FYI,
Pic and video will be located at http://www.akella.org/homepages/sean/2007africa/.
These pics and videos cover the beginning of the trip. I do have access to high throughput internet so uploading from here will be difficult. But there will be more.Special thanks to Mani Akella of Consultantgurus for hosting my pics .
Thanks for caring
Sean
Sunday, August 26, 2007
The Routine - the 5th installment
Installment 5 – The routine.
After the safari I settle into a nice routine Mai and I are getting along great she is very dedicated to the work and tries really hard to learn Swahili (I could do better) and the local tribal language. She is well liked in the hospital and the community. But I’m sure when her 6 months is up she’ll be ready to go home. Not that this is a bad experience but as many of us know it’s hard being the only one or just one of a few people of you kind in an area. Even though most people are nice. Language and cultural differences can make you feel very lonely. But she is doing well. And appears to be well liked. She has been very helpful to me some I’m glad she’s here. So we have a nice harmonious living situation. Anyway here we go.
5:45 – Mai gets up to turn on the water heater. Then goes back to bed
6:45 – She has her morning bathroom routine.
7:15 – I get up – Sometimes- LOL
7:30 – My turn in bath.
7:55- Mai heads to chapel. I meet up later. God knows I’m there is spirit.
9:00 am – Tea/Breakfast in canteen – Although sometimes I cook Breakfast
9:30 – 12:30 – Rounds with the doctors.- Although sometimes there are training sessions after chapel. We also had a visit by some German donors that ate up a morning. Usually it me Carla and Michelle with whichever doc is doing rounds. I showed then to take vitals –BP and Pulse.
1:00 pm – 6pm - After lunch I’m in the pharmacy. My big project is to organize the supplies in the pharmacy. I go thru the boxes, Sort and throw out the donations. Also categorize the inventory. I also plan to deliver material to it’s proper place in the hospital. Lab gear to the labs, Maternity related items to the maternity wards…etc. I also help out with dressings and working with the pharmacy. My next project is to properly stock the crash carts and stock and clean the minor theaters(exam room).
6pm – on – Free time. So I’ve been getting ready for Killi by climbing a 100 meter steep hill behind the campus. I started with 4 up and down climbs and add 1 per day. This entertains the folks that have to use this path to go home. Why would anyone just walk up and down this hill? Glad to provide cheap thrills. But it did help my Swahili as one day I encountered an older lady and did not greet her properly. So she is yelling at me in Swahili and I’m just saying asante asante (thank you thank you)cause that is all I can thank of. Sounding like an idiot. Meanwhile someone in the wood is trying to tell me what to say. But I don’t get it. He’s saying to me “say nisamele” (forgive me) “Say samahani” (excuse me). He is repeating this over and over. Finally I hear it so I say “SAY NISAMELE’ The elder looks at me like I’m the village idiot and walks off. Finally I realize what happened and just laughed. So I learned a few more phases and proper greetings. Learned to say “I’m taking in my exercise” in english which everyone seems to understand. My good Samaritan turned out to be one of the hospital drivers. He and I laughed about it the next day. Since this exercise gets later and later into the evening sometimes I help some people up the hill after dark as most people are in by then. It’s dark here by 7:15 pm. Then home for dinner or to the canteen for rice and beans. I think I’m spoiling Mai cause I’m cooking But you all know I like to so it’s all good. Washing dishes is an exercise. As you have to practice good water disciple. Heating water and such. Also you have to cook with the bottled water. We go thru 5 litters of bottled water a day. So that keeps us going back to the store. Mai is usually in bed by 9:30 – 10 pm. Except I kept her up for movie night once. “ Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”. I usually stay up until 1 -2 am. Reading, writing, listening to music Blah Blah Blah.
Extra things that have happened
I do spend a bit of time with Dr Kwesa the chief doctor here so have been on several trips with him and his family.
Ok no one told me about the earthquakes. Very minor but we had one that was like 5.1. Also it rained all week although it’s supposed to be the non rainy season. So it’s cool and dump. But I guess that means no malarial mosquitoes until the sun comes out
Also take it from me properly peel all fruit. I did not follow that warning. 6-8 hrs of throwing up doesn’t need to be repeated by anyone. Also maintain good water discipline. While I’ve been good several people have suffered. Just do it.
I went with the hospital team to do an AIDS Awareness presentation in a school about 35 km away on the side of Mt Meru. 2 hrs of driving and the school changed the date without telling us. Oh well this is Africa. So we visited one of the hospital dispensaries nearby. More on this in it’s own update.
Dr Kwesa invited Mai and I to attend his sister-in-laws engagement ceremony. That was followed by another couple wedding. This was all in Moshi. 60 km away. Very cool. Although I eat some seafood and have to take benadyl which did not mix well with the beer and konyagi. But I slept well. I also met Villa’s(the Dr’s wife) sister Sarah and her husband Julian. They have a company Tusker Safari co. So I slept all the way home. And most of the next day Sunday. But I was up in time to go shopping at the USA ( pronounced OH-SA) river market. Then on for drinks and back to the house. More on this in another update. Pics were taken
We attended a 1st birthday party for the mama Kay’s 1 year old daughter Iris. It was also close to her son Kay’s birthday. So it was a double party To be detailed in another update.
I observed and monitored vitals for Dr Julius during surgery for the hospital clerk. It was a C-Section – Healthy boy. Partial Hysterectomy both due to fibroid tumors with an apendectomy added for good measure. Pics and commentary will follow.
Spent a day in Arusha with Dr Kwesa running errands for the hospital and I needed to take care of travel arrangements. More later
One night I went with Doctor to his parents’ home above Tengeru to help fix his dad’s car. Then dinner with his family and long discussion with Gail. She has been staying with the Doc and his family (Villa his wife and Jesse his son) She has been here are 6 months. – More on that to come.
Lastly I went to Moshi by bus to meet Julian and Sarah. They were nice enough to outfit me with some gear for my Kill climb. – More to come
Ok so you are now up to date with my stuff here. Please leave me a comment if you have read my blog. Drop me an email with the latest haps at home. I’ll fill in the gaps when I get back from my attempt to climb Kilimanjaro. For more info on what it means go to www.climbmountkillimanjaro.com. Wish me luck.
On Killi from Aug 27th until Sept 2nd.
Back at hospital Sept 2nd until Sept 7th.
Peace Sean
After the safari I settle into a nice routine Mai and I are getting along great she is very dedicated to the work and tries really hard to learn Swahili (I could do better) and the local tribal language. She is well liked in the hospital and the community. But I’m sure when her 6 months is up she’ll be ready to go home. Not that this is a bad experience but as many of us know it’s hard being the only one or just one of a few people of you kind in an area. Even though most people are nice. Language and cultural differences can make you feel very lonely. But she is doing well. And appears to be well liked. She has been very helpful to me some I’m glad she’s here. So we have a nice harmonious living situation. Anyway here we go.
5:45 – Mai gets up to turn on the water heater. Then goes back to bed
6:45 – She has her morning bathroom routine.
7:15 – I get up – Sometimes- LOL
7:30 – My turn in bath.
7:55- Mai heads to chapel. I meet up later. God knows I’m there is spirit.
9:00 am – Tea/Breakfast in canteen – Although sometimes I cook Breakfast
9:30 – 12:30 – Rounds with the doctors.- Although sometimes there are training sessions after chapel. We also had a visit by some German donors that ate up a morning. Usually it me Carla and Michelle with whichever doc is doing rounds. I showed then to take vitals –BP and Pulse.
1:00 pm – 6pm - After lunch I’m in the pharmacy. My big project is to organize the supplies in the pharmacy. I go thru the boxes, Sort and throw out the donations. Also categorize the inventory. I also plan to deliver material to it’s proper place in the hospital. Lab gear to the labs, Maternity related items to the maternity wards…etc. I also help out with dressings and working with the pharmacy. My next project is to properly stock the crash carts and stock and clean the minor theaters(exam room).
6pm – on – Free time. So I’ve been getting ready for Killi by climbing a 100 meter steep hill behind the campus. I started with 4 up and down climbs and add 1 per day. This entertains the folks that have to use this path to go home. Why would anyone just walk up and down this hill? Glad to provide cheap thrills. But it did help my Swahili as one day I encountered an older lady and did not greet her properly. So she is yelling at me in Swahili and I’m just saying asante asante (thank you thank you)cause that is all I can thank of. Sounding like an idiot. Meanwhile someone in the wood is trying to tell me what to say. But I don’t get it. He’s saying to me “say nisamele” (forgive me) “Say samahani” (excuse me). He is repeating this over and over. Finally I hear it so I say “SAY NISAMELE’ The elder looks at me like I’m the village idiot and walks off. Finally I realize what happened and just laughed. So I learned a few more phases and proper greetings. Learned to say “I’m taking in my exercise” in english which everyone seems to understand. My good Samaritan turned out to be one of the hospital drivers. He and I laughed about it the next day. Since this exercise gets later and later into the evening sometimes I help some people up the hill after dark as most people are in by then. It’s dark here by 7:15 pm. Then home for dinner or to the canteen for rice and beans. I think I’m spoiling Mai cause I’m cooking But you all know I like to so it’s all good. Washing dishes is an exercise. As you have to practice good water disciple. Heating water and such. Also you have to cook with the bottled water. We go thru 5 litters of bottled water a day. So that keeps us going back to the store. Mai is usually in bed by 9:30 – 10 pm. Except I kept her up for movie night once. “ Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”. I usually stay up until 1 -2 am. Reading, writing, listening to music Blah Blah Blah.
Extra things that have happened
I do spend a bit of time with Dr Kwesa the chief doctor here so have been on several trips with him and his family.
Ok no one told me about the earthquakes. Very minor but we had one that was like 5.1. Also it rained all week although it’s supposed to be the non rainy season. So it’s cool and dump. But I guess that means no malarial mosquitoes until the sun comes out
Also take it from me properly peel all fruit. I did not follow that warning. 6-8 hrs of throwing up doesn’t need to be repeated by anyone. Also maintain good water discipline. While I’ve been good several people have suffered. Just do it.
I went with the hospital team to do an AIDS Awareness presentation in a school about 35 km away on the side of Mt Meru. 2 hrs of driving and the school changed the date without telling us. Oh well this is Africa. So we visited one of the hospital dispensaries nearby. More on this in it’s own update.
Dr Kwesa invited Mai and I to attend his sister-in-laws engagement ceremony. That was followed by another couple wedding. This was all in Moshi. 60 km away. Very cool. Although I eat some seafood and have to take benadyl which did not mix well with the beer and konyagi. But I slept well. I also met Villa’s(the Dr’s wife) sister Sarah and her husband Julian. They have a company Tusker Safari co. So I slept all the way home. And most of the next day Sunday. But I was up in time to go shopping at the USA ( pronounced OH-SA) river market. Then on for drinks and back to the house. More on this in another update. Pics were taken
We attended a 1st birthday party for the mama Kay’s 1 year old daughter Iris. It was also close to her son Kay’s birthday. So it was a double party To be detailed in another update.
I observed and monitored vitals for Dr Julius during surgery for the hospital clerk. It was a C-Section – Healthy boy. Partial Hysterectomy both due to fibroid tumors with an apendectomy added for good measure. Pics and commentary will follow.
Spent a day in Arusha with Dr Kwesa running errands for the hospital and I needed to take care of travel arrangements. More later
One night I went with Doctor to his parents’ home above Tengeru to help fix his dad’s car. Then dinner with his family and long discussion with Gail. She has been staying with the Doc and his family (Villa his wife and Jesse his son) She has been here are 6 months. – More on that to come.
Lastly I went to Moshi by bus to meet Julian and Sarah. They were nice enough to outfit me with some gear for my Kill climb. – More to come
Ok so you are now up to date with my stuff here. Please leave me a comment if you have read my blog. Drop me an email with the latest haps at home. I’ll fill in the gaps when I get back from my attempt to climb Kilimanjaro. For more info on what it means go to www.climbmountkillimanjaro.com. Wish me luck.
On Killi from Aug 27th until Sept 2nd.
Back at hospital Sept 2nd until Sept 7th.
Peace Sean
The Safari 4 installment
It’s safari time.
Friday Susan Emily( the volunteers with me at the orphanage with me) and I head out for Safari. If you have been to the pics site you have seen the still and video pics of the safari. (YES I know they are unedited. Some are blurry… The videos are low quality. But in my defense both cameras cost under $100 each. Plus I never said I was a good photographer. So enjoy them for what they are worth …CRITICS Gezz!!! If you really think you can do better put up chief. LOL!!). We are going to Lake Manyara for a day and a half, the Ngorogoro Crater for one day then back to Arusha to Arusha national park for a walking safari for 1 day.
