My weekend in Incheon

Last month, I got to spend three nights in Incheon, South Korea. I checked into the guest house on Friday evening.

It was a lovely house with two bedrooms. A Swiss tourist was in the second room. We arrived at the same time. The host showed us around. It’s a cosy, charming house.

The kitchen at King’s House.

Each room had a private bathroom. We only shared the kitchen and sitting area.

The sitting area.

I was tired so I just made a cup of tea. I still had a sandwich I’d traveled with from South Africa so I ate that, showered and then went to bed.

I woke up early on Saturday. It was cold but I went out for a walk as I wanted to check out the area.

It was supposed to be Spring, but the few people who were outside, had warm jackets and gloves on. I was a bit chilly, but I soldiered on. That’s the price you pay for an adventurous spirit!

The streets.

It was very peaceful. I liked the look of the place. After walking around for a bit, I went back for some breakfast. After breakfast, I put on warm clothes and went to explore my surroundings on foot.

Don’t spill…

There streets started to buzz a bit. I spotted foreigners which were far and few in between. I got stopped by the “cult recruiters”. I didn’t have the heart to ignore them like I’d seen other people do. I listened to their presentation about church. They then insisted on inviting me to the Sunday service. I gave them my SA number knowing very well that it wouldn’t go through. We then parted ways.

I saw people buying a snack from a food truck. I decided to join in as I am a fan of street food. I can’t remember how much it cost, but after one bite, I knew I didn’t like it because it was too sweet for me. It’s hot, fatty with the fruit jam filling. It tasted like igwinya with jam.

The sweet snack.

Before I knew it, I had been walking for hours. I liked the look of the place. It’s a bit tricky navigating it if you don’t speak Korean. A translation app is a must.

Anyway, I went out for solo dinner. I chose a Korean styled Chinese restaurant because it was closer to the guesthouse. I ordered noodles and the owner threw in a free snack!

My first soju ever.

I also had my first soju ever! I must say I don’t understand how people can drink it neat. It needs to be mixed with something and lots of ice! So, I did not enjoy it at all. I mixed it with water, but it was still too strong for me so I only drank half.

After dinner, I walked straight home as the cold was starting to bite again.

On Sunday morning, I went hiking. It was such a lovely hiking trail. I spent the first two hours by myself. It was safe. Later in the morning, I came across other hikers.

The sun was out.

It was my first time seeing a hammock at a hiking trail! It’s perfect if you are extremely exhausted – you can take a bit of time to recharge your battery! I rested on it as I soaked on some much needed vitamin D.

How cool!?

I really enjoyed the hike. There was also a coffee shop along the way as coffee culture is huge in Korea.

I really enjoyed my weekend in Incheon. It’s a beautiful place with lots of activities.

I got to catch the sunset which always brings me joy.

The sun setting over Incheon.

I went home tired and happy. I had managed to navigate my way around the city.

Next morning, the guesthouse owner arrived at 9:15am to drop me off at the airport. He’d brought me breakfast which was prepared by his wife. It was such a beautiful and kind gesture!

The exterior is seaweed stuffed with raw veggies.

That was my weekend in Incheon. I would like to go back and explore it some more.

I went through the most in Incheon

I landed at Incheon Airport in South Korea just before 4pm on a Friday. I needed to take a taxi from the airport to the guesthouse. I didn’t have any cash so I tried looking for the nearest ATM. I quickly found one. I was relieved as I didn’t have to ask for help as I was worried about the language barrier.

But, first let me speak about my first impression at the airport. As we got off the plane, there was an immaculately dressed lady who welcomed us to Korea. Next to her, were two men in suits, I assumed they were chauffeurs. The rest of us walked to baggage claim.

By the way, my luggage arrived a day earlier as we’d missed our connecting flight.

We were at Terminal One. I looked around and saw the beautiful streetwear that we normally see on K-dramas. Men and women were mostly dressed in beautiful tailored pants and sneakers. I looked around and just admired their sense of style. From young to matured, you could tell that they care about their appearance. I think it was the first time I saw men with visible make-up out and about. Yes, I know men wear make-up. In my experience, it’s usually very subtle, but not in Korea. They had layers of foundation. They looked comfortable.

