Safari Njema (Bon Voyage)

Wow. There is something so quintessential about journeying by train across the African landscape. Arthur, who has been an amazing travel companion, and I booked a compartment on the overnight train from Mombasa to Nairobi after spending 4 glorious days exploring Mombasa and relaxing on a beach north of the city in our own private cottage on the waterfront. We swam in the Ocean a couple times a day, wandered the rural villages through mud huts and forgotten pathways and even discovered an abandoned resort (an eerie shell of what was once perhaps one of the largest resorts in the area, ceilings deteriorated from mold, the pool quarter-filled with a mysterious golden liquid, spiral staircases covered in dust and broken glass and the most impressive building, built directly on a cliff above the ocean, a three bedroom house with a 270 degree view of the turquoise waters below. We bought bananas, avocado, tomatoes and a loaf of bread for about a dollar, snuck up to the master bedroom's balcony and served up a picnic with a five-star view - paradise!)

At night, after sharing a few drinks with a pair of fellow Irish travelers, I was rocked to sleep by the gentle creaking of our train car, my top bunk actually quite comfortable - like a swaying cradle. The morning suddenly began with the clanging of a bell announcing breakfast and we lifted the shade to scan for wildlife. Zebras and Gazelle were the first to be spotted :).

It feels so good to be back on the wild road. Day one of the adventure was Friday the 13th and although I am only mildly-stitious, the run of bad luck was quite obnoxious. Arthur, Dan and I had gone out dancing 'til late (highlight of the club was dancing to pop music with a Masai man decked out in full traditional dress including beaded bracelets up his arms and around his forehead :) so we pulled an all-nighter and upon arriving at the train station at 5:30am I could not find our train ticket. After a distressing period of looking for it and looking for our bus, we got everything situated and were heading north on what was supposed to be a 6hr express bus. There was no express about it. It stopped constantly, the entire journey actually took us nearly twelve hours and in the process, my shoulder bag's zipper ceased working, my flip-flop broke so I walked barefoot through Mombasa and the bus put a new hole in my backpack! What a day.

Amazingly, that night I was able to find a pair of used reef flips at a street stall for about $5 and the next day, without any fiddling, the zipper began working again! We also found some great food and a couple decent places to stay - thank goodness for Saturday the 14th :)

This summer of working for Rustic Pathways was brought to a close with a couple epic experiences. Three days of safari in the Serengeti, three days spent relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar and two weeks of building classrooms in a tiny village near Karatu were simply Amazing! Not to mention hunting with the bushmen, participating in a local wedding and dancing at a club with a Masai warrior!

For safari (the Swahili word for journey), we packed our things onto one of the ubiquitous safari vehicles, old time landcruisers retrofitted so that the roof can raise to allow us to stand and take photos as we rumble past photogenic wildlife set against the legendary African backdrop of Acacia and Baobab trees. Even when the animals were hidden away and the landscape flattened into a broad expanse of dried grasses, it was incredibly inspiring to stand up, arms resting on the roof, camera in hand, Ancient African air whizzing around us and working it's way through my system... Searching for the actual pride rock and suddenly we would slow, shhhh, a lion, no two, no four, look at the two cubs! Truly, there is nothing like spotting these beautiful creatures in their own land. Watching them stretch, stroll, stalk and sleep - in the wild!

We slept in tents in a campground and the first night, just as I snuggled down into my sleeping bag I heard an elephant sound his trumpet not far off - SO cool! We went on game-drives twice a day for a few hours each time. One morning we awoke before the sun rose and drove to an open area to witness the day begin. A pack of spotted hyenas were already there, prowling for leftovers and our driver waved a red shawl so that they would approach us expecting meat. They were surprisingly cute! In just three days of hunting, we tracked down elephants, lions, leopards (one of which had dragged a gazelle high up into a tree for an evening feast), zebras, giraffes, ostriches, hyenas, warthogs, crocodiles, hippos, tens of thousands of gazelle, migrating herds of wildebeests, hartebeests, impalas, mongoose, jackals, waterbucks, Elands, and water buffalos! One of the highlights was visiting a hippo pool, severely receded in dry season, there must have been at least 75 hippos puzzle pieced together in a reduction of putrid sludge - approximately 4 parts waste, 4 parts rotting refuse and 2 parts leftover river-water. Hippos are apparently one of the most aggressive animals and we watched them fighting over the limited space, their massive maws emerging from the soup, stretched nearly 180 degrees, teeth bared, issuing gurgling growls and chomping down on each other. It was nice to be out of the cruiser for a time, observing the animals up close. The only animals that we wanted to see and were unable to find were cheetahs and the endangered black rhino (which I was lucky enough to spot on my next safari in the Ngorongoro Crater).

