules got the pasta it was AMAZINGGGGG. fyi the beaches are rocky, but if you go to turtle point you can snorkle with turtles right off the shore. also fyi no motor vehicles on the island, only bikes and horse & carriage. also got some presh macrame wall art to deck out my apt bali-style.
prior to ppp, bali was #1 on my bucket list and h o l y it did NOT disappoint. by some stroke of luck one of my bffs Christie had her bachelorette party there (at borchy’s dad’s villa) so i got to reunite with some of my faves from home annnddd be treated like royalty. bali is everything i’d ever dreamed of (based mainly off of Eat Pray Love) – gorgeous, lush, zen, temples everywhere. nicest people, partying, beaches, shopping, nature. a dream. perfect place to #play.
jan 3 – arrive at Capsule Hostel New Seminyak, i am the happiest because they ask you for song requests at check in (havana, macklemore, drake, slow hands for me – is anyone who has ever seen my insta stories surprised?) and they played glorious and then slow hands and then good old days in the first 10 mins and i probs have never been more touched. Ash and i walk to Ku De Ta for $14 drinks (a shocker after Thailand but i’m posting this is Australia, the land of $22 cocktails sssooo..) colourful bean bag chair beach for a sunset that was a lil TOO romantic pour moi, potato head for corn on the cob and cider, golf cart home.
first impresh was that i love bali except for when there are no sidewalks. but very lush and cute and the people are SO MUCH NICER than in thailand, everyone smiles at you!! there are also offerings everywhere of flowers, rice, leaves in little boxes. the locals put them out twice a day to keep away the bad spirits.
jan 4 – delish benny + smoothie down the street from Capsule, macrame shopping, then find the jackpot shopping st with la favela and basically try so hard not to buy everything. pick up christie, sarah and kaylyn at the airport, SO EXCITEDDD, the Borchelorette has begun!!!! arrive at Borchy’s dad’s Villa Teana in Jimbaran which is the nicest place i have ever stayed i am not worthy. Living Well for dins – healthy restaurant 2 mins from villa that we’re obsessed with. Kaylyn and i sharesies quesadilla and noodles every time.
i have a party itch and Ash rallies so i find “ladies night free drink upon arrival” on the Unique bar website which, we discovered upon arrival, expired in 2015.. then Rock Bar (closed) and Bosche (dead). basically taxiied our life away but we had fun so whatevs
jan 5 – villa cocktails, day drunkie to Nusa Dua for frolicking on the beautiful beach and $5 caipirinhas and delish nachos at the Marriot. i said it was my favourite beach yet but i can’t remember if those were my sober thoughts too. Ash eats a dough ball from a rando on a scooter at a stoplight. we are all dyyyinggg. Bagus our driver is THE BEST so sweet and patient and always says “why not?”
buffet dinner at sky garden (5 floor rooftop club) and i have the best night of my whole trip (k at least top 5) – good music, dancing living my best life on the tables, getting twirled and involuntarily flipped all night long. ash and i make so many dancing friends from korea (?), borneo, lombok .. canada ..
jan 6 – uluwatu afternoon – temples and terrifying monkeys. first one we saw was ripping a tied shoe off a kid’s foot, RELENTLESS. people ask Christie to take photos cause she’s tall, she goes “oh sure” so nonchalant lol. a monkey is coming at us with fangs out so Christie panic-surrenders her flip flops .. “guys i left my shoes” lololol. monkey sees the free shoes and is like k i guess i’ll take one?
dinner at Living Well probs and then i go meet up with Cam Monish & ecklagram at their friends house and then a speakeasy called 40 thieves or something. it was fun but i just wanna dance – get an uber for sky garden, distracted by mcdonalds on the way because i think there is all day breakfast and i haven’t had an egg mcmuffin since Bangkok airport, end up settling for a cheeseburg and going to bed. cant win em all.
jan 7 – drive to ubud with a stop at the rice patties – gorg, hot, little girl following christie with a robotic little voice saying “buuuyyyy booook” on repeat. slowly but surely falling in love with Bali – its beauty is so unique.
we try to bike but it is monsooning so hard and we get caught in the rain, call it after 20 mins and have lunch. then to Blue Mango villa in Ubud town and the most amazing Yoga Barn sesh with Carlos and his sweet guitar serenading us. Ubud is the most blissful place on earth and we are all zenned out and obsessed. dinner at the delish yoga barn healthy restaurant and then sangria at Cafe du Monyet (also recommend – sooo cute!!)
