Waking up

Brushed me teeth this morning next to a Hippo and a Warthog.

“Mizungoo”

“Mizungoo” means white person. As we drive through Uganda and Rwanda in our bright red truck,children run along side the vehicle and yell Mizungoo~!They smile and wave.

Yesterday I waved for 9 hours.

So much to write about camping and the game parks,the insects, sleeping on the ground, cold showers, and dirt on everything. Soon the gorillas.

Not much internet access. But will try again tomorrow!

The random

When traveling in a new place, it feels as if one is flooded with random bits of information. I am trying to get a real sense of Kenya and what the culture is like. When I asked people questions, I get bits and pieces and I generally leave the conversation with more questions. It feels a lot like putting a puzzle together except I am missing a few corner pieces.

Such random conversations and events happen when you travel.

Here was our randomness from yesterday in Mombasa.

• We were stopped by a man who asked us if we had any pens or socks. He told us that the socks from the United States are thee best. We gave him a pen but we have no socks to spare. Should have brought more pens! As we were checking into our hotel the man helping us with our luggage nabbed the pen in our room as he was leaving.
• We were talking to an employee at our hotel and he randomly said, “oh and the hotel next door was bombed a few years ago.” (Paradise Hotel. It was Israeli owned. The hotel is still in parts and pieces. We are in Nairobi now and the Embassy is also an empty shell. It too was bombed.)
• Everyone loves Obama here. The muslims that live here claim he is muslim. The catholics claim he is catholic. And the protestants…you get the point.
• On television there is a lot of movies about the 60′s and the  Segregation era in the U.S. In one evening we saw at least 3 movies about this topics. They also watch a lot of CSI and House…pretty much the same television shows we watch.
• I was stopped at security at the metal detectors because I am carrying packets of Crystal Light. Sense it is a white powder inside the packets the attendant was very suspicious and thought we might be bringing packets of cocaine into Nairobi from Mombasa. He was not familiar with Crystal Light. We tried to explain what it is. “It flavors the water! Great for hiking. Electrolytes!” Our explanation did not work. He asked me to open a packet. Had me pour it into my clear plastic bottle of water and drink it. The powder fell into the bottle (as I nervously poured) and it made the water cloudy. He wasn’t convinced. Finally I just took the power and poured it in my hand. I told him to taste it. So he licked his finger and tasted the powder. He made a face like we was sucking on a lemon because it is tart. Made me laugh a little but i hid my laughter. Yes indeed, it tastes like Kiwi Strawberry. He let us go.
• End of the day of Mombasa we visited a game park. I pet a tortoise, stepped over snakes, fed giraffes, and had some food taken out of my hands by devious monkeys. Was told a terrible story about the hippopotamus who were sitting behind a very very low wall. A man sat on that very same wall and the Hippo ripped off his leg. yuck..
• Paras’ aunt and uncle gave us a new antibiotic in case we get sick. Cipro does not work well here. Supposedly it is only 2 shillings and it is widely abused, used for colds and coughs.
• It is Ramadan here so you can hear the prayers playing over the loud speakers of the temples. The day time is quiet in the streets but the night-time is very busy because everyone is “breaking their fast.” They pray 5 times a day for Ramadan. I woke up at 4:30am to the sound of the temple prayers. Early early! (Lots of Burkas here. Why are Burkas black. So hot…! I did see a blue burka but that was about it. anyone know?)

Just some random thoughts for the day.

We are headed for the border of Kenya. Lake Nakuru. Should be a beautiful game park. On the way we are stopping off at an orphanage. I think this will be the highlight of the trip.

Then we are continuing on to Uganda.

Mombasa- Jambo!

It is the second largest city in Kenya, lying on the Indian Ocean. Everyone speaks Swahili here. We have already learned a few words to get around.
It is tropical here. Reminds me of Puerto Rico or Jamaica.

We have been snacking on tarro chips and we are drinking coconut water fresh from a coconut. So good. The indian food is amazing here- the best I have ever eaten. There is a big indian population here which was surprising.

The poverty seems clear. Yet I have been told “it is not that bad,” the poverty is worse in the rural areas of Kenya.

