January 8, 2012 Leaving Zambia

Today, we gathered as a group for breakfast and spoke with managers of Croc. Valley Camp. The management informed us how Croc Valley Camp came to be. Interestingly enough, we learned that lodges like Croc Valley Camp helped boost the economy in Zambia. There is a increasing demand for lodges in Zambia due to the rising amount of tourist. After breakfast, we departed back to Malawi to prepare for our next day. The drive back allowed some valuable time to talk about our experiences on the Safari. Above: is a picture of the group when we stopped for a short break to capture the sunset in Zambia.

January 7, 2012 Zambia Croc Valley Lodge/Safari

After waking up and having breakfast, we loaded up for our morning tour. The trucks would seat 9 people comfortably, so we drove two. Depending on the time of day it was possible to see cats, but unfortunately that morning we didn't see any. On the contrary, we were grateful to see elephants, giraffes and wild hogs. After a four hour morning adventure, we made our way back to home-base. After enjoying a nutritious lunch we were able to kick back and relax. That evening we went out on out second drive and we saw a leopard upon entry to the National Park. The excitement was electrifying in the truck with a wild cat in our presence. There after, we were rewarded with the sight of lions, water bucks and multiple other animals. Driving back to the camp in the dark was a bit frightening because you are unaware of your surroundings. Once we were back in the camp from the night drive, we spent the night discussing our experiences thus far in Africa.

January 6, 2012 Traveling from Malawi to Zambia

After an intense beginning to our trip, we were due for a safari. We departed from Lilongwe to Zambia for a two day expedition. I was eager to see animals in their natural habitat. Once we reached the border of Malawi, we had to sign an exit form to leave the country, and an entry form to enter Zambia. The drive took 6 hours along a rough, muddy road to reach Croc Valley Lodge in Zambia. Once we arrived, there were monkeys swinging from trees, as well as, hippos and crocadiles relaxing in the river. Our sleeping quarters consisted of a three bed chalet in the open wild.

There was an elephant standing 25ft from where we were sleeping. I was amazed that these animals were roaming freely around the camp. Zambia is protected by National Parks, unlike the deforestation in Malawi. There were luscious green trees that stood high, something that you would see in a Disney movie. This was the start of an amazing two day adventure!

January 5, 2012 PermaCulture

Today we traveled to a "permaculture" site where neverendingfood.org teaches the community to have a diverse diet and crop. Hunger in Malawi is caused by a mono crop that only harvests once a year; a mono crop greatly reduces variety for proper nutrition. In January, people begin to run out of stored maize, as well as, Kwacha, to support their hunger needs. Permaculture is a growing movement to transform traditional farming techniques in Malawi to utilizing more plants to harvest multiple times a year. Neverendingfood.org educated our group on these hopeful methods to changing future threats on epidemic struggles.

January 4, 2012 (Wimbe Village)

The origins of this trip was based on an inspiring novel, "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind," by William Kamkwamba, which took place in Wimbe, a village we visited today. Most of the characters in the book still live in this village. Although we didn't meet William, the rest of his family were present and hospitable. The picture above was taken of William's father and I. The two wind towers in the background were built by William; a feat unmatched by anyone before in this area. To see where William grew up and how he overcame poverty was inspirational to all of us. The library where William checked out his books for study was nothing more than three book shelves with approximately 75 books, unlike what us American students are accustomed to. William's story proves anybody can overcome poverty and be successful in life if they have the willpower to do so.

January 3, 2012 The First Full Day in Malawi!

Today was the first full day we endeavored in Lilongwe. Waking up at five in the morning to the sound of people working was a culture shock. The sun rose, the light shed in over my bunk bed and into my tired eyes. Breakfast consisted of Malawian eggs and oatmeal. The eggs were fresh compared to America eggs. I gobbled them up as if I had never eaten eggs before. After breakfast, the group went to Old Town to draw geographical boundaries for the group's safety. Along the walk, we were also exposed to the culture for the first time. Currency was $1 USD  for 175 Kwacha at the bank, but we found a better offer. On the streets, the exchange rate with locals was 230 Kwacha or more for every American dollar. Figuring out how the people were able to beat the bank's exchange rate was puzzling; I didn't question the reasoning.

January 2, 2012 Arrival in Lilongwe, Malawi

After a long flight, we finally arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi. When I stepped off the plane, I took my first glance at a beautiful foreign land full of green luscious plants and blue skies as far as I could see. Upon entry into the airport, a visa form must be completed; they want to make sure I'm leaving when this trip is over. A short drive to "Area 3" of Lilongwe brought us to World Camp. Initial reactions were shocking. Malawians lived in mud huts with no running water or electricity. The culture immediately made me appreciate everything I had back in the states. Their standard of living is lower than the US, but they are more sustainable because they are dependent on fossil fuels for energy. Astonishingly, I fell in love with the way they lived, my trip was already amazing.