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| Our Journey Home begins. Keith, Bob, Denise Griego on train. Photo by our new Dutch friends, Eliane & Gaup |
Recently, I discovered my journal which documented our trip from Botswana to the USA.
It had been in a cabinet unseen for nearly 50 years. My shorthand notebook cover was worn, but the handwritten notes inside were preserved. As I read it, our journey came alive.
It documented an important time in our young lives––Bob 28, Denise 26, and Keith 3.
We lived in Botswana, Africa from 1975 to 1977. I was serving a two-year contract as a Peace Corps/United Nations Volunteer on leave-without-pay from the National Park Service. My job was Game Warden-Administration for the Department of Wildlife and National Parks in Botswana, Africa.
We would make lifelong friendships that still exist today.
We would sell most everything we owned in Gaborone, Botswana to fund our trip, including clothes, blankets, kitchen utensils, tennis rackets, garden tools, bicycle, and our VW bug. These monies, in addition to our Peace Corps travel allowance to return to the USA, and our savings would help us on our journey home–$2,160 in travelers checks and $201 cash.
We left Gaborone, Botswana on August 28, 1977 and would arrive 113 days later on December 18, 1977 in Ontario, California. We took 16 rolls of 35mm film and mailed them from different countries back to the USA. Of the 16 rolls, one got lost but showed up 6 months later after we returned home!
These are my transcribed notes from that journal:
Day 1: August 28, 1977
(Gaborone, Botswana)
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| Bob, Keith, Denise Griego. Saying goodbye to Botswana was hard, but we would return. |
With backpacks loaded, we are ready to leave Gaborone, Botswana to the USA. Backpacks' weight—Bob 48 ½ pounds, Denise 26 ½ pounds, Keith 1 pound.
Inside the backpacks—one tent with rain fly, cotton sleeping bags, Bleuet camping stove, knife, cooking pots, plates and utensils, water canteens, water purification tablets, flash light, clothes, toys, and a few other necessities.
We set off with cashier checks, a Rand McNally map of Southern Africa and Asia, a Mamiya Secor 35mm SLR camera with a broken light meter, 16 rolls of film, backpacks, and each other in pursuit of our dreams.
Our last few days are spent with Jenny Cramer, and many friends see us off at the Gaborone, Botswana airport. Maryane Demule travels with us to Johannesburg, South Africa. Our first night is at the Fontana Inn in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Our journey begins…
Day 2: August 29, 1977
(Blanyre, Malawi)
We fly South African Airways, with a good lunch, to Blantyre, Malawi. Nervously, we take a 20-minute bus ride downtown, but there are no accommodations due to local elections, so we take a taxi to Limbe, 5 miles away, and we sleep in a Rest house—VIP room for K3,00. The local food, mostly rice and meat, is cheap and good!
Day 3: August 30, 1977
(Zomba, Malawi)
We plan to leave Limbe for Zomba, Malawi, but the bus is hours late, so we take a taxi to Blantyre and get the bus there. It’s a 3-hour bus ride—eat plenty of bananas, cookies, and jerky. The Government Guest House, 20 feet from the bus depot, has a room for K3,00. We are there for only 10 minutes when Bob and Jane Hunter (Peace Corps volunteers from Gaborone, Botswana) knock at our door. They are traveling home as well, camping and we all have a good meal, plus a few “greens”, the Malawi beer (.28T).
We all take a walk to the nearby market where hundreds of people are selling a variety of goods, but mostly food and vegetables. We stock up on bananas, salted nuts, eggs, pineapple, and rice. We plan to go to the Zomba Plateau to camp near the Zomba Nature Reserve.
Day 4: August 31, 1997
(Zomba Plateau, Malawi)
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| Denise and Keith Griego. The people of Malawi were always helpful and friendly. |
With our backpacks, we start our 5 ½ mile climb up the mountain. Keith walks nearly 2 ½ miles before we carry him. He is such a good hiker. We soon got a lift to the top of the mountain by a Zambian couple on vacation. There are pine trees all around us, and it reminds me of Big Basin, California. We are about 8,000 feet. The view should be better, however, bushfires through Southern Africa cause smoky skies. We stay in a campground for free, situated in tall pines; the air is cool, and clean! They have boiler showers. The night is very cold and we put on sweaters and pants to keep warm.
We feast on strawberries sold by the locals and eat at a very good restaurant—a three-course dinner and plenty of greens too!
Day 5: September 1, 1997
(Zomba, Malawi)
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| Denise, Bob, and Keith Griego. |
There is a fish farm nearby with waterfalls, and it is a pleasant hike. Along the freshwater stream, we see 6” trout. We begin walking downhill, but we get a lift after 2 miles. Keith complains some but he walks by himself!
Return to the Rest House in Zomba and stay in a dorm for 50T per person. We meet Windy, Hunter’s friend from Gaborone, who is on vacation, and she teams up with us. We visited the market again and went to a bar for greens. Denise, Jane, and Windy dance to some good music while Bob and I sip greens, and Keith has a Coke. A good night ends with a good meal at the Rest House.
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| Jane Hunter, Windy, Bob Hunter, Keith and Denise Griego; owner. "Denise, Jane, and Windy dance to some good music inside." |
Day 6: September 2, 1977
(Monkey Bay, Malawi)
All six of us take a 6-hour bus to Monkey Bay, which makes over 50 stops along the route, roughly 200 miles. Eat as usual. At Monkey Bay, we learn of a possible lift to Cape Maclear, a camping spot near the lake. We take pictures of ourselves. We reluctantly climbed onto the back of the truck. The driver has been drinking, and we are hesitant to ride with him, but we do. The real problem is that he gets 8 more people, and this little Toyota is overloaded. I hold onto Keith and Denise tightly with each hard bump we hit.
We gave him K1.50 after some debate about his price. Sleep in a dorm and eat only bread, pineapple, and tongue for those who can do that.
Day 7: September 3, 1977
(Cape Maclear, Malawi)
We set up our tents and begin exploring Cape Maclear, which has clean beaches but is more developed than we thought. The water is clean, fresh, and warm. It is about 80 degrees outside and we all have tans. Keith has a good time in the water after being cooped up on those buses. The sand on the beach is coarse, not at all like the ocean.
We rent masks, snorkels, and fins to explore, seeing coral-type fish and underwater rock formations. Bob Hunter does some long underwater free dives in some caves, which makes me nervous.
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| Denise and Keith Griego. |
Day 8: September 4, 1977
(Cape Maclear, Malawi)
Cape Maclear is nicer with each day. We feast on a fish called Chambo, a perch that is delicious and cheap. It is freshly caught by local fishermen who sell it to us on the shore.
Day 9: September 5, 1977
(Cape Maclear, Malawi)
Easy going. We note that Lake Malawi is the 3rd largest in Africa, and 12th largest in the world.
Day 10: September 6, 1977
(Cape Maclear, Malawi)
We met four more travelers from Gaborone, Botswana! Ruth and Malcom Smith plus Dave Bryant and Paul. They are here for the same reason we are. We help them settle in and enjoy dinner together, and then get ready to leave the next morning for Lilongwe, Malawi.
Day 11: September 7, 1977
(Lilongwe, Malawi)
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| Keith Griego along road-side with our backpacks. "On to Lilongwe." |
Hitched a ride with a Zambian couple as far as Monkey Bay, where we caught a bus to Salima (short on money, only K2,07 left). The bus from Salima to Lilongwe costs K2,14. The bus driver, seeing what we had, gave us tickets anyway, and we arrived in Lilongwe after a 6-hour trip.
We walk 1 ½ miles to the Lilongwe Hotel and register for the night. It is expensive (K30 +), but the terrific meal tonight made up for it. We have soup, salad, roast duck, pork chops, pie, coffee, and greens. It is the best service we’ve ever had!
Day 12: September 8, 1977
(Blantrye, Malawi)
Up at 6 am and have a full breakfast. We obtain India VISA’s and reroute our air tickets with Air Malawi, deleting Zambia altogether because we want to fly directly to Dar Salaam, Tanzania (obtain VISA’s at airport). Zambia has declared a blackout with a 10 pm curfew.
We add New Delhi, India and Kathmandu, Nepal to our tickets at no extra cost. The Malawian who helped us was very professional and provided excellent service! He also booked the Florida Inn in Dar Salaam and the YMCA in Moshi.
Mailed Susan and Rick a “wedding” congratulations postcard of a lady with baskets. Denise mailed Alan a birthday congratulations as well, his 23rd birthday!
