Wendy's African Adventure - wendybudd

home again

wendybudd — Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hi all and I am at home at last. I have had the most wonderful experience and seen some amazing sights but there is just no place like home. I will let u all know how I am going as I see you. Thx for lo9gging onto this site and keeping me posted of whats happening in ur world. Looking forward to catching up with u all very soon.

abu simbel

wendybudd — Thu, 10 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Woo hoo - another hotel with internet that works. I have so much catching up to do and so many ppl who want to know how things are going. We went to the grand daddy of all temples today and guess what - we had a sand storm !!!!!!! They only have them a few times a year and we were lucky enough to be right in the middle of it. We couldn't see much - not much further than 20m so photography was limited. I resorted top buying a few postcards for my album. Abu Simbel is huge - the ppl standing next to it literally look like ants. Our tour guide was telling us that on average it takes 20yrs to complete any of these structures and approx 1.2 mil men. I think I may have told u this b4 - sorry if I am repeating myself.
Thats it for temples now - we are going back to Cairo tomorrow in a very clapped out train that is dirty and smelly - sounds delightful :)
I am on my way home - wooooo hoooooo. You had better start preparing urself for my non-stop talk - hold on - thats what I usually do anyway lol.
Going well on the no smoking. Didn't have any in Dubai or Zambia but everyone smokes in Egypt so I have had a few but I am still determined to give up once I return.
I have spent a lot of money but in doing that I have bought heaps of pressies for b'days and christmas and I am going to do up the 2 spare rooms - 1 is going to be called "Out of Africa" and decorated as such and the will be "Into Egypt". I am really excited about this and can't wait to get home and start.
Missing everyone - 7 weeks is just way too long but really happy that i have had the chance to do this - being here makes me realise that there really is no place like home

egypt

wendybudd — Sun, 06 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Dubai was awesome and I bought some lovely gold jewellery but I am certainly over bargaining and shopping in bazaars. Egypt is wonderful - I am learning arabic every chance I get - i love the language and know just enough phrases to be understood - if not then I get out my trusty pencil and paper and draw what I want. The people here are so warm and welcoming. I haven't had one seconds hesitation going out alone or travelling in taxis but ..... they drive like lunatics here. There are no road rules really - they drive in the centre of the road or on the footpath and my taxi driver stopped in the middle of the road with cars whizzing past us because I wanted to take a photo. There are 20mil ppl in Cairo alone - no wonder it is so crazy. I am presently in Luxor where we are going on hot air balloon ride in the morning and then cruising the Nile to Answar where we are going to Abu Simbel Temple.
Having a wonderful time but missing the family and home - ready to head for the safety of my country now.

hugs and kisses

Wendy

dubai

wendybudd — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hello hello,
I am presently in Sharjah, just outside Dubai, with Kirsty Charles and Tim - a friend of theirs that flew in a few hours after me. This place is amazing. So much construction work is going on and apparently it will be going on for another decade b4 they get everything finished that they have started. I am not so sure this is the right place to be now - it is going to be 40 C. today - way too hot for me but all the shopping centres are airconditioned so it won't be a PROBLEM.
We are off shopping now so I will send another email b4 I go to Egypt.
luv to all
Wendy

dubai

wendybudd — Sun, 29 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

internet access at last

wendybudd — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hey all, what an adventure. Sorry that I couldn't get into my blog but we had trouble with power and water for starters. Some times the water would be off for hours at a time and as for the internet .... what can I say - I am in a very remote area. I couldn't ring out for 3 weeks but at least I could take phone calls from the family so that was good. We worked really hard for the first three weeks and put the roof on the school, built a 200m fence out of timber - which I painted with a really smelly creosote and deisel concoction. The kids here are just beautiful and of course I wanted to adopt them all but I wasn't allowed so instead I have sponsored 2 of them for a year. This covers all their living expenses, clothes, school books etc etc all for $500/yr. I was the first aid officer for the team and we had 4 of them go down with Malaria. I am now an expert on reading the symptoms and getting treatment early. I didn't get sick at all which was good.
Anyway - I will tell u all more when I get home. After the work we drove in a very small minibus up to Livingstone and saw the Victoria Falls ...... awesome. and then ...... I did this great gorge swing over the falls. We freefall for 60m in 3.5secs and it was soooooo scary but I loved it. I am now officially an extreme sportsperson :) Also went on an elephant ride - they are really prickly both in their hide and their demeanour but loved that too. Have to scoot - I have an airport to investigate b4 Kirsty picks me up in a few hours.

internet access at last

wendybudd — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

airports and more airports

wendybudd — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hey Hey,
Had a good trip so far - except for the arab guy that decided that he needed my leg space more than me - apart from that - a really good start. Remind me to stop eating the food during flights too - way too much and just to keep the natives quiet I am sure. Singapore airport was fine - only seen the airports so far. Perhaps I should make that my next task - to just fly from one airport to another. Off to J'burg next - but ...... I forgot to get the details for meeting the group b4 I left Australia. Just a small detail forgotten lol. All is good tho - my travel agent has saved the day ...... again. Chat soon and stay well

Today is the day

wendybudd — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I am heading off in 3 hours and really nervous now. Amazing to think that this time next week I will be in Ndola and working hard - I think lol. I have had word from Eagles Wings and apparently the phone lines are down and have been for a few weeks so if u don't hear anything from me for a while don't panic. I will be in touch asap.

Zambia, Dubai and Egypt ..... here I come

wendybudd — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Starting my blog b4 I go - I am soooo nervous and really really excited too.