Tammy's fact finding trip 2005 TANZANIA BLOG
Tammy's fact finding trip
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Wed Aug 24
Arrival
Today I learned:
• Do not give your flight info to hotels when making price inquiries!
• Remember to pack the power converters in your CARRY ON.
• Carry on EVERYTHING - take chances even if your suitcase is a little too big/heavy - can always check it late.
• If able - buy two seats for international flights or always try for an exit
Today I met:
• Edgar (director of http://ChristianMissionTours.com)
• Huruma (driver)
• Alex (cook)
• lovely hotel maid whose name I have yet to know
I was able to luckily be given two seats to lay across for the 8+ hour flight from Amsterdam to Kilimanjaro - Most were not so lucky, but most were probably not at the end of a 35+ hour flight itinerary. So I slept without too much guilt.
I was greeted at the airport by my tour company, but there was also another hotel there to pick me up. I had inquired by email about prices at many hotels several weeks ago, but I had never booked ANY of them. Because I had given my arrival info to inquire about the dates at a hotel, they sent someone to pick me up. I found that strange. I did not even recognize the name of that hotel - so I assume they were one of the EXPENSIVE ones that I had disregarded. I gave the driver a couple dollars for his trouble.
Anyhow, I was taken to my hotel, WCT Lodge (Wonders of Creation Tanzania) by the tour director, Edgar, & by Huruma, my driver/guide for the duration of my Arusha travels.
After unpacking, I ignored the barking/fighting dogs outside & fell easily to sleep under a mosquito net.
(no pix today)
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Thur Aug 25
I'm here!
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-25-05_Day1
PIC OF THE DAY:
• Today I brushed my teeth with tap water - a no-no for travelers, but there was no bottled water. I am still alive.
• At breakfast, I burned my hand on the milk - they serve it HOT for tea.
• I ate sugar straight from the sugar cane. Yum!
• I met many villagers who tried to teach me how to greet in Swahili, but I am lame with learning languages.
• I let the morning chill deceive me, & the African sun later burned me, but it was not too bad. I have only a little sunburn.
• I ate 3 square meals & enjoyed much tea. If you know me well, you know how weird that is!
• I sat in the driver's seat everywhere when driving, but of course they drive on the left, so thankfully someone else was actually driving. There is NO getting up the mountains without a very solid 4-wheel drive vehicle! My little Dodge Shadow would crack in half.
• I walked about 8+ km (about 5 miles) through very tall corn (maize) fields, very beautiful mountain valleys, steep hills, small villages, banana tree crops, etc.
• I watched men make bricks to build a house.
• I met a women's group who wants me to publish photos of their wares on the internet & tell people about their work. They make jewelry, & they have STINGLESS bees who make much honey for them. I bought a neckless & ring they wanted to give to me. www.osotwa.com
• We drove through the craziest market - a sea of people who literally only move their wares one centimeter from the jeep's tires.
I came knowing the basics:
• Jambo (hello) - I had taught that in song at VBS
• Ninakupenda (I love you) - I had put that in my multi-lingual song in 1992
• Akuna matata (no worries) - Lion King (apprently Kenyan - not Tanzanian)
• O Sifuni Mungu (Praise The Lord) - popular song by First Call
• Rafiki (friend)
• Simba (lion)
Today's Swahili:
• Karibu (welcome)
• Asante (thank you)
• Hapana (no thank you - to pesky marketers)
• Nzuri (a response to something they say when you greet - I still can't figure out when to say this!)
• Safi (a 2nd response - I am confused by it!)
Today I met:
• Elias (Osotwa director)
• David Loi (Osotwa safari guide)
• many members of David's family
• John Ole Daniel (Osotwa coordinator/guide)
• many women whose names I never was told
• Elifasi (my email buddy as I was booking this tour)
• George (works at tour office & WCT Lodge)
Today I learned:
• Americans have much to learn from so-called "3rd World" nations. As arrogant as we are, though, we are still basically a good nation with wonderful ideals. We too often let our ideals get trampled under red tape.
• I must learn a better balance of life, & model my disciplines after the people I meet in Tanzania.
• Townies want money if you take their picture! But villagers are simply flattered that you care to snap a shot.
• There are stingless bees?!
Osotwa Community Based Projects
In the hills of Mount Meru there are many villagers struggling to survive. The wilderness struggles too. So an organization started a few years ago that saw a way to involve the community with the government in a win-win situation. There is a remarkable cooperative effort between NGOs (non-gov't organizations) & government here.
Today was basically a walking safari - cultural & environmental. My first day in Tanzania was all & more I'd hoped or expected. Funny - I actually forgot to take my towel with me, & that was a big mistake. The clay dirt here is very powdery - lighter than sand, but just as hard to walk in. I chose the walking option over driving, & glad I did. All the Western & Japanese tourists at the airport had been wearing the same pants I have, which can convert to shorts at any time. Good thing I had them today. That powdery dirt blackened the bottom of the pants in a very short walk from the jeep to the office where we started, so I later removed the pants legs after making sure with my guide that it would be proper to walk in shorts.
David was my wonderful guide. He looks a lot like Will Smith, & was just as charming. He is a devoted Christian seeking higher education. I was able to meet most of his family during our trek through the villages north of Arusha Town. The point of the walk was to show me the many faces behind the many conservation projects in the area. All is non-governmental community-based projects to restore & protect Mount Meru, which stands majestically opposite of Mount Kilimanjaro. They have done much to improve the environment, as well as the community. I bought a necklace from the Osotra women who are endeavoring to earn money for the conservation projects & for their own impoverished families.
My driver for this entire Arusha tour is Elihuruma - but it seems the "eli" is not necessary, so I call him Huruma. Learning all new names & words is very difficult for me. For every greeting there is an expected response, & I can't learn them! I'll keep trying. Swahili has a melodic, French sound to it. So refreshing after enduring the many hours stuck at Amsterdam's airport where the language sounds like swearing & spitting to my ears.
I am typing at night & am listening to the dogs, which mostly run wild, as they howl & bark in a frenzy & then get into fights. Good thing I brought ear plugs!
Sorry to be a dull writer. I'm worn out!!
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Fri Aug 26
DON'T PANIC!
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-26-05_Day2
PIC of the day:
• Whew - lots more walking!
• A beautiful day that never brought too much sun.
