There have been a few requests to update the past enteries with photos etc  I might change my mind but I don't think I am going to edit past entries...it just feels like I would be messing with how I felt exactly then

For example: the weird seasickness feeling in the internet cafe in nairobi turned out to be full blown salmonella poisioning that I wasn't tested for until I got back to Canada. Fun.

If I can figure out how to (not even sure its possible) to reorganize the posts I might try and slip the additions in chronologically.

Its January and I have had a lot of time to sort through and deal with the after effects of my trip (salmonella all gone :) and there are a few stories that still need to be told and a few lessons that were learned that still need a voice.

Peace and Love

SD

me in the serengetti (click on it for a better/bigger version)

One week and two days home.  A few things have changed; Preloved's new store is open, I have to clock in to teach yoga, organic choclate milk is available at Rabba.  Many things have not; my cats still vomit, my cell phone still sucks and life in Toronto is busy.

Here is one very clear moment: Bay and Bloor bout 4pm and there was a lady, a 'business' lady with all the accoutrements blackberry, gym bag, briefcase bag, heels charging up Bay street on the phone.  She looked normal but she also looked like she was completey unaware of where she was.  Complelety involved and totally disconnected with her life at the same time.  I do not want to be her. Well, go back to being her.  And yes, I realize that I am making sweeping assumptions about her life after watching her for about 30 seconds.  But I know from experience that there is a level on uncouncisouness to that kindof busy. 

Concious.  I'd like to try and stay a little more concious.

Plus, we are all going to the same place in the end.  I am going to walk.

Its a little carpe diem, o captain my captain but thats me right now.

Eat Local

Peace and Love

-SD

I am home.  After harrowing double 8.5hr flights over 2 continents and one ocean - I am home.  My parents picked me up (apparently I looked tan, smelled bad and gained weight?! - that last statement was retracted as soon as I changed the shirt which will as well be mailed back to NB as soon as possible)

Home.  Weird.  It was pissing rain in TO and I couldn't figure out where to sleep or what to do.  Ended up changing mind 3 times and coming down to the hotel where the parental units had set up base camp. 

Woke up at 5:30 and sat in the bathtub reading the end of the book I started yesterday morning in Nairobi until they woke up at 630.

Good to be home.   More about the settling in later.

Peace and Love

SD

Beautiful People

If it wasn't upstairs in my room I would post the tips or 'Feeding and Care Instructions of returning volunteers' but it looks like we might be a bit of a crazy bunch upon arrival back on home soil.  Given that at the best of times I can be a little intense...the upcoming weeks should be fun.

Also, *warning* I have 3000 photos.  I will not make you look at each and every one but maybe a few.

The safari was great - I slept with a flashlight duct taped to my hand

while we were camping in the seregetti and through the night you could hear hyenas snuffling around the outside of your tent and the heavy breathing of a wilderbeast that I tried to blame on the english guy's snoring in the tent beside me but then he started snoring.  Was crazy.  Plus, I am so used to sharing my space I was really missing my roomates having a tent to myself the whole time!

I am in my last 15 hours in africa - back in Nairobi at the internet cafe that won't upload my photos.  (photos added later from canada) 

We saw the big 5.   But what was more of a highlight was that everyone had babies!  Leopards, cheetahs, lions, even the rhino and the hyenas.

As with everything else in Africa there was such a contradiction in driving around this unspoiled wilderness in a 4x4 landrover for 5 days and there being basically a traffic jam

and 20 people taking photos of wild animals.  There are definate pros and cons - the serengetti museum thing that we went to did a great job of explaining the conservation work that the money you spend to get into the park does.  Really really worthwhile but the downside is the damage that allowing people to drive around the park all the time.  I am surethat that the animals have noticed.  But having said that we saw a family of lions upclose and I had a VanGogh moment - you know when something takes your breath away its so beautiful and almost makes you cry?  I had that with the lions (and with a vangogh a few years ago)

I am going to a better job of updating and posting more pictures etc when I get home and am underemployed.

Peace and Love

-SD

I am now at a hotel - which is nice now that I am feeling better (could have used the private office yesterday).  God bless cipro (ciproflaxin = antibiotic from god) and those whom invented it.  Still not back to a ten if you are familiar with the poo scale but the fever has subsided and am taking this opportunity to eat anything I feel like since I am sure the calories are not being absorbed.  Sorry for the bowel talk but without my roomies to discuss things like this with in detail am still compelled to share.