Anyway, back to finding the ATM. I saw an ATM few minutes from me and I took long strides while pushing my trolley. I got to the ATM and chose English as it was in Korean. I followed the prompts and the money wouldn’t come. I freaked out. I needed the cash for the taxi. What to do? A beautiful Korean couple appeared behind me and offered to help. We used a lot of hand gestures as they didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak their language either. They tried to help me withdraw cash and it was just not happening.

Eventually, they had to go. They would start to walk away and then come back to try again. Still no luck. They left. A taxi driver came over and offered to take me to my destination. He spoke English which was a relief. I showed him my destination and he said it would be KRW50,000. I asked if there was another ATM as I needed cash first. He told me where to go while respectfully walking behind me. He wanted the trip but didn’t want to be up on my face which I really appreciated. I got to the ATM which was a global one this time. I was hopeful that I’d get the taxi fare. I followed the prompt. Everything seemed fine until it was time for the machine to release the cash. Nothing came out.

I remembered I had $10 in one of my suitcases. I looked for it. I found it and quickly exchanged it. It was definitely less than KRW50,000. I showed it to the driver. He didn’t say anything. He simply walked away.

I was now on my own again. I remembered reading about T-money. A card which is used for public transportation in Korea. I decided to buy it and hopefully use it to get a bus. I went to the information desk and asked. I was told me where to go and it was easy to find. There were only two people on the queue so that was comforting. When it was my turn, I asked if I could buy a card. The person behind the counter gave me two cards to choose from. Same function just a different color. I chose one and then used the rest of the cash to load my card. I asked if the money would be enough to take me to my destination. He said no. I asked if I could use my debit card to load cash and I was told I could only use cash to load the card. I had hit another brick wall. I had the useful T-money but I didn’t have enough cash to travel to my destination.

The T-money in my hand.

I became frustrated. I saw a man speaking on his phone. I picked up from his accent that he was American. I asked if there were any ATMs from the direction he was coming from. He said there were, but Visa didn’t work so he couldn’t withdraw, but MasterCard was working.

I had renewed hope as I had a MasterCard. I arrived at the ATM. Tried to withdraw. Same problem. I’d now spent over thirty minutes trying to find cash! I remembered that Free Wi-Fi is widely available in Korea so I took out my phone to see if I could connect to the internet. As expected, I was able to connect to the internet. I checked my banking app. All the withdrawals I’d tried to do were reflected. Money had gone out and then back into my account again.

I decided to WhatsApp someone who’s in Korea about ATMs at the airport. They suggested I go to Terminal Two. I had to take a free airport shuttle as Terminal 2 was twenty minutes away. I had to retrace my steps to get to the bus stop. By then I was thoroughly annoyed. An hour had gone by and I was walking up and down the airport trying to get money! It was cold. Luckily, I had a warm coat in my hand luggage.

Waiting for the bus. I had to wait for three minutes.

I got the bus. I had to hurl my three suitcases inside. They were heavy. I was exhausted, luckily, two guys jumped in and assisted me. The road was winding and my suitcases started to move around and I couldn’t hold all of them at once. Another guy, who was with his partner, took charge of my big suitcase. Another guy grabbed the second one and all I had to focus on was the small suitcase and my hand luggage. I was grateful for the help. We arrived at Terminal Two, the guy with a partner helped me get my luggage out. I found a trolley and drove it to find the ATM. I had to ask for directions at a flight attendant who reminded me of King The Land. I digress, I know.

Usually I travel light, but not this time.

Anyway, I found a couple of ATMs next to each other. I was sure I was about to get my money. I tried the first one, same outcome. No money came out. I tried the second one and then I heard a commotion behind me. I freaked out thinking the airport security had been watching me the whole time and decided I was acting suspicious so now they were about to pounce on me! I slowly turned around only to see paparazzi encircling a man in an all black casual outfit. I assumed he was a celebrity. I went back to my mission, relieved I wasn’t about to be interrogated for spending almost two hours walking up and down Incheon Airport trying different ATMs.