• I visited a remote mountain village where the mud huts are built to be like separate rooms for each hut. They are more solid & roomy than I'd expected.
• We visited a primary school where they teach the children agriculture to prepare them to make more money than their parents.
• I visited a university of forestry which teaches agriculture & plants many trees & crops throughout the region.
• We picked up another American woman who is doing a dissertation on community/government projects.
• We climbed a mountain which took me deep into the jungle where the kalabus black & white monkeys reside. It was my first time to strap on my ugly hiking boots. I so prefer my lightweight flipflops!
• I returned to the hotel covered completely with clay dust. It took a couple hours to clean all my clothes by hand in the sink! I don't think I did a very good job!
Today I learned:
• Poverty is a hard life, but it can be lived very richly.
Today I met:
• Arian (American student)
• Steiner (American student's husband)
Today's Swahili:
• Kwaheri (goodbye)
• Sawa (it's ok)
• Kidago (a little)
• Unasamade (beg your pardon / say again)
• Usa is a river - not U.S.A.
Today was a whirlwind of more tours in the conservation projects of Osotwa, led by coordinator/guide John Ole Daniel. It is amazing how much this group has accomplished in a short amount of time. I had my horizons broadened a bit when an Arizona State student joined us for the last couple hours of walking through the plantation jungles, where the colobus black & white monkeys live high in the treetops (along with baboons & blue monkeys). Arian, the student, is doing a dissertation on how community based projects work with NGOs & governmental entities. She said the corruption does go quite high in Tanzanian government, BUT the people are very enthusiastic to make changes. It is a David/Goliath scenario where David seems to be making a big dent in the forehead of the giant powers that be.
We hiked very high into the jungles of Arusha National Park where it borders with the plantation projects where the very poor villagers are given many crops to plant & harvest along with planting many trees. It seems to be a very ideal cooperation that is working well. Win-win.
At first I thought people were begging when we passed by & they put their hands out, palm up. Then I realized they were trying to hitch a ride, as my driver confirmed to me. Rural people do not have any transportation other than their feet. As impoverished as most of the people I have seen & met are, I believe they are very rich in ways many of us are not. Every day they look upon the most beautiful scenery imaginable. There is not one place I have visited so far which lacks a gorgeous view supplied by Mount Meru. They also are very rich with family & friends. They depend upon each other in a good way. And their faces are always quick to smile. They are happy people, despite that most do not even have the money to buy seeds for farming. Every day is a struggle, yet every day is a blessing.
I took precautions about health & wellbeing before coming, & I am glad I did. I met another American today who has been here with her husband since October 2004. Since being here, she & her husband have had many illnesses & infections. I am hoping I can avoid that, especially since I am here such a short time. It was very expensive to receive all the shots & pills needed, but hopefully worthwhile. So far I feel VERY healthy. It seems I am always quite spent by the day's end, & I fall asleep easily, but then I do not need as much sleep as I normally would, so I wake up early. I have to get used to this new rhythm.
I sang into my computer very ugly & loud a gospel rendition of "THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE" to make rehearsal tracks for my church - it was odd because this hotel has open walls at the ceiling so that everyone can hear everyone else. There are no other guests tonight as far as I know, so not as bad if I'd tried last night when safari travelers were here.
Now the dogs are barking & fighting outside again...
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Sat Aug 27
I repeat - DON'T PANIC!
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-27-05_Day3
PIC OF THE DAY:
• OK - I panicked. There was a power outage at the office as I was connecting to the internet yesterday, & now there is no internet at all, though the power had returned promptly.
• Meanwhile, my day began very very cool. It had rained last night - which finally patted down that pesky dust.
• I could see my breath it was so cold on the mountain! The clouds & chill remained most of the day.
• I walked several km through the vast mountain village of Mulala & learned about many trees & birds.
• I made flour!! Then we made porridge from MY flour!
• I bought my first konga (cloth for dress) & honey & a t-shirt & cheese - $30 - all I really wanted was the wine!
• I saw the biggest mole (rodent) imaginable - it was just like any in the USA, only it was the size of a small dog! Two boys had killed it - moles ruin the crops.
Today I learned:
• Stuff happens.
• How to make flour & how to wrap a konga.
• There are places more beautiful than I ever imagined - why are these not in movies for the rest of the world?
Today's Swahili:
• Asante Sana (thank you very much)
• Badai (see you later)
• konga (cloth for dress)
Today I Met:
• Mama Anna (founder of Agape Women - www.tourismtanzania.org)
• Ismael Palangyo (Anna's husband / safari guide)
• Angel (Anna's daughter)
• Mama Abu (Agape member)
• Neoel (helper)
Huruma picked me up in a freshly washed jeep for which I was grateful. I was afraid I'd be sitting back in yesterday's dust. Had a GREAT day today at Mulala Village where Agape Women's Group have made an enterprise of smarts & hard work. They showed me their many stingless bee hives for their honey making, walked me through their cheese making process, showed me a vat of whey, explained their banana wine making process, told me about the humble beginnings of Agape Women's Group started by Mama Anna, taught me to make flour & then make porridge from that, & showed me their many kongas they sew. I bought several things, but they had no banana wine in completion for me to buy. I wanted that most. They did have a sample for me to taste, & it was very strong, & VERY good wine. Did not taste like bananas as you'd think. I hope to get some when/if I return in 2006. As we began our drive home, I felt color rise to my cheeks from the wine. I'm glad Huruma did not indulge in any of the wine before driving!
In town I thought I was doomed when the office still had no internet, & I could not get my computer to work at the internet café across the street from the office. But then a computer genius was summoned to save me. They only charge $1 per hour for internet in Tz. I wasted much time at the internet café, so I was behind in some of my work, especially when I returned to the lodge completely spent & unable to keep my eyes open to do more computer work.
Another dog fight as I fall asleep!
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Sun Aug 28
Sifuni Mungu!
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-28-05_Day4
PIC of the day:
• I type as I eat in the dark. I am eating a salad with interesting tastes, but because the power went out, I have no idea what is in it.
• Today I awoke to very cool air & very little hot water. I am doing my best to not catch cold or get sick, but there are many challenges!
• I did not wear my new konga - the honey jar they packed with it leaked, so the material is sticky! Bummer
• I sang very briefly for a village congregation at a pentacostal church.
• I had WONDERFUL conversation with a very wise mentor, Simon, who is a man I wish we all could learn from & get to know.
