Blogs from Africa - page 2729

hahahaha.... If any of you laughed at the title, and know what movie that is from... you get a gold star. I was standingoutside brushing my teeth this morning, when I got buzzed by one of the many swallows that live around the camp. I didn't see it coming, and it was moving pretty fast, so it startled me.... which made me think of the Monty Python skit about the difference between the speeds of African or Eurpoean swallows... So all in all, wht I'm trying to say is that I think that I am funny. And you should too. Cause I am. Really. I'm serious. I am. Anyway, I was also lucky enough to be served some Chai-tea by the Indian Communications section that works here. I was on my way to the bathroom yesterday ... read more

Am at the Namibian coastal city of Swakopmund now.. totally enjoyed the drive through the country for the past 2 days.. Namibia... a beautiful place full of amazing landscapes.. came into the the west coast of africa today and saw the atlantic ocean... it's a great feeling.. to have arrived on the other side of africa.. and the weird thing is.. it is all desert landscape..and the desert extends all the way to the ocean.. wtf? desert and water together side by side.. the great stretch of desert and dunes extends for hundreds of kilometres south of Swakop along the coast.. and the giant sand dunes right next to the ocean just adds to the amazing-ness of this weird combi.. try finding this place on google earth.. i bet the satellite view will be incredible.. Found ... read more

Today is my best friend's wedding.... Craig Marsh and Amber Hanscomb are getting married in Victoria, BC. I was supposed to be Craig's best man. Today I really miss home, and wanted so badly to stand with Craig on this day most of all. I love you Craig and Amber, I am with you in spirit. Congratulations! I will see you in Colorado! I will call you during the reception to say hi and wish you well... For the rest of my buddies that are starting the Mega Bike Week 3.0, mountain-biking road-trip-extravaganza... have fun, drink a billion beers for me, ride hard, ride safe, and show those XC jackasses what biking is really all about. I love you all. Don ... read more

Refugee camps that I’ve been to don’t look like your Sally Struthers’ camps from TV. I’ve never seen anyone starving and kids don’t sit in the dirt with flies all over their faces. They are dire places for obvious reasons - hot, dusty and above all, crowded. People arrive on foot from bordering war-torn countries and are provided with just enough to survive - food and water rations as well as basic health and school services. But these come at a price - refugees that seek the security of a camp are then not allowed to leave, unless it is to return to their home country, irregardless of dust storms, droughts, flash floods or disease outbreaks. They are not allowed to earn money or grow their own food, lest they make competition for the often ... read more

Just two weeks removed from my “last day” volunteering in Dar es Salaam and there’s so much to talk about! During this stretch I met up with Erica, a friend from the NOLS India trek (refer to “The Trek”) who joined me to visit the island of Zanzibar where we met up with two more friends - Carrie and Rob - who’ve recently finished graduate school at UW in Seattle. After a few days of relaxing beach time followed by cultural immersion in Stonetown, the four of us hopped on a plane to Kigoma for a visit to Gombe Stream National Park, the place made famous worldwide by Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee study (now in year 47). After a couple days of hiking, I tagged along with Jane as the unofficial photographer for her visits to ... read more