The African travels

Tonight I sit in Mozambique!  Wow I cannot believe that I've been in Africa for almost 2 weeks now....Africa is not for me by the way.  I endured my first African bus experience the other day and needless to say I couldn't wait for a shower and a glass of wine!  But hey, it's all about the experiences right?  Since leaving Namibia, we've endured the 'real Africa'... Meaning the hustling, the hounding, and oh look there is tourists lets race up to them and try to rip them off!  I really hate that by the way.  Look I know that taxi ride is only $5 not $40.  And I know that paper necklace is $2 not $10.  Do I like to bargain.. No but do you have to in these countries... Yes it's only fair!  The Internet in Africa really sucks too and t-mobile barely services any counties here besides Zambia thank goodness!  

Anyways, there are also good parts to my journeys so far.  Namibia was a pleasant surprise actually.  I really loved that country and it is some place I would return too.  I also enjoyed the culture, being mostly German, (like me)!  Ha!  Anyways, the scenery was good, the people were friendly and the beer was cold, and it was cheap and I saw lions!  What's not to love?  From there and on over to Zimbabwe... Talk about a change of pace but coming here was meant for Victoria falls....and can I say they were amazing!!  Wow...and I can only imagine what they look like during the rainy season...reason to come back...I think so.  Zimbabwe is extremely and unnecessarily expensive, but you know that is what you get when you come across such an extravgent waterfall site!  We also crossed into Botswana for a day trip safari at the chobe national park.  Saw tons of animals and mostly tons of hippos!  I've seen a lot of wild animals since I've started traveling but never this many hippos!  I was super excited.  Did you know their biggest predator is you?  After seeing my full on dose of elephants and hippos, we crossed over to Zambia and saw the falls from the other side.  Not only did we do this, but we did our own version of Devils pool from the Zambia side!  Google it if you have no idea what I'm talking about.  And did I forget to mention that crossing into Zambia meant my 100th country!  Woo!  My goal before I turn 30 in about 2 months.  After Zambia we hopped over to Malawi where I found myself buying more souvenirs of course but this time African style.  I really cannot wait to get a house some day where I can decorate how I want with all of my treasures everywhere!  Then Mozambique.  

We just got here and I'm excited to see what is in store next.  From here until October 12 I'll be in Swaziland, Lesotho, and South Africa.  I leave then to venture off to Thailand, Hong Kong and Bali!  That's the plans for now!

Follow me on Instagram where I'm trying everyday to post more and more photos as I go along and as I get wifi signals in these crazy countries,  'edena2004' is my name

xx to all my family, friends and fans!  

Home Again!

Well I'm back in Pure Michigan (as I love it call it)!  only for a very short time, but back!  You ask why I came back after being here just 3 weeks ago for a month....well I will put it short.  I bought too much shit in Turkey!  basically.  Well I had a request from my mom to buy her another turkish lamp, after I decided I was going to drag that around with me for the next week and a half, I figured I might as well buy some carpets and lamps and other stuff for myself and have the chance to ship it home 'for free' (meaning take my mistake airfare I booked almost a year ago for $200).  So I'm back!  I would love to see anyone who I didn't see last time!

So I believe that I have my schedule planned out for the rest of this year!  Well often I say this and plans change but this is what I have planned:

Leaving from the US on September 14th - headed for South Africa.  From there we will fly to Zambia, and cross into Zimbabwe, onto Botswana, fly into Malawi and go to Mozambique.  Possibly go into Swaziland and Lesotho.  From there I will leave and head over to Thailand around Oct2 via Seychelles!  This would make country number 100 Malawi!  WOO (my goal)  In Thailand, I want to visit three different places for about 10 days each (not yet decided) to practice yoga.  Sofar thinking about Koh Samui for sure and 2 other islands perhaps.  After that I would like to go to Hong Kong or Singapore and do more yoga for maybe 10 days, before my yoga teacher training course in Bali from November 16-Dec8.  I should be full on yoga from Oct6-Dec8!  Happy Amanda!

After this you ask -- yes I'm coming home and will be back in the mitten on Dec10!  Still unsure if this will be the end of my travels....but time and my bank account will tell.  And don't ask me where i'm moving too -- but Detroit area is sounding friendly.  I cannot still decide if moving 'back home' (meaning Michigan) is too scary.....after living around the US and traveling the globe.

So for now i'm catching up on my pictures and doing some scans, uploading and editing and doing some research for Africa and Thailand.  Gosh sometimes I'm looking at a picture that I took and I forget which country I was in?