• I visited the very site where Christianity was born in Tanzania by German Lutherans. Very interesting. I hope someone publishes the fascinating story very soon.
• I went to see a group of young people who invited me yesterday to hear them sing tonight, but we were too late as we did not know the timing of their program. So I went over to do a short time on the internet & am now eating in the dark!
• Today I saw Mount Kilimanjaro for the first time just before sunset. Mount Meru was never more beautiful either.
• More pictures! - hard to find them, you must scroll down & find the camera icon...
Today I learned:
• The best way to help the needy is to change their minds, not their circumstance.
Today I met:
• Simon (guide & teacher - world traveler & director of many ministries)
• Vicki (Simon's wife who works with Christian literature publishing & very good cook!)
• Elisha Wilson (student & ministry partner with S.T.E.M.)
• Lillian (Elisha's wife, works with Compassion International)
• Linda (Elisha's daughter)
• Simon's mother & brothers (could not keep track of the names!)
• Neama (helper in Simon's youth ministries)
• Miriam (member of historical Lutheran church)
Today's Swahili:
• Sifuni Mungu DOES mean "praise the Lord"
• Neenakupenda DOES mean "I love you"
• no new words today, though I started using more of the ones I have been taught
First, Simon took us to a pentacostal church on Mt. Meru where his brother is pastor. Really they are quite tame - I believe they were not as lively as my non-denominational church in Orlando, where we are very "mainstream." Simon spoke, & he brought his prodigy, Elisha, to be my translator. Elisha introduced me as a guest, & asked me to say something. They handed me a mic, so I said I use mics to sing. I sang the first line from my song which has "I love you" in every language, so they understood me when it began with Swahili: Abba Father, neenakupenda
I read along in Elisha's Swahili Bible the very familiar story of the Prodigal Son, only Simon was talking about the brother who did not stray, yet remained home. It was a VERY good message about how we Christians are often like that brother who sit judgmental & jealous of the prodigals, when we should be rejoicing with our Father when they return home. I later read aloud a Swahili Bible passage in the car, & it is a very phonetic language, so I was awkward & slow, but they told me it was comprehensible.
I was later brought further up the mountain to the site of a grave which stands in a courtyard of a multi-building Lutheran church in a small village. This site signifies where Christianity was first introduced to all of Tanzania in 1893. The German missionaries were attacked by fearful Tanzanians in 1896 (they assumed the missionaries were here to suppress). Some Germans ran, while two leaders climbed a tree. They were speared to death in the tree. In remorse, the Tanzanians buried them there near the tree as martyrs. The Germans who had escaped left & then returned in numbers to spread the Gospel throughout the Mount Mesa region, eventually spreading to much of Tanzania. In 1996, there was a grand centennial celebration where many German Christian leaders were invited so that the local Tanzanians could make a formal apology for total reconciliation.
The best parts of my day were when we all sat around talking. Simon is very wise & very warm. His father had 21 children by 3 wives (polygamy is not uncommon). He lives in the village where he grew up, though he has traveled all over the world & works in Arusha Town by day. He is surrounded by his vast family in the village. He introduces many many ministries where they are needed, & I am anxious to see some of them tomorrow.
I went to the internet café again - I do not like crossing the street to go there. I will be killed doing this alone too often. I look the wrong direction (left) to see if cars are coming. They are coming from the right!!! Dumb American.
Still no electricity. I was going to do a lot of computer work tonight. Oh well. Guess I'll go to sleep very very early & pray there is electricity in the morning. My batteries are all about spent.
So long & thanks for all the...is this fish I'm eating?
(These references are only coherent if you read or rent "The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" by Gary Adams)
(We just got power late in the evening. Now I can see my breath. It's COLD! This is Africa?)
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Mon Aug 29
Media ministries...
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-29-05_Day5
pic of the day:
Notice the Joe English LP record behind my shoulder - they are a little behind the times with SOME of their media - ahead in many other ways...
Today I learned:
• Ministries are born from visions, even if they are unclear.
Today I met:
• Judith (New Life Band founder's wife)
• Ruthy, Ruth, Moses, John - New Life workers
• Bagita Erickson (Swedish missionary who publishes children's literature for the FPCT - Free Pentacostal Church Tanzania)
• Amos (Habari Maalum Media manager - he sings too! I bought his CD at the store)
Today's Swahili:
• Habari Maalum (Good News - or special news)
• New Life Band - youth ministries (camps, schools, community, church...), recording artists, recording studios - Judith
• FPCT - Free Pentacostal Church Tanzania Publishing - Bagita & Vicki
• Habari Maalum Media - TV, Radio, Video, Music, Printing, Publishing, Brail/Blind printing, Bookshop, etc - Amos
The New Life Band finds ways to be self-sustaining when it can. I visited their studio which they built themselves in offices in the same building where my guide Simon & my host Edgar have their offices. (Internet Provider has still not fixed their situation by the way.) The studio for New Life is very good & is used by many other artists, which makes it self-sustaining. They have the same Korg Triton keyboard my church in Orlando uses for sequencing. The band itself is a group who travel all over the world. I hope they'll come to the Camp Ground or other ministries I love so we can all enjoy their ministry!
The office is filled floor to ceiling with stackable chairs for their many youth events which take them all over the region. Annually they hold 2 full youth camps with about a 1,000 teens each. Some are Christians & some are not, so discipleship & evangelism are both important.
Simon's ministry (EMPOWERING CHURCHES FOR YOUTH MINISTRY) is global. He is so very visionary & has an entrepreneur's mind like no one I have ever met - & I have met many very strong leaders with these characteristics! "Empowering" is exactly the right word to describe his impact. He did burn out a few years ago & was made to stop for a year for health, but shows no signs of stress now as he is more balanced & still doing much much good. His heart for people to do for themselves is contagious. He has offices in both Dar es Salaam & Arusha with partners in many other places. Several youth centers are fully functioning & many others are in the works all over Tanzania.
The Habari Maalum campus is a wonder to behold. It was built in 1982 on desert mountain land just outside Arusha Town. The first goal was a Christian radio station, then a TV station was added. All under the Free Pentacostal Church umbrella with ministry in mind. Ministry is not always evangelism & discipleship. In the world of the Maasi people there is much to be learned about environmentalism as I have already been learning. Habari Maalum used the radio & TV to spread the word about the importance of responsible horticulture. It became clear they needed to practice what they preached. Today it is a beautiful campus of many acres that appears to be a natural forest. There are many crops on campus which grow trees, fruits & vegetables. Because the emphasis is on the communications media, this is not a self-sustaining part of the ministry, but the integrity it gives the organization is immeasurable.
The same can be said of the publications being produced for the blind. While not self sustaining, it is a very vital ministry that is unique in that all materials to produce completed literature in brail is on campus, eliminating the need to depend on the USA or other countries. Nearly the entire Old Testament has been completely translated into Swahili brail, & the entire Bible is of course the final goal, though they print many many other literature.
Most of the media ministry focuses on radio, TV, & audio production (start to finish). It is worldclass. I've seen many studios, & these are very modern & thriving. This is a self-sustaining ministry which attracts Christian artists from all over the globe to do their recording here. The government also uses the facility for a larger fee when they are looking to produce quality media. Some of the people I met were students, some faculty, some staff. All are dedicated & talented. There is a complete center dedicated to follow-up & counseling for the many many inquiries they receive. There are ministry cassettes to send to inquirers which have been translated into most every African language. Their listenership & viewership reaches over 5 million people.
They work across the street from a FPCT church where they film many music videos. I met some women there who teach Maasi women to sew for trade, & who also work with local orphanages. There are many orphanages in Tanzania due to AIDs & single parent issues.
We ended our day with a late lunch at a restaurant where I finally saw several other white westerners. The restaurant served a VERY large portion of delicious pasta & mince meat - they have westernized their portions! Too much for me.
Tomorrow I leave for a true safari adventure where I will hunt with bushmen & see wonders that should really put my camera to use!!!
Badai...
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Tue Aug 30
Lake Manyara Game Watching
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-30-05_Day6
PIC OF THE DAY:
I am alive & well. Saw lions & giraffes & elephants etc all day today - very wonderful safari. I camp in a tent tonight & then head to the bush where bushmen will hunt - no internet, no cell. So I will be cut off at least until Thursday. Am on VERY expensive & VERY slow internet, so photos will also have to wait until Thursday. Sorry!!!
Mto-Mbu is the name of the town where we camp. Mto-mbu is Swahili for Mosquito River, but it seems there are not that many mosquitos, even though we had rain most of the morning & early afternoon. I bought a giraffe mask carving from the man who was making them in camp. MUCH cheaper than at the stores in town. Also have an elephant bracelet he carved.
My arms were bruised from the standing through the roof, but worthwhile to see all the animals. Seeing the lions was a treat. The pictures barely show them at all.
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Wed Aug 31
Lake Eyasi
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/08-31-05_Day7
PIC OF THE DAY:
I had my first HOT shower out here in the wild last night. The lodge never gave me a hot shower, & it felt good to get CLEAN! Before sunrise they blew a horn & chanted loudly in the valley at Lake Manyara where we camped (yes I slept in a tent!), & I ignored the pre-dawn ceremony. It is pagan & not worth losing the extra hour sleep! There are many other white people at this camp, all like myself with a driver & cook working for them. There are very expensive "hotels" (none are what we think of as hotels in USA) in these areas, but I am enjoying the more rugged way.
CHANGE OF PLANS. I was slow on VERY slow internet (it is remote, so slower than phone lines!!!), so we changed our timing - Bushmen will wait till Thur. We see Eyasi village, Totoga tribe & see Lake Eyasi sunset.
We walked a hot dry treeless trek through the Eyasi village where people herd cattle & goats, but do not have any grass for them. Other than cattle, the trade of the area is growing onions. Though Lake Eyasi is completely dry, there is a river & water under the surface which supplies water. Everything is salt water due to volcanic activity, so I don't know how it works. Anyhow, the lake is dry & dusty while the shore is totally green & thriving along where the river runs below the surface, so the onions do well.
I was taken on a touristy trek to the Totoga who live very primitive. One man with 10 wives. The wife builds the walls of the house(s) & the man does the roof. They make beads & other jewelry. Had no beaded stuff to sell - actually they had plenty but my interpreter was not good at all - he never got anything right in interpreting to or from me. I could not ask adequate questions. Frustrating. I was very frustrated that these people were expecting my money. I had not prepared for this, so I did very little as that is all I had.
I saw a political rally that was interesting & then walked to town to get cold Cokes for all (no electricity - carosene fridge). I also bought a nice sweat suit for approx $16 US (17,000 Tz shillings). I'll need this apparently at the crater & I had not packed for so much cold. There has been MUCH cold in Arusha where I could have used much heavier clothes. Where will I pack all this???
Later we drove back to dry lake & enjoyed a beautiful sunset - very peaceful & the wind finally was calmer (the wind is very strong here all the time - which actually helps with the heat).
Have you ever seen the Milky Way??? I have now. I have heard about it & maybe seen pictures, but this night we have seen the entire river of faraway stars that flow behind the stars we usually see on clear nights. It is INCREDIBLE. I heard a throaty animal a little too close as I slept, but no problems.
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Thur Sept 1
Bushmen
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-01-05_Day8
PIC OF THE DAY:
VERY early - 5am wake up to reach the bushmen just after sunrise around 6:15am. We walked FOREVER. It was mostly in soft sand of dry river (the river runs far below the surface in dry season). Otherwise it was in thorny bush that scratched up the bushmen's leathery skin & tried to tear all my clothes, hair & hat - If you look up the thorns are at your feet, if you look down you have your head attacked by thorns. No major injuries. No one knows for sure, but at a very quick pace to keep up with hunters I think we walked approximately 6 miles. We went on hunt shortly after arriving & seeing where they live with women - & where they smoke awful pipes with a tobacco which makes them all cough a lot. The hunt was a lot of tracking Dik-dik tracks (tiny reindeer - the smallest of the antelope). We never saw one, but those who could not keep up (an Israeli couple) saw a Dik-dik long after the hunters & I had passed. Bummer. However, we almost caught a rodent about like a ground hog. It eluded the young hunters. We were back in the soft sand of the river wash when many shouts & lots of running. I was up front but once they ran they were too far ahead. Thankfully. I am glad I did not see the kill of the Varvet monkey, but I heard it all. The boy who was the only bushman to speak any Swahili made the kill - right through the heart. There is a short walk to a shade tree & a fire is made immediately & the cutting & cooking begins. The hero of the day keeps the head which is roasted & takes it back to clan. We had met up with one man from another clan & he also shared in the spoils. A piece is saved for each of the women & children to take back. Bloody. Very yucky stuff. They swore it tastes like chicken. Smelled like it. But I didn't try. The tail will decorate a bow. To celebrate, they all lit up a joint - much marijuana smoking amongst the Bushmen & Totoga.