Check out of the hotel and leave a note for Bob and Jane with Ruth’s sandals she forgot. Hurried off to the bus station to catch the 1 pm express to Blantyre. We barely finish our business by 12 noon and take a taxi to the bus station, 1 mile away, only to find the ticket office closed despite having made reservations. A guy tells us that the express Blantyre bus is in front of us, so we board but there is standing room only. Keith is sleepy, so I hold him, but at the Dedza stop, we get a good seat. On all of these bus rides, we buy bananas, biscuits, etc, from boys who sell regularly at bus stops meant to load and unload passengers. This is our first express bus, which only stops at major towns. This is different from the regular buses, which stopped whenever people wanted to get off.
Our dinner is quite good, and the bus travels fast but safely, occasionally bringing the bus to a stop to let goats pass. The 192-mile run took an amazing 6 hours. The regular bus might have taken 12 hours. We quickly pitched our tent at the Guest House because the dorm beds do not have blankets and look run-down. It was cold last night, but we liked our tent better! We eat at the China Bar and have delicious sweet and sour pork.
Day 13: September 9, 1977
(Blantyre, Malawi)
Each Guest House has a simple restaurant, and that’s where we are now. We asked if they could make toast from our leftover bread from the bus ride. We have our toast, eggs, and coffee. We spent 3 hours walking around Blantyre looking at curios and collecting some Malawi posters.
Just before leaving the Guest House, we met two Lesotho Peace Corps Volunteers from Colorado. We took a bus to the airport, had a green, and boarded British Airways at 1740 hours and arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania at 2000 hours.
I am very worried about customs since we did not have VISAS for Tanzania. The immigration official tries to blackmail us, demanding $10 for VISAS. We told him that we thought the VISAS were $2.50 and asked to see their rates. They continue with intimation. They then said the rate was 75 shillings or $7.50. They eventually issued the VISAS in our passports and handed them back to me. I then asked these characters for a receipt, and of course, they didn’t plan to issue a receipt, pocketing the money for themselves. This was our first exposure to Tanzania; we had been warned about such things before leaving Botswana.
On a positive note, we met Nancy, Rick, and their son, Jeromme, who were coming from New York for the holidays. We shared a Taxi and got a room at the same hotel—Luthern House for 120S, which is next to the harbor and very humid. We met Drew Henderson from Gaborone, who is here with his family.
Day 14: September 10, 1977
(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
The humidity is high as we do some sightseeing in Dar es Salaam—National Museum, curio shops, and the harbor. We had a soup lunch at the fancy Kilimanjaro Hotel. If we can’t cross the border into Kenya, we will fly on Pan Am on Saturday, September 24th.
Day 15: September 11, 1977
(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Purchased 2nd class rail tickets (S143.25) from Dar es Salaam to Moshi for Thursday. We take a cab to Silver Sands and camp in what is really a parking lot. This camping area is extremely poor, but we’ll stay two nights and then return to Dar Salam. The ocean water is very warm, and it is said that by December, it will be too warm to swim.
Day 16: September 12, 1977
(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Denise jots down some words by Keith, “Daddy, you have toilet paper on your back.” My back is peeling from the East African sun. He then adds, “Ants are biting my head.” We interpret this to mean his head is itchy from the sun. The tides are low, so we walk 150’ into clear waters, seeing sea urchins, slugs, and fish. We walk one mile to a fancier hotel that has a freshwater swimming pool. We pay 10 shillings to swim all day, enjoying hard-boiled eggs, fried chicken, oranges, and crackers. This was a meal we purchased earlier that morning—a great lunch!
Our sleep last night wasn’t too bad. I saw the security guard pace by our tent a few times, making me feel more comfortable. However, the light post above us was a bit too bright. Tonight’s dinners are OK, but I pass on Ox tongue. Tomorrow we return to Dar es Salaam to take a train to Moshi.
Day 17: September 13, 1977
(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Our first serious problem—we hitched a ride with University staff traveling to their school, where we planned to take the train to Dar es Salaam. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to ride in the same Land Rover, and the nightmare began. Denise and Keith in one Land Rover, and me in another. We didn’t know that they would be going to different locations on campus. We could not find each other, and it was scary as I carried all the passports and money. I met Floyd John, a math teacher from Palo Alto, California, who helped me search for Denise and Keith. We both decided to head to the train station in Dar es Salaam, hoping to find each other. It worked as I saw Denise and Keith walking towards me! She apparently had just enough money to buy Keith some ice cream to keep him calm.
Boarded the train at 2 pm, but it did not leave until 6 pm, heading for Moshi, at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. We had a nice chicken and rice dinner with a couple we met from Holland. Our train compartment is cozy and we have bunk beds for sleeping. Finished reading the Golden Soak.
Day 18: September 14, 1977
(Moshi, Tanzania)
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| Our first glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro - 19,341'. |
We managed to get a good sleep, but it was very dusty in the morning. This is a long train ride—341 miles from Dar es Salaam to Moshi. Breakfast was good. The scenery now is visible—mountains, trees, with cloudy skies. Denise and I are tired. We meet Dutch couple, Elaine and Gaup. Elaine takes a picture of us that captures the moment.
We approach Moshi at 9 am and get our first glimpse of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain at 19,341 feet. The top portion is covered with snow, with clouds hanging below the summit. There aren’t any other mountains in sight, so Mount Kilimanjaro doesn’t really look big. It is a rounded mountain, very smooth-looking. In Moshi, it is quite warm, about 90 degrees.
Checked into the YMCA for only 84 Shillings for all three of us. The rooms are very good with a view of Mount Kilimanjaro from our window. We buy a few things in town and have drinks at a local bar where they are playing country western music by Charlie Pride—I’m in heaven. I call Fred Mokgwa at the College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka. We might go there tomorrow.
Day 19: September 15, 1977
(Mweka, Tanzania)
It rained last night, and Mount Kilimanjaro isn’t visible. There is a slight drizzle now. Israel arrived at the YMCA this morning to let me know that Fred would come later this morning. We are in the process of arranging a trip to the nearby National Parks with Dutch couple, Elaine and Gaup. We plan to rent a VW bus.
Fred arrives at 8:30 am with a Mweka driver to take us to the College, some 15 miles away. We are thrilled and surprised to see what they have for us. A group of students had set up a large tent for us. It was spacious, including a veranda, table, 2 chairs, and 3 cots perfectly situated under a large, shady tree with Mount Kilimanjaro directly in front of us.
It is very peaceful here. The night was cold despite the warm days.
Day 20: September 16, 1977
(Mweke, Tanzania)
Our hosts are kind and treat us well, and meals are very big, usually a meat stew with rice or meali-meal, tea, and coffee. They serve us far more than we can eat.
We take a 3-mile hike along banana and coffee plantations below Mount Kilimanjaro, which isn’t seen today due to the clouds. After dinner, I gave a talk and slide show to the students and families about Botswana’s national parks as well as the National Park Service in the USA. They all clapped when I began by saying “Jambo.” My informal talk to the students, families with kids went well. There were about 50 people there.
With heavier clothing, the night wasn’t as cold. They showed us two excellent films about Mweka and East Africa-Forest or Desert.
Day 21: September 17, 1977
(Mweka, Tanzania)
Spending time in their library this morning reading World National Parks, Progress and Opportunities by Jean-Paul Harroy, 1972, Hayez, Brussels, Belgium. Mweka has tennis and squash courts, which I enjoyed. There was a dance they invited us to, but we were too tired.
Day 22: September 18, 1977
(Moshi, Tanzania)
As we prepared to leave Mweka, we paid 75 shillings for three days. Leave at 10 am. Fred and Israel walk with us down the road, as there is no lift this time. We walked 2 ½ miles to the bus stop. Keith is building up endurance, walking 2 ½ miles in 2 hours!
Our bus, if we can call it that, lost its brakes as it stopped to collect us, requiring 20 minutes to fix them. After the repairs, he likely had only 15% breaks with 10 miles remaining. We were relieved when the bus made it down.
At Moshi, we rent a room at the YMCA. At dinner, Ruth and Malcom Smith greet us, and we have another Botswana reunion! We exchange tales of our adventures thus far. They seem exhausted—both had colds.
We make plans to leave Moshi at 11 am for Arusha with the Dutch couple, Elaine and Gaup.
