SI MONTHLY NEWS JUNE 2005 Travel and host reports
From SI Exco News
A HOST REPORT FROM TOP OF EUROPE
Could we have a host report from the top of Europe, Jane, our new SERVAS INTERNATIONAL NEWS editor begged me this Christmas. I had the privilege to host our new SI editor the summer 03. She travelled northern Scandinavia by motorbike, looking for airfields where she could rent a plane and have a ride in the air. Jane is a good example of a Servas traveller in northern Norway. I normally do not get more than one or two travellers each year but the ones who visit me are always very interesting people, deeply determined and looking for something extra.
So who are these crazy people who find their way far north of the arctic circle?
Many come to experience the midnight sun, of course. In May, June and July it is light all night. Many guests want to stay up all night and have difficulties in sleeping because of the light nights. (For me it is opposite. I sleep better in summer than in the dark time in winter!)
-An American university professor (in architecture?) mostly studied our wooden houses. I had to stop several time on the sightseeing trip so he could take close-up pictures of details of our buildings. (The background mountains, the impressive Lyngen Alps, was nothing. He had a cottage in Rocky Mountains, in 3000 m height)
-Two German guys were so impressed by all the mushrooms and berries they could find just behind my house. They stayed for 3 extra days, picking and drying mushrooms in my oven, and picking blueberries. They had never seen any more mushrooms in life. (I did not dare to tell them about my really good and rich Cantarells-places further up the valley.)
- My only winter visitor ever was a french biker! He wanted to bicycle around the world in five years, and write a book about the different people he met at his journey. When he stopped at my house it was icy and slippy roads, and 10 freezing degrees! This is nothing, he said. I biked in Alaska, in Brooke Range, in winter in 35 degrees below zero!
- Last summer I had a family from Belgium staying here for 3 days. The 10 year old son was fascinated by whales, and his father took him up to northern Norway for Whale Watching. They were particularly interested in the traditional way of living in northern Norway, using the natural resources: Fishing in the sea, growing potatoes and other vegetables in the garden, and picking berries in autumn.
- All the way from Australia came an ornithologist professor. He was studying arctic birds, seagulls in particular! We spent hours together along the coast, sharing a common interest in birds.
- And finally a few Servas travellers have visited this area because they wanted to know more about our indigenous people: The Laps. They follow their herds of reindeer in the same way they have done for hundreds of years, from winter pasture in the interior to the green, fertile coastal islands in summer.
To be a Servas host in northern Norway is quite special since the travellers are special people. So many good discussions and talking in the bright summer nights - maybe that is the best thing of being a Servas host?
Kasper Holmen, Norway
Malawi, “the warm heart of Africa”!
Considering the warm welcome from all the SERVAS members we met during our trip, Malawi is definitely “the warm heart of Africa”!
We were lucky to be able to take part in the 10th Servas Malawi meeting, one of Ben’s salsa classes, to visit a school and 2 orphanages, singing with the children, to fly to Mount Mulanje and to hike in this marvellous area with Masayo, a young Japanese woman, and Demelza carrying and feeding her adorable 3 month old baby. It was very special to stay in the hut up there, at 2000 metres of altitude, watching the stars at night before sleeping in front of the fireplace… It was so quiet until some eagles walking on the roof woke us up in the morning!
It has also been a treat to share a few days with George who drove us safely to Liwonde Park and to Cape Maclear on Lake Malawi, trying to avoid the many holes on the roads, but not the cobra which was crossing in front of our car! We stayed at Mvuu Lodge, a nice, comfortable place with a beautiful view on River Shire, especially at sunset. We had never seen so many hippos! One of them even stepped on a pipe next to our chalet so that there was no water left in the shower ☺
We are very grateful to our hosts (Marcel & Caroline, Silverio & Jane, Marco & Edith and all their children), Demelza, Ben, George, Mary, and all the other people we met, for the wonderful time we spent in Malawi thanks to them. May 2005,
Myriam MICHEL (host on Reunion) and Delphine HARTER