As we walked back (much slower thanx to the marijuana) a boy wanted to trade his arrow for my watch. I felt it too important to me & not important to him. He then asked for a trade of my whistle which I keep around my neck for safety if I get lost or attacked. Now that we were finished with this type of thing I made the trade. Not sure how to get it back - very sharp for airport security scanners & the stick is too long for my luggage.
I think I've figured out the words to O SIFUNI MUNGO (First Call) - I am trying to upload the MP3 if ever able. Huruma LOVES the song & we sing it all the time! Basically means Praise the Lord.
We returned to camp for brunch, broke down camp & drove very VERY dusty Eyasi area to reach Karatu where I am doing SLOW internet. Only 4pm - off to the crater
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Fri Sept 2
Ngorongoro Crater
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-02-05_Day9
PIC OF THE DAY:
Typing Thursday night...
Ngorongoro is the most amazing place I've seen. We crossed more dust from the Bushmen area to the mountains in the distance. Going around & up the mountain we are now at the rim of the crater which was formed by a collapsed volcano eons ago. It is vibrant & green all over. We have seen wild animals during our drive up. We stopped for a view & picture & I promptly stepped into an itchy thorn plant - no rash, just an immediate itch which is gone now.
I am typing what could be my last words if the lingering smell of my Mulala cheese attracts a hyena tonight! We put all food in the car, & hopefully nothing will attract the danger of the hyena or the nuissance of the wild pig. The tip of my spear is with me, for what good it might do. There are MANY people, mostly Europeans, camping here. My "neighbor" is a very friendly lawyer from Holland. He's been all over Africa - must be nice to be rich! I was invited to sit with his tour group by the fire, but am worn out by people by day's end, & had to wait for our very frigid dinner after Huruma cleaned the dusty car.
This is the most beautiful wondrous place, but also the most MISERABLE. FREEZING COLD!!! The wind is relentless & my tent zipper broke. I fixed with safety pins but Huruma (driver/guide) & Alex (cook) insisted on trying to fix - & they did. Probably saved my life as I would be an icicle if wind got in here. I had bought the cheap sweat suit just for this part, & I am SO glad I did. I am wearing all layers of clothes that I could fit into! Still not enough for being outside. It will be interesting in the morning since we start here where it is so cold & then go down to the bottom of the crater where it is very hot where all the many many many teeming animals are living a National Geographic life. No shower due to overcrowding, & much dirt & sweat all over me & clothes. I will fit in with the smell of the animals by tomorrow.
I am overwhelmed again by the vivid sight of the Milky Way - it was worth coming all this way just for that.
6pm:
Entire day game watching. Saw it ALL:
I met a very charming, handsome, tall, presumably single, Dutch lawyer - Bart. He was my tent neighbor at Ngorongoro. The Europeans seem to be everywhere, & I think most are VERY rich. I've only seen one other American very briefly. Some of the Europeans speak clearer English than Americans. They throw their money around in a way that is really quite degrading in my opinion. I've tried to keep with a philosophy of only giving money by way of their culture - buying their food, clothes, goods. Giving because they took a picture with me is very distasteful. But that's just me.
Sorry sis - the lawyer was all those things - but not my "type" - a little too materialistic. I'm still looking to meet an Indiana Jones type I guess?
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Sat Sept 3
Travel Arusha to Dar es Salaam
MANY PIX ARE UPDATED FOR PREVIOUS DAYS!
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-03-05_Day10
pix of the day:
I forgot to mention that when I stopped for last time to do internet, I saw Beatrice, the girl who's helped me each time. I had made a CD of "O SIFUNI MUNGU" (see lyrics online) & my own songs for her, & we'd exchanged emails. When I showed up yesterday she gave me a Maasai blanket in gratitude, the traditional red plaid cloth all the men where to show their tribe, which I see everywhere in Northern Tanzania. I had hoped to buy one, so it was a wonderful gift.
After breaking camp in Moyo, which is in Karatu, just outside the crater area, we made our way back to Arusha. As we reached Lake Manyara to pass through, I decided I wanted to purchase a necklace. Mine from the Osotwa women had broken. Oh boy. I was practically attacked by the merchants. All men, no women, they had the shops with all the goodies. This was to be a quick stop for one item. About $100 US later (I think - it was hard to keep track - but my wallet was empty by the end!), & one full hour later I finally had to practically slam the car door on a couple of men still desperate to sell me their goods. I overpaid on everything, but I bartered everything down to about half of what was asked. My PLAN was to look in all the shops & then only buy what I wanted. Ugh. Impossible. Had I stuck to the plan I would have done very well because it was the LAST shop I found that had exactly what I wanted. By then I did not have enough to buy it, but I bartered it to what I had in my wallet. (I later found out that the airport offered most of the same goods, which are much cleaner & MUCH cheaper - who knew?)
After that final adventure we drove to Arusha & I stopped at an ATM where I had to wait in line behind Californians. We chatted. I looked out & saw Judith from New Life Band approaching to go into the bank. I looked pretty cool to these Americans when I happened to see someone I know! I said "jambo" to Judith & she told me that the band had just gotten back from Dar, so I would miss them there. But they are coming to America in a year or two.
At the office the internet was working again, but too slow to do much good for me. We hurried back into the jeep to catch my flight to Dar. All went well, even able to transport my long arrow stick. I think I will have to cut it in half to get it to the USA - sad to mess with a fine work of art (even if it is used to kill monkeys). The plane arrived at Zanzibar (which is huge) at the very time it was due in Dar es Salaam. I was confused, but managed not to get off at the wrong airport. This was not a stop that was made known to passengers! I think we arrived in Dar about an hour late. Bummer. It turns dark very early here, so the challenges were just starting...