jan 8 – early morning bbg sesh on balcony had to be aborted on account of a monkey invasion. still traumatized by uluwatu. but we gave it our best shot. Bagus comes back to take us back to the bike tour now that it’s sunny and it is AMAZING – through the backroads of the Balinese countryside, rice fields, locals’ homes and temples with farms of cows, pigs, puppies, and kaylyn’s favourite gigantic spiders. the bike ride is like 20km and was absolutely stunning – bali landscapes give rwanda a run for their money. every home has a gorgeous temple in front. i finally get that feeling i’ve been missing since Rwanda – these are REAL locals, not hustling to scam tourists, their homes and crops are BEAUTIFUL, little kids are excited to wave at us and say hello. it feels untained and special, which i had been missing amongst all the “play” of the last month in thailand. love love loved it.
we head to the Mason Elephant Park & Lodge to see Christie’s long lost Mona, back to shop in Ubud, then home to our sweet sweet villa.
jan 9 – 10:30am vod shots and off to Potato Head. i need a vod + pee stop so Bagus pulls over at a mini mart and we get a mini Smirnoff, take a swig, was defs methanol or something. v syrupy. don’t want to go blind so we shelve that one.
Potates is a bit of a blur – caulifower and something for lunch, Kaylyn orders the cheapest shots on the menu which are disgust probs blinding tequila, Ash mixes it with her ceviche juice. Annie and her precious face come to join us, we head to their hotel next door, Alila, where she sings us “what a wonderful world” in prep for the wedding. voice of an angel. we mow down pizza and pina coladas. back to Potates for a nap.
jan 10 – shop at samasta but no dice (and by dice i mean macrames), only AMAZING doughnuts at Dough Darlings omgomg the cheesecake one. back to the villa to relax. head to Rock Bar which is the most STUNNNINGGG drinking establishment on planet earth. bars on bars on patios on cabanas on the edge of the cliff with the waves crashing against it. our drinks are $20 but they are steaming with dry ice and are delish so it’s basically worth it.
without warning a huge wave comes up and SOAKS Chris, Ash and Kaylyn – me and Sarah don’t get a drop but we are DYING laughing, along with the Aussie 50th bday party next to us.
back at the villa joined by Nelson, Annie, Nigel for Bagus’ homemade indo cooking – amazing but spicy af, my mouth is still cooling down i think.
jan 11 – nusa dua for diving for me/snorkelling for the girls. diving was better than koh tao but not fab – need to go to penida!! stroll the market and stop for lunch: pizza/banana daiquiris. unbeatable combo. then our default for all rainy days: massage sesh
at night we are ready to PARTAY so we crank some “never be the same” camila cabello and embrace our inner animals. chris: gazelle.. sarah: koala.. ash: tasmanian devil.. kaylyn: cat. and then off to la favela where we defs started the d floor and danced our hearts out all night. had to screen for aussies but music was 10/10 (red red wiiiine, it’s time for africa, ja rule, ALL THE HITS). soooo fun.
jan 12 – borchy arrives, his bride welcomes him with a gangley dance. they are my fave couple. we go to Jimbaran beach for seafood where you pick out your creatures by weight (kaylyn and i obv shared calamari and prawns) and enjoy dinner on the beach with a live band serenading you and fireworks in the distance. gorg.
the ooonly con to bali is traffic. especially staying at the villa in Jimbaran, it took us like an hour to get to Seminyak or at least 45 to most places. but Uber is super cheap (like $8 for an hour car ride).
the borchelorette girls were amazing, chill, fun, harious, easygoing. no other stagette will ever measure up.
also that villa was probs the nicest place i will ever stay, i loved walking out onto the pool deck in the mornings and soaking it in, and Winda brings me ice coffee and cooks us breakfast. when we arrive her and Anoos (Agus??) and crew sprint to get cold wet towels and fresh juice for us – NOT WORTHY but again, not sorry.
reasons i need to come back to bali:
– diving at Penida where there are manta rays
– Loop Pool bar, classic infinity pool you’ve seen on insta
– more la favela
– more sky garden
– temples up north
– waterfalls
– Finn’s beach club
– Mt Batur sunrise hike
– motel Mexicola for dinner + congo line
this one’s definitely a see you later, not goodbye!!
we head to the Mason Elephant Park & Lodge to see Christie’s long lost Mona, back to shop in Ubud, then home to our sweet sweet villa.
jan 9 – 10:30am vod shots and off to Potato Head. i need a vod + pee stop so Bagus pulls over at a mini mart and we get a mini Smirnoff, take a swig, was defs methanol or something. v syrupy. don’t want to go blind so we shelve that one.