The hotel is decked out in full 70's regalia, which is even cooler because its not meant to be retro but just is.

I leave Kenya tomorrow back into Tanzania.  I realize the difference between Morogoro and Nairobi would be the equivalent of me living in Stittsville and moving to Toronto and being upset that the people aren't as nice.  But Nai has not impressed - certain things are very impressive 10% of the popluation is emplyed keeping 70% of teh population safe from the 20%.  Note to the bad guys - buy yoursleves security company shirts.  Also, the sheer amount of barbed wire, electrified barbed wire and I think even razor wire - stunning, there is no other word for it.  It makes a cold place even colder.  But you do get harassed and being somewhat unblendable it requires a certain amount of toughness (read: rude) and probably just luck to not be actually terrorized.  Am sure its not as bad as that but prob seems so to the two scottish girls (who had only been in country for a day) whom I had lunch with (Tacos, in africa, I should have known better) Anyways, after I parted ways with them they were followed and kept under seige in a cafe only to be caught by the crazy tout trying to sell them a safari as they were escaping out the back door.

Some big cities are amazing - New York, TO (once you get to know it), Paris  Some kindof suck - LA, Vancouver, Nairobi
**feel free to post your dissenting views to those strongly stated opinions

I would have posted a picture of the sunset, or of me posing in my 70's room but this crap compuetr seems to not want to upload anything.  More's the pity.

(photos uploaded later from Canada)
Wishing everyone healthy happy bowels

ps - Pet lion refers to the thus far unmentioned fact that I am going to see lions up close within the next couple of days. I want one. Has nothing to do with poo.

Peace and Love

-SD

I am sitting in an internet cafe in nairobi - there are about 30 computers.  I am in a mall.  I bought an english language book and a fashion magazine.  I feel like I am on the moon.

I miss my mamas and the awkward interchange across the yard to the squat toilet.  I can't even begin to wrap my head around hot water.

Had an unbelivable good time at the beach.  I think that story might be for later when I can punctuate with photos.  Didn't bring my flash card bc I am travelling with the bare minimum in Nai.  

The most ridiculous thing in Zanzibar was the inability to use a credit card to buy a plane ticket which means that I now have to draw out kenyan shillings from my canadian bank account and change them to US dollars (the final payment for the safari is in US dollars the first day of the trip)

Hmmm, I love how textbook I am.  Got some emails from people at home - after being incommunicado for a few days (a whole week) I thought there would be more but I am also kindof weirded out about how much has probably gone on while I have been away.  And it seems like people have gotten used to my being gone - I would like to issue a Major shout out to those who kept in touch while I was away with an extra props for the regular callers (there may have only been two of you but it seems like you knew exactly what days I needed to hear a voice from home)  crap - am now crying in internet cafe. 

Slightly concerned about weird seasickness I am feeling given that it has been days since I have been on a boat.  Maybe its just hunger?  We all lost a bit of weight (I had to switch the thumb I wear my ring on as it was falling off - but I think it was more muscle atrophy and lack of protein than anything else) Note to Rachel: I asked the swedish doctor and the tummy rounding you were worried about is not possible.

Am off to continue the adventure in the freezing cold city of nairobi

Peace and Love

-SD

Fittingly enough our last night at the house where we survived so many noctournal adventures was action packed to

I would love to leave you with a picture filled post but I cannot given that I have spent the better part of the interent time today dealing with my post project travel plans which had me missing my flight by 7 hours.
My travel agent called me today, yes, before some other people managed to get through. ahem.

Its apparently all gong to be sorted and I would like to ask of all of you and the collective conciousness of the universe for an error in my favour and to have that result in me staying at a 5 star hotel for my last night in Africa.  Call me greedy and/or crazy but a nice comfy bed after 8 weeks of ground and before 20 hours straight on airplanes, well, it would be nice.  It would also be nice to not miss my flight and get home in one piece and to not have to sleep on the airport floor (which I have done in many an airport)

So conflicted about leaving...I am so used to having people ride around in my backpocket all day and night.  I think that once I get some alone space (hopefully a coconut hut onthe beach in zanzibar) I am going to feel so alone and miss my crowded digs.

Not much else to say other than I can't actually remeber the last time I showered.  Gross.  I know.

Peace and Love

-SD

  
what I left behind (I wore that hoody for 3 days straight)