Day 23: September 19, 1977
(Moshi, Tanzania)
It is cloudy with a slight drizzle. Last night, I finished reading Marathon Man. We go down to breakfast to meet Ruth and Malcom Smith, and Bob and Jane Hunter are there as well! It is very good to see them. We talk about going together to the Serengeti and the surrounding areas if they can change their date to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. We’ll know around 1 pm.
In the lobby, I sold my brown pants and small carrying bag to lighten our load—pants 40 shillings and bag 30 shillings. The guy paid me more than I thought.
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| It was great meeting up with Bob and Jane Hunter former Peace Corps Volunteers from Botswana. Denise and Keith Griego taking a break. |
Day 24: September 20, 1977
(Moshi, Tanzania)
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| Peace Corps friends from Botswana on their own journey home. Ruth and Macom Smith; Denise Griego; Jane and Bob Hunter. |
Bob and Jane, along with Ruth and Malcom, postpone their Mount Kilimanjaro climb and agree to join us on our Serengeti safari. We spent our final night at the YMCA.
Day 25: September 21, 1977
(Arusha, Tanzania)
We took the bus to Arusha after a slight mishap at the bus station. We buy vegetables at the open market and tortillas! We rent a VW bus with a driver for 3,500 Shillings, split 8 ways. We are really on our way to the Serengeti!
We spent our first night at Lake Manyara National Park at a cheap hotel—20 Shillings. We eat in the village.
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| Jane Hunter buying our vegetables at an open market. |
Day 26: September 22, 1977
(Lake Manyara, Tanzania)
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| We pooled our money and rented a driver and van. Jane and Bob Hunter; Ruth and Malcom Smith. |
We see zebras, impala, wart hogs, hippos, elephants, and flamingos. Game viewing continues after we have a flat tire.
The lake is very beautiful, which is along the Rift Valley. There are plenty of monkeys and baboons. After ½ day, we head for Ngorongoro Crater. We did not see the famous tree-climbing lions.
We spent the night at a hostel for 44 Shillings. The rooms are poor, but adequate. By 8:30 am, we were on our way to Ngorongoro Crater. It is extremely beautiful—must be seen to be appreciated!
We descend into the crater in a 4-wheel Land Rover and immediately see two black mane male lions. I hope my pictures turn out! After that, it’s heaven for game viewing with hundreds, perhaps thousands of zebras, wildebeest, and Thompson gazelle. There are elephants, hippos, rhinos, jackals, and hyenas, too! The sheer number of animals stands out! There is a large ¼ square mile in the middle of the crater. We spent ½ day down in the crater in awe; this, thus far, is the highlight of our trip!
After leaving the crater, we head for Serengeti National Park, where we continue to see gazelle, ostrich, and warthogs. Vast expanses of plains with acacia trees—very Africa! We stop for many giraffes that tower over the plains. The Thompson gazelle are everywhere.
Accommodations in a hostel after a “large debate” as to whether we 6 camp or 2 stay in the hostel. In the morning, we are up by 6 am for more game viewing. Denise and I are hoping to see a leopard and a cheetah.
Day 27: September 23, 1977
(Serengeti National Park, Tanzania)
We are up and away by 6 am.
We drove 30 minutes when we spotted a black mane lion. We stay there watching him and then move forward. Giraffes, Thobes, and gazelles are plentiful, and then we come upon a pride of six lions. We watch a lioness stock a Thobe and then, after 20 minutes, 2 more males and 5 females join. They are stocking Thompson's gazelle. They lay down after an unsuccessful hunt. There are plenty of roaming buffalo. We leave the park for a quick stop at Olduvai Gorge, stop for a drink, and spend the night at a good hotel in Manyara.
Day 28: September 24, 1977
(Arusa, Tanzania)
As we prepare to leave the hotel for Arusha, we run into Dave and Paul, who are staying 50 feet from us. They are off for Ngorongoro Crater, etc. We say what seems like our final good-byes in Arusha to Bob, Jane, Ruth, and Malcom. Tonight we stay in a cheap but good hotel.
We wander into unfamiliar streets at night, and I sense danger when I see a group of guys watching us. I tell Denise if something happens, grab Keith and run to the hotel. My plan was to fight off the intruders and run. Nothing happened but it was tense.
Day 29: September 25, 1977
(Moshi, Tanzania)
Depart on a bus for Moshi. The trip seems fast. We bought train tickets to Dar es Salaam after they wanted to charge for Keith because he was over 3 years old—we said he’s 2 ½ and that worked. We go to the YMCA to see if Bob, Jane, Ruth, and Malcom are still there. Indeed, they are! We all go to the local market to buy provisions for the 14-hour train ride. We all had ice cream before we said our final good-byes.
Our train leaves on time, and we eat our tortillas, coconut, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Today, I lost my sunglasses. In Arusha yesterday, we visited the Mereshim factory and took a tour to see how they process their goods. We saw President Nyerere in Arusha and again the next day in Moshi.
The train ride is ok, we played cards with a couple from Tucson, Arizona and a girl from Ireland. We booked a flight to Nairobi at 10:30 pm.
Day 30: September 26, 1977
(Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
Spending the day in Dar es Salaam buying postcards and eating ice cream. We met Charlie Taylor at the New Africa Hotel, along with Ervor Edman (she was our UN Coordinator in Botswana). She has offered to drive us to the airport at 8:30 pm. Finished the CIA thriller, Dragons at the Gate.
The flight to Nairobi is only one hour, and we arrive at 12 midnight. There is a long delay in claiming our packpacks (Denise's hand-made bright sacks which kept our stuff safe), and we find out that the airport is closed. I asked two Japanese guys if we could share their taxi to town—they said OK. The cab then took us to Brummer's Hotel, where we were able to exchange $10. It is a good hotel, but expensive—180 TS.
We arranged to fly to India. Spent the day sightseeing. It is a clean city with plenty of life here.
We checked into the cheaper Gloria hotel for 56TS.
Day 31: September 27, 1977
(Nairobi, Kenya)
We tour Nairobi, which is much cleaner and more varied than Dar es Salaam. The days are warm, but the nights are cold.
We met two nurses from Gaborone on vacation. Later that afternoon, we also met Gwen Horman from Gaborone. Still later in the evening, we met Keith and Gloria from Lesotho. We all exchange information about Mombasa, and that’s how we make adjustments. We arranged our flight to India via Air India, and everything is going fine. We have an excellent Chinese dinner (Pagoda) —sweet and sour, etc.
Day 32: September 28, 1977
(Nairobi, Kenya)
We spent the day window shopping.
Walking across a street, a guy says he’s seen me driving my red, Yamaha 125cc in Gaborone. He lived there and is now studying aviation in Nairobi. Amazing that he recognized me!
We stop by the local post office and mail canisters of film, wood carvings for Paula, and Denise’s beads. We buy two wooden Teak carvings—a man and woman, Masi warriors, for 240KS or $30. Finalized our air tickets with Air Malawi to India after some problems, but all ended well with no extra costs. We continued to the Kenyatta Conference Center, where we had good views of Nairobi. While downtown, we ran into Dave and Paul, seeing them now in all three countries that we visited!
Went to dinner at Mirenos’ for a pizza dinner, including some Italian ice cream–nice atmosphere.
Tomorrow, we will send the Masi print and wooden carvings home, then catch the bus to Mombasa.
Day 33: September 29, 1977
(Nairobi, Kenya)
Early breakfast in our room. Paul sees us and makes arrangements to rent our room as soon as we check out. Visit a big supermarket downtown and buy a few supplies for our trip to Mombasa.
Nairobi is a large city with a variety of shops and services, better than LA. The deluxe bus ride (no crowds) to Mombasa takes 6 hours. Decide to stay at the Astra Hotel (80KS) and have a delicious steak dinner in town. Mombasa seems like an old town, somewhat run down but not noisy.
Day 34: September 30, 1977
(Mombasa, Kenya)
The good breakfast in our room is offset by no water.
The staff brings us 2 buckets of water to wash up. After we checked out, we left our packs at 4 Way Realtors, where we booked a beach cottage, 20 miles north of Mombasa (60KS per day). A short visit to the Information Bureau and go see Fort Jesus, built in 1500, and an interesting museum.
We collect our backpacks and buy food for our beach cottage, and head off for the bus station. The bus driver drops us off at a location, but it’s about 4 miles from our cottage. An old man driving a Toyota sees us and offers a lift–lucky!