Once back to camp on our last evening, after hours sitting and standing in place, we decided to put on an impromptu Zumba session. Our guide and the other groups watched amusedly as we laughed our way through the songs. The following morning, we left camp early in order to get to the airport in time - at least a good 7 hour drive. Unfortunately, our safari vehicle had had enough and it broke down no less than four times and got a flat tire! On about our third surprise stop, we climbed out and into the middle of nowhere. As far as one could see, there were only a few speckled trees off in the distance and a nearly deserted road. Stuck in the Serengeti. I brought out catch phrase and we began passing it around in a circle. One by one, Masai began appearing on the horizon and drifting towards this strange group of wazungu (the swahili term for foreigners) passing this obnoxiously beeping plastic disc around between themselves shouting at eachother - what they must have been thinking! Soon, there were about ten adults and children standing just 5 or so feet away from our group staring at this crazy scene. Suddenly I thought, why don't we put on a show for them! We are always playing the tourist, wanting to see locals perform, why not the other way around?? I grabbed the speakers and my ipod, selected 'Shake Senora' which is an easy zumba routine and there, in the middle of the Serengeti, we shimmied and shook for a random group of Masai! It was epic.

We raced to the airport and our luck failed us once again. We narrowly missed the plane. But, our luck immediately returned when there happened to be a flight just thirty minutes later, so voila! Next thing you know, we were settling into our posh hotel rooms, canopied beds sprinkled with flowers, hot showers and balconies - fabulous! The hotel had a private beach, infinity pool facing the sunset, sports bar and fancy restaurant (that served the most delicious continental breakfast), live traditional music in the evenings, a spa (which I splurged on a special swahili scrub massage for my birthday) and a turn-down service. It was such a treat!

We spent the first day exploring Stone Town, famous for it's ornately carved wooden doors, and shopping, returning in time to take a dip in the Indian ocean, relax by the pool, watch the sunset and enjoy a candle lit dinner on the beach (I had the grilled ostrich steak :). The next day was one of pure bliss. We spent the day sailing on an African dhow to a couple different small islands including a pristine white sand bank that, by the time that we returned, had been completely submerged due to the tide. We snorkeled around coral beds through schools of shimmering fish that swirled around you like iridescent tulip petals caught in a breeze and making sure to avoid the menacing pitch black sea urchins the size of basketballs. Lunch was nothing short of manna from heaven - an all you can eat seafood selection including lobster, calamari, tuna, cod, scallops, local sauces made with tamarind and coconut and for dessert? An exotic array of fruits from the island that our guide cut open right in front of our table, one by one so that we could try them all. Sweet grapefruit, oranges, custard apples, rambutans, lady-finger bananas, red bananas, two different types of mango, passion fruit, star fruit, pineapple, sugar cane and even baobab seeds - Ahh, I'm salivating just remembering it! To wrap it all up, we were offered coffee and amarula, a sweet African liqueur and then given time to either sail on another type of boat or sunbathe. Sublime.

That night, we visited the fish market where the local fishermen BBQ their catch of the day, bake up special breads and display them in hundreds of stands set up by the waterfront. The lights and the people and the smell of BBQ make for an enchanting atmosphere. The winner of the evening was the "Zanzibar Pizza", a dough ball flattened and fried with several combinations of ingredients, my favorite being nutella and banana (the caramel mango was a close second :).

Alas, all good things come to an end and the next morning we were en route to Arusha. Yet another set of goodbyes and another set of new students arriving and just like that, another stage of the summer had begun. A whirlwind week of tasting the exotic side of Africa and my next charge was to spend two weeks living on a coffee plantation, working in a small village about 40 minutes away finishing new classrooms for the school with a group of ten students. An equally inspiring experience in an entirely different way.

I have now just arrived in Uganda and will hopefully post another 'catching up' entry soon - so many incredible experiences!

Catchin' Up

Phew! Do I have some catching up go do! I can't believe that it's been more than a month since I stood on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and watched the sun rise over Africa. This summer has flown by with such vivacity - a veritble whirlwind of different programs, hundreds of kids in and out of country, smiling children like autumn leaves jumping and dancing around you, football matches, mountains and rainforest and islands and vast arid planes, delicious foods including more fresh-off-the-tree avocados and bananas than you can count (actually, I have a running tally of bananas consumed, just to satisfy my curiosity :).

After Kili, I spent two weeks in the village of Poli, about 45 minutes outside of Arusha. It's a small village of approximately 2,200 people spead throughout banana groves with giant avocado trees and a few coffee bushes mixed in here and there. Most of the houses are hidden amongst the banana trees and kids would materialize, seemingly right out of said trees, to peer questioningly at the odd group of "wazungu", the swahili term for foreigners, traipsing by or to offer a cheery "Jambo!" and a wave. Often the kids would be drawn like magnets from their homes and before long we would have ten to twenty of them tagging along, listening intently to our conversations, asking and repeating our names over and over again and holding our hands. Children are just so lovable!

This was a one week program designed to connect well with either Climbing Kilimanjaro or Safari so the students can also take part in some community service and get a glimpse into Tanzanian life. Every morning, we drove from the base house to the village, the latter part up steep and deeply rutted dirt roads that turned into slip and slides any time that it rained. On more than one occasion we would have to pile out and push the bus or make the muddy trek up on foot.

We have worked closely with the directors of the school and the chairman of the village to assess the projects that will most benefit the community in the time that we have and our students have already finished and patched the veranda for the school so that the kids and teachers can pass easily from class to class when it rains, built a protective fence around the water pump, finished painting the kitchen that was built last year, stabilized and rendered walls around the school and have dug the foundation for an office building to house the village delegation.
It's a lot of hard work, mixing cement, carrying buckets of water and wheelbarrows of sand and rocks, but when the village kids pitch in, it makes everything seem easier and our students quickly gain an appreciation for this rustic way of life.

Each Saturday we joined the local football club in a rowdy match, chasing the ball up and down the uneven and pitted field, somewhat more reminiscent of of pinball machine than the smooth passing of the World Cup teams that we watched nearly every evening. High fives and tid bits of swahili were exchanged, friends and memories were made.

The first week, I had a group comprised entirely of girls and at some point, it was discovered that I had taught Zumba. Next thing you know, they all woke up early for an introductory Zumba lesson with me on the front lawn! The next week, we had a couple boys that joined in, one of whom reluctantly tried a step or two before getting into his own work out :). It was fun leading a 'class' again and getting in a little extra excersize besides the service work and occasional morning jog. The students also get to spend an afternoon with one of the families cooking traditional food, which is one of the highlights of the week. They are invited into Poli homes, stir locally grown beans and corn with utensils carved from the local trees and eat 3 different dishes out of these unique, beautiful little bowls with handles. I even commissioned one from the lady that teaches the students how to weave baskets out of banana tree skin (I got one of those as well! :).

Throughout my time working with Rustic Pathways, I cannot help but be a wee bit envious of these teens. I have been so blessed myself, with everything that I have been able to do and see, but just imagine if I had been able to begin my exploration of the world when I was sixteen! It is so nice to work with kids that really recognize the opportunities that they are being given and are in awe of the experience and likewise, it is equally distressing to meet kids that are already jaded at such a young age with a been-there-done-that, 'when do I get to go to my summer house in the Hamptons' mentality.

Speaking of the kids though, every summer I learn how far out of the teen loop that I've become. I like to think that I stay up on popular terms and I'm aware of current websites/youtube videos/pop culture (except when it comes to hollywood), but each year I am proved sadly out of date. Did you know that "wheeling" meant making-out or that "mobbin" meant going really fast? "Mons" means really big (as in short for monstrous), "witchita" is used for give me as in "witchta the eggs please" and words like jank, and bomb are the new over-used slang. Ha, what an entertaining education I get as each group exchanges the latest lingo from their respective regions.

Highlights from my three seperate Safaris, Zanzibar Paradise and my last two weeks of community service in a village up north soon to come!

Snows of Kilimanjaro

The bookcase in our staffroom has a nice little collection, including several Africa and Tanzania specific additions. Although I brought a book with me, I set that aside for when I start traveling on my own and instead picked up 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro' by Ernest Hemingway. What better inspiration to absorb before setting out on my own journey up the legendary mountain? Unfortunately, the story was, as far as I could tell because I only managed to get about half way through it, only set in Africa, somewhere near the mountain and had nothing else to do with it. The main characters were annoying and the timeline jumped arbitrarily between past and present... I hear the man dies in the end. I still plan on finishing it at some point despite having started another book, but as much as the book itself was a disappointment, Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free-standing mountain in the world, was anything but.

Twenty students arrived late Wednesday night and after a quick briefing, tried to get some sleep before an early start the next day. My fellow Rustic guide, Taylor, one of our two Kili guides, Everest and I checked the gear of each of our 4 climbers, 3 girls and a boy. Just our luck, the only student to have lost luggage, was one of our Kili girls so we had to scramble to get enough gear together for her to at least begin the hike. I didn't tell her that it took six days to recover mine!

A two and a half hour drive brought us to the base of our trek and after some time getting permits arranged, we dove into the rainforest. Throughout the trek, we traverse 4 different climate zones which is one of the most impressive parts of the hike. The trail is well developed in the beginning and set up for day hikers as well. Lush green vines, tree trunks covered in moss and thin fluttering leaves that gave them the appearance of giant bird necks craning to see above the canopy. The dirt was a deep purple-red and roots criss-crossing the trail were the vericose veins of this vibrant scene.

We arrived at the first camp after about 5 hours of hiking. Since the kids were a bit jet-lagged it was a tiring walk and we were all looking forward to settling in to our cute little A-frame huts for a good nights sleep - after of course, a delicious feast cooked by our wonderful Kili cook Samson. A thick mist slid in during the night and greeted us at our doorstep. Breakfast was yet another feast. Tea, hot cocoa or coffee, Porridge, toast with jam, honey, peanutbutter, butter, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit and even a little meat! Nice and full for the next 6 hour hike.

This time, it only took us about half an hour to climb above the damp, rainforest and enter the 'heather and moorland' region. Quite suddenly we found ourselves on a much drier, sage and heather lined path with small bunches of wild flowers sprinkled about. Everything opened up as we left the green behind and made our way into an area reminiscent of the American southwest. We were given delicious pack lunches each day augmented by hot soup - yummm soup! Night two was spent at Horombo camp. The six of us enjoying a rowdy game of catchphrase until we were joined by a breakdancing Japanese guy who seemed to savor the opportunity to practice his english. Ahh catchphrase never fails to bring people together :).



Day three was a day of aclimization so we slept in and took an easy hour and a half stroll up to a place called Zebra Rocks. Heavy clouds rolled across the land again and after relaxing and playing on the boulders for a while we returned to camp, ate, cuddled up in our bags and took turns making up the most entertaining story about Tina and Terry, a brother and sister who had lost their parents and got mixed up with a pirate alien and ate magical foods (namely a grilled cheese sandwich and 'black cow' shake that the girls had been craving), that transported them through a mysterious vortex and I musn't forget their bumbling Uncle Taylor that became a hero anytime it was Taylor's turn :).

Day four, the mists turned to rain and after water-proofing ourselves and our gear we set off for the final camp. This time, we walked through an expanse of dirt and rock, very little vegetation and a couple hours in were guarded on either side by Uhuru peak (the highest, which we would be climbing) and Mwenzi peak (striking a majestic sillouhette, a very technical climb which few attempt). Staring into the white void ahead, we would occasionally see a dark pinpoint materialize. Slowing gaining size as we approached eachother the pinpoint would take form, two moving legs, a torso enlarged by a backpack, a head and always a massive bundle perched precariously atop. The porters (of which our group alone had 12, two per person!), amazed me not only with their stamina, but also with their finely tuned balancing act, carrying woven baskets, plastic jugs and huge duffles on top of their heads, with such ease that they almost seemed to forget about the load all together!

The sun finally stepped in and scared away the clouds so that we could finally see our goal. Once at Kibo hut, the students rested and I set off for some bouldering to take in the sunset. I am grateful that as of yet, I have not been much affected by high altitude so despite breathing being a little more difficult I felt wonderful. Being in such beautiful places, the feeling of freedom rendered by the scenery and the daily hiking routine is just so uplifting! I felt so content... and lucky! One of our students however was feeling the pressure and struggled to sleep with an intense headache. After an early dinner, we all tried to force ourselves to sleep around 7pm, quite the challenge for me, and in the end I think I got about an hour's worth before the 11pm wakeup call.

This was the moment! We pulled on as many layers as we could, had a small breakfast of tea and cookies and gathered outside the hut to begin our ascent. We were very fortunate to have a clear sky, the stars lent their sparkles for something to climb towards and "pole pole" or "slowly slowly" we inched up the steep incline. The night before, the climbers had been faced with rain the entire way up, which made the slopes very slick and they even had snowfall at the top! Many more were thwarted by the weather so despite the difficulty, it could have been much worse.

About an hour and a half into the hike, the student who had been most affected by the altitude could not continue and had to return to camp. That left us with 5 to forge onward. Step by step, sometimes excruciateingly slow, we climbed. Our water bottles froze so we had extras wrapped in clothing inside our packs, but my fingertips froze as well inspite of the three pairs of gloves. I had brought a set of toe warmers so my feet, in my little ol' running shoes and an excellent pair of hiking socks stayed warm until just about an hour from the summit. My lips actually froze and when trying to issue words of encouragement, I ended up sounding like my entire mouth had been shot full of novicane. I am SO very proud of the girls! They battled their way up that mountain, little by little, passing other groups and we were rewarded with a brilliant redish-orange band across the horizon heralding the rising of the sun that poked its first few rays above just as we were reaching Uhuru... Freedom (in swahili)!

Exhausted, but happy, we rested on the rocks, took a few obligatory photos and began the descent. The girls had put every last drop of energy into the climb so coming down was slow and tedious. I stayed behind with the last student, a very cool, down to earth and tough girl who had to call on that mysterious energy reserve that I became all too familiar with in my descent from Huyana Potosi. The intense sun did not help and once we finally arrived back at the hut, everyone had collapsed in their beds uninterested in food, only sleep. Unfortunately, we could not afford that luxury. By the time I arrived, the others had rested some, but it was time to pack up, eat a quick lunch and hike back to the second camp, both to sleep at a lower altitude and to be closer to the base for the following day. I can't say that there were too many smiles after reaching the summit that day. Drained and groggy (I actually felt surprisingly well, boosted by the memory of the adventure) the students, Taylor and I retraced our steps to the second camp for a total of about 15 straight hours of hiking. Phew! After yet another delicious meal (at this point, the students were all souped out, but I don't think that could ever happen to me! :), this was one night that I had no problem falling asleep early!

I awoke very early in the morning to a massive bottom lip. A combination of the cold and the sun had severely damaged my poor lip and it felt as if it was about to pop - a free gift from the mountain, Kilimanjaro colligen. It took several hours for the swelling to subside, but it was still very dry, tender and tingly. Our final day of hiking down went quickly and after the open moorland and the rainforest slid by, we found ourselves passing under the gate, conquerors of Kili, and salivating over a hot shower.

Three of my climbers flew home the next day, their African adventure complete. One is staying another week to work in one of the villages, luckily the same program that I am now working on and yet another batch of students have arrived. For the next two weeks, I'll be doing development work in a small village, set in the midst of banana and avocado trees, outside Arusha called Poli. I have all girls this week and they seem like a great bunch already. Internet is still frustratingly limited so I've prewritten this and will cross my fingers that it sends at one point!

For more photos, check out my facebook album - Jambo from Africa!

Lost and Found

As many of you may have read, as excited as I was to finally step onto the continent of Africa and add Tanzania as my 38th country, my backpack was apparently a little nervous and it took an extra SIX days to arrive. I'll be honest. I don't usually follow the sage advice of packing an extra change of clothing and my bathroom supplies such as toothbrush and paste. For no other reason than I desire to carry on as little as possible and a (foolish) faith that this day in age, luggage is rarely lost and if so, it is recovered within 24hrs. Ha!

What a mess it was trying to figure out where it was! After it was not automatically delivered the next day, I began my hunt and found it to be extremely difficult from Africa. Luckily, we have wifi here at the base so that I could search online, but calling was impossible. I am extremely fortunate to have the more wondeful parents who sprung into action for me and made numerous calls from the states in order to get some answers. Somehow, they had record of the bag being checked in at JFK, but never recorded it landing in either Amsterdam or Kilimanjaro, believed it was "forwarded on" to my final destination and that it was "in transit" but could not confirm... so frustrating.

Long story short, I spent the first week of my time in Africa in this nice little travel dress, borrowing clothes one day when it was too cold, as well as toothpaste and shower supplies etc. I was so grateful that by sheer coincidence I had packed my tooth and hair brush, a pair of yoga pants and a jacket. With my previous entry being about all of these fabulous things to pack - I learned first-hand, how few things you actually need to get by!

I have so many stories to tell, but the internet has been incredibly slow and unreliable, so I will end this entry now with a big hug for all my friends out there and a promise to write more details when I return from... Mt. Kilimanjaro!! I am leaving tomorrow to guide 4 students to the summit of Africa's tallest mountain and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world!!!

In My Pack

It is FINALLY that time again! After a record length of stay in the States, I am gathering up my backpack and travel gear with my sights set on the new and exciting destination of Tanzania, Africa! This last week had me hustling about, anxiously crossing things off my ToDo list and fitting in as much as possible. I've taught my last dance class (although I am hoping to find a way to keep dancing without looking too odd spinning and hopping around by myself - I think the kids are going to have to learn some of my songs this summer ;), I've attended my last cake decorating class (yes, getting in a little more domesticity before I head out into the wilds :), fit in a couple dental appointments, a girls-day-out replete with pedicures, one last trip to OR (thanks again to Dan and Nikki for picking me up!), one more 13.25 mile run and wrapped up several little projects that I've been working on. Phew! It's been busy, but productive and I'm SO ready for this next adventure!

Quite often, I get asked about the travel items that I can't leave home without. I've lived out of a backpack or suitcase more in the past 6 years than I have out of a closet (which is why I still get such pleasure from hanging my clothes up :). With that, I have definitely refined my packing skills and have a list of must-haves. My recommendations for others usually depend on the type of trip, whether long (more than 4weeks) or short, domestic or abroad and how much you will be moving/traveling from a base. Here is a general breakdown from my experience.

Assuming you are planning a backpacking trip abroad, the first things I would do are:

• Call your bank and let them know where you will be traveling and for how long so that they aren't surprised and incoveniently put a hold on your credit and/or debit cards.
• Bring crisp US Dollars that are in the best of condition. I found places, especially in S. America were extremely picky about accepting used bills and one even brought out a magnifying glass to show me that there was indeed a microscopic rip!
• Check in advance how much entry visas will be, if there is a difference by land or by air and if there is an airport exit fee.
• I usually like to bring at least a little local currency with me. It usually takes about a week to order the bills from your bank. This will help you avoid the higher exchange rates at airports, you don't have to search for an ATM right away and allows you to hop right in a cab or buy a snack when you arrive.
• Print copies of your passport, drivers license and any vaccination records that may be required to enter the country. Also have a couple extra passport sized photos handy for entry visas.

Certain things are must-haves for any trip:

• Music - My ipod with playlists and podcasts is something I would really hate to be without
• Journal - I have kept one since I began college and it has proved indispensible in not only recording my day to day thoughts, details of my adventures but also extremely cathartic when I need to work through something - especially when traveling alone. I also keep a tiny notebook with me (one that will fit in a pocket or camera case etc so that it is always with me), a new one for each trip, where I jot down everything that I learn during the day. New words when I am learning a new language or quote that I want to remember, important phone numbers and addresses, doodles, random ideas etc and they become a supplement to my official journal.
• Water bottle - I've mentioned this before, but I have been a Nalgene fan for many many years, have always had one by my side and this year, I'm making the switch to a platypus foldable bottle. Either way, it has to be something BPA free and ultra-durable.
• Camera - My Nikon D5000 is fantastic and I am looking forward to capturing some amazing wildlife in Africa!
• External Harddrive - I only use one memory card (although a have another one or two for backup) and routinely transfer the pics from my card to the drive.
• Reading Material - Essential for long bus rides and flights.
• Ziploc Bags - ALWAYS have some with you. I can't say how many times that I've needed a plastic bag to protect something, hold broken pieces, contain something wet, pick up something dirty or even when you're sick... enough said ;)
  

Some of my favorite things for long-term travel:

• A good headlamp and pocket light - One of my favorite toys is my Petzl Zipka Plus Headlamp which has a retractable cord in lieu of the headband so it can be worn around your wrist or water bottle or tent flap etc. I also have a tiny led light (about 3 inches long, 1 inch wide and a quarter inch thick), that I always keep with me. It comes in handy at night searching for something you dropped or when the power goes out unexpectedly - more often you would think!
• A first aid kit - Stock with all the basics as well as traveler's diarrhea meds. I have been pretty lucky so far (knock on wood) in not having to use these myself but have given some to friends that had severe attacks and I could swear their internal organs had been liquified!
• Flip flops - A durable pair that is easy to clean and has good tread so you aren't slipping on wet roads. I highly recommend Havaianas - they offer many different styles, but they also last forever and I've definitely put them to the test!
• A quick dry towel - Absolutely necessary when you want to shower before a long journey, but the last thing you want to do is pack away something wet! Trust me!
• Febreze - Speaking of smelly backpacks, a little travel size bottle of febreze works wonders for not only road-weary clothing, but also musty rooms, ancient beds, trusty hikers/runners and more! I also bring along a Tide-to-go stain remover pen because I am not often in a place where I can wash things right away.
• Stickers - Personally, I am adamantly against giving children money when I travel. Unless they are actually providing a desired service (not offering to shine my flipflops), I do not like the induction of children into the world of begging and have seen too many beautiful, intelligent children used by greedy, selfish adults. That being said, I adore making friends with random children and listening to their stories. If I take their photo, then I try to find a one-hour print shop to make them a copy, which for them is often more valuable than any spare change you may have and if not, then I always carry stickers with me to share with those kids that I have connected with. Plus they are small and easy to carry!

Additional goodies that I like to travel with:

• Passport cover - To protect it from damage, but also to keep my country of origin from being instantly recognized.
• Fake/old debit cards - This one is not one that I use, but think it is a great idea nevertheless. I have read that in case you are being mugged (again, knock on wood, I have not been), you can carry expired cards in your wallet and handing them over apeases the thief.
• A water purifier - Traveling around India I was forced to purchase far too many bottles of water and felt terrible about the ammount of plastic I was adding to their already fragile environment. Along came a recommendation from a friend for the Steripen, a device that uses UV light to purify drinking water and I love it! It takes 1-2 minutes and leaves no aftertaste like tablets or iodine - genius.
• A shawl/sarong - I have come to carry one with me since India because they just come in so handy! You can use it for a wrap or scarf when you are cold, a towel if you've lost your quick-dry, a clean surface cover, a pouch to carry things in, bunch it up and use it for a pillow, even as an emergency sling... so many uses!
• Netbook - Now, this is a new addition to my travel arsenal. They began popping up everywhere on the S. American circuit and where wifi was fairly common in hostels and cafes and often free, I would be stuck to a pc paying per hour. It has also been a great way to transfer photos from my camera to my hard drive. I highly recommend the Toshiba NB205 that has an incredible battery life and a comfortable keyboard. With these electronic gadgets however, you have to remember to bring adaptors for each region that you will be traveling to (or better yet, a universal adaptor set). I also have an extra power source for my ipod that runs off of rechargable batteries and have been considering investing in a Solio, a solar powered charging device.
• A ball - An odd addition, I've just found it's nice to have when I'm bored, waiting for transport or run into a group of kids, so I bring a little bouncy handball along.
• Postcards of your hometown - They make good thank you cards and kids in small villages are facinated by the big buildings. I also bring a couple pictures of my family and friends for myself as well as sharing stories.
• Catchphrase - This has been one of my favorite games for nearly a decade and the newer electronic version is small and easy to carry. Again, this is not at all a necessity, but when I am working with teens, or have a group of fellow travelers gathered, this game has never failed to induce fits of laughter (as long as they speak english)!
• A Treat - Last, but most definitely not least, I have found that I like to bring a couple favorite snack from home for those days when I have just had one too many potatoes or plates of rice. One of my favorite parts of travel is trying out the various world cuisines. However, when I am working and limited to what is being provided, but also when I have been on the road for weeks/months and just yearn for a taste of home, I pull out my rainy-day stash and savor the flavor of a little peanutbutter or M&Ms or jerky or trailmix etc. This really should go under the must-haves for any trip :)

So that's it! My room has had a mountainous topography lately with all of my little piles spread around, but today is the day for cleaning and packing everything up! Tomorrow I will head into Seattle for a red-eye flight to NYC where I have a nights layover then... Off into the wild unknown!

