Story Aunt Gus and Little Bear's Adventure Book 4 (complete)

[Kathy in FL]

August 5 - Day 27 Harare​

I am so tired of all these long travel days, even if this one was short in comparison; only five hours. People gain weight on safari, not because of the amount of food, but because of the lack of sufficient exercise in comparison to all the food offered.


Today we traveled to Harare. As soon as we got there it was hurry up and wait so that people could feed their face once again before we could attempt to get the wiggles out. On top of that we only had an hour or two to explore Zimbabwe's capital city.

This is a truly metropolitan location, not something you think of when you think “Africa” and “safari.” But it was a place and it wasn’t a place with for wheels so I was content for it to be what it was. On the other hand Hugh knew we needed physical activity and that Lev needed to take some photos so he’d called ahead to arrange something called the best of Harare by car. Argh … by car.

Hugh caught me looking longingly at the long sidewalks and said, “Relax Gus. Exercise your eyes and enjoy what you can. We’ll make some quick stops but damn woman, stop bouncing around like that damn pink rabbit I saw on American tele.”

Easier said than done. I tried but I was almost sick with the inactivity of the last couple of days. I didn’t know why. It just hits me that way sometimes. Finally Hugh had the car pull over and we got out and just walked. The National Gallery, the museum, the botanical gardens, and all the sights and sounds that Lev needed. As for me my situational awareness was on overload. Something was causing me to ping off the chart, and then I saw her.

I whispered, “Hugh. Two o’clock.”

After a second he said, “Spotted. What the hell is she on about? You wanna know?”

“Yes, but not in this setting. She might not be alone. And we are the wrong color to create a scene.”

Hugh muttered, “Damn straight.” Then told me, “Keep the kids and Lev out of it and I’ll see if I have a man nearby.”

His man turned out to be a woman. After we went back to camp on the outskirts of today’s stop, Hugh went to meet his contact and asked me to just play it cool and he’d get back with me as soon as possible. Getting Benny, Lev, and Sadie fed and watered took up my energy. Eating with this group is like competing with hyenas at times. Tonight’s main attraction was Sadza, Zimbabwe’s national dish.

It is a type of bread where corn flour is used and the mixture is molded using the hands to form balls. It can be cooked alone or with the most-used product in their country… peanut butter. It is usually accompanied by beef stew and a vegetable called covo. Sadza is made by simmering the maize with hot water and adding more until it thickens and is formed into a thick paste. It is best to eat with your hands and I gotta say, it was yum.

About midway through Hugh came back and gave me a barely-there wink. We had an evening stargazing activity. Hugh escorted us and as Lev was showing the kids the stars though his lens that reminds me of a telescope, I stepped back to find out what Hugh had discovered. No one would have realized we were having a serious conversation.

“Oy, you know anyone named Beaumont?”

“Pain in the ass family that has it out for Lev because he won’t come at their call.”

Hugh snorted. “Seems Meike did take their call. She’s been … discouraged.”

“Explain … discouraged,” I asked concerned I’d put something in motion I shouldn’t have.

“My man’s ladyfriend knows people that Meike owes. She’ll run and be gone … for a bit. I’ll keep my ear to the ground. Now about these Beaumonts.”

I gave him the short version and he shook his head. “Waste of money if you ask me. There’s enough work for everyone if this project takes off.”

“The Beaumonts have it to waste from what I’ve been told. Or … maybe not. They certainly weren’t willing to pay Lev what he’s worth. I’ll pass this along to Tommi and let them handle it stateside. Now about Meiki. How angry was she when Lev didn’t fall for her game back in the dark ages?”

He smirked. “Pretty damn fried but she refused to show it. One of her few, maybe only, failures to hook a man she was after. Hadn’t given it a thought in years. But she’ll be otherwise occupied, or she will be if she’s as smart is still rumored to be.”

“She’s seems … intent on having her way.”

He shook his head. “Not this time. Those she owes … collect. Just make sure Lev doesn’t find out unless he absolutely must. He won’t care for the fact his past interfered with your present together.”

“You do your part and I’ll do mine.”

Before Lev could notice, Hugh and I parted, and I started enjoying myself. Once we got back to our tents the kids quickly hit the sack and Lev needed to get some work done. I’m finished with this log entry and I’m heading to bed myself. It isn’t that today’s “incident” doesn’t bother me, but at some point you have to trust your sources and Hugh seemed pretty convinced. I’ll keep my eyes peeled but from some of the other clues Hugh gave me … yeah … Meiki definitely has a bigger problem on her hands than the one that got away.

I’ll leave it to him unless something else happens.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 6 - Day 28 Lusaka​

Today we crossed into Zambia and drove to our campsite just outside Lusaka, Zambia's capital (approximately 8 hours). No, I wasn’t happy, but I wasn’t jittering out of my skin like yesterday. After analyzing it, I might have seen Meiki at some point, but it didn’t register enough to trigger a true recognition. No more of that, I’m exercising my situational awareness more, training … or retraining … myself and practicing skills I didn’t think I would need in this life with Lev and Benny.

Our journey began with a nice scenic drive to the border. I tried to appreciate the opportunity to practice my observational and memorization skills. Our only stop of the day was a pit stop where there was an opportunity to stop at an ATM and stock up on any supplies that might be needed at a shop market. Several ladies hesitantly wondered if they could pick up some hygiene items and since Sadie and I needed a couple of things I played guide despite not having much of a clue. As my old sergeant used to tell me, it is all about the appearance of confidence and respectful interactions.

Our main activity came after getting to our stopping point for the day, a cooking class. We were part of an interactive cooking class where we learned how to prepare traditional Zambian food and had it for our final meal of the day. From the staple maize-meal porridge[1] (nshima) to vegetables such as chibwabwa[2] (pumpkin leaves) and Kalembla[3] (sweet potato leaves), just to mention a few.


I have to admit the idea of eating leaves instead of the vegetables gave me the giggles. But they were actually quite good. And a real practice in making the entire plant/fruit useful with no waste.

Spent some time after dinner stretching and exercising some muscle groups that I’ve gotten out of the habit of keeping in shape. And now it is time to rest. I have reinstituted my old relaxation techniques. I’m not expecting trouble per se, but I’m going to be ready for it just in case there is.

---

[1] How to Cook Nshima- Zambian Staple food – Zambian Kitchen
[2] How to Cook Chibwabwa Pumpkin Leaves – Zambian Kitchen
[3] How to cook Kalembula-Zambian Food – Zambian Kitchen

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 7 - Day 29 Petauke​

This morning we checked out the Kubwata Cultural Center for shopping. I figured out it was supposed to be a treat for everyone because we had a long day of travel ahead of us. Of course. Naturally. Atomic eyeroll where the kids couldn’t see because auntie is supposed to set a good example. Ugh.


After shopping, where Lev insisted I picked up a couple of little wooden animals to add to my growing collection, we got in our vehicles and were shown that Lusaka was a modern city but still retains a traditional African feel. I think they call this one of those panoramic tours where you stay in the bus or car, but are driven around and sites are pointed out. Afterwards, we started the day’s drive and traveled on to Petauke (approximately 8 hours).

The town is located halfway between Lusaka and the Malawi border in the eastern side of Zambia. Petauke lies very close to both the remote North Luangwa National Park and the South Luangwa National Park. According to Hugh who seems to have decided to keep me in a more detailed informational loop than our guides provided as a distraction for the wiggles, the town makes for an ideal stop especially if you are traveling between Lusaka and the Luangwa Parks or Lilongwe. Petauke is home to the local Nsenga people and most of the residents are farmers who produce cotton, sunflower, soya beans, groundnuts, and many more crops in this agricultural region of Zambia.

We were given an educational tour through yet another market, this one purely agricultural.

Tonight was sitting around the fire and conversing. I took the time to practice listening rather than trying to escape my boredom. Learned a few things about our traveling companions that I would have preferred not to know. Definitely TMI concerning their private lives. No idea why people go on vacation and seem to lose their verbal boundaries, but I suppose that is just the way people are.

Looking forward to tomorrow. Visiting another national park and hope to get in some good exercise.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 8 - Day 30 South Luangwa National Park (1)​

Checked the calendar and confirmed We’ve been a month on the safari and over a month in Africa after overhearing the morning conversation during breakfast. The only thing that gets old is the never-ending traveling between locations. I realize we are covering a continent, but I wish I had come better prepared for it, both in things to do and mindset. Lev is so busy with his photography which is the job. Benny and Sadie are busy sketching. Sadie also has a list of books she needs to read over her summer term that she downloaded before they left England. A few people brought audio books.

I’m not exactly famous for being able to sit still for long hours at a time but I’m trying to adjust my thinking. When I drove, it was a little different. This time I’ve had to turn everything over to other people. I could not have done this at Benny’s age. No way, no how. And yet there he sits sketching or doing his lessons. And he’s learning to do it despite the bumps and such. It is like a game to him, he even laughs rather than get frustrated, as if the bumps and everything else is helping him to deal with his excess energy. Maybe he has found a way to conquer his portion of Barrymore. Maybe that is Lev’s influence. I hope so. For sure Benny hasn’t needed me as much as I was expecting him to keep him redirected.

Maybe that is also part of why I have so much time on my hands. Nothing to do and no one to fill them. And doesn’t that sound ridiculous for a so-called adult to complain about. But I’ll admit that I feel … superfluous for hours on most days. I expected to have too little time on my hands to keep up. I thought this is Africa, I’ll be so busy I won’t know the hamster is even there. But not even Sadie needs me the way they said she would. All she really needs is some attention ever so often. She’s as self-sufficient as I was at that age; at least as.

In contrast, Lev is always busy. This is a very time-intensive assignment for him, especially in the evenings when he is editing enough material so at the next upload point he can send it off and keep Mr. Director and Mr. Producer happy.

Good grief, I sound pathetic. Best get back to recording the day before I do something stupid like pay too much attention to how much attention Mrs. Legrand wants from Lev. Or even ickier, how much attention Mr. Legrand seems to pay to me. Gag me, the guy is starting to peg my creep-o-meter even more than the Sheldons did and I thought that was going to be hard to top.

After breakfast, a warm beverage of choice and some pastries or cookie things that remind me of those “digestive crackers” Penny had a thing for, we made a visit to a workshop where local craftswomen make jewelry by hand using natural materials from the South Luangwa valley. It is a government project, supported by several charities as well, whose goal is primarily to empower women and raise awareness against poaching. Odd combination but then again, both issues are culturally significant for Africa.

What is neat is that the shop … called the Mulberry Mongoose … uses all locally sourced material including snare wire that has been removed by rangers that are constantly doing battle with poachers. By removing the wire rather than leaving it behind after the snares have been dismantled, the poachers can’t reuse it. But the artisans at the jewelry shop do in a turnaround is fair play type thing.

They also had something called vegetable ivory which is actually shavings from a very hard nut from certain types of palm trees that grow locally. Beads they used were made out or turquoise, Zulu seeds (known as Job’s Tears in other parts of the world), or some other natural material like pieces of twig that had a hole drilled in them.

I don’t wear jewelry except for my wedding band and the small studs I use to keep my pierced ears open. All the other women were buying pieces, but I thought they were pricey though I know some of that is because of the causes they support make money on them. I helped Sadie to buy a necklace made with guinea fowl feathers, snare wire, and a leather thong. I didn’t want her to become a target, so we made out like I was buying it. I put it in my daypack for safe keeping and she was fine with that. It let me know someone had taught her the ropes.

Hendry the Jackhole decided to stick his nose in only he ran up against a Gus Wall when I grabbed his hand and just barely shoved my nail under his. “Back. Off.”

“What the hell?!” he snapped.

“Don’t grab me, or them, or our stuff. Not out in the field. You have a problem with the way I handle something then speak to Hugh or me; but do it in private at the end of the day. I’m having to split my attention now. Go take care of your clients.”

“They wanted to know what she bought.”

“Then they can ask or check her account for the amount.”

Hugh came over fake smiling and asked, “Problem?”

“Short version. Tell your man to keep his hands to himself and watch the boundary buoys … especially mine. He’ll stay healthier longer that way. Long version we’ll cover once we make camp. Your choice. However, like I told him, this is forcing me to split my attention and there is a crowd of strangers around starting to get between me and the kids. So ‘ta dahlings.” I walked off and caught up with Benny and Sadie who never realized I was that far behind because they had Lev in their sights … only he didn’t have them in his sights because I was supposed to have them. All four of us need to work better in the crowds that form.

All I said to the kids was, “Let’s tighten up formation. Not loving all the strangers and I don’t want to give Lev indigestion.” They bought it. Lev not so much but he nodded once he caught my eye.

Once we were seated on the jeep, I explained using my shorthand via our comm-link’d phone tablets. Another thank you to Townzen when he found out how little internet we had at the River House.

Lev typed, “Let Hugh handle it.”

I agreed and typed back, “That was the plan so long as it gets handled.”

“Did he rattle you?” Lev typed.

My response took longer because it required an explanation. “Hendry? No. Made me angry for doing something so stupid. I can’t deal with his esteem issues and watch the kids at the same time. If I’m forced to deal with his esteem issues no one is going to like it. Especially if he pulls that kind of stunt again. If I hadn’t known who he was and saw him from the corner of my eye, I would have hurt him and likely gotten blamed for creating a situation.”

“Whoa. You don’t like him.”

“Not particularly. I know he has a job to do, same as us. He needs to do his job and keep out of ours. Mr. Wight is counting on me … us, I mean … to look after his granddaughter. Kinda difficult to do that and wipe Hendry’s butt at the same time.”

“Whoa. You really don’t like him.”

“Fine. I’ll be completely honest. No, I don’t. I’ll tolerate him to keep the peace but I’m not going to make nice to the guy, certainly not when he does stupid crap like he did. He does not have authority over me … or us.”

Lev nodded but had to get back to filming. We were driving through what they called the heartland to South Luangwa National Park. The drive took nearly six hours, time enough to stew in my anger and use energy I should not have had to on the wrong thing. At least the drive included a quick stop for a meal they called lunch, a picnic style meal made up mostly of finger foods and a delicious salad.

“You need more than salad,” Hugh whispered behind me.

I sighed in annoyance. “I …”

“I know. You hate being told what to do like some kid. But compared to most of the birds here that’s what you are. Don’t change the facts. Just cause you’re pissed doesn’t mean you can skimp on meals. I got the story from Hendry. Told him to mind his own damn p’s and q’s and if he as a question or problem he can come ask me.”

“That’s what I told him. And in case you are wondering, Lev said the same and also said to let you handle it.”

“Good.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Can I stop you?”

“Jackhole.”

“You aren’t the first to call me that.”

“I’m not surprised, you play the part too well.” He coughed a laugh, surprising both of us. I wasn’t going to give the hamster any wiggle room, so I got back on track and asked, “Are they trying to wash Hendry out?”

“Didn’t think so. I think they just wanted him to go back to preferring to work local gigs schmoozing up the Old Birds. He’s good at it. Instead, he’s been thinking too much of himself and wanting bigger and better placements.”

Deciding to give Hugh something to think about I revealed, “Better or better paying. Your man likes dice. He keeps a set he plays with like it is a nervous habit.”

“Damn. I’ll look into it. Anything else?”

“Not so far but … he’s starting to give me the heebies. I don’t like people getting in my space so that might be some of it. Some of it might be that I’m out of my element with nowhere to escape to. But … heebies. I’ve got them for some reason, and it isn’t still over the Meiki situation. I’ve learned to listen to them. Could be me. Could be he is just a bigger jackhole than you are without trying. I’ll keep an eye on it, and control the attitude he wants me to have.”

Hugh snorted. “Don’t try so hard you break something. Hendry was a bad pick. I’ve let the boss know. He’s not going to want to replace the man mid squat. Causes unnecessary complications and good guides are hard to replace.”

“Just keep him away from me. I’ve got a job to do the same as the two of you do. My job is different. More narrowly focused. I get that. And I don’t want problems for Lev which I could cause by dealing with Hendry my way. Just … have him go to you. Chain of command. The guy is bothering me for some reason and the more I pick at it the more it is bothering me.”

“Understood. Now eat. Hendry isn’t worth losing your appetite over.” He got up and took his dishes to the waiting staff.

That’s what I’m talking about. Hugh can be a real live human on occasion. Dual natured people drive me crazy. I wish they would pick a personality and land on it for more than five minutes at a time.

I checked on Lev and he’d already hoovered up his food and so had Benny. Sadie could put away some food herself, but she was still skinny as a mop handle. Poor kid, she was going to be one of those girls that other girls would hate on just because she was thin without trying. From what little she has said, school was hell for her and there was no escaping it because she lived there instead of going home at the end of the day. Who would have ever thought anyone would want me to be a companion, much less a companion to a vulnerable kid. I’m sure my family would have passed out in shock. I’m sure Dad would have. I’m sure he thought he was going to have to take care of me for the rest of my life and here I am taking care of other peoples’ kids, even if one of them is my own nephew. Life is too freaking strange for words.

We finished the drive listening to one of our guides give some cliff notes: The concentration of animals around the Luangwa River and its lagoons is among the highest in Africa. Many elephants, buffaloes, leopards, Thornicroft’s giraffes, and lions are known to roam here. There are also some 400 species of birds inhabiting the area, warthogs, hyenas, and more animals than you will be able to count. Imagine waking up and drinking your morning coffee while watching a family of elephants drinking from the river just 150 feet from your campsite, while giraffes look on and monkeys scamper about.

I had a lot of my mind and I had to concentrate to do the thinking rather than let the hamster roam free range even though I had promised myself to practice my old skills. Eventually we reached our camp and the name of it made everyone smile. Flatdogs. Sorry, it put me in mind of … never mind. No one really wants to think of all the squashed flat opossums that litter country roads.

Our bags were soon off-loaded and we headed to our assigned spots. Only surprise, surprise we had the only family tent, and it had an en suite bathing area … that was open to the sky. That was going to be different.