Many times today I must count to 10 & remind myself to be patient. While with a guide in Arusha things always were able to be worked out without much burden on me. Arriving in Dar es Salaam alone & with a very sketchy plan (really none) is frustrating - as is to be expected. I need this kind of experience to make me deal with frustrations better. At home my doggy keeps me calm when I get overly frustrated because she does not like it when I even TYPE loudly if I'm having computer frustration - she runs away or starts shivering if I actually yell at the computer or mutter to myself. So without my doggy to calm me, I must rely on more self discipline. A good lesson!
Just before dark I was left in a strange place to figure out phones, taxis, hotels. After MUCH time, I figured out that here my cell phone DOES work as it is supposed to (in South India it did NOT). I managed to catch a Taxi who took me through the smoggy Dar city - very busy & very modern. We stopped at an intersection where "ticks" were trying to make people buy things, & then one man with no hands was begging. I reached for my celery sticks (I always save something from my meals) & gave it to him. Turned out my hotel preference was a flop. It has been closed! Bummer - was on the beach. The next hotel was fine, except they only had hostel type rooms available for very cheap ($12) & I knew it would be a 2-night commitment so I did not like it. My taxi driver had a better idea.
I am at Palm Beach Hotel - http://www.pbhtz.com - almost too nice after all I've experienced in Northern Tanzania! It is not a luxury hotel, but by comparison it is 5-star to me. I am connecting by wireless. That is heaven! I have a private room that has A/C - I haven't been in A/C since I left Orlando. Not even on some of the planes! I even have a TV, so I am seeing the hurricane news for the first time. Devastating. If any more hurricanes come to Florida before my return I will be happy to extend my travel to avoid being there!
I am hungry now (they've trained me to expect 3 meals a day served up in several courses!). Unfortunately the banana I'd saved turned completely black while in my bag today. Oh well - the M&Ms I've had since the day I left will finally get eaten along with the pretzels from my Detroit flight.
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Sun Sept 4
Dar es Salaam
NO pix today (sorry!)
Great pix are uploaded for all previous days - take a look!
Today was a washout. Last night I ate 6 M&Ms & immediately either got food poisoning, or something from earlier hit me. I did not attend church with Keri, a friend of a friend who is a missionary here. But I did speak with her & the other friend of a friend Carrie, who is a teacher in Dar. I have not left my hotel room at all. I did get some laundry done - happy to pay the expensive fee just to have something that is clean. After a full day of doing nothing, I hope to be fully ready to explore tomorrow. My first impression of Dar is not good, but there's SO much I have not even begun to fathom here. I should be pretty famished tomorrow to start out with some breakfast, & hopefully strengthened to get out & about...
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Mon Sept 5 - HAPPY LABOR DAY
Dar es Salaam
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-05-05_Day12
PIC OF THE DAY:
I slept well last night after the rough/boring day of shut-in. I ate breakfast & felt quite weak for awhile, but by 10:15am I was raring to go. I set out to the tourist info board & there they told me about a private SAFE beach I could go to since I am a guest at the hotel co-owned by the beachside camp. Getting there was the adventure. I opted for no buses (daladalas) & walked a long way in several directions, disappointed to find the "museum" was just 3 small shops of goods crafted by disabled & special needs people - I had thought it was an actual museum with cultural tour. I bought a cheap wallet that I don't need there. I found the KLM office to change my return flight ticket. I walked in the midday heat to the ferry that would take me to the place with the beach. The fare is equivalent to about 10 cents. The ferry was a hoot - SMELLY, but interesting. A sea of people. I was very scrutinized & did not feel safe to pull out my camera for what would have been a great picture. I looked like a tourist. A rude one. I have brought no capris with me, so it is either shorts, "konga" (skirt wrap), or full-length pants. Anyone who knows me knows I opt for shorts all the time. NO ONE else wears shorts if they are female. I didn't care. I didn't faint from the heat, so that's all that mattered. I will try to be a bit more conforming over the next couple days.
The SMELLY (did I mention that?) ferry brought me to the southern land of Kigamboni where I caught a taxi to drive to Kipepeo, the sister camp to my hotel. The beach was AWESOME. For nearly an hour I just floated on the waves - wondering why no one else ever went in the water. Later when I was sunbathing a few went swimming, but it was weird to see all those westerners shading themselves in full beach attire, but not going near the water for the most part. I was half asleep on the sand when a familiar smell filled the air to waken me. I thought I was still dreaming. It was a local cattleman walking through the private beaches with about 30 head! A young African entrepreneur introduced himself as Maleku & wanted to chat in my private beachside hut. I wanted to bask in fading sunlight. Today was more a "touristy" day. He understood. Besides, it was weird how he entered my "private" hut & wanted to be friends. I am an untrusting American in such situations.
Unfortunately my brilliant plan to take a taxi to avoid the ferry backfired. The taxi driver went straight to the ferry - we were parked behind a chicken truck the whole way. I had him drop me off on a familiar corner so I could get a few things to eat at the BP station (exactly like the BP stations we all know). I raced the sun to walk back to the hotel & fortunately was back before that dreaded nightfall. I saw some great capris to buy streetside as I walked, but they were filthy so no sale to me. The traffic was so bad that a vanload of guys who started from the same street corner as I did arrived at my hotel at the same time as me on foot. It nearly 2 miles. I found out from the hotel manager on my return that I should have listened to the tourist board's suggestion to take a BOAT (guess there's a big diff between boat & ferry) which launches from a very different spot, & which is a bit more luxurious, even serving up fish fry. My fault for using a map I'd bought at the airport. I just looked to see it was published TEN years ago. Oh well.
Carrie (a teacher in Dar who is a friend of a friend) had left me a message that we could have dinner together. She picked me up at the hotel, which is a 5-minute walk from her campus. She does not frequent any African dinner places, so we opted for Italian. The fettucine with chicken tasted just like Tuna Helper - was good. They served 3 times as much as a normal person can eat, so you know I barely dented it. Brought it back to the room but have no fork & no microwave. I'll find a way to eat it before it turns into something that will give me more food poisoning!
Carrie was delightful, despite that she's a devoted White Sox fan (not that I've been a faithful Cubby for awhile). She is from Chicago proper, so we had much to talk about since I'm from the Chicagoland burbs. She knew what I meant by pop & tennis shoes (called "trainers" here). And neither of us would consider trying any pizza here of course.