So Prince/Paradise, our local agent, picks us up with James our driver/guide for the trip. He is from southern Tanzania but lives here in Arusha.
We then meet up with Shireen a pharmacist from Denver. She quite well traveled, grew up traveling with her father a professor at U of Missouri. She is volunteering thru ITN(or something like that) I think it is a related company of Global Crossroads. She is at a different orphanage then we are at. Congrats to her on her impending wedding in Oct. we are also jealous of her Fuji honeymoon.
The next participant in our group in Ian an expiate- Brit leaving South Africa after 22 years for a job in France. So how is he going. OVERLAND !!!! (Damn this man is one us a Thrillseeker) Trains/Buses and cars. He has to get to France by Nov. So he has time. He’s shipped his stuff and is making his way. Now that is a once in a lifetime trip. He’s a trekker so he has done Killi and Mt Meru in addition to many other places. So of course I pump him for info as my Killi climb is concerning to me. So he gives me some good info.
Then we pick up the most important member of the party. Silvano our 4’ 11” cook from Kilimanjaro.
One thing that is really annoying this that no one take credit card in Arusha. Not even the airlines and restaurants. Plus you have to tip all guides/porters and cooks. Anywho we all have to go to the ATM for get T Shillings to finish paying for the safari and tip money. then we take off for Lake Manyara. It’s a two hour ride. Finally a pleasant surprise, we were told to pack for tents (sleeping bags/pads and nets) we pull into the guest house and unload our stuff there. Nice hotel room very comfy and a well stocked hotel bar no sleeping bag needed. Decent bathroom. Life is looking up. This when I found out that Susan and Emily had no hot water at there place at the hospital. So I offer the use of ours when we get back to Nakaranga. But my sleeping bag, in my dump single bed was getting old. So this was nice. We have lunch, all rabbit food but ok… Ian and I washing it down with some Safaris(beer) the last 3 the bar had.
Then off to Lake Manyara, It was awesome. Please look at the pics and video. I can not .. no will not even attempt to describe the sights. I mean 5 mins out of town we have to wait for a clan of Baboons to finish playing in the road. We went in the afternoon which usually is a low activity time. Morning and evening are usually the times of greatest activity. But we got lucky. First we caught a some hippos out of the water. They were in the lake with the flamingos and other birds. Driving in we kept coming across this lone wildebeest. Usually they are with a herd. So we joked that either he was waiting on is girl.” like come on Mabel everyone has gone” Or he was newly divorced and she got to keep the herd. So he was hanging with the impala for a while. Then the highlight of the day… A lion came sauntering around ,then primped for the cameras as it selected it’s tree to sleep under. Then we drive on an saw,, monkeys, birds, various bucks, impala, then elephants and giraffes. It was wonderful. We leave the park at 6pm and head back for dinner.
It was a great day and dinner was good. The power is out but that is par for the course. Everyone goes to bed. Silvano and I venture into town at about 9:30. Hit a local bar for a while Serengeti beer this time. Play some pool. Again people are very interested in US politics and Obama. I played pool with one of the ecologists at Lake Manyara, Daniel. Then went down the road to another spot that have a live band up from Dar. They were great. So far the music in Africa has been excellent. It’s interesting that aside from the language one would have thought this was straight from Cuba. But they perform well. Multiple singers and groups come on and off stage. There are dancers, it’s a nice show. Some of the music has a very salsa and calypso feel. So I’m vibeing with the music. I want to dance but seems folks don’t really dance up here. Everyone just sat there. It was a little weird cause Silvano and his boys are trying to sell me Shesha and women while the local police chief comes over to say hello with his wife. We spoke at length and split a beer or two. Of course my friends moved on briefly. Then the chief and his wife move on. My friends come back. But I’m not buying anything. After the set, it’s back to the hotel by 1am.
We are up are 5:45 for a 6:30 departure for Lake Manyara. We arrive at the park by 8:15am Again words can not describe the scenery… look at the pics. The only down side is that we lived in this truck all day. But we were just in the middle of all the animals. We just could not believe it. We also got to the hot springs at Lake Manyara. It was a great day. There is a lunch area in the lake so you can have a picnic lunch. It was cool to see not only the other tourists but also the school kids there on school trips. We sat outside of the truck(what a relief). Then are 4:30pm out of the park, we stopped at a Curio but did not buy anything, well Ian and I had a Safari. Then back to hotel.
The ladies and I went shopping in the village market. This was an interesting scene as folks just figured that this was just one family. Susan was all over our mothers. Shireen is of East Indian decent. It was funny when someone walked up to me and said your mother is looking for you. I was like oh shit how did she get here!!! But the Tanzanians love to bargain so it is part of the game. Shireen is tough and Susan channel her NY Jew as she said. But they both did very well. Emily looked shocked just as I use to with my dad when he went bargain shopping. But he needs to be here to handle the negotiations. But deals are made and all goes well. That was 2 -3 hrs. It’s now 7pm we head back to hotel. Silvano has dinner ready by 8:30 so we eat . Susan and I have a lively conversation on politics and world view and philosophy. I think we scared the others. But it was all good debate. Bed but 11pm. BTW the power is still out. I sack out immediately it’s been along day.
Up at 5am for the morning bracer ( cold shower) Still no power !!! LOL. It’s Shrinkage !!! By 6;30 we are off to the Ngorogoro Crater reserve. This is the crater that serves as a national wild life sanctuary. Part of the park is where Lucy the oldest human was found. The drive is bananas. You drive up one side of the crater into the clouds. James drives like an NY Cabbie on crack. I love it. Only at real 4x4 can get in and out of here. Doug you and Ronnie need to be here with Tanka or better yet a real hummer. But as wild as going up is……Descending the crater is an adventure in and of itself. James is driving like “ Move Bitch get out the way …get out the way …get out the way” It’s all steep switchbacks in the dirt. But less time descending means more time in the crater. We come out of the clouds and then into the crater. All the trucks follow the marked path. This is even of spectacular then Lake Manyara. Plus James is blessed with Eagle eyes. It was him that spotted a pair of cheetah’s moving in the distance. Too far for pics but we got them in the field glasses. It was cool to see all the animal all together. Herds of Impalas, Wildebeest, water buffalo Hyena, Zebra, Hippos, wild boar, all kinds of bucks. Jackals, Giraffes and birds of all types. We even caught a interspecies conference between a wildebeest and 2 zebra. They were just standing there staring at each other. It was funny. Ngorogoro also has a lunch area by a soda lake. So we can get out of the truck. James forgot to tell us to eat in the truck. I did anyway. But the ladies did not and a bird swooped down and stole part of Shireen's lunch. Luckily Rescue Sean was there with his trusty first aid kit---LOL. It’s all good. We spent 1.5 hrs there. Then back in the truck .. More animals … see how quickly one gets spoiled and blasé about these things. Yeah yeah another lion. Oh how cute an elephant. Whatever –LOL. Anyone driving out of the park is also an adventure. If (no when) I come back I’m driving up and down the crater. Test my skills. Doug/Ro you with me.
We pick up Silvano and our gear and head back to Arusha. We meet Prince/Paradise in town, drop off Ian then head to our next guest house. A really cool Canadian couple Garry Mathew Elvik and his wife Grace. They operate Trans-Can Safaris and Cultural Tours as well as a bed and breakfast. They have relocated to Tanzania permanently. They are great ambassadors for the west about Tanzania. Garry served 20 or 30 years in Canadian army and worked in Kelonia VC airport when Grace also worked as a manager. They have 2 adult kids back in Canada but have pulled up stakes to live in Tanzania. They have a great house and are very warm and welcoming. Check there website at www.transcansafaris.com Garry also climbed Killi 2x. Once in 18hrs he said. Cool I pump him for info. I gives me some sound advice. We have a great dinner and then everyone enjoys a warm shower. Drink and bed. Grace introduces me to Konyagi. A Tanzania gin-type liquor.
Up in the morning. Good breakfast. Then off to Arusha national park for a walking safari. It was nice to be able to actual walk amongst the animals. Please see the pics. It was very cool. You do have to hire a ranger to walk with u. Ours was so short I think his gun was bigger then he was. He is there because Water Buffalo can sometimes get aggressive. Interestly John Wayne made a movie in the 60’s here. The name escapes me now. But the bar that it was centered around is still here. So one can have a drink with the Duke.. Anyway. We walk for 2 or 3 hrs. very nice. No issues. Then back to the truck. We do a little more truck safari. Then back to Nakaranga hospital.
It’s been a hell of a time.
Next installment is coming.
Peace Sean
Friday Susan Emily( the volunteers with me at the orphanage with me) and I head out for Safari. If you have been to the pics site you have seen the still and video pics of the safari. (YES I know they are unedited. Some are blurry… The videos are low quality. But in my defense both cameras cost under $100 each. Plus I never said I was a good photographer. So enjoy them for what they are worth …CRITICS Gezz!!! If you really think you can do better put up chief. LOL!!). We are going to Lake Manyara for a day and a half, the Ngorogoro Crater for one day then back to Arusha to Arusha national park for a walking safari for 1 day.
So Prince/Paradise, our local agent, picks us up with James our driver/guide for the trip. He is from southern Tanzania but lives here in Arusha.
We then meet up with Shireen a pharmacist from Denver. She quite well traveled, grew up traveling with her father a professor at U of Missouri. She is volunteering thru ITN(or something like that) I think it is a related company of Global Crossroads. She is at a different orphanage then we are at. Congrats to her on her impending wedding in Oct. we are also jealous of her Fuji honeymoon.
The next participant in our group in Ian an expiate- Brit leaving South Africa after 22 years for a job in France. So how is he going. OVERLAND !!!! (Damn this man is one us a Thrillseeker) Trains/Buses and cars. He has to get to France by Nov. So he has time. He’s shipped his stuff and is making his way. Now that is a once in a lifetime trip. He’s a trekker so he has done Killi and Mt Meru in addition to many other places. So of course I pump him for info as my Killi climb is concerning to me. So he gives me some good info.
Then we pick up the most important member of the party. Silvano our 4’ 11” cook from Kilimanjaro.
One thing that is really annoying this that no one take credit card in Arusha. Not even the airlines and restaurants. Plus you have to tip all guides/porters and cooks. Anywho we all have to go to the ATM for get T Shillings to finish paying for the safari and tip money. then we take off for Lake Manyara. It’s a two hour ride. Finally a pleasant surprise, we were told to pack for tents (sleeping bags/pads and nets) we pull into the guest house and unload our stuff there. Nice hotel room very comfy and a well stocked hotel bar no sleeping bag needed. Decent bathroom. Life is looking up. This when I found out that Susan and Emily had no hot water at there place at the hospital. So I offer the use of ours when we get back to Nakaranga. But my sleeping bag, in my dump single bed was getting old. So this was nice. We have lunch, all rabbit food but ok… Ian and I washing it down with some Safaris(beer) the last 3 the bar had.
Then off to Lake Manyara, It was awesome. Please look at the pics and video. I can not .. no will not even attempt to describe the sights. I mean 5 mins out of town we have to wait for a clan of Baboons to finish playing in the road. We went in the afternoon which usually is a low activity time. Morning and evening are usually the times of greatest activity. But we got lucky. First we caught a some hippos out of the water. They were in the lake with the flamingos and other birds. Driving in we kept coming across this lone wildebeest. Usually they are with a herd. So we joked that either he was waiting on is girl.” like come on Mabel everyone has gone” Or he was newly divorced and she got to keep the herd. So he was hanging with the impala for a while. Then the highlight of the day… A lion came sauntering around ,then primped for the cameras as it selected it’s tree to sleep under. Then we drive on an saw,, monkeys, birds, various bucks, impala, then elephants and giraffes. It was wonderful. We leave the park at 6pm and head back for dinner.
It was a great day and dinner was good. The power is out but that is par for the course. Everyone goes to bed. Silvano and I venture into town at about 9:30. Hit a local bar for a while Serengeti beer this time. Play some pool. Again people are very interested in US politics and Obama. I played pool with one of the ecologists at Lake Manyara, Daniel. Then went down the road to another spot that have a live band up from Dar. They were great. So far the music in Africa has been excellent. It’s interesting that aside from the language one would have thought this was straight from Cuba. But they perform well. Multiple singers and groups come on and off stage. There are dancers, it’s a nice show. Some of the music has a very salsa and calypso feel. So I’m vibeing with the music. I want to dance but seems folks don’t really dance up here. Everyone just sat there. It was a little weird cause Silvano and his boys are trying to sell me Shesha and women while the local police chief comes over to say hello with his wife. We spoke at length and split a beer or two. Of course my friends moved on briefly. Then the chief and his wife move on. My friends come back. But I’m not buying anything. After the set, it’s back to the hotel by 1am.