Homemade food (some of the best steaks in Zambia, we’ve heard), a passionate management and staff, a stunning location, and all this without costing you an arm and a leg (again, so we’ve heard). Is it too good to be true? Not at all from what I was seeing and experiencing. The staff at Flatdogs Camp made it their mission “to create an unforgettable safari that is accessible for everyone.” We were informed that all their guides passed the challenging South Luangwa Guide Exam and are held to a very high standard. They were professional eager beavers. They couldn’t wait to show us “the diverse world of mammals both big and small, birds, trees, fresh tracks, insects, fish, and much more.”

The area has about nine thousand square kilometers (3,475 square miles) of pristine wilderness in Zambia’s Eastern Province. The remote quality of this National park triggers memories of some of the treks that Benny and I did in the States but definitely a little different as well. In between safari activities, there is plenty to discover in the camp, too. No down time for the brain. There is the murky and mysterious Luangwa River that you can look over from the Jackalberry tree house. That’s where we learned what an actual ‘flat dog’ was. You guessed it; ‘flat dog’ is another term for crocodile. The location used to be a crocodile farm. We also got to see elephants crossing the river.

For those more inclined to need some civilization with their safari, there was a pool and lounge chairs to utilize. The tents were nothing to sneeze at either. The camp boasts six luxury en-suite safari tents (including the one family tent that we’d been assigned), one honeymoon tent (romantic star-gazing, anyone?) and three, slightly smaller, standard en-suite safari tents. Besides tents, there are six regular stone-made chalets and one bigger family chalet. The tents fit full-sized beds, a hanging rack for clothes, and bedside tables and lamps. A door leads into a shaded open-air bathroom with hot shower, flush toilet, and “sink” that was more of a basin. I didn’t take a look inside the chalet rooms, but heard they are cool, since they are made of stone, and come with a downstairs double room with en-suite bathroom and an upstairs twin/triple room with their own bathroom, just downstairs from the bedroom.

Our evening activity was a night game drive. My butt is going to be flat as a flatdog by the time this safari is over; flat and wide. Today we went from a jeep to a 4x4 open air jeep for another four hours. I know I sound positively idiotic and stupid-cranky. I wanna run, jump, climb, row, swim … something, anything. Lev on the other hand is ready to face-plant. He carries around heavy equipment and is constantly on the move taking pictures and videos; then must stay up extra hours to edit and get things turned in in a timely manner. The surprise isn’t that he is tired, the surprise is that he doesn’t just pass out when he sees a flat surface to fall on.

Benny and Sadie aren’t quite as bad, but they don’t really have extra energy at the end of the day either. If they do I tell them to put their earbuds in and set it on either an audio book or sounds of the sea. Rarely have to resort to that due to the early mornings we have.

I’ve never needed as many hours of sleep as your average person. One of the quirks of being me. Five or six hours is probably my optimal, but I can go a week or two only getting three or four a night and it doesn’t even register so long as I have a way of channeling and controlling the hamster. However, late nights and early mornings are starting to show on a few of our group. Some have also reached their tolerance in other ways. Mrs. Legrand ran out of glue for her false eyelashes, and she acted like it was a national day of mourning. Overheard Kevin’s mother and aunt saying they’ve upped one of his meds that helps to manage his behavior and he’s become more compliant again, but now they are fighting to get him to eat enough; they’ve added a notch in his belt. Mr. Peeters has finally stopped competing with Lev but now seems almost needy and wants to watch Lev all the time. I heard “Boba” giving his grandsons a pep talk, reminding them that you needed to play hard when you had the chance because most of the remainder of their year was going to be taken up going from hotel to hotel and looking at the bookkeeping and scheduling any major repairs or updating that was needed.

I’m sitting here typing while listening to the animals that are going to the watering hole on the other side of the fence. The hamster wants to strap on a headlamp and go exploring. The part of me that retains some common sense knows to ignore the hamster’s pleading even if it does sound like a righteous adventure to have. I guess I had better just hit the hay. Deet isn’t turning out to be much more than an appetizer for the skeeters here in Africa.

Resources:
https://www.southluangwa.com/flatdogs-camp.html

 

[Mr Bill]

A fine update indeed. Thanks

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 9 - Day 31 South Luangwa National Park (2)​

We rose early again today. Doesn’t bother me but it was a struggle for some of us. What was so cool was that I was following everyone out of the tent but couldn’t get all the way out. They’d stopped. Lev raised his camera and got busy clicking. I finally figured out what had caught their attention when I heard them. The elephants were in the river again, having a fine ol’ time with their morning showers. So cool. I felt Benny’s age. They were just on the other side of the fence from us. Guides from the Camp were there to keep anyone from agitating the huge beasties. Luckily everyone was in too much awe to do something that stupid.

I was able to work some wiggles out finally. I’m not a particularly friendly morning person. My resting face tends to make people think that I need gallons of caffeine to reach human. The truth is my brain is just running so much that it loses track of the kind of face I’m showing the world. That’s why I normally get up and am by myself for a while … fix breakfast, lay out gear for the day that I didn’t do the night before, go through my list and get organized, etc. But this morning? I was smiling so much I heard Hendry ask Hugh if someone doped my water. Jackhole. And not the occasionally useful kind either. He’s just a jackhole all the way through with few if any redeeming characteristics. I hate having him as part of our crew, even if it is a distant connection.

Hugh told Hendry his brain was in the Dunny. I had to look it up and it means that Hugh said Hendry had his head in the toilet. Uh, okay. I took it that wasn’t a compliment. Whatever. Australians might technically speak English but on some days it is hard to tell. Either way I was not letting anyone spoil my fun.

After a quick breakfast of sweetened rice and fried sweet potatoes … yep, fully carbed out for the entire day … we got down to it. I don’t care if everyone else looked like a zombie, I was raring and ready when we took off on our walking safari at 6 am. We had four hours of walking bliss and some of them still didn’t act like they were fully awake. Lev and Hugh were both telling me they were going to tie weights to my feet and then the kids laughed when I stuck my tongue out at them. I mean it was grand. Not too hot, not too cold, and the animals were gathering for their morning breakfast. And no rain. This was our chance to get a more detailed view of the park ecology and wildlife, as well as to dive more deeply into tracking game on foot, either using spoor (aka animal poop) or with a little help from birds and animals who “alarm” in the presence of predators. It was fascinating!

We spotted a herd of zebra grazing on parched grass. We were warned not to stick our hands out no matter how cute and persuasive the zebras acted, they had a bad habit of biting. We also got to see a pride of lions passing by. Now that was cool; stinky but cool. They smell more than your average feral cat. I thought a couple were going to pass out when the lead female turned to look at us and licked her lips. I know she did it on purpose. I know it. I didn’t say it, but I had a hard time not laughing. I got a video of her razzing the tourists and Lev asked to see if he could use it for comedy filler so I must have done something right.

Midday is the hottest part of the day here, so we sought refuge from the sun and returned to the camp for lunch which was served a la carte at the lodge’s restaurant. In addition to the boring “normal for Western” type foods, there was a small table of some typical Zambian foods. Hugh dared me. Yeah, stupid, but it wasn’t much different from the dares I took in high school. And here I was not going to run into any red dye.

First up was Infinkubala … mopane worms. That’s right happy safari campers, I at a caterpillar. Capenta was dry sardines that had been stir fried. They looked worse than the caterpillars but hey, it was a dare. Chikanda was kinda normal in comparison … dried orchids that were pounded into a kind of bread. I tried bits of famous bushmeat … buffalo, kudu, impala, and porcupine. I ate a bite (or two) of Samp which reminds me of creamy and chunky polenta; or maybe a creamed corn made from dried maize. The Lumanda was a little sour for my taste but it made an interesting contrast to the dried fish. I didn’t care for the Impwa which is a bitter, egg-shaped vegetable but I choked the bite I took down. Bondwe was cooked amaranth leaves; it had the texture of cooked spinach. I was getting topped off but had one more thing to try. Cassava and groundnuts, or Tute ne Mbalala as this snack is commonly referred to, is another popular snack sold on the streets in Zambia. The cassava, which is usually dry, is soaked in water until it becomes soft before it is roasted over a brazier. The cassava goes well with roasted groundnuts, and the combination is sometimes compared to that of chicken and chips. I really was stuffed at that point and bowed out while others continued to try the local dishes after I broke the ice.

We had some time to ourselves so while Lev worked, Hugh escorted us out on a village walk for a snapshot of daily life in the local community. Of course, there was the obligatory market tour but I was happy to see that Benny and Sadie were polite and asked great questions. I added a miniature “flat dog” to my wooden animal collection and then a zebra that looked particularly sassy. Hugh also obtained some Lacto for the kids and then insisted that I drink some as well as he said I was losing weight.

“One, that’s not something you need to notice. And two, it isn’t weight I’m losing, I’m tightening up some muscle groups.”

Hugh snorted and said something about “women” but didn’t push the subject for which I’m grateful. It isn’t any of his beeswax.

I’m also grateful that Hendry is staying away from me. He’s intentionally ignoring me when he can, and the feeling is mutual. The man bothers me, but I’m not in a position to do anything about it.

Tried to set a good example for the kids by not running around like a lunatic in the heat of the day but no way was I going to be able to siesta even after walking off lunch in the village. Instead, I did something that needed doing. I pulled out everyone’s clothes and did repairs as needed, including Sadie’s. Our stuff is holding up better than I expected, but there were still some seams that needed fixing and a few holes in Lev’s t-shirts where he’s gotten them caught on thorn bushes when he goes after a shot.

There was an optional game drive at night and of course Lev and the kids were all for it. It was a good option to see wildlife when they are most active. Not everyone partook. Too bad too sad for them as we got flipped off by some elephants. That’s an experience for the books. Just glad it was water and no other kind of liquid.

We saw a lot of animals at this national park; elephants, giraffes, hippos, buffalo, zebra, lion, leopard, hyena, and we even saw a pack of wild dogs, and a rare wildebeest sighting. I’m considering trying to add each animal I don’t have to my little wooden collection. I’d hate to leave any out. Or maybe that is my OCD trying to control things now that I’ve actually got something to collect. Gotta be careful of that. But they’re small … about like my old plastic toy soldiers … so surely that can’t be a problem. Or can it? Argh. Shut up hamster. Time to hit the hay.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 10 - Day 32 Lake Malawi (1)​

New stamp in our passports when we crossed the border into Malawi. We continued straight to our camp from there, winding up on the shores of Lake Malawi (approximately 9–10 hours with elevenses, lunch, and tea stops). Malawi is dominated by its lake, which covers almost a fifth of the country and provides a livelihood for many local people. Fishermen, fish traders and canoe and net makers all ply their trade on the lake. A common sight is that of a fisherman in a bwato (a dugout canoe made from a hollowed tree trunk) fishing on the lake. Our campsite at Kande Beach is right on the shore. I wouldn’t mind giving one of those bwato things a try.

Hurray! Despite the long butt drive today, we arrived in time I could get most of the worst of our clothes washed. By washed I mean there was a sink where I could wash and rinse things and then take them back to our thatched roof covered “family tent with en-suite bathroom” and hang them up to drip dry. If they don’t dry overnight that is okay because we are in this location for one more night. I’d like to give all our things at least a rinse, but I don’t know if that is going to be feasible. Sadie was anxious to do some of her things as well and I told her, “The more the merrier but if even one guy threatens to run anything up a flagpole, we’ll see how they like their holey drawers in public spaces.”

“Too right,” she agreed.

The reason for my grouchy comment is that this camp isn’t private to an individual safari but also serves private individuals doing their own cross-Africa land tours. There were three college-age guys … and yeah, yeah call me an old woman … that were speaking something that approximated English if you speak drunken-frat-boi. I could tell that some of the African staff were getting upset, in particular one of the female cleaning staff.

They’d thrown their tent wide open and were wandering in and out in barely a towel. I asked Hugh if he would go over there and give them some “advice” on appropriate and modest behavior. “No can do. Strictly against company policy.”

“Fine. I’ll handle it.”

“Now …”

I told him, “Don’t sweat it. I already have what I need.”

Cautiously he asked, “What’s that supposed to mean.”

“They’ll find out,” I told him. “It won’t take long. They’re drunk, they aren’t that drunk.”

“Don’t involve anyone.”

“Nope. Won’t have to. They’ll think one of their daddums has eyes on them.”

“How do you know who they are?”

I explained, “They’ve been calling each other by their first names and surnames since I spotted them on the beach. All I had to do was plug that into a biographic search engine. Pulled it up on the first try right along with pictures that say that when they are under the parental eyes they are a different bunch of boys.” I flipped my phone screen in his direction and his eyes widened. Even I’d heard of the families. “So go away. You know nothing, you’ve seen nothing, you’ve heard nothing because you were so busy trying to calm ruffled feathers due to those three crazy kids acting culturally inappropriate.”

“You’re mean,” he said with awe. “I think I like it.”

“They won’t. Seriously, there is absolutely no reason to tolerate them mucking it up for the staff … the camp’s or ours … which means mucking it up for the rest of us. Just get lost and let me do my job.”

The internet signal really was amazingly fast compared to every place else since we’d left Cape Town. My handy dandy booster made it even faster. It took nearly two hours – time enough for me to get all the washing done that I needed to. That’s when another van showed up at their campsite, four men piled out. I heard a couple of yelps but nothing loud. Their camp got packed up and then both vehicles drove away. I wasn’t worried they were being abducted, not in the traditional sense anyway. One of the four men was brother-in-law to two of the rascals.

Hugh found me later while Lev was working on some editing. He gave me a look and I shrugged. “Not what I expected.”

“What exactly did you expect?”

I told him, “Phone calls from someone to knock it off. At least this way they are being babysat and no one has to wonder if they wind up in an African jail.”

He gave me a serious nod. “Just do me a favor. Don’t show how interesting you can be around Hendry.”

Instantly on alert I asked, “Problems I need to know about?”

“His wings got clipped and he’s none too pleased. Looking for someone to blame.”

“You?”

“Why do you care?” He asked with an angry undertone.

“Because it is his own fault for not doing the job right, but I might have helped it along by ratting him out. I don’t want his slings and arrows going astray and hitting someone that doesn’t deserve it. You’re doing your job, you shouldn’t have to do his job too.”

He backed down and shook his head. “Hendry is going mad as a cut snake. It should have been handled different. And before you ask, I didn’t have to say a word, the Boss already knew about his gambling. He was sent on this assignment to clear his head and make a little extra money only that I’m just now finding out ‘cause Boss wanted to give the guy a chance on his own.” He shook his head. “His old man went down the same path.”

“You knew his father?”

“He was one of my first trainers. Good man, but the cards got him.” Hugh shook his head. “Gonna be a switch out overnight. The Wight’s already know it. Klaxton is a different duck from Hendry. He knows how to handle elite level clients without turning into roadkill. Just do me a favor and don’t make anything of it. And stay out of Klaxton’s way. He don’t care for younger females over much. The girl is why he didn’t want the job to start. With you taking care of her …”. He shrugged.

“I won’t hide anything from Lev.”

“Don’t expect you to, just keep mum otherwise. And mention Klaxton’s name. He’ll know my reasons.” At my look he said, “Klaxton is retired but once upon a time he had a certain job and was the real deal. The Boss hired him specifically for elite client jobs. The man knows how to make his way around people … and through them.”

I nodded unwilling to say anything and give my opinion away, especially as I didn’t know what opinion to have just yet.

Resources:
https://www.malawitourism.com/regions/south-malawi/lake-malawi-national-park/

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 11 - Day 33 Lake Malawi (2)​

Lev has a lot of catch up to do. He is packaging up what he can in the order he filmed it in to keep things organized but the schedule doesn’t leave him much wiggle room. That’s not to say people are unhappy but they are pushing enough that Lev is stressed out more than I’ve ever seen him on assignment.

“Tell me what to do to help.” I was scheduled to take the kids off for the day so that Lev could stay in the tent and just work without interruption. I would have given it up had he needed me to.

Instead he said, “Hate to ask but can you take the underwater camera and try and get some money shots?”

“I’ll try but it won’t be whale snot,” I said, reminding him of an incident in Alaska.

He grinned and then chuckled and grabbed me in a one-armed hug. “Thanks.”

“For?”

“I needed me some Gus.”

“Like you need a hole in the head,” I told him bumping his shoulder as we both sat on the bed. “I’d bring you a mug of coffee or tea but no food in the tents per regs.”

“I’m fine. The kids okay for today?”

“They’ll be fine, or they can stay in the boat. Sadie already knows I’m serious about my water rules. Benny better know, or else. I’ll be honest, I was surprised that Sadie is dive certified. I’m not going to do any deep dives with either one of them but at least they’ll get something to put in their What I Did With My Summer report for school. And good idea about making that photographic portfolio for Sadie. Smart man Levinson Hargis. Wish I had thought of it. We already do it for Benny during the school year.”

The tips of his ears were red, but he smiled, pleased that I’d noticed.

I’m concerned. Lev is tired. He needs a day off but that isn’t happening. We aren’t in charge of the itinerary and there is no wiggle room in it like in previous assignments we’ve worked together. Frankly a lot of the editing is going to have to wait until we head toward England, assuming that leg of this assignment comes to fruition. I see better why Lev has said he used to take weeks or even months between major assignments. He pours so much of himself into his work.

As much as Lev needs some time to edit, I need to work off the heebies. I felt better knowing I could do something for Lev and that’s about the only thing that was feeling good this morning. I didn’t like having to explain stuff to Lev and then finding out I didn’t have to explain as much as I thought. Hugh had done it before I’d had a chance to. Human to jackhole in less than five minutes.

Lev also asked me to stay away from Klaxton. “And no, Hugh didn’t ask me to tell you,” Lev said before I had to ask. “I know him from some of my early gigs … and he wasn’t a guide back then. Just … please …”

“Relax. I won’t approach him. He’s none of my business, past or present. Just tell me you aren’t asking me to run from him.”

Lev snorted. “No. I won’t go that far. Just don’t let him … er … cultivate you.”

“Oh geez … CIA? NSA? DHS?”

“No clue and don’t want to know. I think he’s private these days but that’s no better. Just … just …”

“Easy there Admiral. I didn’t let George cultivate me and he had connections to Grandfather. I’m not going to be drawn in by a complete stranger.”