I tried two more ATM machines and it became clear that no money would be coming out. I was close to tears. I didn’t know what to do. Terminal Two was almost deserted. I pushed my trolley towards the parking area not knowing where I was going. I saw a taxi. I walked over to the driver. I showed him where I was going. He shook his head and got out of his taxi. Clearly, he wasn’t going anywhere. There was another sleek looking taxi just a few steps away. I went to the driver and showed him my destination. He indicated for me to jump in. He loaded my luggage. I was freaking out as the plan was to ask the guesthouse owner to pay for my ride when we arrive and then I’d replace him. That was the only solution I could think of. We drove in silence. The taxi was comfortable. I feared it would be very expensive. It was now after 6pm. It was getting dark. I was happy to be on my way, but at the back of my mind I was afraid of the guesthouse owner. What if he refused to pay?

Anyway, less than 15 minutes later we arrived at the guesthouse. It was very close to the airport which was something I was intentional about as I had to return to the airport on Monday. The driver pointed at the meter reading. I owed KRW13,300! My first realization was that the English speaking taxi driver had tried to pull a fast one on me when he charged KRW50,000! But, luckily for me, the universe said: “Not on my watch!”

Next thing I noticed was the card payment machine! I took out my card and held my breath as he tapped it. It worked! Relief washed over me. I was able to pay for the trip! He helped offload my luggage and waited as I hit the buzzer outside the guesthouse. I had spent two stressful hours at the airport trying to find an ATM when I could have just gotten into a taxi and used my South African bank card!

Malawi is a great holiday destination

It’s almost a wrap for 2023. If you are suffering from year-end fatigue, hang in there, it’s the final push. It’s been a long and challenging year for most people. Times are tough, but not everyone has had a bad financial year. If you’re one of the lucky ones, then this is for you.

If you’ve managed to make a bit of money this year and are itching for a holiday, keep reading. If you want to dust up your passport which has been gathering dust since the Covid-19 pandemic, then I have just the place for you.

Malawi is a great holiday destination. If you’re considering a solo trip, baecation or a family trip, without breaking the bank, then I have you covered.

Monkey Bay… It’s giving

Malawi has it all – from beautiful islands, to mountainous locations which are great for outdoor activities, you will be spoilt for choice. I spent three months in the Warm Heart of Africa in 2022. I must say I was pleasantly surprised by how breathtakingly beautiful that country really is. From as little as R15,000 you can have a memorable budget holiday.

The majestic Mount Mulanje and tea plantations.

Food is very cheap. You can have a hearty meal for R15 at the market or pay a little more at a restaurant. Accommodation is also affordable, depending on your preference. Whether you prefer a hostel, a lodge or a hotel, they have them all. Either way, the rand goes a little further in Malawi.

If you just want to party after working hard all year, that’s no problem. Malawians, from Blantyre to Mangochi, party hard. They literally dance until the sun comes up! I really enjoyed the nightlife in Blantyre. Another great thing about Malawi, is how safe it is.

A fishing village in Monkey Bay, Malawi.

The people are really welcoming. I’m still in contact with people I met there. They’re always inviting me back – that’s just how they are. Malawians will invite you to their homes to share nsima, vegetables and chambo with you. If you want to know why it’s called the Warm Heart of Africa, I suggest you book a flight or buy a bus ticket. There are buses from Cape Town to Malawi and Johannesburg to Malawi. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Musings about Bulawayo

I took a 5:45am bus from Harare to Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It cost $13. The ride was comfortable and shorter than I had anticipated.

We arrived just before midday. I had not booked accommodation before leaving Harare so that meant walking around for two hours trying to find affordable accommodation for a backpacker. Eventually, I settled for a $12 a night “lodge” downtown.

The sofa took me back to my childhood.

The place definitely doesn’t qualify to be a lodge. It’s a double-storey building in a residential area. It was old and in need of a facelift. The outside paint was peeling. Inside, the furniture was old, but it was spacious and clean. It had no Wi-Fi or kettle to boil water. As someone who loves her tea, this was disheartening.

