It's been great spending the past month in Lenoxdale, housesitting for our good friends Karen and Pierre. I think one of the things I've enjoyed the most is our time on the front porch. We eat breakfast, lunch, and our snack out there, read, work on the computer, and watch the neighbors walk by. In Tennessee, my mom tells me it's called "porching", and I think it's a lovely past time.
We've been reaping the harvest of their garden, another joy of summer and picking currants from two large bushes. I am not sure what to do with them, so I'll just keep them in the fridge.
We also take long walks. Russ is going about four miles a day, and I try to keep up. For the past two days, we have taken the back road to Laurel Lake and discovered the Lee town beach and a homemade ice cream store (with heart healthy sorbet). Kennedy Park is also a wonderfully shaded area with several different walking trails.
Going into the center of town feels like we are somewhere else. Having worked in Lenox for six years, I never really walked the downtown section. With it's cute boutiques and sidewalk cafes, it feels like we are on vacation. Tonight we came across a concert in Lilac Park and we plan on going to Tanglewood next week.
I went back to the high school today, and it felt like I had never left. Except that I did not have mountains of work as I would normally over the summer. I loved seeing co-workers. Several former students have been in touch with me, which has warmed my heart. They were the highlight of my time there (ok, most of them). Our social action group SAVE continues to grow, and I am so proud of the students who want to stand up for and help raise awareness about injustices around the world.
This will be my last blog on this site. Thank you for supporting me in reading it. The new site will be http://theq8report.blogspot.com and I hope to have a post up later this week.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Signed, sealed, delivered
Summer has arrived, and we are thoroughly enjoying it. Our time in Lenox is relaxed and carefree. The other times are not so much so as Berkshire Medical Center evolved into our second home last week with several doctor visits and medical "events" (lab work, heart tests, cardiac rehab, and so on). Everything has been going well, it's just a lot to happen all at the same time. As you might imagine, talking with the insurance company is often frustrating.
Partly because we are getting good feedback from the doctors, we reaffirmed our decision to go to Kuwait. We had so many different emotions arriving back here at the end of May, and then with medication complications and side effects in June, we just weren't sure. So with much thought and prayer, we decided decisively to go and feel good about it.
There is much to do, but it will not be like last summer. For one thing, we own a whole lot less and will not be shipping anything, but will be bringing some excess baggage on the plane. We still have to be medically cleared (including being negative on Hep B and C, HIV, syphillis, TB, malaria, and filiaris), as well as criminally clean (which included a letter from our local police chief, authenticated at the state and then the national level). And then sending all of it to the Kuwait Embassy so they can issue the work visa before we leave in the third week of August. Not really a problem except the time it takes to overnight mail documents and hope the right people process them quickly.
Russ is walking up to four miles a day, which means I am also walking quite a bit. It feels great. There are so many different paths to take around here and sometimes we'll walk up in Dalton when we are there for the day.
I have begun a shiny new blog, but nothing is posted there yet. You will be able to find it at http://stephsQ8report.blogspot.com
We are so thankful for everyone's support.
Partly because we are getting good feedback from the doctors, we reaffirmed our decision to go to Kuwait. We had so many different emotions arriving back here at the end of May, and then with medication complications and side effects in June, we just weren't sure. So with much thought and prayer, we decided decisively to go and feel good about it.
There is much to do, but it will not be like last summer. For one thing, we own a whole lot less and will not be shipping anything, but will be bringing some excess baggage on the plane. We still have to be medically cleared (including being negative on Hep B and C, HIV, syphillis, TB, malaria, and filiaris), as well as criminally clean (which included a letter from our local police chief, authenticated at the state and then the national level). And then sending all of it to the Kuwait Embassy so they can issue the work visa before we leave in the third week of August. Not really a problem except the time it takes to overnight mail documents and hope the right people process them quickly.
Russ is walking up to four miles a day, which means I am also walking quite a bit. It feels great. There are so many different paths to take around here and sometimes we'll walk up in Dalton when we are there for the day.
I have begun a shiny new blog, but nothing is posted there yet. You will be able to find it at http://stephsQ8report.blogspot.com
We are so thankful for everyone's support.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Four kids and wii (as in us)
We are back in the Berkshires after a few days in Carmel, Indiana. Mom drove Russ and me up to Louisville, Kentucky where Beth and the girls met us for a picnic. It was a halfway stop and we then drove the rest of the way with Beth. Both girls are very cute and adore Russ, who in turns dotes on them. It's a win-win for everyone. In fact, normally squirrly Rachel insisted in church on sitting on Russ' lap so he could rub her back, which put her into some kind of trance.
Some of our favorite sayings from the girls -
I said, "Ok,hugs before bed" and four-year-old Rachel piped in "What about high fives?"
Five-and-half-year-old Faith was always asking where Russ was if he was not in the room. She matter-of-factly told me before bed one night "We were praying for Uncle Russ when he was sick. When he had his heart attack, his caterpillers did not have enough blood" (she meant capillaries, and apparently learned that from Bill Nye, the Science Guy)
The boys are quickly grown-up and spun us with tales of what they are working on for the 4-H fair (archery, chicken bbq and geneology for ten-year-old Zack and steak bbq, Star Wars collection display, and bicycles for twelve-year-old Marshall). Both boys are still plugged into music and help their dad out Sunday mornings. Zack is on swim team and Marshall just started football conditioning.
We played tennis, swung at the playground, and fed ducks. All four kids gave us lessons in wii, so we also bowled, shot decoys, and played party games. Let's just say their hand-eye coordination is light years beyond mine. A jolly good time though.
Beth and Max have done a wonderful job making their home very cozy and comfortable. We slept soundly in their king-size bed, although we also got lost in it. It was great catching up with them, and we always enjoy Max's salsa. They are on the same two-meals-a-day plan as Mom and Dad, which we have been continuing since then. It is very satisfying. The kids are still eating up a storm though.
Beth also took me to her favorite Goodwill store. I swear that Carmel has the best thrift shops I have ever seen. So, I am slowly rebuilding my wardrobe. Mom helped too. Beth also gave me a purse to replace the one that was lifted on the flight to Gabs to Joburg; things are slowly getting back to normal. (There was nothing in the purse, but it was really nice)
As in Tennessee, the weather was cool and pleasant. I think this will be the forecast for the summer, even though I wish it was a bit warmer.
The whole trip was a good diversion for us and it went by too quickly. We are now housesitting in Lenox, which is a nice change. We are enjoying discovering our neighborhood, walking, and sitting out on the porch.
Some of our favorite sayings from the girls -
I said, "Ok,hugs before bed" and four-year-old Rachel piped in "What about high fives?"
Five-and-half-year-old Faith was always asking where Russ was if he was not in the room. She matter-of-factly told me before bed one night "We were praying for Uncle Russ when he was sick. When he had his heart attack, his caterpillers did not have enough blood" (she meant capillaries, and apparently learned that from Bill Nye, the Science Guy)
The boys are quickly grown-up and spun us with tales of what they are working on for the 4-H fair (archery, chicken bbq and geneology for ten-year-old Zack and steak bbq, Star Wars collection display, and bicycles for twelve-year-old Marshall). Both boys are still plugged into music and help their dad out Sunday mornings. Zack is on swim team and Marshall just started football conditioning.
We played tennis, swung at the playground, and fed ducks. All four kids gave us lessons in wii, so we also bowled, shot decoys, and played party games. Let's just say their hand-eye coordination is light years beyond mine. A jolly good time though.
Beth and Max have done a wonderful job making their home very cozy and comfortable. We slept soundly in their king-size bed, although we also got lost in it. It was great catching up with them, and we always enjoy Max's salsa. They are on the same two-meals-a-day plan as Mom and Dad, which we have been continuing since then. It is very satisfying. The kids are still eating up a storm though.
Beth also took me to her favorite Goodwill store. I swear that Carmel has the best thrift shops I have ever seen. So, I am slowly rebuilding my wardrobe. Mom helped too. Beth also gave me a purse to replace the one that was lifted on the flight to Gabs to Joburg; things are slowly getting back to normal. (There was nothing in the purse, but it was really nice)
As in Tennessee, the weather was cool and pleasant. I think this will be the forecast for the summer, even though I wish it was a bit warmer.
The whole trip was a good diversion for us and it went by too quickly. We are now housesitting in Lenox, which is a nice change. We are enjoying discovering our neighborhood, walking, and sitting out on the porch.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
On the western end of the eastern time zone
(...or where to spend the summer soltice)
We are towards the end of our visit with my parents in Tennessee. It's been great. Not that I am a particular fan of the state itself, although it is really lovely. Russ and I have gotten the resort treatment - long walks down country roads, time to sleep in and read, and healthy delicious spa cuisine. Mom has always had a knack for cooking low fat meals, with lots of grilled fish, decadent desserts, and an abundance of fruits and veggies. I think Russ can hardly believe how well he has eaten.