Potates is a bit of a blur – caulifower and something for lunch, Kaylyn orders the cheapest shots on the menu which are disgust probs blinding tequila, Ash mixes it with her ceviche juice. Annie and her precious face come to join us, we head to their hotel next door, Alila, where she sings us “what a wonderful world” in prep for the wedding. voice of an angel. we mow down pizza and pina coladas. back to Potates for a nap.
jan 10 – shop at samasta but no dice (and by dice i mean macrames), only AMAZING doughnuts at Dough Darlings omgomg the cheesecake one. back to the villa to relax. head to Rock Bar which is the most STUNNNINGGG drinking establishment on planet earth. bars on bars on patios on cabanas on the edge of the cliff with the waves crashing against it. our drinks are $20 but they are steaming with dry ice and are delish so it’s basically worth it.
without warning a huge wave comes up and SOAKS Chris, Ash and Kaylyn – me and Sarah don’t get a drop but we are DYING laughing, along with the Aussie 50th bday party next to us.
back at the villa joined by Nelson, Annie, Nigel for Bagus’ homemade indo cooking – amazing but spicy af, my mouth is still cooling down i think.
jan 11 – nusa dua for diving for me/snorkelling for the girls. diving was better than koh tao but not fab – need to go to penida!! stroll the market and stop for lunch: pizza/banana daiquiris. unbeatable combo. then our default for all rainy days: massage sesh
at night we are ready to PARTAY so we crank some “never be the same” camila cabello and embrace our inner animals. chris: gazelle.. sarah: koala.. ash: tasmanian devil.. kaylyn: cat. and then off to la favela where we defs started the d floor and danced our hearts out all night. had to screen for aussies but music was 10/10 (red red wiiiine, it’s time for africa, ja rule, ALL THE HITS). soooo fun.
jan 12 – borchy arrives, his bride welcomes him with a gangley dance. they are my fave couple. we go to Jimbaran beach for seafood where you pick out your creatures by weight (kaylyn and i obv shared calamari and prawns) and enjoy dinner on the beach with a live band serenading you and fireworks in the distance. gorg.
the ooonly con to bali is traffic. especially staying at the villa in Jimbaran, it took us like an hour to get to Seminyak or at least 45 to most places. but Uber is super cheap (like $8 for an hour car ride).
the borchelorette girls were amazing, chill, fun, harious, easygoing. no other stagette will ever measure up.
also that villa was probs the nicest place i will ever stay, i loved walking out onto the pool deck in the mornings and soaking it in, and Winda brings me ice coffee and cooks us breakfast. when we arrive her and Anoos (Agus??) and crew sprint to get cold wet towels and fresh juice for us – NOT WORTHY but again, not sorry.
reasons i need to come back to bali:
– diving at Penida where there are manta rays
– Loop Pool bar, classic infinity pool you’ve seen on insta
– more la favela
– more sky garden
– temples up north
– waterfalls
– Finn’s beach club
– Mt Batur sunrise hike
– motel Mexicola for dinner + congo line
this one’s definitely a see you later, not goodbye!!
i wrote some notes on Thailand earlier on in the trip and then closer to the end i had a bit of a shift in perspective in the peace play pash scheme of things, so i’m posting this one in 2 parts!
PART ONE:
feelin’ very basic in Thailand after Africa. like my peace leg was just so far beyond my expectations and here i am feeling a bit.. uninspired. a bit cliche. also not to be a debbie but Zanzibar turned me into a total beach snob, like the sand here could be whiter and the water could be bluer. just sayin.
