Travel is more than seeing the sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living - Miriam Beard

Brazil:

Brazil was the final stop, it seemed so far away in the beginning yet here it was in a blink of an eye.  No one ever expected that we’d make it here.

Day 1:

          I decided to head to a park with a group to hang out and play Frisbee.  We headed to the upper city by way off the elevator that connects the port lower city area with the upper. From there we explored the upper city for a bit; we saw the filming of a music video for the world cup! (later we found out SASer ended up being part to the video. They spent the whole day dancing) From there we left and went past the elevators again to find an actually park – on the way we stopped for lunch in one of the small local places. I have to say, Brazil has been one of the hardest places to communicate. People can use Spanish if it’s broken slowly but overall it’s hard. And it’s weird that after going around the world I expect communication to come easily, that English should be the linga franca of the world. I guess even after four months of travel I still got some arrogance to shed. From lunch it started to pour so we decided to head out anyway. It’s so much fun to walk in a new city in the rain. Just makes it that much more of an adventure. It cleared up; we found a park and got to play our Frisbee. From there we grabbed some food at a local grocery store while it started to rain again. We started to walk back to the historical section and tried to go a different way than we had before but at one point we were told to turn back, that it wasn’t safe. It was done using hang gestures which made it seem more sincere. So went journeyed on the way we came as the rain came down for a fourth time. When we reached to upper city the rain had stopped, and we started to see the SASers that we had avoided all day.  And we started to hear about the muggings that had happened. Apparently in that first day 20 mugging had happened to people on the ship. Some stories got around fast; the fact that a necklace that had been in someone’s family for generations was gone, down to the usually cameras and watches. Later people who used a certain ATM found that their information stolen. After hearing the warnings for every country no one was expecting Brazil to be different, we handed it like we always did. After surviving a South African night we thought we could handle Brazil during daylight.

Day 2:

          I did my first service trip this morning; we went to a school in the Calabar community, where we went to a community run school.  We got to see how the school survives and got to see the kids learn caporia. I even got to try and do some with them which was fun. Caporia is this martial art that is associated with the African slaves. It was their was of learning to fight, when unwanted people would walk by the music would change and it would become a dance until that person left. We spent a lot of time playing; I was involved in a card game that involved matching suits. I was told when to put my card down and when I had to take something. The card game deteriorated when the kids discovered cameras and it was just as well.   The school went up to 5 grade and from there the kids would be sent to one of the public schools. They also don’t have that many kids; there isn’t enough teachers to enroll them all. That afternoon I spent at a market in the lower city. It was fun to bargain, especial now that bargaining days are numbered.

Day 3:

          The other service trip was to a kindergarten in another low-income community. Here the grades ranged from 1 up to 3^rd graders. Here we did a lot of exchanging songs. They’d do the alphabet in Portuguese and we’d respond in English.  It was a game to see if you could recognize the tune rather than the words. Then I found bubble solution and become a pretty popular person. The bubbles were a big hit form the older ones to the babies. It was great. That afternoon I headed to the beach about 15 minutes away. It was a really nice beach with restaurants across the way and great water temperature. The beach is divided into sections with each section having a guy where you can get drinks, he even comes around and will wet your feet, it is really fun. The water was amazing, and there was a group of three guys doing insane flips. It the end I think we decided they were Brazil’s men’s gymnastics team – because if I was them I would totally go a practice on the beach.  We also ran into a student from the university there, one who had been to the US and was pretty fluent.  He talked to us for awhile and told us about this jazz concert the next day that was two real to get into. After a few hours we headed back to the ship where we ended up crashing for the night.

Day 4:

          Today we made our way to a sea turtle reserve about and hour and a half outside the city. We got on this bus – it was like a couch bus that stops along the main highway until it reached our destination. We got there and discovered a beachy resort place that was just beautiful.  We grabbed some food and made our way to the turtles which was pretty awesome. After a few hours we headed back. This time in a van – very reminiscing of a tro-tro who said he would take us directly back to the ship for a little less than the bus ticket and the taxi from the station would coast. So we went and got there in quite the time. We got dinner and then made out way to the Modern Art Museum where the jazz concert was. The music was great, it was outside so you could see the stars and hear the ocean. We ran into our Brazilian friends. It is definitely how I’m going to remember Brazil, and I could think of no better way to spend my last night in port.

Day 5:

          Not only the last day in Brazil, but the last day of the last port. 4 of us decided to just enjoy it, and to do so we ended up at a Brazilian meat restaurant – the specific name for it is escaping me at the moment. We got there a few hours before it was open and just wandered around the beach area until we were good to go. Its one of those places with the cards, where green means you are ready for more and red means you need a break. I can’t say that it beat Kobe beef, but it was a pretty close thing. We stayed at the place for 3 hours, enjoying our final meal before our last stretch of ship food. It’s weird how content I was for that to be my final day – but I didn’t need to do much. We went back to one of the markets before going back to the ship – where we swiped in for one last time.  