The cottage is a small house complete with a shower, toilet, and kitchen with a refrigerator, 3 beds with mosquito netting, dressers, and a sitting room. The beach is 200’ from our cottage, surrounded by palm trees. There is a small store nearby.
Day 35: October 1, 1977
(North Mombasa, Kenya)
It was very hot and humid last night, and a few mosquitoes came into the netting. We have our first breakfast here—eggs and potatoes then walk 3KM to the main road to buy supplies, a 40-minute walk.
There is a limited selection, but we buy eggs, bread, and bananas. A boy on the beach sold us two fish, which we’ll eat tonight. The caretaker brought us a portable electric stove with an oven, which we used to bake our fish – quite good!
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| Keith Griego accepts fish for our dinner. |
Day 36: October 2, 1977
(North Mombasa, Kenya)
Spent the day swimming at Whispering Palms, about 1 mile from our cottage. There is a low tide, and we walk a bit further into the ocean. Played cards with John and Marcia.
Soreness in my mouth begins.
Day 37: October 3, 1977
(North Mombasa, Kenya)
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| Keith and Bob Griego. |
A good breakfast–stove and refrigerator are handy.
Days are spent relaxing at the ocean, watching distant ships, and local fishermen. Our front yard is a mass of coconut trees–much like Hawaii. The water and sand aren’t very clean, and the reef extends for ¼ mile to the breakers. The water is warm and the temperature is about 85-90 degrees with constant cool breezes. We burned yesterday and will stay in semi-shade today.
What I like best about this spot is that we’re self-sufficient with no commitments whatsoever! We wake naturally and eat when we are hungry. The constant hum of the ocean waves and the noise from the Palm trees are really the only sounds around us–very peaceful. We buy more fish and fried are delicious.
Day 38: October 4, 1977
(North Mombasa, Kenya)
Another fine morning. The tide here goes up and down dramatically. We write letters and postcards, and enjoy the beach. We buy more fish. The day is spent relaxing! I finished reading Serengiti Shall Not Die–very enlightening accounts of the animals of the Serengeti. Very relevant after visiting Serengiti.
There is nothing to read now for a few days; we’ve really turned into bookworms.
Day 39: October 5, 1977
(North Mombasa, Kenya)
Spent the entire day in the sun–no special events. Prepare to leave the cottage tomorrow morning.
We’ll walk 2 miles to the main road and wait for the bus.
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| Denise Griego buying souvenirs that we'll treasure for years. |
Day 40: October 6, 1977
(Malindi, Kenya)
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| Bob and Keith Griego ready to hike 2 miles to the main road, just before it started to rain., |
There is no need to walk the 2 miles to the main road as a girls' school bus stops to offer us a ride to Malindi. This is perfect as it starts to rain. We enjoyed talking with the high school girls and listening to their debate about the best use of the land. The bus ride to Malindi is about 40 minutes.
We decided to spend the night in Malindi and leave for the island of Lamu tomorrow.
Malindi is a very small town with hundreds of 1-man shops. The beach is clean, so we spend the afternoon there. We do some body surfing and stay at the Lucky Hotel for 22 Sh–total. The hotel is fairly clean in a quiet part of the town and close to the beach.
We see many Muslim people and eat a very good Hindu dinner (rice, curry, papadams) for 25 Sh.
We bought snacks for tomorrow’s 5 hour bus ride to Lamu!
Day 41: October 7, 1977
(Lamu, Kenya)
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| The ferry was jam packed. Denise and Keith Griego |
Our bus fare to a port before Lamu is 60 Sh, taking about 6 ½ hours. We then take a ferry 3 miles across the waters to Lamu. The boat is loaded to the brim–I’m nervous.
We dock and soon meet John and Connie. We stayed at their hotel for a simple room costing 12 Sh. We walk around Lamu and enjoy a crab dinner.
Lamu is a maze of buildings with narrow passages in between shops, hotels, and houses. There are many Muslims.
Day 42: October 8, 1977
(Lamu, Kenya)
Eating in Lamu is inexpensive, so we start the day with pancakes!
As we walk around the area, there appears to be a religious holiday where all Muslims are celebrating the death of an important man who died 5 years ago. There are over 300 people chanting songs as they walk along the narrow streets.
I took pictures of the photogenic Muselum ladies. They are dressed completely in black and only their eyes can be seen–quite sexy! The men wear a type of long garment instead of pants or shorts. The people are friendly, but frown on having their picture taken.
The dock is busy with dowels moving about. It is quiet here as there are no cars on the island. There are donkeys to transport heavy things.
Curry dinner is simple, and playing cards with friends.
Day 43: October 9, 1977
(Lamu, Kenya)
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| Denise and Keith Griego. Lazy day during low tide. |
It’s a slow morning. We have eggs, toast, and juice for breakfast. I started reading John Steinbeck’s The Snows of Kilimanjaro.
We go to the beach 3 miles away with John and Connie. The water is warm, and the jellyfish are out; one bites John. We play frisbee, swim, and stop for beers on our way back. We shower and go out for dinner. We all splurge–John and Denise have lobster while Connie and I have crab–all very good. Keith has fish and chips.
Buy bus tickets for Mombasa. We play cards with John and Connie.
Day 44: October 10, 1977
(Mombasa, Kenya)
We are up early to catch the 8:30 am ferry. We see some of our friends board a dowel for the day as we await the ferry.
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| Time slowed down as we admire this dowel. |
The bus to Mombasa stops short in Malindi, and we have to wait 2 hours. We catch another bus and leave for Mombasa at 4 pm. This is a very slow bus with hundreds of stops. We finally arrived in Mombasa at 8 pm. Tired, we tried one hotel but it’s full. The second one has room. We are very tired. Barter from 45 Sh to 35 Sh.
Simple Chicken curry dinner. There is no running water tonight, so showers in the morning. The water for all of Mombasa is off from 6 pm to 8 am.
We didn’t meet John and Connie.
Day 45: October 11, 1977
(Mombasa, Kenya)
Daily tasks: visit the bank, post letters and postcards, and have eggs for breakfast. We spent our morning at the British Library.
Collect a nice bus to Mombasa for 100Sh that takes 7 hours. We see Mount Kilimanjaro again. We spot John and Connie on the roadside hitching a ride and talk with them later at the next rest stop–we might see them in Narobia. Dinner at Wimpres.
We are preparing for tomorrow’s flight to India!
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| Denise and Keith Griego. Keith showing off his new shirt. |
Day 46: October 12, 1977
(Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)
As agreed, Air India taxi will collect us at 6:30 am. The best part, he says, there will be no charge, saving us 37 Sh. Cashed $1. Big delays at check-in, and now our plane is late. We take off aboard Air India and land 1 hour late in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The landing is rough. We are now leaving Africa, and how do I feel?
There has been time to slow down and relax— to think or not to think, to soak up the rural life, to watch how life is lived in villages and cities, to meet new friends, and talk about experiences with old friends.
Malawi gave us Cape Maclear—good times with Bob and Jane Hunter, sipping greens, tanning our bodies, and feasting on Chambos.
Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater safari brought us in contact with hundreds, perhaps thousands of animals—zebras, gazelles, wildebeest, jackals, hyenas, and of course the black main lions. Whether we sat on the crater’s rim or drove our Land Rover onto the crater’s floor, the excitement and force of Africa’s free-roaming wildlife was reflected in each other's eyes. The good times we shared with our Dutch friends, Elaine and Gaup, Ruth and Malcome, Bob and Jane at the YMCA in Moshi, as we constantly kept Mount Kilimanjaro in our view, made our stay here in East Africa enjoyable.
What would Kenya have been without the refreshing stay in Nairobi, a fast-moving city displaying modern developments? As always, seeing Dave and Paul was exciting. But perhaps, Lamu with its rich culture, offered the perfect capping to Africa. Our companions, John and Connie, brought us slowly into this unique city. The Muslim people were there. The woman with the black dressing covering all but their eyes created a mysterious atmosphere. I must admit they looked very sexy as their eyes darted about, and John related a nice story too!
Strolling along the beach as we watched dowels skim across the waters, constantly turning down the offers to “rent my dowel?” The beach was there, and the time was good. It was easy to imagine life here as it was in 1600 AD. No cars, no noise. Quiet. Easy going. Good times to reflect.
We arrived in Bombay after a pleasant flight and good meals with Air India. We take a shuttle to the fancy Horizon Hotel, where everything, including our cab, is paid for by Air India! We ordered a Chinese dinner and will be up at 4:30 am tomorrow. Our first impressions at the airport are efficiency over Africa, and of course, fewer black people, all Indians. Women wear their hair very long, usually braided as low as their knees!
