What a surprise...in Frankfurt??

The night before my trip home I packed all night and barely slept. My mind became a big mess and I ended up missing my flight. So I took the next flight out of London and it put me in Frankfurt. Yes another city I can check of my list of places I've been, but an unexpected surprise with an even better ending. I didn't have a Lonely Planet to guide me through Frankfurt...I only had my intuition. I used my intuition to initiate a conversation with another backpacker. And to my surprise I not only met a backpacker, but a gourmet backpacker, Oz! Oz is a chef and not your average food network channel chef, but really an Iron Chef! We became fast friends with our common interests of photography and food and of course the love of a new adventure. Oz was planning on meeting a friend in downtown and as luck would have it I became friends with her (Meltem) so quickly that she offered me a place to stay that evening. The three of us and another backpacker made a feast that would excite all of your senses. Chef Oz and I prepped the food as Meltem and her friend made outdoor arrangements to enjoy our feast. We made sausages (well what else would I want in Germany???), potato salad with a dressing that I cannot recreate, bread and of course beer! This meal left our bellies full our mouth satisfied and hunger satiated! The evening came to end with hugs to the boys and a conversation about friendships between Meltem and I. The next morning I woke for my flight and was saddened to leave my new friend in a new city that I barely discovered. All I know is I left Frankfurt knowing I'll always have a friend there. Thanks Meltem for your hospitality, YOU ARE FABULOUS!!

A New City, A New Love Called London!

London, my love, oh how I miss you dearly! I miss your castles, your towers, your bridges and especially your pub crawls ;) London, you captured my heart and held my mouth agape as I gawked at your sights. I enjoyed watching you from double-decker buses, from "your eye" and from in between gates. Gates to palaces and gates to cathedrals. Oh how I wish I could lay in the grass again at Westminster Abbey, ride the tube to Charring Cross and sip a latte in Trafalgar Square, better yet have a lovely Pimm's with a good friend and eat your once national food of fish and chips! You were so kind as to entice me with your delicious foods from Borough market, dazzle my taste buds at Roast and grace me with company so pleasant that I did not wish to leave. I loved taking your picture as the sun shone down on your sculptures in Buckingham Palace and of your guardsmen during beating the retreat. You gave me a special surprise that day with a little wave from your Queen! Oh my heart filled with joy and my eyes widened on that unbelievable moment.

I enjoyed watching your theatrics at the Old Vic, the Criterion Theatre and especially at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. Although that day was the day you chose to show me how cold, literally, you could be by drizzling droplets of water on my head all performance long. I tell you London, I still had a fantastic time watching Shakespeare!! My most favourite part of my visit with you was your kindness to reunite me with my travel mates, Sat, Jamie, Hayley, Mannie and Livie! Without them I would not have understood your kindness to welcome so many to your home. And what will I give you London? One day I hope to give you my presence again, whether it be for a vist to walk like a Beatle or to reside with you permanently and fall in love all over again! I thank you, my dear sweet London, I thank you. I think of you often longing for a reunion...one day, my fair city...one day.

Israel with Friends

I had a wonderful experience in Israel! I was fortunate enough to make friends with a very cute Israeli couple while we were traveling in South Africa. This lovely couple gave me a lift from Blyde River Canyon back to Johannesburg and we've been friends ever since. So when they asked me to come and visit them in Israel I took them up on their offer! I was greeted at the airport by Katty (no longer pregnant), Shay (husband), Linoy (first daughter) and the new addition, April! A cute family of four to greet me with open arms!
Katty and her family took me to the boardwalk area where we saw Capoeira dancing, children running and laughing about, people enjoying the sunset over the sea while munching on food and sipping on drinks. We even strolled by a little local market! It was a great first night in Israel.
While there I ventured off to Jerusalem on my own and was astounded by the Wailing or Western Wall! The sight was humbling. The wall is sectioned off for men and women, but like a neighbors curiosity one can climb up on a chair and easily peek over the fence to see what's going on. On the men's side barmitzvahs were abundant! Young boys carrying the Torah while their male counterparts singing and rejoicing in the tradition of celebrating a boy's coming of age. Such joyous celebrations in the back grounds contrasted so starkly in the foregrounds near the wall with those individuals crying and sobbing while pressed against the wailing wall. That was another humbling moment for me. Every crack/crevice of the wall was jammed with small slips of paper with people's prayers on them. I joined the masses and began to write my prayer, folded it, gave it a kiss and with all my might shoved it into an open crevice. Feeling overwhelmed, I stepped back, admired my little slip of paper, gazed around at so many women coming together for one purpose and just sighed. So wonderful!
I walked around Jerusalem along the via Dolorosa where its believed that Jesus took his last steps. On this path there are plaques that indicate what happened to Jesus at certain points along the path. Unfortunately now most of these alley ways are covered in souvenir stalls. I did enjoy what was unobstructed. One of the best pieces of architecture there was the Dome of the Rock mosque. It took me ages to find the only entrance that permits non-Muslims to enter through. For a religion that highly promotes tolerance I didn't really appreciate this "discrimination". All the entrances/exits lead to the mosque and if you are non-Muslim then you are only granted access via one entrance, but you are permitted to leave out of any entrance/exit. The air of religious tension is obvious...unfortunate and obvious.
After seeing all I could in the heart of Jerusalem I scurried off to the Israel Museum where I laid my eyes upon 2000 year old documents...The Dead Sea Scrolls. I just couldn't believe that on my trip how much I've been amazed by and I continue to be in awe at everything I am fortunate enough to see! Most of the documents there were written in Hebrew and look amazingly good for surviving 2000 years. Incredible!!
The best part of this adventure was having the opportunity to see it from a locals perspective and enjoying a local lifestyle. Thank you Katty, Shay, Linoy and April for a wonderful time and I hope to one day return for another visit!

From Egypt to Jordan in 20 days!

On my flight from Jo'burg to Cairo I met an Egyptian man who took me in like I was his daughter! My dear friend now, Salah! He gave me his number and offered to show me Cairo, so after traveling to the oases I took him up on his offer. Salah drove me around Cairo and showed me where Anwar Sadat was assasinated and now laid to rest. My first trip to the pyramids was courtesy of Salah and it was great! We only had an hour and rushed to see all the pyramids and the scenic viewpoints as well as the sphinx! It was great that I had Salah to tell the tourist police that I just wanted one more picture!!! He was kind enough to take a few pictures of me in front of the great wonders of the world!! Thank you Salah!! We then moved on to his friend Meena's place. She moved to Cairo from Canada about three years ago! A lovely woman who fed us and entertained us with her stories of being cheated in the markets when she first moved to Cairo!! Now she's got a seafood guy she can trust! After a lovely meal, Salah showed me Cairo by night! All lit up in it's colorful beauty! We saw a couple that just got married standing on a bridge getting photos with an amazing backdrop of the Nile and Cairo Tower! Locals standing on statues near the opera house and the riverfront alive with couples and families and falafel vendors! Oh the smell of those tasty falafels!!! YUMMY!!!!!!!!!! So around midnight Salah and I finally said our sad goodbyes but not without him stopping for a tasty treat of peanuts for me!