Lev blew air through his nose and then worked the tension out of his neck. “Just avoid him if you can. You’ll see what I mean if he thinks you’ll be useful.”

“Useful … or usable?”

“Good way to look at it. Let’s grab the kids and get something to eat. And keep the three of you close to Hugh.”

“Upchuck Charlie? That’s going to be fun. Good thing I got him some Bonine and ginger candies at the last supply stop.”

That did cause Lev to chuckle and lighten up. Geez he was stressed. Back home I would have done something outrageous to take his mind off things but there is no privacy for that here.

After we left camp I was hoping to be cut a break but nope. Klaxton winds up on the same catamaran with us, along with Mr. Wight and The Twins, naturally making Sadie a bit nervous though most wouldn’t have seen it. Benny the Hero put himself between her and the others and took up what attention he could without seeming to be a baby. There were a few other members of the safari along as well that I used as an additional buffer. It worked but it took some effort on my part that didn’t thrill me.

When we got back to camp I walked into the tent while the kids were taking turns changing and I grabbed Lev by the t-shirt and gave him a kiss like I needed his oxygen.

“Why for that you wow uh huh you did?”

“What?”

Lev shook his head and I could almost hear the marbles returning to their place. “Wow. What was that for?”

“I missed you. You are a king among men. You are my admiral and navigator.”

“Someone bothered you?” he asked showing some concern.

I turned my back and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around me the way he knows I like. “Gus?”

“I didn’t do anything. I was a positively pristine and well-behaved wife and set a good example as an auntie. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t thinking evil thoughts of turning some of them into ballast.”

“Er … that bad?”

“We need to find some saltpeter for Mr. Morin … or convince Mrs. Bodycombe to stop winding him up. Mr. Legrand needs testosterone therapy. And his wife needs her mouth duct taped. And your oh so special admirer Mr. Peeters said multiple times that he wouldn’t have signed up for the activity if he had known you wouldn’t be there.”

Lev swallowed some spit the wrong way and started coughing. Or maybe he was just trying not to laugh. “And your friend Hugh and that dude Klaxton? They need to knock off their chauvinist pig routine before I straighten their curly tails and send the rest of their parts into an oncoming pride of lions.”

“How … how did you hold it all back?” Sympathy and chuckles made him sound constipated.

“Mr. Wight and The Twins were right there. Right. Freaking. There. I swear if I didn’t know better someone maneuvered me into a position that …”. I shook my head to clear it. “Never mind, I’m not that important and am just having an excess of imagination. Let’s go get some dinner. The kids are starving and you must be too.”

“Yes, I’m hungry but if you need to talk …”

“No. I’m fine. Well, I need to talk but more about wondering how your day went and tell you I got some good film … or think I did. Kayaking was amazing. I got some shots that makes it look like the kayaks are floating over the water instead of moving through it. The water is an amazing antique glass color … you know that odd green. Snorkeling was really nice. Again nice, clear water. Plenty of visibility even with other divers in the water with you. Even from right at the surface you can look down and see fish eating stuff off the surface of the rocks.”

“No sharks or anything like that?”

“None. It’s a lake. There are roughly a thousand varieties of fish and that’s no exaggeration. Benny and Sadie took some notes of what the guide said to include with the film for the narrator to use.”

“Now there’s a thought. How about I let you handle that part?”

A little sadly I admitted, “Can’t take credit for that one. Sadie and Benny came up with it. She apparently enjoys ‘dock-mentaries’ more than what’s normally in the theater. Her grandfather seemed … surprised.”

“About what? I preferred documentaries myself at her age.”

I had to laugh. “I didn’t like sitting still that long but would on occasion. Dad like old westerns. Grandma liked old tv shows and even older movies. Grandfather and I …”

“I know … zombies.”

“Not just zombies, disaster movies and … yeah, it was a guilty pleasure that Grandma Barry always ground her teeth at when she caught us. She rarely caught us though,” I said ending on an even bigger laugh.

“Did you have fun diving?”

“Mostly.”

“Er …?”

“Klaxton got in the water with The Twins and he had some idea that he was my babysitter and not just theirs. I don’t like being crowded and he didn’t like that I could out swim him even with the kids. I … may have found a way though.”

“Gus …”

“Just hear me out. We exited the water first and he came up to find I was explaining all my certifications to Mr. Wight on the off chance he wasn’t given the latest report. That I had digital copies if he wanted them on file for reference. I also asked him if he wanted more or less detail in the reports for Sadie. He surprised me with a couple of legit questions and then surprised Sadie even more by telling her to continue expanding her horizons while she has the chance, that school would be starting soon enough and he expected excellent marks, same as always. I think it was that last phrase that surprised her the most.”

“And that has what to do with Klaxton?”

“I gave him an out. He can see me as a … a hired chaperone or something rather than as a burden he’ll begrudgingly take on when Hugh might be otherwise distracted.”

“Bad?” he asked, referring to Hurling Hugh’s well-known seasickness.

“No. The Bonine did the trick, I think. We’ll see. Just don’t ever let me say that I’ll make a sailor of him yet. If looks could kill …”

We both snickered but food, we all needed some. The remainder of the night was sitting around the fire “conversing like civilized people,” drinks, a little bit of discussing the coming camps, and packing up. Tomorrow we head to Chitimba so I need to finish up and organize myself for the road.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 12 - Day 34 Chitimba​

We moved to the northern shores of Lake Malawi but it still took almost eight hours to get here due to the condition of the road, stopping for food three times including a lakeside lunch, and stopping for some photography opportunities. Our camp is in this place called Chitimba. It is as laid back as our last camp was. Not completely my thing but some of the others sure seemed to appreciate it. The Livingston and Nyika mountains in the background were a nice, scenic change. And the banana palms and papaya trees meant there was more water than in most of Africa.

This camp is also set on a beach, golden and sandy. It didn’t remind me of home, but it wasn’t a foreign landscape either. Before you reach it however you must go through this large wooden gate that reminded me of King Kong for some reason. Immediately beyond the gate is the large thatched-roof building that houses the bar and restaurant. Our accommodation is right on the beach in a family lodge, no tent tonight. And trust me when I say all four of us made good use of the en suite bathroom/shower. It is amazing how dirty you can get traveling in an open-air vehicle, and that doesn’t include the bugs on your sunglasses … and your teeth. The location put us closer to the general tent area … space for a hundred and twenty of them … but shower, so it doesn’t matter.

There were a couple of day hikes in the area I would have loved but this is barely an overnight stop for us. Tomorrow is another really long drive. Yes, they stop for “elevenses,” lunch, and teatime but these long drives suuuuck. I think I’d give up the breaks except for the bathroom breaks but I’m not in charge of this course.

I sound like a kid. Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Not even Benny complained this much when we were living in the van.

Maybe I’ll see if there is a caffeinated mineral water and sleep the wiggles from hell off.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 13 - Day 35 Iringa​

Today was a long travel day into Tanzania and its southern highlands, probably our longest drive yet (approximately 11 hours). We were told to “sit back, relax and watch as the countryside pass by.” Am I the only one getting tired of that particular suggestion? Luckily Benny and Sadie get along well and today quietly discussed animal biology as a way to improve their sketching. Sadie also had her summer reading list to work on and Benny took the time to work on another art lesson.

We got on the road at 6 am which meant another breakfast of tea and “toast.” There was a brief stop for the weird “elevenses.” Lunch was a roadside picnic. The only other thing that broke up the drive was fuel stops and crossing into Tanzania to have our passports inspected and stamped which took more time than it should have.

Most of the border between Malawi and Tanzania is made up of the river Songwe which means that people crossing the border are by geographical necessity funneled through a small section. And they are a little twitchy at the crossings because oil prospecting is causing disagreements between the two countries.

I haven’t really talked about the “crossings” much. There isn’t a lot of nice to talk about is my only excuse. I didn’t need to be told to keep my opinions to myself, anyone with sense will take one look at the gentlemen with the big black guns and know someone other than themselves are in charge. The hamster is now over it but the first time through, I felt every hair on my body stand up and do the Macarena. Now it is just down to feeling like the show is a completely unnecessary display of force. Mostly they are just the heavies there to ensure that no one thinks they get through without being shaken down.

They tax and fee people to death at the border crossings. The safari guides take care of it out of sight, but some things are obvious if you pay attention. There is the per person crossing for the Visa you must have. Then there is the monthly road tax per vehicle at the crossing. Then an unstated cost is the bribe for the agents to get them to move faster than molasses in cold weather. Every border crossing thus far has been like this. I have to keep reminding myself we aren’t crossing state lines, but country borders on a continent that sometimes has contentious relationships among its peoples. It took us about an hour to get through this time and we got to skip the line somewhat because we were a commercial entity bringing tourist money into the country, or some excuse like that.

As soon as we arrived, we made camp on the grounds of a farmhouse on the outskirts of this place called Iringa. Quiet night with the adults all grabbing cocktails during the Sundowner … excuse to drink some booze during sunset. Just wasn’t into it as it would have meant dealing with the “Grandfather and Twins.” They aren’t bad people, I can tell it, but it is as if Sadie simply doesn’t exist on this plain most of the time. I’ve never seen anything like it. They never even turned around to look at her once. Never even asked Lev or I how she was doing. Now I realize that in certain social groups a kid is seen but not heard, doesn’t eat with the adults, and all the weird etc. that seems like it belongs back in the dark ages. However, I just don’t get it. Hugh said he has met some odd ducks over the years but not even he knows what category to put them in.

I am also not into the kind of socializing these people are doing. I just don’t like to overshare my personal and private life. Nor do I know how to talk about everything and nothing at the same time. I played “Nanny” and was happy to be ignored and left Lev to make contacts.

“You okay with this?” Hugh asked after coming over to make sure there wasn’t a problem.

“Better this than the damn chit chat everyone seems to want to make. Geez, conserve the planet’s oxygen already.”

Hugh chuckled. “Yeah. But this is the way it is. You should learn how to do it to get along.”

I snorted. “I already know how to do it. Even took a couple of training courses to create the skill. However, if given a choice I prefer the company of the kids. At least they don’t talk ad nauseum about their investment portfolios or gossip from home that means zero to me.”

He just shook his head like I was crazy. However, he is learning to tolerate my crazy the same way that I tolerate his jackhole-ness. Each to his own.

I was happy that Lev wanted to cut out a little early so he could get some work done, but I had to spend some time assuring him as well.

“What did Hugh want?”

“Mild lecture.”

“About?”

I shrugged. “I think he just doesn’t get that I’m not big into socializing. I can do it. I just don’t because … I don’t know. Does it bother you?”

“What? That you don’t flirt and all that other crap the other women are doing? Hardly. If you prefer to hang out with the kids, then do it your way. You’re there when I need you and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

I relaxed and leaned into him for a bit of mutual physical contact. “Privacy would be good right about now so I could show you how I appreciate your willingness for me to be me.”

“I don’t ever want you to be anything else than you.” He sighed. “But some privacy would be good.”

Even in the van we had more opportunity than we have right now. I never thought I would have this, or like it as much as I do. It isn’t obligatory like some women make it out to be … and some men too for that matter. It’s been like having to miss one of my favorite exercises. When I explained it like that to Lev the other day he nearly went tip over tea kettle and looked like the Scarecrow did when he was remembering how to walk in the old Wizard of Oz movie. And that’s a 6’6” scarecrow so it is a good thing I’m a tall, strong Gus.

It looks like Lev is shutting down his equipment. I don’t know if that is because he is finished or because he is running out of battery. It has been a little cloudy today and I’ve been worried about power supply. Regardless, it is time we hit the hay.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 14 - Day 36 Mikumi National Park​

As soon as breakfast was over at 5:30 am, we grabbed a boxed lunch and set out on a short drive – yeah right, sure, three and a half hours is real short – to the edge of Mikumi National Park. Situated at the foot of the thickly wooded Uluguru Mountains. Mikumi is Tanzania's fourth-largest national park and an important educational and research center. It’s grassy plains host elephants, zebras, wildebeests, impalas, giraffes and lions among other wildlife. We were almost guaranteed to see a number of these incredible animals on the afternoon game drive according to our guide. The other thing the guide said to take notice of was the baobabs, unusual trees with exceptionally thick trunks commonly referred to as the 'Tree of Life' for its many useful properties.

We paused for “elevenses” at this place called Chalinze. I swear there is no wonder that there is a weight limit for all the luggage and gear on a safari. They must make sure they leave enough for all the extra pounds people put on from all the eating. Lev and Benny are hollow from the feet up so it doesn’t matter, they aren’t going to gain weight or if they do it doesn’t show. Sadie needs to gain weight, or at least muscle mass. Me? I’m fighting tooth and nail to keep Blimpy the Butt under control. I know I’m not alone because I’ve heard a couple of the other women get upset when they realize something that fit one day, doesn’t fit quite as well the next time they try and wear it. They try and blame it on the primitive laundry facility, but I can’t lie to myself like that. My butt is getting bounced flat from all the sitting but that is only giving it a chance to spread. I’m adding as much exercise as I can but there isn’t a lot of time, and even less room, to get it done in camp on most days.

Lunch was pretty good all things considered. Ours were a little different from the rest of our tour group’s as they were gluten-free. Even Sadie has asked to be included in it. So long as she doesn’t lose weight, I’m game to let her try. Last night Mr. Dutton stopped me and asked me to take Sadie’s medications just in case for whatever reason we become separated. I set up an organized ditty bag for everything except for a week’s supply I set up for her in one of the spare hardpods left over from our international flights. She seemed to appreciate I was trying not to treat her like she is Benny’s age and she promised to let me know if it is working for her or if she wants to go back to me just handing the stuff out in the mornings when I divvy up everyone else’s vitamin chews and the other etcetera.

On our afternoon game drive we “marveled at the big diversity of animals and observed lions, elephants, buffaloes, hippopotamus, crocodiles, and many more with different bird species.” We “game drived” until sunset then had dinner – yes, more food – and then headed to our overnight sleep at Camp Bastian.

I’m going to be serenaded to sleep by all the animal sounds. Mikumi National Park is on the northern border of Africa’s largest game reserve, the Selous, part of a sprawling wilderness area that reaches almost to the Indian Ocean. And that swabies is the end of the geography lesson. Time to hit the hay.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 15 - Day 37 Dar es Salaam​

Another 7-hour drive, this one to Kipepeo Beach, just south of Dar es Salaam. Our guide told us to be sure to make the most of our camp by taking a stroll along the shore after we arrived and settled in. Our camp tonight is on the grounds of a hotel (not in the hotel) situated next to the beach.

I took Benny and Sadie to the beach with Hugh trailing us. Lev stayed back in camp and worked. Felt bad but he needed some peace and quiet and those kids needed to get the wiggles out after yet another ridiculously long drive. And they weren’t the only ones.

Hugh is getting to know us, or at least me, and arranged for Benny, Sadie, and I to ride in a traditional dhow. I would have liked to have gone snorkeling but like I said there wasn’t really time. We headed to Sinda Island Marine Reserve where we had the opportunity to walk around the island there. The beach was surprisingly white and wide for an island of that size. The clear offshore waters are home to a vast array of colorful starfish, tropical fish and coral reefs providing excellent snorkeling which there wasn’t time for us to do … sigh. However, we had pods of dolphins accompany the dhow to and from its voyage to the islands. Some of them got really close.

I managed to get some surprisingly good filler for Lev by putting the underwater go-pro camera on a stick. It wasn’t the same as snorkeling, but it was still something to use the hamster’s energy on.

Sinda actually consists of “Inner” Sinda and “outer” Sinda islands that are part of a larger coral reef formation. The formation makes Sinda one of the best islands off Dar es Salaam for snorkeling, surrounded by patch reefs that harbor a variety of species such as tiny clownfish and huge moray eels. Both on Kepepo Beach back at the mainland, and the beaches of Sinda Island, are very clean and the water clear even at low tide. There are no rocks or sea urchins around making it an ideal and safe beach for walking and swimming. I gather that sea urchins can be a problem, along with rocks, when walking on some beaches. I think it would be cool to see, but certainly not cool to step on or constantly have to step around. When I said something like that to Hugh he shook his head.

“Obviously missed some of the talk.”

“Excuse me?” I said misinterpreting what he was saying.

“Sea Urchins woman. Sea urchins. They may look cute to you, but they can be dangerous for some people.”

Becoming serious I told him, “Explain.”

Boy, did I get an education. I’m going to treat them like I would a jelly fish. They are completely covered in protective spines. On the tips of these spines are tiny claw-like pincers called pedicellariae.‌ Sea urchins won’t attack you, but because they live in shallow water and like to hide near rocks, you could step on or touch one accidentally. ‌ You probably won’t get stung if you lightly touch a sea urchin, but if you make contact with any amount of pressure, like if you step on a sea urchin, the sea urchin’s pedicellariae will likely release venom and sting you.

Sea urchin stings aren’t usually fatal, but they are dangerous. You should be aware of the symptoms and treatments so you can get professional help if you need it. If you get stung, your symptoms could vary depending on which of the 950 species of sea urchin has stung you. The most common symptoms for a single, shallow-water sea urchin puncture include:

• Swelling in and around the area where you were stung
• Redness around the spine’s entrance point
• Sensitivity or pain
• Infection if the sting is not treated
• Blue coloring where the spine pierced your skin
• Muscle aches

If a sea urchin stings you more than once you can wind up with even more serious side effects:

• Extreme fatigue
• Loss of strength
• Signs of shock
• Loss of feeling or paralysis
• Trouble breathing
• Death
  

Lucky for me Hugh wasn’t just out to freak me out, he had firsthand knowledge of how to treat sea urchin stings:

• Soak the affected area in hot water for at least an hour.
• If the sea urchin’s spine broke off and is stuck in your skin, pluck it out with tweezers.
• If there are pedicellariae in your skin, cover the area with shaving cream and lightly scrape with a razor.
• Flush and scrub the sting with soap and water.
• Leave the injury open. Do not bandage it.
• For pain, just a normal OTC. The problem with that is that Sadie is allergic to most such items, so I’d need to make sure to keep the natural remedies for pain readily available.

“Klaxton knows about the Wight family’s allergy to acetaminophen and the like?”

“He should, but I’ll bring it up. And yes, I’ll figure a way to leave you out of it.”

Meh. Just casually mention that you were making sure I knew about sea urchins, especially because of the kids and Sadie’s allergy.”

“May just do that. Probably isn’t an issue. That Dutton isn’t just the old man’s secretary or clerk or whatever. He is a licensed nurse and naturopath.”

Honestly, the things you find out about people.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 16 - Day 38 Stone Town, Zanzibar​

Hurray! We are losing the Legrands! Okay, I admit that was rude, but I was surprised to find that we are “losing” several of our tour group, roughly half. Although losing them isn’t exactly correct. Their leg of the safari trip is over with while ours is just a little over half-way complete. We said goodbye to everyone but The Wights, Mr. Morin, and Mrs. Bodycombe, and the support staff of Mr. Dutton, Hugh, and Mr. Klaxton. I was a little sorry to see Ms. Thomson and her sister go but Kevin was obviously ready for the trip to come to an end. He wants to be back with “his things” and “his room” and was a little topped off by the change in his schedule. Understandable. When Benny was younger, despite all the traveling and disruptions, I did try and maintain some stability for him through a schedule. Tonight we said hello to the new people. But that was tonight. Today we went to … get this … Zanzibar.

To be more specific, we caught a ferry to Zanzibar and checked into tonight’s accommodation in Zanzibar City’s Old Quarter – aka, Stone Town. That’s when we were told there would be an important meeting tonight for introductions and all the other yada yada. We were also meeting the staff that would carry us on the next leg of our safari. Aside from that, our day was free! Yippee Skippy dude. So not kidding.

Hugh said the best way to explore Stone Town is on foot. After settling in, we set out and wandered through the narrow alleyways and past the market stalls, ornate doorways and stores overflowing with the city’s famous carved frames. There are roughly Two thousand limestone buildings, covering an area of 50 hectares [123 acres] and with a population of roughly twenty thousand people living in the suburbs.

One of the first things we noticed were the doors on the buildings. Wow. I’m not being facetious either. Brass-studded, carved, and wooden they look like something on a medieval keep and draw the eye even before you notice the rest of the architecture. Nineteenth-century architecture dominates this part of Zanzibar City. During the construction period, Zanzibar was considered to be one of the paramount trading centers in the Indian Ocean. However, when you take a closer look, you notice that many buildings and houses are in bad shape or need of full renovation. The construction materials, coralline rock, while readily available and relatively inexpensive for the time and location, wasn’t durable enough. It started eroding as soon as it was put in place. The local heritage and historical groups are constantly doing what they can to keep the area from falling apart.

Everywhere we turned there were overlapping African, Arabic, Indian, Persian, and European elements. Despite what that might sound like, Zanzibar and Stone Town are truly cosmopolitan by African standards. Hugh took us passed the Anglican Cathedral (former slave market), House of Wonders (national museum), Palace Museum, the Old Fort, Darajani market, Hamamni Baths, Catholic Cathedral, and the Freddy Mercury house (the famous lead singer of the group Queen).

We also saw the house of Dr. David Livingstone. As in “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” He was a Scottish Christian Congregationalist, medical missionary, and an explorer in Africa. He is an essential figure in Stone Town’s history. Many of his journeys began and ended in Zanzibar, where he fought to stop the slave trade. His house, which was initially built in 1860 for Sultan Majid, was used by many explorers as a starting point of their missions. Dr. David Livingstone lived here before commencing his last journey in 1866, and the building, which is now the main office of the Zanzibar Tourist Corporation, is definitely worth seeing.

The hustle and bustle of the streets became a bit overwhelming to my senses. Hugh then insisted on taking some time to explore the markets where local people purchase their daily requirements and a market street full of colorful textiles. He said it would give us more of a real impression of the daily life of real people. I must say I was impressed with how much the kids were taking in and how polite they behaved.

Benny said that Sadie had explained it the way one of her professors at school had explained it to her after finding out how she was going to spend her summer. The people aren’t tourist attractions. They are very friendly and welcoming so show them some respect at a bare minimum. We are visiting their home, it isn’t Disney or any other amusement park. I told Sadie thank you for getting Benny on board. She blushed. The girl definitely needs more encouragement when she does something good.

It put me in a thoughtful mood and at the women’s cooperative I allowed myself the temptation of purchasing some of the homemade, organic cosmetics made on site. In particular some cream for my feet which are getting dried out and my heels cracking. I can’t stand the sound my feet make as they slide into my socks. My pumice stone just isn’t cutting it. I justify it because it is supporting the local economy. We also have that money that came as part of the contract, and I haven’t really spent much of it.

Lev looked at me like he could read what I was thinking and said, “Anything extra we can send back to Jacksonville at the airport before we fly out. You aren’t buying junk that won’t get used or displayed.”

I sighed and then let it go. Sometimes you just must compromise with yourself. It isn’t a matter of conscience but of practicality and space and the hamster’s damn OCD.

The walking tour ended at Drajani Market around 6 pm where we gathered with a few other safari members. Hugh had arranged a unique tour with a friend that was happy to guide us in exchange for some help with a medical bill for his wife. A better than fair exchange. The Daranjani Market is where locals go to buy their fruits and vegetables. While I wouldn’t have done this if Lev and Hugh hadn’t been along, it was still fun in a unique way. Only problem I experienced was that my APD was on overload with all the noise from all the people. Benny popped in some earplugs and stuck close to Lev and Sadie, unfortunately I couldn’t do the same thing. I’m the adult and need to manage my problems on my own.

From there we stopped at this place called the Swahili House restaurant, supposedly the best place to watch the sun go down. We got there just in time to watch the sky change colors, and enjoy some soft drinks, or in some cases the local beers made in Tanzania. We also met the “new people” tonight. Not sure of my impression of them yet. Yet. Let’s see there is Mr. and Mrs. Ashmiller, older couple from Canada. They and Mr. Morin seemed to get on well. Mr. and Mrs. Schmitz, older German couple. They are jolly and Mrs. Bodycombe took to them immediately. Then there are the Welsh sisters Beti and Bronwen Bowen. They are thirty-something academicians on sabbatical. They are twins and know someone that Mr. Wight knows and they all hit it off. Last is a family of four, parents in their forties with two teenage sons about Sadie’s age. They are from Australia. Hugh got along well with them. Sadie was unimpressed with the sons. Mr. Campbell and Lev hit it off but Mrs. Campbell wasn’t too sure about me but not in an offensive way. I let it slide and she leaned more towards the Bowens – she’s a teacher by trade – as well as the Schmitz couple. Oh well, odd man out again. Not that it is a big friggin’ deal. I just don’t want to embarrass Lev or give Mr. Wight anything to complain about. I will say these people have a different vibe from our previous group members. Nothing “ick” about any of them.

Afterwards, we explored the streets of the city for a little different flavor. Our guides told us stories about the city, and we got to see where the locals gather to celebrate events, watch football (aka soccer), or just have tea and play some games. We continued walking to Forodhani Garden, which hosts a popular street food market in the evenings. Everyone was encouraged to try out local foods and drinks like Zanzibar Pizza, urojo soup, shawarma, sugarcane juice, spice tea, coffee, and more.

Believe it or not, Hugh found a vendor that did “Zanzibar pizza” gluten free.

“You’re turning human. Need to watch that,” I told him in a whisper only he could hear. He spat out some spice tea that he’d just taken a sip from.

While wiping his shirt front he muttered back, “Damn woman. Little warning when you are going to act like a Gus.”

I just smiled innocently. Lev caught the tail-end of the conversation and realizing I’d probably been getting some of my own back gave one of his typical one syllable chuckles. “Ha!”

I didn’t carry it any further because we’d almost caught Klaxton’s attention. Luckily the old grumpy guts was distracted when Mr. Wight asked if he could help Dutton arrange to take some delivery of some of the local coffees. I can’t drink the stuff and Lev no longer does for the most part, unless it is offered hospitality, so it wasn’t of any interest to me. Then I heard the others in the group talking about how they planned to take some home as holiday gifts because of the pricing. I suppose it is an idea, maybe send some home to Lev’s sister or his uncle. I’ll talk to Lev about it and see what he wants. There’s no one on my side, that’s for sure.

How the “pizzas” are made was interesting enough the kids wanted to watch. The vendors pan-fry their crispy, stuffed snacks with pride. More like a mash-up of a crepe and savory pancake. They are tasty fried pockets of dough that contain an amazing array of fillings—from avocado with squid to lobster with cheese to Snickers bar with banana. Sadie, Lev, and Benny all wanted to try a sweet one. Me? Er, nope. Had enough trouble keeping the hamster under control, didn’t need to take a wild walk in Hansel and Gretel’s world. After Lev gave me puppy dog eyes, I agreed to one of the savorier combinations: chicken, onion, egg, with a little local cheese on top. Might have been kinda dull compared to some of the combinations but I knew my stomach and didn’t want it doing somersaults all night.

To begin, vendors flatten a ball of dough, layer on another smaller piece of dough to reinforce it, then pile on as many meats, sweets, spices, and vegetables as their imaginations allow. Popular savory combinations include ground beef, chicken, and mushrooms or—the vegetarian option—mayo, processed soft, white cheese, chopped veggies, and egg. Those with a sweet tooth might opt for Zanzibar pizzas stuffed with Nutella or mango and cheese. I will admit the mango and cheese one sounded interesting, but I decided not to risk it. After folding up the sides, vendors then fry their creations on a hot tava (a large, flat or concave frying pan) in ghee (clarified butter) until crispy. When they’re ready, the pizzas are slid onto a paper plate and smothered with fresh, spicy mango-chili sauce if so desired.

Two other dishes that could be found were biryani and pilau. According to the guide showing us around, the dishes are thought to have originated in the Indian Subcontinent. Biryani and pilau (also known as pilaf and plov) are rice dishes cooked with a mixture of spices such as nutmeg, cloves, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and coriander. The key difference between the two is that biryani is cooked separately to the meat dishes that typically accompany it. Pilau, on the other hand, is cooked in the same pot as the meat (or meat broth), allowing the rice to absorb the juices. We sampled both and they were delicious. I am on the lookout for a cookbook that has these types of African dishes In It. Hugh was pleased enough with the Idea that he said he’d help me look for one.

There were other yums as well. Marinated in a blend of spices and sauce, then grilled, mishkaki (meat skewers) are a popular Zanzibarian snack food, often seen grilling in alleyways of an afternoon. Hugh said you needed to buy them straight off the grill to ensure they’re fresh.

I had fun winning a bet with Sadie’s brothers. Mr. Wight smiled indulgently as he considered it a lesson learned when he told them, “Never bet with a woman. One way or the other, they always win.” I let him hear me when I whispered to Sadie, “Your grandfather is a smart man.” I’m not sure whether he was smiling due to my real compliment or the giggle that Sadie was trying unsuccessfully to hold back at her brothers’ expense. The bet? Zanzibar is renowned for octopus, which are caught by skilled ‘octopus hunters’ who can often be spotted wading out across the coastal flats armed with spears to catch the invertebrates that thrive in the seagrass and coral beyond the beaches. Among the most popular ways to eat octopus include mishkaki skewers, octopus curry (cooked with a blend of rich spices like turmeric and simmered in coconut cream), and straight off the grill. I tried some straight off the grill with chunks of cassava. There was no hiding what it was. I grossed them out a bit by slurping It up like a piece of good pasta. The bet was to see If I would eat It. LOL. I love seafood. All kinds. Octopi are a kind of seafood, so it was all yum.

What did I win? Zanzibar chocolate which really Isn’t chocolate at all. Locals refer to this sweet, savory and inexpensive snack as ‘chocolate’ but it’s more like a sesame bar made with toasted sesame seeds and honey, cut up into small diamond-shaped pieces. Warning: oh my gosh, highly addictive, and I’m not a sweet-eater. It was something all of us could eat and I made myself share the goodie around. Lev got one taste and ordered more so that we could each have our own. I didn’t Interfere when I noticed Sadie bashfully offer her grandfather a piece. He was very gracious about accepting some and after getting a taste, pretended a naughty look and ordered some of his own making Sadie light up like a Christmas tree. But the girl Is smart, she didn’t push for more than that. Truthfully that may have been almost more than she could handle as it was a better Interaction than I have seen since she’s become part of our crew.

Our tour ended at 8:00 PM, at which point we were put into a local tour bus and taken back to our digs for the night. The hotel was the Mizingani and we had the family suite[1]. It was a bit of much needed “privacy” for both Lev and I … once we got passed the décor. It was like being in some Arabian Nights movie for some weird reason. Well, not weird of course. Zanzibar really is a bit Middle Eastern. We started in the en suite bathroom and just carried on from there. Benny and Sadie were both asleep with their headphones on so … yeah, privacy. We were in desperate need of it. And now Lev is asleep and I’m caught up with my personal paperwork and this log entry. Maybe I’ll see just how asleep Lev is.

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[1] https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_R...ity_Zanzibar_Island_Zanzibar_Archipelago.html

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 17 - Day 39 Zanzibar Northern Beaches​

Checked out of our hotel this morning after another shared shower before waking the kids for breakfast – yeah and what of it? – and then headed to a special tour at a spice plantation. Not normally my thing but yet it was interesting. I do all the cooking … or at least I did all the cooking … for our crew. I’ve done all or most of the cooking for years now, even back to when Dad was still with me. I don’t know why I am so surprised that I found it interesting. I just am. I didn’t go gaga over it like a couple of the women did but still … like I said, interesting. It wasn’t just about the spices though, but about the spice trade and its connection to the area. We had the opportunity to smell and taste various spices, such as cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, curry, menthol, pepper, tamarind, cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger, plus sample some teas made with these spices too. I just had to make sure that the teas were herbal and not caffeinated. The staff were understanding and were careful to list out all the ingredients in everything we were sampling.

The plantation also grew tropical fruits including papayas, mangoes, and jackfruit. I knew papayas and mangoes – who living in Florida doesn’t – but I didn’t know much about the jackfruit and there’s quite a bit to know. For instance, it is supposed to taste like meat. Meh. To me it tasted like the food it was cooked in during our taste-test demonstration. Another, if you are allergic to latex, you are probably going to be allergic to jackfruit and better not eat it. Good thing they mentioned that before one of the SURNAME boys started to dig in. Yet another important point is that if you are diabetic and eat jackfruit your medication may need to be adjusted because jackfruit is supposed to significantly affect your glucose levels down. And another medical issue is that you can’t eat jackfruit for two weeks before you have surgery because it could cause an adverse reaction with the anesthesia, as in you won’t wake up.

The long list of medications that jackfruit interacts with include, but are not limited to: glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), and zolpidem (Ambien). The jackfruit exaggerates the effect of the meds and we didn’t get that from the spice plantation guides but from Mr. Dutton. I made sure to tell him thank you specifically for thinking of all of us and not just his employer. Wow. I didn’t know someone’s ears could get that red.

I decided, just on the safe side, to be the only one in our crew to try the jackfruit. Lev was a little outraged – he’d already eaten the stuff earlier in his travels – but didn’t really have the scope to say anything about it since we were surrounded by other people, and he was busy trying to get film to work with. I eventually explained, “You protect and provide for us one way, and I do the same from a different direction. Win-win all the way around.”

“Gus, I wouldn’t be able to live without you. Just … just be careful.”

“And I love you to the moon and back too.”

Well, that started something else a lot more fun, but I still need to be careful of Lev’s feelings on the subject from here on out. But that was later.

In addition to the spices and fruits we learned about Neem and Iodine and traditional African farming methods. Neem tree leaves were, and are, used locally as a traditional cure for malaria and indigestion, while the iodine tree is still used to fight infections in wounds. From there we were directed through the Spice Farm “gift shop” and most everyone purchased some, but Hugh carefully guided us out and explained that he and Klaxton had already taken care of it.

“Taken care of what?” I asked before Lev thought to clue me in.

“Ask him,” Hugh answered throwing a thumb at Lev and then scurrying off.

Lev nearly squawked. “He left me holding the bag!”

“We’ll get to that in a bit. What I want to know is what is in this bag you are left holding.”

Lev snorted. “Spices and the like. Some of that stuff you saw at the women’s market in Zanzibar you wouldn’t buy. It’s already got the customs stamp on it, and we’ll send it home at the airport.”

“Lev …”

“I know Babe but that cosmetic stuff is all natural and organic just like you prefer. And tell me you didn’t think about how you could incorporate some of these spices into your cooking.”

That’s when Benny piped up and told Sadie, “Aunt Gus cooks really good. Uncle Lev and I never have to worry about it making us sick.”

I rolled my eyes in Sadie’s direction, and she caught the funny look and snickered. I’d warned her that Lev sometimes did things for my own good and benefit, even when I didn’t want to tempt the hamster. She finds the way we interact with each other endlessly fascinating for some reason.

It was surprisingly easy to let it go and not turn it into an argument since I knew I wouldn’t allow any of it to be wasted especially since the prices of such items in the Zanzibar market had been much, much less than they were in the stores back home, assuming I could even find them. I was still using a can of cinnamon that I knew had to be left over from Grandma Barry’s supplies. And Donner Phelps had told me to empty out Meemo’s kitchen since his wife was allergic to a ridiculous number of things including some food packaging and had to buy all special stuff. She had been terrified of eating any of the dehydrated and home preserved foods left in their estate and I wasn’t averse to using it to feed my crew when food had been so difficult to come by and expensive when you could.

I shook my head to untangle the memories the hamster was dredging up to find we were being seated for lunch at the venue in their outdoor kitchen. There was pilau flavored with cinnamon, cardamom, and clove. Looked a little like the yellow rice flavored with saffron that I grew up eating, but it tasted different. Not bad or better, simply different.

To go with the rice there was Ndizi na nyama … meat and banana stew. And don’t ick out, it is really good. It reminded me of a few Caribbean dishes that I’d tried down in Key West. There were also samosas. They reminded me of a triangular shaped empanada. I was assured they were made with sorghum flour which is gluten free. I asked the chef/cook if I could watch him make one. He smiled and nodded. Yep, a lot like an empanada. The binder for the sorghum flour was xantham gum, something I was familiar with. The filling of the ones he made were different … garlic and carrots mostly since he’d made them for a group that was mostly made up of vegetarians that was sharing our tour time. I thanked him gratefully for giving me another idea to expand the menu at home. For dessert there was a fruit salad marinated in pineapple juice. Wow. Lock my jaws the fruit was so fresh and sweet.

And when they found out I couldn’t drink caffeine the chef made me some Banana Milk. Wow was that good. I mean goooood. The person playing maitre ‘d also directed me to an English translation cookbook with lots of local dishes in it. Before I could even decide Hugh told Lev, “I’m on it.” And I didn’t object. The hamster better appreciate my forbearance and cut me some slack at some future point. I’ve already looked through the book and found dozens of things I want to try including some other “milks” besides the banana milk. Clove Spice Milk Tea[1] is near the top of the list. I may even try to cobble it together at some point while we are still on safari.

After lunch, our guides took us to the Northern Beaches, where white sands and sparkling blue seas awaited. That was the Indian Ocean at its best. And what a way to work off lunch.

Unguja’s northern tip is mesmerizing. Coral cliffs tower above white sand and the water is beyond cerulean. These Zanzibar beaches helped put the island on the tourist map and they still wow everyone who visits. Nungwi is Zanzibar’s most developed and most popular beach resort town. It offers the widest choice of accommodations and there’s something for all budgets. Nungwi is not really crowded but it’s certainly not empty. There are a few annoying things that come with tourism, but we all refused to let it bother us. I mean … Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean. C’mon … you can ignore petty irritants for something like that. Even the hamster blew them off.

The reason why the beaches at Nungwi are so popular Is because the tides do not have such a huge Impact. They are gentle rather than tugging the sand and everything else In and out when they change. Nungwi Is also the capital of local dhow manufacturing. Hugh had already arranged for us to ride on one, now we were getting a change to see local craftsmen in action. I love a good boat and Lev and Hugh humored me and let me look and talk to my heart’s content.

Most people think a boat Is a boat and a ship Is a ship, but a real sailor can feel what was put into the making of the boat that they are on. And when such a boat hits the water, you can sense the joy. I’m sorry. I sound ridiculous. But it is life as I’ve experienced It.

I once thought such talk was just a fairytale until I spent months taking care of the boat I took out Into the Atlantic by myself. That boat knew that I cared what happened to her and she gave me everything she had during the storm that almost took her mast … and me. I’ve never felt the same way about a boat since that time. Hugh, who speaks the local dialect, translated some of my questions and the men were happy to answer them.

I almost didn’t want to leave. The hamster was kicked back and happy for once, but it was time to move on. I couldn’t be selfish with our time and was rewarded tonight when Lev gave me a dot-drive with all the film and pictures he’d taken of our time there. I do love that man.

We got a complimentary drink at a local restaurant before heading to our last stop of the day, a turtle sanctuary. I was familiar with them because of the one on the way to Key West. Turtles are treated and healed of any illnesses before being released to the ocean. What I wasn’t expecting was the chance we were given to swim with these animals and feed them. All fees paid here contribute towards turtle welfare and the education of tourists on their impact on the local environment.

Then it was off to our accommodations; the Makofi Guest House[2]. This is one of those places where it was a little strange. Because of Benny and Sadie, we were given a “quadruple room.” Basically It was a family room with an en suite bathroom. The Campbells had paid for the extra as well because of their sons. Mr. Wight and The Twins were in the “King Hut” that came with a king-sized bed, a double bed, and they had a cot for Mr. Dutton and the only glass windows in the entire guest area. Everyone else in the group opted to stay in the “dorm.”

I’ll just copy the description of the dorm rooms here: We know, we know… the name “Dormitory” sounds terrible… but Makofi dorm is just a fresh, cozy, and clean room with 2 bunk beds only. Each bed has a lockable drawer, a bedside table, private lighting, a universal socket, and a mosquito net. Additionally, in the room, there is also a mirror, 4 silent fans that will make you sleep like a baby, and a private terrace with a cozy bench.

So, not horrible and better than many places I’ve slept in shared digs. I still prefer the privacy we have as a family even if it means less privacy for Lev and I. Last night was a reprieve. Back to the normal … or as normal as being on a safari can be.

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[1] Clove Spice Milk Tea – Swahili Delicacies
[2] Authentic Accommodation in Nungwi Zanzibar | Makofi

 

[sssarawolf]

A very big thank you Kathy.

 

[Freebirde]

Has Gus tried B-Complex or garlic capsules to make her less tasty to bugs? I usually start taking the B-Complex daily a couple days before I know that I will be around a lot of bite-ums.

 

[Kathy in FL]

Has Gus tried B-Complex or garlic capsules to make her less tasty to bugs? I usually start taking the B-Complex daily a couple days before I know that I will be around a lot of bite-ums.

Worth a try.

 

[Mr Bill]

Great way to spend the evening. Thanks Kathy

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 18 - Day 40 Zanzibar Northern Beaches (2)​

Another free day for us while the new people took some included-to-them activities. Hugh wasn’t going to let us miss anything however. He’d put an interesting day together and I made sure the kids and I told him thank you at the end of it. I do not want anyone to get the idea that I feel entitled to this life that Lev is providing.

Immediately after an early breakfast we headed out and our first stop was to visit the Jozani Forest National Park, Zanzibar's only National Park. We were there to see local wildlife and natural habitats, including African rock pythons, red colobus monkeys, and a strange deer-looking animal called an aders duika on the guided tour.

It was a full day tour where we explored what they called a groundwater forest. The main activity was following the forest trail which took most people 45 minutes. We took a little longer so that Lev (and the kids) could take pictures. I was too busy watching for the wildlife wanting to interact with us.

We got to see rare animal species only found on the island. The forest is the home of the rare Red Colobus Monkey, which is only endemic to this forest. We weren’t supposed to get any closer than twenty-five feet from the monkeys because they bite or could catch human diseases. Okey dokey. No playing with the monkeys. Not fond of the little beasties anyway. Also, not fond of chameleons falling on me out of the trees though the kids got a kick out of watching it change colors while it tried to make up its mind whether I was a danger or a taxi.

The forest also has a large mangrove swamp and a tract of natural forest that is home to a few unique species including the Sykes monkey, bush babies, and over 50 species of butterfly and 40 species of birds. There is a Mahogony tree that is over 200 years old.

We walked through the park's mangroves as we made our way to our lunch spot, a restaurant nestled in the middle of the jungle. It reminded me of areas in south Florida that we visited when we were on that leg of our Adventures.

While we hiked our guide had us listen to the sounds of the jungle surrounding us and the racket continued as we tucked into a delicious local meal of beans and rice, prepared in the Swahili style. Red kidney beans are boiled until soft and combined with a creamy coconut sauce. Served with white rice, the beans had so much flavor, we didn’t even miss a meat being absent from the meal.

After lunch, and another hike with more animal viewing, we enjoyed a cooling dip in the pool before heading to the north of the island for a visit to the local zoo to see a number of other local animals, including chameleons, bushbabies, tortoises, ostriches, elephant shrews, and more.

We headed back to the Makofi Guest House and I was grateful we had a private bathroom to shower and clean up in. Lev asked for a quiet night so he could get some work done so after dinner he went back to our room and the kids and I hung out with the other members of the tour group and I played the getting to know you game even though it isn’t my favorite activity. Sooner than I had expected the kids started drooping so I had them drink some more and then took them back to our room where they were more than willing to hit the hay.

“Sorry,” I told Lev.

“Don’t be. I was about to come find you. I’ve hit a block. I think I need to grab some extra Z’s.”

We shared another shower and he was relaxed afterwards and went to sleep without any problem. Me? I needed a bit more time so I quietly did my exercises and then I wrote this log entry. I’m ready to get some sleep so I’m hitting the hay

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 19 - Day 41 Stone Town / Bagamoyo​

Today we caught the midday ferry back to the Dar es Salaam area where we met our driver and cook before boarding an overland vehicle for the short drive to our beachside camp in Bagamoyo.

Some 50 miles to the north of Dar es Salaam lies Bagamoyo. It was once the embarkation port for slaves from the countryside, and later the first German colonial capital. Our guides explained it is a place of considerable significance to world history, both as an entry point for Arab and European missionaries, explorers, and traders in East and Central Africa, and in the history of the infamous slave trade.

Tourist attractions in the town includes the Kaole ruins dating back to the 12th century thought to mark one of the earliest contacts of Islam with Africa; the Old Fort built in 1860 for holding slaves for shipment to Zanzibar; the first Roman Catholic Church in East Africa built around 1868 used as a base to run a camp of about 650 freed slaves; the German colonial administration headquarters, the Boma, in the first capital of German East Africa; the Mission Museum displaying history of Bagamoyo; and the Livingstone Memorial Church. We spent the remainder of the day exploring Bagamoyo.


Bagamoyo is surrounded by old buildings, of beautiful Arabian architecture, with thick walls of Earth fitted with carved doors made of thick African hardwood. On our walk through its narrow streets between Old buildings of Bagamoyo stone town we visited the German Colonial Administrative block, Art market, Old post office, 1st Tanzania Primary School, Old Mosques, Hanging tower, Caravan Serai Museum and the fish market. We also took a walk along the Indian Ocean beach.

Next came the Kaole Ruins. Kaole village, formally known as ‘Pumbuji’, is one of the oldest villages that immigrants from Arabic countries chose as they landed on East Africa’s coast. The village has ruins dating back to the 13th Century. It is in this village where the Sultan of Oman preferred to settle and construct administrative and military headquarters. Today the ruins, made-up of earth and corals, is the centerpiece of the Kaole Museum and tells many stories about the Ivory trade, movement of traders, cruel slavery, and the living culture of today’s Kaole people. Beyond the ruins, there was an old port surrounded by a Mangrove forest where we took a break to take a hike to enjoy some much needed fresh air before heading on to our next stop.

At the Bagamoyo Museum we visited the Old tower of the first Catholic Church in East Africa, one of the Oldest Baobab tree, Cemeteries (Catholic, German and Indian), Dr. Livingstone tower, Old Fathers’ house and the Cross at the beach. Our guide used the museum to feed us information about the slave trade, missionaries, life of the people and review some collections of artifacts of the indigenous tribes.

Our next stop was a visit to Old Boma and a crocodile farm and learn how these critters are kept. The kids – including the Campbell boys – had fun getting to know their social behaviors, growth, live capture techniques, feeding/hunting techniques and local uses of various products. The croc feeding was pretty dramatic. The crocs were enormous, longer than a man was tall.

I won’t say I found it a little boring, but crocodiles aren’t exactly anything new to me. I was happy to continue to our overnight accommodations at the Firefly Boutique Lodge where we had a double room which is one king bed and two futon beds.

For dinner Lev had Hungarian Goulash with mashed potatoes. The kids opted for the beef steak with marsala sauce rather than the burger that the Campbell boys had chosen. Me? Portugues Prawns, even after I had promised myself I was only going to get a salad.

Hugh smiled like I’d performed perfectly. “See there? No rabbit food in sight.”

Jackhole. But I must admit the prawns were amazing, flavored with garlic, butter, and paprika. Lev went back to our room to work while the kids and I stayed for a Guide Talk on what we’d be doing the next two days in the Usambara Mountains. I took notes. So did Sadie, and Benny sketched some ideas. I told them thank you for behaving like real live humans as I’d almost reached over and popped the Campbell boys on the back of their heads. They weren’t cutting up exactly, but they were messing around and it made it hard for me to understand the guide. Mr. Campbell finally took them to their room, and it left me in peace to grab ideas for Lev.

I had the kids drink a little more water and then we headed to our own room to find Lev had successfully completed the chores he set for himself. He and the kids then hit the hay and it gave me a few private moments to do some stretching, but now that I’ve cooled down it is time to put myself to bed as well. I need to get some laundry done soon and … nope. I need to put the hamster in a coma or I’ll lay awake making lists.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 20 - Day 42 Usambara Mountains (1)​

The new people are now dealing with the amount of time we spend in the vehicles. The Campbell boys are bored out of their skulls from what I hear. I sympathize. I just hope they don’t turn into obnoxious versions of their species over it.

Today we traveled into the remote Usambara Mountains which took approximately seven hours. This area of Tanzania is unspoiled and attracts very few tourists making it the perfect place in my opinion. The forests stretch across the mountains, and we are told they are ideal for easy hikes and guided walks. Our base camp is the old German colony of Lushoto, on the grounds of one of the earliest hotels in Africa.

We got a family room that had a king bed and a bunk bed. I gave Benny “the eye” and he turned to Sadie and told her she could pick her bunk. She picked the top and I was glad. Benny still moves around a lot in his sleep, and I didn’t want him either falling out of the top bunk or driving Sadie nuts making the bed above her squeak.

“Oh that’s nothing,” she told me. “Try sleeping on the bottom bunk when the person above you is a bed wetter.”

I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, but she understood by my face because she snickered. “Yeah. It was that bad. The girl eventually got sent home over it, so I only had to deal with it half a term.”

Ugh. Definitely something I never had to think about. I distracted the hamster by checking out the grounds of the hotel which were really lovely. I don’t use that word lightly. Everything was green and lush, well kept, and the staff were just really nice.

Hugh followed us around and gave a salesman spiel about the area. The hotel was conveniently located at the entrance of the township, atop a hill overlooking the mountains. The gardens offer a beautiful selection of flowers and grass Lawns, which the hotel was named after. It is surrounded by trees, giving you the feel that you are secluded in the mountains. The hotel’s main building is over 100 years old and was originally built as a farmhouse by the Germans. Once the British took over occupation, it was then added on to and converted into a hotel which was officially registered in 1946. Once Tanzania gained its independence in 1961, the hotel was then part of the numerous properties that were nationalized.

For the last activity of the day we went to a pottery demonstration where we all got to take a turn. It takes strong hands but a light touch, about like deep sea fishing in my opinion. Then it was off to dinner, a 3-course set menu that we shared family-style. Afterwards Lev headed off to work and I took the kids and let them swim for about an hour then we headed to bed. Tomorrow will be a lot of hiking.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 21 - Day 43 Usambara Mountains (2)​

Today we explored the beautiful Usambara Mountains and experienced the area’s hospitality on a visit to some of its small communities. I loved it. It wasn’t the length of the hike so much as the chance to expend my energy.

We started the day very early and, after packing some water and a snack, took a five-hour hike to Irente Viewpoint[1]. We hiked to this outlook for spectacular views of the village of Mazinde and the Maasai Plains almost 1000 meters below.

We did a couple of interesting activities on the way to the viewpoint. There is a traditional healer in almost every village in Tanzania and apparently there are some very good ones on the way to the ViewPoint. A visit to the healer house gave us a glimpse of the knowledge about indigenous healing plants that the local people still use, their rituals and how they treat ailments and help people get rid of such things as the evil eye.

There were two other viewpoints along the way called Java and Kambe. These two viewpoints are not that famous but still well worth a visit. Visiting the three viewpoints in one day was a strenuous hike and not everyone of our group could do it so they waited at a spot in the trail while the rest of us went.

We visited a sugar cane beer factory. This was a fun visit and there are several sugar cane beer factories spread along the area close the trails to the point. Local people have a very fun way of making a beverage they call beer but that tastes like some kind of liquor and is orange colored. Those that tried a sip of the brew said it was quite strong. None for me thanks but I snuck a container of it into my pack for Lev to try later.

There are some coffee plantations in the area and we stopped to visit one and taste some local coffee, or others did, just to give that final push to reach the view point.

One of the most remarkable features about the viewpoint is a dramatic drop-off of more than 1000 meters, where the land seems to sink into the abyss below. The edge of the drop-off is a vertigo inducing experience that needs to be taken with caution. I walked to the edge with both Benny and Sadie. It reminded me of the heights on a few of the hikes Benny and I took at the national parks in the US; in particular one called Angel Landing. There was a lot of graffiti on the ledge was the only disappointment.

There is a cave beneath the viewpoint from where you can also watch the abyss. Lev kept the kids while I took one of his cameras and got a few shots for him. At 6’6” it simply wasn’t a good fit for him. It would have also meant leaving the kids unattended as Hugh would not have allowed us to go there without him. He takes his security job seriously.

We had a picnic lunch at the Irente Biodiversity Farm in their flower garden with the Irente view. It was called a “Farm Lunch” and consisted primarily of locally made cheese, fruits, and a salad. Hugh insisted we eat a samosa (like an African empanada) as well. Those that wanted could warm up with some local coffee but the kids and I stuck to water.

Our next hike was to the Kideghe Waterfall. After arriving at Mpanga village, our walk began by taking us to the rain-forest where we spotted vibrantly colored chameleons and even the elusive black and white Colobus and Blue Monkeys. Our guide explained that the Shagayu rain forest is famous for its unique endemic birds and plants, as well for the Kideghe Falls, where we enjoyed another picnic snack among the towering ferns.

The route to Kidhege took us through Mambo and down to the village of Kwemtindi, where we passed through local neighborhoods, villages and then onto the forest plantations. There wasn’t much cover from the sun in these first couple of miles, so I was happy to make it to the tree cover of the forest. There was then a turn-off into a wall of ferns and trees that I would have missed if not for the local guide. It was literally a hole in a green wall.

This hole in the wall led us along a dense forest trail that would not relent for the next hour as we squeezed through the narrow gaps, holes, and tunnels created by the thick bushes and ferns. Every now and again we would reach a small clearing and come across a huge tree, so high I couldn’t see the top. I’m no tree-hugger but what they call the biodiversity of the area was fantastic. I was loving every minute of it.


I was both stoked and relieved to make it to Kidhege Falls without getting lost. Our small group was the only ones there and we sat down on a big rock to take in this peaceful spot. Even the Campbell boys seem to appreciate what they were getting to see. We had another snack, basked in the sun, took a few photos and then had to move on to the exit part of the journey. The route out on the Mtae side was much less intense and is actually how some guides bring less experienced hikers to the falls.

With five hours in the first hike and three in the second the kids were ready for their dinner and bed, in that order. Tomorrow, we head to Arusha and the last three weeks of the safari. Still haven’t heard from Tommi concerning what, if anything, is coming after the safari. I’m trying to remain flexible, but I remember this feeling of wondering what comes next.

---

[1] Other short Tours | usambaraecotours

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 22 - Day 44 Arusha​

Mostly driving today. Geez my butt is nearly catatonic from being sat on all day again. I heard a few of the new group talking amongst themselves and generally complaining that they hadn’t been warned about all the driving. How they’d spent a lot of money to do something other than sit in a vehicle all day. Once again, I sympathized but hoped they would keep their complaints under control.

Our destination was the gateway town of Arusha, an approximately 10 hours’ drive. We arrived at our campsite on the outskirts of the town and settled in for the evening.

Wasn’t much for the kids and I to do, or should I say me. Sadie and Benny were happy to get back to sketching. I didn’t realize it until today, but they are writing a book and illustrating it. Benny is all in. And I caught him getting between Sadie and the Campbell brothers during mealtime.

“Benny …” I said quietly getting his attention.

He sighed and then turned to Sadie. “Sorry. I know I’m just a little kid compared to them. If you want new friends …”

“Ew. No. They aren’t … bad. But ew. No.” She shuddered. “Ew. No,” she said again. I found it almost funny. She reminded me of Pei and Renee at that point. Benny was just confused.

“Okay. If they aren’t bad … do you not want me to be around?”

“No! Don’t you dare run off and leave me stuck with them.”

“But you said they weren’t bad,” he said even more confused than he had been.

Sadie tried to explain. “They aren’t. That doesn’t mean I want to try and figure out how to talk about … whatever Footy is. I think it is sports. Sports!”

Benny slowly gave me a look like he was asking for some help deciphering girl speak. I tried not to laugh and then gave up. “Don’t worry about it Little Bear. It is just girl stuff.”

He was trying so hard not to look horrified but that only made me laugh harder. Lev patted him on the shoulder and said, “Give up. We’re just guys and we’ll never understand ‘em.”

Slowly Benny shook his head and then asked if they could go get something to drink and maybe bring us back some tea. “Mrs. Bodycombe says tea is good for everything. Maybe they just need a cup of tea. Or … er … something.”

I was really starting to get the chuckles and Sadie was finally seeing the humor as well and was starting to giggle. Lev and Benny both looked alarmed and hauled out to go get us some tea or something.

 

[Lake Lili]

Wow that was a great read!
Thanks, Lili

 

[kyrsyan]

Thank you.

 

[Mr Bill]

Great morning wake up. Thanks Kathy

 

[moldy]

Well, she's right. Tea fixes everything....just depends on what you're making the tea with!

 

[kaijafon]

thank you so so so much for all the moar!!!

 

[sssarawolf]

Anotheer thank you Kathy with another Happy Mothers Day.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 23 - Day 45 Karatu​

Breakfast was a little more leisurely, but only slightly. It was more than slightly yum however. For all it was called Chipsi mayai, it was basically a potato omelet. Nice, simply fare that it hard to mess up.

Standard pack up and get on the road after that only the drive was short and to the small town of Kisongo, where we learned how to prepare a Swahili dish during a crafting session with local women.

I expected something very simple, like rice and beans. We actually got to made Ndizi na nyama, a meat and banana stew. Some of the new people see to thing that fruit and meat are an unholy alliance. Think again. Ndizi na nyama is a tasty stew that uses unripe rather than sweet plantains. They are added during the last ten minutes of cooking and become tender and delicious.

We enjoyed our food creations for lunch. I can easily see replicating this back at the River House when bananas are in season.

That was a few hours off the day and when lunch of complete and after eating, we drove to the small town of Karatu, the gateway to the Ngorongoro Crater.

Karatu is nicknamed “Safari Junction” because a lot of safari groups and travelers use it as an overnight stop to prepare for Ngorongoro Crater and/or Serengeti National Park. It is a busy little town that is a mix of old and new with safari vehicles, local buses, and brightly colored tuk-tuks riding alongside Maasai herders and ox-carts, while just outside town there are cultivated Iraqw farms and even smaller villages (sorta like a suburb) that merge into the green vegetation of the Ngorongoro Forest.

Upon arriving our camp area wasn’t quite ready for us so we took a small tour of the town from our vehicle. That’s were I got the initial impression there wasn’t much to do here. On second pass I realized that there was a lot you could do but it was more like experiencing how locals live. There is the local brickmaking industry that provides one of the biggest economic boosts next to the tourism industry. There are several coffee plantations and some breweries. Then there is the local market square where you can find a bit of everything, from food to spices to touristy claptrap.

As a treat we could buy a popular local snack; fried banana or friend plantain. Wasn’t bad but we were warned to stick with freshly cooked items to avoid food safety concerns.

Once we got word that our camping area was ready we headed there only to find they weren’t quite as ready as expected. One of those right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing kind of things. Given this was the first time we ran into it I wasn’t worried about it. Some of the new people didn’t know what to make of it but no one was complaining. As a form of hospitality, for any that wanted to partake, Tanzanian coffee was offered.

Tanzanian coffee may not have the international recognition of coffee from nearby countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, but coffee has been grown in Tanzania for centuries and is one of the country’s largest exports. Karatu is an ideal growing area because of the mineral-rich volcanic soil and the altitude of the northern highlands. Lev and I don’t drink coffee but we bought a bag of beans to send home to give as a gift. Coffee back in the States is prohibitively expensive but people still buy it even if it means giving up other things. And people drink more coffee than booze at parties.

Speaking of booze, some of our group went to a brewery and Lev went with them to take pictures. I hustled Hugh to go with them since he was familiar with the area and the people and promised that the kids and I would stay near the tent. I wasn’t playing obedient female so much as it gave me an out from the socializing and gave me time to do some wardrobe cleaning and care that was much needed.

Rather than missing out on anything around the fire, we had a good time with a couple that was across from us. He was an anthropologist and on sabbatical and his wife a retired computer engineer. He told the kids about the local people and I handed off Townzen as a contact if she was interested. They were Canadians but were considering retiring and moving at least part time to the States.

I’ll try and remember what he told us and record it here. The Iraqw people are a Cushitic-speaking ethnic group who are well-known for their agricultural skills. They have a large presence in the Karatu region and you can learn more about the Iraqw culture by interacting at the local markets, visiting a village, or even arranging a homestay.

While many Iraqw now live in more modern housing, some Iraqw still live in traditional Iraqw houses made of mud, sticks, and straw. Historically, the Iraqw and Maasai were warring tribes (there is still some animosity between some members of these groups) and the Iraqw devised a way to keep the Maasai from being able to steal their cattle by building their homes up against hillsides and keeping the animals inside the home. At night Maasai raiders would not be able to locate the homes or animal pens as they’d walk right along the roofs without realizing the Iraqw were dwelling inside with their goats and cattle.

When he described what a homestay entailed it definitely sounded voyeuristic about such a visit. Maybe similar to something called slum tourism that Lev told me about one time. However, we learned that families who participate in this depend on the supplemental income from visits. My understanding is if you visit a homestead, it is appreciated if you leave a small monetary (preferably in Tanzanian shillings) or food donation to the visited family if you enjoyed their hospitality.

I see Lev coming back and thankfully he and Hugh are traveling in a straight line, unlike Sadie’s brothers. Thankfully she didn’t notice it as she was putting away her washed and mended clothing items.

I suspect Lev is going to want to hit the hay earlier than normal as tomorrow we head out onto the Serengeti.

 

[ydderf]

thanks Kathy

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 24 - Day 46 Ngorongoro Crater / Serengeti National Park (1)​

Finally we are back to the traditional safari type activities. The new people were all jazzed for it once they got into the swing of things. So were the rest of us. It meant being in a vehicle most of the day, but at least it was viewing animals and not just zooming down the highway and trying to keep the bugs out of our teeth.

We got up early, so early it hadn’t even thought about being twilight yet. That meant using our headlamps and flashlights to make sure that everything was packed before carrying it over and putting it into a six-person jeep while downing tea and those “biscuits” that reminded me of the digestive cookies you can get in the States. The new people blinked a little (or a lot) at their expectations being missed before we all headed out for an excursion into the Serengeti via the Ngorongoro Crater.

I was ready to go for sure. We left Karatu, the latest in a long strong of less-than-24-hour-pitstops, and it only took a short time to reach the intact volcanic crater. Then we were inside and it was Animal Bingo time. During the four hour drive our guides helped us to spot black rhinos, lions, leopards, elephants, impalas, zebras and hippos. That was just inside the crater. Next, we moved on to the open plains of the Serengeti. Green after the rains, brown and burnt in the dry season, this is perhaps the stereotypical image of Africa in people’s minds – the home of thousands of hoofed animals and fierce predators.

Lunch was a “bush lunch” otherwise known as picnic style. The difference being it was a full meal and not a meal box. And we were served like it was a sit-down restaurant. Another difference was we were warned to eat fast to avoid an eagle snatching our chicken. Hmmm. I was thinking what a clanker when that very thing happened to one of the Campbell boys. Big dang eagle as well. Talk about a unique addition to Animal Bingo – have your meal snatch by a African Crowned Eagle. Check.

We had another game drive after that. While we were out, we got an incredible and up-close view of some lionesses and hyenas fighting over a carcass. Holy crap! Talk about your barrio rumble. The battle was a draw with each group getting a share of the animal. I think it was a wildebeest, but it was hard to tell from that distance and how mangled it was getting. I could tell it had four legs with hooves but that was about it. The guides stayed well outside the ring where the battle was taking place, but we could still hear the racket they were making.

Our campsite is within the Serengeti itself, so I’m writing this log entry while listening to the sounds of nocturnal animals. Benny and Sadie have already drifted off to sleep and Lev is nearly there himself and wanting me to go into the tent with him. Big difference between this camp and most of the camps we’ve had … no fence between us and the wiggy wilderness. I was fine until they gave us the warning about middle of the night bathroom breaks.

“If you need the toilet in the night, look out of your tent and check for eyes first. If the coast is clear take your torch and do it as close to the tents as possible. Do not walk up to the toilets.”

Well isn’t that special. I made sure everyone took the suggested pre-bed pitstop and even poked the Campbell boys along until they took the hint. Mrs. Campbell was surprisingly grateful. No biggie on my part and to be honest I simply did not want to wake up to anyone being turned into lion chow or hearing the male of our species “marking their territory” near a tent. As it is there was a lot of nervous chatter from a few of the new people, although by now I don’t think they are truly “new” though for some reason they haven’t gotten all of the polish knocked off of them yet.

I suppose I need to be heading to bed as we have another early morning animal drive tomorrow. But it is hard to give up the serenade.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 25 - Day 47 Serengeti National Park (2)​

Excited morning yakking by our guides and group revealed that hyenas had been sniffing around all night and I hadn’t been imagining the lion-ish sounds outside our tent either. One of our fellow campers said she’d stuck her head out the tent at around 2am and seen loads of eyes staring back at her. She recoiled and spent the next hour about to wet herself until she gave in and tried again. Lucky for her they’d gone by then but then she was in a rush and even more tired than the rest of us.

Lev and Hugh are stinkers, and I wouldn’t have any trouble kicking the smirk off Klaxton’s face. I get their reasons for not telling me, but I think they were selling me a little short. I mean sure, I would have been worrying about Benny and Sadie in a hot air balloon, but on the other hand I would have likely been more jittery from excitement because I was going to be in the hot air balloon as well. As for Klaxton, Mr. Superior-to-All-Womankind himself, he thought I was afraid of heights. Nope. If I had ever been, those blasted mosquitos with propellers we flew in in Alaska would have cured me of it. I wanted to tell him that, but decided to ignore him instead since he hadn’t done anything to deserve me wanting to prove myself to him.

We woke well before dawn to be picked up at 4:30 am. The trek lasted five hours, but only one of those hours was up in the balloon. During our safety check, our guides explained that each flight is a different journey dictated by the direction of the wind. We’d be tracked from the ground to keep an eye on us. In other words, we knew where we’d start, but we wouldn’t know where we would return to earth. That was part of the adventure.

There are just three launch sites for a balloon safari over the plains of the Serengeti. The central launch site, the one picked for us, is near the Seronera River which provides the only permanent water source in the area. That’s why the wildlife congregates in the valley. On arrival at the launch site, we met our pilot and watched as our balloon was inflated and prepped for lift off. Launch was as dawn was breaking. We got to see the spectacle as darkness lifts and the sky was painted orange and the ground’s silhouette began to take form.

Once we got up, I could understand what all the hubbub was about. Sometimes the basket was so low we would gently brush the tips of the grass, sometimes we skimmed the flat tops of the acacia trees, and sometimes it would be climbing through the layers of air to 1000 feet in the land of eagles and vultures until we were high enough to see the curve of the horizon, painted gold and pink by the early sun. Meh. I think the oxygen must have been a little thin for those words to actually flow from my fingertips tonight. The open plains, acacia woodlands, the meandering river and its many hippo pools all produced a scenic vista seen from above.

After landing we celebrated with a champagne toast. Or should I say everyone else did. Benny, Sadie, the Campbell boys, and I had sparkling juice in our champagne flutes. Then came a full English breakfast under an acacia tree. Even Mrs. Campbell, normally a “delicate eater” chowed down. Adrenalin had us all high and energetic. A few that had gotten a little air sick had this weird concoction of coffee with ginger in it. None for me thanks. Last thing I wanted to do was face plant.

We were back in camp by 9:30 am only for some of us to take off right away on a two-hour walking safari. Some of us definitely included me.

I have to admit this walk/hike was a highlight for me among all of the other highlights. There were the wildebeest herds starting to stack up for their yearly migration. We found out that Giraffe are always curious, and will often approach walkers, though we kept a safe distance. We got visits from white-headed barbets and Fischer’s lovebirds as they plundered the ripe figs overhead from a large tree that we’d stop to take a break under. Now back to those lions, we might have run into the same pride.

We were walking across a slope overlooking a riverine drainage line below us, when we heard a faint grunted contact call. Our guides surrounded us. Then we saw a few svelte lionesses slinking through the dense riverine shrubs, totally focused on the hunt. To stay out of the action our guides had us sit in the shade of a small tree a few hundred meters away and told us to watch the show unfolding.

The lionesses ignored us like we were wallpaper, though they did glance at us now and then, possibly to make sure we would not spoil their hunt. Heaven forfend. Then we picked up the dark shapes of several huge male buffaloes lurking amongst the shrubs, oblivious to the advancing threat. We held our breaths and I’ll be honest I was prepared to grab Benny and Sadie and cover their eyes if it got too graphic. Maybe a little on the stupid side, we were on a safari after all, but their somehow felt like more of a close-up view of real life than we had gotten thus far.

Suddenly the silence was broken as the buff boys picked up the scent of the lions and got the hell out of there, joined by several others that we had not realized were mud-wallowing a short distance away. The cantankerous old’ things made their indignant departure (happily in the opposite direction to us) amidst snorts, farts and bellows. And the lions simply vanished. Gone. Wow. Even though we hadn’t seen anything bloody it still gave all of us shivers of adrenalin. I don’t even get that jacked up when I’m hunting cranky gator by myself on the river. We later spotted the big kitties decorating an acacia tree like Christmas ornaments.

We walked back into camp at 11:30 to find – you guessed it – more food. Thankfully it was a lighter fare but still a full lunch.

After lunch came “quiet time” for most of the adults due to the early morning hours. Several people even mentioned taking naps. O.M.G. Naps. Lev got a look at the horror on my face and had to control his laughter as he was going to do some editing and etcetera.

Benny was no more in the mood for a nap than I and Sadie, so Hugh arranged for him to do the Lemala Cub thing which is for kids 12 and under. Sadie was allowed to go and had a surprisingly good time. The Campbell brothers teased her a bit but she rolled her eyes, looked at them, and then said something to the affect, “And people wonder why I’d rather go with the cubs.” She then turned and walked away leaving the two brothers trying to puzzle out what she could have possibly meant. I gave her a wink and approving smile.

We had another game drive that lasted between 4 – 7:30 pm. It was all special but nothing topped seeing the big cats in action.

And now even I am ready to hit the hay. I’m a little worried about Lev. He is working himself to a frazzle and it is starting to show. I need to find some way to help him.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 26 - Day 48 Mto wa Mbu​

Rose before the sun, but not quite as early as yesterday. Even I was a little grateful for that. Then there was a quick tea and breakfast sandwich kind of breakfast before heading off to enjoy another game drive as we exited the Serengeti and headed to this place called Mto wa Mbu. Yeah. No. I couldn’t say it the first time around either. Or the second. You pronounce every consonant. Once you can say it correctly you have to stop yourself from having too much fun actually getting it right.

We had a picnic lunch before the serious road travel began and then basically we went back the way we had come, beyond Karatu, then to Mto wa Mbu. On arrival, we took a stroll around town to acquaint ourselves with the small village situated well off the tourist trail. Still and all it is a bustling kinda place with our primary purpose for visiting to learn about the farmer and artisan co-op that operates at the local market.

The town was very primitive compared to what most First World citizens would be used to. I’ll even admit that my situational awareness was pinging. However, compared to some of the truly primitive, those admittedly prettied up for the tourists, areas that we’ve seen the village had all you needed. This was “real” Africa. Hugh had fun showing us “real Africa” starting with Banana Beer[1]. No. I’m not kidding. I wouldn’t even take a sip no matter how much I wanted to. The four kids and I had whole bananas instead.

Bananas are a staple food item in many African countries and people eat three to eleven of them a day. Oh my gosh. I love me some bananas too but I’m not sure I could stomach that many every single day. On the other hand if it was that or starving … oo oo, ee ee, ah ah. We also learned about traditional Makonde carving[2] and went to a Maasai market.

Accommodations was a nearby camp and that is where everyone was ready to head. I’m really surprised at how tired some in our group are before the day is even half over with. I wonder if is is a matter of the change in diet or maybe they are more sedentary. Not that they aren’t having a good time but they are going to need a vacation from their vacation if this keeps up.

