Back from Africa

[Bells]

I'm finally back! Just spent a month in Malawi, Africa on an expedition... it was absolutely amazing - I managed to do so much! And I still can't believe a lot of things that happened actually did, because it was so surreal and exciting. Either way though it was an experience and it feels good, as well as weird, to be back.

:hello:

[Ella]

Yaaay! Ash is back! Oh my God ive missed you lol! We have looooads to chat about! Glad your back babe!

[Lauren]

Welcome back!!

Sounds so exciting.

[~Kizwiz~]

Sounds fab Ash... welcome back to old blighty

[Bells]

Thanks you three.

Yeah it really was exciting! Some of the things that happened:

- Had an elephant charge at me, not to mention there being a load around the campsite.
- Got attacked by killer ants
- Got attacked by killer bees (slightly scarier)
- Camped in a bog/ on a hill... some of the most unusual places
- Walked about 100 miles in total up and down hills and high peaks
- Rode a horse across a plateau and got close to all the animals
- Had both a day and night safari
- Smashed bricks etc. as part of a project
- Taught at a local school
- Met a load of people with names like Mr Sweet Talker, Brad Pitt, James Bond, Cheese on Toast, Dodgy Geezer, Georgie Porgie, Happy Coconut...

I learnt a lot of skills too and could go on forever, but all in all it was an amazing experience - just giving you an overview. :laugh:

[Ann]

welcome back Ash :laugh3:

[sol]

Hope you had a great time Ash. :thumbs:

[Legend]

Welcome back Ash, did you get the chance to visit the local villages?

Was the night safari good? I only did the daytime ones in Kenya.

[SiMoN!]

wow looks like you have had one of a kind time out there

i am clad your bk

[BigSister]

Yay welcome back Ash ^_^

[MarkWaldorf]

Welcome back Ash! Glad you had a good time. :)

[Princess]

Woooo my twin is back!!! *throws pretty pink stuff in air*

[stacey]

yay ash i've missed my big sister soooo much glad your back it seemed like you were gone loads more than a month

[Emilee]

Wooooooh!! Ash is back! I've missed you A LOT! Glad you are back, we need a big catch up. love you x

[Sophii3x]

OMG.. ASHH! :hug: We've all really missed you. Hope you had a great experience and a good time in Africa.

(please come on msn tonight!)

[n.l.o7]

wellcome back i want to go there!!!!!!!!!!:colour:

[andybigbro]

Welcome Back Ash

xxx:wavey:

[sarahtheangel]

welcome back glad you got back safely did you have a great time .

[Bells]

Thanks everyone - yeah I did have a great time! It had its ups and downs, but that was part of the experience. I'm quite glad I got back safely too! :laugh:

Legend, I visited loads of villages... I managed to do loads and meet lots of local people. I forgot that you went to Kenya - I'm sure your week there was good! The night safari was amazing; we got to see all the animals but we were all really quiet. It was funny because the next day on the day safari we were yelling and still saw pretty much all the same animals! It was quite scary though, because the spotlight needed to be shone on the bushes etc. and sometimes the animals ran off.

The light broke at one point and we had to wait around in this remote bit of the marsh whilst it was fixed... there seemed to be this big animal moving in one of the nearby bushes and we couldn't see what it was. I laughed when someone suggested T-Rex and we were actually in Jurassic Park (but it scared me at the time, obviously).

[Mrluvaluva]

You managed to bet back on the forum then. :bigsmile:Welcome back Ash. Where's my stick of rock? :laugh:

[Sunny_01]

welcome back Ash and I echo what Baz said "wheres our rock"

[Emilee]

wow! All those things you've done sound ace! I wanna go to africa now!

[BB-Rocks]

Welcome back Ash. Sounds like you had a great time!

[Bells]

Thanks! And stick of rock... well, erm...

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by Ash
Thanks! And stick of rock... well, erm...


OK. Forget the rock. Do you have that "package" I asked you to bring back?

[Bells]

LOL... you mean that package the bloke called James Bond told me specifically to give you? He said it was full of flour to help make some traditional meal (yeah right).

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by Ash
LOL... you mean that package the bloke called James Bond told me specifically to give you? He said it was full of flour to help make some traditional meal (yeah right).

Flour? Flour! (get's phone and rings Big Dave).

[Bells]

Indeed. I actually got offered a load of that myself whilst there, but it didn't look too appealing. I got offered quite a lot of other things too, which, equally, didn't look too appealing. :hugesmile:

[Mrluvaluva]

Originally posted by Ash
Indeed. I actually got offered a load of that myself whilst there, but it didn't look too appealing. I got offered quite a lot of other things too, which, equally, didn't look too appealing. :hugesmile:


:spin2::spin2::spin2::spin2:

[Bells]

Haha, you know what I mean!

