Boy Scout Camp

I fly in from Africa on Saturday morning, jumped in the car, drove to Searcy to get Keri, then to my mom's to take care of the lawn.  Unfortunately, the lawn mower stopped and I couldn't get it done, but I tried.  Mom has had someone fix it and I will try maybe this Saturday.

One of the surprises of my return to the States involved walking into a cleaned house.  Apparently many of our friends banded together with Keri's sister and arranged everything.  Alesa took Keri to Little Rock for a week, Martha kept Patience, and a team of people came in and cleaned.  It was an overwhelming job because we had given up.  I am very grateful but am also very embarrassed.  It's one thing living like that, but it's entirely something else when someone knows.

I am now at Camp Rockefeller, volunteering as a Camp Commissioner.  It is such a positive experience being with people who are not playing politics, people who have a goal of providing a quality program for the campers and who are not making decisions because it shows who is in charge.  I really need to be here for awhile.  It is hard work, but the reward are tremendous.  Ian is Mountain Bike Lead and seems to be doing a great job.  I enjoy watching him but I still worry about everything.  I love that kid.  This is a photo from the Dining Hall.

Back in the States

We have arrived back in Atlanta.  The flight was 15 hours and 45 minutes.  We even got in a little early giving us plenty of time to get through passport control and customs.  It was a huge crowd but it went quickly.

We left the Livingstone airport yesterday at 1:30 and checked into South Africa, claimed our baggage, rechecked it at the Delta gate and then waited for the 8:30 flight.  I had an isle seat but the room was narrower then most times.  It still wasn't as narrow as the first trip to Africa.  The trip was fine and I slept a great deal of the flight.  With the time differences, we arrived in Atlanta around 6:30 this morning.  It appears such a short time on paper, but such a long time in effort.  This way is better Han heading for Africa where you lose 8 hours, just making it seem even longer.

"W.T.Zed"

The title of this post is (and always has been a popular statement here in Zambia.  It stands for "welcome to Zambia" and it is used whenever the unexpected happens or some common situation becomes very complicated.  Well, I've handled a couple of those today.  The first began this morning when I started to track down what to do with the bus and land rover when we leave from the airport tomorrow.  While we were still at Namwianga, I asked Emmitt what we needed to do and he said it was all taken care of, so I ceased worrying.  When I asked Kara yesterday, she knew nothing about it so I finally connected with Meagan Hawley who is trying to track thinks down there in Namwianga.

The second big issue was also a shock.  Today is a free day with the students out on adventures and me just tooling around looking and visiting with old acquaintances.  As I cam back into the hotel, the desk attendant asked if we were going to check out today.  When I said that we were leving tomorrow, she seemed distressed.  During our discussion, she produced an email where Beckie booked the rooms with us checking out today.  Fortunately, they were able to extend the rooms until tomorrow and had tried to run it through Beckie's account and only half would go. Fortunately I can run it through my office but there seems to be some massive confusion.  

In the Mukuni Park Curios (main Livingstone Craft Market), things seemed somewhat calmer.  It may be that I was just able to handle it better.  Several people asked for "the boy" and seemed truly disappointed that he didn't come.  At the Falls Park Craft Market, one man even asked for him by name, stating that Ian bought a chess set from him.  I also visited with the man I made a mess of trading with my first year and the lady that was wearing the shirt that Keri designed on one of our subsequent visits.  I think the connection was made today, but there didn't seem to be any hard feelings and they really want Ian to come back and visit them (I'm sure part of that has to do with the kwacha he spent).  The man I always buy from is still there.  I needed nothing today, but he asked about Sara (his American daughter).  I gave him an update, and he seemed pleased.  I told them all about Kel Hamby's death and they were saddened and asked me to pass on to Ms. Hamby that all at the Falls Park Craft Market send their condolences. I will certainly do so.

Tonight we go on the sunset cruise and then fly out tomorrow.  

The sunset cruise on the Lady Livingstone was disappointing.  Ian's friend Webster was still working there and he asked for Ian's Facebook address.  We saw many hippos and the bee eaters, and even a small herd of elephants tossing dust in the air and playing.  The cruise/sunset was also nice, but they oversold the cruise and obviously did not have enough food.  There were five at out table and they brought enough food for three or four, but never five.  They completely ran out of dessert before they reached our table and several others in our group.  It was so disappointing since it was the last event of our trip. It was nice coming back to the lodge with the fire to welcome us to the shore. I think I will recommend discontinuing this event to help reduce costs.  We did the sunset at the Royal Livingstone so I think this can go.

Safari at Chobe National Park, Botswana

Today was a great day as we travelled to Botswana for our safari.  To get there without driving through Zembabwe, we drove west along the Zambezi to the ferry at Kazungula, the point where Zambia, Zembabwe, Namibia, and Botswana come together.  We take a small boat across the Zambezi to Botswana where the crew from Chobezi met us.  A short ride to the lodge, then a morning boat safari on the Chobi River in the national park.