---

[1] Banana Beer: The East African Brew That You've Probably Never Tried - The Daily Meal
[2] Makonde Art – African Blackwood Conservation Project

 

[sssarawolf]

This made for a good break. Thank you.
Straightening some stuff up in the barn today and taking the last of things down to a daughter who's stuff it was.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 27 - Day 49 Nairobi​

We set off early for a full day of travel. Passport is starting to look kinda crazy. Got a new stamp in it mid-day. We crossed the border into Nairobi and arrived at our hotel in the evening (approximately 9–10 hours with all the stopping). Let’s see there was check out, fuel stops food, snacks, bathroom breaks at markets, border crossing, and more food. It doesn’t need to take this long and while there are some good things about traveling in an organized tour, I more than just suspect that had it just been the fam and Hugh we could have traveled faster and lighter. But group dynamics does partially play a job and so does what Hugh calls “economy of scales,” meaning it is actually cheaper in some ways to travel in a group than it is if we were traveling on our own. Meaning we get a group discount so individually it is less expensive. Plus the tour groups are given the shake down as much at the border because they are known entities and are bringing in tourist money which all the countries seem to need desperately, even those that have their own major industries to pull in export, and tax dollars, from.

The Campbell brothers are definitely not a good fit for this kind of safari. Or this safari that leans towards their parents’ age group and older. They are suspicious of the new-to-them dishes and balk at eating them. They get cranky at the long drives. I can sympathize with them there, but they need to learn to keep it to themselves. They are thoughtlessly rude; what Grandma Barry and Meemo would have called ill-mannered and not caring if they are. And sure, some of it may simply be that they are teenagers, and teenage boys at that, but they could control it better. It would be an exercise maturity. Their mother is a teacher for cripes sake. As for their father, he looks like he is about to find him a woodshed and a willow branch and that’s a fact. The man is built like a teamster despite some high-end office job. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted a man like that on my case at their age. And I might just give him a hand if they don’t leave Sadie alone. She has no interest in what they seem to expect and the more they expect it, the less interest she has. They put a toe over the line and the Campbells might not like my way of correcting their sons for stepping outside the boundary buoys.

Breakfast was another tea and biscuit kinda thing which is why the break for “elevenses.” The fuel and bathroom break at a market … honestly a relief as I was dying for something besides water to drink and I was out of flavoring drops. The kids all got Sobia. It is a rice-based drink from Egypt, made with coconut milk, sugar, and pulverized rice. Vanilla is commonly used as a flavoring, and it can also be created using cooked rice. The ingredients are blended, and the drink is strained before serving. It should always be served chilled, definitely one of the best African beverages in the northern part of the continent. Sobia is a sweet beverage with a thick texture. The usual form is off-white, but some people like to tint it with food coloring to make brilliantly colored drinks. It is commonly sold by street vendors but Hugh got the drinks from the store so that it would be extra cold.

I decided to try something new. Zobo (Zoborodo) is an African beverage popularly used in Nigeria and made from dried Roselle plant flowers. It’s an ox-blood or red wine-colored drink and is also known as Roselle in Australia, sorrel in the Caribbean, and sobolo in Ghana. The color is natural and Hugh promised to be my punching bag if it turned out otherwise. Roselle is a wonderful source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in addition to their delicious taste. 57 grams of roselle provide 123 milligrams of calcium, 0.84 milligrams of iron, 6.8 milligrams of vitamin C, 29 milligrams of magnesium, 6.45 grams of carbohydrate, 21 milligrams of phosphorus, 119 milligrams of potassium, 0.016 milligrams of vitamin B2, and 8 milligrams of vitamin A.

I also found out that Hugh was trying to improve my appetite as truthfully, my butt may be spreading a bit, but the rest of me not so much. Zobo drink has been used as a herbal health drink for years and has been known to aid with a variety of health issues such as high blood pressure, loss of appetite, circulation, liver disorders, malignancies, fevers, and as a light laxative and diuretic. Hibiscus, on the other hand, provides a variety of health benefits, according to modern research. This places it among the top ten nutritious drinks you can brew at home. Calcium, carotene, iron, free caffeine (I was a little worried about this but there was so little I never noticed it except as a slight relaxant), fiber, and other minerals and vitamins are found in Zobo drink. Loss of appetite is sometimes linked to your digestive system, and when your stomach is working properly, you will regain your hunger. Because of the anti-bacterial characteristics inherent in the Zobo drink, the nutrients in the drink can help you lose weight while also overcoming any worms or germs in your digestive tract. The worm part freaked me out a little but that sort of thing is also becoming a problem in the States so it is a good thing to learn about natural remedies.

Zobo is also supposed to be good for anemia and for painful menstrual cramps which makes it a “woman’s drink.” Seriously. The Zobo drink also helps to deal with diseases related to irregular menstrual periods. Inducing menstruation may be beneficial to certain women. It can actually help regulate your menstruation if you have an erratic cycle. Even if you’re already on a regular schedule, a cup of hibiscus tea will help relieve cramps. But you don’t drink the stuff if you are pregnant or trying to conceive. Ha. Definitely not a problem that I face so I wasn’t shy in giving it a try.

Hugh got Lev a small container of Palm Wine. He enjoyed it with his snacks and surprise, surprise it is purported to be good for the human eyesight. Palm wine is a good source of probiotics, nicotinic acid, thiamin, vitamin C, protein, and riboflavin, among other nutrients. Sugar, protein, carbohydrate, amino acid, Vitamin C, yeast, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, vitamins B3 and B6, and vitamins B3 and B6 are all present. Beta-carotene is essential for vision improvement. Palm wine has a lot of antioxidants, which help the body’s defense mechanisms work better. They are helpful by-products of cellular metabolism that can aid in the body’s protection against free radicals. Free radicals are to blame for a lot of cellular damage and mutation, including eyesight loss. Palm products can help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts by replacing other forms of oil. Optometrists confirm that yeast contained in palm wine is very good for the eyes thus the presence of yeast in palm wine makes it very helpful for boosting eyesight.

Hugh grabbed a pop making my eyes pop.

“Guilty pleasure,” he said grinning, right before handing me a box of Rooibos tea. “You’re out. Now you can have this for breakfast.”

“You are entirely too nosey,” I told him … before grinning and saying thank you like my grandmother taught me. I thought he was going to trip over his own feet.

I gave Lev a bigger grin when he noticed how much I enjoy yanking that jackhole’s chain. “Ha!”

We got back on the road and then there was another break for lunch. Good thing that break also included restrooms because next came the border crossing. Finally a break for teatime. Too much food, too many breaks and that was on top of the wait time at the border crossing. I know everyone else seemed to enjoy the pattern, but I could have done without some of the stopping if it meant getting where we were going more quickly. Then again, we ended in Nairobi rather than a bush camp so I’m not sure if getting there earlier would have netted us all that much.

We checked in at a hotel of all things, though I guess I could understand it given how metropolitan the city is.

I’d love to have freedom to just walk or run or something. I’ve got the wiggles. But I have the kids to think about. Had one woman mutter to her companion in the hotel lobby that she was so glad to be out of that stage of life. I thought, “At least you were able to have kids.” It shocked me. It really did. Almost to the point the hamster wanted to take over. Lev and I haven’t felt the pull to try to make a kid of our own. But why have I always had such a satisfaction in raising Benny? Why now is having Sadie along not causing a problem for us? Or is it just me and it is cramping Lev’s style?

I need to find out but where am I going to find the kind of privacy we need to ask that question? Not even the bathrooms have much privacy.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 28 - Day 50 Lake Nakuru National Park (Part1)​

The hotel bathroom last night. Yeah, the only place we … or at least I … could get the kind of privacy that was needed for the conversation I needed to have.

“Whoa Babe. You okay? Hamster bothering you?”

“It’s trying to but … it’s because I need to ask you something.”

“Er …”

“Are you really okay raising other people’s kids?”

“Huh?” He asked sounding a whole lot like Benny when he was really confused.

“I know the question is out of left field. And I know you don’t have any problem raising Benny. But I’ve added Sadie and …”

“Who the hell has been getting in our business?”

“Uh … no one.”

“Something set the hamster scrambling.”

A little embarrassed I nevertheless explained about the overheard comment.

“Screw ‘em.”

Now it was my turn. “Huh?”

“Gus, I don’t know why I’m okay with it. I guess most men wouldn’t be. It just doesn’t bother me. In fact, I’m loving it. Watching you with the kids actually just …” He made a face like it was hurting to find the correct vocabulary. “Gus, all I can say is that it doesn’t bother me and in fact does the opposite. Don’t let the comments of other people mess up our dynamic. It’s working.”

“I know everything good has to come to an end.”

“Not everything,” he said pulling me into his arms.

“Okay, not everything. But you know what I mean. Assignments. Activities. Benny will grow up and need his own life at some point even if it might take a little longer than it did for you and I. Shepherding Sadie has just felt … good … right … I can’t explain it exactly either. She’s become part of the team we make. But she has a family. Maybe a weird one but we didn’t exactly start out average. And …”

“Hold that thought. I’ve been wondering how to bring it up.”

“Bring what up?” I asked, wondering if the Africa assignment was ending early.

“How would you feel about … uhhhh … aw hell. Mr. Wight approached me with an offer, one that is pretty damn hard to refuse. But it sounds mercenary when I don’t mean it to be and almost guarantees that the part that was missing for the UK assignment will happen.”

“What?!”

“Bob is over the moon because the Producers and the Bean Counters are all but wetting their pants at the possibilities. Mr. Wight owns a bunch of boutique type hotels back where they’re from. For comping nights in his and arranging for us to stay in other ones that he is thinking about purchasing, he wants to know if we’ll continue … that word you use … shepherding Sadie around.”

“And he and the twins will follow our itinerary?”

“Er … no. They’d go back to work, and we’d continue our work, just with Sadie remaining with us.”

“For how long?”

“Definitely until the end of the UK assignment.”

“But what about her school?”

“She hates it. According to the ol’ man in fact she just about falls apart every year when she is sent off.”

“Then why do they send her away to school?”

“Remember Babe, different culture type of thing.”

That was our agreed upon phrase for me not losing it and calling a spade a spade in my opinion of other people’s choices. “Okay. Different whatever. But …”

And that’s when Lev just about zinged me out of my shoes. “And if it works out, after the UK assignment we keep her with us for at least another year. Whether that is back in the States or on some other assignment. He already knows my feelings on going into certain types of social unrest, with or without my family in tow. He knows I’m keeping up with world events so I can know when to say no to any assignments.” All I could do was stare at him. “So … what do you think?”

“Has anyone asked Sadie what she thinks?”

“That’s really not in the old man’s playbook. He and ‘the lads’ are going on some world tour in a few months. He finds it not convenient to take ‘the girl’ and wants to lock it down as soon as possible.”

“Are you serious?! What a crap way to do a kid.”

“Remember Babe …”

“Yeah, yeah. Different culture and social norms. *expletive* that. She’s a girl, not an unwanted pet that needs a kennel.” The hamster was raring for a challenge, but not with me. But like I said, the kid isn’t an unwanted pet being rescued and then adopted out.

“What are the details?”

“Anything goes … or at least you know what I mean. We are to basically have the same control as we do with her here.”

“I mean does her mom have no say at all?”

“Er, that is about the one and only rule that would crash and burn everything. Her mother is to have zero contact. Not that it is likely. Her last known location was a party boat on the Riviera as the mistress of a Russian businessman. She doesn’t have any legal rights over Sadie and hasn’t tried to contact her since the day she walked out of the barrister’s office having lost access to Sadie’s trust fund. And you know the rest of the story. The pre-nup kicked in. Then her father dying in the car race and the nanny going bonkers ‘cause she was in love with him and way too much vomit-inducing soap opera. The old man treats Sadie like she is a box of old, sweaty dynamite. He cares about her, I’m sure of it. He just can’t seem to extrapolate that into any kind of relationship or connection with her for any duration.”

“Why do I hear a ‘but’ in there.”

“Uh … he’s looking for a permanent solution … for Sadie I mean. If the UK assignment works out, and then whatever comes after that, he wants to farm her out to us permanently.”

Trying to wrap my brain around that I asked, “What about her brothers?!”

“Babe …”

“Screw it Lev. As awful a kid as I was Lawrence never even hesitated to step up. They’re blood.”

“Yes … and no. The twins are from the first wife … the approved wife. And yeah the old guy said it just that way. You think you speak plainly? Gus, I don’t want you near the guy until you’ve cooled off. The two of you going at the same time could reignite Kilimanjaro. He and the twins aren’t heartless. They just don’t have any connection to her and haven’t been able to create one beyond spots here and there and apparently there has been at least some effort on their part. Relatively speaking given the age difference. I really, honestly believe this is their way of doing the right thing. They see she’s thriving. Yeah, it is convenient as hell for them, and they’ll go on their merry way sans any guilt or whatever but, they aren’t doing this to hurt her. Just the opposite.”

“I … I have to think about Benny.”

“Benny already said something to me.”

“He what?!”

“Easy Babe. I didn’t talk to him about this exactly. You know I wouldn’t do that to you, have us all gang up on you like that. But he did say he wished that Sadie could stay with us. That it was cool. Blew me out of my socks when he said it because … the old guy hadn’t even said anything yet, but I was thinking she fit as well. And … I’m … not sure …”

Then I heard the hesitancy in his voice and understood what he was afraid to say given how the conversation had started out. “You’re not sure you really want a bio kid. Relax Lev, I know your sister is driving you bug crap about it and how surprised she is that you do as well with Benny as you do. And unless you want me to have some words fall out of my mouth, even without the hamster’s help, we’ll change that particular subject right the frick now.” I forced myself to stop talking about his sister because she makes it too easy to say things I shouldn’t. I sighed. “I don’t know about having a bio kid either. Sometimes I wonder but that’s all it is right now. Benny can carry on the Barrymore name. All the biological crap from the women in my side of the family and what it could mean play a part. And I’m not going to get pregnant on purpose until or if we are both ready. And let’s be honest, neither one of us are right now and might never be. And even if we get ready I might not be able to have any. I mean there is a surrogate if you really need to have …”

I didn’t even have to finish that sentence. “No. It’s the bio part that … that …”

“Relax. And I know having a kid from the baby stage on up is different because I’ve already gone through it with Benny. There’s no guarantee they won’t have special needs of some type either. You know the Barrymore genetic history. That part doesn’t bother me though it would definitely have to change some things and means even if we do decide to go for a bio kid we need to wait until Benny is a little more independent. So … how do you really feel about becoming Sadie’s permanent father figure?”

“Like I don’t want to screw the poor kid up and that I couldn’t do it without you for the girl stuff.”

I gave it the serious moment his answer was due and then nodded. “So, are we really talking about doing this?”

He looked at me and I could see he was trying really hard not to give me puppy dog eyes. I’m beginning to think we are going to build our family this way rather than the old-fashioned way.

“Okay. But we talk to Benny and Sadie. I couldn’t stand not having a say in things the year that my grandparents and Dad died. It made me crazy until Lawrence came in and saw what was happening. He told everyone to butt out and we’d do it our way which included him at least giving me some options.”

Lev nodded. “Agreed.”

Only we didn’t really get to talk to them because that old fart spilled the beans as if it was a fait accompli before the poor kid even could get to sleep. While we were in the bathroom, her grandfather knocked on the door and asked to speak with her. In the frellin’ hallway. That is one thing that is going to change. No opening the door to anyone, only Lev or I, or in certain circumstances Hugh if he was around.

And one reason was because situations get created. “Aunt Gus! Sadie is crying!”

I rush out thinking it is a girl issue and it was, but of a different type. It took a moment to untangle things and to calm my anger enough that I didn’t haul after him and do some damage. Benny inadvertently helped by exclaiming, “We get to keep her?!”

“Benjamin Lawrence Barrymore, she is not an animal or a stuffie.” Even Lev gave him the hairy eyeball.

Benny acted insulted. “I know that. Of course I know that. She’s a girl. But she’s cool and she’s part of our crew. Now she can stay part of our crew.” Then he looks at Sadie and see’s she’s still crying and asks her uncertainly, “Don’t you want to be on our team?”

She looks at him like he was growing a nose in the middle of his forehead. “Of course I do, but you can’t want me. Grandfather is making you.”

It was time to go Aunt Gus on the quickly escalating drama. “First off, your grandfather might be able to make other people do things, but he can’t make me do squat. You aren’t a puppy that needs to be re-homed or a piece of luggage that needs long-term storage. Second, this is about what you want, not what your grandfather wants. You are Sadie Aanya Elizabeth Victoria Wight and are old enough to have a say in your life.”

She blinked however the drama was still on. “But ….”

“Benny has already voted and given his opinion, as you heard. Lev and I were just discussing it before we gave your grandfather our answer. We talked it out with your best interests in mind.”

She sniffed her tears under control. “He said I should do whatever it takes to talk you into it.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but if we didn’t want you, no one could make us. When we agree to ask someone to join the team, the crew, the family that we make, it is for real, not for anyone else’s convenience.” She looked at me like the words were finally penetrating but she was having a hard time believing them.

“Lev and I talked. We know we can give you a good life, same as we do Benny, but not at the expense of what you want and need. We also know that we have a different kind of life which might not give you the social outlets you are used to at school and such. You need to think about that before you say yes.”

“Me? You mean it is up to me?”

“We can’t control everything that is happening, but we can at least give you the right to have a say.”

“Yes,” she said breathlessly. “Yes.”

Lev spoke up and said, “You sure? You might need some time to think …”

Sadie quickly gasped an interruption. “I have been. I thought it would bother me that Grandfather dumped me off on someone nice again just because you wouldn’t say no. That you felt sorry for me. But … but you could have said no. But you didn’t. And you never acted like you felt sorry for me, like I was just some kid that someone needed to do something with. And you could say no this time, but you aren’t. Please. Let me stay.”

“Lev and I want you to have a chance to think about it. This isn’t just deciding what clothes you are going to wear for the day. Or going away to summer camp for a few weeks. It means that you need to follow the rules we set for ourselves. It may mean … not seeing your family for a while, maybe a long while. It means …”

“Yes. Yes to all of it. I don’t normally see them much anyway, not even on Christmas break. If I want to say hello, I can say it by text or email. They can answer or not. That’s how it is now. And … can I school like Benny does?”