Next morning I met my tour group of 10 and off we headed to the Egyptian Museum for an information session that blew my mind! This museum is overfilled with mummies, sarcophagi, jewelry, pottery, canopic jars and amazing stone carvings!! The archeology foundation is building another museum near Giza to house it all...but even that won't be enough because every month there is a new discovery! Next stop The Pyramids!! Even cooler the second time around! Listening to the history the discovery and the conservation made this time a different experience! The pyramids are really as amazing "AS SEEN ON TV"!! I even crawled inside one...didn't find any kings just a bunch of other tourists! It was incredibly cool to know on May 11th 2009 I was inside a pyramid!! After climbing out of a pyramid I climbed on it near the No Climbing sign...yes bad tourist I know...sorry! Off to see the Sphinx!!! I gave him a kiss and was in awe at the view! Head like a king and body of a lion with one of the pyramids in the background...look out Nat Geo have I got a picture for you!
After a stinky and scary camel ride our group was off to a perfume shop. Egypt is known for making essences. They've got all the labels but call them by different names like Essence of Nefertiti or 1000 Arabian Nights...I didn't buy any...I'm okay with Eau de Manali (not a word Maulik!) Next we stopped at a papyrus shop and there I did a little damage...thank goodness for Capital One! After a tasty lunch we headed for the train station and set off for Aswan!



In Aswan I saw the Philae Temple, had dinner in a Nubian village and bargained for a few souvenirs and my most favourite sight...Abu Simbel!! At Philae Temple my group and I had a lovely time acting out the story of Set, Osiris, Isis oh and uh...sorry Mannie and Wassim but I've forgotten the other woman's name...it was the heat that melted my brain! A great temple with stunning work and the size is the one thing that always fascinated me the most!! Just incredible!!! Abu Simbel was my favourite because of it's story...this monstrosity of a temple was relocated 65m higher and 200m back from the river after the river was dammed. An incredible feat! Ramses was a bit full of himself at this temple depicting himself so largely and carving his cartouches so deep! But the man was very smart!



Aswan is where the felucca trip began and it was the highlight of my time in Egypt. I know the temples are great, but sailing on the Nile without a motor, just a sail and relaxing and reading and swimming and sitting in the sun and getting browner and browner (sorry mom and dad) and listening to the sound of the water slap up against the boat...just heavenly!! We only spent two nights on there, but I could have spent an entire week! The nights were great as well as we docked along the bank of the Nile had a fire sang and danced and smoked a little shisha (flavored tobacco)! Sigh...those were the days...Our boat docked finally in Kom Ombo and off for more temple sightings!! Edfu Temple was brillant again with it's size and the depth of the carvings into the stone...patience is what these artists and engineers had the most.


Last temple stop...Luxor! It was blazing with heat and humidity here!! Stepping outside caused a puddle of perspiration to quickly pool at my feet!! In Luxor I eyed up the most stunning ring at a silver shop that I've ever seen!! Almond shaped, about an inch and a half long and half an inch wide with markecite and rubys...oh it was beautiful!! But if I wanted to return to the US I would need it to fly me home, so it was left there in the window longing for my finger...sigh. The next two temples were just as amazing as everything I saw from the beginning of this trip. Luxor Temple by night lit up with light orange bulbs against a clear midnight blue sky oh just incredible...when I thought I wouldn't need a tripod and this was the moment I did...oh guess I'll just have to come back one day...hopefully on Nat Geo's expense...a girl can dream can't she!? Final Temple...Karnak Temple which one day will be connected to Luxor Temple by a stone path 5km long lined on both sides with sphinxes (or is it sphinxi???). This temple is known for people walking around a statue of a scarab for good luck. So I circled it 10 times!! A scarab is a beetle...like the ones in the movie The Mummy, but none came to life!



My last destination in Egypt was Dahab...ahhhh...Dahab, a place of absolute bliss!!! Drinking freshly squeezed juices, eating seafood caught that morning, smoking shisha and listening to the waves of the Red Sea, diving in the Sea and witnessing an amazing reef of corals from colors that only computer imaging could create as well as spotting lion fish, snorkeling in the Blue Hole and feeling like you are in a world all your own (that is until a group of 50 Italians come talking with their hands through the water)...ahh...yes bliss...just heavenly bliss!!


Off to Jordan...although I was excited to see Petra I was sad to leave Egypt behind a place where I fell in love with the people and the culture...a place I will definitely return to in the future! Crossing into Jordan was a trying experience as our group needed to make our way via Eilat, Israel. At the border crossing I was grilled on my birth place, my religion and why I had a Dubai stamp in my passport. I politely answered all questions and was given access to pass through Israel to Jordan. I wasn't the only who was held up with a barrage of questions. My Kiwi friend Hayley was actually stopped and escorted to a security office secondary to having a stamp from Morrocco in her passport. After about 20 minutes or so she was also given permmission to cross the 20 minutes through Israel to Jordan. First destination...Wadi Rum. We spent the night at a cheesey but entertaining bedouin camp...no unusual suspects here, just good food and and dancing! A desert safari ride into Wadi Rum with quite an entertaining driver! The color of the sand and rock formations were absolutely fabulous! Knowing that we were riding through a desert that once was all under water was quite striking...global warming...sigh.




Second stop...PETRA!!!!!!!!!!!! A city 2000 years old carved out of a mountainside and eroded away by floods and wind to create an amazing landscape is a sight to see. My words or pictures can't even come close to depicting the beauty and size of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The impressive Siq winding it's way and creating a narrow passageway to bestow upon the doe-eyed tourist a spectacular and quite sizeable building known as the Treasury! Now I saw Petra by night as well and this one mile corridor was lit with small white candles in brown paper bags to lead you in the darkness to the Treasury. The walk is completed in silence as to just to let your other senses take it all in and let you be surprised by the scene at the Treasury. More candles lit, people sitting on Jordanian designed mats all surrounding a sole bedouin man sitting in his white gallibiya, head dressed with a red and white checkered scarf and stabilized with a black ring waiting to dazzle your auditory sensors with music flowing from his oud (a violin like instrument). A magical experience! When I thought the show was over another sound mystified me as I tried to locate it's origin. From inside the Treasury a man was playing the flute and it rang through the area with a sweet melody! Again I can't tell you enough how amazing this sight was and one can only really experience it in all it's glory in person! Seeing only 10% of Petra by day was exhausting but really worth it...the guide on the other hand...not so much. Walking around Petra I wondered how it survived for so many years because when you enter in a tomb/cave and touch the walls the colors of sand just come right off onto your fingertips! It was like a painter's palette! And to think this was only my third day in Jordan...what more could be in store for my eyes!! THE DEAD SEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




The second highlight of Jordan! No lifevest needed here...you couldn't swim if you tried...and honestly I didn't try! I was content lying on my back and just floating and enjoying the feeling of absolute weightlessness! The water itself was oily and VERY salty which my eyes had the unfortunate first hand experience of feeling. The sign says just continue to lie on your back and the pain will pass...yeah that didn't happen for me so I felt my way to the shower and relieved my pain and then headed back to the sea for more floating, but not before getting muddy!! Now I'm not sure if the guy who coated me in mud was official or not, but I can tell you he got more than his one dinar's worth! At this point in our trip the seven of us were coated from face to feet with the Dead Sea mud and posed looking like really bad super heros for great photos and even better memories!!! Saying goodbye to the Dead Sea was hard to do but had to be done.