Day 47: October 13, 1977
(New Delhi, India)
Our wake-up call comes sharply at 4:30 am. We have coffee, toast, and take a taxi to the airport. At the check-in counter, I find RS10 on the floor and use it to buy Haley’s, The Money Changers. Good treatment at customs, but I had to check in my knife. I finished reading Snows of Kilimanjaro and other short stories–very enjoyable, and makes me want to go camping and fishing. All dinners are terrible, the worst we’ve ever encountered.
We arrive early in New Delhi and take the bus downtown. There are no rooms at the YMCA, YWCA, and 3 to 4 other hotels. Finally settled at the New Asian Lodge for a cheap RS35, but it’s not very good. The ceiling is quite low, with dirty toilets. We thought New Delhi was the pride of India, and we find it rundown, with too many cars, and life on the street, hectic.
After two hours, we booked our flight with Indian Airlines to Nepal on October 21st. At the Unlimited Cafe, we enjoy a good curry and sweet and sour pork. The curries here are the best we’ve ever had. Bought incense and some Indian material patterns. My sore mouth is completely healed!
Day 48: October 14, 1977
(New Delhi, India)
We are up late, breakfast at 12 noon! Travel to the ancient Red Fort and buy more material. I finally sold 2 rain coats for Rs 40 and a pan for Rs 10.
The city smells. In some spots, the road gutters smell like urine.
Traffic is jam-packed, and there are too many people. The air is dirty, and the noise is constant. The drivers of cars and scooters constantly use their horns on poorly designated roads. It seems like a wild free-for-all. It is extremely stressful. During nightfall, people lie down in the filthy streets.
Tomorrow, we’re off to Agra, where we hope the pace is slower.
Day 49: October 15, 1977
(Agra, India)
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| A true wonder, the Taj Mahal. |
Our train ride to Agra is comfortable and takes 3 hours. We quickly hired a scooter to see the Taj Mahal. It is stunning, but there are no other such structures around. A jewel surrounded by swamps. Keith says he doesn’t like it here. Denise reminds me that at dinner, we are being charged for silverware.
Everywhere we go, people are trying to sell services or goods, and it is so annoying. They gather around us and stare, especially when Keith is playing with his toys. We decide we have had enough of the masses, dirty streets, and we return to New Delhi in hopes of taking an earlier flight to Nepal. The bus from Agra took 5 ½ hours. Checked into the Asian Guest House and paid Rs 45 for a good room with a fan, toilet, and showers. We are tired.
Days 50-51: October 16-17, 1977
(New Delhi, India)
Desperately trying to make arrangements with Royal Nepal Airlines for a flight on Wednesday. We got a standby on Tuesday at 7 am. We get Nepal VISAs, and the day is hectic. Saw the movie, Silent Movie (good).
Three types of pollution–people, noise, air.
Day 52: October 18, 1977
(Kathmandu, Nepal)
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| Our first view of Mount Everest 29,029'. |
We are up at 5 am and go to the airport. No luck on Royal Nepal Airlines, so at 8:30 am we try India Airlines. At 9:15 am, they put us on their waiting list. At 9:30 am, they issued us three tickets! We depart India at 10:30 am with light snacks.
We arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal with refreshed spirits! There are green valleys, high mountains, and clean air!
We share a taxi with two people from Utah who are here on a 28-day mountain trek. We check into the Kathmandu Hotel for Rs22 (R12 to $1). The room is clean, the hotel is well kept with a nice courtyard–grass, flowers, and trees.
Immediately book our flight to Bangkok with Thai International on October 26th. We spent the rest of the day looking in curio shops. There are scared cows that freely roam the streets, leaving messy deposits on the sidewalks.
We like it here very much, and such a contrast to India.
Day 53: October 19, 1977
(Kathmandu, Nepal)
We had our first good night's sleep in a while. We used heavy blankets as it got down to 40 degrees, but the days are warm. They said that we just missed the monsoons, but there are still clouds around.
Compared to Africa and India, there are so many young Americans here. At times I like it, and other times I don’t. Perhaps, it signals a reminder that our trip is ½ over.
We rent two bicycles and explore Kathmandu, riding over 15 miles. There are numerous Buddha temples. The people are loose and friendly. We bought 6-hour bus tickets to Pokhara for Rs 44.
The bike ride got us very, very tired.
Day 54: October 20, 1977
(Pokhara, Nepal)
Up at 6 am and hire a rickshaw to the bus station. It is cold outside. The bus immediately has two flat tires and takes 12 hours, not 6 hours, to Pokhara. The scenery is spectacular, with green valleys with occasional glimpses of the Himalayas.
We took a taxi to the Fewa Hotel (Rs 40). We had an early dinner, and we were thoroughly exhausted.
Day 55: October 21, 1977
(Pokhara, Nepal)
Good sleep! In the morning, the views of Phewa Lake with nearby snow-capped mountains are breathtaking! This turns out to be a perfect spot after yesterday’s long, tiring day. We walk to the nearby 3-table restaurant and have French toast, eggs, chapati, and coffee–all is perfect!
We walk 5 miles one way to town to buy basics, but most shops are closed. Nepal has festivals similar to Christmas. The people are small, looking like a cross between Japanese, Indian, or Escamo. All have well-developed leg muscles as they trek naturally throughout the Himalayas. They easily carry heavy loads in a big basket on their backs with a strap around their forehead.
We love it here. It is very peaceful.
Finished reading The Money Changers–excellent!
Day 56: October 22, 1977
(Pokhara, Nepal)
Today, we will rent a canoe for 3 hours (R6) and canoe on the lake, stopping occasionally to sunbathe. The water is cold. The views of the Himalayas are grand. Meals here are home-made, delicious, and cheap.
Day 57: October 23, 1977
(Pokhara, Nepal)
The day begins with a huge, delicious breakfast for only $2. Five chiptas! Trade some books.
We rent a regular boat for 2 hours, and Keith and I go swimming.
We no longer will need most of our camping gear for the remainder of our trip, so we decided to sell it. At our hotel, I mentioned to one guy that in an hour we are selling our camping gear. Soon, people are eager to buy our stuff–tent, sleeping bags, stove, fuel cartridges, pots, and cups for RS 375 or $32. We keep our backpacks to carry things we buy to take home.
Dinner last night was delicious–chopped pork pieces mixed in mashed potato pies with vegetables, beer, and banana fritters. All handmade for just RS 50 or $4. The cook prepares all the food as ordered, takes his time, and really tries to please his customers.
Day 58: October 24, 1977
(Pokhara, Nepal)
From Pokhara Valley, the following mountains can be seen–Mt. Annapurna (26,545’), Mt. Machapuchare or the Fish Tail Mountain (22,942’), and Mt. Dhaulagiri (26,795’). Of course, Mt. Everest at 29,028’, which we have not seen. Tomorrow we return to Kathmandu.
Day 59: October 25, 1977
(Kathmandu, Nepal)
We are up at 6 am, buy some chapati’s and hard-boiled eggs, and head for the bus. Although we bought our tickets 4 days ago, there is a foul-up, and we don’t have assigned seats and must ride sitting on the aisle floor. The good news is that the trip to Kathmandu only took 6 hours (versus 12 hours).
We have a good pizza dinner and buy gifts afterwards. We are lucky that the Kathmandu Guest House, as agreed, held a room for us.
Day 60: October 26, 1977
(Bangkok, Thailand)
We sadly leave Kathmandu, Nepal aboard Thai International for Bangkok, Thailand.
The food aboard Thai International is excellent, and all food, including drinks, is free. I have a beer.
We took the airport bus to downtown Hotel (B200). We aren't too hungry after our airplane meals, so we have 3 banana splits–our first meal in Bangkok!
Day 61: October 27, 1977
(Bangkok, Thailand)
We want to find Young, our friend who lived in Gaborone, Botswana. We walk to the University, but unfortunately, school is out during graduation, and we do not see her.
Check into the cheaper Malaysian Hotel (B100), which is clean and close to shops.
The Thai people look Chinese (not Japanese) and are fair-skinned. They dress well but conservatively. They seem friendly and open towards Keith. There are very few Thai people who speak English, and most signs are in Thai–a new experience.
Bangkok is, like all big cities, busy. We see a few monasteries, but we will explore them later. There are many shops and people also selling their goods on the streets and the city is clean.
