A Question of Water

Who doesn't know that water is an issue in African countries?

The scarcity of water in Chwele. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

There are geographic and climatic factors which define the seasonal scarcity of water in the different landscapes across the African continent, in some cases the lack of water can be related to precarious level of development of an specific country and, in some other cases it can even be related to conflict situation and the refugee flows caused by them, but in the majority of cases populations have to go through the hardship of having no water due to maladministration, incapacity and the bad will of the politicians supposed to represent them.

Queue for fetching water in one of the wells. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

The inhabitants of the village where I live, Chwele, in Western Kenya, have been suffering for a few weeks with the lack of water in their taps for a ridiculous reason. Actually, Chwele has enough water in its underground and enough reservoirs to store and distribute it. The one thing missing is the electricity to put the pumps to work and bring all this water up to the ground. Now comes the best, the electricity is missing because the local political administration didn't pay the bill and after a few months of public debt the local electricity supplier, the company Kenya Power, cut the lines leaving the population without water. Baaaah! What a shame!

Queue for fetching water in one of the wells. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

Children queuing for water at one of the wells. PICTURE: PRIVATE.

Schools, hospitals, the market, the second largest open market in Kenya, have no water. The ordinary population, most of the times children, must walk long distances to the few boreholes and wells available, face incredibly long queues and pay at least twice as the normal price in order to have some liters of water for theirs basic needs. The 20 liters jerry cans can be seeing in every corner of Chwele being dragged by children and grown ups, from early in the morning till late in the evening, weekdays and weekends.

I am glad to be living and working voluntarily in Chwele as part of an German organisation, Open Hearts e. V. (www.openhearts.jimdo.com), which is diminishing the emergency of the situation. At the right time we just finished the drilling works of a new and very central borehole facilitating the access of the population to water with better quality and, truly, for a symbolic price. We have been supplying market facilities, schools and ordinary households with clean water for two weeks now with an average of 200.000 liters/day.

To start a speech criticizing the incapacity of the politicians, the corruption in the country, the abuse of power and the exploitation of the misery of the population for political purposes is, as hard as it my sound, useless. Till now there are only speculations and no official position taken from the local administration predicting the return of the water supply. In the meantime the citizens keep on chasing after water to fill their jerry cans and praying for the pumps to start working again setting and end to this crises.

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Driving through the mountains and islands in Norway

From Kristiansund we headed west towards the Norwegian Sea making stops in small islands. The villages of Averøy and Kårvåg are situated on the first of them.

Entering the island from Kristiansund direction Averøy we (three people with the car) payed a toll of 161,0 NOK (approx.19,0 €).

We drove on small bridges, passing by bays, fjørds and islands, some frozen lakes and along the foot of some mountains covered by snow. Spectacular!

A stop to see a Stavkirke (stave church), a typical Nordic wooden church, south from Averøy was definitely worthy. Something very far from my South American and Central European concept of church.

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Norway is a country of impressive natural beauties. To visit the country durin the summer, with more hours of daylight and higher temperatures, would be ideal.

Here my best HipsPics of the day.

Tomorrow the plan is to head north for stone-age carvings and waterfalls.

Oh! We still didn't give up on the northern lights :)

On route to Norway

I didn't plan any further trip in Europe after being in Ireland in November but, unexpectedly, my dear friends Anja and Frauke just came up with the idea to spend New Years eve in Trondheim (Norwegian Trøndelag), Norway.

Since I haven't been to Scandinavia before and wasn't counting on visiting any part of it before I leave Europe next January it's going to be great to see the Fjords and, with some luck, the northern lights. A perfect farewell trip!

Now sitting in the bus (meinfernbus.de) and heading from Dresden to the Schönefeld airport in Berlin and from there taking the direct flight to Trondheim.

Along the way again!

Packing again!

"Oh well! Thats me packing again! When is it finally going to finish?"

I lost the record of how many times I've pronounced this setence in my life. In such moments there is always this weird sensation, these mixed feelings of melancholy and joy, sadness and excitement. I'm sure many of you faced the same situation and struggled, at least a bit, with the same feeling. Fact! That's me again!

Anyway, although packing again I can't wait for the moment when I walk out the door, dragging these luggages and with my heart longing for challenges, learning and growing. It feel just great!

"May the life's last turn be the best one."

Cheers!

Kilkenny: the last stop in Ireland

After the great tour on Inishmore (Inis Mór) I headed back to Dublin to meet Travis Elenitsky and have a couple of beers in the "fair city." From there we took the bus next day to Kilkenny (Irish Cill Chainnigh) with no specific plan. Just intending to have a good time.

Gate of the St. Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh).

Once there we discovered the city's very medieval atmosphere best recognizable in Kilkenny castle, St. Canice's Cathedral, the Rothe House and the Black Abbey.

Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh) Castle.

A 12th century castle remodeled in the Victorian time.

The Kilkenny Castle.

Pano of the Kilkenny Castle and its gardens. Oh! and that black point right on the pic is Travis.

But who is Travis?

Travis is originally from California, USA, and has been traveling around the world since Mai/13. I first got to know him through Couchsurfing, when he came Munich in Juli/13 and crashed on my spare mattress for a few nights. A few weeks later he came back to Munich to party on Oktoberfest. After that we ended up meeting again in Ireland, now in Kilkenny, and the next plan is to meet in Nairobi next January, after I move to Kenya.

Kids having fun on the Kilkenny Castle' gardens.

River Nore (Irish An Fheoir) view from Kilkenny Castle.

St. Canice's Cathedral
it has been a site for Christian worship led by St. Canice in the 6th century, the Cathedral was erected in the 13th century.

Graveyard at the St. Canice's Cathedral.