My trip ended in Madaba where I saw the oldest mosaic map containing the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, The Nile, Jericho, Mt Nebo and Gaza! Just incredibly beautiful!! This artist had patience as well. The mosaics are no more than a fingernail big and the colors are amazing!! In Madaba I found a lovely little coffee shop next to the Archealogical Park and enjoyed the loveliest hospitality in Jordan! The shop owner let me use his laptop for two hours while I sipped his refreshing latte and chomped quickly through a homemade chocolatechip cookie!! Later that same evening I enticed the rest of the group to hit up the shop for some lattes! This trip was absolutely fantastic!!! My dearest Egypt, I will be back for you!!!

Traveling in the Oases and a Warning to Women

When I started my travels in Egypt I began my fourth month of travel in Africa!!! The adventure thus far was fantastic and I didn't realize how much better it was going to get until I arrived in Cairo...but I did have an unfortunate encounter that all women traveling in Egypt must be aware of.

I set off for Siwa Oasis for an adventure that I will fortunately and unfortunately never forget! En route to Siwa I met a Canadian girl named Margarita who had just finished traveling with her family and wanted to continue to do some more traveling on her own. So, I invited her to join me for a desert safari adventure. I was referred to a company in Siwa by friends I met on my overland tour earlier this year, so I figured I would be going with a reliable company. Well, unfortunately that wasn't the case...Mag and I and a another female (M) went for a desert safari ride in a jeep into the dunes of the desert. When we arrived to this beautiful lake in the middle of the desert all of us went swimming (including the guide and driver). I am thankful for my inabilities, as most of you know I can't swim very well and that inability proved to be a pro. The new girl that joined our group last minute swam across the lake with the driver not expecting anything but a cool swim in the lake. When she arrived to the other side the driver gestured to her to place lake mud on her skin as it is supposed to be therapeutic, so she put a little on and then he began assisting her and his hands went places they shouldn't have. She immediately turned around pushed him away and swam back. She did not tell us of this incident until we were at our final destination in the middle of the desert and she was returned back to her hotel. While the guide began cooking he told us of this incident between the driver and M and said the driver felt really bad for doing it. I told him that he should not expect to get away with that kind of behavior with Mag or myself. He said that wasn't his intention. So, we chilled out a bit and enjoyed dinner. Siwa, unfortunately while we were there, was having terrible sandstorms, so I asked our guide to set up a tent just in case we encountered another storm. After my third request he finally set up a tent, but was too late to set it up soundly. Mag and I huddled together under a blanket as to protect ourselves from the wicked sand that was blowing at an unbelievable rate. We occasionally peeked through the blanket and noticed sand piling up on our feet and that just increased our fear even more. After about 45 minutes, our guide finally had a "tent" setup it wasn't as it is pictured to tourists seeking a pleasant night in the desert staring at the stars, but shelter it was and we were glad to take it! So after scrambling for our bags and lugging them over to the tent and lighting some candles we calmed down a bit. At this point the driver had been gone about four hours. So I asked the guide if he would phone the driver to come and retrieve us from the desert as we still did not feel safe being out in the middle of a sandstorm in a tent that could possibly collapse down upon us. His phone was dead...lucky for us I had mine and we called for help and were finally taken to a camp with concrete walls and beds. We spent the night there and safely returned to town the next day. That morning Mag and I tried explaining to the guide that his incompetence put our lives at risk and for that reason he should apologize or say something. He was adamant about not apologizing, so we left town immediately. So anyone reading this please take caution that you are responsible for yourself when you are in the desert, always have a back up plan! Mag and I were very fortunate. Don't worry I've spread the word to other travelers and other desert safari companies of this terrible incident!


Oasis Experience #2...Much Better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So after this horrendous experience you would wonder why I would venture to experience another...well this time I went with friends (and one was male)!!! It's unfortunate ladies, but Egypt is definitely not a place for a single foreign woman to be traveling around on her own especially without knowing the language. So in Bahareya I traveled with Pedro and Almuenda!!! A lovely pair who helped me better my spanish!!! In Bahareya I had a great time eating camel meat, smoking shisha and experiencing the intensity of the White Desert and the Black Desert!! It was absolutely fantastic!!! My guide was great! The pictures will tell the story!!

A South African Experience Local Style!

This local South African experience began with an email from my family member to her friend in SA, Nadia! From that point on every one of my experiences I seemed destined for. From cancelling plans to depart SA early to crazy bus rides to Nelspruit…everything happened for a reason. I began my journey in Pretoria; with Nadia as my “tour guide, driver and hostess” I enjoyed Pretoria like a local! We started our first adventure in Johannesburg at Constitution Hill. Two prisons here (male and female) held great political activists such as Winnie Mandela and Mohandas Gandhi. We saw their “living” environments and listened as the guide told us their stories of their struggle for freedom. It’s unbelievable to know how horribly they were treated; abused and humiliated. By the end of our two hour tour we were emotionally exhausted. Afterwards Nadia and I received respite from her cousin Reyhana. Reyhana made Nadia and myself a delicious Indian meal that I gobbled up in seconds! We then went out to Fordsburg market or as I like to call it very little India. It’s exactly the same, the smell of coriander, garam masala, deep fried samosas, fresh veggies and of course the infamous body odor…I loved it!! Bootleg CDs and DVDs everywhere, bargaining down to one-tenth of the original price, waiting patiently as some guy goes somewhere to dig out this movie you’ve been searching months and months for, it was FANTASTIC! A wonderful beginning to my journey! Thank you Reyhana for your hospitality!

Nelspruit and Blyde River Canyon
Bussing from Pretoria to Nelspruit I met Mbongwa, a very interesting gentleman to converse with regarding South Africa’s present political situation. (We met before the elections took place.) Out of the kindness of his heart he and his mom and aunty drove me from the bus station to my backpacker’s lodge. Unbelievable generosity! Another reason I believe in karma. At my lodge I met an American couple who were absolutely lovely to talk with. The three of us went on the Blyde River Canyon tour and witnessed the clouds close and open up over the world’s largest green canyon. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking, the air so fresh and crisp and the tranquility felt while looking at The Three Rondavels...(sigh)! Checking out many amazing views on the way such as Lisbon Falls, Wonderview and the Pinnacle we eventually came to Bourke’s Luck Potholes. Now many of my fellow Pennsylvanian’s are all too familiar with potholes, but these were like none you’ve ever seen and frankly none that you’d ever become infuriated about. I’m talking about potholes created by water and wind erosion that create the most interesting shapes and curves. Most potholes filled with swirling water and others being flushed by a waterfall! Incredibly beautiful! One of my most favorite places on this trip!


