The highest kwacha bill is 1000kw and that is equivalent to about $1.50. The 1000kw bill was only added a few years ago... Before that, 500kw was the highest bill. There's some perspective.
I wish you could see how dirty my feet are after washing them with my water bottle because there is no water anywhere to be found. Now I lay in bed with my feet drying outside of my covers.
Yeeeessssss, today was my day off. Ana and I opted to spend our day in town. I ran out of money. Haha multiple times if you ask the venders around the market... But at the end I really was out of money.
Ana and I caught a minibus easy. No need to panic. Easy as pie. We hopped in the front seat of an over-packed minivan. I just don't want you picturing a bus in your mind. It's important that you picture a very jam-packed van instead.
Took it to town for 27¢, got out, and started our exploring.
The first place we went was to a place called Dapp. This is where all of those clothes Americans and Europeans send to Africa are sold. I bought a pair of H&M pants for $2. It was set up just like a Goodwill except the clothes were nicer and had more wrinkles somehow.
Ana and I left Dapp and pulled out a map drawn by our volunteer coordinator that should have led us to the mall but it totally left us turning around in circles scratching our heads. A man who looked like John Legend in came up to us and told us we looked confused and asked if he could help us find where we're going. Then, he walked us halfway there! Thank you!
The mall was fancy! But no one was shopping. It was just Ana and I. We were headed to a shop called African Habitat. The mall was small as well, <15 shops. African Habitat was all the way in the back. And it was PACKED with amazing little pieces of art and cloth and photos and trinkets, hats, clothes, carvings, everything. All art and souvenir stuff. I had a headache when we left from thinking so hard. But before we left we talked to the store owner. He was a Italian man with a good thick accent. Said he was born in Tanzania. Y'all, this man was amazing. He was a true traveler. He knew everything about everywhere, even the secret places. Mainly all the places he's never even been! Even knows where the parking lots are at the Grand Canyon even though he's never been to America. Even the differences in all of the Hawaiian Islands. Even how many lodges are available inside of Yosemite. He drew maps! He knew every single place in Portugal, every place in New Zealand, and every place in Oregon and France! Down to the weird details. Finally I had to ask how the hell he knew all of the things. He said traveling is his passion; even if he can't physically GO somewhere, he researches it down to the very smallest detail. He plans and studies everywhere he thinks of going. Said he decides whether or not to go after he's done... Sometimes he feels like he's already been there so he doesn't need to anymore! One thing he hates though: TOURISTS! Haha! By avoiding tourists he knows all the super special local places.
Finally, he gave me a discount and we left him. Farewell!
Time for lunch. We ate at an Italian restaurant called Mamma Mia's. This was recommended to us by Alma. A delightful lunch. Very fancy. Overstaffed. A wonderful terrace lunch indeed. As we were finishing up, the owner came by with his hands clasped behind his back and asked us how everything was in the most DEEP VOICE so seriously deep and hollow but at the same time wholesome and warm.
(That was a note for my later self for to make sure I don't forget because I love when owners ask that and I loved his voice.)
Then we went back to the center of town to change out some money and do a couple other chores. It was then that Ana and I split up for a few. She didn't want to go where I needed I go- the haggler craft market!
See, yesterday there were two guys who followed us and found us an hour later out in front of a grocery store. The guy begged and begged to show me his other paintings. I told him no and to stop, but he insisted- this is a major part of why people don't like this hobby. I actually decided to entertain the man since the person we were waiting in the grocery store was taking forever.
He quickly squatted down and flung open all of his tapestry paintings. He went through each one. HAHA all of them are amazing! But ya gotta act calm. I stopped him as he flipped past a long beautiful sunset with two silhouetted women standing in front of it. Gorgeous. I told him I loved it but I asked if he had one with an elephant instead... I really wanted an elephant. He said no :-(. He begged me to just buy this one with the women. But I didn't like it enough to spend that much on it. I said no. He begged. Back and forth back and forth. I said, "if those ladies were elephants, I would buy this right now." He said he would paint me one with elephants. I told him if he did, I would buy it. He told me to pay half now, half when I pick it up. No way! Back and forth. I promised 1000 times that I would be back the next day. He left without much faith in me. White people always say that.
So, like I said- that was yesterday. Today is tomorrow. And now I need to go to the craft market for many other things (I told myself), and I had very little faith in this dude with the sunset. On my way, I am approaching an alleyway that's close to the market when I hear shouts coming from it! And then I saw him! The guy from yesterday!! He had a huge smile and another guy with him, his brother! Both huge smiles. Haha I smile back. "You came back!" "I told you I was gonna!" His brother unzips his backpack and pulls out a roll of paintings. Quickly flips to the back and pulls out two totally beautiful paintings of elephant silhouettes in the sunset! We had another back and forth, "I can't believe you painted it!" "I told you I was gonna!" The guy said he told his brother and his brother painted them in the night and let them dry all morning. They were still, not damp, but not stark dry like the others I'd flipped through. Oh I was so stoked. I picked one, flung open my wallet and gave him almost everything in it. The equivalent of a little less than $20, I think. He didn't say a single word to hassle, not a breath of bargaining. It was settled in an instant. We were all smiles. They both shook my hand, we chatted, I shook both of theirs again, and they thanked more than once and repeated several times, "thank you for keeping your promise." Gosh, I was so thrilled. It's hard to write the specifics of it all... But it was one of the coolest little human interactions I've experienced in a while. Idk, we were both just too skeptical of the other. Plus, I almost missed them because they were completely leaving the market for lunch... I wouldn't have even seen them if I hadn't left Ana exactly when I did.
I left the market then because they were my reason for going.
Ana and I then went to a pub Alma recommended called Alexander's. Just your average little sports bar. Very relaxing. Ana and I had a drink and I finally asked her age. Turns out, she's 36. Flipped my world upside down.
We also talked about airport security and I said at a point, "Hm, Portugal hasn't had any terror attacks." She, being Portuguese, replied, "Nope! That's the good thing about being a forgotten country."
Then, we went to the craft market on accident because we were looking for a place we never found and then got sucked in. You can't stand within 30meters of that place as a white person without getting sucked in by a vendor. I bought many things and had a charismatic overload. I won't expand further on that though.
Then, home. We got a tuktuk again and it broke down while I was filming the ride. We had to switch tuktuks.
Ha!
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