Backpacking in Southern Africa

Tanzania--->Malawi--->Zambia--->Namibia 

For the rest of my time in Africa, Mtui and I decided to take a 6-week backpacking trip across southern Africa. We visited Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, and the Namibian desert. Traveling definitely brought us closer together and this was the first time we simultaneously stepped outside of our comfort zones. 

                         

Mount Meru

In April, I stopped volunteering to enjoy my last few months in Tanzania. 

A few friends of mine decided to hike Mt. Meru (14,977 feet) with Mtui and, what later became his tour company, Tanzania Expeditions. The hike was 3 days and started in Arusha National Park among buffalo and giraffes. This was my first true adventure with Mtui and I knew there would be more adventures to come.

A Magical Waterfall

For the months of January to March, I spent a lot of time camping in remote villages teaching health education and sustainable agriculture. We camped for 3 weeks at a time and then spent the last week of the month regrouping in Arusha. Distance from Mtui made me realize how much I loved spending time with him. 

During one of the weekends in the city, my friends and I decided to travel to Moshi (a city at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro) to spend a Saturday hiking to a beautiful waterfall and exploring the city. We hiked, dined, and danced the night away. This was the weekend Mtui and I transformed our friendship into romance.