Nelspruit to Jo’burg
My good fortune reappears as I am offered a lift by an Israeli couple back to Johannesburg. Katy a lovely woman pregnant with her second baby wanted to come to explore South Africa with her funny husband, Shay! The three of us had a great time at the casino in Nelspruit…well I should say they had a great time as they came back with more money than was spent and myself on the other hand did not…guess my good fortune wasn’t making an appearance that night. We made it safely back to Jo’burg and I said goodbye as they headed back to Israel, but not without an invite first to visit them!


Durban
I arrived to Durban on Good Friday, where my friend Nadia came to fetch me from the bus station. She unfortunately had to be in Durban because her father fell ill earlier in the week. No worries though he is feeling much better now. Despite having to care for her father, Nadia insisted that I stay at his house as long as I needed to while exploring Durban. While in Durban, which by the way has the largest Indian population in South Africa, Nadia and I visited the botanic gardens and the KZN Society for the Arts and best of all the local Essenwood market! This little market comes alive every Saturday with crafts, food, music and children playing. I bought a few souvenirs for friends and a dress for myself!

My next Durban experience wasn’t so pleasant…The Beach! No I’m not talking about the creepy movie with Leo Dicaprio, but Durban’s safe-if-you-are-in-a-group-beach. As I walked along the beachfront looking for a place to sunbathe (don’t laugh) I spot a place next a white female. I kindly ask her if it’s okay to plop myself next to her and she says no problem. We begin chatting and I find out she’s an American student studying in Durban. After about an hour of reading on the beach she departs and I’m left to fend for myself. Now the beach wasn’t by any means empty…it was Easter weekend and everyone was there to relax and enjoy. Well, unfortunately I never felt completely comfortable because of the overhead announcements: “ATTENTION, ATTENTION TO ALL PUBLIC! PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOUR BELONGINGS! THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE BEACH NOT HERE TO ENJOY, BUT TO STEAL YOUR BAGS! TAKE CARE OF YOUR BAGS THERE ARE THIEVES ON THE BEACH!” Relaxation not in sight for miles, so I finished my book and left…but hey you should see my tan it’s great!

After dealing with Durban’s poor transportation system I caved and rented a car. So off to see The Valley of 1000 Hills, scuba-diving in the Aliwal Shoal along the South Coast to see two sea turtles, two rays, two eels and some of the craziest looking fish, then to meet a friend of Nadia’s, Leanne and her family. Leanne and her family graciously invited me to attend a rugby match with them and offered me a place to bunk for the night! Good fortune #???? Leanne is a kind and generous and loving individual. Thanks for schooling me on the rules of rugby! Oh and my most favorite …the Flasher Girls!! I look forward to cheering on the Sharks!!

After saying farewell to Leanne I was off to the Gandhi Salt March…my most humbling experience in Africa by any measure! The crowd was ridiculous, people of all ages, races and religions coming together in celebration of Mahatma Gandhi’s struggle for freedom! The young and the elderly dressed in dhotis, carrying walking sticks and wearing sandals just like Gandhiji with the goal of walking 22km! I was overwhelmed with emotion and quickly wiped away my tears as I walked around his home and viewed his pictures and read on his great accomplishments. A true awakening for me. After the welcome speech was made the marchers hit the pavement, some carrying the flag of India and all wearing the Gandhi Salt March 2009 t-shirt. We were a swarm of white t-shirts crowding sidewalks and roadways while motorists honked in support and minibus taxi drivers offered to give us a lift to the end point. We passed by some of the poorest sections of Durban…talk about being humbled…unbelievable. At the end, a few speeches were made and Ela Gandhi closed the ceremony by thanking everyone who participated in the march and honored her grandfather, as she wiped tears from her eyes. For me this was a privilege and an honor to be a part of and I look forward to continuing to educate others on the importance of unity and peace through non-violence.

Narissa & Family…my next wonderful Durban experience!! So Narissa is a friend of Nadia’s who I had the lucky fortune to meet in Pretoria one evening for dinner. We hit it off…mostly because we are both Tauruses! She welcomed me into her home and introduced me to her mother, husband, sister, brother-in-law and her two nephews, as well as her daughter via the phone and oh how could I forget about Serj and Garfield, her cats! Such wonderful people who gave me shelter, food and most of all a family away from family! I learned a lot from Narissa as well, I learned about South Africa’s political history and how she worked elbow to elbow with Nelson Mandela. Narissa turned a beautiful 50 this year and accomplished one of her greatest achievements…earning her PhD…without compromise! She’s been an inspiration to her daughter and is an inspiration to me. The most profound comment she made was, “Most people say I don’t want to live beyond the age of 70, but I say I want to live beyond 70 because 70 years isn’t long enough to achieve everything in life I want to achieve!” Since she’s said that to me I now want to live as long as I can to achieve as much as I can. Meeting Narissa and her family I learned that one can really have it all family, career and most importantly happiness!

My last paragraph is for Nadia. A woman without whom I wouldn’t have been able to see and do everything that I’ve done in the last month. A woman who's shaken hands with Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu and who keeps the autograph of the Dalai Lama. A woman who has been inspired by her father to read and by herself to pursue her goals and I figure by her mother to be so caring and giving. Her generosity is kindest of all. Thank you Nadia for opening up your home, your family’s home and your heart to me! Your kindness is appreciated beyond any simple Thank you!

It's An Obamanation!

From books to t-shirts to canvas shopping bags to school children’s backpacks, President Obama’s face is plastered all over east and southern Africa. This man is a legend here. This man has not only been an inspiration in America but in Africa as well. His poster that is captioned “HOPE” sells in the souvenir stores of museums and decals of the man cover mini bus taxis. From the wealthy to the poor; from the literate to the illiterate this man is widely known. South Africa recently had its fourth democratic election on April 22, 2009. The last ruling party (ANC) was guaranteed to win the election again despite rape allegations against it’s now President Jacob Zuma. Many opposition parties exist but do not yet have enough support to win over the ANC. So how does Obama fit into all this? Well, radio ad campaigns directed toward the younger generation are expressing that if America can make a change then why can’t we? This ad is encouraging people to actually make it to the voting stations to vote. Also the government has made voting day a national holiday to encourage people to perform their civic duty. So during this time of South Africa’s election year, I have realized that this great President of ours makes an impression of positive change evident across many countries. He is an inspiration to all races and cultures. Random people ask me where I’m from and I proudly say America and then a barrage of questions regarding my opinion on Obama come pouring out of their mouths! It’s incredible! Before coming to South Africa I didn’t know much about Apartheid, Mandela, Gandhi and other political/historical events. In my nearly 2 months in South Africa I’ve learned more than a book would have ever taught me…and am humbled. In 2009 the people here are well in the loop of current American events and this just goes to show me how important it is to read about the world and take my blinders off. Thanks goes out to Nadia, Narissa and Mbongwa!