I paid for one night as I wanted to test it out before deciding whether to stay longer. It also didn’t help that the lady at reception wasn’t very welcoming. I checked in. One of the windows in my room was broken. I had to stuff it with my t-shirt to block out the chilly breeze at night.

My very basic but spacious room.

Anyway, after putting my belongings in my room, I went out again. I had to check out Bulawayo. The “lodge” was downtown so I walked towards the CBD. I needed to see shops and where to get food.

I found Bulawayo easier to navigate than Harare. This was mostly due to language. I understand Ndebele while Shona is a different story all together. I could ask for directions, and I wasn’t charged higher prices because when I spoke my language, they assumed I was speaking Ndebele.

Another thing, Bulawayo is way smaller than Harare and more laid back. I enjoyed the pace of the place. I walked for hours like I do with each and every city. I enjoyed a beautiful sunset before going back to the “lodge” for a restful evening.

Forever chasing sunsets.

I checked out the next morning after finding a cheaper place with Wi-Fi and a kettle! And the receptionist was very helpful and welcoming!

PS: Bulawayo is fairly safe for a solo traveller.

Things to do in Harare

Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare has a rich history. The legendary Bob Marley performed there in 1980 following the country’s independence.

I have compiled a list of what to do when visiting Harare.

I went to this show.

Dancehall
Whether you are into dancehall or not, you just have to give it a shot. Zim dancehall is very popular. Luckily for me, there was a festival when I was in Zimbabwe. I appreciate and listen to all kinds of music so I didn’t need any convincing to go. The show was packed. There were over 20 artists performing and the crowd went crazy for each and every act.

Harare Gardens.

Gardens
You have to visit the Harare Gardens. They’re in the city center. It’s a beautiful and tranquil place that’s great for picnics or some me time. Unsurprisingly, they are not in the best condition as it’s quite evident that they have seen better days. Despite this, the garden is still worth a visit.

Art
From the park, you can pass by the National Gallery. There’s a lot of beautiful art. At the time, they had a beautiful wildlife exhibition. As an foreigner you pay more, but the guard assumed I was a local and I didn’t correct her. So I paid less!

Market
The Mbira Market is a must see. It’s a huge market and you are guaranteed to find whatever you want there. It’s a very busy market so you must be alert. That’s the warning I received from locals but nothing happened to me. Being at the market was quite an experience. It just went on and on!

Church visit
There are numerous churches in Harare. I remember in DK, there was one street where I lost count of the number of churches. I guess when the situation is dire people require hope and churches serve that purpose while others see an opportunity to make money. Anyway, one Sunday I decided to go to church. Since I’m more comfortable in traditional churches, I chose the Methodist Church. I found amanxila engoma just like Amawisile from back home. They had several homemade music instruments which produced a vibrant sound. I really enjoyed the music. I didn’t understand the language, but the beauty of music is that it transcends language.

A delicious meal.

Food
The only thing I didn’t explore in Harare were the restaurants. I got discouraged after struggling to find places that had vegetarian dishes on their menu. I found a small rooftop restaurant downtown. They agreed to serve me sadza with spinach as that was the only vegetable they had.

I later found another little restaurant in DZ. Their food was very delicious and they had a variety of vegetables to choose from!

Harare had me shook

For many years, I longed to visit Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare. I had read about it from NoViolet Bulawayo’s We Need New Names and also heard many stories from those, who had fled Africa’s former food busket, due to the economic crisis in that country.

I was fascinated by their history and the current situation. My country, South Africa, has many challenges. As a result, there are those who believe that the country is “becoming like Zimbabwe”. So I wanted to see what may be our future.

Few months back, as I was wrapping up solo travel adventure, it made sense to check out Zimbabwe before going home.