We are up are 5:45 for a 6:30 departure for Lake Manyara. We arrive at the park by 8:15am Again words can not describe the scenery… look at the pics. The only down side is that we lived in this truck all day. But we were just in the middle of all the animals. We just could not believe it. We also got to the hot springs at Lake Manyara. It was a great day. There is a lunch area in the lake so you can have a picnic lunch. It was cool to see not only the other tourists but also the school kids there on school trips. We sat outside of the truck(what a relief). Then are 4:30pm out of the park, we stopped at a Curio but did not buy anything, well Ian and I had a Safari. Then back to hotel.
The ladies and I went shopping in the village market. This was an interesting scene as folks just figured that this was just one family. Susan was all over our mothers. Shireen is of East Indian decent. It was funny when someone walked up to me and said your mother is looking for you. I was like oh shit how did she get here!!! But the Tanzanians love to bargain so it is part of the game. Shireen is tough and Susan channel her NY Jew as she said. But they both did very well. Emily looked shocked just as I use to with my dad when he went bargain shopping. But he needs to be here to handle the negotiations. But deals are made and all goes well. That was 2 -3 hrs. It’s now 7pm we head back to hotel. Silvano has dinner ready by 8:30 so we eat . Susan and I have a lively conversation on politics and world view and philosophy. I think we scared the others. But it was all good debate. Bed but 11pm. BTW the power is still out. I sack out immediately it’s been along day.
Up at 5am for the morning bracer ( cold shower) Still no power !!! LOL. It’s Shrinkage !!! By 6;30 we are off to the Ngorogoro Crater reserve. This is the crater that serves as a national wild life sanctuary. Part of the park is where Lucy the oldest human was found. The drive is bananas. You drive up one side of the crater into the clouds. James drives like an NY Cabbie on crack. I love it. Only at real 4x4 can get in and out of here. Doug you and Ronnie need to be here with Tanka or better yet a real hummer. But as wild as going up is……Descending the crater is an adventure in and of itself. James is driving like “ Move Bitch get out the way …get out the way …get out the way” It’s all steep switchbacks in the dirt. But less time descending means more time in the crater. We come out of the clouds and then into the crater. All the trucks follow the marked path. This is even of spectacular then Lake Manyara. Plus James is blessed with Eagle eyes. It was him that spotted a pair of cheetah’s moving in the distance. Too far for pics but we got them in the field glasses. It was cool to see all the animal all together. Herds of Impalas, Wildebeest, water buffalo Hyena, Zebra, Hippos, wild boar, all kinds of bucks. Jackals, Giraffes and birds of all types. We even caught a interspecies conference between a wildebeest and 2 zebra. They were just standing there staring at each other. It was funny. Ngorogoro also has a lunch area by a soda lake. So we can get out of the truck. James forgot to tell us to eat in the truck. I did anyway. But the ladies did not and a bird swooped down and stole part of Shireen's lunch. Luckily Rescue Sean was there with his trusty first aid kit---LOL. It’s all good. We spent 1.5 hrs there. Then back in the truck .. More animals … see how quickly one gets spoiled and blasé about these things. Yeah yeah another lion. Oh how cute an elephant. Whatever –LOL. Anyone driving out of the park is also an adventure. If (no when) I come back I’m driving up and down the crater. Test my skills. Doug/Ro you with me.
We pick up Silvano and our gear and head back to Arusha. We meet Prince/Paradise in town, drop off Ian then head to our next guest house. A really cool Canadian couple Garry Mathew Elvik and his wife Grace. They operate Trans-Can Safaris and Cultural Tours as well as a bed and breakfast. They have relocated to Tanzania permanently. They are great ambassadors for the west about Tanzania. Garry served 20 or 30 years in Canadian army and worked in Kelonia VC airport when Grace also worked as a manager. They have 2 adult kids back in Canada but have pulled up stakes to live in Tanzania. They have a great house and are very warm and welcoming. Check there website at www.transcansafaris.com Garry also climbed Killi 2x. Once in 18hrs he said. Cool I pump him for info. I gives me some sound advice. We have a great dinner and then everyone enjoys a warm shower. Drink and bed. Grace introduces me to Konyagi. A Tanzania gin-type liquor.
Up in the morning. Good breakfast. Then off to Arusha national park for a walking safari. It was nice to be able to actual walk amongst the animals. Please see the pics. It was very cool. You do have to hire a ranger to walk with u. Ours was so short I think his gun was bigger then he was. He is there because Water Buffalo can sometimes get aggressive. Interestly John Wayne made a movie in the 60’s here. The name escapes me now. But the bar that it was centered around is still here. So one can have a drink with the Duke.. Anyway. We walk for 2 or 3 hrs. very nice. No issues. Then back to the truck. We do a little more truck safari. Then back to Nakaranga hospital.
It’s been a hell of a time.
Next installment is coming.
Peace Sean
Thrid installment
Third installment of the trip
Now is into the beginning of the main part of the volunteering. Not before some more welcome to Africa type shit. Mai was cool enough to lend me a towel and good thing that I have a sleeping bag. But meals are also supposed to be included. But NOOOO!!. So last night when I went for dinner after some language issue. I.E no one in the canteen spoke english that day and my Swahili does not yet extend to food items. Plus I’m the only Mzungu there. Well after a bit of work on my part and a lot of patience on their part I get rice and beans and a coke, Then when I get up to leave I say asante and kwa heri
Then go out the door. 2 seconds later the cashier is chasing me and yelling in Swahili. Now I’m supposed to pay. I’m like NO !!!(Hapana). Either way I go back and sign the book as I saw other staff doing and left. He was not very happy. But he and you will be cool later. Young Kid reminds me a little of my godson AK. They look to be the same age. This all gets worked out the next day with the head doctor and administrator. Plus Mai and I have a full kitchen. So you know how I do. I went shopping. I don’t cook every day but we have an old fridge. We live near farms so the veggies are fresh. Not much meat cause there is not any really good refrigeration. So the meat needs to be stewed to tenderize.
So after waking up at 6:15 am and then again at 7 am (LOL). Luckily I can look fprward to hot water. It’s hot as Mai gets up at 5:45am to turn on the heater then she goes back to bed … then showers and does morning bathroom “ish” until 7:00. Then my turn… We head down to morning service. 8am every morning.
It also the morning staff meeting. Births, Deaths, and new admits and other announcements are made. I’m introduced to the staff. Dr Julius tries to explain what I do but EMT means doesn’t translate. Everyone is cool. Susan Emily, Carla and Michele also introduce themselves. The last two are from Cultural Crossroad Solutions. Susan and Emily are also Global Cross Road. CCS provides volunteers mainly to the orphanage from 8am till noon. The ladies are both in undergrad and pre – med majors. CCS has volunteers as young as 16 in country. Interesting.
So after chapel I take breakfast with Susan and Emily. Tea and Chapati which is a flat bread tortilla at the canteen. Keep in mind that the canteen is not the western variety. It has a small kitchen with charcoal fired ovens and an electric range top. So there are not many options. Basically chapatti, Banana Stew, rice and beans, and sometime stewed beef, chicken or goat(not often that is more in Kenya). For breakfast fried or boiled eggs. To drink we can get Chai (tea) or coffee (all day), Coke, Fanta( Yes Fanta is huge here) orange and pineapple. Then for your dining pleasure and entertainment - Tanzanian gospel videos ( this is a KKKT (Lutheran Church run) hospital. But the food is pretty good. It definitely fresh and well cooked. They do prepare it well so no one gets sick. The folks there are friendly. The canteen also feeds the patients, staff and school kids in the area. The hospital does not have a kitchen so patients families either have to bring them food or the patients have to buy it from the canteen.
So after breakfast I go on rounds with Dr Mbezi. The hospital has 4 doctors. 3 full time (Dr Kwesa, Dr Julius and Dr Mbezi all Tanzanian)) and 1 part time(Dr Jo, she’s a New Zealander). On the rounds I assist with vital signs thus freeing up a nurse and the Dr discusses each case with me. Rounds take from 9 until 1 pm.
This 96 bed hospital services a community of 196,000 people. It has 2 wards male and female in 2 bungalows styled adjoining buildings. (See the videos and pics that have been posted). There is also separate maternity ward, isolation ward, outpatient clinic/pharmacy wards, a dental office, surgical theater, Lab/Xray, staff housing, chapel,(also a new one is being built), and the orphanage all on the grounds. Plus we have cows and chickens and a few goats all over the grounds. We are surrounded by farms. Most of the place was built between 1930 -1960. It’s very serviceable but needs a lot of work and upgrades. Most westerns would not want to be here. But this place seems to do good work in the community. It is amazing to see the families and people in the hospital. While they don’t have a lot, they definitely work with what they have.
Some of the cases I saw:
A couple of cancer patients that were pretty much told that they were terminal. They were receiving supportive care. But that was it. Most had some surgery in the past. The masses came back. One patient’s abdomen was full of palpable masses. After surgical options had been exhausted they were sent home basically to die. They come here to get what support they can. But most did not seem angry or sad. Just accepting. Glad to be receiving some treatments.
AIDS Patients - of course this is Africa. The only continent that AIDS is still growing at unchecked rates. We can discuss the reasons later. AIDS affect roughly 7-8% of the Tanzanian population which is not very bad for an African Country.( It also a major shame that I can say that). This region has a 4-5 % rate of infection. Interestingly some of the problems that exist here are the same world over. There needs to be much more education throughout the country particularly at the middle school and high school levels and in rural communities. The chuches need to get on board a little more. This is a very conservative society so AIDS education runs into the same roadblocks here that it does in fundamental communities around the world. Don’t teach sex education and disease prevention. The view is teach abstainance only. People should not be have premarital sex or extra marital affairs. I’m not here to knock that. It should be taught. But isn’t part of the mission to also help the people that sin get whole again. Once the horse is gone closing the barn door doesn’t help the issue. But yes abstinancy and dedicated clean tested sexual partners is the best defense. Oh well !! There is some work being done but not as much as needed. There are patient confidentiality issues also. A patient can only be tested if they consent to it and their status is kept under the strictest confidence. One cannot be tested even if the doctors are sure the person has it. All they can do is send a health consular to talk to the patient and advise them about the disease. But for many reasons including stigma and discrimination, many people refuse to get tested. We have one case in which the hospital knows a patient to be positive but nothing can be done as this is secondhand knowledge from a credible source. Anyway she is in with an infection with her infant and breast feeding. She also will not consent to the test. So there is nothing that can be done at this point. Very frustrating. But like many places.. along with treatment and education it is going to take some cultural change to get in front of the AID issue here.
Untreated Diabetes is an issue here. Several cases both coma ulcerated legs and other repercussions of diabetes. There is no home testing. There is some nutritional consulting but there is not enough. Home equipment and better in hospital testing would help a lot. Better awareness and management would help eliminate the revolving door.
Asthma is not uncommon here. There are several cases currently in the hospital
Being a rural area there are quite a femoral shaft fractures. They reduce using skeletal and skin traction as appropriate. But the traction is done by using nail and attaching sandbag and sting then hanging off the bed. The bed is elevated and the patient stays for 8 weeks in the bed not moving very much. This leads to quite a few bad cases of bed sores and other issues. I think that they could benefit from some simple things such as Hare and Sagar Traction splints. Also modifying the technology for hospital use so patients can be more comfortable and also have more mobility.
There were a few cases of various types of chronic heart issues. Most that are very treatable and manageable at home. They are not very treatible here.
The thing that surprised me quite a bit was that there are several patients here recovering from suicide attempts. That was surprising and concerning.
The maternity ward covers the full range of maternity and female issues.
Lastly we have a case of severe bed sores.( pics posted under medical pics on other website) this patient was brought into the hospital after being home in bed for 1 month with no feeling/mobility in his legs. His butt and thighs were an open sore down to the bone. The staff us using moist gauze dressing but padding with sanitary napkins and then taping that. I was able to find and demonstrate a better dress technique with equipment from the pharmacy. Nana (big ups to you) also pointed out that the patient probably had a huge protein deficiency. Which the doctors agreed. So we were able to find some donated protein shakes and vitamins in the pharmacy after a helping reorg the pharmacy. We also enacted an egg a day program to augment the meals that his family brings. I funded the first 15 days. Dr Jo will continue as needed.
Some more observations.
While donations are definitely welcome and needed. I have observed the following.:
A lot of donations that have expired both medications and supplies. For some things that may be ok but for the most part its just using this place as a dump since all we can do is throw it out here. That is not right. People should keep in mind that it does take a long time for supplies to reach the final end point. If the expiration date is coming up as one sends a donation if you believe that it is still serviceable … send a note as to how much longer it can be used… If you find some shit in the back of the store room that expired in 1985 or 1960 ( Yes I found a case of stuff from the Washington DC Red Cross taken from a fall-out shelter. Yeah what the F#$%K!!!) Just throw it out !!!!