We are staying with Paras’ aunt and uncle. They are both doctors. I asked them what the main complaints are of their patients. They said malaria is the most common complaint. I asked them about HIV and they said they have quite a few patients who are receiving antiretroviral drugs. They said the drugs are being funded by the Clinton Foundation. Each patient takes two tablets a day (whereas they used to take up to 16 tablets).

Paras’ aunt serves the low-income population. She sees 60 patients a day! People stand in line for hours in the morning to get a number. They hand out numbers and once the numbers have been handed out the rest of the line must return for assistance the next day.

We are headed to Nairobi tomorrow!

Cairo

Stopped over in Cairo for a quick layover.

Quick thoughts…

-Beautiful mosques.
-Running through the airport and being stared at because of my bare head. Every woman has their head covered.
- The Qur’an sits in a box, at the entrance of the plane. Anyone can take it and pray while on the plane.
- When the plane departed, a mosque appeared on the television screen, and a prayer was given.

So fascinating! Wish we had more time to explore!

Amsterdam

The things I love about Amsterdam:

• More water ways than Venice, Italy. stunning.
• The beer is heaven. A Heineken tastes like a Bavarian beer.
• The architecture and design concepts are far ahead of the U.S. So modern. They just make sense.
• The airport has a meditation center, showers and beds
• The community feeling is strong. On a Monday evening everyone is outsite eating dinner in the squares.

Off to Cairo, Egypt!

Packing

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” Jack Kerouac

Squeezing everything we have into one backpack. Definitely a challenge.

Our Destination

I have returned

“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it as at last to set foot in one’s own country as a foreign land.” - G.K. Chesterton

Truly it was a culture shock to return to the States. And nothing looks the same as it did when I left. It feels different. I took a week or two to get settled and adjust; time spent resting and hiding in my new room.  

I’ve had some time to decide what to do with my blog since I have returned and I have come to the conclusion that the journey continues no matter where you are.  What lies within you is the journey. And so it goes, the blog continues. For now in the wild suburbs of Massachusetts.

There are many more lessons to learn and new experiences waiting for me.  

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller.

The Gift of Being Fully Present

a baby Oscillot

locust

a bee doesn’t ask why

the hidden world of ants in a branch of wood

Animals don’t ask why. They pass no criticism. When I am in their presence, they exude an innocence that continues to amaze me. Compared to the complex human they are the simplist of creatures. As philosopher and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm says, “Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve.” Animals dwell in the present, forgetting the past and the future without the whirlwind of memory and expectation. They are the definition of calm without anxiety or distraction. They fear nothing. Everyday life is their life. They do not ask for a different reality or try to seek out a deeper existence for meaning. Animals are here, now, with a consistent attention to ordinary, daily survival. These animals live their simple lives in the paradise of the jungle. Perhaps simplicity is the paradise for the human mind. Which might be why most of us enjoy surrounding ourselves in the presence of animals.

Henry David Thoreau once said ”I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.”

So for today, I’d like reminisce the many moments of simplicity that I spent with such unusual creatures that crossed my path. The most unique experience was spent with a tiny spotted owl that was no bigger than a packet of saltine crackers. We found it on the ground in the rainforest and could not tell if it was hurt and unable to fly so we decided to adopt it for the day. Paras and I cradled it in the palm of our hands. He/she peacefully sat on the wood, dinner table in our dining hut. The owl spent many hours perched, content, observing us, turning its head, incredibly, 360 degrees. We stroked its tiny head and the owl seemed to close its eyes with pleasure. It almost seemed human. As if he or she just wanted to stop on in for a visit and say hello. We dangled a piece of chicken above its head and it was quickly gobbled. And then we introduced it to the family parrot ”Aurora” in hopes the parrot and owl would become friends and together, enjoy their personal luxury, bird hut. The next morning the owl was gone. Enjoyable moments spent with an unexpected friend.

As I attempt to compile my own conclusive thoughts and reflections about my recent, complex web of adventures in Peru and prepare my next steps on this journey of life, I feel that it is only appropriate to pause and remember the moments of calm with these animals. Holding the tiny owl in my hands… at such moments of calm, I find, to my surprise, that my life’s work is here in my hands, at this very moment. Moments of attention and stillness spent with the gift of being in another’s loving presence.