All hail the vitamin queen who found a combination of supplements to finally balance our individual systems after months of being out-of-sync. It has also settled some of Russ' side effects from his heart medication. We are definitely healthier now than when we first arrived last week. Not something too many visitors to Tennessee can say with its country fried, gravy-covered, sweet tea diet. Mom said that the ladies at the church asked her not to bring anything to the church potlucks; we laughed because her food was probably too healthy for them, more likely they were just being gracious.
One of the changes my parents have made in the past year which I think is fabulous is eating just twice a day, once at breakfast and then a late rather filling lunch, with maybe a light snack or dessert later in the evening. This works for us and I hope we can incorporate it into our lifestyle when we return.
I love the longer evenings when the sun only goes down after 9:30.
It's hot and humid, but not unbearable. It has rained for some part of every day. We had a lovely time down in Chattanooga yesterday at what must be the largest aquarium in the world. It was really outstanding with one five-story building for ocean fish and another for freshwater species. Both were abundant with flora and fauna and it was really well done.
We've been out on the nearby lake twice. For some reason, I really like the smell of boat diesel in the summer. Mostly just guys fishing so the water was glass. Would have been nice to have skis.
We flew down here on Southwest Airlines, and I asked myself why we hadn't flown with them before? The check-in was a breeze, no extra fees, pleasant boarding process and great service on-board. So we signed up for their frequent flier program, as they really made it a pleasure to fly. National carriers outside the US also do a pretty good job but let's face it - domestic air travel sucks most of the time. My parents just booked flights for later this year to California and Charleston for unbelievable rates. Looks like I will be the armchair traveler for awhile.
Tomorrow we will meet my sister in Louisville and then drive up to Carmel, Indiana for a few days. The pace is likely to pick up as we reconnect with the four nieces and nephews, but we can't wait.
We are towards the end of our visit with my parents in Tennessee. It's been great. Not that I am a particular fan of the state itself, although it is really lovely. Russ and I have gotten the resort treatment - long walks down country roads, time to sleep in and read, and healthy delicious spa cuisine. Mom has always had a knack for cooking low fat meals, with lots of grilled fish, decadent desserts, and an abundance of fruits and veggies. I think Russ can hardly believe how well he has eaten.
All hail the vitamin queen who found a combination of supplements to finally balance our individual systems after months of being out-of-sync. It has also settled some of Russ' side effects from his heart medication. We are definitely healthier now than when we first arrived last week. Not something too many visitors to Tennessee can say with its country fried, gravy-covered, sweet tea diet. Mom said that the ladies at the church asked her not to bring anything to the church potlucks; we laughed because her food was probably too healthy for them, more likely they were just being gracious.
One of the changes my parents have made in the past year which I think is fabulous is eating just twice a day, once at breakfast and then a late rather filling lunch, with maybe a light snack or dessert later in the evening. This works for us and I hope we can incorporate it into our lifestyle when we return.
I love the longer evenings when the sun only goes down after 9:30.
It's hot and humid, but not unbearable. It has rained for some part of every day. We had a lovely time down in Chattanooga yesterday at what must be the largest aquarium in the world. It was really outstanding with one five-story building for ocean fish and another for freshwater species. Both were abundant with flora and fauna and it was really well done.
We've been out on the nearby lake twice. For some reason, I really like the smell of boat diesel in the summer. Mostly just guys fishing so the water was glass. Would have been nice to have skis.
We flew down here on Southwest Airlines, and I asked myself why we hadn't flown with them before? The check-in was a breeze, no extra fees, pleasant boarding process and great service on-board. So we signed up for their frequent flier program, as they really made it a pleasure to fly. National carriers outside the US also do a pretty good job but let's face it - domestic air travel sucks most of the time. My parents just booked flights for later this year to California and Charleston for unbelievable rates. Looks like I will be the armchair traveler for awhile.
Tomorrow we will meet my sister in Louisville and then drive up to Carmel, Indiana for a few days. The pace is likely to pick up as we reconnect with the four nieces and nephews, but we can't wait.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The birthday boy
Today is Russ' 44th birthday. He says he feels his age but looks good to me. Well, I feel old too. Sometimes I literally shock myself when looking in the mirror when I wake up. What is most important though is that he is here, alive and in good health.
We are going to have lobsters and corn tonight, which is maybe his favorite summer meal. Who knew that scientists recently discovered that the previously dissed shellfish is high in Omega-3s? Those are the magic words for us but we will obviously be skipping the butter. Let's not tempt fate here. In place of butter, I think a tasty combo could be using garlic, lemon, and plain yogurt. On this heart friendly diet, we have been eating very well, but not exactly losing weight. I think when we are housesitting next month, it will be much easier.
I found all sorts of good things at the library yesterday - "109 things you can do to prevent, halt, and reverse heart disease" and "Understanding pain" (Time magazine) for Russ; a mindless summer novel and the latest New Yorker for me. He could probably use something fluffy to read too.
We welcomed the Stanley Cup as a nice diversion. Amazing how the Bruins pulled it out after three seven-game series. The Tour de France is next!
We are going to have lobsters and corn tonight, which is maybe his favorite summer meal. Who knew that scientists recently discovered that the previously dissed shellfish is high in Omega-3s? Those are the magic words for us but we will obviously be skipping the butter. Let's not tempt fate here. In place of butter, I think a tasty combo could be using garlic, lemon, and plain yogurt. On this heart friendly diet, we have been eating very well, but not exactly losing weight. I think when we are housesitting next month, it will be much easier.
I found all sorts of good things at the library yesterday - "109 things you can do to prevent, halt, and reverse heart disease" and "Understanding pain" (Time magazine) for Russ; a mindless summer novel and the latest New Yorker for me. He could probably use something fluffy to read too.
We welcomed the Stanley Cup as a nice diversion. Amazing how the Bruins pulled it out after three seven-game series. The Tour de France is next!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The north country
With some time on our hands and not having seen certain people in a long while, Russ and I left about a week ago to head into upstate New York. We enjoyed taking the back roads up to Glens Falls, which was our first stop. Russ' Aunt Kathy and Uncle Don live in this lovely hamlet on Lake George.
Kathy and Don are easy to talk with and we had much to catch up on. The next morning, Don drove us up the lake to the Sagamore Hotel, a grand hotel from the late nineteenth century.
Even on the water, the air temperature up there was quite warm for early June.
From there, we drove into the Adirondacks up to Plattsburgh on the shores of Lake Champlain to see Aunt Sally. Beloved Uncle Don died in November so it was particularly heartwarming to reminiscence on his life. He was a swell guy.
Food is a common theme in many families and this was no different. I appreciate the sensitivities that people have taken to accomodate Russ' diet. Aunt Kathy crafted a grilled Scottish salmon with hoisin sauce, orzo salad, green salad, and sorbet for dessert. Aunt Sally discovered what I think is a brilliant service - there is a woman in Plattsburgh who devises a menu every week and then people order the prix fixe dinners for carry-out from her kitchen. We had a delicious tuna steak with tortellini one night, and stuffed portebellos with bread salad the next. Not entirely on the heart plan but we were able to adapt it. Each meal for under $8 a person, which doesn't seem possible.
We came back on the weekend to Lucy's ballet recital in Dalton and she was as graceful as ever. We have seen every rehearsal since she was three, and she has developed great poise and stamina.
For the first time in seven years, I did not have to go to Lenox High School's graduation at Tanglewood. Not that I missed the pomp, but I still from time to time miss the students.
Now the weather is quite cool again, which makes it wonderful for sleeping. We are packing our bags again and will be visiting my parents from Saturday onwards.
Kathy and Don are easy to talk with and we had much to catch up on. The next morning, Don drove us up the lake to the Sagamore Hotel, a grand hotel from the late nineteenth century.
Even on the water, the air temperature up there was quite warm for early June.
From there, we drove into the Adirondacks up to Plattsburgh on the shores of Lake Champlain to see Aunt Sally. Beloved Uncle Don died in November so it was particularly heartwarming to reminiscence on his life. He was a swell guy.
Food is a common theme in many families and this was no different. I appreciate the sensitivities that people have taken to accomodate Russ' diet. Aunt Kathy crafted a grilled Scottish salmon with hoisin sauce, orzo salad, green salad, and sorbet for dessert. Aunt Sally discovered what I think is a brilliant service - there is a woman in Plattsburgh who devises a menu every week and then people order the prix fixe dinners for carry-out from her kitchen. We had a delicious tuna steak with tortellini one night, and stuffed portebellos with bread salad the next. Not entirely on the heart plan but we were able to adapt it. Each meal for under $8 a person, which doesn't seem possible.