 In for a great lunch at the Chobi Safari Lodge and then off in Land Rovers for the afternoon.  No big cats this year but a nice selection of most others. Here are some photos from today. The Kudu was a large one, but I couldn't get a good angle to get the best photo.  Of course, the Kudu is significant because of Wood Badge and Robert Baden Powell.

After we finished the Land Rover portion, the drivers take us back to the Zambezi for us to head back to Livingstone.  As we were heading down to the ferry, we came across a small herd of female elephants near the town of Kisani, Botswana. 

Victoria Falls & the Royal Livingstone

It has been a busy, active day.  It started with the wonderful breakfast at the Protea.  Certainly better than the breakfasts at American hotels.  This is the Protea that I am familiar with!  

We went to Victoria Falls this morning.  It was beautiful and the rainbow was fantastic.  One of our HIZ-Path students got a surprise at the Falls.  Her boyfriend flew over and arrived here yesterday before we got to the hotel.  We hid him last night and he surprised her at the Falls with a ring and a proposal.  She was so excited.  He will go on our safari tomorrow and fly back with us on Friday. The photo below shows the top of the Falls with the rainbow and the newly engaged couple.

This afternoon we had high tea at the Royal Livingstone.  It is such a dramatic location on the banks of the Zambezi.  We always stick around for the sunset.  Tonight we had monkey encounters, and someone saw a crocodile and a hippo. Tomorrow we will see a lot more animals.

Once again, I really miss being here with Keri and Ian!

No Internet

It is now Monday evening and I am in Livingstone. I have not had access to the internet since I left the Protea Tambo in Johannesburg.  I flew to Livingstone, Zambia on Friday and loved the large new airport.  Kara and Chris were waiting for me with the students and we headed out to Kalomo to get visa extensions.  That went really well since the "Dragonlady" has been transferred.  We then headed out to Namwianga.  The road is very rough but I felt like I was headed home.

Pulled up at Hamby House and ended up in my old room.  A bathroom has been added, but it also felt like coming home.  I ran into Robbie, Wester, Ba Leonard, the Indian lady who owns the Mini Mart, the immigration man, etc. and each one asked where Ian was, or where is the boy. Ian was really missed here at Namwianga.  He has really made an impact there.

Saturday we headed to Choma.  It was so much more crowded than it used to be.  It seems that Choma has become the Southern Provience capitol and everyone has moved from Livingstone.  When we returned to the Hamby House, we discovered tha Kel Hamby had died.

Sunday we went to the village of Kisibi for Church.  In addition to the regular service, we had a short service for Kel Hamby.  It was very meaningful to the local congregation and meaningful for me since I sat next to Kel the last time I was there. They are expanding the building and have a covered spot outside.  The little boy in the photo is in deep thought.  The meal, band and village was the same but Ba Leonard has added a porch so that we could watch the dancing.  The experience was great!

Sunday evening services were in Johnson Auditorium.  It was a traditional Zambian service with wonderful singing.  Three girls wanted to be baptized so everyone moved to the backyard of our house, just like when Ian and David were baptized.  It brought back wonderful memories and some bittersweet ones of David.  David is no longer at Namwianga and is in Lusaka.  I pray he is OK there.

South Africa (at last)

After leaving Searcy at 12:00 on Tuesday, June 10, I have at last arrived at Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.  It has been an exhausting flight and I must continue it tomorrow.  I am staying at the Protea Tambo Airport.  I must say that the Protea has been my favorite African chain, but I'm not very impressed with this one.  It is near the airport and takes a quarter of the time to get here, but my room is the size of a postage stamp.

Atlanta, Again

Bill Spear at Harding Travel Services is the greatest!  He has taken care of everything and I am flying in to Livingstone one day later.  Unfortunately, I will miss the "Moonbow" Thursday night but I have seen it before.  Keri also called me back this morning and she is fine so the world is looking up.

An Inauspicious Beginning

I must just face it.  Things are not beginning well for my return to Africa.  It began with leaving my phone in my office and realizing it too late to go back and get it.  Then the flight from Little Rock to Atlanta was delayed due to bad weather in Atlanta.  We sat on the ground for an hour in Little Rock and then had to circle for another hour.  We ended up getting to Atlanta two hours late and, although I rushed from B to E, my flight to Johannesburg  was pulling away from the gate when I got there.  They got me on the same flight tomorrow, but because it was a weather delay, Delta makes you pay for your own room for the night.  Without my phone, I can call no one so I made attempts from my hotel room with no answers.  Even Keri did not answer the times I called and did not listen to my messages.  I called the Harding Travel Service number but of course there was no one there either.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Return to Africa

I am now packing for a return trip to my beloved Zambia.  I am only going for 11 days and I'm going alone.  Ian has a job at Camp Rockefeller and Keri is taking care of the pets (not to mention the $).  I plan to fly out on Tuesday.  I noticed that there are only two people following this blog (that's what happens when you post nothing for years).  That's OK however, because this blog is more a diary of my adventures.  Let me invite those two to comment and ask questions and I will do my best to answer.