MOVING ON. had a lil stopover in Dubai (a mix of fancy vs. beige buildings, world’s talkest building Burj Khalifa, 7-star resort Butj Al Arab) and kicked off the play leg in FULL FORCE. flew into Phuket, met up with Matt (thanks to Martha for the referral!!) and headed straight for Koh Phi Phi for lots of afternoon vodka, body paint, fire limbo/skipping, Israelis, and beach dance parties.
my previous shark/gorilla encounters did not prepare me for the terror that was a fish pedicure at Dr Fish, during which Matt tries to namaste me by reminding me “PLAY.” play is the new yolo.
a snorkel tour took us to the world’s most crowded snorkelling sites, the beautiful Bamboo Beach featuring posing Asians, the viscious Monkey Beach, Maya Beach sans Leo (sadface), and then to “wait and watch the sun set” for 1 hour during which we were trapped under a longtail boat’s canopy. finished off with a night snorkel and waving our hands to see some flecks of light which were supposedly plankton.
that was enough play at Phi Phi. i headed to Railay Beach, a much tamer and quieter version of Thailand. met Manel and his Portugese med school friends, rock climbed up the limestone cliffs and into a lagoon. thought i might die but successfully lived through it. cannot say the same for my formerly white shoes and socks. hit rock bottom when i woke up to a cockroach crawling across my lips. like that was a new low. the only time i’ve really been homesick this whole trip. needless to say i checked out very quickly that day.
8 hr boat van boat ferry ride from hell (literally thought i was going to die the entire ride. vommed the whole night) to arrive in the cutest Koh Tao. known for diving, but complete with cute streets, shops, scooters, beach bars. met Kirsty from Scotland for pub crawl – the most hilar wingwoman ❤ together with Ryan from England we are not NOT the coolest peeps at Goodtime Hostel. i defs recommend staying here except not above Leo Bar, which pounds music till 3am. every. night.
Koh Tao is like a magical little tropical paradise where you literally walk on the same street, eat at the same restaurant, go to the same 3 bars (Fishbowl, BND, Leo) every single day but it NEVER GETS OLD. i could live there. i went for 3 days and stayed 12 (due to various circumstances), left for Koh Phangan and just about booked a ferry right back because i missed it already. Koh Tao is magic.
activity log:
– paradise zone infinity pool – met some lovely french ladies here!! celia and sandra. spent a rainy afternoon in the pool there and then sipping cappuccinos by a little espresso bar on the beach
– black garlic – this is legit the best restaurant in koh tao. i dont even have to try all the restaurants to say that with 100% confidence. i got the pulled pork quesadillas which came with mango salsa – deeelish. chef is from vancouver, used to work at l’abbatoir. kirsty ryan sarah and i had our christmas dinner here
– pub crawl obv. 450 baht, free tank, bucket, 2 shots. unlimited 20 year old drunken boys. Thailand, amiright.
– Drake acoustic mashups and South Africa. unbeatable combo.
– fire shows every night. does your mother know you are limboing under a bar of flames.
– banana shakes all day err day
PART TWO
i stayed at Goodtime Hostel for 12 days. in that time i was seasick from the ferry, then actual sick, then deaf because my ears were blocked from diving for 6 days. everything was muffled. pro: built-in, natural earplugs for Leo Bar’s music downstairs. con: very difficult to socialize on account of i could not hear. there was also a monsoon where it downpoured for 5 days nonstop.
this is called part two because for the most part, although i was having fun in Thailand, i was mostly feeling kinda meh. uninspired, health issues, rain. like after the epicness of Africa i was now just another Thailand cliche. the places i went were PACKED with tourists and i was missing the authenticity and local culture that i felt in Rwanda and Cape Town.
around the time where i could hear again and the monsoon stopped, i had a change of heart where i realized i was having a BLAST. i was dancing to my favourite songs all night every night, the Goodtime Hostel crew basically adopted me as a member of their family, i made amazing girlfriends that were so so much fun and met some boys that weren’t that bad either. i wasn’t trekking with gorillas or hiking Table Mountain or visiting rural African villages, but i was having a different kind of fun. and isn’t that the point of the play leg?!?
