Počasi zaključujemo naše zambijsko poslanstvo

Tako - naš čas v Nangomi se izteka, čas je za nove cilje in nove poti - najprej preko Tanzanije in Zanzibarja do doma, potem pa vsak na svoje… eni še naprej na faks, eni v iskanje službe, eni v prvo službo! Definitivno pa je to bivanje v bolnišnici v Nangomi zagotovo pustilo vsaj majhen pečat na vsakemu od nas.

V naslednjem sestavku bom probal zajeti čimveč zanimivih dejstev in številk.

DEJSTVA:

KWATCHA - Zambijska valuta, na katero smo se komaj prav navadili (1USD = 10kwatcha, 1EUR = 11,5kwatcha)

TOYOTA - prevladuje avtomobilski trg, prva dva meseca se prav ne spomnim če sem videl evropski avto, popoln monopol Toyote - najcenejši deli, vzdrževanje

NSHIMA - nacionalna jed, brez tega si ne predstavljajo obroka, jejo vsaj dvakrat na dan, saj je samo to dovolj sitostno za njihove potrebe. Gre v bistvu za polento iz moke iz bele koruze. To sezono bo slabša letina in so domačini v “strahu pred lakoto”.

ELEKTRIKA NA PUK KODO - tukaj se namesto redne mesečne naročnine za elektriko kupujejo kWh kot količina denarja nekoč na telefonu. Pokažeš številko števca, poveš za koliko denarja bi kupil, plačaš in dobiš 15 mestno kodo s katero si do porabe zagotoviš električno energijo.

PANADOL - = Lekadol, najpogostejše predpisano zdravilo. Da bi se vedelo, da je nogometna ekipa iz misijona/bolnišnice, se imenuje Panadol boys.

SMETIŠČE - povsod, kamor seže pogled in kjer lahko zagori. V kultiviranih področjih imajo izkopane luknje, v katere odlagajo smeti in jih tam notri kurijo, da zmanjšajo volumen.

VREME - dež, kaj je to? Prvih 17 kapljic dežja smo videli na 79. dan.

ASFALT - večja mesta hvala bogu povezuje asfaltna cesta, ko pa malo skreneš iz teh poti, pa ti samo Bog časa lahko pomaga in dejstvo, da imaš taki avto, da ti ga ni škoda. (izkusili na lastni koži)

NOGOMETNI DRES - najpogostejše oblačilo - naj si bo mladi dečko, gospod srednjih let ali gospa, ki je svoje že dala skozi.

NI ELEKTRIKE, NI VODE - ni panike! Malo na podeželje in ni niti električnih kablov, tekoča voda je samo v mokrih sanjah.

BOLEČINA - dojemanje in čutenje bolečine je drugačno kot pri nas. Tako čustvena kot fizična bolečina sta manj obremenjejoči kot pri nas.

“SO COLD!”; “SO HOT!” - stavek s katerim so domačini največkrat začeli pogovor. Hladno julija, vroče od sredine avgusta naprej.

“I AM ASKING FOR…” - drawings, paper, Apple, banana, Orange, rice, spaghetti, ball, drink, … Vsak otrok je nekaj prosil. Včasih uspešno, včasih neuspešno!

MUZUNGU - lokalni izraz za belca - če te niso poznali po imenu, si bil zagotovo to.

ŠTEVILKE

11500 - skoraj toliko novih zvezkov so na OPD izdali v letu 2018

720 - jajc smo pojedli do danes (op.p.13.9.2018) - 24 paketov po 30 komadov -

111 - dni bo v celoti trajalo potovanje

100 - pacientov na dan približno pogledajo v tako imenovani TB/HIV kliniki

99 - odstotkov moških vara (tako pravijo lokalci) - in 80% žensk

87 - dni bomo v Nangomi

25 - kwatcha stane najcenejša flaša vodke ali viskija na vasi (test za želodec) = 2,3€

15 - tu ni akademskih ampak zambijskih - upoštevanje ure ni njihova največja vrlina.

4 - pakete barvic smo prinesli, 3 so že ukradeni

4 - ure je bila najdaljša vožnja v prtljažniku avtomobila

3 - žoge smo kupili za otroke (2 so uničili prvi dan, ta boljšo so imeli cca 10 dni, potem pa so jo ukradli)

1 - zdravnik na celoten oddelek (20-30 pacientov)

1 - praktično uporaben nož

NA KONCU pa:

4061 - bralcev mojih zambijskih pisanj zaenkrat

6 - blogov o odpravi, Zambiji in ostalem - še vedno dostopni na simonranfl.blogspot.com, prišel še bo en iz Tanzanije.

4 in pol - prijatelji 🤣🤣 (v bistvu 5)

1- nepozabna izkušnja

1 - odprava

Sicer ostajamo še 6 dni v Zambiji, ampak upam, da sem orisal Zambijo v dobri luči in da bo Livingstone pristal na vašem seznamu želja za potovanja. Če koga še kaj zanima, z veseljem odpisujem na simon.ranfl@orazen.net !

Hvala vsem, ki ste na pomagali, da smo si lahko pričarali to nepozabno izkušnjo!

SR

#7 Postolympic period: P&SP

After Olympics in Rio finished, it was time to calm down from all olympic excitement and parties in one of the greatest cities in the world. I had to pack all my stuff and continue according to my plan and as it turned out, it was nice plan. I had one more bag to carry (a lot of olympic stuff), so I used uber (thanks to that app, I lived freely in the city) to go to bus station to take a bus to Paraty.