[Mrluvaluva]

Oh I do! :spin2:

[Callum]

Welcome back Ash, glad you loved Africa as I much did.
I was only small, when I went there but I loved South Africa loads and loads, to see how some people lived in Shanty Towns though was emotional. :sad:

[Matt]

Welcome back to TiBB Ash, I'm glad you enjoyed your experience in Africa!

[Bells]

Thanks Callum and Matt! Callum, I totally agree - it's really surreal seeing peoples' living conditions but then seeing how happy they are with what they have, despite it being so little. Now that I'm back though it feels strange... as if I've always been here and this last month was like a dream! And, funnily enough, I just remember the good stuff, hehe.

[Callum]

Originally posted by Ash
Thanks Callum and Matt! Callum, I totally agree - it's really surreal seeing peoples' living conditions but then seeing how happy they are with what they have, despite it being so little. Now that I'm back though it feels strange... as if I've always been here and this last month was like a dream! And, funnily enough, I just remember the good stuff, hehe.

Yeah same here. The thing is a lot of the time, people assume that Africa isn't really a nice place because of the race rows and pverty etc, but the landscapes and some of the people over there are so friendly. It's such an eye opener over there, did you ever visit Table Mountain in South Africa?

[Legend]

Originally posted by Ash
Thanks everyone - yeah I did have a great time! It had its ups and downs, but that was part of the experience. I'm quite glad I got back safely too! :laugh:

Legend, I visited loads of villages... I managed to do loads and meet lots of local people. I forgot that you went to Kenya - I'm sure your week there was good! The night safari was amazing; we got to see all the animals but we were all really quiet. It was funny because the next day on the day safari we were yelling and still saw pretty much all the same animals! It was quite scary though, because the spotlight needed to be shone on the bushes etc. and sometimes the animals ran off.

The light broke at one point and we had to wait around in this remote bit of the marsh whilst it was fixed... there seemed to be this big animal moving in one of the nearby bushes and we couldn't see what it was. I laughed when someone suggested T-Rex and we were actually in Jurassic Park (but it scared me at the time, obviously).

Sounds boss Ash.

The wierd thing about it was I expected the poverty etc but when we were in the city (Nairobi) it seemed just like an ordinary city and that's what shocked me more, shows how under-educated I was, ha ha.

I couldn't have done a month though, I did 11 days and that was enough mainly because of all the travelling, I'd definatly go back though.

Was it a school trip or family or something?

[Legend]

Originally posted by Callum
Originally posted by Ash
Thanks Callum and Matt! Callum, I totally agree - it's really surreal seeing peoples' living conditions but then seeing how happy they are with what they have, despite it being so little. Now that I'm back though it feels strange... as if I've always been here and this last month was like a dream! And, funnily enough, I just remember the good stuff, hehe.

Yeah same here. The thing is a lot of the time, people assume that Africa isn't really a nice place because of the race rows and pverty etc, but the landscapes and some of the people over there are so friendly. It's such an eye opener over there, did you ever visit Table Mountain in South Africa?

The people over there were amazing. When I went to visit the villages, they all came over welcoming us, just so friendly.

Something else, they seemed to always be smiling, they have so little and are happy enough as they are. It is sad thinking back, thinking how they're living now and stuff but it has actually made me more appreciative over the stupid, trivial things that i'd have done a Nikki Grahame over usually.

I'd recomend going somewhere like Africa at some point to everyone as it is an amazing experience.

Anybody know of a website like imageshack where I can upload a folder of images and they would give me 1 link for all images in the folder? I'd like to upload my Kenya pictures but it's too much hard work doing each one at a time.

[Bells]

I'm sure if you asked in Suggestions&Help, someone could point you in the right direction.
Anyway, mine was with schoolfriends, but we were split into groups where there were a couple of people we didn't know in each. I thought that was a good idea, especially as I get on well with them now. A month did seem long enough... there were times when I missed home and was fed up, so it was just about the right length of time to fully enjoy the experience as well as not miss daily life too much. I agree that the people are amazing - happy and full-of-life with a lot of determination to just get on with it, despite the little amounts they have. I thought it was a real eye-opener in that respect.

[Kristen]

Hope you had a great time Ash!
You have been missed and I'm glad you enjoyed it x

[Bells]

Thanks Kristen. :hug: