http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/beckaleck/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from beckaleck en-us Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:57:26 +0000 Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:57:26 +0000 2am Somewhere beyond civilization a bus travels the long stretch between Nairobi and Mombasa.A violent thud.Stunned silence followed by excited voices and now the whole world appears to be gently rocking back and forth.I pinch myself I'm awake relatively sober... this must be reality.It seems the bus is experiencing some technical difficulties. I don't know very much about motor vehicles bu http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-79190.html Im not really in Nashik I am in transit destination unknown and would like to share some thoughts.Ive come to realize a lot about the concept of 'humility'.Humility is much more of a process of realization than it is a finite character or emotion. I think it has a lot to do with understanding yourself in the context of the world understanding that the things in society that lend you your prid http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Nashik/blog-74623.html Kids are so damn brilliant. They really do have it all figured out before society gets everyone all confused. I think your perspective on the world peaks with maximum clarity at the age of seven and its all downhill from there. Three weeks at the Kondwa Centre did the impossible and uncovered my deeply embedded maternal instinct one that I was afraid i simply didnt have.The Kondwa Centre is a d http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Lusaka/blog-73457.html Early Impressions...Harare feels a lot like suburban France although there is nothing distinctly French about it but I guess suburbs have that timeless universal effect of squandering culture. The architecture in the capital is strikingly diverse there is the strong British colonial presence mixed in between clusters of post modern and experimental buildings. One thing that is truly unfortun http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zimbabwe/Harare/blog-73425.html Kondwa and Beyond...So for the past three weeks Meg Ally Nick and I have been spending our days at the Kondwa Day Center for Orphans doing S.E.E.D. stuff painting and attending Home Based Care visitations for HIVAIDS victims. It has been a really positive experience I have new hope for the world and a new perspective more on this later.character description Nick is a sucessful rasta pain http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zimbabwe/Harare/blog-72595.html These past few weeks have been interesting to say the least. Much has happened much has changed.When I left off we were about to board a dhow from Mombasa to Zanzibar. That journey slated to take 16 hours took closer to 40. It was incredible and dhow is my new favourite means of transport. My most vivid memory of the trip was sitting out over the front of the ship legs dangling over the c http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zambia/Lusaka/blog-65996.html Greetings from Mombasa where the fish is fresh and life runs on island time. Mombasa is a vibrant mix of influences and flavours and laidbackness a stark contrast from the rough bustle of Nairobi. Life is good in the company of friends with the night sky the sea breeze and the kindness of strangersOur new friend and tour guide Sultan loves his ganja and as a result a lot of time is spe http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-62960.html Dear ElizabethWhen my dad died of cancer I was told it was a painless death in the palliative care ward of a topofthe line treatment care facility.I was 19. Surrounded by my closest friends and family I was left with his joyful wisdom in my heart and the world at my fingertips.I had no responsibilities I was born into money.When your dad dies of cancer in a matter of weeks it will be a s http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-62109.html We just spent a week in rural Ugenya chilling as only villagers know how to chill.Meg and I were placed in the village of Ukwala along with Mike a cool guy from the Netherlands. We were being hosted by Chris coordinator of the Matibabu Foundation a partner organization with Community Support Group and his family.The Matibabu Foundation is a Kenyan development initiative that tackles every http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-61433.html Im naked. Africa has stripped me of my ridiculous sham of an ego far more quckly and effectively than I ever imagined it could.We have been in Kenya for just over a week now still riding the waves of culture shock. These have been some of the most colourful yet challenging days of my life.I think I fell in love with Kenya the second that Meg and I set foot in the arrivals gate at the airport in http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-60167.html This is why I am terrible at this blogging buisness1. Because I cant seem to remember what i did 5 minutes ago let alone 5 days ago. At some point Im bound to forget that I even have a blog or what the word 'blog' means. 2. I feel as though blogging is a little impersonal. I would much rather swap stories on a long stroll where we could feel each other's presence and have the capacity to use sou http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-58223.html London. We're staying with my aunt Susheela and Uncle Martin... a long chatty dinners with my aunt and uncle are one of my favourite things in ever.We've been meeting up with Kaelyn from Mac and her friend Joe whos here for grad school in Middle Eastern Studies. Its been wickedly fun. Frolicking around ate some wonderfully delicious Lebanese food and caught a neat play called Valparaiso on the http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Greater-London/blog-58212.html Prague is like waking up in a hazy dreamy fog. Meg and I spent most of yesterday wandering along the winding cobblestones and On the good advice of a friend we caught Vivaldi's Four Seasons in a tiny lovely little cathedral at the top of the hill. Asya who I met in Moscow last summer is one of the great loves of my life. Shes doing a semester in Paris so we managed to book some time toge http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/Prague/blog-58209.html Would you like something to drink ma'amIm offered the standard choice of 20 odd beverages 11 000 m in the air.A selection of 12 films play simultaneously alongside 8 different radio channels. A choice of 3 standard meals.There are 1200 basic ways to define yourself in the Economy class of British Airways fl. 092. I find the limited choice refreshing you spend less time deciding and more ti http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-57165.html