A real medieval feeling through the B&W lenses. I specially like the Irish crosses (Irish cros Cheilteach) with their unique and very characteristic design.

 The St. Canice's Cathedral.

Travis' shadow at the St. Canice's Cathedral.

At the St. Canice's Cathedral.

Kilkenny like all the other Irish cities hat what Ireland's has to offer best, pubs and good bier. On the Parliament Street there a few options, literally, in a row: The Pumhouse, Lohs Restaurant, John Cleere, Brewery Corner and Phelans.

Pubs on the Parliament Street, Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh)

The Rothe House is essential part of the history of Kilkenny. Built in 1594 by John Rothe, the merchant's townhouse consists of three houses with courtyards.

Interior of the Rothe House.

Roof of the first House in the complex of the Rothe House.

Many artifacts of the history of the city are exposed in the museum in the Rothe House.

Passage between the first and the second house.

Well, Kilkenny was the last stop in my round trip in Ireland and Northern Ireland. It was definitely a great choice to see some of those countries, to meet my friends, visit incredibly beautiful landscapes and to experience the Irish warmth. I can only recommend! One day, in case Ill be back to Europe, I will definitely come back to the fair city on the island of green.

Hope you enjoyed as much as I did and feel like visit Ireland and Northern Ireland as well.

Cheers peeps!

Of how I met Jeremie and Rita

To get to know new people and make new friends is one of the best things in traveling. People you've never met before but with whom you immediately develop some kind of connection, with whom you feel like sharing experiences, exchanging ideas, getting advises from and even doing some travelling together. It's reassuring!

Rita and Jeremie on the ferry from Rossaveal (Ros an Mhíl) to Inishmore (inis Mór).

Recently, while travelling in Ireland and Northern Ireland, I got to know these awesome guys. I met Rita and Jeremie while on my way from Galway to the Aran Islands, in Ireland. I came to the bus stop and ask this young couple if this would be the right bus to reach the ferry to the islands, what they confirm immediately. The guy, Jeremie as I got to know later, sayd he'd go for a coffee and asks me if I would like to have one. Although a bit surprised with the unexpected offer I accepted. He left and I kept talking to the girl, Rita. Once he comes back I had to inquire him why did he offer me the coffee just like, out of nothing, without even knowing me. His answer:

"Many people we don't know do good things to us and we do good things to other people, as well."

Jeremie on the ferry.

That was enough for me to know I'd get along well with those guys. We kept talking in the bus on the way to Rossaveal (Ros an Mhíl) and in the ferry, from there to Inishmore (Irish Inis Mór), the largest of the Aran Islands (Oileáin Árann). Rita, irish, lived for around 10 years in Marseille, France, where she met Jeremie, which is originally from that city.

Rita on the ferry.

I got some hints from them about where to go and what to do on the Island. They told where they came from and how they ended up living in Inishmore for a few months. After I told them I was originally Brazilian, they demonstrated a huge curiosity about the country, specially about they rain forest. So, we got enough stuff to talk about during the journey.

Getting to know Rita and Jeremie on the ferry.

Once we reached the harbor of Inishmore it was time to say goodbye. Jeremie and Rita still invited me to stop by and have a coffee at their place after my cycling tour on the island.

Having an vague idea of were they lived I decided to pass by and have that coffee before leaving. It wasn't easy but I managed to find their house, and for my surprise, such an unexpected place. A one round room stony house, almost disappearing in the middle of the vegetation house and not far away from beach. Awesome!

Rita and Jeremie's house.

After announcing my arrival, Rita and Jeremie, kindly invited me to enter their "living room, kitchen, bedroom and kitchen". We had another nice chat involving the island, the fairies living on the islands and plans for Christmas. Well, I left them with the promise they'd get a postcard from Munich with my address in Africa. Who knows I get a postcard from them once I'm there? or maybe an unexpected visit?

Rita and Jeremie at their house on Inishmore (Inis Mór).

Jeremie "Chapeau" and Rita Marharg it's been a huge pleasure to meet you along the way!

Cheers!

Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair): hold on tight once you're there

Will and I headed to the Cliffs of Moher (irish Aillte an Mhothair) in the county Clare, at the west coast of Ireland after leaving Leitrim.

Cliffs of Moher ( Aillte an Mhothair).

We drove past Galway and headed southwest through the landscape of Burren (irish An Bhoireann) which means "stony place".

Tipycal landscape in Burren (An Bhoireann).

Ruins in the landscape in Burren (An Bhoireann).

Danguire Castle in Kinvara (irish Cinn Mhara), county Galway.

The cliffs of Moher are one of the most famous natural attractions of Ireland. The view from the cliffs is breathtaking.

Clliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair), county Galway.

The entrance fee for adults costs 4€ including the parking. There is a souvenir and a coffee shop on the top of the cliff.

lliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mhothair), county Galway.

They stretch a few kilometers along the coast and reach heights between 120 and 240m.

A great place for kids to play.

On the top of it the wind coming from the Atlantic Ocean gets such a power and speed after hitting the cliffs, that can rips one off of the ground.

Indeed!

One of the most impressive places I've ever been. It's so massive, and strong, and beautiful. It makes one feel somehow small in front of so much "grandness."

Definitely recommended!

Hold on tight everyone!

Cheers!

Back in Dublin... in an awesome sun shinning day

Landed safe and sound in Dublin and having an amazing sun shinning day.

Met my old bro Junior, made new friends and even got costumised for Halloween. Couldn't be better!

Now off to sightseeing and photographing! Yay!

Lovely afternoon with the sunset from view from the Liffey.

Tomorrow heading to Belfast with bro Junior.

Cheers everyone!