Denise has a case of the “runs” and I feel a little off–Banana splits? We confirmed our flight to Penang, Malaysia via Thai International. Everything is going smoothly.
You really feel you are in another part of the world where 99.9% of the people are Thai. Keith and I have prawns and Thai fried rice, which is good (a bit on the spicy side).
For the first time in 2 ½ years, we were able to buy Crest toothpaste here in Bangkok. It now seems like it's good service everywhere, good products, just like in the USA. The local beers are some of the best so far.
Day 62: October 28, 1977
(Bangkok, Thailand)
Pancakes and waffles for breakfast. Today, we hope to find Young and to go see a floating market. We skip the floating market but go see the cultural Rose Garden for their traditional Thai songs and dance.
Keith and I go on an elephant ride. We tried all day to reach Young, but no luck. Good prawn dinner. We changed rooms for a better toilet. Finish Agatha Christie’s, Murder in Mesopotamia.
Day 63: October 29, 1977
(Penang, Malaysia)
Up at 6 am, have breakfast, and leave for a floating market tour at 7 am. The tour takes us along canals where locals are selling goods from their boats, and people living on floating houses, some houses on shore too. We stop to see a Buddha temple and are told that there are 35,000 temples in Bangkok alone. We enjoyed the 3 hour tour very much.
At 11 am, stop at the Thai International Airport to see if we can fly to Penang, Malaysia earlier (30th). Told that there are no flights on the 30th but there is room today at 1:30 pm, so I quickly book the flight. We leave the hotel and head for the airport. The traffic is slow and terrible; there are so many cars in Bangkok, the most I’ve seen in a city.
We barely make it to the airport at 1 pm, board our flight, which leaves at 1:30 pm—close call!
On board, we have a good lunch, and a flight attendant gives Keith a toy car. Upon arriving at the Penang, Malaysia airport, it started to rain. We went to a hotel, 11 miles away (M$10.50).
Day 64: October 30, 1977
(Penang, Malaysia)
We spent the entire day at the beach. The water is cool, and the scenery is nice. The Malaysian people seem darker and heavier, unlike the Thai people who were thin and fair skinned. Foods are spicy and fixed differently than in Thailand. Finished reading 2001: A Space Odyssey, which better explained the movie.
Day 65: October 31, 1977
(Penang, Malaysia)
We quickly boarded a bus for town and made arrangements to fly to Singapore on November 4th.
We spent the day on Penang Hill, which gave us a good view of Penang and the Malaysian mainland. We have a good Chinese dinner—prawn fritters, sweet and sour chicken, and chicken rolls.
Day 66: November 1, 1977
(Penang, Malaysia)
We have a delicious egg breakfast at what’s becoming our favorite restaurant—Hollywood. After breakfast, we took a bus to a batik store/factory where I bought a shirt and Denise got some batik place mats.
The beach is great for 30 minutes until it starts to rain. Our weather so far has been perfect on this trip, so I suppose we’re due for the monsoons. It’s now raining at night and sometimes during the day, but only for short periods. The local buses are efficient and cheap, and we’ve had good luck with the bus schedules.
Finished, Alive.
Day 67: November 2, 1977
(Penang, Malaysia)
The weather is perfect, so we spend the entire day at the beach and splurge on malts at a big, fancy hotel. We go back to our hotel, have drinks, take showers, then go to dinner. We had crab dinner (1kg, 2 crabs for $1.80), prawns, fried rice, and soup (forgot money).
Day 68: November 3, 1977
(Penang, Malaysia)
We again spent the full day at the beach and had banana splits afterwards. Heavy rain during the night.
Day 69: November 4, 1977
(Singapore)
Near the end of our stay here we took a bus to George Town. We spent the last of our Malaysian money on American hamburgers with thick malts before taking a local bus to the airport. The flight to Singapore is only 1 hour. Take a cab to Hoe Pin Hotel (S$14) and have dinner (pork steak) at a USA-type coffee shop.
Day 70: November 5, 1977
(Singapore)
Singapore is a modern, clean city with a variety of shops similar to those in the USA. There is a modern harbor nearby. People are friendly and we like that they don’t try to force goods upon you.
We spent a hectic day arranging flights all the way home to the USA.
Day 71: November 6, 1977
(Singapore)
Toured the hand craft center, and saw a movie.
Day 72: November 7, 1977
(Sentosa Island, Singapore)
We took a cable car to Sentosa Island, Mt. Faber. All good but expensive. Pizza dinner. We’re off to Jakarta, Indonesia in the morning.
Day 73: November 8, 1977
(Jakarta, Indonesia)
At the airport, we get our Indonesian visas (S$30) and the flight to Jakarta is only 1 ½ hours (crossed the equator).
Jakarta is very smoggy and seems old for an island. The traffic is hectic and the humidity is high (too hot!). It is expensive here, hopefully less once we get away from the capital.
Day 74 & 75: November 9-10, 1977
(Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
We are up early, 6 am or so, and decide to take the train to Yogyakarta, which leaves at 5 pm, and book tickets. The currency is very inflated, something like R415 to $1. The train ride is 13 hours, so we bought apples, tangerines, and some candy for the long trip. The train ride is ok and we bought one large cushioned seat for us costing R5,200. The food sold on the train is good—rice and meat. We met an Indonesian guy who is going to school in Colon—majoring in biology.
Keith has no problem falling asleep but we are constantly shifting our positions and sleep little. I started reading I. Wallace’s The Fan Club, which is good so far. I had to convert $30 more into Indonesian currency as we will be here 16 days, not 10 as planned. We have $438 left as planned.
I sense signs of an eagerness to end our trip. Keith seems to get more touchy more quickly, an understanding so. We are not seeing good friends as we encountered while travelling through Africa. However, we are looking forward to seeing Gerry Nevelli, whom we have not seen since Chobe National Park in Botswana, Africa.
I leave my backpack in the hotel, and we use Denise’s. We have nine rolls of film left and used 10 rolls. I priced a new AE-1 Canon, F 1.4, costing about $240 in Singapore.
Singapore is such a small island, but advanced in technology, well above Malaysia and Indonesia. Jakarta was dirty and showed little advanced technology. We are looking forward to Bali, where we plan to spend 16 days.
On the train, we left Jakarta at 5 am, getting 4 hours of sleep or so.
The first two hotels didn’t have water, but the third did, costing R2,200. We sleep for 5 hours and in the morning have a good breakfast. The cost of living here is much lower than in Jakarta. The batiks are extremely good and unbelievably cheap, and we buy $50 of batiks at one factory. There, we saw how batiks are made at a factory. The people are more friendly than we saw in Jakarta, and the pace is slower. We get information about the bus going to Bali tomorrow at 7 pm.
We sent Jerry a telegram to let him know where we were and when we might see him in Australia. No response.
Day 76: November 11, 1977
(Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
French toast and eggs start the day and our priority is getting bus tickets to Bali. At 10 am we go to the bus station and we get the last two tickets for the bus carrying 18 people. It is scheduled to leave at 7 pm so we check out of the hotel at 1:30 pm and sit in the lobby reading.
The people seem more forward in wanting to touch and now kiss Keith—he hates it and so do we but they just want to be friendly. As we eat, they stand around our table looking and trying to touch Keith. If they approach him slowly, he loves the attention but few people do that. We stand guard. Time goes slowly as we wait for the bus to Bali. Finally, it’s time to board the bus but then we are told that it has broken down—bummer! They agreed to give us a room in a cheap hotel at 50% discount or R250. The light in our room is on the blink, so Denise swipes one from another room. We are told that our bus will leave tomorrow at 7 pm.
Day 77 and 78: November 12-13, 1997
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
Finished The Fan Club—didn’t like the ending.
The discounted room has a very low ceiling, and I have to bend over to not hit my head. The showers are taken from a type of wooden well that had two fish in it. The room didn’t have windows and was very hot.
Good breakfast nearby, French toast again. We went to the library but it was closed, and ended up killing a few hours at the museum. Nearby, 5 guys played local instruments with chimes, making us relax as we toured the grounds. We spent the rest of our time in our room, had dinner, and waited for the bus.
The bus showed up on time and looked good, seating 18 people with reclining seats! The bus stops allowing us to grab dinner and breakfast, as this is a 16-hour trip. It seems to go quickly but it’s nerve-racking as our bus driver drives too fast and takes too many chances.