Cape Town to Jo'burg

On March 19th my friend Sat and I embarked upon a South African adventure of our very own. No more getting up an hour and a half before departure time, no more setting up/taking down tents, no more pot wash and no more of the awful flapping dishes!!! We rented a car and took off along the Garden Route for Knysna...unfortunately we dawdled too much and ended up making it only to Mossel Bay. Mossel Bay is for bikers…Harleys mostly and since I was driving a Toyota Corolla I just didn’t fit in, so off early the next day to reach Knysna! This is where I had my very first oyster experience…thanks Sat!! Yummy!!! Now how does it go again…bread, wine, oyster, wine, bread?? In any order it’s fabulous! From the deck of the Knysna Oyster Co. Restaurant I took pictures of the lagoon and the two sandstone cliffs, known as the Heads that lead out to the Indian Ocean. Post oyster consumption we drove to an overlook point and the view was breathtaking! The sun shining on the water making it glimmer and sparkle like a gold souk in Dubai! After soaking in the view we headed off to Southern Comfort…no my AA friends not drinking, but a farm-house lodge. Sat and I got up early to head out for a horse-back riding adventure. Yes Abby, more trotting and cantering!! The views were spectacular, the air refreshing and the ride relaxing. After riding we went for a hike in the Knysna Forest. We were given information that the path is circular and a trail leads to the ocean and it takes about a half day, so without a map or registering with the parks office we set off. (Yes yes I already know most of you are shaking your heads and saying, “Fools! You should always take a map and register!”) Well…we ended up getting lost…we made it to the ocean, but it took us about 3 hours to get there and we hiked in a few circles before actually arriving to the viewpoint…by the way was an amazing viewpoint. A rocky beach without a soul in sight for miles!! It was beautiful! I enjoyed it only briefly as I was worried whether we would make it out before sunset. So in my head I was thinking WWBGD (what would Bear Grylls do)? Lucky for me I had a bottle of water, a box of matches, a pack of pistachios and my Swiss Army knife! So long story short, we ended up calling a man by the name of Benit and he directed us to a path and fetched us from the end of that trail! Embarrassed but happy and safe we thanked Benit and headed back to the Knysna Oyster Co. to celebrate our stupidity with more oysters!

Next destination: Cintsa, Actual stop: Grahamstown…SCARY!!!!! A very quick stop over for the night we stayed at Old Gaol Backpackers. This place was a former jail, so now I can say I spent a night in jail! When the employee opened up the door to the cell it made an eerie creaking noise and then she asked me how it appeared to me. I said, it looks cozy, reminds me of home and then laughed and regretted wanting to spend the night in jail. The showers were actually very nice…nothing like Shawshank!

Cintsa and Hogsback
We made it to Cintsa (East and West) in the late morning to lay our eyes upon two completely opposite beaches. Cintsa east flat, white sand with soft waves that brush over your toes ever so gently. Cintsa west large rocky paths that lead a quarter of a mile out into the ocean with harsh waves crashing ashore to heights of 5-10 feet! Both beautiful in the own unique ways. A short time spent at both beaches and then off to heaven…I mean Hogsback! ;)
Hogsback is located at an elevation of 1300m in the Amathole Mountains, about 10km off the main road, up a very windy and narrow road. Our lodge even further about 5km from the center of town on a dirt road full of potholes (slaggate! In Afrikaans). The Edge is a beautiful lodge with great cabins that overlook the valley and city. It was a place anyone could truly relax and get completely lost in their thoughts. The cabin we stayed in had a fireplace, a claw-foot tub and an amazing view! We liked it so much we spent two nights there! And of course I took advantage of having the tub and took a long soak!! Okay besides the cabin, Hogsback had a great place to hike and this time we didn’t get lost!

Next Stop: Malealea, Lesotho!
I know I go on and on about how breathtaking the views I’ve seen are, but it’s the truth and if I could create words that expressed “breathtaking to the infinite degree” then I would use them, but my pictures and words will have to suffice. As we followed the turnoff to Malealea Lodge, I glanced in the side-view mirror and was completely stunned by the sun setting over the ridge of the Thaba Putsoa Mountains. The entire ridge was lit with soft pink as the bright orange fireball slowly descended for the evening! Yes I pulled over and got a few pics! ;)
The next morning Sat and I signed up for a pony trek to see San paintings. My pony’s name was Brown Sugar…I’m not kidding it really was!!! We had a leisurely ride through the farmlands and finally reaching the gorge that housed the Makhaleng River, Echo Cave and Sans paintings. Again a sight so beautiful pictures and words can’t even come close to capturing its beauty! The incredible colors that surrounded us were: canary yellow stones, rusty orange rock formations, hues of green of the farmlands and a perfect blue sky! A must visit place and lodge! That evening I relaxed by the campfire and roasted/toasted mallows and sipped hot chocolate until the generator stopped and then off to bed…

Destination: Sani Pass
An 8km rugged pass from the border post of South Africa to the border post of Lesotho that leads to an elevation of 9400ft via the Drakensburg Mountains. Sat convinced me to hike this pass, with hesitation I said yes and we embarked upon our journey. Many 4x4’s passed by offering to give us a lift to the top and begrudgingly I said no and pushed on. Yes I know I summited Kili, but I just wasn’t in the mood to do another climb. In the end I was ecstatic to have hiked this rocky path and celebrated with a view, brew and food at the highest pub in Africa!

Final Destination: Jo’burg
Not much to say about Jo’burg itself, but I did manage to fit in four movies (Marley & Me, The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons, Gran Torino and Paul Blart: Mall Cop) in two days and a tour of Soweto!
So if you’ve read my blog on my experience with the Kigali Memorial in Rwanda, then you’ll find the following filled with the same emotion…sadness. I visited the original home of Nelson Mandela now a brand new museum that just opened on March 19th 2009, took a driving tour of the three sections of classes (upper, middle and the poor) living in Soweto and saw the current residences of Winnie Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. On June 16th 1976 a group of students marched in the streets to protest having to learn in Afrikaans. These students felt that this language was the language of the oppressor and refused to learn it. They organized a peaceful demonstration, but it turned deadly as the police shot ~200 students dead. Among the students who had died was Hector Pieterson, a 13y/o boy who is now regaled as a hero. I visited the Hector Pieterson Museum which houses the history of the Soweto uprising. I couldn’t complete touring the entire museum because I was too overcome with grief and sadness. My reason to continue to revisit, read and learn more.