This... is bliss

A contented exhaustion takes over and I collapse spread eagle into the grass. My fingers comb through the cool, freshly trimmed blades and they retaliate by tickling behind my ears. The sun aerates the clouds, stabbing it's way through here and there, spotlighting the ground and twinkling diamonds through my eyelashes. My whole body, still tingling with the adrenaline of a good long run, gives in to gravity, sinks into the lush green blanket, relishing being so close to the earth and guarded by Tulip sentinels. A crisp breeze skates up my exposed skin, licks my lips and before it can escape, my nose shaves off a slice for my lungs to savor. Birds practice their springtime songs, chimes on my porch accompany them and my soul... dances.

This... is bliss.

happy bEARTHday!

What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day this year? Planting some flowers? A tree? Taking a walk with your parents and/or your children? Hanging a bird-feeder? Bringing reusable bags to the grocery store? Target has several deals in honor of Earth Week - check 'em out! http://tinyurl.com/targetdeals

Spring certainly is the season of change and this year it seems more than ever. I have witnessed America's beautiful Pacific Northwest absolutely explode with color! More shades of green than most would imagine possible blanket the hillsides and every hue of blossom and bloom glow contentedly in the soul-warming sunshine! My runs continue. I've got a goal this month of at least 25 miles a week and I make it a point to cross the street every time there is a particularly bright bunch or fragrant tree along that side. It's a good thing too, because while I have a penchant for the routine stretch of my legs, I seem to also have the equal and opposite penchant for junk food and the Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and Street Fair brought in the best kettle corn, fresh cut curly fries, turkey legs, chicken satay, roasted almonds, and all sorts of sauces to try and goodies to taste! Tens of thousands of people came from all over (even hundreds of international visitors for the World Tulip Summit) to tip-toe through the tulip fields, buy bulbs and peruse the hundreds of art and craft stalls, not to mention give their cameras a workout! As y'all know, I can't resist such an opportunity and I brought my own out on a couple jaunts. I snapped several keepers, but my favorites came from the ripening reds that graced my bedroom windowsill. I just loved waking up to these each morning. If we were lucky enough to have a sunny day, they would glimmer with light and if not, they brought a cheering color to contrast the gray. As lovely as they were, it wasn't until they began to wilt that I believe their true beauty was revealed. Unlike wine and cheese, flowers are not usually considered to get better with age, but in this case, I beg to differ. The petals curled like ribbon on a gift and opened wide to reveal their delicate treasures within. The red intensified and shifted to deep burgundies, rouges, even purples and indigos... There was such elegance in their dusk, truly I was in awe. I loved these photos so much, that I entered them in the local newspaper's tulip photography contest. If you have a spare moment and like them as well, it would be great if you could give them your vote! (starting May 1st)
http://tinyurl.com/JWtulip1
http://tinyurl.com/JWtulip2
http://tinyurl.com/JWtulip3

Spring has also brought about many less than happy changes. I want to take this moment to extend my thoughts and heartfelt wishes to the victims of all the Earth's tantrums. Chile, Haiti, Peru, Brazil, Tibet, Iceland... and those are only the high-profile events. Earthquakes, Floods, Landslides... people and animals suffering. I am SO SO lucky to be where I am right now, to have the opportunities that I do and I admire all those who are currently dedicated to making a difference in this world.

Another round of well-wishes go out to my friend Kate and Nikki who have been doing some spring cleaning of their own. Both have had recent emergency surgery and especially Kate, this was definitely an unexpected birthday gift! I wish I could have seen you this weekend, but I'm sending big hugs to both of you (and one for Adam, Happy Birthday to you too!) from up north and look forward to seeing you in a couple weeks!

I'll end this entry with another of my recent fun finds. I like this product for both it's earth friendly construction, use of bamboo which is one of the most renewable natural resources, and energy saving features, but also it's simple and elegant design. http://tinyurl.com/bambootop