We came back on the weekend to Lucy's ballet recital in Dalton and she was as graceful as ever. We have seen every rehearsal since she was three, and she has developed great poise and stamina.
For the first time in seven years, I did not have to go to Lenox High School's graduation at Tanglewood. Not that I missed the pomp, but I still from time to time miss the students.
Now the weather is quite cool again, which makes it wonderful for sleeping. We are packing our bags again and will be visiting my parents from Saturday onwards.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sensing summer
I love the longer days of June. And it was downright hot until three days ago when the weather kicked us right back to April. It is still not as cold as when we left Pretoria, and can be quite pleasant in the middle of the day.
The through hikers are walking the Appalachian Trail, which Fred and Carol's house is located on. We can hear the crack of the aluminum bats from softball games across the street at the park. (I always liked that sound and the smell of freshly cut grass as indicators that summer had arrived.) The flowers are coming into bloom. Summer is absolutely the best time to be in the Berkshires, I'm convinced.
Russ' mom Carol is a much better nurse than I am. I'm ok with that. With doctor advice, we adjusted Russ' meds so he has more energy during the day.
We did not need to be in our current situation to be thankful for socialized medicine, but we are doubly so now. Health insurance in mandatory in Massachusetts and we signed up for the state care which seems remarkably comprehensive. We can go to all our previous doctors and it's based on a sliding scale (of which we have slid to the bottom). Gone is the stigma of having to sit hours in welfare offices just to fill out forms. This process could not have been simpler. Some people will be relieved to know that Mitt Romney did everything in his power to go against the plan when he was governor; we think it is one more reason not to vote for him as president. Is he for the health care plan now (because it is so successful) or against it (because he needs tea party votes)? Hard to tell; he is one sly chameleon, but once again I digress. It is a huge relief to have medical coverage.
Who knew that I would need settlement papers from when Russ bought the house in 1996? Turbo Tax obviously did, but not me. After much sweat and a few tears, I could not find the box with the records in our storage room on Old Windsor Road. Sigh. We filed today anyway, but the program would not let me e-file because I cannot get rid of a form that we do not need. I know this must be some kind of test but I am not quite sure if I passed.
We are shocked at the $3.89 price per gallon of gas and surprised that no one else seems to be. That is about what we paid in Botswana, but not quite what South Africans are paying.
Most peculiarly, the money transfer from the car sale in Botswana never went through, although Zane tried it twice. Maybe it is just on Africa time and will take a couple of months instead of days. I am not holding my breath though.
The little bumps in the road are just that. We are completely glad to be home, and every day gets better.
The through hikers are walking the Appalachian Trail, which Fred and Carol's house is located on. We can hear the crack of the aluminum bats from softball games across the street at the park. (I always liked that sound and the smell of freshly cut grass as indicators that summer had arrived.) The flowers are coming into bloom. Summer is absolutely the best time to be in the Berkshires, I'm convinced.
Russ' mom Carol is a much better nurse than I am. I'm ok with that. With doctor advice, we adjusted Russ' meds so he has more energy during the day.
We did not need to be in our current situation to be thankful for socialized medicine, but we are doubly so now. Health insurance in mandatory in Massachusetts and we signed up for the state care which seems remarkably comprehensive. We can go to all our previous doctors and it's based on a sliding scale (of which we have slid to the bottom). Gone is the stigma of having to sit hours in welfare offices just to fill out forms. This process could not have been simpler. Some people will be relieved to know that Mitt Romney did everything in his power to go against the plan when he was governor; we think it is one more reason not to vote for him as president. Is he for the health care plan now (because it is so successful) or against it (because he needs tea party votes)? Hard to tell; he is one sly chameleon, but once again I digress. It is a huge relief to have medical coverage.
Who knew that I would need settlement papers from when Russ bought the house in 1996? Turbo Tax obviously did, but not me. After much sweat and a few tears, I could not find the box with the records in our storage room on Old Windsor Road. Sigh. We filed today anyway, but the program would not let me e-file because I cannot get rid of a form that we do not need. I know this must be some kind of test but I am not quite sure if I passed.
We are shocked at the $3.89 price per gallon of gas and surprised that no one else seems to be. That is about what we paid in Botswana, but not quite what South Africans are paying.
Most peculiarly, the money transfer from the car sale in Botswana never went through, although Zane tried it twice. Maybe it is just on Africa time and will take a couple of months instead of days. I am not holding my breath though.
The little bumps in the road are just that. We are completely glad to be home, and every day gets better.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Minor adjustments
Adjusting back to life in the US is not as extreme as it was ten years ago, but it is still a bit rough at times. There are times throughout the day where I feel completely emotionally spent. Arriving on a relaxed holiday weekend did help tremendously to ease us in to "normal" life. I think we are just about over the jet lag and are sleeping through most of the night.
Driving on the right side of the road is still a little weird and still requires quite a bit of focus. At long last, Russ got his driver's license so I don't have to drive everywhere. Fred and Liz are loaning us one of their Subarus, which helps a lot.
I was not overwhelmed by being in the supermarket or Target, but still slightly blown away by how quickly things add up. We are using up our traveler's cheques which became obsolete overseas rendering them useless, but are incredibly helpful back home.
We are enjoying catching up with everyone. Russ and I set out the calendar yesterday to plan visits and get-togethers. It's so good to see people again.
We are staying on High Street in Russ' old bedroom. We find that we are already walking more, being in the center of town. That is a good thing as we both went a little soft and squishy over the past month. Everyone we talk to asks the same thing - "you are the healthiest people we know so how did this happen?" Well I think we are not as healthy as I believed, even though our diet seemed pretty balanced. Seems to be a relative thing. We can do better.
Hmmm, that is hard to do as I have been working on our taxes this week in the dining room of my in-laws, snacking away. We are rolling the dice for a big return this year but I am baffled at how complicated taxes can be when you throw in rental and foreign incomes. Thankfully, I have TurboTax, but even they cannot answer everything.
The girls are as tall as I am and Freddy is not far behind. Is it possible to grow this much in such a short time? They have all certainly grown up in the past eight months. Zach will be a senior next year which is just ridiculous.
I am recovering from what is possibly the worst haircut I have ever had. It's really awful. A reminder to be careful what you wish for - I had been wanting a change, something lighter and springier, and got something that will take a VERY LONG time to grow out. Thanks goodness for hats and hair ties.
Blogging is such a catharsis. I think I will probably keep writing on this site until we make a decision about what we are going to do next in our lives, and then go from there. Stay tuned. I'm headed for more ironing now.
Driving on the right side of the road is still a little weird and still requires quite a bit of focus. At long last, Russ got his driver's license so I don't have to drive everywhere. Fred and Liz are loaning us one of their Subarus, which helps a lot.
I was not overwhelmed by being in the supermarket or Target, but still slightly blown away by how quickly things add up. We are using up our traveler's cheques which became obsolete overseas rendering them useless, but are incredibly helpful back home.
We are enjoying catching up with everyone. Russ and I set out the calendar yesterday to plan visits and get-togethers. It's so good to see people again.
We are staying on High Street in Russ' old bedroom. We find that we are already walking more, being in the center of town. That is a good thing as we both went a little soft and squishy over the past month. Everyone we talk to asks the same thing - "you are the healthiest people we know so how did this happen?" Well I think we are not as healthy as I believed, even though our diet seemed pretty balanced. Seems to be a relative thing. We can do better.
Hmmm, that is hard to do as I have been working on our taxes this week in the dining room of my in-laws, snacking away. We are rolling the dice for a big return this year but I am baffled at how complicated taxes can be when you throw in rental and foreign incomes. Thankfully, I have TurboTax, but even they cannot answer everything.
The girls are as tall as I am and Freddy is not far behind. Is it possible to grow this much in such a short time? They have all certainly grown up in the past eight months. Zach will be a senior next year which is just ridiculous.
I am recovering from what is possibly the worst haircut I have ever had. It's really awful. A reminder to be careful what you wish for - I had been wanting a change, something lighter and springier, and got something that will take a VERY LONG time to grow out. Thanks goodness for hats and hair ties.
Blogging is such a catharsis. I think I will probably keep writing on this site until we make a decision about what we are going to do next in our lives, and then go from there. Stay tuned. I'm headed for more ironing now.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Back in Mayberry
...as surreal as that might be. We arrived back in Dalton Friday night and it seemed as though we had never left. We are just about over the nasty jetlag that seems to get harder to recover from the older we get. The flights could not have gone smoother though. We got to Oliver Tambo airport outside of Johannesburg late Thursday afternoon. I am glad we got there early because the ticketing process bordered on the chaotic. Although he is plenty fine to walk, Russ got a wheelchair which helped a lot with our carry-on bags and his stamina. With time to kill, we hoped to get wireless access, which was expensive and not very effective, not to mention that there was no place to plug in. So even with cappuchino counters and luxury duty-free stores, we were reminded that yup,we were still in Africa. (By the way, I am loving the fast, consistent access we have now. Yippee!)