If you are sending loose mixed items label and separate into small baggies if you can. After all you do want the gift to help someone not live in a container because there is not enough man power to sort thru it.
Send instruction or at least a note with websites where instructions can be gotten. Don’t assume that even the trained folks will understand your equipment or complex product. Also remember english is a second language here. So diagrams are great. Folks here are very smart but somewhat under trained and overworked. As you can see all the Medical staff have to be “jacks of all trades” and “masters of none” so a little guidance goes a long way.
Sending donations and money can be tricky. Use reputable organizations or try to make direct connections with organizations on the ground. I’ll take a minute to thank Robyn Pitts for her mammoth efforts. She also discovered the red tape and difficulty in dealing with this part of the world. DON”T LET THAT DETER YOU !!! The effort may be a little bit difficult at first. But once you’ve done it once. It’s repeatable. Also you’ll know that you really helped out. Also share your findings and info with others so they can join in on the good work.
Many volunteer and donation organizations take a lot off the top. More then the actually forward on. But in their defense they do and have done the leg work of make the connections in many of these countries. They also have to deal with multiple governments red tape and other BS. But still I get the impression that they are profiting little bit too much. So do as much investigation as you can or want to. If you just want the tax deduction then something is better then nothing.
Also understand that a certain amount of graft and bribery is just how the system works. Factor it in and keep it moving. Try to minimize if you can.
Volunteering is very interesting. I’ve had numerous conversations with other volunteers so a few things.
YOU SHOULD DO IT. Volunteer somewhere, anywhere . make it some where that you really want to see. If done right you’ll always get more out of it then you put into it. It will be a working vacation. Most places only ask that you do a minimum of 30 hrs per work( But you can do more then that too. The pay is the same). One group that services Nakaranga works from 8 am to 12 noon. Then does cultural enrichment(sight seeing). Plus they get weekends off. Plus you can then go safari or traveling before or after whatever your assignment is. One good thing about volunteering is that it’s generally a cheaper way to go. You’ll see and experience more the just the tourist shit. Plus you get a tax deduction.(Maybe)
More African- Americans in general need to get out and see the world in general. Definitely more men need to get out. So far I have not met another AA man in my travels. I think people need to see that many people look very favorably on the African - American people as the Diaspora’s fore leaders. We need to really understand the benefits that you do have even at the bottom of our system. Conversely the only way to actively fight the negative stereo type about us that are out there is to introduce ourselves to the world. Remember to the only folks that everyone sees is one MTV or in sports or in the military. I think we have more to offer then just that.
In my view at least for the places I’ve been… Human resources are needed more then material resources. African has plenty of natural resource. African human resources are underdeveloped. They need people in all fields to bring there expertise here and train folks to think and do. Anyone can volunteer. You don’t have to be medical pro or a teacher. They can use all people that have some knowledge and a desire to help. Carpenters mechanics plumbers clerks anyone can add to the knowledge base. We all have professions and hobbies and interests that can make lasting improvements here.
OK actually volunteering… There are many organizations out there. Some are not that good … some are great. Just like with charities ..do your research and find one that matches your goals. In the end they all will get you here. Some are mainly tourist shops that use volunteering as way to get you a tax deductible vacation. The other extreme will have you in hut living and working as a native. Find you lane get in it. But do it.
Try to find programs that have tangible things that you can do. A program that has short term projects that you can do within 1 -2 weeks is good for your psyche and helps the people on the ground. Similarly joining an on-going project can be good as it keeps the program going. No matter what… be flexible… you may not be able to do exactly what you came to do… But you can be helpful …. Jump in were you can with the things you can do. .. remember you are there to help not to be helped.
Ask your agency lots of questions but don’t always expect a complete answer. Try to get a feeling of what your money is paying for and try to find out what it actually costs so you can understand what your agency is really about. Many are charging what the market will bear but paying out nothing. This is important because I’ve seen people paying to volunteer and live and eat at host family housing at a 3-4 star hotel rate. One company charges $400 per week (neither transport is included nor does that include safari). They are paying out $50 per week plus a little more of local guides and admins. I figure they are making at least $300 per week per person. Meanwhile you “could have had a V-8”. Staying and eating in Africa is very cheap even a decent places. Don’t think US pricing.
If you do come, expect miscommunication and or no communication( as you’ve seen in my previous notes). Bring all your documentation and local contacts in your carry on. Buy an unlocked or have your GSM phone unlocked. At the airport by a sim card and pay as you go. This way you can easily reach people locally. But expect things not to go as planned. Go with the flow .. Beware be careful… But expect it and work with it. Most times things will work out correctly. But the ugly American move ONLY HURTS YOU.
If you do come, realize that there are different cultural norms and beliefs. Try to read up on the place you are going and try to fit in or at least be understanding of things happening. And remember that you can not change a place with 2 weeks of volunteering. You can have an impact.
All that being said. Anyone and every one how wants to can do something if they wish to. While I may have been on a soap box for a moment. But I have been volunteering at home since I was 15(25 years). So this is not new to me just a new venue for me. I don’t care if you do or you don’t volunteer somewhere. I’am offering my advice if you choose to volunteer or donate international or domestically. Do as you see fit.
OK that is enough from me for now.
See you on the next installment.
Sean
Now is into the beginning of the main part of the volunteering. Not before some more welcome to Africa type shit. Mai was cool enough to lend me a towel and good thing that I have a sleeping bag. But meals are also supposed to be included. But NOOOO!!. So last night when I went for dinner after some language issue. I.E no one in the canteen spoke english that day and my Swahili does not yet extend to food items. Plus I’m the only Mzungu there. Well after a bit of work on my part and a lot of patience on their part I get rice and beans and a coke, Then when I get up to leave I say asante and kwa heri
Then go out the door. 2 seconds later the cashier is chasing me and yelling in Swahili. Now I’m supposed to pay. I’m like NO !!!(Hapana). Either way I go back and sign the book as I saw other staff doing and left. He was not very happy. But he and you will be cool later. Young Kid reminds me a little of my godson AK. They look to be the same age. This all gets worked out the next day with the head doctor and administrator. Plus Mai and I have a full kitchen. So you know how I do. I went shopping. I don’t cook every day but we have an old fridge. We live near farms so the veggies are fresh. Not much meat cause there is not any really good refrigeration. So the meat needs to be stewed to tenderize.
So after waking up at 6:15 am and then again at 7 am (LOL). Luckily I can look fprward to hot water. It’s hot as Mai gets up at 5:45am to turn on the heater then she goes back to bed … then showers and does morning bathroom “ish” until 7:00. Then my turn… We head down to morning service. 8am every morning.
It also the morning staff meeting. Births, Deaths, and new admits and other announcements are made. I’m introduced to the staff. Dr Julius tries to explain what I do but EMT means doesn’t translate. Everyone is cool. Susan Emily, Carla and Michele also introduce themselves. The last two are from Cultural Crossroad Solutions. Susan and Emily are also Global Cross Road. CCS provides volunteers mainly to the orphanage from 8am till noon. The ladies are both in undergrad and pre – med majors. CCS has volunteers as young as 16 in country. Interesting.
So after chapel I take breakfast with Susan and Emily. Tea and Chapati which is a flat bread tortilla at the canteen. Keep in mind that the canteen is not the western variety. It has a small kitchen with charcoal fired ovens and an electric range top. So there are not many options. Basically chapatti, Banana Stew, rice and beans, and sometime stewed beef, chicken or goat(not often that is more in Kenya). For breakfast fried or boiled eggs. To drink we can get Chai (tea) or coffee (all day), Coke, Fanta( Yes Fanta is huge here) orange and pineapple. Then for your dining pleasure and entertainment - Tanzanian gospel videos ( this is a KKKT (Lutheran Church run) hospital. But the food is pretty good. It definitely fresh and well cooked. They do prepare it well so no one gets sick. The folks there are friendly. The canteen also feeds the patients, staff and school kids in the area. The hospital does not have a kitchen so patients families either have to bring them food or the patients have to buy it from the canteen.
So after breakfast I go on rounds with Dr Mbezi. The hospital has 4 doctors. 3 full time (Dr Kwesa, Dr Julius and Dr Mbezi all Tanzanian)) and 1 part time(Dr Jo, she’s a New Zealander). On the rounds I assist with vital signs thus freeing up a nurse and the Dr discusses each case with me. Rounds take from 9 until 1 pm.
This 96 bed hospital services a community of 196,000 people. It has 2 wards male and female in 2 bungalows styled adjoining buildings. (See the videos and pics that have been posted). There is also separate maternity ward, isolation ward, outpatient clinic/pharmacy wards, a dental office, surgical theater, Lab/Xray, staff housing, chapel,(also a new one is being built), and the orphanage all on the grounds. Plus we have cows and chickens and a few goats all over the grounds. We are surrounded by farms. Most of the place was built between 1930 -1960. It’s very serviceable but needs a lot of work and upgrades. Most westerns would not want to be here. But this place seems to do good work in the community. It is amazing to see the families and people in the hospital. While they don’t have a lot, they definitely work with what they have.
Some of the cases I saw:
A couple of cancer patients that were pretty much told that they were terminal. They were receiving supportive care. But that was it. Most had some surgery in the past. The masses came back. One patient’s abdomen was full of palpable masses. After surgical options had been exhausted they were sent home basically to die. They come here to get what support they can. But most did not seem angry or sad. Just accepting. Glad to be receiving some treatments.
AIDS Patients - of course this is Africa. The only continent that AIDS is still growing at unchecked rates. We can discuss the reasons later. AIDS affect roughly 7-8% of the Tanzanian population which is not very bad for an African Country.( It also a major shame that I can say that). This region has a 4-5 % rate of infection. Interestingly some of the problems that exist here are the same world over. There needs to be much more education throughout the country particularly at the middle school and high school levels and in rural communities. The chuches need to get on board a little more. This is a very conservative society so AIDS education runs into the same roadblocks here that it does in fundamental communities around the world. Don’t teach sex education and disease prevention. The view is teach abstainance only. People should not be have premarital sex or extra marital affairs. I’m not here to knock that. It should be taught. But isn’t part of the mission to also help the people that sin get whole again. Once the horse is gone closing the barn door doesn’t help the issue. But yes abstinancy and dedicated clean tested sexual partners is the best defense. Oh well !! There is some work being done but not as much as needed. There are patient confidentiality issues also. A patient can only be tested if they consent to it and their status is kept under the strictest confidence. One cannot be tested even if the doctors are sure the person has it. All they can do is send a health consular to talk to the patient and advise them about the disease. But for many reasons including stigma and discrimination, many people refuse to get tested. We have one case in which the hospital knows a patient to be positive but nothing can be done as this is secondhand knowledge from a credible source. Anyway she is in with an infection with her infant and breast feeding. She also will not consent to the test. So there is nothing that can be done at this point. Very frustrating. But like many places.. along with treatment and education it is going to take some cultural change to get in front of the AID issue here.
Untreated Diabetes is an issue here. Several cases both coma ulcerated legs and other repercussions of diabetes. There is no home testing. There is some nutritional consulting but there is not enough. Home equipment and better in hospital testing would help a lot. Better awareness and management would help eliminate the revolving door.
Asthma is not uncommon here. There are several cases currently in the hospital
Being a rural area there are quite a femoral shaft fractures. They reduce using skeletal and skin traction as appropriate. But the traction is done by using nail and attaching sandbag and sting then hanging off the bed. The bed is elevated and the patient stays for 8 weeks in the bed not moving very much. This leads to quite a few bad cases of bed sores and other issues. I think that they could benefit from some simple things such as Hare and Sagar Traction splints. Also modifying the technology for hospital use so patients can be more comfortable and also have more mobility.
There were a few cases of various types of chronic heart issues. Most that are very treatable and manageable at home. They are not very treatible here.
The thing that surprised me quite a bit was that there are several patients here recovering from suicide attempts. That was surprising and concerning.
The maternity ward covers the full range of maternity and female issues.
Lastly we have a case of severe bed sores.( pics posted under medical pics on other website) this patient was brought into the hospital after being home in bed for 1 month with no feeling/mobility in his legs. His butt and thighs were an open sore down to the bone. The staff us using moist gauze dressing but padding with sanitary napkins and then taping that. I was able to find and demonstrate a better dress technique with equipment from the pharmacy. Nana (big ups to you) also pointed out that the patient probably had a huge protein deficiency. Which the doctors agreed. So we were able to find some donated protein shakes and vitamins in the pharmacy after a helping reorg the pharmacy. We also enacted an egg a day program to augment the meals that his family brings. I funded the first 15 days. Dr Jo will continue as needed.