LIFE LESSON, PEOPLE: don’t let yourself get the traveller blues if things aren’t epic 24/7. maybe your body needs a few days to recoop, maybe you need a few chill days to really appreciate and soak in your experience. maybe it’s just a different kind of fun.
i also realized how much i freaking LOVE travelling alone omg. i can do whatever i want, stay for however many days i want, go wherever i please. i have not spent a day fully by myself. i have met SO MANY awesome friends. i am only travelling solo from now on!!!!
things that happened after i wrote part one:
– dancing every single freaking night at Fishbowl/BND/Leo Bar. dancing partners include Michu (Argentina), Diana and Caroline (Brazil), Julian (Argentina), Christian (UK), Matt and Phil (Toronto) and of course the Goodtimes crew – Logan, Ian, Flash
– eggs benny x2 at Black Garlic
– fresh smoothies, beach views and breakfast at Cafe Culture
– days on days of lounging, reading, napping in the heavenly bean bag chairs at Savage Hostel rooftop pool
– celebrated getting my hearing back with a treat myself day – shopping at Flip Flop and Treacle (BEST store) and getting daydrunk off pina coladas. joined by Tom (Belgium) and Julian
– finished my diving course – i am offish Open Water Certified!!! shout out to Vicky at Goodtime for being awesome through the world’s longest certification due to health/weather issues
– jungle trek in my flip flops with Julian and friends to Ao Tanote, where they went cliff jumping and i made friends with Johanna (Vienna) in the waves
– thai massage and mani. still treating myself.
– the world’s biggest most delish burg at Baia Burger Concept
– crashing the pub crawl live music for the sweatest, most fun dance party ever
– reuny with Matt (a real sicko) and Phil who is lookin for a roofie colada. lots of #play
– acoustic MJ, the way you make me feel – i’m done.
– then to Koh Phanghan for New Years. Full Moon party was probably the biggest NYE party on planet earth?? a bit much for me. lots of pushing/losing friends/kids on drugs. but was an experience!! and we got to wear body paint!!
– stayed at Phanganist Hostel, really nice & clean, pretty paradise beach just down the path.
– thai food/pregame with Phil who shares my exact Koh Tao obsession. we live there now. Jungle Party ft muy thai fight which was very stressful for me and fun for Phil. more dancing to the DJ, he didn’t play Drake or Macklemore though
– a day of having to rebook 2 flights and ferries with no refunds, another near death experience longtail boating through the treacherous waves en route to Koh Samui. the open air airport and free food made it almost worth it. almost. but dear Air Asia and Lompraya Ferries, you suck give me my money back.
– Bangkok layover – quick drive by Khao San Road and straight to sleep for a 6am wakeup. not much to report.
wrote this para on New Years Eve and thought it would sum things up nicely, 2 months into peace play pash: just feeling so lucky and pumped. i usually make a collage at the end of each year and this one is ft. the places i’ve been in 2017 – San Diego, LA, New Yorkx2, Scottsdale, Seattle, Portland, Rwanda, Uganda, Zanzibar, Cape Town, Dubai for a hot min, Thailand. this is what life’s about – enjoying the world and the people in it !!!!!!
Rwanda holds a special place in my heart and i jotted down some thoughts throughout my visit.
biggest surprise:
how safe it is here. like, Vancouver safe. you can walk around as a solo girl at night, and the only reason locals may try and approach you will be to practice their english: “hi how are you i’m fine”
you can leave your helmets on your scooter and go into the bar, and just when you think you’ve pushed your luck because you come outside and they’re gone, some friendly security guys run up and give you the helmets they’ve been keeping for you.
one time someone chased Christine down to give her the Coach purse and Tory Burch wallet that fell off her scooter.
if you go to Rwanda talk to someone like Christine who can help ease the culture shock and make you feel safe – I had SO many questions and she was amazing at helping me understand the complicated, yet simple, place that Rwanda is.
biggest culture shock:
Rwandans EVERYWHERE. sitting on the street. many dont have jobs or anything to do. in the countryside, kids just sit and chill on the side of the road watching the cars go by. i don’t know why but i was so taken aback to see a couple locals (who i know now were Claude and JP) just lounging in the hammock at Tommy’s front door when i first arrived.
i am aware the response here is “ya Kellie it’s Africa.” but let’s be real, in vancouver we are lucky if we see one black person. for me, it was a total culture shock to be a minority to the point that people do a double take when they see you, some kids have NEVER seen someone with the same skin tone or hair colour as you, people turn around and stare for an abnormally long time as you walk away.
craziest experience:
being treated like celebs at a soccer game in Byumba. i will never forget the excited looks on those kids faces when they saw us, waving with excitement as we drove by with the windows down. it was so so strange.