We scored bulkhead seats, right next to a two-year old and her mother. Thankfully the child was the perfect passenger and slept most of the trip. We managed to sleep for most of the trip, but it is amazing how airlines try to keep people up for most of the flight. We boarded at 9:45 pm and dinner was served at 11, while breakfast was served at 4 am, which really only left us with maybe four hours of quiet anyway. Even if we did not eat, impossible to sleep with all the noise. My thoughts drifted to how we could possibly get into business class on our next overseas flight. There must be a way.
We arrived in Cairo at 5:30 am and the airport was a pleasant surprise. Very nice and easy to navigate (easier again with the wheelchair). We waited comfortably for a few hours before going through another security checkpoint. Never mind that I had other small bottles of liquid in my carry-on (some more than 3 ounces); it was imperative that I drink my water before boarding. Grrr...
On the second segment, one of us had a bulkhead seat (with another adorable and perfect child with a grin stretching from ear to ear), and the other had the whole middle row behind so we switched back and forth. Not that we could sleep much, but nice to stretch out.
We arrived at JFK earlier than expected but Fred and Fred were there to pick us up. We breezed through immigration and customs despite having six large bags and lot of prescription meds (now of course I am wishing we had bought more because they were unbelievably cheap in South Africa). Even the drive out of New York on a busy holiday weekend was relatively pleasant, just taking under four hours. Of course I was not driving, which after driving the past 10,000 miles in Africa was a treat to sit in the backseat.
Oh, to be back in the land of miles, ounces, pounds and inches! I love not being bothered to to think about such conversions. To be back with highspeed internet (and caught up on my emails), total familiarity, and recycling is bliss. Food options are great except for the high fructose corn syrup which was completely absent in southern Africa, but which we try to avoid anyway. It was refreshing over there just knowing it did not exist.
Reunions with the Sears family and running into friends has made up most of our short time back here, when we are not napping or unpacking. Lucy and Freddy made welcome back signs for us. The weather has just started warming up, and I love being back in summer again. Fred just opened up his pool.
We scored bulkhead seats, right next to a two-year old and her mother. Thankfully the child was the perfect passenger and slept most of the trip. We managed to sleep for most of the trip, but it is amazing how airlines try to keep people up for most of the flight. We boarded at 9:45 pm and dinner was served at 11, while breakfast was served at 4 am, which really only left us with maybe four hours of quiet anyway. Even if we did not eat, impossible to sleep with all the noise. My thoughts drifted to how we could possibly get into business class on our next overseas flight. There must be a way.
We arrived in Cairo at 5:30 am and the airport was a pleasant surprise. Very nice and easy to navigate (easier again with the wheelchair). We waited comfortably for a few hours before going through another security checkpoint. Never mind that I had other small bottles of liquid in my carry-on (some more than 3 ounces); it was imperative that I drink my water before boarding. Grrr...
On the second segment, one of us had a bulkhead seat (with another adorable and perfect child with a grin stretching from ear to ear), and the other had the whole middle row behind so we switched back and forth. Not that we could sleep much, but nice to stretch out.
We arrived at JFK earlier than expected but Fred and Fred were there to pick us up. We breezed through immigration and customs despite having six large bags and lot of prescription meds (now of course I am wishing we had bought more because they were unbelievably cheap in South Africa). Even the drive out of New York on a busy holiday weekend was relatively pleasant, just taking under four hours. Of course I was not driving, which after driving the past 10,000 miles in Africa was a treat to sit in the backseat.
Oh, to be back in the land of miles, ounces, pounds and inches! I love not being bothered to to think about such conversions. To be back with highspeed internet (and caught up on my emails), total familiarity, and recycling is bliss. Food options are great except for the high fructose corn syrup which was completely absent in southern Africa, but which we try to avoid anyway. It was refreshing over there just knowing it did not exist.
Reunions with the Sears family and running into friends has made up most of our short time back here, when we are not napping or unpacking. Lucy and Freddy made welcome back signs for us. The weather has just started warming up, and I love being back in summer again. Fred just opened up his pool.
Monday, May 23, 2011
102 hours
Never thought we would finally come down to this - roughly 102 hours left in this long saga until we land in New York.
I was worried that we would have a hard time getting through this past weekend. Thursday and Friday were particularly tough. We were both going a little stir crazy, and we did not sleep well Friday night. As someone who puts great value to “be” in a space of my own, having all the time in the world is not an easy thing. Part of this restlessness is that while Russ does not think he is a good patient, I am equally not convinced that I am a great nurse. Secondly, we discussed some pretty big decisions, which left us mentally and physically tired. Thirdly, there hasn’t been a whole lot to do that does not involve spending money, of which we have very little.
Saturday however was a beautiful warm day and we ventured over to the public golf course not too far from the house for a picnic. It featured a lovely shady walking trail and as we meandered through the course, we came across a small herd of blesbok, a few ostriches, and a troop of vervet monkeys. We laid in the sun and watched golfers try their best on the driving range. It was the best way to spend the afternoon.
When we got back, Russ’ brother Steve and partner Maria called us. This was the first time we had spoken to them and that lifted our spirits. Russ instant messaged with his brother Fred and his parents called later in the evening. Sue tried to called but we never got a good reception. I had spoken to my mom a couple of days before and so we were rather caught up on familial connections.
Add to the list of people who have been especially kind to us -
Out of the blue, we got a call from Dr. Cedric Yoshimoto, the regional Peace Corps medical officer. We had been in email contact with him, as he highly recommended Dr. Bennett. Cedric coordinates all med-evacs for volunteers in southern and eastern Africa which is a huge responsibility. He was maybe the most laid back doctor we had ever met. Anyway, he took us out to dinner at a fish restaurant and for the first time in almost two weeks, we did not watch a movie to kill time in the evenings.
Yesterday, we picked up our boxes in Joburg from Leungo and Vincent, friends of our friend Chris, who drove them down from Gaborone. These are the last remains of the shipping that came last December and represent most of what we own. We will take them back as excess luggage. So that too brings us one step closer to home.
Today was our last visit with Dr. Bennett. Good news is that Russ has no functional heart damage (technically there is some, but it does not affect the actual heart function of pumping). We were wishing for better news in the med department, seeing as the doctor wants him to continue taking the four medications he has been on for the past month. I am sure he is just being overly conservative, but we were hoping to get down to just two meds.
Thank goodness the sun still shines every day. It definitely makes things a lot easier.
I was worried that we would have a hard time getting through this past weekend. Thursday and Friday were particularly tough. We were both going a little stir crazy, and we did not sleep well Friday night. As someone who puts great value to “be” in a space of my own, having all the time in the world is not an easy thing. Part of this restlessness is that while Russ does not think he is a good patient, I am equally not convinced that I am a great nurse. Secondly, we discussed some pretty big decisions, which left us mentally and physically tired. Thirdly, there hasn’t been a whole lot to do that does not involve spending money, of which we have very little.
Saturday however was a beautiful warm day and we ventured over to the public golf course not too far from the house for a picnic. It featured a lovely shady walking trail and as we meandered through the course, we came across a small herd of blesbok, a few ostriches, and a troop of vervet monkeys. We laid in the sun and watched golfers try their best on the driving range. It was the best way to spend the afternoon.
When we got back, Russ’ brother Steve and partner Maria called us. This was the first time we had spoken to them and that lifted our spirits. Russ instant messaged with his brother Fred and his parents called later in the evening. Sue tried to called but we never got a good reception. I had spoken to my mom a couple of days before and so we were rather caught up on familial connections.
Add to the list of people who have been especially kind to us -
Out of the blue, we got a call from Dr. Cedric Yoshimoto, the regional Peace Corps medical officer. We had been in email contact with him, as he highly recommended Dr. Bennett. Cedric coordinates all med-evacs for volunteers in southern and eastern Africa which is a huge responsibility. He was maybe the most laid back doctor we had ever met. Anyway, he took us out to dinner at a fish restaurant and for the first time in almost two weeks, we did not watch a movie to kill time in the evenings.
Yesterday, we picked up our boxes in Joburg from Leungo and Vincent, friends of our friend Chris, who drove them down from Gaborone. These are the last remains of the shipping that came last December and represent most of what we own. We will take them back as excess luggage. So that too brings us one step closer to home.
Today was our last visit with Dr. Bennett. Good news is that Russ has no functional heart damage (technically there is some, but it does not affect the actual heart function of pumping). We were wishing for better news in the med department, seeing as the doctor wants him to continue taking the four medications he has been on for the past month. I am sure he is just being overly conservative, but we were hoping to get down to just two meds.