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Tue Sept 6
Mwenge
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-06-05_Day13
PIC OF THE DAY:
legendary woodcarvings in Mwenge - this is a large TREE carved to be a family tree - quite spectacular craftsmanship
I've become a boring blogger. It is time consuming & takes energy to be interesting & clever! However, I like for the pictures to do much of the talking. (I am finding taking photos of my experiences more difficult here - so much fear instilled in me about theft, attacks & overall safety/security issues. It is intimidating to take out a nice camera & let it be seen.) My thoughts are truly much deeper than I can properly write here. I think some of my blah-ness about Dar comes from the fact that I am not in a position to truly get to KNOW most of the nationals I meet. I have spent more time with Carrie W & met Keri T today, so I have met my fellow Americans, & that's been GREAT! But not too many opportunities for a "tourist" without a cultural guide to really get to know anyone.
Today I did make it to Mwenge with Keri, a missionary who concentrates on discipling young women at a local unversity. She took me on a WILD ride in the daladalas (buses). I could NEVER have done that alone - very confusing - & so hot & sweaty it's pretty draining - I wish I could have taken a picture, but so crowded it's not possible to get a coherent shot. Keri knows enough Swahili to get around & stay smart very well. After we parted I spent more money in Mwenge & bought more things, a couple items which will certainly cost me a lot of money to get back to the States since they are big & heavy for my luggage. I was much happier shopping here, though. In Mwenge they sell what they are making as you shop - there are workshops behind every store. Many stores have the same items, yet they are unique as they are produced right there by skilled artisans, & there is a difference in the craftsmanship. There are too many stores - you must commit many hours. The daladala run really took a lot of time & energy (a recurring theme). So I concentrated on about a dozen shops & tried to "just look" but left with an armload & empty pockets. My last purchase was my big one - when people see it in my house they will be told it was made by Dula, who also sold it to me for a smart price.
I returned by taxi (a fresh young driver with many propositions!) to my hotel to do a little work & then to walk over to the international school where Carrie W gave me a tour of the campus in the daylight. We planned to hear a friend read to students at a library reading, but the reader was so late that it was nearly sunset. We went to a seaside place for a sunset drink, but just like some Florida sunsets, the promising sky went blek & gave us little to look at, but it was still VERY pleasant. From there we went to dinner at a swank place & chatted. Fellow Chicagoans easily talk, even if they don't agree on politics & baseball teams.
I am back in my room & realizing I'm too behind in my work. My plan is to go to Zanzibar very early in the morning for a day excursion, but if I don't get work done, I may go with a more demanding backup plan that will have me going on the same day I fly out of Dar to return home...hoping that doesn't happen - so I'm signing off before I get any further behind.......
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Wed Sept 7
Zanzibar
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-07-05_Day14
PIC OF THE DAY:
OK - I gave in. I knew I must go to Zanzibar - everyone was pushing me to do so. I didn't really care one way or the other. Unfortunately, I had gotten behind in work & had to finish unfinished projects until about 3:30am, so I could not make myself get up at the optimal 6am to catch a 7am ferry/boat to Zanzibar. By the time I could finally get my act together it was about 10:45am. Not a good time to show up at the pier & expect to get to Zanzibar. I did find a reputable agent who decided to get me last-minute same-day plane tix. It was cheaper than if I'd booked in advance. He overcharged me when he did the conversion from US$ to TzShillings, & when the ticket was given to me with the assurance all was right, I was pretty angry when after our taxi took off I saw that the times had been altered from everything he'd told me, giving me not 4 hours but just TWO & a 1/2 in Zanzibar. I made the taxi turn back & told the agent I knew the conversion rate & demanded all my money back, or the difference at the very least. He bargained it. It got heated, but we parted rafiki (friend).
Turns out the company took good care of me overall as they set up by cell phone for me to have a driver/guide who would walk me around town. That driver, Hasim, took me to the center of Stone Town. Powdery stone - makes it dusty/dirty, like so much of the natural materials in Tanzania. I was wearing my annoying khonga everywhere to be respectful of the Muslim community, but I did not like it. Other westerners mostly did the same, though not all. I also had my hair braided, which is considered more respectful. It doesn't matter - the men assume all American women are sluts. It is hard to make myself want to be respectful of people en masse whose way of thinking is so incomprehensible to me.
Anyhow, the museum I started at told me much about the Zanzibar life/history so that I had better understanding of all I saw as we went. I did not want to do more museums (had to pay for each & wasted too much time), but as we walked toward the market we passed a music academy. I had my guide inquire at the door if I could observe. I'm so glad we did - I met students & saw a man doing MY WORK (transcribing) as he was grading the work of students. I have not found a flute or trumpet or any other wind instrument of Tanzania or Zanzibar. By the way, Tz & Zan are considered a union, but they are also basically separate countries. Zanzibar includes the island of Pemba.
I saw the building where Freddy Mercury was born & so I sang I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE (appropriate in this land!) to my guide. He said now he knew I was a musician. I thought about singing all of Bohemian Rhapsody but knew I could not recall all the weird words in the middle! :o)
I only bought one item which I had seen in the museum - a practical item which is used to cover food. A good thing for a slow eater like me. As usual, I found out that even by bargaining WAY down to less than half the asking price, I still paid about twice as much on the street as I could have paid for a CLEAN & much more interesting one at the airport (where I found Mt. Dew by the way - I succumbed).
On my flight back I met a very interesting French gal. They get mandatory holidays all the time. She HAD to take 4 weeks (paid) off! So she came here, climbed Kilimanjaro & the works. Next year she is allowed to take a FULL YEAR (unpaid) off to travel because she has been working at the same place for 6 years. I'm moving to France.
As we drove in the pre-twilight hours from the airport to my hotel I noticed once again as I always do that dusk brings out the hand bicycles. There are MANY of these bikes that I never see during the day which are plentiful at dusk - they are disabled people, usually with no legs at all, who ride very fast & skillfully using their arms. When I see that & then I see someone with a missing foot or other lesser infirmity begging at the street corner, they expect me to give them money when they are much more mobile than these hardworking individuals who can ride a bike & do so many other things to earn a real living. I have not given money to beggars, but I have spoken with a few & given food when I have it. Am I judgmental? I think I'm just trying to keep a perspective that makes me think. And I also am trying not to be a sucker!!
At dinner I enjoyed the most pleasant atmosphere under a starless cotton-cloud night with live guitarist & palm trees - right here at my hotel. Because of the wi-fi, I could surf the net while I ate what they called lasagna (I'd call it vegetable stew).
