Hello All, The computers have been fighting me on putting any of the pictures up, so sorry this blog won't come with pictures. But that just means you get
Hello All,
The computers have been fighting me on putting any of the pictures up, so sorry this blog won't come with pictures. But that just means you get picture over-load hopefully next time. Jerad and I are finishing up our 6 weeks in Tanzania, and then we are flying to South Africa tomorrow, so I will try to blog fast and efficient about the last 6 weeks or so.
Fist let me write about the safari, which was just awesome! We camped under the wide open star filled African sky. You could hear animals all around you and when I got up to use the restroom at night I thought for sure I was going to come face to face with something. During the safari, other than enjoying the beautiful African wilderness, we did see many great animals. We even say what is known as the big 5: lion, elephant, Buffalo, rhino and leopard (which is the hardest to find) as well as giraffe, elephants, hennas, etc. Jerad and I had tons of fun camping, though we did splurge one night and stay at a lodge because of how cold the weather was. This was a fantastic decision. The lodge was gorgeous, the room was luxurious, and Jerad got the best night sleep he had since...he can remember.
Our guide and cook (for the camping Safari) lacked a little, but when you are doing anything with your love, you don't seem to mind that much. In fact, since Jerad had done the safari before, he became my guide and he did a pretty good job.
From Safari land we were on another bus we had had contact with for months now to the "Orphanage" where we thought we would spend the next three weeks helping out and enjoying the kids. As you know, it turned out here was no kids and the man I had contact with had lied to me the whole time. I had always emphasized that it was important to me to spend time with the kids, and he said that this would happen. And so I turned down other Orphanages that needed our help, and planned our whole trip around helping out at this one. To keep it short, he lied to me, we traveled out there in the middle of no where and were told to "help the builders"...which ended up meaning I would struggle over mixing the cement, carrying the bucket's, laying the bricks and foundation and the builders would just sit back and laugh at me. This was not was I have been dreaming of. Jerad and I planned as many weeks in Africa because a dream of mine my whole life has been to work at an Orphanage in Africa. I was had a hard time accepting the reality of the scam and that my dream was squashed. But hey, there is no reason why I can't do this same sort of helping out back at home:).
Jerad and I were left with three weeks wide open...hopefully doing something that cost very little money. (This budget traveling stuff is tough.) We decided to find some remote beach on Zanzibar, and talk a budget place into giving us a really good deal for paying for weeks in advance. Then we planned on self-catering and saving a buck or two here and there. The rest can be filled in my Jerad's blog, but man, it was like hit #2. We were happy to be taking a ferry back to Dar Es Salaam, but I truly felt for all the people who live in Zanzibar and have to wait till who knows when the power will come back on. I keep seeing in the new they are struggling for water, food, etc. My prayers and thoughts go out to the, as well as the people in Myanmar.
So after taking a few days break in the city of Dar Es Salaam, we decided to go to a beach south of Dar and try to salvage some sort of "vacation". On the day traveling there, we ended up having 400,000 shillings stolen from us (that is about $340 USD) from a hotel staff person. OK, I would refer to this as hit #3.
And so after about three weeks of challenges and three big hits, we were bumming out. But with the strength of our connection and love and the sheer beauty of being alive, we did better than surviving. We finally got to that beach south of Dar, stayed at a home-like-place, met a very nice man (who ended up giving us a ride back to Dar), and still salvaged a beach/mellow "vacation".
We are now about to back to out hotel and pack for our flight tomorrow. But all in all, I believe that Tanzania has been the hardest country to travel in for me. The growth part of this trip really hit hard here, but all for the better! It is all a part of the adventure.
Congratulations and Happy Birthing to Monica and Travis! I hope the induction and birth goes wonderfully and I look forward to meeting a new part of my family when I get home:).
And thank you Julie for all of the updates and stories of sweet SGS.
Happy Birthday Sheena Hobbs and Kristin Deni, I know it is early we just may be trekking the Drakensburg Mountains in South Africa at the time. I will try to send out personal b-day emails closer to the dates if I can and I WILL try and get some new pics up soon.
Much love to you all. Enjoy all the sunny days you are having.
picture over-load hopefully next time. Jerad and I are finishing up our 6 weeks in Tanzania, and then we are flying to South Africa tomorrow, so I will try to blog fast and efficient about the last 6 weeks or so. Fist let me write about the safari, which was just awesome! We camped under the wide open star filled African sky. You could hear animals all around you and when I got up to use the restroom at night I thought for sure I was going to come face to face with something. During the safari, other than enjoying the beautiful African wilderness, we did see many great animals. We even say what is known as the big 5: lion, elephant, Buffalo, rhino and leopard (which is the hardest to find) as well as giraffe, elephants, hennas, etc. Jerad and I had tons of fun camping, though we did splurge one night and stay at a lodge because of how cold the weather was. This was a fantastic decision. The lodge was gorgeous, the room was luxurious, and Jerad got the best night sleep he had since...he can remember. Our guide and cook (for the camping Safari) lacked a little, but when you are doing anything with your love, you don't seem to mind that much. In fact, since Jerad had done the safari before, he became my guide and he did a pretty good job. From Safari land we were on another bus we had had contact with for months now to the "Orphanage" where we thought we would spend the next three weeks helping out and enjoying the kids. As you know, it turned out here was no kids and the man I had contact with had lied to me the whole time. I had always emphasized that it was important to me to spend time with the kids, and he said that this would happen. And so I turned down other Orphanages that needed our help, and planned our whole trip around helping out at this one. To keep it short, he lied to me, we traveled out there in the middle of no where and were told to "help the builders"...which ended up meaning I would struggle over mixing the cement, carrying the bucket's, laying the bricks and foundation and the builders would just sit back and laugh at me. This was not was I have been dreaming of. Jerad and I planned as many weeks in Africa because a dream of mine my whole life has been to work at an Orphanage in Africa. I was had a hard time accepting the reality of the scam and that my dream was squashed. But hey, there is no reason why I can't do this same sort of helping out back at home:). Jerad and I were left with three weeks wide open...hopefully doing something that cost very little money. (This budget traveling stuff is tough.) We decided to find some remote beach on Zanzibar, and talk a budget place into giving us a really good deal for paying for weeks in advance. Then we planned on self-catering and saving a buck or two here and there. The rest can be filled in my Jerad's blog, but man, it was like hit #2. We were happy to be taking a ferry back to Dar Es Salaam, but I truly felt for all the people who live in Zanzibar and have to wait till who knows when the power will come back on. I keep seeing in the new they are struggling for water, food, etc. My prayers and thoughts go out to the, as well as the people in Myanmar. So after taking a few days break in the city of Dar Es Salaam, we decided to go to a beach south of Dar and try to salvage some sort of "vacation". On the day traveling there, we ended up having 400,000 shillings stolen from us (that is about $340 USD) from a hotel staff person. OK, I would refer to this as hit #3. And so after about three weeks of challenges and three big hits, we were bumming out. But with the strength of our connection and love and the sheer beauty of being alive, we did better than surviving. We finally got to that beach south of Dar, stayed at a home-like-place, met a very nice man (who ended up giving us a ride back to Dar), and still salvaged a beach/mellow "vacation". We are now about to back to out hotel and pack for our flight tomorrow. But all in all, I believe that Tanzania has been the hardest country to travel in for me. The growth part of this trip really hit hard here, but all for the better! It is all a part of the adventure. Congratulations and Happy Birthing to Monica and Travis! I hope the induction and birth goes wonderfully and I look forward to meeting a new part of my family when I get home:). And thank you Julie for all of the updates and stories of sweet SGS. Happy Birthday Sheena Hobbs and Kristin Deni, I know it is early we just may be trekking the Drakensburg Mountains in South Africa at the time. I will try to send out personal b-day emails closer to the dates if I can and I WILL try and get some new pics up soon. Much love to you all. Enjoy all the sunny days you are having. Missing you tons.
Happily,
Amber Allison
