Woman eats sand, gravel for 65 years
AN 80-year-old Indian woman, Kusma Vati from Varanasi, left many shocked after she revealed that she has been eating sand and gravel for the past 65 years.
According to her, she was 15 when she first ate sand and gravel to ease an upset stomach.
Since then, sand and gravel have become a part of her daily diet.
Her family was worried about the negative effects this strange diet may have on her health.
However, she argues chewing sand and gravel, in fact, made her teeth strong and that the minerals in the sand have kept her healthy.
Vati first gathers the sand and gravel, stores it in a clay pot and allows it to dry completely before consuming it.
She is said to spend hours in search of her staple diet daily and when she is unable to get sand, she opts for stones, which she gets from the walls of her house. — Wires
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Ngozi haunts driver
The family of an assistant driver who was involved in a road accident in 2003 is facing the wrath of an avenging spirit of a man who died in the crash.
The Chakandidano family claims the spirit of Justin Saungweme, who died in the accident, is haunting them.
When the assistant driver, Matthew Chakandidano, appeared before Headman Chigodora’s court recently, he said on the day of the accident, he was working with another driver (name not supplied), whom he alleges hit and killed Saungweme.
Chakandidano claimed Saungweme’s spirit is tormenting him since he did not attend his funeral.
“We were driving past Saburi Business Centre, when my driver and mentor hit Saungweme, his friend. When the driver realised what had happened, he disembarked from the vehicle and rushed to the police to report the accident. He left me at the accident scene with Saungweme’s body under the vehicle.
“When villagers arrived, they assumed that I was the one who had been driving and that l had killed the man. They did not wait for an explanation and attacked me. I lost some teeth during that fracas. However, when the police eventually arrived with the driver, I was released by the angry mob and the driver was arrested.
“After that, I did not attend Saungweme’s funeral as I was angry over the attack. I never went to the Saungweme family to pay my respects. While I was angry, I was also afraid that the family would assault me,” he said.
Chakandidano said he regrets not attending Saungweme’s funeral since the avenging spirit is causing havoc within his family, especially mental illness.
“Apart from being mentally challenged, my relatives are also developing epilepsy. The seizures are very serious and we are always in hospital.
“However, when we get to the hospital, the seizures stop and the doctors fail to diagnose any ailment. As we speak, two children are having severe seizures at home, and I do not know if they are safe home alone,” said Chakandidano. However, the Saungweme family refused to attend the court session and sent the deceased’s son, David Saungweme, to inform the court of their decision.
“I do not think the matter should continue in my family’s absence. Everyone has refused to attend the court session because they are still angry that this man did not attend my father’s funeral, even though he was there when he died,” he said.
Headman Chigodora referred the matter to acting Chief Zimunya’s court and also told Chakandidano and his family to appease the avenging spirit.
“It is an avenging spirit, even though you did not kill him. You are the last person he saw before he died. His spirit will continue haunting you until you appease it. It was an accident, but you should have attended the funeral. That was uncustomary of you. You are neighbours with these people, but decided not to attend the funeral,” said Headman Chigodora. — Manica Post
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Around the world without taking single flight
A man who claims to be the first to have visited every country in the world without taking a single flight or returning home has completed his trip.
Stepping off a container ship at the port city of Aarhus in his native Denmark, Torbjorn “Thor” Pedersen (44) says he has made his 10-year, round-the-globe journey entirely by train, bus, boat and on foot.
Describing his arrival as “bittersweet”, he said: “I have been dreaming about coming back home and having it over with and done. So, that is today. At the same time, I am anxious about the future.”
He went on: “A lot of things are up in the air and in the unknown, mixed emotions.”
Pedersen, who previously worked in shipping and as a United Nations peacekeeper, set off on October 10, 2013. His journey could have taken less time had he not found himself stuck in Hong Kong for two years during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said: “I thought it would take a maximum of four years in total, maybe threeand-a-half if I went a little fast.”
He also maintained a long-distance relationship with his partner, Le Gjerum, who travelled with him almost 30 times throughout his trip.
Ms Gjerum — who is now his wife, after they married online due to Covid-19 — said she admired her husband’s tenacity but that she was looking forward to having a “daily life together”.
The Guinness Book of World records states Graham Hughes, from the United Kingdom, was the first person to visit every country in the world without relying on air travel — though, unlike Pedersen, Hughes returned home twice during his trip. — Wires