Some more observations.
While donations are definitely welcome and needed. I have observed the following.:
A lot of donations that have expired both medications and supplies. For some things that may be ok but for the most part its just using this place as a dump since all we can do is throw it out here. That is not right. People should keep in mind that it does take a long time for supplies to reach the final end point. If the expiration date is coming up as one sends a donation if you believe that it is still serviceable … send a note as to how much longer it can be used… If you find some shit in the back of the store room that expired in 1985 or 1960 ( Yes I found a case of stuff from the Washington DC Red Cross taken from a fall-out shelter. Yeah what the F#$%K!!!) Just throw it out !!!!
If you are sending loose mixed items label and separate into small baggies if you can. After all you do want the gift to help someone not live in a container because there is not enough man power to sort thru it.
Send instruction or at least a note with websites where instructions can be gotten. Don’t assume that even the trained folks will understand your equipment or complex product. Also remember english is a second language here. So diagrams are great. Folks here are very smart but somewhat under trained and overworked. As you can see all the Medical staff have to be “jacks of all trades” and “masters of none” so a little guidance goes a long way.
Sending donations and money can be tricky. Use reputable organizations or try to make direct connections with organizations on the ground. I’ll take a minute to thank Robyn Pitts for her mammoth efforts. She also discovered the red tape and difficulty in dealing with this part of the world. DON”T LET THAT DETER YOU !!! The effort may be a little bit difficult at first. But once you’ve done it once. It’s repeatable. Also you’ll know that you really helped out. Also share your findings and info with others so they can join in on the good work.
Many volunteer and donation organizations take a lot off the top. More then the actually forward on. But in their defense they do and have done the leg work of make the connections in many of these countries. They also have to deal with multiple governments red tape and other BS. But still I get the impression that they are profiting little bit too much. So do as much investigation as you can or want to. If you just want the tax deduction then something is better then nothing.
Also understand that a certain amount of graft and bribery is just how the system works. Factor it in and keep it moving. Try to minimize if you can.
Volunteering is very interesting. I’ve had numerous conversations with other volunteers so a few things.
YOU SHOULD DO IT. Volunteer somewhere, anywhere . make it some where that you really want to see. If done right you’ll always get more out of it then you put into it. It will be a working vacation. Most places only ask that you do a minimum of 30 hrs per work( But you can do more then that too. The pay is the same). One group that services Nakaranga works from 8 am to 12 noon. Then does cultural enrichment(sight seeing). Plus they get weekends off. Plus you can then go safari or traveling before or after whatever your assignment is. One good thing about volunteering is that it’s generally a cheaper way to go. You’ll see and experience more the just the tourist shit. Plus you get a tax deduction.(Maybe)
More African- Americans in general need to get out and see the world in general. Definitely more men need to get out. So far I have not met another AA man in my travels. I think people need to see that many people look very favorably on the African - American people as the Diaspora’s fore leaders. We need to really understand the benefits that you do have even at the bottom of our system. Conversely the only way to actively fight the negative stereo type about us that are out there is to introduce ourselves to the world. Remember to the only folks that everyone sees is one MTV or in sports or in the military. I think we have more to offer then just that.
In my view at least for the places I’ve been… Human resources are needed more then material resources. African has plenty of natural resource. African human resources are underdeveloped. They need people in all fields to bring there expertise here and train folks to think and do. Anyone can volunteer. You don’t have to be medical pro or a teacher. They can use all people that have some knowledge and a desire to help. Carpenters mechanics plumbers clerks anyone can add to the knowledge base. We all have professions and hobbies and interests that can make lasting improvements here.
OK actually volunteering… There are many organizations out there. Some are not that good … some are great. Just like with charities ..do your research and find one that matches your goals. In the end they all will get you here. Some are mainly tourist shops that use volunteering as way to get you a tax deductible vacation. The other extreme will have you in hut living and working as a native. Find you lane get in it. But do it.
Try to find programs that have tangible things that you can do. A program that has short term projects that you can do within 1 -2 weeks is good for your psyche and helps the people on the ground. Similarly joining an on-going project can be good as it keeps the program going. No matter what… be flexible… you may not be able to do exactly what you came to do… But you can be helpful …. Jump in were you can with the things you can do. .. remember you are there to help not to be helped.
Ask your agency lots of questions but don’t always expect a complete answer. Try to get a feeling of what your money is paying for and try to find out what it actually costs so you can understand what your agency is really about. Many are charging what the market will bear but paying out nothing. This is important because I’ve seen people paying to volunteer and live and eat at host family housing at a 3-4 star hotel rate. One company charges $400 per week (neither transport is included nor does that include safari). They are paying out $50 per week plus a little more of local guides and admins. I figure they are making at least $300 per week per person. Meanwhile you “could have had a V-8”. Staying and eating in Africa is very cheap even a decent places. Don’t think US pricing.
If you do come, expect miscommunication and or no communication( as you’ve seen in my previous notes). Bring all your documentation and local contacts in your carry on. Buy an unlocked or have your GSM phone unlocked. At the airport by a sim card and pay as you go. This way you can easily reach people locally. But expect things not to go as planned. Go with the flow .. Beware be careful… But expect it and work with it. Most times things will work out correctly. But the ugly American move ONLY HURTS YOU.
If you do come, realize that there are different cultural norms and beliefs. Try to read up on the place you are going and try to fit in or at least be understanding of things happening. And remember that you can not change a place with 2 weeks of volunteering. You can have an impact.
All that being said. Anyone and every one how wants to can do something if they wish to. While I may have been on a soap box for a moment. But I have been volunteering at home since I was 15(25 years). So this is not new to me just a new venue for me. I don’t care if you do or you don’t volunteer somewhere. I’am offering my advice if you choose to volunteer or donate international or domestically. Do as you see fit.
OK that is enough from me for now.
See you on the next installment.
Sean
Thursday, August 23, 2007
2nd Installment from Africa
Next Installment of the Journey,
It’s my August 7th 2007 I’ve arrived in Arusha and am staying at the Aquiline Hotel near the bus terminal. As an aside it turns out that my team is being farmed out individually so I’ll be going to Nakaranga Hospital by myself. I arrived after 3 am and I’m supposed to meet Paradise or Prince (depending on who is talking to him) and Ally my guide to Arusha. Prince is the local person for Global Crossroads. As well as the local rep for a Safari Company. So of course he is trying to sell trips. Meet the guys at 8:30 am for breakfast. At 9:30 Ally and I take off for my “orientation” to Arusha and AruMoru (this region of Tanzania ). He is a Muslim born in Arusha and raised here and in Kenya . He is a local guide and computer tech. Arusha and Moshi are huge tourist centers. Most safaris and climbs or Killi and Mt Meru (2nd highest mountain in Tanzania / 5th Highest in Africa ) are originated here. Plus trips to the Ngorogoro Crater, Lake Manyara Park and the Serengeti also start here. Arusha is also the home of the UN Genocide tribunal for Rwanda . The clock tower in Arusha is also the half way point between Cape Town South Africa and Cairo Egypt . It’s a mid sized city of about 800k people. Ally shows me the major points of interest. How to catch the Dala Dala (the local transport here) bus and where the banks and internet is. We did stop into the court to hear the trial which is translated into many languages. But the trial was in adjournment. Then we went onto the Mt Meru Massai Market. This is the local spot for craftsman to sell there wares to each other and Mzugus (white person … which I have learned now includes me.. I think I’ll join the Klan when I get home…LOL). Spent 3 hrs going from stall to stall not buying anything yet but everyone was very cool. Not too many people with the “welcome home to Africa now buy something from me”. Most folks were interested in where I come from and why I was there. Met a couple of people that had met Bill Clinton when he was in country as president and also most recently (2 weeks ago). There is a lot of good stuff and a lot of tourist crap around. Ally and I then stop off for a beer and then to sit down for a moment. We had been out almost 6 hrs. Then off the exchange money and find internet access point. Ok, internet service in Arumaro sucks. Even a good line is only 384 kbs. There is wireless satellite type service but it is not the best nor does it have high throughput. Climate and terrain - wise Northern Tanzania is very much like the West Virginia Mountains . Its spring time for temp is in the 50’s – 60’s during the day, high 40’s - 50’s at night. Very hilly and green. One downside is that Global Crossroad over sold the prevalence of English in Tanzania . People are friendly and do work with you but there definitely is a huge language gap. My Swahili leaves a lot to be desired.
For dinner I met up with another volunteer from Global X-roads. She is working in Dar Es Salem. She took the 10 hrs bus ride up to go on Safari. Gloria a 21 year old senior at Barnard. She is working in School in Dar. She had similar transportation issue. Even flying into Dar. No one picked her up. Then they sent someone who did not speak any English. Walked up to her with his cell out. He handed her the phone.. The local coordinator is on the other line saying that this is the driver to ride with him… Yeah right !!! But what are you going to do. But worse for her was that after 2 weeks in country. Her clothes still have not arrived. Air Tanzania !!! But she is in good spirits and going up to Ngorogoro crater and Lake Manyara for 4 days. She is enjoying her volunteering. We had a good dinner and I played some music with the local band. Back to hotel and bed. In the am we head to the hospital Nakaranga Hospital It’s 25 km outside Arusha on the road to Moshi the town is Kelala. The back of the grounds re the back side of Mt Meru. But not the side that can be climbed, it’s a former German Hospital/Dispensary now run by the Lutheran Diocese. After driving 6 km up a dirt road we hit the hospital. Think Lighthouse Lane before they paved the roads in Sag for 5km. It’s a hospital/orphanage/school compound. As I have found the time and communication in Africa work very differently. We arrive at the hospital to find that no one knows that I coming. The Dr is in surgery and I have to wait. We sit in the canteen and have lunch banana stew. I did not realize that there are 15 different types of banana. I will some be sick of bananas. I also learned the phase Pole (Poo lay) Pole. Or slowly slowly. Rich and Dinorah would not make it here. Me I think I found my people. LOL.. Strangely Pole by itself means sorry. Some my Swahili is now Hello ( habari, Jambo , Mambo, Salame), all the above are greetings. The response can be Nzuri, Safi , Poa,. The next word that you hear all the time is Karibu ( welcome) or Karibu Sana Very welcome, next is Assante (thank you) … Assante Sana. So that is my Swahili. Anyway after 1.5 hrs the Doc is still in the operating theater. So we walk up to meet another volunteer couple, Susan and Emily a mother and daughter from LA. There are working in the orphanage. Susan grew up in Inwood and went to GW HS. A Former actress now special Ed teacher. Emily is 20 year old senior we would spend quite a bit of time with each other soon. But for now Prince is working with them on planning their Safari.
Finally I get my housing. The house looks like back in the day it was a very nice place. But now it’s serviceable. It’s 4 bedrooms 1 bath, kitchen with an upstairs that will never be used again. But we are living large cause the hot water heater works. For if you wait 2o minutes and the electricity is working a hot shower is possible. This is relatively large. The only other person in the house is Mai a Danish pharmacist from Copenhagen . But she was raised on a Christmas tree farm of all places. She is with Pharmacists without Borders on a 6 month placement. Her family had just left this am. Plus 2 days before all the other volunteers staying in the house had left. Susan and Emily are in another house. Anyway Mai gives me the tour then lets me know that they have no idea why I there… Just great… Anyway I pick a bedroom and unpack. Not bad at least I have a bed but no linen nor towels. Luckily I have a sleeping bag and a camp towel, Mai is good enough to lend me a real towel.
I go down with Mai to the pharmacy. She shows me around. The first thing that I learned is that the thing most needed here is not stuff but expertise. They had 3 containers of donations that they could not sort thru. More on that later. I immediately get into the mix as the nurses are asking her about a patient with bedsores. She points them to me as she doesn’t know how to dress wounds. No words can do justice to this wound. The pics will be posted. This man had no butt. This wound went all the way to the bone on the butt and both thighs. They were using gauze and padding it with sanitary napkins and tape. Back in the pharmacy I start looking for a better solution. But all dressing supplies are unorganized and just stacked in a room. Plus the head doctor only lets the pharmacist dispense any supplies including dressings bandages and other stuff. But she doesn’t about alot of the things in the boxes. She has arranged all the medication and trained the staff to get it properly dispensed.