Thank goodness the sun still shines every day. It definitely makes things a lot easier.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The countdown begins
We will be leaving the continent one week from today. We have been waiting for this for a long time, and the days cannot go by quickly enough. I vacillate between feeling stressed out about things beyond my control and then being quite at peace. It’s hard staying occupied and we often feel bored and restless. That being said, we are trying to stay busy. We read and compose emails offline. We read magazines (although we are both in great need of a good book). We visit with the neighbor. We go for walks a couple times a day. We go grocery shopping and cook. Two days ago, we discovered what was a close cousin to a Whole Foods Market. Yippee!
We are watching more movies than ever before. Most of them are repeats which is ok. Pay it forward was one, which is such an excellent movie about being compelled toward random acts of kindness. Tonight it might be Zorro. Couldn’t do the Lord of the Rings saga, but think I might be up to see the Bourne trilogy again, especially if it decided to rain and we watched the movies as a marathon.
Russ feels better each day and his level of activity grows exponentially. We found a couple of places outside of the complex to go walking. But every day he still takes a short nap, which isn’t a bad thing. I often join him.
The days are beautiful and there are always a few hours in mid-day that are rather warm. Yesterday was downright hot. In the mornings and late afternoons however, it is quite chilly and we find ourselves changing clothes a few times a day. The house is not heated, which makes for lazy mornings under a big duvet in bed. Russ says it feels like October in Dalton; there is something about the air though that reminds me of Southern California in the middle of winter. There are even oak trees losing their leaves. In any case, it is lovely.
It feels like we are on weight watchers again, which again is not a bad thing, with now so much more motivation. I have no problem abstaining from red meat, as we focus on lean sources of protein. Russ is ready to totally cut out all foods high in saturated fat. Thank goodness that does not include avocados, fish, and nuts which we both love. Our weakness is French fries, so we are baking them. The fresh produce selection here is incredible and I am thankful for that.
Annette stopped by yesterday as she is in the area for a training program. It was good to see her again. It was also a national holiday because of municipal elections. Record numbers of people stayed away from the polls; they are disillusioned with ANC but will not vote against the party. One of the major issues was not having proper sanitation. Een toilet, een stem (one toilet one vote) was the rallying cry. Not sure if anyone was listening.
But I digress…time to go back out and sit in the sun.
We are watching more movies than ever before. Most of them are repeats which is ok. Pay it forward was one, which is such an excellent movie about being compelled toward random acts of kindness. Tonight it might be Zorro. Couldn’t do the Lord of the Rings saga, but think I might be up to see the Bourne trilogy again, especially if it decided to rain and we watched the movies as a marathon.
Russ feels better each day and his level of activity grows exponentially. We found a couple of places outside of the complex to go walking. But every day he still takes a short nap, which isn’t a bad thing. I often join him.
The days are beautiful and there are always a few hours in mid-day that are rather warm. Yesterday was downright hot. In the mornings and late afternoons however, it is quite chilly and we find ourselves changing clothes a few times a day. The house is not heated, which makes for lazy mornings under a big duvet in bed. Russ says it feels like October in Dalton; there is something about the air though that reminds me of Southern California in the middle of winter. There are even oak trees losing their leaves. In any case, it is lovely.
It feels like we are on weight watchers again, which again is not a bad thing, with now so much more motivation. I have no problem abstaining from red meat, as we focus on lean sources of protein. Russ is ready to totally cut out all foods high in saturated fat. Thank goodness that does not include avocados, fish, and nuts which we both love. Our weakness is French fries, so we are baking them. The fresh produce selection here is incredible and I am thankful for that.
Annette stopped by yesterday as she is in the area for a training program. It was good to see her again. It was also a national holiday because of municipal elections. Record numbers of people stayed away from the polls; they are disillusioned with ANC but will not vote against the party. One of the major issues was not having proper sanitation. Een toilet, een stem (one toilet one vote) was the rallying cry. Not sure if anyone was listening.
But I digress…time to go back out and sit in the sun.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Kindness from strangers
Throughout the past three weeks, we have been blessed by people with whom we were barely acquainted. Some of these people knew our situation, but others didn’t, going far beyond what I ever thought someone would do and made our lives infinitely easier.
In Windhoek,
Dr. Gild was a doctor on holiday that took half a day to initially check out Russ and take him personally to the emergency room.
Claudia Horn, the owner of Casa Piccolo, did our laundry and cooked for Russ in the first few days. After we checked out, she let us use the internet for free. She also pointed us in the right direction as we needed to finish up some errands.
When we needed pula to go back to Botswana and it normally required the 24 hour notice that we did not have, Wilbe Januarie, at First National Bank Foreign Exchange, delivered it within an hour.
The nursing supervisor in the ICU was incredibly supportive. She sat with us every day and took time answering the questions that the doctor was too busy to. She explained the procedures and medications. I am sorry that I forgot her name.
Charlie at the consular office at the Embassy called almost every day to see how Russ was. I am glad we did not need his services (like arranging for med-evac) but it was comforting to know he was there anyway.
With two public holidays within four days, Steyn at the Multicomponents mechanics shop, squeezed us in to replace a wheel bearing before we left for Botswana.
In Pretoria,
Dr. Bennett’s secretary Marti got us in earlier than we could have expected even though the doctor was supposedly booked until June. Ditto on scheduling the surgery and followup appointment.
The neighbors in the housing complex we have been staying in were amazingly friendly and helpful. Dolf organized transport for us when we had no car. He continues to come by every day to see if we need anything. He is one of the most optimistic people we have ever met…and also has terminal lung cancer. Van took us out of his way to and from the hospital for that first visit. Christa provided all sorts of referrals, directions, and fresh lavender from her garden.
During the long day at Wilgers hospital, Annegrette, the owner of a nearby guesthouse, let me use her internet so I could update the people at home.
When all I thought I needed were my bangs trimmed, Zica gave me a twenty minute scalp massage and then blew my hair out. It’s amazing how much better I felt when my hair looked good.
Yaseen at Egypt Air made the reticketing process infinitely easier and arranged for special seats, meals, and airport access. From previous airline experiences, I know he did not have to go out of his way and especially waive all the fees, for which I am thankful.
Back in Washington state, Dr. Kevin Foley, a cardiologist colleague of my Uncle Gary, answered each and every one of my emails from the very beginning. He looked at reports, read treatment plans, and was completely reassuring. He treated Russ like one of his own patients even though he has never met either of us.
Uncle Jim Clifton, certainly not a stranger but also a cardiologist, also gave feedback on diagnosis and treatment plans while on vacation visiting his grandkids in Scotland. He assured us that everything that was being done here was what would happen in the States, and explaining the process definitely made us feel better. He was a beacon of calmness.
And unexpected love and support from friends. These people are our angels.
Clara Donkor, the Peace Corps nurse who always liked Russ the best, often stopped by the Windhoek hospital to visit and advocate for him. She still calls us here.
Libet Maloney took me in for that first long weekend even though she had just gotten back from a tiring trip with a case of the flu. She cooked, drew baths, and was my sounding board. We hope to see her in Truro this summer.
Annette and Eicker deKlerk insisted we stay with them for the week after Russ was discharged. They gave us our own space, indulged us, and loaned us their car when ours was being repaired. Now that we are in Pretoria, we are also staying in their flat for as long as we need. They provided solutions before we knew we had problems.
Hannalie van der Merwe, my dear friend from Mariental, organized with her two boys to pick us up at the airport and helped with anything we needed. Calling just to say hi was huge.
Driaan and Bassie van der Merwe are grownup versions of the well-mannered, talented boys I knew twelve years ago. Busy college students halfway across the city, they still made sure we had a car to use for most of the time we were here.
Accepting gifts and kindnesses is not always easy, because of pride, embarrassment, stubbornness, or feelings of inadequacy. Our former pastor, Bill Imes, has talked to us about how it is a spiritual discipline to learn, to take a deep breath and let the grace of God through so many people wash over us. OK!
In Windhoek,
Dr. Gild was a doctor on holiday that took half a day to initially check out Russ and take him personally to the emergency room.
Claudia Horn, the owner of Casa Piccolo, did our laundry and cooked for Russ in the first few days. After we checked out, she let us use the internet for free. She also pointed us in the right direction as we needed to finish up some errands.
When we needed pula to go back to Botswana and it normally required the 24 hour notice that we did not have, Wilbe Januarie, at First National Bank Foreign Exchange, delivered it within an hour.
The nursing supervisor in the ICU was incredibly supportive. She sat with us every day and took time answering the questions that the doctor was too busy to. She explained the procedures and medications. I am sorry that I forgot her name.