We are relieved to step off his bus. We then take a 20-minute ferry to Bali, jump on another bus to Kuta Beach—a hangout for young people.
We have a quick lunch and check into Yulia Hotel, which has a good room for R830 or $2 for a double. There is a nice garden with good vibes. The beach, just 19 minutes away, is great. The waves are perfect for body surfing, and some of the girls go topless. After 3 hours at the beach, we had dinner at Poppy’s. We ordered shishkabobs for less than $1. After busy Jakarta, we look forward to relaxation.
Day 79: November 14, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
Our hotel is very quiet at night and we get a good sleep. We order breakfast, it is brought to our room, and we eat on the porch—delicious French toast, pancakes, eggs, and coffee all for 640 or about $1.30. The food is made with care in a small kitchen. The family who owns this hotel also rents motorcycles ($2 per day) and bicycles ($.50 per day). They work on these bikes, serve the food, and overall are friendly and at ease. The change in people’s attitude from the hectic city to the country is sharp.
There is little traffic here, although Kuta Beach is considered a small town or community, maybe 3,000 total. We see 15-20 restaurants along the main street. There are curio shops too, mostly selling batiks. We try a different restaurant each night.
Today, we might rent a surfboard. We spent the entire day at the beach, sunbathing, body surfing, and I tried riding a surfboard. This was the first time I’ve tried surfing and it was more difficult than I thought. The water here is clean and cold and the sun shines most of the time. We built sand castles with Keith; he likes to be held by his arms as the waves crash into him.
We ordered a terrific toasted avocado and tomato sandwich. I didn’t have enough money, and they agreed to let us bring it by later; I like people who really trust you. Dinner was delicious—Denise had lobster ($2.50), I had shrimp (90c), and Keith had Tuna soup. The total for everything was $5, and we were stuffed.
Started to read again, Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
Day 80: November 15, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
My back got a little sunburned, but we had a fun time at the beach. We eat our regular toasted cheese sandwiches with fruit juice for lunch. At dinner, I have a t-bone steak and Denise has two meat tacos, which were the best. Keith is a bit ornery.
Day 81: November 16, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
Our routine is getting up around 8 am, showering, and then having about $1 worth of good pancakes, French toast, or eggs.
Kuta Beach is one of the best spots we’ve hit since Nepal.
We are never in a rush and do things easily. Today was very hot, and the water felt so cool, almost cold when you first got in and took a few pictures for the record. Keith spent most of his time building sand castles or “making roads.” We sunbathed, and I did quite a bit of body surfing as the waves were good.
Booked our train back to Jakarta. We have 5 more full days at Kuta Beach, hardly enough for this great spot. There are more Australians as we get closer to Australia, most are quite nice and soft spoken. We also see an increase in the French. The people of Indonesia do not look oriental at all, more Hawaiian.
We had a good Chinese dinner (poor service) and a little overpriced for Kuta Beach.
Day 82: November 17, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
We wake up early and have our breakfast. We rented 2 bicycles for 4 hours for R250 or $.55. We rode about 5 miles to an isolated beach and rested, collecting seashells. The ride wears us out and we stop often to drink. Keith sits in a good child carrier that hooks on the handlebars, and he sits directly in front of me.
We go back to Poppy’s for a super dinner—feast on meat, beans, and chili tacos. There is a regular crowd doing the same. After a long day, we go to sleep about 8 pm.
Day 83: November 18, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
Try on ‘lunch spot’ this morning for pancakes (Pineapple and banana), which are delicious. Spend the morning at the beach. Purchase tickets back to Jakarta and cash $40. Unusual, but we have a dumpy lunch, so we make up for that with a spaghetti and pizza dinner with banana fritters for dessert.
Day 84: November 19, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
Morning and afternoon at the beach with good weather. Filling breakfast, usual sandwiches for lunch, and a delicious Chinese dinner with pancakes/ice cream for dessert.
I finished Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, a book I enjoyed very much. Although it’s pretty heavy at times, his message about ‘quality’ and ‘attitude’ was meaningful. The small talk about motorcycles was good too! Start to read The Money Motive.
Day 85: November 20, 1977
(Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia)
This is our last full day at Kuta Beach; we leave on the bus tonight (2 am), switch to the train on the mainland, then the 2 day journey to Jakarta.
Keith is more confident in the water, meeting waves head-on, and going underwater at times. He tries to bodysurf too on small waves. He’s learning to keep his mouth closed in the water.
Our last dinner is at Poppy’s—shishkabobs and tacos! We sleep for only a few hours and then go to the bus stop at 1 am.
Day 86: November 21, 1977
(Jakarta, Indonesia)
Our bus arrives on time and we are at the ferry by 6 am. We boarded the train at 7:30 am and were told to occupy 3rd class seats (wooden, hard). We finally convinced the Station Master that we purchased 2nd class seats, and 3 minutes before the train departed, he moved us to the 2nd class car.
It now seems that we’ll arrive in Jakarta on 22nd, not the 23rd unless the train is slower than we think. After 7 hours to Surabaya, we realized everything is wrong on our tickets.
We have 3rd class tickets and we arrive on the 22nd, not the 23rd and our seats arn’t soft. We left our water container in the first train. The countryside is nice with banana trees, rice fields, and some pine forests. It seems like people are harvesting rice. At a train stop, we get a good deal on bananas—R100 for about 30 bananas.
Day 87: November 22, 1977
(Jakarta, Indonesia)
The train ride has gone on for some 12 hours and there is another 6 hours to go. Sleeping in these chairs is an art, one we haven’t mastered, except for Keith. We laid two towels on the floor with a pillow, and Keith slept for 8-9 hours.
The food on this train isn’t the best. People here, more so than in Africa, tend to stare at us, and we don’t like it. There are private people who sell food and drinks on the train. If we want something, they double the price for us, and we have to constantly bargain. This is tiring, especially when you think such rates on this train are fixed.
The people working in the rice fields by 4 am. Irrigation is slow and by hand and the fields are terraced to hold the water.
Our train finally reached Jakarta after 33 hours!
We stay in Wisma Isa where the cost of living is high. We have lunch at a type of McDonalds hamburger place. We tried dinner at our hotel and surprisingly, they served a delicious chicken and rice dish for only $1.80 (plus we got to watch TV while we ate—all programs except 6 Million Dollar Man were shown in Indonesia.
Day 88 and 89: November 23-24, 1977
(Sydney, Australia)
Today, we’ll kill time in our hotel, and leave for the airport about 8:30 pm. We have a good breakfast and change $20. It is humid today, more so than yesterday. With the high humidity, it’s terrible walking around the city, the smog is bad and the streets are dirty—depressing!
We take a taxi to the airport and board our UTA flight to Sydney. They serve a huge steak dinner, and Keith is given some toys. Watch a rotten movie but we get sleep on this 6 hour flight and we arrive at 9 am.
We easily clear customs and Jerry Neville is there to meet us!
We haven’t seen Jerry since Botswana. After our greetings, he takes us to his parents home, about 1 hour from the airport. We meet his very large, friendly family—Elene, Norman, Pat, John, Amps, Mike, Jim, and his kids.
The weather is cooler in Sydney, and after a good meal, we sleep well; it’s quiet here. Keith gets special attention from Ellene, who loves children. Jerry’s parents make us feel at home—so special!
Day 90: November 25, 1977
(Sydney Harbor, Australia)
Jerry takes us to explore Sydney Harbor on a ferry, and we experience ‘culture shock’ with modern civilization! We are amazed at all the shops, food, and buildings.
We watch TV into the late hours at Jerry’s house and meet Bryant (Jerry’s friend), who shows us slides from his trip to Nepal. We then plan our tour of NSW with Jerry.
Day 91: November 26, 1977
(Kanangra Wall Park, Australia)
Gerry loads his station wagon with camping supplies, food, water, beer, and treats as we depart for the Blue Mountains, some 4,000 feet. The scenery in the open country is grand, and we see Eucalyptus trees everywhere. Our first camp is in Kanangra Wall Park, about 150 miles west of Sydney.
Keith and Gerry sleep inside a tent with their sleeping bags while Denise and I rough it in the back of his station wagon on a mattress. We have all we need for camping except matches! Gerry tries to get a spark from the car battery to light the blue-it stove, but only flattens the battery. We ask the only other campers nearby to jump-start the battery, which they do, and our battery recharges. We invite them for tea and talk about national parks, Nepal, and Africa. We cook lamb chops over an open campfire and afterwards, Gerry surprises us with Dampa.
