Well I had typed up a nice blog entry, one I was very proud of... full of feelings, thoughts, memories and the like. I let my thoughts of leaving my second home and the experience I shared with Elisha pour onto the keyboard as we listened to music and sat in our friend Jama's house. Now my laptop has decided it cannot open the file. Awesome. If I ever get it to work, I will post it. Otherwise- the rehash super short version is such-- We are now in Doha. The Middle East. It has not quite hit me yet, although I know for certain I am no longer in South Africa. As we sit in the internet/food spot in the Doha airport, with A & W restaurant and TCBY behind us... I am full of ... read more

The last few weeks have been something special. The entire trip has been something special- something amazing. I cannot explain the complex feelings and thoughts that are created when you are on, say, a Monday in the dry deserts of Namibia and then on Wednesday you are enjoying the cool breezes in Cape Town. We have spent about a month in Camperdown. This is my home in South Africa. Home number two. I would say 60% of my memories of South Africa are from this area. Is it a cluster of bustling madness like Joburg? No way. Is it the hipster streets of Cape Town, with waves crashing in the distance? No. But it is home number two. Christmas was not so much of a traditional Christmas celebration, but we spent it in good company and ... read more

In 3 weeks, it will have been a year since I left KwaZulu Natal.. since I left the rolling green hills and dusty roads of the farms in Camperdown.. since I last walked through a seemingly endless field of sugar cane. I doesn't feel like quite that long ago.. but it feels good to be back. Elisha and I have seen and done so much... we have met so many people, made so many friends... I fell in love with the loud and lively Long Street in Cape Town, along with the beautiful surrounds of Table Mountain.. of course our time in Joburg was filled with smiles and laughter... the beautiful Egoli city, more beautiful than anyone says it is... not the scary, dark place people make it out to be... I indeed love Johannesburg. As ... read more

At the house... our internet connection is far too slow right now to attempt uploading more photos... Tomorrow in between giving tours at Monkeyland, I will try to jump online in the office and add more photos of our recent times here at Monkeyland and the surrounds... I have spent the last 5 years travelling on and off throughout South Africa and it's neighbours. I have come toknow the smiles of the people all over this great land. I has wandered through the rolling hills of Natal and gazed at the sky that seemed so close... The people of the rural lands and townships has very little to their name yet will give you all. How many times have I been invited into someone's home, having just met them half an hour before and they offer ... read more

Just over a week ago, Neil the Professor picked Elisha, myself and Maya (our Israeli house mate) up in his giant bakkie that he never drives to work, instead driving his beat up mutt car, and took us on what he called an assignment... you see, with Neil, everything has to be an assignment or lesson or some type of top secret mission- I guess this makes life interesting... and which it does!! Life is but a sequence of steps and decisions and to make a game of it often times makes things more enjoyable and life more intriguing... So Neil gives us our instructions. We are to be dropped of at Keurbooms River and take two canoes, one for Elisha and I, the other for Maya and make our way upstream towards who knows what- ... read more

To Mary- he says he rescues youngsters that are following gurus and cults in the US and India... I just want to see the $25,000 !!!! ... read more

So six weeks into our stay in the tucked away Crags suburb located outside of Plett. Monkeyland has been interesting, if not strange in many ways... There are good and bad things to every situation and this is no exception. Each day we wake up to sounds of over a thousand birds calling in the giant bird sanctuary outside of our volunteer house. As we begin to eat breakfast, have coffee and put on our khaki ranger uniforms... we listen to the call of Atlas, the lar gibbon marking his territory by song. He is doing the same thing the gibbons all over Southeast Asia do. Their whooping call can be heard up to 4 kilometers away and it is quite relaxing in a way. Once we are somewhat awake finally, ready to head out the ... read more

These are just a few photos we have taken recently. I will add more later, when not on duty as a monkey ranger. Lots of stories and photos coming... I hope to be posting more by this Monday. take care..... read more