Sat, thanks for a great trip! See you again soon!

Cape Town Goodbyes

I arrived in Cape Town in March on Friday the 13th! The overland group celebrated our last dinner together at a game meat restaurant! My eland was delicious! (Sorry veggies, but you are missing out!) After dinner the real celebration started at Dubliner’s a favorite pub of my fellow Irish friends! We had a great time dancing the night away to a local South African cover band that played Jessie’s Girl, Summer of 69 and to everyone’s dismay a poor version of Metallica’s Enter Sandman. For two days my friend Maura and I tried to make it to Table Mountain, but were unsuccessful secondary to self-induced fatigue. We did manage to make it to Robben Island to see where Nelson Mandela had been incarcerated. On Sunday I rented a car and Maura and I drove out to the Cheetah Sanctuary to see my friend Kelly. (Kelly and I had met when I first started the overland tour in Uganda). At the sanctuary I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pet two cheetah cubs. So cute! After playing with the big cats the three of us headed off for dinner in Stellenbosch. The next morning we went for wine tastings at three different vineyards. Delheim was my favorite for its sauvignon blanc chenin blanc white wine and for its sweet red wine…mmmm!!! Fairview was my favorite for it’s cheeses, especially the white rock with cranberries!!! The next morning I drove to Cape Agulhas with friends. This is where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet and is the southernmost tip of Africa! Another amazing view! The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was really intense, something so violent sounding but so beautiful to look at was quite an ironic sight! That St. Patrick’s evening Maura celebrated her Irish heritage at Dubliner’s while Kelly and I visited her (and now my) friend Kate in Camp’s Bay! We had a lovely lasagna dinner, opened a bottle of Delheim wine and chatted the night away. The next morning I said another farewell to my Kiwi and headed back into Cape Town. On Thursday March 19th Maura and I said our goodbyes and Sat and I headed on our very own journey through South Africa.

Adrenaline Junkie for Two Days!

In Zimbabwe we stayed right near the Zambian border nearby Victoria Falls…just so everyone knows America has better falls ;) Those of you on the tour reading this will surely get my joke. Anyway, this was the place for a lot of the adrenaline activities, so I decided to partake in a few. First up flying fox…I didn’t know what this entailed but knew it was some type of ziplining activity. The flying fox harness is on your back so you are prone as you sail across a gorge which holds the water of the mighty Victoria Falls. I felt like superwoman!! It was thrilling and only increasing the adrenaline flowing through my body in preparation for the gorge swing.

Next up: Gorge Swing…again I wasn’t sure how this activity worked, but what the heck let’s do it!!! The harness is now in front and I face forward on a wooden plank that’s blazing hot! My toes hang precariously over the edge and I’m not sure what I’m doing here overlooking an intense drop…5-4-3-2-1!!! And I am pulled by the tension of the rope and swing like a gorilla, but not as elegant across this 316m wide, 120m drop with a 70m free fall gorge hanging by a rope!! Wow! Thrilling!!! As I was hanging at the bottom my imagination came alive with my eyes fooling me into seeing crocodiles swimming around in the bottom of the gorge awaiting my rope to snap and have their lunch delivered like dominos pizza in 30 minutes or less! Fortunately for me no crocs…only logs and the rope withstood my weight! Next up: Gorge Swing #2! Yes after my first adrenaline filled-what-the-heck-am-I-doing-swinging-over-a-rushing-river-swing, I decide to do it again…only this time I go backwards…well that was the intention! So again I get to the edge of the plank, feet on fire, facing my trusty harness securing experts, but this time with my heels hanging off! I give the guys one last fearful look, arms crossed over my chest and yell so loudly as the tension of the rope pulls me off!!! I ended up doing a backflip and then flipping back over and flying across this incredible gorge! As a Kiwi friend of mine would say…AWESOME!!!! Again filled with so much adrenaline I came up trembling with a rush and a high that felt so euphoric!!! Unbelievable!! After that I went on to see the falls from above…yes a 12 minute helicopter ride to view a beautiful sight…superfluous rainbows over every part of the falls, seeing the intensity at which the water rushes over the edge to drop 100m below into a swirling pool and a mist so pretty and cool like awakening to a foggy spring morning! Twelve minutes just isn’t long enough.
Next day…BUNGY JUMP!!! An 111m (~360ft) jump from Vic Falls bridge with approximately four seconds of freefall!! As I walked across the bridge, in all honesty I wasn’t scared one bit, I actually thought the bridge was going to be something more spectacular and for some reason I thought it would be higher?? Anyway, I registered, weighed in and patiently waited in the queue. My turn came, I stepped into the harness, secured by two carabineers, sat on a bench as instructed, watched as my legs were wrapped in dark blue towels “for comfort” and a multitude of straps and lanyards and carabineers. As I sat there my new found friends kindly recorded my fear expressed on my face and cheered me on. One last instruction given to me, “Remember this is called a bungy jump and not a bungy fall, so jump!!” 5-4-3-2-1, BUNGYYYYY!!!! I leapt off the edge and plummeted toward the Zambezi River rushing furiously below me!!! Staring all the way down, keeping my body stiff as not to get retracted by the cord like a tape measure! INCREDIBLE!!! The rush was thrilling!! I must have recoiled about 3 times before the elasticity settled in the cord and I spun in circles like an Olympic figure skater…unfortunately I wasn’t accustomed to this motion and began to feel ill. I decided to go into OT mode and deduce whether it was better to keep my eyes shut or open, so I did a bit of both and neither helped. I just spun until I was retrieved and tilted upright and hoisted back up!! I did it!! I bungeed!! The worst part was walking under the bridge back up to the top as my body was trembling with adrenaline!! Oh how incredible!! Later that evening I noticed my right calf was in extreme pain and the driver of the overland truck had noticed some blood in my left eye! I guess that’s what I get for throwing my self off an 111m bridge! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!

Malawi and horseback riding!

Lake Malawi is infamous for it's bilharzia so many people are hesitant to jump right on into the lake! But me being the huge water lover that I am jumped right in...okay okay okay, only after three intense games of beach volleyball did I then jump right on in! But regardless the water was the perfect temperature and so clear that I could locate my hair tie after it had fallen toward the bottom. The other great characteristic about Malawi...it's wood carvings! So I purchased quite a few...look forward to your present being made from wood! ;) So Malawi is the poorest country in Africa and these men who hassle you to purchase from their stall will do just about anything to get your sale. So I "bartered" in a pair of ski pants, a camera case and my papa's Steeler's cap! These guys were so happy! Their work is incredible all hand-carved...right in front of you if you want! Amazing artisans!
This next paragraph's for you, ABBY!!! I went horseback riding and even cantered!!! I'm not going to lie...I really wasn't in control of my horse! It very much so had control of me! But I had a great time learning how to trot and canter through the bush!! At the end of the ride we rode the horses into the lake...kind of like a dream! Swimming with horses...yet another thing I thought I'd never do?!! OH what a wonderful experience!!!