I'm scurrying now to figure out what to do tomorrow & how in the world to pack ALL THIS STUFF!!
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Thur Sept 8
Bongoyo Marine Park
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-08-05_Day15
PIC OF THE DAY:
This is my last day in Tanzania - a long day. I got up early to begin the monumental task of packing. I think I figured it out. Not sure how awful this is to do: I left a pile of clothes, supplies & miscelleanous stuff in my hotel room with a note "For SALVATION ARMY donation" - didn't know what else to do!
I left all my bags, including the precious computer, at the front desk while I went to frolick in paradise. Bob Denver died recently (apparently last week, but they waited to announce?) & he was actually on my mind as we approached by boat this awesome little uninhabited island with grass huts & lagoons & palm trees & coral reef. Gilligan's Isle! I spent a great day snorkeling the reef, walking the trails, swimming & floating in the torquoise waters, lazying on the grass mats - paradise. I then did a small bit of shopping & overpaid (as usual) for a cute shirt with animals all over it - very African & just what I wanted for my final purchase.
Back at the hotel I hoped to find YES emails to my dinner invitation to Keri & Carrie. Keri is battling illness & Carrie had previously set plans but she did stop by to chat & say goodbye, so that was good. She won't be teaching here next year, but I still hope & expect to return & with added travels I may actually see her again since I'm going many places & she has yet to determine where she'll teach next.
I WILL write more before my final return. I'm hoping for the energy & know-how to do some Amsterdam touring with my 7 hour flight wait.
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Fri Sept 9
Amsterdam-Orlando
pix: http://chartsforchurches.com/pix2005/Tanzania-MEDIA/09-09-05_Day16
PIC OF THE DAY:
I'll sound European when I say I took a "holiday" in the city "this" morning (or was that yesterday? - depends on where you are). I did the quicky tour of Amsterdam by bus guide with a one-hour canal boat ride. Most interesting would have been the Anne Frank house, except it's a tiny doorway where tourists were posing to block my view. My cousin used to live in Amsterdam, so I wanted to see his old haunt. It seems to be exactly like the US - except everything here under the sea level is what they CAN handle with pumps & dikes & masterful engineering. The other major differences are that spitting Dutch language & the legalized drugs.
I find myself fairly grumpy these travel days until I've walked a lot to release those endorphins (I call it releasing the dolphins). There have been big & little annoyances with every part of the travel, & it's always much easier to deal with when not grumpy!!! By the time I reached home, I was getting irritated too easily after sitting in planes so long.
I'm back safely, but so very tired - time to snuggle up with my long-missed puppy dog. Another one or two "blog" entries will follow, which I promise will be so more interesting than the rest. However, right now everything is moving around me like I'm on a ship at sea, so I'd better sleep in my own bed before going on...Wait - is that MY perception of the world swaying, or is Ophelia making her turn around...???
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Sat Sept 10
Orlando
PIC OF THE DAY:
I'm home sweet home. Had a good long sleep in my own bed with my puppy dog by my side.
MORE TO COME...
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Sunday, September 11
Orlando
I will have at least one final entry, but for now am reflecting.
Today is a day of reflection for our nation, & for the world. There are current victims of Katrina, a natural disaster, & there are countless victims still reeling from the devastation of humanity's disaster of 2001 which happened this day.
I join our globe in contemplation of our past & our future, & hope to have some coherent thoughts as I continue to process the information & deeper meaning of my trip to Tanzania.
Today - let's pray for victims. Tomorrow, let's do our best to change the word from victim to victor...
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Tue Sept 13
SO LONG & THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH!!!
I've been back in Orlando USA for a few days to decompress & start to process in my mind & heart all that I experienced in Africa. There are more unanswered questions & new questions than there are answers for me. I don't know how to articulate thoughts that are still swirling around in a blur in my head!
My heart has turned toward missions - obviously. I am also satisfying a degree of wanderlust, no doubt. Unmarried & no prospects at my age makes a person antsy. I can't do a WHOLE lot of this type of thing all on my own much more since my funds are quite limited - I'm a church musician for Pete's sake!!!! We are not exactly renowned for being money machines! :o)
So missions is in my future - perhaps even leading teams on missions with my church &/or with an organization. It's not in my nature to do anything very long-term, so everything I envision is short-term - either to do a specific task, or to set things up for a long-term successor. I'm very much a DO person, & have never been comfortable or resolved to just TELL people about Christ without SHOWING His love. So whatever I am to do, I believe it will involve all the things I still have on the agenda for my "dream" mission of 2006: environmentalism, conservationism, education (community, health, marketplace, etc.), music ministry & exchange, disaster relief, poverty relief, medical relief, etc. Will I go around the world in 80 days?? Maybe.
For now I'm on call with our teams at Discovery Church for Katrina hurricane relief. I have a TON of clothes & ironically of supplies perfect for 3rd world conditions to donate (I left 10 times as much stuff at home as I brought with me to Africa & India combined). My church in Illinois is already sending teams to Biloxi on Monday the 19th in conjunction with a disaster relief ministry in St. Louis. I believe our Discovery teams have been asked to wait for a green light before we can go. I'm sure I'll blog some of that when it happens. I'll let you know when & where to find those entries & pix.
Meanwhile, I will take the final months of 2005 to sort out my plans for 2006 & will keep you posted as plans form. I have one vacation planned for next year which will find me down in Mexico with my "Cruise Gal" pals. I figure by this time next year I'll be needing a DO NOTHING vacation!
My life plan was always laid out to be a musician in my younger years, & to live out life so I can write about it as I grow older. Writing was always my priority ambition. It never was fully forgotten as I wrote a couple novels & have always done some type of proof editing here & there over the years. My blog is a disappointment to me since my thoughts are scattered & my writing is very plain & unentertaining. It's not even poignant! BUT - I am in a transition phase of my life - moving from that younger period toward the older & wiser years. Not quite there YET! So I cut me some slack, & all who've communicated with me regarding this blog have been very kind & supportive. Future blogs should promise to get a lot better - deeper, more reflective, more entertaining.
For now I sign off from this "blog" & hope to have much more from other corners of our shrinking yet VAST world. Go out in it & live fully. It's a pretty mind boggling globe we live on.
SO LONG & THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH!!!