perma mind-boggler:
the genocide was 23 years ago. that’s not a different generation, that’s the SAME PEOPLE i am passing on the street. they killed up to 1 million people in 100 days. neighbours were killing neighbours, even husbands were killing wives. every river or ditch i saw, i saw it running red. bodies were PILED everywhere. i saw many people hobbling without legs or arms because they were chopped off with machetes. but yet the safety and generosity of people i encountered in that country were off the charts. i could never get that shift in behaviour from 23 years ago to now off my mind while i was there. like it really is a MIRACLE how they have recovered and rebuilt. i have some thoughts, but i never could figure it out.
something i didn’t expect:
seeing kids and families with with next to nothing and NOT feeling like bursting into tears. yes i feel sorry that their kids are playing in the dirt and they don’t have proper shoes and they don’t have food and water like every human deserves. of COURSE i feel sorry. i expected to come to Africa and see that level of poverty and just have my heart break.
and don’t get me wrong, there is plenty that us more privileged folk can do. but handing out $5 here or $10 there, even though it could buy dinner for their whole family, is a band aid solution. the real help will come from providing the tools and skills to help them learn and succeed for themselves. Christine’s friend Jen bought a Rwandan flag pin off a kid on the street. she said she won’t give out money, but she will almost always buy something they’re selling because it teaches them they need to provide a good or service that is of value to make money, not just beg for it. i loved that. i also love Jen in general ❤
even coming to Rwanda and spreading the word about how beautiful, safe and clean it is will help Rwandans – we are bringing in tourism dollars, helping the locals stay employed through moto rides, hospitality, buying bananas and chapatis off the street.
but back to my point about feeling sorry – there are people around us that are making no money or maybe $100/month, living in mud huts, or a room behind Tommy’s house. we look at them and it’s natural to feel sorry; like i felt uncomfortable around our paid house help Eric and Claude ALL THE TIME. why are we eating this dinner and not them? but i bet Kylie Jenner looks at people like me and feels sorry. because i live in a 600 sq ft apartment, i don’t have 10 cars or 10 thousand pairs of shoes or purses. i am staying in hostels or crashing with friends this entire trip, no 5-star resorts. sometimes i have arugula for lunch or nachos (k chips with cheese) for dinner. but does that make me less happy than Kylie Jenner? i GUARANTEE i am happier. i live within my means, just as Eric and Claude and all the people in the villages live within theirs. i’ve seen all smiles and no tears on the Rwandans’ faces since i’ve been here. it’s all relative and as a wise man once said, mo money mo problems.
a few other observations that stood out to me as a first timer to Rwanda/Africa:
– moto bikes. everywhere. the first thing i noticed coming out of the airport. in Uganda they ride 4 peeps to a moto with 0 helmets
– staring for an abormally long time. then they look back after you’ve passed. then they look back again.
– most working class Rwandans are very slowwww moving – you and 1 friend sit down at a restaurant after a slow greeting with the hostess. you say, can i please have a menu (because that’s not a given). she is happy to oblige, comes back 5 mins later with 1 menu. you say, can i please have 1 more menu (there are 2 of us). you get the gist. also, good luck ordering a sandwich with no mayo. they aren’t the most critical thinkers; Christine says if you walk into a restaurant with a bottle of wine, they will say it’s not allowed. then you rationalize with “but it is my anniversary” and they go, “okay.” they do what they have been taught and there’s not a lot of standing their ground.
– hygene problems – mix together a nationwide lack of soap, showers and deodorant, and you get some major BO. like everywhere. if you’re sitting on a bus you better pray for a window seat. plus Rwandans love their handshakes. bring hand sanitizer!!
– the roadside people watching is insane. ladies in bright patterned Kitenge material with baskets of intricately stacked fruit on their heads. like i have never seen 50 cucumbers arranged so meticulously. 5 year old kids carrying huge bundles of bamboo or grass on their heads. ladies with their babies snuggled up on their backs like a little kangaroo pouch. in Uganda, herds of cows or goats on the road. guys on bikes hitching a ride up the hill by holding onto the back of a semi truck. there is always something to see. road trip naps are not a thing.
– getting caught in the rain – rainy season in Rwanda is no joke. Christine and i got caught in a downpour with a double rainbow riding home on her scooter, and it was a magical moment i won’t forget.
– fell in love with most of our servers there. they are so sweet, saying “yes please” when you order. this is Isaac from Java House.
