Africa by bathtub

Kay say hey? (how are you?) Hum tik (I’m fine). thanks to Christine (say hi to Aji and everyone for me!)and Julie and Steff for writing here on the blog. I’ve heard it can be difficult. Julie, the reason we had no soap or shampoo or anythign is because Sam was being super smart and convinced me to only bring carry on to India, so we could only take 100 ml bottles of things on carry-on. and you know what’s funny, considering that all the women here have super long hair, the bottles of shampoo that you can buy are tinsy. The same was true in Lesotho, which makes more sense, because AFricans typically have short hair. mmmm, just an observation.
I’m still swealtering. I have discovered taht I am most definately a face sweater. it can be embarrasing, espeically because Sam is not a face-sweater. He can talk about his own sweat though. For other face sweaters out there, yOu know that feeling on your cheeks, when they are raw from you rubbing the sweat off them, and they are slightly sun burned, and the salt water from the ocean has sunk in, and its quite humid out? You know taht feeling? I have that right now. But i’m loving it anyways, because I AM IN INDIA!!!! (with soap of my own and my own toilet when I need it!!!) We have not been ripped off today yet, which is another good sign. not saying we get ripped off everyday, but some days we definately do. I can’t remember if I described the place we are staying. its’ right on the beach, a small little place called Anthy’s. its got a little restaurant with a huge selection. Dad, you’d love it here, honestly. I think we may have fresh lobster tonight, probably for about 3$. I had fresh grilled red snapper yesterday, shrimp the night before. Sam tried shark yesterday too. mmmmmmmmmmm. I am trying to be pretty careful abotu what I eat. Remember one of the first blogs? about the bowel issues we had prior to leaving? I will leave it at that.
OK, so we should probably get back to the beach. I hear her calling our names…….
XO
Devi

Good afternoon everyone!!! I am writing from beautiful, lush, wonderous Goa. The reason I am so happy, is that i have just got out of the shower - AND I HAD SOAP!!!! I must say, one of the biggest appreciations I already have of home, is running water and soap in the bathrooms -oh, and toilet paper. I’m not sure how many of you are aware of the whole toileting experience in India….it is not the most pleasant. Actually, it really wasn’t very good in Lesotho either. However, like I said, it makes me appreciate things at home just a little more.
So, we got on the bus last night at 915. we left Mumbai and headed south. We were told it would be a 10 hour ride. It was overnight, so we figured this would be ok. Lucky for us, we got this airconditioned bus with seats that retracted forever and your feet even could go up. We got to watch Hindi films too (gotta love the musicals). it was actually a 13 or 14 hour ride, but it didnt’ matter because we were comfortable. We ended up in Margao (?) and walked around there for a bit. Oh, by the way, Mom, can you check my bank account to make sure it is ok…the savings account print out today is just making me wonder. anyways, we got on a city bus to Balena or something like that…for anyone who wants to check on the map, it is by colva and it starts with a B. it is beautiful. so lush and green and people are so nice. its weird though, this is the first time we have seen other white people since being in India. Now there’s lots here. Mom, its kind of like that really touristy place we went in Costa Rica. Remember? Just not as bad. Cause we are in off season. Sam and I have been really lucky in our travels about arriving just prior to high season. Anyways, so I was drenched from the humidity, so as soon as we got here we went swimming in the Indian ocean. it was DELIGHTFUL after not showing or brushing my teeth or having even soap to wash my hands in, in days!!!!! THANK THE LORD FOR THE OCEAN!!!! while sitting on the beach, the local salespeople walk up and try to sell their goods, as in any other country, except they are so strikingly beautiful in their bright sari’s flapping in the wind. We told them we weren’t buying today, so they all sat down and just chatted with us. it was nice, they were able to stop harrassing us and just chat. We got a big flock of these bright men and women just sitting with us on the beach.
I have not been that great of a bargainer this trip. I dunno why. i just have a hard time realizing that although it is 200 rupees, which SEEMS like a lot (and stresses me out the same as if I were to drop 200$), it is only 5$ really, and so how can I deny someone 5$ for something that I actually want? it seems ridiculous. oh well. I’ve only been here 2 days. I bet by next week I’m cheaper than anything. internet is only 10 rupees for 15minutues…that is 25 cents. nice eh?
I can hear the rain. its going to smell so beautiful mixed with teh ocean breeze. cant’ wait.
love you all,
Devi