It’s not that the people are ignorant. The opposite is true they are very smart and good at what they do. They are just massively under trained and understaffed. Anyway after a few hours I meet Dr Julius the assistant chief doctor. We discuss my placement and he tells me to meet him after morning chapel for rounds. We are requested to attend chapel at 8am every am. Cool… I head up to the house. I grab the donations and walk up the hill to the orphanage. Susan and Emily introduce me to the mommas in charge, The orphanage has for kids 0-5 years old, But they are not orphans in the way we think of orphans. All but 2 of the kids have fathers that are still alive. 1 was found in a dumpster at about 3 days old and another lost both parents to Aids. But the others will stay here until they are 5 then be place in other schools/orphanages or back with their fathers or other family. All of their mothers have passed on and it appears that men don’t take care of young children in this society. The fathers are supposed to come and visit once per month although it is not enforced. I don’t quite understand this whole thing. I make the donation… Help with the kids for awhile then head home. Mai then tells me that I’ll have to go up every day from a little while to ensure that the Mommas don’t sell/or take the donations. I don’t know what to say. But over time I would learn that it is not uncommon for things to go missing cause nobody is well paid, So I head back to the house and get ready for bed.
Two more observations.
It gets dark here early by 7pm it’s dark. We are close to the equator so the days are even year round. 7am – 7pm sunlight.
Coming to Africa is not the homecoming that I thought it would be. I mean that I don’t feel like a lot of people have described. Crying and shit when they get off the plane… Or an overwhelming feeling to belonging. I feel more like I’ve come to a grandparents house. You are welcome and comfortable but it not your house. Everyone I’m met and spent time with has been great. It’s good to be in a place where almost everyone is black. The history and variety of people and places is stunning. I could stay here for a long time. But I’m still a welcomed distant relative. I’m not sure if this is coming thru clearly. But I’m happy to be here and liking what I see. And what I’m going. Just not having the overwhelming feeling that so many people have described. But that could just be me. I do know this much. I will come back here not just to Africa .
More soon. Next installment is come up
It’s my August 7th 2007 I’ve arrived in Arusha and am staying at the Aquiline Hotel near the bus terminal. As an aside it turns out that my team is being farmed out individually so I’ll be going to Nakaranga Hospital by myself. I arrived after 3 am and I’m supposed to meet Paradise or Prince (depending on who is talking to him) and Ally my guide to Arusha. Prince is the local person for Global Crossroads. As well as the local rep for a Safari Company. So of course he is trying to sell trips. Meet the guys at 8:30 am for breakfast. At 9:30 Ally and I take off for my “orientation” to Arusha and AruMoru (this region of Tanzania ). He is a Muslim born in Arusha and raised here and in Kenya . He is a local guide and computer tech. Arusha and Moshi are huge tourist centers. Most safaris and climbs or Killi and Mt Meru (2nd highest mountain in Tanzania / 5th Highest in Africa ) are originated here. Plus trips to the Ngorogoro Crater, Lake Manyara Park and the Serengeti also start here. Arusha is also the home of the UN Genocide tribunal for Rwanda . The clock tower in Arusha is also the half way point between Cape Town South Africa and Cairo Egypt . It’s a mid sized city of about 800k people. Ally shows me the major points of interest. How to catch the Dala Dala (the local transport here) bus and where the banks and internet is. We did stop into the court to hear the trial which is translated into many languages. But the trial was in adjournment. Then we went onto the Mt Meru Massai Market. This is the local spot for craftsman to sell there wares to each other and Mzugus (white person … which I have learned now includes me.. I think I’ll join the Klan when I get home…LOL). Spent 3 hrs going from stall to stall not buying anything yet but everyone was very cool. Not too many people with the “welcome home to Africa now buy something from me”. Most folks were interested in where I come from and why I was there. Met a couple of people that had met Bill Clinton when he was in country as president and also most recently (2 weeks ago). There is a lot of good stuff and a lot of tourist crap around. Ally and I then stop off for a beer and then to sit down for a moment. We had been out almost 6 hrs. Then off the exchange money and find internet access point. Ok, internet service in Arumaro sucks. Even a good line is only 384 kbs. There is wireless satellite type service but it is not the best nor does it have high throughput. Climate and terrain - wise Northern Tanzania is very much like the West Virginia Mountains . Its spring time for temp is in the 50’s – 60’s during the day, high 40’s - 50’s at night. Very hilly and green. One downside is that Global Crossroad over sold the prevalence of English in Tanzania . People are friendly and do work with you but there definitely is a huge language gap. My Swahili leaves a lot to be desired.
For dinner I met up with another volunteer from Global X-roads. She is working in Dar Es Salem. She took the 10 hrs bus ride up to go on Safari. Gloria a 21 year old senior at Barnard. She is working in School in Dar. She had similar transportation issue. Even flying into Dar. No one picked her up. Then they sent someone who did not speak any English. Walked up to her with his cell out. He handed her the phone.. The local coordinator is on the other line saying that this is the driver to ride with him… Yeah right !!! But what are you going to do. But worse for her was that after 2 weeks in country. Her clothes still have not arrived. Air Tanzania !!! But she is in good spirits and going up to Ngorogoro crater and Lake Manyara for 4 days. She is enjoying her volunteering. We had a good dinner and I played some music with the local band. Back to hotel and bed. In the am we head to the hospital Nakaranga Hospital It’s 25 km outside Arusha on the road to Moshi the town is Kelala. The back of the grounds re the back side of Mt Meru. But not the side that can be climbed, it’s a former German Hospital/Dispensary now run by the Lutheran Diocese. After driving 6 km up a dirt road we hit the hospital. Think Lighthouse Lane before they paved the roads in Sag for 5km. It’s a hospital/orphanage/school compound. As I have found the time and communication in Africa work very differently. We arrive at the hospital to find that no one knows that I coming. The Dr is in surgery and I have to wait. We sit in the canteen and have lunch banana stew. I did not realize that there are 15 different types of banana. I will some be sick of bananas. I also learned the phase Pole (Poo lay) Pole. Or slowly slowly. Rich and Dinorah would not make it here. Me I think I found my people. LOL.. Strangely Pole by itself means sorry. Some my Swahili is now Hello ( habari, Jambo , Mambo, Salame), all the above are greetings. The response can be Nzuri, Safi , Poa,. The next word that you hear all the time is Karibu ( welcome) or Karibu Sana Very welcome, next is Assante (thank you) … Assante Sana. So that is my Swahili. Anyway after 1.5 hrs the Doc is still in the operating theater. So we walk up to meet another volunteer couple, Susan and Emily a mother and daughter from LA. There are working in the orphanage. Susan grew up in Inwood and went to GW HS. A Former actress now special Ed teacher. Emily is 20 year old senior we would spend quite a bit of time with each other soon. But for now Prince is working with them on planning their Safari.
Finally I get my housing. The house looks like back in the day it was a very nice place. But now it’s serviceable. It’s 4 bedrooms 1 bath, kitchen with an upstairs that will never be used again. But we are living large cause the hot water heater works. For if you wait 2o minutes and the electricity is working a hot shower is possible. This is relatively large. The only other person in the house is Mai a Danish pharmacist from Copenhagen . But she was raised on a Christmas tree farm of all places. She is with Pharmacists without Borders on a 6 month placement. Her family had just left this am. Plus 2 days before all the other volunteers staying in the house had left. Susan and Emily are in another house. Anyway Mai gives me the tour then lets me know that they have no idea why I there… Just great… Anyway I pick a bedroom and unpack. Not bad at least I have a bed but no linen nor towels. Luckily I have a sleeping bag and a camp towel, Mai is good enough to lend me a real towel.
I go down with Mai to the pharmacy. She shows me around. The first thing that I learned is that the thing most needed here is not stuff but expertise. They had 3 containers of donations that they could not sort thru. More on that later. I immediately get into the mix as the nurses are asking her about a patient with bedsores. She points them to me as she doesn’t know how to dress wounds. No words can do justice to this wound. The pics will be posted. This man had no butt. This wound went all the way to the bone on the butt and both thighs. They were using gauze and padding it with sanitary napkins and tape. Back in the pharmacy I start looking for a better solution. But all dressing supplies are unorganized and just stacked in a room. Plus the head doctor only lets the pharmacist dispense any supplies including dressings bandages and other stuff. But she doesn’t about alot of the things in the boxes. She has arranged all the medication and trained the staff to get it properly dispensed.
It’s not that the people are ignorant. The opposite is true they are very smart and good at what they do. They are just massively under trained and understaffed. Anyway after a few hours I meet Dr Julius the assistant chief doctor. We discuss my placement and he tells me to meet him after morning chapel for rounds. We are requested to attend chapel at 8am every am. Cool… I head up to the house. I grab the donations and walk up the hill to the orphanage. Susan and Emily introduce me to the mommas in charge, The orphanage has for kids 0-5 years old, But they are not orphans in the way we think of orphans. All but 2 of the kids have fathers that are still alive. 1 was found in a dumpster at about 3 days old and another lost both parents to Aids. But the others will stay here until they are 5 then be place in other schools/orphanages or back with their fathers or other family. All of their mothers have passed on and it appears that men don’t take care of young children in this society. The fathers are supposed to come and visit once per month although it is not enforced. I don’t quite understand this whole thing. I make the donation… Help with the kids for awhile then head home. Mai then tells me that I’ll have to go up every day from a little while to ensure that the Mommas don’t sell/or take the donations. I don’t know what to say. But over time I would learn that it is not uncommon for things to go missing cause nobody is well paid, So I head back to the house and get ready for bed.
Two more observations.
It gets dark here early by 7pm it’s dark. We are close to the equator so the days are even year round. 7am – 7pm sunlight.
Coming to Africa is not the homecoming that I thought it would be. I mean that I don’t feel like a lot of people have described. Crying and shit when they get off the plane… Or an overwhelming feeling to belonging. I feel more like I’ve come to a grandparents house. You are welcome and comfortable but it not your house. Everyone I’m met and spent time with has been great. It’s good to be in a place where almost everyone is black. The history and variety of people and places is stunning. I could stay here for a long time. But I’m still a welcomed distant relative. I’m not sure if this is coming thru clearly. But I’m happy to be here and liking what I see. And what I’m going. Just not having the overwhelming feeling that so many people have described. But that could just be me. I do know this much. I will come back here not just to Africa .
More soon. Next installment is come up
Pics and Video of my Africa trip
FYI,
Pic and video will be located at http://www.akella.org/homepages/sean/2007africa/some tiem in next two days. This pics and videos cover the beginning of the trip. I do have access to high throughput internet so uploading from here will be difficult. But there will be more.
Special thanks to Mani Akella of Consultantgurus for hosting my pics .
Thanks for caring
Sean
Pic and video will be located at http://www.akella.org/homepages/sean/2007africa/some tiem in next two days. This pics and videos cover the beginning of the trip. I do have access to high throughput internet so uploading from here will be difficult. But there will be more.
Special thanks to Mani Akella of Consultantgurus for hosting my pics .
Thanks for caring
Sean
Africa Adventure first installment
Ok, Folks
I figured I take a moment to recap the trip so far. It’s been a hell of time.
Shout Outs
Thanks to everyone- If I missed you specifically please feel the love I’ll get at you!!
A special thanks to all that came by before I left. Made donations or just called to wish me well. Everyone has been great and supportive. I do appreciate all the positive energy.
Maria thanks for the hair. … It’s still intact…. Plus everything else. I do appreciate you alot
Tee thanks for minding the shop while I’m gone…. Don’t drink all my vodka and don’t let the old people drive you crazy… Hope you are well
Rich and Big D have a great wedding I’ll be there in spirit. .. You guys are great for each other but you need me and Rod to balance you out LOL.
Rod I got your message it’s all good just busy before I left we will hook up
Doug H good luck with everything… I expect to find you up and running when I get back…. party in your house when I get back.
CJ thanks for stepping up for the summit.. Plus who is this jackal that is sniffing around you…Let me find out.
Jan thanks for all the good advice. Jeff thanks for stepping up with TSI and in general.
Charles GOOD LOOKING OUT Nairobi was the bomb !!!
Kimberly (Nicky free) thanks for coming out. I feel Renoir’s Hand from here … you better not go to Stevie without him.
Roland (Ronnie). .. Thanks for the work on the Bike and the positive thoughts. I hope the summer is good.
Roland (Dawg)… We’ll catch up when I back.
Ron Hyman – We’ll holla when I get back
Brian S- Do forget me … We need to be on it in Nov
Denita Happy B’day and thanks for the Cassie hook up…
Karen.. thanks for coming up and for the supplies
Robyn thanks for the super human effort … you are the best.
Sonya thanks for stepping up strong for me… Greg Too.
Charmaine the pecan pie was great….
Barcap Crew – Mani thanks for everything…. Brian thanks for understanding…. Humza good to meet u cu when I get back… Tom great working with you….My best to Everyone.
Gai - the best travel artist I know thanks
Bob.. Ursula…and Uncle Leo thanks for coming thru and for the great gifts..
