June 2014 was the last time I was in the Soweto slums outside Nairobi, Kenya. It was our final day on the Vessel of Hope school project, and we all were working furiously to get things finished. We added a cement roof earlier, replacing the corrugated, rusty tin sheets, which was a major accomplishment taking…
Tag: Africa
Day seven on the Wall – Onward to Irthington
Gray skies cover Gilsland in the morning as I walk out the front door of the Hill on the Wall B & B. I catch my reflection in one of the large windows and see a face full of thoughts about my time in Kenya. This leg of my journey will be all about reconciling…
Polaroids
We’ve all heard the stories about how some cultures believe that a photo steals a person’s soul. Whilst traveling in and around the various slums outside Nairobi, Kenya, I found quite the opposite to be true. Taking Polaroid pictures that I could watch develop in front of the eyes of the subject and then leave…
Taonga
Zac and I walked about a 1/4 of a mile down to the Zambezi river. It was the middle of the afternoon, and the area was quiet. A monkey was curiously watching us, the water peacefully lapping the shore, and soft music could be heard in the distance. I saw a sign offering a dinner…
Walking with Lions
Our small group starts walking quietly down the dirt path with our Zambian guides, in nervous apprehension. The King of the jungle, several kings to be exact, are lying in wait for our arrival. Curious heads rise as we approach, and I look into the eyes of the great lions, and the stark realization of…
Karen Blixen
In 1913, Karen Blixen left her hometown in Denmark to live in what was then called “British East Africa”. Except for leaving for a brief time to recuperate from syphilis that she caught from her cheating husband of convenience, Karen worked the land trying to grow a coffee plantation. She did so with the help…
Walking in the bush with Lillian
Lillian is a young female, rescued in the African bush from poachers by those that work to protect the precious animals of Africa. Her eyes gleam with wild animal fervor as we approach. We are told how to approach, stroking the tail, under the chin, scratching the belly like a beloved household dog. The tenuous muscles…
the speed of a cheetah
Since we didn’t see any big cats while on our Botswana safari ( our guide told us that they live in another part of the park), the group decided to check out a local place in Zambia called Mukuni Big Five. The brochure claimed it to be a free range sanctuary for young cheetahs and…
Let’s plaster, Kenyan style!
The loads of sand are shoveled off the lorry into the street outside of the Vessel of Hope school in Kenya that we are working on improving. We then bring the sand inside, bucket by bucket, where we can then mix it with water from the river and start the process of plastering classrooms so…
Quad ridin’ in the Zambian bush
If you find yourself in Zambia, and have had your fill of Safari’s and gorgeous waterfalls, try going four wheeling through the bush. It may just be one of your favorite unexpected adventures. Let the dust fly as you race around century old Baobab trees, keeping an eye out for animals that may just be…
Land of the Giants
The safari jeep rolls down the dusty road, thick trees surround us as we go. All eyes are wide open searching for signs of wildlife in the Chobe, none of us really knowing what to expect. We emerge from the thicket of trees close to the mighty river. For a moment I think I’m seeing…
The Chobe river safari
Early in the morning we pile into the van in Zambia, but there isn’t a tired eye among us. For today we are driving to the Chobe National Park in Botswana. The anticipation in the faces of those about to embark on their first African safari is high. For me too, as this will be…