Day 92: November 27, 1977
(Lake Cargelligo, Australia)
We continue driving west and have lunch in another park. Most of the towns we see are small and scattered in the countryside. We buy cherries at a fruit stand and snack on them as we continue driving east, about 300 miles towards Lake Cargelligo where we plan to camp. We leave the Blue Mountains and enter drier, flat grasslands where wheat is grown. The campsite isn’t good as we can’t have a campfire due to the high fire danger.
Day 93: November 28, 1977
(Narrandera Park, Australia)
We stop going west and dip in a southward direction, camping at Narrandera Caravan Park. There are many good sites, and we take advantage of their swimming pool. Denise and I slept in the tent as we did last night, too. We barbecue chicken, potatoes, and have beers. Hundreds of thousands of small black bugs get all over us and we abandon the site. We sleep out in the open, but not well.
Day 94: November 29, 1977
(Fraser National Park, Australia)
We have another full day of traveling southwest. The wheat fields are gone, and the scenery returns to grassy rolling hills (like Pinnacles NM), and forest. We camp at Fraser National Park, which is near a lake. We see many kangaroos feeding on grasses towards evening hours. We can hear kookaburras. We cook over an open fire, and we have a good sleep. We see Mountain Ash (the 2nd-highest tree in the world).
Day 95: November 30, 1977
(Wilsons Promontory National Park)
We explore along the lake and see pelicans and cormorants. Keith plays on the swings and the slide.
Full day of travel towards the southernmost point of Australia (mainland)---Wilsons Promontory National Park. The weather is cooler with dense vegetation, much like our Chapparal. We try to get a cabin as the weather is very cold but we can’t find the owner. We camp, and since we can’t have an open fire, we heat up two cans of spaghetti. We take a walk along the beach where the water is cold. We enjoy a beautiful sunset and come across a Wombat on our way back to camp. The night is cold.
Day 96: December 1, 1977
(Eden, Australia)
It’s a long trip, but we decided to drive to Eden early in the morning. We arrived at Gerry’s home that evening. Eden is a forest, logging community that was once a major whaling port. It is very peaceful here, but the flies are bad.
Day 97, 98, 99, 100, 101: December 2-6, 1977
(Eden, Australia)
We stay with Gerry in his cozy one-room flat and relax! The beaches are good but the flies make it hard to stay out long. We have a delicious pizza dinner in a restaurant but Denise usually cooks all meals. We saw a poor Paul Newman movie.
Gerry shows us the plot of land where he’ll build a 3-room house.
Day 102: December 7, 1977
(Kosciuszko National Park, Australia)
Gerry loans us his station wagon and we head towards Kosciuszko National Park situated high on snowy mountains, about 125 north east from Eden. Mt. Kosciuszko is Australia’s highest point, some 6,900 feet. It’s also the largest National Park in Australia and the one we enjoyed the most.
Tonight, we camped along a small stream in the forest. There is only one other couple nearby in the campground. Keith and I try fishing but no luck. We can see patches of snow on the higher peaks and the air is clean and smells good. Tonight, we cook lamb chops over an open fire and it feels good to be camping again. Towards evening, we meet the other couple and sip wine with them. Wombats can be seen as darkness falls. We sleep cozy in the back of Gerry’s station wagon.
Day 103: December 8, 1977
(Kosciuszko National Park, Australia)
After breakfast, we go on a 5 KM nature hike. The trail is well laid out and we learn more about the animals and vegetation in the area. The stream gets larger and we cross at one point to see a steam engine that was used to cut wood and panned for gold in earlier days. We continue along the trail following the stream among the forest. We return to our camp at noon and drive deeper into the National Park. We camp in the northern section of the park next to two lakes. Keith uses his own fishing pole and falls into the water on a cast. No luck fishing. We again cook delicious lamb chops over an open fire.
Day 104: December 9, 1977
(Eden, Australia)
We hike to the lake and watch two platapusses along with many ducks. I spent my day photographing wildflowers. We return to Eden and share our adventures with Gerry. Relax today. I finished reading Jack London’s short stories. Drive 35 miles to Bega on an errand for Gerry.
We spent our last night in Eden.
Day 105: December 10, 1977
(Sydney, Australia)
We leave early for Sydney about 300 miles, stopping only for lunch. We arrived about 5 pm at Gerry’s parents' home. Share stories about our adventures, have tea, listen to election returns, and go to sleep early.
We are out of money, and I borrowed $50 from Gerry to get us home.
Day 106: December 11, 1977
(Sydney, Australia–Papeete, Tahiti)
We repack our bags and prepare for our flight to Tahiti.
We give Gerry our Christmas present.
Following a good lunch, we say goodbye to Gerry’s family. Gerry drives us to the airport and we check in at UTA—all is set for our 6:25 pm flight to Tahiti. Gerry gives us our Christmas present—Biography of Henry Lawson.
We say good-bye as he leaves on his long drive back to Eden.
UTA has a good dinner but no movie. We stopped in Auckland, New Zealand for an hour after a bumpy descent. The flight is about 6 hours and we cross the International Date Line gaining 1 day—so 24 hours later it’s still December 11th.
The Tahitian people look Hawaiian, wear colorful clothing with flowers and speak French. We stayed at the Mahina Tea for F900 or $11. The cost of living is high. Papeete with a polynesian atmosphere is a well developed small city. We are near the harbor and see yachts from around the world, including Los Angeles.
Tomorrow we’ll explore the beach.
Day 107: December 12, 1977
(Papeete, Tahiti)
After 90 plus days and constantly adjusting to new environments, the journey takes a toll on me–I find myself irritable; I’m tired. Keith has adjusted so well to all of our new environments. Denise keeps me grounded.
The beach here has black sand and the first beach we go to isn’t too good as the ocean drops off sharply with strong under currents. The waves break on the shore and we have about 20 minutes of sunshine. We have a reasonably priced dinner but not very good. The people here seem to be well off, driving new cars. The shops are impressive but expensive. Our hotel is OK but the roosters and chickens start their noise about 3 am and we get little sleep.
Day 108: December 13, 1977
(Papeete, Tahiti)
We eat mangos and bananas for breakfast and then head off for a new beach. This beach has white sand (man made) but no waves. There is a small lagoon. Keith is able to move about freely and there are many kids to play with. The sun was out all afternoon and it is more intense than Bali or other islands.
Finally, a terrific dinner at a Mexican restaurant like those in the USA. Mail Gerry a birthday card.
Day 109: December 14, 1977
(Papeete, Tahiti)
We buy Keith a rubber tube for the water and he uses it all day. The sun is out all day. We bring cheese and bread for lunch. We stuff ourselves at a Chinese restaurant and think about getting home in three days.
Day 110: December 15, 1977
(Papeete, Tahiti)
We buy milk for our individual cereal boxes along with some donuts and have a good breakfast. Bright sunshine all day and temperatures range from 73-78 degrees year round. The water is warm. We enjoy ham spread on rolls for lunch and have a nice day at the beach. Took a few pictures. I enjoy listening to the people speaking French.
Our lasagna dinner at an Italian restaurant was a disappointment as it contained cheese and meat but no noodles.
Day 111: December 16, 1977
(Papeete, Tahiti)
We have a full day of sunshine at the beach. Keith and Denise are peeling from the intense sun. We look to buy a Tahiti calendar but no one sells them—odd. Dinner at a Mexican restaurant, better than before. A ‘jet set’ group comes into the restaurant, obviously very rich—an old guy with young woman. I am jealous knowing that we must skimp as our money is almost gone.
Enjoy reading short stories by Henry Lawson. We are getting ready for tomorrow’s flight to the USA.
Day 112: December 17, 1977
(Papeete, Tahiti)
We spent our last day at the beach and toured Patty’s sail boat (they are from Santa Barbara having been at sea for 6 years).
We leave at 9:30 pm for the airport to catch our flight to Ontario, California at 11:25pm.
All is set!
Day 113: December 18, 1977
(Ontario, California)
Family, friends, culture shock—overwhelming!
Our journey home took 113 days, visiting 20 countries around the world. We previously spent twenty-four months from 1975-1977 living in Botswana, Africa.
A few days after arriving in the United States, I mailed Gerry $50.
We would drive our 1971 Dodge van from Barstow, California to Lakewood, Colorado where in January 1978, I reported to work for the National Park Service, Rocky Mountain Regional Office. In April 1978, I was reassigned as Administrative Officer to Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.
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