Gia thanks for everything… 450 or nothing… &..Keep it real for once !!!! LOL
Evan hope your graduation will be the beginning of great things
Mom and Dad Thanks will never be enough !!!
The Beginning Aug 1st 2007.
Flew the red eye to Amsterdam … Left NY at 5:30 pm arrived Amsterdam 7am next am.
Dad took me to the airport and hung out with me until I got thru security. I packed the gifts to fly with so I ve got 4 bags. 2 for donation. But the Check-in lady did not charge me for the extra bags. I told her what I was doing so she looked out. A good beginning to the trip. Not much sleep on the plane. Sat next to a Dutch mother(33)/daughter(12) going home after 4 weeks in NY Mom was cool and outlined some places and things to do in Amsterdam . One of the cool things about Amsterdam airport is that they still have overnight bag checks. So I dropped the donation there for the 2 days. That left me with 2 bags and carry-on. Got shuttle to Hotel Nadia … arrived at 8:30am …
Ok Gai you made me work on this one . One has to be part Billy Goat to get up these Steep AZZ steps. Then in true TSI style the check-in was not until 4pm . It’s 9am now. So no sleep the night neither before nor on plane. But I have a map, money and a list of things to do.
Someone said Amsterdam has something for all people…. Cafes for the young….Museums for the old… and the red light district for the middle aged. I did all three.
I got a ticket for the canal tour line that you can hop on and off. Did Anne Frank house, Rakj Museum , Van Gogh Museum Then to the true shrine …… The Heineken Factory and a 6 pack or 2. Passed out on the boat and made back to the room to pass out. Got back at 6pm … Channeled my inner Mountain Goat and climbed stairs.
Hotel issue number 2 -- TINY ROOMS. They gave me a larger room for the night so my bags would fit.. Forget about it. I passed out … Woke up at 4am and repacked the bags and shipped 30-40 lbs of stuff home. Moved rooms from 3rd to 5th fl….extra Billy goat... Then went out. Found a good café/internet hook up . Got on there net while eating brownies… good stuff. Hangout at Reggae Café .. got some eats.. Walked back to hotel and guess what… Its Gay Pride week, The party is next to my Hotel. So I got the full experience. I decided to try to hit “Power Zone or Odeon” for the all night party. But first back to the café and on to the Red Light District. Very strange to see families walking around with the women in the windows. I did find that pricing was pretty consistent. You have to stop and negotiate. I also noticed that the black and Asian girls were primarily off in their own area. Some shit is the same world over. Found “Rays Original NY Pizza” quite ironic … so got dinner on the run. Stopped for a brownie for dessert and the walk back to club. Hung at the pride party then made for the club. Long story short got lost on foot for 2 hrs just to find the club that was 5 blocks from hotel and that it was WACK !!! (Odeon)…. Power House is across town… Too far…. Sittin on a bench chillin … I notice crowds for black people heading to somewhere… Finally some color. .. so I follow…. Ahh the club Mecca . Drinks … music … women… Hit a house club that was banging music “Sugar Factory” but just tooo White Gay for me that night. But across the street is Melkmek. Reggae all nite. Shit I could have been in Jamaica at a club only everyone spoke Dutch first. Hung out until 5am …. Found my way back to hotel…. Picked up bags for 6:30 airport shuttle.
Nairobi-
Passed out on plane had a nice 7 hr flight . I would need the sleep. If this segment would have a theme sound it would be “party like a rock star” mixed with “Gin and juice”…. Big ups to Charles for hooking me up with Susie and her boy Drew. Landed at 7pm …. got hotel by 8:30 . She was there waiting for me…. She takes me to meet her boy Drew(my Nairobi Tour guide). Just drop the bags and go… She makes intros and bounces because she has to work in the am …. Drew is from Nairobi … first thing he asks is if I like to drink and if I can party all night. To which I say “does the elephant crap in the Jungle”. But first I need to get some grub…. We hit the South African version of McD’s called “Steers”….Exchange some money at the local casino… Off to his friend’s house to warm up the livers. Meet the crew for the night. Sitting on balcony of The Apt with full bar and music. Looking around you would not know that you were not in the states. Everyone is really cool a couple of folks are already out of it. Everyone was western educated very cool folks. Biggest questions were about Barack Obama. So far that has been on of the most frequent conversations I’ve had in Africa . Everyone is very interest in him. But the Kenyans more so …since his father was Kenyan. So we talk USA and Kenyan politics as they are having elections now too. Seems people are very unhappy with the government. Then same old conversation about music relationship and life. After a bottle of Sambuca and a bottle of whisky, and a couple of boy friend/girl friend fights... Off to the first club/lounge “Hidden Agenda” in Westie An area of Nairobi . Shots of tequila and a couple of Tuskers( local Beer). As I’m sitting there talking with the crew. After a couple of hours the folks start asking me which one of my parents is white. This has been a recurrent question here in East Africa . I know I’m not the darkest one around but damn (so much for crispy.. But Dad Gia and Terri would be white people here)….. Drew and I are holding down the bar but his crew is fading so we move on to the next spot. BarCode.. another bar/lounge night club.. There we hook up with Shane. He works at the US embassy. Ok this where the party like a rock star comes in. We hit this spot called Florida ( F1)!! This place was built to boost the male ego… 500 women 200 men. Every guy is like Mick Jagger you can not walk 2 feet without getting a new groupie. Drinks are mad cheap and the music is good. Luckily Susie warned me about the hookers in Nairobi . F1 is mainly working girls but talk and dance is free and but by NY standard everything else is almost free. Anyway it was a hell of a party. Back to Barcode. Drew has called “Uncle EARL” a few times. We hang until 7am … Then back to hotel. I’m dead… Phone rings at 11am … It’s Drew , Shane is on the way to pick me up we are heading up to Massai country for the day. I drag my tired butt into the shower and the fall back asleep. Wakeup and go downstairs we head for Susie’s crib on 5 acres in Karen. It in a private community with community guards as well as each house has it’s own Gate Guard , dogs and other security precaution. It seems home invasions still happen. But the cribs are straight out of lifestyles. Then on to Drew’s family’s 20 acre spread. This is lifestyle of the Kenyan rich and famous. But it is a country if both rich and poor. We don’t go far before you see the other side. Drugs and poverty are the same world over. On the way to Oscolpos we see a car pulled over with flat. We are reticient to pull over as it could be a robbery attempt. But Susie says to pull over cause there are women present. Most robberies are a male only affairs. Driver doesn’t have a tire jack in his car. Shane and Drew help out. Shane locks and load his gun before getting out of car. He is a little cautious at all times. Although is something is going to happen he’ll probably be relieved of the weapon. Either way he is a good guy I hope to catch up with him in the states. Anywho, its quite funny to watch them watch …not help the guy change is tire. We proceed on …. A stop at a scenic area shows the poverty of the country. Like 20 kids descended on the car to sell us stuff. It was just crazy. We take quick pics and then hop back in the car. Head for Oscolpos which is like “ Bear Mountain ” for picnic. People from Nairobi go there for the day. Gotta say the weather is beautiful and the views are wonderful. It like fall weather in the mountains. We see some Massai that are coming thru performing. It was cool. One funny thing.. Everyone has a cell phone. They massai are chanting and jumping and doing their thing and someone’s cell goes off. Under their traditional garb.
Learned some interesting things. Like you have to pay a Massai to take a picture with a camera but a cell camera is free. We hang for a while then head back to Karen(an area of Nairobi ) for dinner. A Traditional Kenya meal. Roasted goat. Veggie paste and bread with a goat intestine appeatizer Interestingly them have no concept of curry goat. The goat was good but I can live without intestine. You eat the meal by taking a piece of bread and picking up your food in the bread then eating …all communal style. It’s like a modified Ethiopian thing. We have dinner with some other people. Again with the white parent thing… More world politics and Obama in the US … Sudan … Iraq … Another interesting tidbit, there seems to be a little beef or dislike between the Kenyans and Nigerians. I guess there’s no racial solidarity in Africa . But all and all from moment I arrived everyone has been great. I was warmly welcomed all the way around. Went out after dinner. Hit Florida for a brief minute then on to an open mike with live band . Very nice. Club was cool…. Band was great. Although I was surprised to see how much POP and COUNTRY they like. And drinking while singing church songs… Strange. Talk with singer for a while then headed back to hotel. Bed … Breakfast … then on to the airport.
Ok Air Kenya/Percison air sucks. Long story short plane was 6 hrs late for a 45 minute flight. But met some interesting people while waiting so it was not too bad. One gent from Cali celebrating his 77th birthday by climbing Killi. A Canadian of East Indian/African descent. His father was raised in Moshi Tanzania . He had just finished his MBA in Hotel Mgmt in Switzerland . Last a German Pharmacist living between Tanzania and Kenya . He was setting up pharmacy programs in both countries. He spent the time hanging with each other. We get to Arusha at midnight .
Let the entertainment begin… First customs is giving the 3rd degree about my bags. I have to have something to declare. The agent says 1 person can not have so much baggage. Since I’m on a tourist visa I can not admit to volunteering and the donations. So I spend 30 minute trying to clear customs. Get thru then …“ what the F%^&” where’s the person to meet me. It’s 1am and I’m 7 hrs late surrounded but 20 cabbies asking me where I’m going. I have no idea. My cell is not getting service. But luckily one of my new friends helps out. I call the Global Contact who is like “who are you” ??? Not a good start.. After 3 minutes and me spelling name he realizes Sean is prounouced shaun not See - ann.( after I spell it for him). At which point he tells me I have to get to the Impala hotel. In Arusha . !!!!??? The Killi airport is located 50 km from Arusha and Moshi. It’s half way between both cities. There is nothing here at all and it’s closed. As I say Impala hotel 4 guys grab my stuff and take off. I’m like “ what the hell is going on”. A 5th guys is telling me It’s $50 for a cab to Arusha. I’m like “ whatever, where is my stuff”. Track down my gear as they are sticking it into a car that doesn’t look like a cab. But it is. I’m tired and a little out of balance… Jump in the car. We take off. Get to the gate .. . Guard tells the driver something … we turn around.. They are speaking Swahali. I have no idea what happen. Did customs call .. what is the deal? I’m I about to get robbed. Hell no !! the driver forgot is spare tire…. Dude how about a little communication !!!!!!!! Now I gotta pee… Back in the car… we are off…. Now we have to stop for gas. Again no communication. Then out of nowhere 5 cars pull up. I’m wrecked… what is going on. This crew is talking and arguing about some shit but no one is getting GAS!!! 20 minutes later with s full tank. We are off. Now the driver wanted to get friendly… My nerves are shot… But all is good. It’s my own craziness. He was very welcoming and taught me some swahali. We had a good ride. Pull up to Impala 1:30 am.
Still no one…. Plus the Impala is full. Call Yotam again. People are on the way. I grab a drink and some food while I wait. Then in come my guides…Paridise and Cowboy driving a leopard skin interior 1990 Peugnot. Well alrighty then….But they seem to be cool dudes. Then the next issue. The hospital is 50 miles away. We can not go tonite but I’m supposed to have orientation in Arusha but first we have to find a hotel. !!!????? What, did you not expect me? Whatever, it is a national holiday weekend and a big convention in town plus high season tourist wise. So no rooms at the Inn . 1 hr later we find a room at the Aquiline Hotel $45 per night , cash only…I thought I’d paid for all lodge and food up front. But it’s now 3:15 am … Pay the $45.. go to bed. It was a surprisingly nice hotel. I’m supposed to meet Paradise at 9:30 …. Sack out. It’s been a long day and week….
More in the next installment.
Pics and video will be posted to internet next week sometime. Please forward on to anyone that may be interested. I have very limited access to email.
Peace
Sean
I figured I take a moment to recap the trip so far. It’s been a hell of time.
Shout Outs
Thanks to everyone- If I missed you specifically please feel the love I’ll get at you!!
A special thanks to all that came by before I left. Made donations or just called to wish me well. Everyone has been great and supportive. I do appreciate all the positive energy.
Maria thanks for the hair. … It’s still intact…. Plus everything else. I do appreciate you alot
Tee thanks for minding the shop while I’m gone…. Don’t drink all my vodka and don’t let the old people drive you crazy… Hope you are well
Rich and Big D have a great wedding I’ll be there in spirit. .. You guys are great for each other but you need me and Rod to balance you out LOL.
Rod I got your message it’s all good just busy before I left we will hook up
Doug H good luck with everything… I expect to find you up and running when I get back…. party in your house when I get back.
CJ thanks for stepping up for the summit.. Plus who is this jackal that is sniffing around you…Let me find out.
Jan thanks for all the good advice. Jeff thanks for stepping up with TSI and in general.