I still haven't been everywhere but it's on my list - Susan Sontag

Gogniat Travel Tips:

 

1. Never let you age get larger than the number of countries you have explored.

 

2. Keep your feet on the ground.

 

3. It's all about the people.

 

4. The more you know, the more interesting it is.

 

5. Sit on a park bench for an hour.

 

6. Take time to smell the roses.

 

7. Meet people with a simile.

 

8. "Dip a postcard in the country" and mail it home.

 

9. Listen with you ears and your heart.

 

10. From travel, learn and practice humility.

The use of travel is to regulate imagination by reality and instead of thinking about how things may be, to see them as they are - Samuel Johnson

Ghana!

          By far the most hot and humid place we’ve been on this voyage. You would step outside and then 5 minutes later be sweaty. Other than the heat Ghana was pretty cool, lots of cool people and a very different atmosphere.

Day 1:

          The one problem about Ghana is that we dock in Tema, which is about a 45 minute drive away from Accra, the main city. The ship provided shuttles, but they weren’t very timely and could only fit so many people. But once you got where you were going it was great. One of my friends knew people who were study abroad at the University of Ghana, so we met up with her and she showed us around. Well first we ate at a Portuguese fast food place near the bus that had air conditioning and then we were off. (Side note: A chicken sandwich with pineapple has become one of my favorite sandwiches. I had one in South Africa too) She took us by trotro to the university where we got to see her room and walk around. (The van thing that I ended up in in South Africa was a trotro, or the South African version of it. Except in South Africa the van only seated 14. Here it’s 20 or more). After we headed back to Oxford Street, probably one of the main touristy places in Accra. Though it really wasn’t that touristy. We grabbed milkshakes at this place called Frankies and then wandered the vendors. When we were by one of the music places we started to talked to some of the vendors, mainly a young guy named Joseph and before we knew it they were putting on an impromptu concert for us. It was great. The group of us then headed off to find food, which we found at this place right near the bus stop where a man name Lawrence was serving us burgers without the burger, which was pretty good. So ends day one.

 

Day 2:

          So it took two hours for the shuttle to show up. But it was ok, because I made friends with 2 police officers and 1 security officer at the port waiting for it. Ghanains are pretty cool people to talk to, and here I definitely knew it wasn’t because they wanted me to buy anything. There were a few cultural miscommunications which was weird- for once we were both speaking the same language and there are still some confusion. Or maybe I attribute more errors to language barriers in other places than I should have.  Anyway today after trekking it into Ghana we met up with the Brooke again, the study abroad student, and she took us this huge market where there were a huge amount of locals. Again we went by trotro, which makes any experience much more fun. We also got to try this frozen yogurt thing in a bag. You just rip off one end and you’re good to go. They do the same with the water here, they’re sold in bags. They do also sell coconuts fresh, like they did in Vietnam. We spent most of the morning in the market before heading back to the university again where we go to eat for 50 cents in the cafeteria.  From there we headed back to Oxford Street where we wandered through the vendors till we decided to start the journey back to the ship.

 

Day 3:

          Today I went on a trip to a village about an hour and a half outside of Accra.  When we got to the village we participated in a naming ceremony where we were given African names. They would call you up tell you two names, one is based on the day you were born on and I have no idea how they decided on the second. You would be give a bracelet and a pot with your new name on it and could shake the hands of the village elders. Of course this whole ceremony was distracted from when kids started to play with all of us. We got to walk around the village and see how people make the pots and cloths with traditional methods. We learned that the village was mainly a fishing village and if you want to make money you have to go to the city which is where you see people from the villages selling things on the highway and the streets. After we left we headed to these hills where we hiked up into a cave where people used to live before colonialism and it was beautiful. That is if you ignored the bats and bees. It was great to get out of Accra for a bit.

Day 4:

          We went into Tema, the port city for a bit before heading into Accra again. Today was really about getting last minutes things done, buying gift if you hadn’t already at the markets and getting in real food before making your way back to the ship. One of the coolest things we saw in the markets was this table decorated with all these beads for the world cup. It had all of the flags of the participating countries and was just beyond epic.  The highlight was running into James again. He was this vendor who made bracelets; he came in to the city when he had time off from his other job. I met him the first day when one of my other friends started to talk to him. He made me a bracelet the first day and I ended up giving it away to one of the kids in the village so I asked him when I was waiting for a ride back to make me another. I think he has been one of the coolest people I’ve met.  His whole theory was about how you have to humble yourself before others, that’s how you learn.