Charlie at the consular office at the Embassy called almost every day to see how Russ was. I am glad we did not need his services (like arranging for med-evac) but it was comforting to know he was there anyway.
With two public holidays within four days, Steyn at the Multicomponents mechanics shop, squeezed us in to replace a wheel bearing before we left for Botswana.
In Pretoria,
Dr. Bennett’s secretary Marti got us in earlier than we could have expected even though the doctor was supposedly booked until June. Ditto on scheduling the surgery and followup appointment.
The neighbors in the housing complex we have been staying in were amazingly friendly and helpful. Dolf organized transport for us when we had no car. He continues to come by every day to see if we need anything. He is one of the most optimistic people we have ever met…and also has terminal lung cancer. Van took us out of his way to and from the hospital for that first visit. Christa provided all sorts of referrals, directions, and fresh lavender from her garden.
During the long day at Wilgers hospital, Annegrette, the owner of a nearby guesthouse, let me use her internet so I could update the people at home.
When all I thought I needed were my bangs trimmed, Zica gave me a twenty minute scalp massage and then blew my hair out. It’s amazing how much better I felt when my hair looked good.
Yaseen at Egypt Air made the reticketing process infinitely easier and arranged for special seats, meals, and airport access. From previous airline experiences, I know he did not have to go out of his way and especially waive all the fees, for which I am thankful.
Back in Washington state, Dr. Kevin Foley, a cardiologist colleague of my Uncle Gary, answered each and every one of my emails from the very beginning. He looked at reports, read treatment plans, and was completely reassuring. He treated Russ like one of his own patients even though he has never met either of us.
Uncle Jim Clifton, certainly not a stranger but also a cardiologist, also gave feedback on diagnosis and treatment plans while on vacation visiting his grandkids in Scotland. He assured us that everything that was being done here was what would happen in the States, and explaining the process definitely made us feel better. He was a beacon of calmness.
And unexpected love and support from friends. These people are our angels.
Clara Donkor, the Peace Corps nurse who always liked Russ the best, often stopped by the Windhoek hospital to visit and advocate for him. She still calls us here.
Libet Maloney took me in for that first long weekend even though she had just gotten back from a tiring trip with a case of the flu. She cooked, drew baths, and was my sounding board. We hope to see her in Truro this summer.
Annette and Eicker deKlerk insisted we stay with them for the week after Russ was discharged. They gave us our own space, indulged us, and loaned us their car when ours was being repaired. Now that we are in Pretoria, we are also staying in their flat for as long as we need. They provided solutions before we knew we had problems.
Hannalie van der Merwe, my dear friend from Mariental, organized with her two boys to pick us up at the airport and helped with anything we needed. Calling just to say hi was huge.
Driaan and Bassie van der Merwe are grownup versions of the well-mannered, talented boys I knew twelve years ago. Busy college students halfway across the city, they still made sure we had a car to use for most of the time we were here.
Accepting gifts and kindnesses is not always easy, because of pride, embarrassment, stubbornness, or feelings of inadequacy. Our former pastor, Bill Imes, has talked to us about how it is a spiritual discipline to learn, to take a deep breath and let the grace of God through so many people wash over us. OK!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
The days after
Later Thursday afternoon after I wrote my optimistically sunny blog, we met with Dr. Bennett, who explained that Russ’ artery was 90% blocked. That was sobering and we were doubly glad it was stented as soon as it was. Then after the doctor left, we found that the incision at the femoral artery was oozing blood, which was not supposed to happen. Russ handled it better than I did. Usually the sight of blood doesn’t affect me much (unless it’s my own), but I had to step out of the room before I fainted. That was a weird sensation. Erma, the young, attractive and incredibly knowledgable nurse had to press on his groin for twenty minutes. So, things could have been worse. ;-)
They got infinitely better. After that incident, we were not sure if he would be discharged yesterday. He was, but needs to take it really really easy.
We are settling into a somewhat laidback routine here which is the complete opposite of our “normal” lives. We usually sleep in until at least 8:00, have breakfast and talk about the day. Depending on how he slept, Russ may go back to bed. We try to go out every day, for a short walk or trip to the grocery store. There is an extensive tv and movie library here, one that even supercedes our friend Rick’s collection. So far, we’ve watched The Interpreter, The Devil Wears Prada, a couple episodes of Mythbusters, School of Rock, Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, and half of Lord of the Rings (don’t think we will make it through the trilogy though) We have a queue of a few dozen more films to watch, but also read, cook, and compose emails offline.
Russ talked to his brother Fred, sister Sue, his parents and mine today. Absolutely made his (and my) day.
If things continue to go well, we plan to see the doctor a week from Monday and hope to fly home within two weeks. Given that the heart attack happened only two and half weeks ago, that seems like a really long time down the road still. But we will try to make the most of our time here.
The more time we spend here, the more it looks and smells like California in January. The air is clear, although there is also a haze on the horizon. The rooftops are mostly tiled, the lawns manicured, and it is quite green (it does rain more than SoCal). There are uncountable mega and strip malls. The weather is one for a long sleeve shirt with shorts.
They got infinitely better. After that incident, we were not sure if he would be discharged yesterday. He was, but needs to take it really really easy.
We are settling into a somewhat laidback routine here which is the complete opposite of our “normal” lives. We usually sleep in until at least 8:00, have breakfast and talk about the day. Depending on how he slept, Russ may go back to bed. We try to go out every day, for a short walk or trip to the grocery store. There is an extensive tv and movie library here, one that even supercedes our friend Rick’s collection. So far, we’ve watched The Interpreter, The Devil Wears Prada, a couple episodes of Mythbusters, School of Rock, Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, and half of Lord of the Rings (don’t think we will make it through the trilogy though) We have a queue of a few dozen more films to watch, but also read, cook, and compose emails offline.
Russ talked to his brother Fred, sister Sue, his parents and mine today. Absolutely made his (and my) day.
If things continue to go well, we plan to see the doctor a week from Monday and hope to fly home within two weeks. Given that the heart attack happened only two and half weeks ago, that seems like a really long time down the road still. But we will try to make the most of our time here.
The more time we spend here, the more it looks and smells like California in January. The air is clear, although there is also a haze on the horizon. The rooftops are mostly tiled, the lawns manicured, and it is quite green (it does rain more than SoCal). There are uncountable mega and strip malls. The weather is one for a long sleeve shirt with shorts.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Being (a) patient
We arrived at the hospital at 6:00 this morning after sleeping quite well. I think the waiting is the hardest part and we did that for an hour before being admitted. Russ was checked into the GYN ward because of a shortage of beds and put in the MALES ONLY room. I think most of these were urology patients, and they just lump everyone, males and females, with issues in THAT area together (the catheter goes in through the femoral artery near the groin). More waiting until 9:00 when they brought him into theatre (what a silly word). Russ was rather calm and had a good presence of mind. I was told it would not take long, so I ran downstairs to get something to eat, came back up, and ten minutes later he was out. The whole process just took thirty minutes, which I think is remarkable. He was then admitted into the Cardiac ICU across the hall.
The technical stuff: He did in fact have a narrowing in the left anterior descending artery which they stented. He also had an unrelated spasm in another artery during the procedure which went away with medication. The doctor did not seem concerned about that. He will stay in ICU tonight and Dr. Bennett expects to discharge him tomorrow morning.
He is groggy and will probably sleep most of today, probably getting better rest than he has for a while. He was only sedated for twenty minutes so coming back to normal is not too bad. Now the deed is done and he can work on building up his strength.
An upside to not having insurance (and we are looking for any upside we can) is that we do not have to wait for any authorization. Russ received the angio-seal which stops the bleeding at the femoral artery almost immediately instead of using manual pressure which can take several hours to stop bleeding. Apparently, insurance companies are hesitant to pay for that. The gold card gives instant authorization (and we are earning lots of frequent flier miles!)
The sisters (nurses) in ICU are helpful and pleasant, but I have to say that my experiences here and in Windhoek (not to mention my own at BMC) show that intensive care units are not conducive to healing. Florescent lights, bells and whistles, constant talking and activity all make it difficult to rest. I will bring him an eye mask and ear plugs to help things along.
It has been a long morning already, but has also gone by quickly. I am so thankful for how smoothly everything went, and for the support from friends and family.
The technical stuff: He did in fact have a narrowing in the left anterior descending artery which they stented. He also had an unrelated spasm in another artery during the procedure which went away with medication. The doctor did not seem concerned about that. He will stay in ICU tonight and Dr. Bennett expects to discharge him tomorrow morning.
He is groggy and will probably sleep most of today, probably getting better rest than he has for a while. He was only sedated for twenty minutes so coming back to normal is not too bad. Now the deed is done and he can work on building up his strength.