Charles GOOD LOOKING OUT Nairobi was the bomb !!!
Kimberly (Nicky free) thanks for coming out. I feel Renoir’s Hand from here … you better not go to Stevie without him.
Roland (Ronnie). .. Thanks for the work on the Bike and the positive thoughts. I hope the summer is good.
Roland (Dawg)… We’ll catch up when I back.
Ron Hyman – We’ll holla when I get back
Brian S- Do forget me … We need to be on it in Nov
Denita Happy B’day and thanks for the Cassie hook up…
Karen.. thanks for coming up and for the supplies
Robyn thanks for the super human effort … you are the best.
Sonya thanks for stepping up strong for me… Greg Too.
Charmaine the pecan pie was great….
Barcap Crew – Mani thanks for everything…. Brian thanks for understanding…. Humza good to meet u cu when I get back… Tom great working with you….My best to Everyone.
Gai - the best travel artist I know thanks
Bob.. Ursula…and Uncle Leo thanks for coming thru and for the great gifts..
Gia thanks for everything… 450 or nothing… &..Keep it real for once !!!! LOL
Evan hope your graduation will be the beginning of great things
Mom and Dad Thanks will never be enough !!!
The Beginning Aug 1st 2007.
Flew the red eye to Amsterdam … Left NY at 5:30 pm arrived Amsterdam 7am next am.
Dad took me to the airport and hung out with me until I got thru security. I packed the gifts to fly with so I ve got 4 bags. 2 for donation. But the Check-in lady did not charge me for the extra bags. I told her what I was doing so she looked out. A good beginning to the trip. Not much sleep on the plane. Sat next to a Dutch mother(33)/daughter(12) going home after 4 weeks in NY Mom was cool and outlined some places and things to do in Amsterdam . One of the cool things about Amsterdam airport is that they still have overnight bag checks. So I dropped the donation there for the 2 days. That left me with 2 bags and carry-on. Got shuttle to Hotel Nadia … arrived at 8:30am …
Ok Gai you made me work on this one . One has to be part Billy Goat to get up these Steep AZZ steps. Then in true TSI style the check-in was not until 4pm . It’s 9am now. So no sleep the night neither before nor on plane. But I have a map, money and a list of things to do.
Someone said Amsterdam has something for all people…. Cafes for the young….Museums for the old… and the red light district for the middle aged. I did all three.
I got a ticket for the canal tour line that you can hop on and off. Did Anne Frank house, Rakj Museum , Van Gogh Museum Then to the true shrine …… The Heineken Factory and a 6 pack or 2. Passed out on the boat and made back to the room to pass out. Got back at 6pm … Channeled my inner Mountain Goat and climbed stairs.
Hotel issue number 2 -- TINY ROOMS. They gave me a larger room for the night so my bags would fit.. Forget about it. I passed out … Woke up at 4am and repacked the bags and shipped 30-40 lbs of stuff home. Moved rooms from 3rd to 5th fl….extra Billy goat... Then went out. Found a good café/internet hook up . Got on there net while eating brownies… good stuff. Hangout at Reggae Café .. got some eats.. Walked back to hotel and guess what… Its Gay Pride week, The party is next to my Hotel. So I got the full experience. I decided to try to hit “Power Zone or Odeon” for the all night party. But first back to the café and on to the Red Light District. Very strange to see families walking around with the women in the windows. I did find that pricing was pretty consistent. You have to stop and negotiate. I also noticed that the black and Asian girls were primarily off in their own area. Some shit is the same world over. Found “Rays Original NY Pizza” quite ironic … so got dinner on the run. Stopped for a brownie for dessert and the walk back to club. Hung at the pride party then made for the club. Long story short got lost on foot for 2 hrs just to find the club that was 5 blocks from hotel and that it was WACK !!! (Odeon)…. Power House is across town… Too far…. Sittin on a bench chillin … I notice crowds for black people heading to somewhere… Finally some color. .. so I follow…. Ahh the club Mecca . Drinks … music … women… Hit a house club that was banging music “Sugar Factory” but just tooo White Gay for me that night. But across the street is Melkmek. Reggae all nite. Shit I could have been in Jamaica at a club only everyone spoke Dutch first. Hung out until 5am …. Found my way back to hotel…. Picked up bags for 6:30 airport shuttle.
Nairobi-
Passed out on plane had a nice 7 hr flight . I would need the sleep. If this segment would have a theme sound it would be “party like a rock star” mixed with “Gin and juice”…. Big ups to Charles for hooking me up with Susie and her boy Drew. Landed at 7pm …. got hotel by 8:30 . She was there waiting for me…. She takes me to meet her boy Drew(my Nairobi Tour guide). Just drop the bags and go… She makes intros and bounces because she has to work in the am …. Drew is from Nairobi … first thing he asks is if I like to drink and if I can party all night. To which I say “does the elephant crap in the Jungle”. But first I need to get some grub…. We hit the South African version of McD’s called “Steers”….Exchange some money at the local casino… Off to his friend’s house to warm up the livers. Meet the crew for the night. Sitting on balcony of The Apt with full bar and music. Looking around you would not know that you were not in the states. Everyone is really cool a couple of folks are already out of it. Everyone was western educated very cool folks. Biggest questions were about Barack Obama. So far that has been on of the most frequent conversations I’ve had in Africa . Everyone is very interest in him. But the Kenyans more so …since his father was Kenyan. So we talk USA and Kenyan politics as they are having elections now too. Seems people are very unhappy with the government. Then same old conversation about music relationship and life. After a bottle of Sambuca and a bottle of whisky, and a couple of boy friend/girl friend fights... Off to the first club/lounge “Hidden Agenda” in Westie An area of Nairobi . Shots of tequila and a couple of Tuskers( local Beer). As I’m sitting there talking with the crew. After a couple of hours the folks start asking me which one of my parents is white. This has been a recurrent question here in East Africa . I know I’m not the darkest one around but damn (so much for crispy.. But Dad Gia and Terri would be white people here)….. Drew and I are holding down the bar but his crew is fading so we move on to the next spot. BarCode.. another bar/lounge night club.. There we hook up with Shane. He works at the US embassy. Ok this where the party like a rock star comes in. We hit this spot called Florida ( F1)!! This place was built to boost the male ego… 500 women 200 men. Every guy is like Mick Jagger you can not walk 2 feet without getting a new groupie. Drinks are mad cheap and the music is good. Luckily Susie warned me about the hookers in Nairobi . F1 is mainly working girls but talk and dance is free and but by NY standard everything else is almost free. Anyway it was a hell of a party. Back to Barcode. Drew has called “Uncle EARL” a few times. We hang until 7am … Then back to hotel. I’m dead… Phone rings at 11am … It’s Drew , Shane is on the way to pick me up we are heading up to Massai country for the day. I drag my tired butt into the shower and the fall back asleep. Wakeup and go downstairs we head for Susie’s crib on 5 acres in Karen. It in a private community with community guards as well as each house has it’s own Gate Guard , dogs and other security precaution. It seems home invasions still happen. But the cribs are straight out of lifestyles. Then on to Drew’s family’s 20 acre spread. This is lifestyle of the Kenyan rich and famous. But it is a country if both rich and poor. We don’t go far before you see the other side. Drugs and poverty are the same world over. On the way to Oscolpos we see a car pulled over with flat. We are reticient to pull over as it could be a robbery attempt. But Susie says to pull over cause there are women present. Most robberies are a male only affairs. Driver doesn’t have a tire jack in his car. Shane and Drew help out. Shane locks and load his gun before getting out of car. He is a little cautious at all times. Although is something is going to happen he’ll probably be relieved of the weapon. Either way he is a good guy I hope to catch up with him in the states. Anywho, its quite funny to watch them watch …not help the guy change is tire. We proceed on …. A stop at a scenic area shows the poverty of the country. Like 20 kids descended on the car to sell us stuff. It was just crazy. We take quick pics and then hop back in the car. Head for Oscolpos which is like “ Bear Mountain ” for picnic. People from Nairobi go there for the day. Gotta say the weather is beautiful and the views are wonderful. It like fall weather in the mountains. We see some Massai that are coming thru performing. It was cool. One funny thing.. Everyone has a cell phone. They massai are chanting and jumping and doing their thing and someone’s cell goes off. Under their traditional garb.
Learned some interesting things. Like you have to pay a Massai to take a picture with a camera but a cell camera is free. We hang for a while then head back to Karen(an area of Nairobi ) for dinner. A Traditional Kenya meal. Roasted goat. Veggie paste and bread with a goat intestine appeatizer Interestingly them have no concept of curry goat. The goat was good but I can live without intestine. You eat the meal by taking a piece of bread and picking up your food in the bread then eating …all communal style. It’s like a modified Ethiopian thing. We have dinner with some other people. Again with the white parent thing… More world politics and Obama in the US … Sudan … Iraq … Another interesting tidbit, there seems to be a little beef or dislike between the Kenyans and Nigerians. I guess there’s no racial solidarity in Africa . But all and all from moment I arrived everyone has been great. I was warmly welcomed all the way around. Went out after dinner. Hit Florida for a brief minute then on to an open mike with live band . Very nice. Club was cool…. Band was great. Although I was surprised to see how much POP and COUNTRY they like. And drinking while singing church songs… Strange. Talk with singer for a while then headed back to hotel. Bed … Breakfast … then on to the airport.
Ok Air Kenya/Percison air sucks. Long story short plane was 6 hrs late for a 45 minute flight. But met some interesting people while waiting so it was not too bad. One gent from Cali celebrating his 77th birthday by climbing Killi. A Canadian of East Indian/African descent. His father was raised in Moshi Tanzania . He had just finished his MBA in Hotel Mgmt in Switzerland . Last a German Pharmacist living between Tanzania and Kenya . He was setting up pharmacy programs in both countries. He spent the time hanging with each other. We get to Arusha at midnight .
Let the entertainment begin… First customs is giving the 3rd degree about my bags. I have to have something to declare. The agent says 1 person can not have so much baggage. Since I’m on a tourist visa I can not admit to volunteering and the donations. So I spend 30 minute trying to clear customs. Get thru then …“ what the F%^&” where’s the person to meet me. It’s 1am and I’m 7 hrs late surrounded but 20 cabbies asking me where I’m going. I have no idea. My cell is not getting service. But luckily one of my new friends helps out. I call the Global Contact who is like “who are you” ??? Not a good start.. After 3 minutes and me spelling name he realizes Sean is prounouced shaun not See - ann.( after I spell it for him). At which point he tells me I have to get to the Impala hotel. In Arusha . !!!!??? The Killi airport is located 50 km from Arusha and Moshi. It’s half way between both cities. There is nothing here at all and it’s closed. As I say Impala hotel 4 guys grab my stuff and take off. I’m like “ what the hell is going on”. A 5th guys is telling me It’s $50 for a cab to Arusha. I’m like “ whatever, where is my stuff”. Track down my gear as they are sticking it into a car that doesn’t look like a cab. But it is. I’m tired and a little out of balance… Jump in the car. We take off. Get to the gate .. . Guard tells the driver something … we turn around.. They are speaking Swahali. I have no idea what happen. Did customs call .. what is the deal? I’m I about to get robbed. Hell no !! the driver forgot is spare tire…. Dude how about a little communication !!!!!!!! Now I gotta pee… Back in the car… we are off…. Now we have to stop for gas. Again no communication. Then out of nowhere 5 cars pull up. I’m wrecked… what is going on. This crew is talking and arguing about some shit but no one is getting GAS!!! 20 minutes later with s full tank. We are off. Now the driver wanted to get friendly… My nerves are shot… But all is good. It’s my own craziness. He was very welcoming and taught me some swahali. We had a good ride. Pull up to Impala 1:30 am.
Still no one…. Plus the Impala is full. Call Yotam again. People are on the way. I grab a drink and some food while I wait. Then in come my guides…Paridise and Cowboy driving a leopard skin interior 1990 Peugnot. Well alrighty then….But they seem to be cool dudes. Then the next issue. The hospital is 50 miles away. We can not go tonite but I’m supposed to have orientation in Arusha but first we have to find a hotel. !!!????? What, did you not expect me? Whatever, it is a national holiday weekend and a big convention in town plus high season tourist wise. So no rooms at the Inn . 1 hr later we find a room at the Aquiline Hotel $45 per night , cash only…I thought I’d paid for all lodge and food up front. But it’s now 3:15 am … Pay the $45.. go to bed. It was a surprisingly nice hotel. I’m supposed to meet Paradise at 9:30 …. Sack out. It’s been a long day and week….
More in the next installment.
Pics and video will be posted to internet next week sometime. Please forward on to anyone that may be interested. I have very limited access to email.
Peace
Sean
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