 

And that was my Ghana. Sorry it took so long to get up. Things are going by so quickly it’s hard to keep track. On that note it is the 101^st day of the 101^st voyage of semester at sea with a week to follow. Things are coming to an end really fast. Next port is America, that in itself feels weird.

Ghana Photo's

Ship Rooms Photo's

South Africa Photo's

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay home - James Michener

South Africa

          This was really the first country where I explored the city area, and not the country as a whole. And I have to say I loved it. Cape Town is beautiful and there was always something to do.

Day 1:

          The first day I started up planning to make my way to Stellenbosch, a town in the wine area of South Africa. My group ended up signing up for a wine tour in the afternoon and spending the morning wandering around the waterfront. I actually really like the waterfront, it’s touristy and expensive but it’s nice and safe. When the afternoon came around we headed over for the tour. The tour had some other SAS kids in the back, who were drinking beer and made things interesting. There was also a couple from Australia who had just come down from Rwanda. Definitely on the list of places to see now. We went to 2 vineyards, which were just beautiful and the wine was great. We drove around the town for awhile and then headed back to Cape Town. On the way to and from Cape Town are townships, it’s a contrast from the vineyards and one that you might not pay attention too. From there I had to run to get to a theater where I had a ticket for Grease. It was an amazing production, even though I had wanted to see something other than Grease. This was the least exciting of the days, but I still had so much fun.

Day 2:

          Today was my service visit to the Amy Biehl Foundation where we got to play with the kids from the townships. The first stop after the informational section was local restaurant in the township where there was a world cup guy who was going around to different places to build excitement for the world cup. There was a stage and free stuff and it was fun to join in with the locals. After lunch we finally got to meet the kids where the main activity was soccer but for anyone with a camera they didn’t have it for long. A group of kids would just attach to you and the next thing you know you’re in the middle of a soccer game. Most of the day I stayed with Mihlali and Reutile, these two little girls who got a kick out of playing with my hair. The group of us pitched in and got some juice and bread for everyone, so right before we had to leave everyone had something. It was amazing to see the effects that one person made on a community. That night I made my way out to Long Street to a salsa club.  It was actually really cool to learn to salsa in South Africa. I also saw some of the free concert that the Jazz Fest put on before their main event on the weekend. Long Street is downtown and is where a lot of the action is. It’s also where a saw a mugging going on, so I’m really not sure how I feel about this area, especial since all I did was going into another restaurant as quickly as possible. A group of us ended up in this burger place listening to a man vent his frustrations at the inequalities that still existed. How nothing had really changed. And he’s right, a lot hasn’t.

Day 3:

          This was my Table Mountain day. The group of us left at about 8 in the morning and made it to the mountain by 9:45. It then took us about an hour and a half to make it all the way up. This was not an easy hike, I loved it but every minute I would want a break. But we eventually made it up and had about a half hour before the next part of the journey, rappelling down. The guys in charge of the rappelling reminded me a lot of the guys that I skydived with, in that they kept making jokes about all the things you don’t want to think about. I volunteered to be one of the first to go and after you get strapped in the first thing you do is pose with no hands for a camera. Later I found out that its suppose to give you faith in the equipment, but it made a great photo too. The second thing they do is to get you to look directly down, which is kinda insane. Right before we went down they mentioned there would be a surprise for us which we completely forgot about. Getting over the edge is the hardest but after that you just keep going. It’s pretty unreal, and you get this great view. Until you get to the last forth of the rappel and realize that there’s no more mountain, it caves inward and you’re left daggling. It’s something else. Definitely scarier than jumping out of a plane. When you finally get down there was this young black kid who would unattach you and send the stuff back up. We helped him put his stuff in these bags and he said it was the first time anyone ever helped him. I’m not sure if that’s because of his skin color or because of the typical tourist experience when you don’t think about helping but it put a spin on things. After everyone made it down we all hiked back up to use the cable cars to get back down. (We rappelled about 120 meters) which took about a half hour. It was a really long morning. Fun but long. That night a group of us headed out to this jazz bar place on the waterfront. It was pretty cool, after the craziness of the day to just sit and talk about everything. I was beyond impressed with our conversation.