An upside to not having insurance (and we are looking for any upside we can) is that we do not have to wait for any authorization. Russ received the angio-seal which stops the bleeding at the femoral artery almost immediately instead of using manual pressure which can take several hours to stop bleeding. Apparently, insurance companies are hesitant to pay for that. The gold card gives instant authorization (and we are earning lots of frequent flier miles!)
The sisters (nurses) in ICU are helpful and pleasant, but I have to say that my experiences here and in Windhoek (not to mention my own at BMC) show that intensive care units are not conducive to healing. Florescent lights, bells and whistles, constant talking and activity all make it difficult to rest. I will bring him an eye mask and ear plugs to help things along.
It has been a long morning already, but has also gone by quickly. I am so thankful for how smoothly everything went, and for the support from friends and family.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Being patient
The past forty-eight hours have been a whirlwind. On the day we were to leave Gabs, we closed our bank account, packed our bags, said goodbye to friends, and sold the car to Zane. Everything went smoothly. The fifty minute flight was also uneventful, but our arrival in Joburg was the start of the adventure. We arrived early and I called Driaan, my friend Hannalie’s son who is studying in Pretoria. When he drove up to the curb, we could detect the strong smell of antifreeze. We thought it initially was a gasket, but turned out to be a disconnected hose. In any case, there was no water in the engine and it had to be towed. So we waited as Driaan called his brother Bassie to drive forty minutes to the airport and then we transferred everything from one car to the other. Driaan and Bassie live on the west side of Pretoria, and we were staying on the east side. Bassie loaned us his VW, so we drove to their place first, then Bassie drove us over to the flat so we would know where it was, then we dropped him back to his place, and we finally arrived at 11:45 pm, three and half hours from when we landed. We were exhausted and slept well.
Yesterday morning, I woke up and wanted to get some groceries. A tiny detail Bassie forgot to tell us about was the alarm. So I managed to set that off and most likely woke anyone who wasn’t up already in this small complex. After doing some light shopping at the KwikSpar, I got into the car again, and the alarm would not turn off. Fortunately, I was in front of a security system company and the owner found that the battery was not working properly. So we got that all straightened out and I went back to what will be our home for a few weeks to have breakfast with Russ.
Russ and I wanted to get a SIM card for the phone and look for an internet connection. We got into the VW, turned the ignition, and nothing. The engine turned over and the battery sounded strong. We thought it must have been an immobilizer switch. Out of his flat comes Oom (Uncle) Dorf, the self-appointed mayor and watchdog of this small housing complex. We explained our situation - that we had a doctor’s appointment later on and asked how could we access a taxi. Explaining how difficult it was to get a taxi in the suburbs, he took it upon himself to call Bassie and Driaan (they were both taking exams and did not answer), then started talking to the neighbors. Within a couple of hours, we had met three other people in the complex. One of them, Vannie, was an older man who ran a nursery business. He offered to take us of his way to the hospital, and then picked us up again when we were finished. The hospital is twenty minutes north of here and his business is almost in Joburg, but he did not hesitate to do either. Another woman Crystal drove me to a store where I could get airtime and a SIM card. In the meantime, Dorf called a mechanic friend to come look at the car and he could not figure out the immobilizer problem either.
We were at the hospital for a couple of hours. Our time with Dr. Bennett was helpful. Yes, Russ has some heart damage. Yes, he should be scheduled for an angiogram soon. No, Russ’ heart flutters are nothing to worry about. Yes, he is on all the right meds for now. His secretary Marti was even more helpful, getting Russ into the schedule first thing Thursday morning. We went through pre-admission at the hospital, where we got a bit of sticker shock. They required an 85,000 rand deposit (about $12,000) which we were expecting but when faced with the numbers is still mind-blowing.
It feels like southern California in January here. It is comfortably warm during the day, but not too much. However, it is quite cool in the evenings, much more than we expected, and I think we may have to buy some warmer clothes. The flat is really a small one-story house with living room, kitchen, one and half baths, and three bedrooms inside a walled community. We had a nice dinner of fish, rice, and peas and then watched a movie, of which there are hundreds to choose from here.
Driaan, who is studying engineering, came over later last night to try and fix the car. It was a good diversion for Russ. Together they determined it was a faulty fuel pump, so that grounded use of the VW. Driann however had fixed his Toyota and is lending it to us for a week, so we drove him back to his place and then came back here. We are hoping this is the end of the car troubles! We are taking it easy today.
Yesterday morning, I woke up and wanted to get some groceries. A tiny detail Bassie forgot to tell us about was the alarm. So I managed to set that off and most likely woke anyone who wasn’t up already in this small complex. After doing some light shopping at the KwikSpar, I got into the car again, and the alarm would not turn off. Fortunately, I was in front of a security system company and the owner found that the battery was not working properly. So we got that all straightened out and I went back to what will be our home for a few weeks to have breakfast with Russ.
Russ and I wanted to get a SIM card for the phone and look for an internet connection. We got into the VW, turned the ignition, and nothing. The engine turned over and the battery sounded strong. We thought it must have been an immobilizer switch. Out of his flat comes Oom (Uncle) Dorf, the self-appointed mayor and watchdog of this small housing complex. We explained our situation - that we had a doctor’s appointment later on and asked how could we access a taxi. Explaining how difficult it was to get a taxi in the suburbs, he took it upon himself to call Bassie and Driaan (they were both taking exams and did not answer), then started talking to the neighbors. Within a couple of hours, we had met three other people in the complex. One of them, Vannie, was an older man who ran a nursery business. He offered to take us of his way to the hospital, and then picked us up again when we were finished. The hospital is twenty minutes north of here and his business is almost in Joburg, but he did not hesitate to do either. Another woman Crystal drove me to a store where I could get airtime and a SIM card. In the meantime, Dorf called a mechanic friend to come look at the car and he could not figure out the immobilizer problem either.
We were at the hospital for a couple of hours. Our time with Dr. Bennett was helpful. Yes, Russ has some heart damage. Yes, he should be scheduled for an angiogram soon. No, Russ’ heart flutters are nothing to worry about. Yes, he is on all the right meds for now. His secretary Marti was even more helpful, getting Russ into the schedule first thing Thursday morning. We went through pre-admission at the hospital, where we got a bit of sticker shock. They required an 85,000 rand deposit (about $12,000) which we were expecting but when faced with the numbers is still mind-blowing.
It feels like southern California in January here. It is comfortably warm during the day, but not too much. However, it is quite cool in the evenings, much more than we expected, and I think we may have to buy some warmer clothes. The flat is really a small one-story house with living room, kitchen, one and half baths, and three bedrooms inside a walled community. We had a nice dinner of fish, rice, and peas and then watched a movie, of which there are hundreds to choose from here.
Driaan, who is studying engineering, came over later last night to try and fix the car. It was a good diversion for Russ. Together they determined it was a faulty fuel pump, so that grounded use of the VW. Driann however had fixed his Toyota and is lending it to us for a week, so we drove him back to his place and then came back here. We are hoping this is the end of the car troubles! We are taking it easy today.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Back where we began
Russ was discharged last Monday with strict orders not to do anything. That is not an easy task, especially for someone like Russ. There is only so much television that one can watch, even give the full range of satellite channels. Fortunately, or not so, Russ had some adjustments to the medications which made him feel sleepy or lightheaded.
Our friends Annette and Eicker welcomed us into their home for the week of rest. My time was split between running errands, internet updates, and hanging out with Russ. Between two Namibian public holidays, there were lots of phone calls to make, bills to pay, and things to settle. Oh, and the car needed a wheel bearing! But everything worked out incredibly smoothly.
Although we already had a cardiologist appointment on May 16, I woke up Friday morning feeling I should call another doctor's office to see if there was a chance we could get in. We had been told previously that this doctor was booked until May; he is a popular choice as the US Embassy's top pick (although I am sure he also serves a wide range of nationalities). The receptionist squeezed us in for Tuesday afternoon and the catharization (called an angiogram here) for Thursday!
We had been feeling for a while like we needed closure in Botswana, and so decided to take our time driving to Gaborone. We took two days to drive 1000 kilometers (a mere fraction of the 15000 kilometer trip). Initially, we were going to take three days, but the road in Botswana was so good, it was like driving a freeway (occasionally needing to slow down for donkeys or goats; the cows wisely stayed off the tarmac). It was also a beautiful stretch of green hills and fields strewn with bright yellow wildflowers, making it feel more like spring than fall. Having gotten twelve hours of sleep the night before, we both felt great and the time went by quickly.
We were welcomed by Zane and Helen, and are staying at Rosemary and Rafa's place until we fly on Monday night for Johannesburg. We will completely unpack the car at last, emptying out all sorts of junk and treasures from the past few months. Then we turn it over to Zane, who is busy packing up for his move to Zambia. I'll close the bank account, pack our bags and hand out whatever is left (we will leave two more boxes of stuff here) tomorrow. Helen thoughtfully invited our friends over for dinner tonight so we will have one last hurrah!