Time to move on from Olympics with one bag more

Paraty is one small town, approx. 250km out of Rio - 4,5h of bus ride. Town has only around 40.000 citizens and it is perfect for short active vacations on a beach of Atlantic ocean. It was nice to move from huge city to Paraty, where you can walk whole town in less than 30 mins. I met there a lot of people like me - looking for post-olympic relaxation. The bay of Paraty has 365 islands and the rainforest comes to the coast. There is a lot of possibilities for different sports activities. When I arrived to my hostel it was dark already, but I had to decide what I will do next day. I chose kayaking in the bay and I had to say it was something new for me, great experience and perfect upper body training. We paddled for around 12km, stopped at some really nice beaches and also through amazing mangrove forest.

Kayaking through mangrove forest

Lonely beach in Paraty bay

Second day I went to boat trip in the same bay, but to the other side. It took around 6h on boat and some time for swimming at some beautiful places and beaches. There was around 40 people on boat - they said in summer season it is around 200. And a lot of different companies offers similar things. Paraty in summer has twice as many people as in usual time of year.

Lonely island in Paraty bay

Another beautiful beach in bay

Town is also one of the richest in the country with old architecture and typical stones in the street (ankle-breaker if you walk with flipflops). 

Ankle-breaker streets

Postcard picture of Paraty

Third day I decide to rent a bike. I decided to go to visit one nice waterfall and one well known beach in the area. I know it would be a lot of hills, but that I did not imagine. First I went to Toboga waterfalls, just 10km out of the city and road went only slightly upwards - it was easy. Then I came to the crossroad and chose wrong direction (2km of crazy hills) and after I returned to that crossroad they told me, it is just few hundred meters in front of me. This waterfall is a big rock, which can be used as tobogan. After that I went to Trindade beach - 27km one way. At first it was nice up and down. After 19 km, it was one turn and then it starts - the hill, I think it would not be allowed even on Tour de France (14% average). More than half of it, I had to walk. When I came on that beach I was destroyed, so cooling down in Atlantic ocean was perfect thing. But knowing that I had to go over that hill again... I almost walked whole way up. Biking down was a big relief for muscles and my head. Summary of the biking - 5h, 80km, 1000+ altitude meters, body destroyed but head happy. I slept like a baby.

Toboga waterfall

                                 

Trindade beach

Nothing is stopping me!

Next day I took a bus to Sao Paulo. It took me almost 7h to come to the biggest city in South America (population: 22M). I cannot compare it to Rio - dirty, a lot of people, homeless people on every corner, even with tents on main squares. Luckily I met some realy nice people in Foz, who live in Sao Paulo, so they showed me things around. It was really uncomfortable for me to walk around the city and see those homeless people. There are only three good things I will remember about Sao Paulo. No. 1 is for sure Football museum - Must see thing for all football fans - you know all about Brazilian football, history of the world cups and more. No. 2 is food market there - when you come there, people let you try every fruit they have - from known to unknown ones. No.3 is good hospitality from my friends and also from owner of my AirBNB apartment. Two days in that huge city is enough to see all that it has to show.

Night view on Sao Paulo

Fruit market in Sao Paulo

Football museum is on Pacaembu Stadium

Tribute to Pele

After Sao Paulo it was time for Big Apple - The New York City. If I look back all together - I spent amazing 40 days in Brazil, I met a lot of amazing people, I saw a lot of beautiful places and discovered that there is still so much to see there, that I have to come back in the future. See you soon Brazil!

Lonely planet helped me a lot 

                                        

From the city, which never sleeps, 

SR

#3 One of seven world wonders

Second stop on my trip was Foz do Iguacu, the city near the place, where rivers Parana and Rio Iguacu split Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The city itself is nothing special, but in close distance there are some amazing stuff.
I spend there 4 beautiful days - three of them, I was visiting world wonders - so there will be more photos than text, because photos can tell much more.

Day 1 - Parque das Aves (Bird park) and Brazilian side of falls

Bird park has the largest collection of birds in whole Latin America - you can see almost all tropic birds including my favourite Flamingos!

Entrance to Birdpark

Flamingos

You can see many different species there

Tucan

After amazing birdpark, you just cross the road and you are at entrance to the one of the 7 world wonders - Iguassu falls - amazing views, beautiful nature - pictures can tell more than words.... 

At entrance

First glimpse at falls

panoramic view

near devils throat,rainbows

Day 2 - Argentinian side of falls

Next day was chosen to visit Argentina and argentinian side of falls. They are not so modern with credit cards as in Brazil, so you have to change the money to argentinian pesos, but still you can see these natural wonder from totally different perspective - pictures.

Waterdrops from the biggest of all falls - Garganta del Diablo

Day 3 - Itaipu lake and powerplant

This is the biggest water powerplant on the world. Building it - they spent iron for 380 Eiffel towers, concrete for 174 Maracana stadiums and waterflow is 40times bigger than on Iguassu falls. It gives electric energy for 80% of Paraguay and 15% of Brazil. The whole thing is on border between those two countries and it is like another country - own university, managers from both countries. Itaipu binacional also got UNESCO award for the project of saving atlantic forest. 

The whole world in Foz do Igaussu rotates around those natural wonders, it is totally worth of visiting, there are some breathtaking views, at some points you can stand there and watch that for whole day, three days are enough to see everything from all possible angles. If you are travelling to Brazil, Argentina or Paraguay - this is on MUST SEE list. 

Next blog coming soon from olympic Rio!

Simon