Day 4:

          Today was one of the best I’ve had. Two of us just bought these tourist pass for the southern line, one where you can just jump off and on the train, and just left. We end up getting off at Kalk Bay, which is the beach town that was great to walk around. We found this great lunch place and 3 tries; we weren’t the biggest seafood fans. From there we created the game plan of getting to Simonstown to see the penguins, which lead us to run to a train, which was ours, almost miss our stop at Fish Hook and to grab a bus that ended up sitting there for a half hour. But we made into Simonstown where we learned that it was a pretty far walk to the penguins. But we made it there and back and caught the bus to the train. We then waited on the train for awhile for it to fill up, and the actual ride was an experience. Or so I though until we ended up taking a shared van taxi with a bunch of locals to the waterfront. It coasted about 40 cents US$ and it was a minivan that could fit 14 people. It pulled over before the first stop because people didn’t pay…aka us because we didn’t know when to. They had to push the car to get it to start and it was ridicules. I can’t believe we got to where we wanted to. It helped that the guy I was sitting in back of was wearing a work shirt for the waterfront. Such a day!

Day 5:

          This was the best day. A group of 5 if us just jumped into a cab and asked to be taken to a township. Eventually we ended up at around the same place I was at for the service project, except instead of staying near the main restaurant we went across the street and to this take out place. When we were waiting for our food these two high school guys, Toby and Lumbuti, came up to order soda and we started to talk to them. We asked them to sit down with us and they stayed and talked with us for about 3 hours. It was the best Easter that I could have had. Through them we got to meet more people, and hear more stories. I can’t really describe the conversation but the two of them made my South Africa. It’s just crazy who you can meet and what you learn.  The townships are poor, you can see the disparity very easy. But they are also such a community, there’s a neighborhood feel to them that I hadn’t felt in any other area. It was a weird mix of looking at substandard housing and feeling at home with the people.

 

Cape Town has been one of the best ports. There was so much to experience. Everyone who went on a safari loved them, but I’m so glad I just stayed around Cape Town and got to try and know the place.

Mauritius Photo's

Mauritius was made first, and then Heaven, and that Heaven was copied after Mauritius - Mark Twain

Mauritius is a country that I had never heard of before this trip, I couldn’t even pronounce it correctly. It’s this small island that you can cross in a few hours and it was pretty amazing.

Day 1:

          We left Port Louis and grabbed a cab to the southeast section of the island where the group of us had a catamaran at sunset. We ended up at one of the fanciest hotels I’ve seen. We were allowed in to wait the 4 hours till our catamaran left around the hotel, and our cab would be waiting for us when we were done. (Cabs most places are like that. They’ll give you a card with their number on it and they’ll come and pick you up. Or wait for you with no extra cost. You also can negotiate the price. Going back to the states is going to be interesting.) While we were waiting we went swimming (the water here is the bluest I’ve seen!) and then ended up involved in a volleyball game with a group from Germany and France. The actual sunset cruise was pretty, though you couldn’t see the sunset with the clouds. I met a couple from the UK who talked to me for awhile about how small the world is today. They also told me that I must take a gap year after university to travel like their daughters did. Which I would totally be okay with. Hearing about their daughters’ travels makes me think that we should do that in our society. Because while I am studying on this trip what I’ve learned hasn’t been in the classroom at all but just in talking to people. A year of travel for travel’s sake must broaden your mind like no other. After leaving there we headed to the north part of the island where a lot of SASer’s were before making our way to the ship for the night.

Day 2:

          Today was spent heading to a beach in the north for snorkeling. Except the place we tried to get snorkeling at didn’t really offer it. So we headed to a beach where this guy with a boat took us out for about 6 dollars and we got to snorkel. It was pretty amazing there were so many fish and you look up and see the beach and the mountains. We headed in and a few of us headed off in search of food which was found about 15 minutes away in the form of a vendor. It definitely felt like being a kid back at the beach again.  This was only added to when we got back to the section of the beach we were at and found our LLC’s kids playing in the water. Which just meant we got to play with the kids and toss them in the air for another hour before we headed back into Port Louis. It was a lot of fun. From there we were dropped off near the waterfront where there was a market that we wandered. It was cool because everyone here first assumes that you’re French before moving to English. So I got to pretend I could speak French for a bit till the vendors caught on.  One of my friends had to mail a package back to her host family in India when we found that the post office was closed. One of the cab drivers started to talk to us and offered to mail it. And I honestly think he did, more so after talking to him. His name was Garnash after the Indian god, and he had a son in England who was studying to be a doctor. I think he was working on his specialty. He’s been telling his son that when he comes back to Mauritius to work he needs to give one day each month where he offer’s service free of charge to the poor. He was a really cool guy who I wasn’t sure of at first. Goes to show how things can change. From here we headed back to the ship by water taxi, but on the way we saw this rainbow over the city. It was so amazing and a great way to leave. Until we got to the ship and saw a huge line waiting to get on. Still Mauritius was great and I’m so surprised that I had never heard of it a few months ago.

On the Boat Photo's