Sept 23/07
Just realized that even though we have no access to internet, we can still log in our experiences and just post them when we are connected…..So I am sitting here in our living room, listening to the winds outside whip by and the BBC talk about how 18 countries in Africa have just flooded, many in a state of emergency. I am also smelling and sipping dirt tea. I’ll back up a bit. Yesterday we went on an absolutely FANSTASTIC adventure. I’ll let Sam write about that though. We had a local man with us, who showed us some roots for – and I quote – “low blood.” Sam seems to think this means anemia. I’m not so convinced. We used the root of this tiny little green plant and boiled it up in some tea. The entire place stinks now. Don’t worry Dad, at least we are in a safe place in case we end up high….. so, we can’t open the windows to let out the stench because there is a massive windstorm going on outside. Funny too, cause the windy season is supposed to be over. We have been enjoying some great weather lately. Thankfully we had no major plans today (except doing laundry, which desperately needs to be done. My clothes are hanging on a line in our spare bedroom, with the windows open, dust and dirt flowing in, and the heat cranked.) Seems like we’ve watched, in the past 24 hours, more than a few National Geographic programs on earthquakes, tidal waves, volcano eruptions and other natural disasters. Lovely, eh? I woke up from my after-breakfast nap dreaming of looking out of the window, realizing we were in a tornado, and just being thankful that I had not put my clothes on the line. Its all about priorities, right?. Sam’s just taking a video now so you can get an idea of the windstorms. It seems to be getting worse. This morning we walked to breakfast, and I only saw one roof ripped off a house.
We’ve also managed to become avid Indian Cricket fans in the last few days. Anybody going to watch the World Twenty-20 Championship game between India and Pakistan? Some Germans taught us how the game works, and I think we’ve done a fairly good job of picking up a lot of it on our own. Yuvraj Singh is our man. So….that is about it for now. Just getting mentally prepped to go to India. Best wishes to everyone, hoping that you are all “mentally uncluttered” (-Ravi, Cricket broadcaster, Durban, South Africa).

OK, before I write about yesterday I need to explain a few important facts I have learned in the past few weeks. Firstly NEVER, and I repeat NEVER accidentally approach a large group of herd boys in the mountains, especially if they are fighting each other with sticks. If by chance you do this, be prepared to get chased off by no less then three stick wielding, balaclava wearing, Sesotho yelling, testosterone laden man-children. Secondly, the fastest way to get Devi to run down a mountain is to accidentally approach a large group of herd boys in the mountains.
Yesterday started off great, we had met a local canoe taxi driver earlier in the week, while modeling for the Lesotho Tourism Ministry. He agreed to taxi us across the reservoir, so we could access an incredible ridge line that I had been drooling over since we got here. Considering ‘Africa time’ is fully embraced by the Basotho, we were pleasantly surprised that he was only 15mins late. We met our self-appointed local guide Ntseke on the other side of the reservoir and the hike was on. I was impressed with Ntseke’s appearance, he was dressed as if he were ready to go out for an evening of dinner, drinks and dancing, although the intent of the day was to hike a couple thousand total vertical meters, in 6 hours. Devi immediately set a blistering pace as we were feeling the pressure of having a guide. The benefits of the hike were evident within the first half-hour, as we were treated with endless views of the length of Katse reservoir. Once again we were blown away by the presence of cows, sheep, and goats. I can understand that sheep and goats can reach nearly impossible places, but cows!. Clumsy, awkward, bored, uninspiring Cows!. I have forever changed my impression of the Cow, Oh great givers of beef!, chew my cud baby, cows are the rock stars of the livestock universe.
We reached the most visible high spot early in the day and settled down for some tasty pears. Luckily, we brought enough (remember I did not say water) food, for our guide, not only was he dressed for a night out, but he also failed to bring anything to the party on the ridge. However in his defense he did provide us with the herbal remedy for anemia, expertly guided us around potentially dangerous packs of dogs, and allowed us to confidently walk through villages that we would otherwise have navigated around. All in all, except for me deleting all of the pictures just before we started the descent, the day was great. I tried to make up for the error by running back up over the ridge to snap as many pictures as I could, but the moment was lost. I also lost control all the way down the ridge as I developed touristitis in my camera hand, I was about to melt down until Devi took the camera away. Once off the ridge we had about a 1.5hr road hike back to the canoe man. The happiest moment of the trip was when our guide admitted to being tired. We had out walked a Basotho!..OH yeah, I forgot about the thirst. Our Guide also did not bring any water, so we shared our meager supply, and we all paid the price. The dirt road walk was filled with dreams of all sorts of fluid being poured down our paste filled mouths, into our 50 grit sandpaper esophagus’s, and then into dime bag sized stomachs glued shut with dried gastric acids. Devi even went as far as to dream about drinking a Coke, I tried talking her out of this repulsive dream, but she was insistent that she could handle the toxic by-products and that the carbonation was exactly the right chemical mixture to scrape off all the paste and sandpaper that presently caused the suffocation our otherwise delusional brains.
Oh yeah! The modeling, Devi and I met Dirk, a photographer for the Lesotho Ministry of tourism, he was doing a photo shoot for Katse Dam and needed “people who look like tourists”, and well, “White Boy Sammy” (currently bright red) and “Three Shades of Brown Devi” fit the bill perfectly. We first had to sneak out of work, which was a little nerve racking as it just happened to be the day the representatives from the Clinton Foundation and the Lesotho AIDS Directorate were supposed to come to the clinic. Once over our guilt (very short lived), we bolted for the ponies. Basotho ponies are known for their “fearlessness, stunted growth, sturdy disposition and remarkable powers of endurance”. Thank you very much for the fearlessness and sturdy disposition, because unbeknownst to me, but observed by Devi, my pony often choose to pause in perilously tip-toeing positions on the edges of foreseeable bilateral femur fractures, should one fall. The comments I heard from Dirk were much what I expected, “Sam sit straight, look at Devi, because she’s perfect.” We rode around for an hour or so, then back to work, actually lunch which consisted of two yummy toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches. After lunch Dirk was back napping at our heels about going out on the reservoir in power boats. So we left work again, with the blessing of our Matron. Once again African time kicked in again and the two hour tour, turned in four thanks to a driver with an empty belly and a boat with an empty tank. The belly was empty before the trip, the tank empty during the trip. I have to say I was totally happy about the lack of gas, as it gave us a great afternoon of beautiful views and new friends while floating helplessly on the Katse Reservoir. Dirk gifted us our first coffee table book!, for some reason Devi was overly excited about this, “We have a coffee table book, can you believe it”. Remember, practice life with an “uncluttered mind”
Ok, so next posting from India.