I arrived in Harare on a cold Monday evening in May. I spent a night in a cozy guesthouse with hot water and WiFi! I was so happy to have a hot shower because where I was coming from in Malawi, hot showers were rare. I didn’t mind in other parts of the country as they were warm, but Blantyre was cold. I stayed at a guest house, where you had to ask staff to boil water and bring it to you in a container. I never did ask because I felt like I was inconveniencing them so I braved cold showers instead. So Harare scored a huge point!

I started thinking that things were not so bad. The guesthouse was in a typical suburb which could have been anywhere in the world. I thought maybe people were exaggerating when talking about hardships in Zim.

After a restful sleep on a good bed with white linen (as a backpacker, I had not enjoyed finer things for some time) I woke up refreshed, but ready to find a budget friendly accommodation.

They charged $21 a night excluding breakfast! Lucky for me, I didn’t pay for the night thanks to two kind fellow travelers. I won’t get into the details of how that came about.

The guesthouse was deep in the suburb so finding public transport was a challenge. They had offered to call a cab, but I refused because budget. I wanted a minibus taxi or to hitchhike. I had become good at it. I checked out with my heavy backpack. Throughout my travels, I couldn’t walk straight with it and my shoulders ached after taking it off. The sight of a stooping solo traveller solicited sympathy from motorists, hence I always scored lifts.

Where was I? Oh, my first morning in Harare. I walked for about 20 minutes with no taxi in sight and cars were ignoring my hitchhiking attempts. As I was to give up, a new Isuzu double cab bakkie stopped. It was driven by a guy wearing a black suit. I told him I was going to town. He ordered me to jump in. He told me he had stopped because of the heavy bag on my back:)

After exchanging few pleasantries he wanted to know my story. He was in disbelief after hearing that I had quit a permanent job to travel. He stopped short of calling me mad!

He wanted to know where I would be staying. I told him I wanted to go to the backpackers. He asked about the price. I told him it was $8 a day and I would be staying for a week as I was on my last pennies. He suggested ditching the hostel for the location which would be much cheaper and that way I could stay for longer in Harare.

The problem was that I had not done my homework in terms of townships so I didn’t know where to go. He offered to help. He dropped me off at the park behind parliament and gave me his second phone as I didn’t have a local Sim card. He’d call me on the phone after his shift so we could go and find a place for me. I couldn’t believe he trusted me with his phone. I was so touched by his kindness. Yes, kindness from strangers was a constant feature throughout my travels, but it never failed to amaze me.

It was midmorning. At the park, I took out my kanga and set up a picnic under a tree. I had snacks and water. I wrote on my journal before listening to music while taking in my surroundings. There were young lovers, old people and groups of students all over the park. Others were going about their business.

Picnic for one.

Harare seemed very normal to me. I didn’t see the hardships that we always hear of from Zimbos. I was ready to walk the streets, but I dreaded carrying my luggage. Other than it being heavy, it also made one standout, which wasn’t nice especially for a solo woman. So I had to chill.

The phone that I was borrowed by a stranger.

Few hours later, I was itching to explore so I carried my luggage and walked around. Harare seemed like any other city. Nothing screamed failed state.

Around 5pm my new friend called. We met up at the park. He told me his nephew had found two possible rentals for me. We drove to check them out. We arrived in Dzivaresekwa (DZ) around 6pm. The first room was already taken. We went to another house. I was told I would be introduced as the niece so the price would not go up like it normally did for travellers. My new friend aka uncle did all the talking. The landlord was an unemployed mother of four. She charged $60 for a room per month, but agreed to make it $30 since I only wanted it for two weeks.

I didn’t have enough cash on me so we left to find an ATM. At least that’s what I thought, but when we got into the car, my “uncle” explained the challenge of money shortages. Sometimes ATMs didn’t have dollars so they all used the black market.

It was like a veil had been lifted. I was starting to see Zimbabwe for what it was and not the image I had after people watching in the CBD.

He told me even though he worked for government, they were paid in “plastic money” which they had to convert into government bonds. But most places only dealt in US dollars. There was also the issue of certain food shortages. He painted such a bleak picture of the country which had me shook!

Prices outside a supermarket in Harare.