– i will miss singing and dancing to Waka Waka (time for Africa) by Sharika: Amu-ralah by Roberto, What if i go? by Mura Masa. Africans are so proud to be African and oh my god do they know how to dance!!
anywho. my peace leg is over and i am full throttle into play. not to get mushy but to me, peace was about experiencing things (gorillas, road trip with friends, double rainbow in Kigali, shark diving, Lion’s Head sunrise) that made me feel absolutely 100% happy and content and in the moment. at peace, i guess. inspired to live an epic life each and every chance i get. this leg was more than i could have dreamed of and my heart is full ❤
so in case it wasn’t clear, i have a new favourite city and its name is Cape Town.
this city has EVERYTHING. you can go shark diving, climb one of the 7 Wonders of Nature (Table Mountain), surfing, sand duning, ziplining, paragliding, safariing, AMAZING shopping, beaching, partying. like we were going to go see the penguins and this guy wanted to go kayaking on the same day. lo and behold we googled it and of course you can kayak right at the penguin beach. you want it, CT’s got it!
it’s a developed city with a very recent racially divided and tumultuous history. parts of the city reminded me of LA or even Vancouver but it’s still got that wild African charm. it’s actually SUPER similar to Rio, with the gorgeous mountains acting as backdrops as the city sprawls around them, the party atmosphere, the slums (Cape’s favelas are called townships) and the clutch-onto-your-purse-at-all-times mentality. it’s true, every person who heard i was travelling there was like “be careful, be careful.” i spent my first day there being terrified unless i was in a crowd of people. but like EVERYWHERE else in the world, just have your wits about you and the rest is out of your control. Cape Town is ranked the 13th most violent city in the world because of the outskirts – there are 15 homicides a day on avg. my shark diving guide Wiehann told me if you walk into emerg at any given time it’s like 90% gunshots and stab wounds. but he said this happens in places i would never just stumble upon, on the outskirts of the city. so best to stay on the beaten path!
i met the best people at my hostel. Scottish Andrew was always good for lols “this feels like New Orleans” – “i guess” – and he always checked on me and got me to get in the cab home first. Derek from San Fran was down to yolo and pulled me to the safe side of the sidewalk when we were approached by sketchballs. Pedro from Madrid was brushing his teeth but then rallied with me to go out dancing on my last night. Anne at the hostel was such a sweetheart, and Camille took us to local bars “when we were ready” at 3am lol.
i loved Waterfront and the familiarity of a gorgeous promenade/marina with amazing shopping and restaurants; the ritzy Camps Bay reminded me of lunching in LA; Hout Bay was like an old fishing marina; Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden is peaceful and beautiful.
obviously, i wasn’t going to go to Cape Town and NOT go shark diving!! still showing that bucket list what’s up. apparently Great Whites aren’t as common anymore where i went (a bunch were killed by groups of whales) and some groups don’t even see sharks at all. i went to Gaansbai with Great White Shark Ventures, and apparently no other groups there that day had seen a Great White. our boat went out to sea and anchored down after about 20 mins. we hopped into the cage in groups of 5, the water was freezing, the crew was yelling DOWN DOWN DOWN for us to duck our heads under water when they spotted a shark. we saw a ton of copper sharks and it was cool, but we were prepared to write the day off as sans Great Whites. just as we were about to head off, a giant 3m long white bellied friend came outta nowhere and ZOOMED up next to the cage. we all lost our shit. i was SO EXCITED. everyone jumped back in the cage for a new turn. it was crazy and so so so epic. one of my faves.
another fave was hiking up Lion’s Head at 4am for sunrise, and trail running down. i had a maj moment at the top of that mountain. feeling very happy and grateful.
went on a “safari” with Aquila to round out the big 5; saw the lions and rhinos but it was more like a zoo tour than a safari. no exhilarating feeling of what animals we were gonna see next and where, because they know exactly how many animals of each type and where they are. the humans even feed them. real safari in Africa is still on the bucket list!! i did meet Pierre from Paris (of course) on the tour, and hiked Table with him and his friends the next day. so that was fun!!
saw the penguins at Simon’s Town, saw the most south western point of Africa at Cape of Good Hope. went to Sargeant Pepper on Long Street a few too many times. enjoyed a patio bevvy and burg at Tiger’s Milk on Kloot Street. a magical, windy rooftop bevvy at Piano Bar (Cape Town’s wind is next level). visited the adorable Bo-Kaap coloured houses with Pedro. sang along and danced with my African brothas. chatted with a local at our hostel, learned about how he is “coloured” but considers himself “black”. in South Africa blacks had an identity card and were sent to jail if they didnt have it with them. they werent allowed out past 6pm. black and coloured people had to walk in a different door in the shops, while whites walked in the front. i have never heard so many people speak about racial groups in these categories, so often. South Africa has seen a lot of improvements but it’s still got a long, long way to go.