Hello everyone,
Just wanted to say quickly that we have enjoyed this weekend of communication with you, but we are headed back up to the dam tomorrow morning, and so we won’t see you on here until the 27th. The last few days we’ve just been hanging out in Maseru. Today we watched some girls and boys high school basketball, and walked up and down Kingsway about a trillion million times. The kingsway here is about the same quality as the Kingsway at home, i.e. you are not really supposed to walk there at night. Anyways, things are good for now. We’ll talk with you in a few weeks!
Devi and Sam

As per the last entry I forgot to say that Devi happiness was equal to the dialation effect cocaine has on pupils when the bugs are in full effect.
Today was great! We spent much of the day walking around Maseru, and a funny thing kept happening. If I went into a store, Devi would get hit on by no less then a bakers dozen of men while waiting for me, and if Devi went into a store. Security would come and ask me to move along. Where is the Justice?. If you asking why did you not go into the store together?. Well you have to check you bags before you go into stores in Maseru, and we did not fell quite safe with that option as the bag check was outside on the sidewalk.
Ok onto other things, Lonely planet does no favors for Lesotho, at least our 2002 edition. So if you reading the South Africa book, and the little section on Lesotho seems bland. Ignore it, come and listen to the horns honking, and the smiling curious faces, which all seem to speak better french then us. On a final note where is the Taj Mahal?

Ok so plans have changed. We are going to India!!. We went to the travel agent today to book the tickets to Zanzibarr, and came out with tickets to Goa. Do not ask how it happened, as I was in a daze most of the time. Devi has been as giggly as a addict with abundent crack, as wired as a herion user with and endless supply, as poetic and scrambled as a crystal meth user on a 10 day binge. Me I just keep shaking my head. I thought I was on my Africa trip, but India and the spice, tea and food. I cannot wait. Did I get the right shots, I only have a limited Cipro catchet. I suspect my first serious GI infection is coming…..Ok back to Katse Damn, we just talked ourselves out of buying a volleyball today, mainly due to price. Most things are cheaper in Lesotho, but a volleyball, Netball, Football, are all designer store prices. I mean Canadian Tire has cheaper balls then here. I guess its back to the endless walks (which are some of the best I have ever done, love them hills). The clinic is rolling alone nicely, now if we could only get our ARV’s, but thats another story. I have finally gotten used to being stared at, but now the “are you American” comments are driving me crazy, ands its mostly from Americans. I mean “do I sound American?”….OK cheers to all who read this.

