Lesliesgoneagain

Nov. 3 A little info about our accommodation in Addis. The Wabe Shebelle Hotel, where the team is staying, is a long established hotel, probably formerly posh, where many visiting groups stay. Presently, we are sharing the facility with a medical volunteer team from Seattle, who are involved in training staff at a local hospital, 180 newly minted Ethiopian doctors, who are in training before they are dispersed to complete their 5-year term of required service to repay the cost of their education; a male athletic team of some sort and various tour groups and individuals. The hotel is a bit shabby and was recently returned by the government to the grandson of Haile Selassie. Perhaps it will be restored to its prior grandeur. It appears that locals are subject to frisking and bag searches, regardless ... read more

The trip started out rather poorly. Arrived in time at SFO thanks to Moose, checked my luggage through to Addis and got to the boarding gate in plenty of time. Then I learn, oh-oh, the flight is delayed, and I have a 55 minute window between deplaning and boarding my next flight in Amsterdam. Find out some inspectors are going over the plane before boarding can be allowed. We leave 45 minutes late - I'm screwed. Add to that the fact that I'm in a middle seat on a 10 hour flight. 3 movies and 2 meals later, we finally land in Amsterdam at 9:50 am and my next flight leaves at 10:10. I have been rebooked on a flight scheduled to leave in an hour via Nairobi. I have no way to let Boots and ... read more

Oakland, CA: Tomorrow I begin my journey to Ethiopia for another Habitat for Humanity Global Village build. First leg will be flying from San Francisco to Amsterdam on KLM. There I will run, run, run through Schiphol to catch the next flight to Addis Ababa. I have only a 55 minute gap between arrival and departure. Fortunately, Boots and Ramsay will be on the 2nd flight, so maybe they can hold the plane for me! In addition to my personal luggage, which includes tools for the build, food to snack on, innumerable electronics (and their accompanying adapter/chargers) and toys for kids, I've packed a medium sized duffle bag filled with school supplies, some toys and diapers to donate to the Children's Home Society and Family Services in Addis. This is the agency through which my cousin ... read more

Every 3 or so years our sort of distant cousins in Canada hold a huge family reunion. We've found them to be a fun bunch, so we kind of grafted ourselves a little closer in on their family tree. I think this is the 5th or 6th reunion we've attended. Due to work schedules, etc., my son, Moose, and his significant other, Cory, and my daughter, Nikki, will be flying up to Lethbridge on Friday and just staying the weekend. Tomorrow morning my Mom & Dad pick up me, my granddaughter, Aria, and my aunt, Arlene, in their little Honda Civic and we head east on 80. The reality of 5 people traveling in the Civic will actually be even worse than it sounds because Aria is only 4 and has to use a car seat. ... read more

Sunday - april 10 Up early and head to Tashi Ling Tibetan Village to attend a morning service at the village temple. We tiptoe into the small temple and settle on the floor as the chanting continues. There are about 10 young monks in two rows on either side of the room. One adult monk sits on a raised platform beside the entrance. After some time he just got up ad left. Four older monks closest to the altar appear to lead the chanting and at certain points ring bells, move kernels of rice and make meaningful hand gestures. As each verse appears to be coming to an end one of the older monks revs up the next stanza. The littlest monk leaves and returns with salt tea for everyone. The chanting is hypnotic and familiar ... read more

Saturday - april 2 Awake at 4:30 am to the monotonous beat of a drum from the temple at the World Peace Pagoda. Some sort of chanting may also be going on. I will later discover it is an ongoing chant of "Namyo ho rengo gekyo" for world peace, in which anyone may join. It will last till 6 pm. Happens daily. Today I explore the area around the hotel including the World Peace Pagoda and the Sarus Crane Sanctuary. I find someone to take my photo in front of the huge pagoda. Alongside there is a grave marker of a Japanese monk who was killed by anti-Buddhist extremists at the time the pagoda was under construction. The sanctuary is accessible through the back gate of the Pagoda grounds. When I return to the hotel I ... read more

Friday I wake up at 5 am & find the power is back on, including wifi! Able to clean out my email and chat with Nikki on FB. Find out Moose is being the best Uncle Moose in the whole world while he babysits Aria. Strangely, while on the internet I lose track of time (gee, that never happened before) and all of a sudden realize I only have an hour until my ride to the airport. No time for breakfast, but I'm still not hungry. Repack my suitcase to be stored at the Norbu Linka while I'm off to Lumbini. Have a little chat in the lobby with a Korean guy from New York. This is his 5th trip to Nepal and he had to cut short his trek due to altitude sickness, first time ... read more

Thursday - March 31 My last day at Bardia. After breakfast a 3-hour bird-walk to the river is easy and relaxing. I've already mostly forgotten what birds I saw. I do remember there were 3 kinds of bee eaters, 2 kinds of parakeets, 2 kinds of mynah, 2 kinds of wagtail. In a moment of reckless memory loss, I ate a small strawberry-type fruit before realizing it could be a serious food-born disease mistake. So far no ill-effects, the luck continues! Back at the ranch for final packing, final drying of wet shoes and pants and final cold shower. Guess what, even when the power is on - no hot water. I decide to give my newly purchased Birds of Nepal book to Sundar and feel disappointed I didn't have a second one to give to ... read more