PS. Don't worry I took the preventative meds for bilhazria, so I'm doing well avoiding African diseases...oh that reminds me I've got to take my anti-malaria pill...

The Serengeti and Ngorogoro Crater

I spent three wonderfully amazing nights in/around the Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater!! Between both areas I saw the Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo)!! The Ngorogoro Crater was incredible...a crater so enormous with semiarid land at the base to lush greenery towards the rim and many species of animals living together! Driving into a volcanic crater is something I never thought I would be able to say I did! The rim of the crater is about 3000-4000m above sea-level and the base...well I'm not certain on that stat, but can tell you its hella deep! It's honestly a giant bowl and it's amazing to see the sky over such a wide expanse of land!
The Serengeti...again a mind blowing sight! An area of land so vast and semiarid, with again a number of animals, little shade and water. We are driving along in the safari vehicle with the top raised and eyes peeled for anything that looks like an animal and our first sighting...WILDEBEEST!!! So many migrating from Kenya to Tanzania...or maybe it was the other way around...sorry can't remember. Anyway, herds and herds of these funny looking scaredy cat looking creatures, but to see them run with such force would scare anyone! Other animals I saw were ostriches, hyenas, pumbas (warthogs), all kinds of antelopes, elephants, zebras, and hippos. We were very lucky those two days to see full grown male lions (yes full mane and all) devouring what appeared to be a buffalo. Two males three lionesses and a few cubs were having their late lunch that afternoon. Also when we thought the only cheetah we were going see was the one so far off in the distance it looked like a dot, luckily as we were exiting a lovely large cheetah just strolled across the road without a care in the world! The grace and beauty of this creature is definitely a sight to be witnessed with your own eyes, not a nat geo show or discovery program, but definitely with your own eyes! Last but not least when we didn't think we were going to see the Big 5 we saw not only one but two leopards just casually relaxing in a tree on the branches, keeping cool. Cats do climb trees and these kids didn't need any firefighter to bring them down!
So my favorite animal...GIRAFFE!!! See Michelle, Lex and I have a common interest! ;) The funny animals are just so cute, the print is so pretty and I'm a fan of the awkward ones!
Two of many of world's greatest sights and I witnessed them...Thank you!!!!

Tour or De-Tour??

I chose the latter...So my tour (Niv) leader fell in Zambia and suffered a 10x7cm hematoma in her right thigh. After one week her leg was looking worse so she went to the hospital in Maun, Botswana while I spent two lovely nights relaxing in the Okavango Delta. At the hospital the doctor ended up performing an I & D and told her the dressing needed to be changed daily. So I decided to stay behind with her because she needed the help to get around. We left the day after the tour truck set off for Etosha National Park in Namibia. We decided to take a $7 bus from Maun to Ghanzi (4 hours) then another bus (2 hours) from Ghanzi to Charles Hill (near the border of Namibia) the bus drops you off about 8K from the border, so we hitched a ride with two people. We were very fortunate to find two very nice gentlemen from Sri Lanka (Niv's also Sri Lankan) who offered us not only a ride to the border, but all the way into Windhoek (which is 300K from the border). Anyway, they dropped us in town at a gas station and we planned on getting a taxi from there when a wonderful local German couple offered to take us to our accommodation. We've been so fortunate!!! We also lucked out on our accommodation in Windhoek, because it's really heaven...slate tiles throughout the rooms and in the shower a comfy bed with two huge pillows (I appreciate the small things after camping for the last 40 some odd days)!! It was so nice after such a long day of traveling!! Niv is doing well and we went to the hospital today and the doctor said the wound looks good and is healing just fine. So rest easy everyone, she and I will rejoin the tour in Swakopmund tomorrow!!

All I Want for Christmas is a Hippopotamus!!

Lake Naivasha and Nakuru National Park were absolutely amazing...a lake full of hippos and a park full of beautiful bright pink flamingos lining Nakuru's lake!! Breath-taking absolutely breathtaking!!! My first sighting of a solo hippo among a flock of pelicans was unbelieveable!! He looked like a big grey rock amongst all these white long-billed pelicans!! Driving further through the park we spotted buffalo, antelope, white rhinos (babies and mama), giraffes (sorry Michelle I just couldn't maneuver it's neck enough to fit in my bag for Lexie ;) ), a family of baboons, one hyrax and an orange-headed and blue-bodied lizard!! The viewpoint where we had lunch was too great a sight to capture it's intensity. Nakuru was really beautiful!

Lake Naivasha was full of hippos! My friend Kelly and I were the only two to take advantage of a boat hire and ride out to Crescent Island! A lake full of hippos and one flying hippo!! We were mulling along in the boat and all of sudden about 50ft away a hippo comes leaping out of the water!! The sight was priceless!!! On Crescent Island I had the opportunity to walk without a guide and spot animals, some of which were fish-eagles, giraffes, wildebeest, zebras and antelopes! That was a bit intimidating...looking through my lens and seeing a wildebeest staring back at me...YIKES!!! That was definitely another highlight of this fantastic once in a lifetime trip!!!

To all of you who have been posting on and reading my blog...THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm really happy to know you are enjoying my travels and coming along for this amazing journey with me! I think of all of you often!!!

Go BIG or Go Home!!!

Whitewater rafting on class III and V rapids on the Nile!! Absolutely killer!!! So amazing!! I can't believe I did it! I do have to publicly thank my heroes Chris (The Life-saving Dutchman) and Tutu (Rafting Guru)!! Without them I wouldn't have had the courage to continue after my first flip!! I flipped on two of the first four rapids and then didn't flip thereafter! On Big Brother there are three rapids back-to-back and four girls in the raft along with four guys, plus Tutu...well we hit the first rapid and all the girls fell out and then the guys fell out on the second rapid!!! I got pummeled by the raft twice and seriously thought I was taking my last breath!!! So incredible!!! I want to do it all over again!!!! On the last section you could go to The Bad Place (where you are guaranteed to flip) or go to 50/50 (self-explanatory) so we decided to test our skills and hit 50/50 and we made it!!! Such a rush!!!! Afterwards, back at the campsite we watched the video and it was hysterical!! Over a grade V waterfall our raft got stuck between two rocks so we had to bounce through it and in the video they sped up the bouncing portion because we were taking so long to get through it!!! In the end we dropped to the bottom of the fall and didn't flip...cause we got skillz baby skillz!!!! I CONQUERED THE NILE!!!