I needed to pay rent so he took me to a local market. One guy told me for R8000 I could get $30. I was gobsmacked! I told my “uncle” to take me back to the landlord and I would negotiate with her to let me move in and only pay her the next day after I had gone to the bank.

On the drive back to DZ I started doubting if I’d last a week in Harare. It seemed everything was a hustle and I wasn’t sure if I was up to it. Life in Zimbabwe was just way too expensive.

The Zimbabwean government bonds.

Luckily, the lady agreed and I moved in. The next day I woke up early and I remember looking at the road which was riddled with potholes and derelict buildings stood as testament that the city had seen better days.

My rose tinted glasses were off. I saw the country clearly for what it was and I was discouraged. Poor people were really poor and rich people were rich. There were expensive cars on the roads and there were cars which looked liked they could fall apart any minute. Zimbabwe was a lot to take in.

I took a bus from Malawi to Zimbabwe

After spending three amazing months in Malawi, which is fondly known as The Warm Heart of Africa, I made my way to the neighbouring Zimbabwe.

I have a number of Zim friends and have been looking forward to visiting that country for years. As someone, who follows Zimbabwean politics and have consumed quite a bit of their literature, I have always had a soft spot for Mzilikazi’s country.

So I booked with Trip Trans for MK38,000. The bus left Blantyre at 6:30am. We were scheduled to arrive in Harare around 6:30pm that evening. I was a bit sad to be living Malawi with some of the kindest people I’ve ever met, but I am always seeking new adventures!

The bus few minutes before leaving the station.

The bus which was in a good condition wasn’t full. I had chosen a window seat and luckily for me, the next seat was empty. So I had plenty of space.

By 9:30am, we were at the Zimbabwean border. I made my way to immigration feeling relaxed as I had triple checked the entry requirements before making the booking. I had fallen behind from the fellow passengers as I had to go back to the bus to fetch my Covid-19 vaccination certificate which I had forgotten in my backpack.

As I was getting close to the office, two guys approached me and asked for MK5000 in order for my Covid-19 vaccination certificate to be “scanned”.
“Scanned for what? And why should I have to pay for that?” I asked puzzled. They said that’s how it worked.

I had to pass through a Covid desk and that’s where the “scanning” happened. I could see the desk which was next to the building. I went over to ask about the pricey “scanning.”

A guy with a white coat behind the tiny desk answered me with irritation in his voice: “The two guys you were talking to over there will take your certificate to be scanned.”

I was still not convinced. I felt they were pulling a fast one on me. I caught up with some people from the bus. They told me they all had to pay.
I was the last one in line. I knew there was no “scanning” but I needed a signature from the Covid-19 desk before I could go any further.

I grudgingly went back to the two guys and told them I only had MK2000. One protested saying it was too little, but the other said: “Give it to me. But make sure no one sees you. Put it in the card.”

I obliged. Next thing the tall one took out the immigration questionnaire and started filling it in for me. I asked him to hand it over and did it myself. Instead of going to “scan” my certificate, he gave it to me and ushered me the Covid-19 desk while they disappeared. The guy behind the desk just ticked next to my name and asked me to sign. I was then allowed to get inside the office.

By now, all the other passengers were done. The conductor was hovering in the background as he was waiting for me to finish.

Inside the building, the immigration officer didn’t even look at my Covid-19 vaccination certificate which I was told needed to be scanned, but wasn’t. Instead I was questioned about the reason for my visit.

A second officer came over and asked, “How long will you be staying? Do you know anyone here? Are you aware that you are not allowed to work during your stay in Zimbabwe?”

I assured him that I had no intention of working in his country. “I just want to check it out for two weeks before going home,” I said.

I was taken aback by this interaction. I just wanted to get my passport stamped so we could get going. But I couldn’t appear impatient or annoyed as immigration officials hold all the power in that moment, and boy, do they know it!

Eventually, my passport was stamped. I didn’t check it. I dashed to the door. As I was about to reach the bus, I heard someone call my name. I turned around and it was an immigration officer. I started freaking out thinking they had changed their minds about letting me enter their country.