feeling so so so so lucky that i was able to visit and experience Cape Town the way that i did. what a fricken WHIRLWIND. i can’t WAIT to come back!!
i left a little piece of my heart in Rwanda and on an impulse came to Zanzibar, Tanzania, in search of white sand beaches, turquoise bathtub-warm water, and some more peace.
immediate thoughts in the taxi from the airpirt: Rwanda is way prettier. no offence Tanzania. it’s hard to beat those lush, green rolling hills with cute little villages with cute pastel-coloured shops, and i was getting a lot of dusty clay and garbage in their place. in Rwanda all locals are required to do community service on the last Saturday of the month including maintenance and cleaning the streets. you will be hard pressed to find any litter in Rwanda. also Tanzania is a Muslim country so the ladies (and even young girls like they literally just learned to walk) are covered up in headscarves instead of the vibrant Rwandan patterns called kitenge with fruit baskets on their heads. different vibes.
anywho. the beaches are INCREDIBLE. here’s a lil summary:
– British fam adopts me for Tanzanian visa gongshow at Dar es Salaam airport
– arrive in Nungwi, the northern tip of Zanzibar – Kipepeo hostel owner Shadrock is amazing, Rastafarian, always smiling and saying “pretty cool”. but toilet is a hole in the ground, door is made of straw and held together with a bike lock, and ground is sand/ants so switched to Akii Garden hotel (probably a bit of a budge leap but at least my door locks :D)
– dinner at Highland with German friends Lea and Max. $3 ugali – you dip your whole fingers in the beef sauce, as demonstrated to me by Vicky. not my type of finger food.
– snorkelling tour to Mnemba Island – omg everyone needs to come to Zanzibar for this alone!!! BEST snorkelling i have ever done – tons of colourful fish, crystal clear water, white sand and gorg coral reef. i am about to post this from Thailand and these beaches are meh in comparison!! on the Mnemba tour, lunch was included on a private island aka paradise. saw dolphins twice on the ride over!! i came with Lea and Max and made friends with Pippa and Josep from Lisbon and Barcelona, and Becky and friends from Dubai. travelling alone ain’t so bad 🙂 had a lol on the ride home where all 6 workers were snoozin on the boat
– met a fam from Dar es Salaam at dinner, met up with Dubai friends for drinks at Z Rooftop
– beach day with Lea and Max and Vicky comes through with a free kayak and paddleboard sesh. bless her.
– African dance party at GuruGuru for Vicky’s friends’ goodbye party. girls are on their shins humping the ground. guys are running around with their hands waving in the air. there is an impromptu dance performance by some young dancer dudes (i died). Lea and i think a huge brawl is going to break out but then they hug and laugh. so expressive. so energetic. that night was CRAZY.
– Stone Town, UNESCO heritage site – winding alleyways, slave market, many mainy tourist shops with the exact same goods for sale: “Zanzibar” tanks, sarongs, African art and household items like spoons and bowls. the stuff is actually pretty cool but not cool enough to backpack it around for the next 5 months. took a boat to Prison Island and saw 192 year old turtle and his friends
– beach day with Max and Lea, they go swimming with turtles and get bitten while feeding them. i do not regret opting out. drank some coconuts at sunset.
the one standout thing i’ll picture from Zanzibar (aside from freakishly perfect beaches) is, amongst ALL the locals working out on the beach at sunset, the Maasai people walking the beach with their sticks and chanting/jumping. the Maasai tribe is nomadic, moving through Tanzania and i think Kenya with their goats and cows. it was kind of eerie to me. i kept thinking mom wouldn’t like this lol. these people on the beach are just tourist attractions – the authentic Maasai have stretched earlobes and scars on their cheeks. also a bit sad but Zanzy is so tourist tainted. you cant build authentic connections when everyone is trying to scam you.
the best thing by far is the beaches!!! i dont know what will beat them. if you’re looking for perfection on a beach. Zanzy is calling your name!!
peace play passion 