Hello Everyone!!! thank you for your comments!!! We have heard that it is somewhat trying to post them - understandable, I can barely figure out how to post this. If its going to cause a homocide or suicide, please just write us at joyfuldevi@gmail.com or sammygarza@hotmail.com. (cause we love getting emails from home).

OK, so where to start…so much has happened in the past few weeks, and I can’t remember what I’ve written so far. We have been in Katse Village for the past few weeks. To give you a visual, this is a place where there is no internet, I haven’t seen a public phone (although, miraculously, cell phones work, even way up in the mountains), and get this - there is not even post mail!!!!!! Check google earth for Katse Dam, Lesotho for more of an idea. So….we are working at a clinic in Katse. The village was once bustling, from 1990 - 98ish, when the dam was being built. We went for a tour of it, quite specatular, especially from inside. So the arrangement goes something like this: all this water that is collecting in I believe it is 4 different dams (Katse being the largest) is going to South Africa. (Side note, cause Sam loves this fact: SA built for Lesotho, 480-odd outhouses in the villages surrounding the dam so that the locals would not pollute the water in any way….not sure what they built for all the cows and sheep and donkeys though…). So Lesotho gets hydro electricity from the Dam, and about a drop or two of water every second. It seems a little wonky, because currently, Lesotho is going through the longest drought in like 30 years, and meanwhile, there is a MASSIVE amount of water just sitting still in the reservoirs. hmmmm hmmm hmmmm.

Ok, so work. We are at this clinic, where there are 4 nurses, 2 cleaners, 2 security guys, and 1 driver. It is a fun little bunch. Wish we could post pics for you guys, but it isn’t gonna happen today. Maybe tomorrow. It is our job to help the clinic increase HIV testing, and roll out Antiretroviral treatment (ART) - espeically in pregnant women and children. So we are doing just that. We have already started giving out the PMTCT kits (prevention of mother to child tranmission). We are learning a ton, as are the staff. its been fun. it is quite amazing just how many new positives we are seeing. Lesotho has the 3rd highest rate of HIV in the world, so you can imagine how many people that is we are seeing (roughly 1 in 3 or 4). Life expectancy has dropped from 55ish to 39 years old. Hard to believe that we live in a world where that is the reality. Basically anyone that comes into the clinic - whether 5 years old, 5 months old, or 35 years old - they are offered a test and informed about HIV. Lots of challanges, such as no lab on site (with a one day/week delivery, meaning everyone must re-walk the 10-20 km to the clinic, just to get their CD4 checked) plus the lab that we send our blood work to is private, so therefore patients must pay for all blood tests (a barrier to even starting ARVs). There’s no doc on site…hasnt’ been one since 2004. So the nurses here assess, prescribe, and dispense. it is quite amazing to see them in action. When they look at us and ask what they should prescribe, they are blown away that we don’t do that at home. There’s no x-ray here either …. for that matter, there’s no stethescopes. I’m still not sure how it is that they are diagnosing pneumonia.
We are always on the avoidance of multi-drug resistant TB. So far so good. There is currently some outbreak in the area of some kind of meningitis sounding virus that is killing people in 2 days. Super scary.
Sorry for all those non-medical people I’m sending this to that haven’t been interested in any of the above. We’ve been doing a lot of hiking around in the mountains on the weekends. Keeps us busy. It’s amazing how in these (ridiculously) rural villages, no matter where we are in the mountains, we run into people (herd boys and their flocks). Guess you’re never really alone.
OK, I”m burning out. I’ll get Sam to write more later. Take care everyone,
Love,
Devi

So I thought I add a few observations to Devi’s comments. I don’t know about this winter thing, to me its a blazing hot summer here. In the day its damn near 30 degrees with little shade, infact I have seen exactly two clouds since we have been here. At night Devi insists on keeping the heater in our room on max, so I swelter then too. The comparison to New Mexico is in the landscape minus the trees and the fact that I already feel like I have sand permanently stuck up my nose (the nose bleeds when start shortly). The taxis are something special here. Instead of having a light on top to signal empty, they honk their horn. I counted 18secs as the longest horn free time I have heard. Its enough to drive you a little wayward. A taxi here is only full if you cannot cram anyone else inside, empty lap space is available space. Yes!, there is a chinese restuarant in town. It has four dishes for 20 maluti each (about $3.20). Food and beer is incredibly cheap here, unfortunately Bill does not pay for beer.
Cheers,
Sam