I approached him with my heart beating so fast and my head imagining the worst case scenario. He took my passport without saying anything. I saw him scrapping something before stamping it again. He then gave it back to me. This time I checked it. I saw initially I was given three days and he had changed it to three weeks.

I went to the bus. I got in and lo and behold the two “scanner” guys were on the bus selling Sim cards! “Sim cards for R50 each,” they chanted.

I was so angry at what they had done so I confront them. “I see you’re done with the imaginary scanner. You now are selling Sim cards!”
The tall one quickly made his exit. I blocked the short one. I demanded answers. I was so pissed at being taken advantage of just as I arrived in Zimbabwe. I hated that my first impression of Zim was their little criminality!

“My sister, please, you can go and speak to the doctor at the desk if you have any questions,” he said.
“Oh please, man isn’t a doctor. I just want you to admit that you are running a little scam here. There’s no MK5,000 scan. You are just making money from travellers!” I shouted at him.
“No sister, we are just following the rules,” he pleaded.
“Don’t lie. First of all, you too are not wearing any uniform so you are just running a little criminal activity with that guy at the Covid-19 desk,” I told him.
He was tired of the back and forth. He finally admitted, “Yes, you’re right.”
And he quickly dashed past me and I took my seat. I knew I was not going to get my money back, but it was about them admitting they were skelms!

The bus driver turned on the ignition and we were on our way. The road was in good condition. I was enjoying the ride while sipping on mango juice.

I started dozing off. I woke up as the bus was slowing down. It stopped. I saw people getting out. I followed thinking it was a quick stop so people could stretch their legs.

When I got outside, it turned out that there was a puncture. I had not heard anything. It looked serious so we had to wait as they tried to change it.

It was sunset. I walked around, snapping the beautiful sunset. I love sunset pictures. I was bummed about the puncture, but I was happy to be in Zimbabwe. Nothing was going to dampen my mood.

It took a couple of guys and two hours to get it out!

Two hours later, they had managed to change the tyre. We were ordered back into the bus and continued with the journey. We arrived in Harare after 8pm. I couldn’t see much as it was dark, but I was grateful for travel mercies as we disembarked after 13 hours of travel.

Mistakes to avoid when traveling

Travel essentials.

“Travel. As much as you can. As far as you can. As long as you can. Life is not meant to be lived in one place.”

This is my motto when it comes to travel. However, traveling is not without its challenges. It requires a lot of planning and paperwork. As an organized person I don’t mind this, but there are some little things that can negatively impact your travel experience.

I’m sharing what I’ve learned so you don’t make the same mistakes.

Money
Personally, I don’t like carrying cash especially when I’m traveling alone. I feel safer when I don’t have any money on me. Blame it on living in a country with a very high crime rate.

Thanks to the advances of technology, I’ve become accustomed to cashless living. In SA, I hardly carry cash. I use my card to pay for goods and services.

Sadly for me, this didn’t work during my solo travel adventure. I learned the hard way that some countries, especially on the continent, still prefer hard cash.

I remember wanting a toilet in Zambia after crossing the border and they charged a small fee which I didn’t have! Luckily, a fellow traveler paid for me as she could see that I really needed to pee!
So it’s important to have local currency before crossing into any country. If you didn’t make it to the bank, make use of the cash exchange people at the border. Just be prepared to negotiate as they will try to shortchange you.

One time in Mpika, Zambia, I went out for drinks. When it was time to pay, I produced a debit card only to be told they only accept cash! I had to leave behind my sunglasses and go look for an ATM which wasn’t always easy to find.

Another thing, as you get into a supermarket, ask whether you can use an international card. I remember having to put back groceries (I was already at the teller) at Food World in Zimbabwe because they didn’t accept international cards.

Connectivity
This one really hurt. I’m a cheapskate so paying to use the internet really suck! It’s also partly because I’m used to businesses that offer free WiFi so I was expecting the same during my travels. Imagine my horror when lodges/hotels didn’t have free WiFi!

Usually when I travel, I don’t buy a local Sim card as I’d use free WiFi to communicate with people back home. In Tanzania, it soon became clear that WiFi wasn’t easily accessible in most places. I spent a lot of time looking for places with free WiFi.

One hotel, told me they only allowed people who had booked rooms to use their WiFi! I as someone, who wanted to have lunch and use the WiFi while waiting for my food, wasn’t allowed any access! I couldn’t believe it, but that was their policy. So I had to get a local Sim card so that I could connect with the people back home and for a bit of social media now and again.

This was such a culture shock because in SA we take it for granted that you can simply ask the waitress for the WiFi password while ordering a drink!

Accommodation
This one was a tough lesson. As a planner, I always make sure that everything is in order before moving from point A to B. When it comes to accommodation I always book and pay well in advance. This worked out well until I went to Mombasa, Kenya.

I had booked for seven nights. The place was lovely and reasonably priced. The problem started in the evening. They played loud music throughout the night. I was sleep deprived for a week! I couldn’t move out as I’d paid upfront. And the pleas for peace and quiet fell on deaf ears as they were making money from the disco!
The unpleasant experience taught me to only prebook for a night or two before deciding on whether I want to extend my stay after I’ve experienced the place first hand.

I know this is difficult for planners, but it’s better to keep your options open just in case your initial accommodation doesn’t tick all your boxes.

Passport

Lastly, we all know this one but sometimes we take it for granted. In the beginning I used to carry a copy of my passport with me, but after months of traveling without ever having to produce it, I stopped. Then one day I was stopped by Tanzanian soldiers for unknowingly trespassing! I was interrogated for quite some time and I didn’t have my passport with me! They had to drive me to where I was staying so I could show it to them!

Books

I read a lot. I prefer hard copies. I want to smell a book and there is something about turning a page. So it was no surprise that I’d travel with books. However, I could not carry a lot. Books are heavy. Someone suggested Kindle but I wasn’t about to sellout so I declined. Needless to say, I ran out of books after six months of traveling. I was kicking myself for being stubborn about Kindle. For weeks I didn’t have anything to read. It was tough. Finally, when I arrived in Cape Maclear, Malawi there was a whole bookshelf with so many great books. I could read again! Lesson learned. I’m definitely getting a Kindle for travel!

Do you have anything to add to this list? Please do so in the comments section.

Eating at Linda’s

I was walking down the main road in Monkey Bay, Malawi, when Linda’s Pawn Shop & Food, written in bold black letters caught my eyes.

Outside the shop.

There was something inviting about the small white house with blue windows. Upon close proximity there was a black board advertising English breakfast for MK2000.

On the veranda were two small tables with chairs. The long white curtains on the left blew slightly as I entered the place.

I liked the simple decor.

I was welcome by delicious aroma wafting through from the kitchen. A woman with a small frame appeared and introduced herself as Linda.
She answered my questions about the menu. She told me that the place was new. She was in charge of the kitchen and the pawn shop which was inside the restaurant. It was mostly white bedding and few clothing items. People brought in their staff to be sold and they would collect the money afterwards. There was a beautiful pair of gumboot that I liked but I couldn’t buy it as I didn’t have space in my bag.

The stock in the pawn shop.

I promised Linda to return for breakfast the next day. True to my word I went back. I ordered the English breakfast and a cup of coffee. I was served by the owner as she had no staff as yet.

Since I didn’t eat meat, she replaced it with avocado. The breakfast was delicious. I cleaned out my plate.

I loved the quiet vibe of the place. The decor was minimal with a touch of meditarian. It’s a great place for a quiet dinner/lunch or a group of friends who want to enjoy good food before a night out.

I went back for dinner with a local who happened to be a regular customer. The place smelled like home. That alone was enough wet my appetite. I had nsima with veggies. It was a simple but tasty meal. Linda knew her way around the kitchen. She served a variety of meals at reasonable prices.

If you ever find yourself in Monkey Bay, you have to eat at Linda’s. You will be supporting a mother of three, who is passionate about cooking. Who knows, you might even find something special in the pawn shop!