Rwanda: Kigali Genocide Memorial

The only genocide memorial I've been to is the Holocaust Memorial in D.C., so traveling to Rwanda to see/feel the Kigali Genocide Memorial was a must for me. I wasn't sure how I was going to react and in the end I cried throughout the entire memorial. The various gardens (unity, division, lies, flower, etc) outside are beautiful, the grave-sites are rectangular, smooth slabs of concrete made on three levels and at the end of the grave-sites is a wall of names (similar to that in D.C.) of only identified individuals that were massacred during the 1994 genocide. It's unfathomable to read this history and see the images of those savagely slaughtered by Hutu rebels and know that help could have and should have arrived. Anyone wanting a piece of African history should come to Rwanda for this memorial. The movie Hotel Rwanda is based on the 1994 genocide which is a great film to watch to understand the events leading up to this horrible event. The end of the memorial was the worst part for me...THE CHILDREN'S ROOM. Dedicated to all the children that perished and survived the massacre. The only photos that families had left of their children, first-hand comments from those that survived and etched into frosted glass. The memorial is created in such a way that Kigali/Rwanda wants to show harmony and the circle of life shall continue and Rwandans are continuing the process of healing. An amazingly emotional visit for me and that will last in me forever. I am thankful for the opportunity to have visited Rwanda.

Tour On: Gorillas in Uganda

I've recuperated!!!
On my flight to Uganda I met a lovely Indian uncle on the flight. He invited me for lunch the next day in the city and I helped him with his grocery shopping. We had chai at his home and enjoyed conversing about Africa and specifically the history of Uganda. We had such a nice time! That evening my tour group arrived to the campsite and I was happy to rejoin the group! I was up all night playing cards with Kelly, Nev and a few others...so needless to say the next day on the truck was rough! We headed from Kampala to Lake Bunyonyi to an amazingly stunning campsite! Kelly and I upgraded to a pre-erected tent on a balcony overlooking the lake! It was amazing!! When my eyes lay sight on such beautiful scenery I can't believe I'm in Africa. So many commercials on Africa have it all wrong. Uganda, specifically, is a beautiful land full of hills and lush greenery and is a paradise like none other! This campsite is really a place for relaxation...oh and gorilla tracking!!! That night I went to sleep at midnight only to wake at 330am to prepare for the gorilla trek! A minivan picked 8 of us up at 5am and off to Bwindi we went to look for gorillas! When we arrived, we were briefed by our guide on what would be expected of us as we trekked through the rainforest in search of gorillas. Excited and anxious we were off, lead by our guide and followed by an AK47 carrying security guard! Along the way we spotted a really fat and long earthworm and a poisonous snake...which looked more like a harmless gardener snake. After 4 hours of trekking through mud, nettles and swarms of flies we were informed that the gorillas were nearby. As instructed by our guide we left our packs and walking sticks behind and took our cameras in hopes of fantastic photo opportunities of gorillas...and WE SAW GORILLAS!!!! We saw two silverbacks and one black back and one baby! They are amazingly beautiful creatures! Eyes that capture your heart, size of bodies that frighten you and beauty that makes your jaw drop! One of the silverbacks was lying on his belly and eventually rolled over to scratch his arms. The baby was quite active swinging on a vine while another adult gorilla was munching on leaves. Unbelievable...I SAW GORILLAS!!!! The mud was everywhere, nettles got to my hands twice and the terrain was intense at times, but this adventure was priceless!

Tour delayed...in need of Pepto, Cipro, whatever will keep stuff in-o!

So today (Sunday, January 18th) I was supposed to start the overland tour. I attended the meeting yesterday and met the fun bunch I'm going to be with for a while! Yesterday evening I became violently ill...don't read any further if you can't handle it...stuff coming out of both ends simultaneously. Don't worry too much, because I've been fortunate enough to receive many helping hands from multiple individuals. Bob of Bob and Julie ;) helped me obtain some aromatic bitters and hot water to settle my stomach. AJ gave me some meds to stop the vomitting and diarrhea. AJ also helped me book a flight out of Nairobi to Kampala so that I can meet up with my group. I will keep you posted on how I'm feeling, so far 6 hours and nothing coming out. Just took my anti-vomitting and anti-diarrheal medications and so far so good. Thank you all for your prayers, thoughts and remedies!!

Watamu and SCUBA

Watamu, Kenya is a little place about 2hours north of Mombasa on the Kenyan coast...and it is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!! Water as clear as glass, sand as white as...some of my friends ;)...and seafood so fresh!!!
In Watamu I went scubadiving!! An incredible time. The photos will say it all...speaking of photos...it's really hard to upload to my blog, so what I can upload will be on facebook...sorry. Okay back to scuba! It was ridiculously beautiful!
On the 10th I spent a few hours learning how to work my equipment in a swimming pool with a great instructor. The next morning I went out to the Watamu National Park Reserve for the dive. My poor belly was seasick on the way out, which meant I was belching through my regulator while underwater for 45 mins!!! So my instructor helps me gear up and gets me up on the side of the boat and says I'm going to enter the water by backflipping in...I ask him again to slowly talk me through it and as soon as he did he pushed me into the water!!! No worries...I came up laughing!! The descent was pretty easy, but when I got to the bottom I wasn't heavy enough to stay down, so my instructor ended up hanging onto me the entire time...which was good, b/c I felt very safe!! I saw many starfish blue and orange and a parrot fish and an angel fish! The sights were incredible, the thought of it again is unbelieveable...for a girl afraid of the water, especially the ocean...fears are slowly being conquered...one by one!!!

Kilimanjaro...

The days were long and tough! For the experience try walking 1-2miles per hour at a 30 degree incline and have someone blast you with a heater for an hour, then spray you with a hose for another hour and lastly drop the temperature to below freezing for an hour...yes all consecutively!
Pole, pole (pronounced po-lay) means slowly slowly. I was utterly sick and tired of that phrase by the time the day of the ascent came! It was quite useful the entire time, though. For 4 days I had an italian couple with me in my group and on Day 5 they decided to call it quits and descend secondary to a headache. (I don't blame them, headaches at altitude are rough)! So Day 5 I walked, pole pole, to Barafu camp with only my guide. That portion of the trek was easy. Upon arrival I was given some food and advice from other climbers. Thanks to my friends from Spain I had some Chamomile tea to settle my belly. At 700pm I went to sleep in preparation for the 1100pm wake up call to summit Kili in all it's glory. I woke, had some tea and biscuits and suited up with headlamp and all!! Half-way up to Stella Point I became nauseated and nothing would settle my belly this time. I lost all of my energy, but pushed on. I ran into my British friends who offered me some energy boosting supplements, but that really had no effect on me. So I struggled and dry heaved all the way up the mountain, to finally reach Stella Point at 5700m!!! AWESOME!!! The sight was amazing!!! I took out my dad's Steeler's hat and snapped a few quick pics...in between the dry heaving...and then quickly began my descent down the mountain. All my energy was spent and I have no idea how I made it back to camp and then 2 hours later to the next camp!!
On my Kili trek I've made some wonderful friends, without their encouragement I would not have made the summit. Also without the music given to me by my brother and sister-in-law and Tim I wouldn't have had the motivation to get from one camp to the next, so thank you!!!