Lev left that up to me. I answered the only way I knew how at that moment. “You are older so some of it you will need a little more structure on but that can be arranged by doing units. But do you understand about the social stuff?”

She shrugged. “I don’t have any mates. Not even the girls in my dormitory want to hang out with me because of who my parents were. It is still a big deal to their parents, and they are worried about poor influence or it getting into their permanent records that they are friends with me. Maybe you don’t know and then won’t want me.”

“I know your mother hasn’t made very good decisions and might have a bad reputation as a result. I know your father had the same issues but for his own reasons … or reasons he thought were his own. I know your grandfather can be ruthless but isn’t a bad person and that your brothers had a different mother and are older than you and more like your grandfather than your father was. We, on the other hand, are more interested in who you are and given your choices, we like you better than just fine as one of our team members.”

She looked ready to cry again and it was stressing both Benny and Lev out. She reminded me a bit of Pei when I first met her. Trying so hard but feeling out of place no matter where she was and as a result looking like a victim of life.

Suddenly something changed. She said, “I don’t need to think. Grandfather isn’t a sod, he is just used to having his way because his way is good most of the time. But it hasn’t always been good for me and … and I wasn’t always good for him either. He wants to do the right thing, but he doesn’t know what to do for me. I’m like the one thing that life threw at him he can’t manage, and he is too old to change and figure it out.”

“Sounds like you’ve given this some thought.”

“One of my old nurses tried to explain it to me. What you would call a full-time babysitter only I was too old to have one full time, but Grandfather didn’t want to see that. Someone must have explained it to him though because she was gone when I got back at end of school term, probably the housekeeper because they didn’t get on. The housekeeper has been in love with Grandfather since she came to work there; she was my father’s nanny. Ms. Grumman was Grandfather’s mistress for a long time after Grandmother left him. Might still be I guess.” Sometimes I just don’t know what to say to stuff that is only supposed to happen in sappy chick flicks. Sadie added, “I don’t think I was old enough to understand when Nurse tried to explain. I am now. Or at least I understand better. It is just hard to understand when you are the one Grandfather is bossing around.”

Lev and I told her we still wanted her to think about it, to think about all that it would mean. The change right now is interesting and different from what she is used to but if she comes with us the differences would become her new normal and she might come to wish for the life she left behind. We want her to make sure that this is what she wants. I suggested that maybe she could talk to her brothers for a different perspective or to confirm things.

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 28 - Day 50 Lake Nakuru National Park (Part 2)​

All that meant getting to bed later than we should have and the sleep we did get was a disturbed one. And morning came early. Benny was running anxious, worried that Sadie would change her mind. As a result, he became clingy. I understood. That didn’t make it any easier to take or find the patience to address. Lev was worried that he was pushing me to do something that would change our dynamic, so I had to address his insecurities. I could tell Sadie was anxious that we wanted her to change her mind and I tried to keep reminding her not to pressure herself, that we did want her but more importantly we wanted her to have a say and a real understanding of what it would mean, and only wanted what was best for her regardless of her choice.

And me? I had to keep taking a club to the hamster to keep it from running to every worst-case scenario that could happen. Worrying that it was my own issues that was pushing for this to happen. That it was a temptation and a way for me to make excuses not to have a bio kid. That I was hearing Lawrence and Penny both yelling at me that Benny is supposed to be my first priority, my only priority; that I’d already brought Lev on board so wasn’t that enough? Did I need to just be thinking of myself? I heard Grandfather telling me I’d taken my eye off the goal of the navy and every decision I’ve made since then had just dug a deeper hole. Worst of all I kept seeing Dad and Grandma looking at me and shaking their heads. I was never going to be without issues and now I’m trying to raise not one, but two kids and it was inevitable that I’d not just screw up, but screw them up.

That was not an easy thought loop to break out of I can tell you that. It took more than one strong cup of chamomile tea. I was lucky that one of the breakfast options was a light breakfast, I don’t think I could have handled the kind of meal that Lev, Benny, and Sadie put away. Not being responsible for the drive or itinerary helped, so did the distraction of the spectacular views of Lake Naivasha and Elementaita we had on the drive north-west to Lake Nakuru National Park, situated in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. The drive was a relatively short one, took approximately 3–4 hours, and we arrived in time for a short evening game drive along the shore of the lake.

Lake Nakuru National Park is a small and compact area compared to the other African national parks. It is based around a lake that makes a great location for spotting wildlife. Along with the other members of the Big Five, Lake Nakuru harbors many rhinos and will be the best chance to get a great picture of these magnificent beasts.

This park is about 100 miles north of Nairobi as the crow flies and easily accessible by road, assuming you don’t mind the snails pace. It was set up primarily to protect the massive flocks of Flamingos that come here to feed on the cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and plankton. I had to look up what that was, why can’t they just call it blue-green algae? It would certainly be easier to spell.

Witnessing the mass of bright pink birds moving about on the water was an unforgettable image as we visited sites called Baboon Cliff, Out of Africa Hill, and Lion Hill. I’ve seen flamingos of course, but never that many in one location.

Lake Nakuru actually has a lower salt concentration than other traditional soda lakes which is why the waters can also support other life including fish. Around 400 bird species including raptors, wading birds such as the Avocet and Cormorants, and a frick ton of Pelicans moving together in a sort of dance, makes Lake Nakuru a birdwatchers paradise. In case I have mentioned it, the Ashmillers and Schmitz are “birders.” The two couples were blown out of the water at the sketches Benny and Sadie were doing. They were even more astonished at the questions they were asking and the reasons for the questions.

Mrs. Campbell, a wee bit scandalized (understatement, trust me) at the fact that we didn’t have Benny in a traditional school setting, as well as participating in all sorts of government programs to help him reach his full potential, was a little gobsmacked at the Bowen sisters’ full acceptance and encouragement.

“Lovely Dear,” one of them told Benny. “You really are a serious artists, the both of you. And excellent mathematical skills. You have the wingspan proportional to the body. Good to see you didn’t take any short cuts. Might take longer, but you’ll wind up with a better, more realistic piece of work. Keep it up.”

Beti, or maybe it was Bronwen, they are identicals and aren’t always easy to tell apart … on purpose if you ask me … became curious and said to me, “I take it you take a holistic approach to education.”

“Out of necessity. As a child it is how I learned best. I needed to know why something was useful to know and not just for curiosity’s sake. My grandparents found teaching a subject within a whole captured that understanding for me better.”

“Kinesthetic learner were you?”

“Were? I’d say am. Benny is the same way … he learns better and faster by doing. But he is much better at auditory than I was, so I’ve always tried to make audible books and such available for him. I’ve also tried to introduce logical learning as it helps to set boundaries and orderliness.” I shrugged in some embarrassment. “I need that as much as I need anything else. It is something that I impose on myself out of necessity. Benny, when he was little, had a wide streak of naturalistic learning that I discovered. Despite his letter dyslexia, he readily learned work arounds to read the informational signs at the National Parks in the US where we traveled.”

“Really?” Mrs. Campbell asked, somewhat nonplussed.

“Really,” I answered. “I required a lot of accommodations as I was growing up for one reason or another. Benny has as well, plus important dietary restrictions … accommodations that simply weren’t possible in a classroom setting.”

“Why not?”

I didn’t know whether to categorize her questions as rude or simply curiosity. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and answered, “Along with learning challenges and dietary restrictions, Benny is extremely empathetic. We tried him in public school, and it was a disaster. He became more focused on those in the classroom with him … child and adult … than he did on what was supposed to be happening while he was there, the education part. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of unpleasantness in the world, and everyone was going through a rough spot. Benny doesn’t have any natural defense against other people’s emotions. We are training him to have coping skills, but It Is a building process, not just a one and done. It was unrealistic to expect his teachers to be able to cater to one child’s needs over the other thirty plus they had in the same room. We never blamed his teachers. There was only one of them and only so much energy to go around and then there are the district mandates they must follow regardless of whether they fit every child and their family. Plus, they had a home and family they had to go home to after the school day was over. Taking Benny out of the classroom allowed him to have more one-on-one or two-on-one when you count Lev. Benny’s physical and emotional health improved which proved we made the correct choice.”

“But what about socialization?”

I hate that word. I really do. It is the bane of all alternative educators.

I asked, “Do you mean socializing or socialization?”

“Excuse me?”

“If you mean socializing, Benny has always gotten sufficient to his needs. And those he socializes with run the gamut as far as socio-economic levels, ages, and cultural differences. Socialization on the other hand is teaching him how to behave appropriately in any given social setting and that he definitely gets in spades. The traveling we do as a family is very on-point with that lifelong process.” Given her sons could be heard bickering in the background she shut up. I’ve had to defend our choice to school Benny as we do on more than one occasion the same as my grandparents, Dad, and even Lawrence had to do for me. The Bowen sisters gave me a look of approval and then took off to meet up with the Wight brothers for a “sundowner.” Mrs. Campbell walked away towards her sons, and she didn’t have a look of a woman about to bestow a blessing; maybe a blessing out but that was her business and none of mine so long as they “kept it within the family” and didn’t branch out as they tried to do on occasion.

Apart from excellent birding, this is a great place to see wildlife. We learned that the landscape around the lake consists of marshes, woodland, rolling grasslands, and rocky outcrops. The park is a sanctuary for Black and White Rhino and Rothschild's Giraffe, as well as Hippo, Lion, Leopard and Cheetah, Hyena, Wild Cat and many types of antelope to name just a few species.

Gotta say that the lions were the ones to freak me out a bit. Nearly as much as the bears did back during the Alaska Assignment. We’d stopped to take some pictures and while everyone was looking one direction, from the rear some female lions decided the shade of the vehicle looked like a good place to take a breather. Holy crap Cat Woman! We had to stay quiet so we wouldn’t irritate the giant kitties, but we all managed to get to take a turn looking through the top of the vehicle right over into spot they’d taken over.

I got one thing to say. Those lionesses had a need for some deodorant. I mean they didn’t stink exactly but they didn’t smell fresh as daisies either. Our guides explained that lions have a lot of scent glands. Understatement if you ask me. That’s why they rub all over everything including each other. Supposedly other animals can smell lions up to five miles away. I can believe it. Phew. Male lions might be the gender of the species that marks their turf the same as male domestic cats, but the females like everyone to know what is theirs as well … as in this is mine, and this is mine, and this is mine, and so on and so forth.

Back in camp the kids were still in awe of all they’d seen and were trying to sketch out pages for their “book”. The hamster decided it was done being ignored and I had to fight with it to the point that eating dinner wasn’t the funnest thing I’ve ever done.

Lev knows me. He insisted I sit out and get some fresh air, and handed me a caffeinated mineral water as my sundowner.

“I love you,” I told him not caring that Hugh and Klaxton both were lurking nearby.

“I love you too. Stop worrying you aren’t good enough. You’ve always been exactly what Benny has needed. His issues, your issues, my issues … together they make us stronger.”

“Sadie doesn’t have issues.”

“Sure she does. Different from ours but not that different. Dietary needs? Check. Sees life through a different prism? Check. Running problems with her self-esteem? Check. Unnecessarily complicated family background? Check and double check. She doesn’t need perfect Babe. She needs us, people that care enough to help her find her feet in the short time she has left before she becomes an adult and needs to be taught the skills that will help her to stand on them herself. Isn’t that what you said Lawrence’s biggest gift was to you?”

“Lawrence needed me because of Benny and Penny. He taught me how to take care of them, turning me from a problem into an asset. Yet you know what Penny …”. I stopped and shook my head.

“Benny’s mother was a grown woman. Sadie isn’t. Whether Lawrence realized it or not, he was training you to be the caring leader some people might not otherwise have. That’s what Benny needed, needs, and may need for quite a while yet. You call me Admiral but we both know I couldn’t be whatever I am without your support. And now there’s Sadie. We can do this, be her family. She’s not going to need us as long as Benny, but I don’t think she needs us any less. And … and we might need her too. Know what I mean?”

“She feels like crew … family I mean. In such a short time.”

“Yeah. It’d tear us up for her to leave. I mean I know one day she will. Benny too. But I think when it happens we’ll handle it for their sake. I mean we’ll still have each other. Right?”

“Yeppers,” I answered using a term I haven’t used since Benny was little and Lev came on board.

“Yeppers,” he agreed. He opened the bottle and said, “You need to rest. What’s that you say? The Creator has a heck of a sense of humor? Gotta admit, kinda rings true right now.”

“Sure does.”

 

[Mr Bill]

Fine update Thanks

 

[Kathy in FL]

August 29 - Day 51 Eldoret​

“I’m done thinking,” Sadie said, waking both Lev and I out of a dead sleep.

“Yeah?” he asked while we both tried to put our hearts back in our chests.

“Definitely,” she said. “I’m staying. With you. And Benny. That doesn’t mean that I must give Boba and my brothers up. It just means we are living … concurrent lives.”

“Whoa,” Lev said trying to rub the sleep out of his brain. “Where did that come from?”

“The Twins,” she said on a little tinkle of laughter. “They really said it that way. Concurrent lives, just on different paths. I think … I really think … they are worried. They want me to have a life. They just have no clue what that is because they don’t understand me. Boba is the same. They really do want what is best for me and they really do think that you are what is best for me. And I do too.”

So it’s decided. And I made sure to tell Mr. Wight myself even before breakfast.

“And your husband feels the same?”

I looked out where Lev was showing both Benny and Sadie something called aperture. I smiled. “Lev is the type of man that needs to be a father. But he is also the type of man that doesn’t necessarily need to be a biological father to fulfill that role.”

“And you?”

“If you are asking if I plan on biological children of my own and will that hypothetical child take precedent over Benny and Sadie?” At his brief nod I shook my head. “No. To be quite frank I’m not even sure I can have biological children of my own. Nor am I interested in a whoops. We’ve committed to Benny … I’ve raised him since he was born … and now Sadie will be part of our family.” Next came the sticky part but I thought it needed to be said. “But you are Sadie’s family so in a way you and her brothers are extended family to us. You’ll always have a way of contacting her. I’ll make sure of that. And you’ll always be able to contact me in case there is something you need whether it has something directly to do with Sadie or not.”

He cocked an eyebrow and said, “That can be abused.”

“But you won’t. You aren’t the type. You’re too independent. But the offer is still there. For Sadie I’ll do it.”

The look on his face seemed to say he was surprised but also, well not appreciative exactly, but he did take it seriously and we both let it go.

There’s still some legal mumbo-jumbo that has to take place, but Mr. Dutton is on the case. And they must have been pretty sure of us because the initial paperwork was already three-quarters filled out.

I didn’t really have a lot of time to give to the hamster as after that it was a rush. Breakfast was one of our quickie meals. Nothing leisurely about it. Coffee or tea (Rooibos for me) and something quickly consumed. I was starving after my light supper the preceding night so for me it was a bowl of some kind of porridge. Lev and Hugh both seemed to approve.

Then we had an early morning game drive. No lions this time, apparently they’d partied all night and had found someplace to sleep it off, but there were a lot of rhinoceros.

Then we returned to camp for brunch, this one a little heavier than we normally consumed this time of day, before driving north-west to Eldoret, one of Kenya's fastest growing towns (approximately 5-6 hours). It is a busy, prosperous university city. Eldoret is not without its problems. In 2008 Eldoret was one of the many Kenyan cities who were affected by the post-election violence. During these violent tribal riots hundreds of people died, got injured or lost their home. That meant using some commonsense.

We were given a few simple do’s and don’ts before entering the town. The main one was Eldoret is home to diverse communities, so embrace and respect local customs. Then came while Eldoret has a relaxed vibe, it's advisable to dress modestly, especially in urban areas; and help keep Eldoret pristine by disposing of your trash responsibly and respecting the environment. Lastly, primarily for the men but also for a few of the women, excessive drinking in public places is generally discouraged. Then we finished our drive into the city.

Due to its high altitude, the town is an ideal training ground for middle- and long-distance athletes and is home to some of Kenya's most famous runners. Tonight, after setting up camp, our activity for the night was a traditional dinner at our campsite located just outside of Eldoret town.

Our meal included Ugali, the staple food for many Kenyans. Made out of cornmeal and hot water it is a dense porridge-like consistency which keeps your tummy full for a long time. Irio, a mashed peas and potato side dish. The main ingredients for Irio include boiled potatoes and peas which are then mashed into a thick consistency. In order to add more starch to this meal, corn is mixed. This meal is mainly served with roasted nyama choma meat. Githeri; a combination of boiled beans, corn kernels, and an assortment of mixed vegetables are the main ingredients of this meal which is traditionally Kenyan. Kenyan Pilau (Spiced Rice); rice which is cooked in spices which are bursting with vibrant fragrances. This is mainly eaten with meat stew or tomatoes and onion sambal. Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice). Rice has been a staple meal in Kenya, the natives have found numerous ways in exciting this meal. Wali wa Naziis a popular dish along the Indian Ocean coast. The rice is boiled with thickly grated or cut coconut, providing it a rich milky taste. Sukuma Wiki (Collard Greens / Kale); consists of Kale, tomatoes, and onions which are cooked in oil giving it a thick consistency. This meal is then flavored with Mchuzi mix (the local version of the stock cube). Nyama Choma; mainly made out of beef and goat meat, and involves the slow roasting of the cured meat over a pit fire. A variety of spices are mixed together in curing the meat giving it a tantalizing flavor. In addition there was Matoke (Banana Stew) and Kenyan Bajias a local delicacy is made with potatoes which are thinly sliced, seasoned and deep fried. It is then served with Kenyan stew or tomato salsa (reminded me of homemade potato chips they were so crispy).

Everyone ate a lot and tipped the waitstaff and cooks well. They were happy. We were happy. The kids were well behaved. And none of our tipplers seemed to miss the liquor cabinet that was usually available to them. Good deal Lucille. And now that I’ve done some stretches to help the food go down, it is time to hit the hay. Still wrapping my head around Sadie being “ours” and what I need to do to handle things from here on out.