It is so so good to be back here, even for just forty-eight hours, and like Namibia it will be sad to go tomorrow, but we are incredibly thankful for the earlier appointment which brings us one step closer to flying back to the US.
Our friends Annette and Eicker welcomed us into their home for the week of rest. My time was split between running errands, internet updates, and hanging out with Russ. Between two Namibian public holidays, there were lots of phone calls to make, bills to pay, and things to settle. Oh, and the car needed a wheel bearing! But everything worked out incredibly smoothly.
Although we already had a cardiologist appointment on May 16, I woke up Friday morning feeling I should call another doctor's office to see if there was a chance we could get in. We had been told previously that this doctor was booked until May; he is a popular choice as the US Embassy's top pick (although I am sure he also serves a wide range of nationalities). The receptionist squeezed us in for Tuesday afternoon and the catharization (called an angiogram here) for Thursday!
We had been feeling for a while like we needed closure in Botswana, and so decided to take our time driving to Gaborone. We took two days to drive 1000 kilometers (a mere fraction of the 15000 kilometer trip). Initially, we were going to take three days, but the road in Botswana was so good, it was like driving a freeway (occasionally needing to slow down for donkeys or goats; the cows wisely stayed off the tarmac). It was also a beautiful stretch of green hills and fields strewn with bright yellow wildflowers, making it feel more like spring than fall. Having gotten twelve hours of sleep the night before, we both felt great and the time went by quickly.
We were welcomed by Zane and Helen, and are staying at Rosemary and Rafa's place until we fly on Monday night for Johannesburg. We will completely unpack the car at last, emptying out all sorts of junk and treasures from the past few months. Then we turn it over to Zane, who is busy packing up for his move to Zambia. I'll close the bank account, pack our bags and hand out whatever is left (we will leave two more boxes of stuff here) tomorrow. Helen thoughtfully invited our friends over for dinner tonight so we will have one last hurrah!
It is so so good to be back here, even for just forty-eight hours, and like Namibia it will be sad to go tomorrow, but we are incredibly thankful for the earlier appointment which brings us one step closer to flying back to the US.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The latest and greatest
People have been so good to us. We have laughed and cried a lot over the past several days as we read all the emails and talk to family at home. We are feeling the love. Russ was discharged yesterday from the hospital and he is taking it easy at the home of our friends Annette and Eicker who live close to the hospital. “Lifestyle change” is the number one prescription. We generally eat well (although Russ loves his meat and salt, which he is heroically cutting out for now). We walk quite a bit. We figured out that we could probably find some different ways for us both to handle stress so that is what we are focusing on now. There are a lot of decisions to make in the next month or so, so Russ and I decided to take a break from that, and reflect on the past three and half months. We made up some fun lists and here are a few of them:
Most amazing “took our breath away” experiences (in no particular order)
Traveling to the remote waterfall at Semonkong, Lesotho
Experiencing the heavy volume of water at Victoria Falls
Cruising the Chobe River
Walking the beach at Vilanculos
Climbing Dune 38 at Soussusvlei
Some things that we’ve lost along the way (although not all in the same place)
A towel
Russ’ swim shorts
The really good vegetable peeler
A headlamp
A cutting board
One of my socks and one of Russ’ (but together they are unfortunately not a pair)
The camera transfer cable
One of the adaptor plugs
(We did however manage not to lose our passports, cash, or sanity)
Some of the items women carried (oh so gracefully) on their heads in Mozambique
Buckets of fish
Firewood
Ten gallon water jugs
Long poles
Suitcases
Long rolled up reed mats
Nicest loviest places to stay (in no particular order, and not including friends’ homes)
Karma Backpackers (Kestell, SA) for its warmth, homey-ness, and delicious jams
Turtle Cove Yoga Center (Tofoinho, Moz) for its tranquility
Roma Trading Post (Roma, Lesotho) for its beautiful gardens, well-stocked kitchen, and movie selection
Okakuejo Camp (Etosha, Namibia) for the Out of Africa romance it inspired
HIVU Cottage (Bvumba, Zim) for the amazing sunrise views from the bedroom, eggs, and hearth fires
Casa Piccolo (Windhoek, Namibia) for the German attention to comfort and detail
Old Vic Traveler’s Lodge(Nelspruit, SA) for the spacious apartment right outside the lush garden & pool
Camping at Chobe Safari Lodge (Kasane, Botswana) for its incredible beauty and wildness.
Absolutely the most terrible roads (in order)
From Ramabanta to Semonkong, Lesotho
From Hochfeld to Okahandja, Namibia
From Inhambane to Chimoio, Mozambique
Most of South Africa
Best tarred roads, a pleasure to drive (in order)
Most of Namibia, except Windhoek with washed out streets and massive potholes
Most of Zimbabwe, except Harare which was almost as treacherous
Entertaining road signs in Zimbabwe
Give way (Yield)
Lay bye (Rest stop)
Humped zebra crossing (Crosswalk with speedbump)
Deadly danger (Hazardous road)
“Would love to eat again” meals (in no particular order)
Grilled seafood orgy our first night in Vilanculos
Matopos dish also in Vilanculos
Fish curry in Tofo
High tea at The Victoria Falls Hotel
Every Namibian braai we were at (but we are going to lay off the meat for awhile)
Coolest most interesting animals
Wild dogs (just the prettiest dogs you have ever seen, yet also the most vicious hunters which one would
never guess to look at them)
Elephants (for their emotional group interactions)
Hippos (for their sheer girth and speed, also potential to kill humans)
Even a couple of regrets (first one - definitely, second and third - not really)
Not having travel insurance (we’re still kicking ourselves for that gamble)
Going into Mozambique at the chaotic South Africa border instead of from Swaziland (but we would
have missed an awesome stay in Kruger’s Crocodile Bridge Camp)
Not going to Malawi (but it would have been too rushed)
Things we will not miss when we finally leave Africa
The price of petrol
Dogs (most places we stayed at had several animals who were annoying and not well-trained…and we
like dogs)
The rain (especially while camping)
Police roadblocks
Runny tummy
Most amazing “took our breath away” experiences (in no particular order)
Traveling to the remote waterfall at Semonkong, Lesotho
Experiencing the heavy volume of water at Victoria Falls
Cruising the Chobe River
Walking the beach at Vilanculos
Climbing Dune 38 at Soussusvlei
Some things that we’ve lost along the way (although not all in the same place)
A towel
Russ’ swim shorts
The really good vegetable peeler
A headlamp
A cutting board
One of my socks and one of Russ’ (but together they are unfortunately not a pair)
The camera transfer cable
One of the adaptor plugs
(We did however manage not to lose our passports, cash, or sanity)
Some of the items women carried (oh so gracefully) on their heads in Mozambique
Buckets of fish
Firewood
Ten gallon water jugs
Long poles
Suitcases
Long rolled up reed mats
Nicest loviest places to stay (in no particular order, and not including friends’ homes)
Karma Backpackers (Kestell, SA) for its warmth, homey-ness, and delicious jams
Turtle Cove Yoga Center (Tofoinho, Moz) for its tranquility
Roma Trading Post (Roma, Lesotho) for its beautiful gardens, well-stocked kitchen, and movie selection
Okakuejo Camp (Etosha, Namibia) for the Out of Africa romance it inspired
HIVU Cottage (Bvumba, Zim) for the amazing sunrise views from the bedroom, eggs, and hearth fires
Casa Piccolo (Windhoek, Namibia) for the German attention to comfort and detail
Old Vic Traveler’s Lodge(Nelspruit, SA) for the spacious apartment right outside the lush garden & pool
Camping at Chobe Safari Lodge (Kasane, Botswana) for its incredible beauty and wildness.
Absolutely the most terrible roads (in order)
From Ramabanta to Semonkong, Lesotho
From Hochfeld to Okahandja, Namibia
From Inhambane to Chimoio, Mozambique
Most of South Africa
Best tarred roads, a pleasure to drive (in order)
Most of Namibia, except Windhoek with washed out streets and massive potholes
Most of Zimbabwe, except Harare which was almost as treacherous
Entertaining road signs in Zimbabwe
Give way (Yield)
Lay bye (Rest stop)
Humped zebra crossing (Crosswalk with speedbump)
Deadly danger (Hazardous road)
“Would love to eat again” meals (in no particular order)
Grilled seafood orgy our first night in Vilanculos
Matopos dish also in Vilanculos
Fish curry in Tofo
High tea at The Victoria Falls Hotel
Every Namibian braai we were at (but we are going to lay off the meat for awhile)
Coolest most interesting animals
Wild dogs (just the prettiest dogs you have ever seen, yet also the most vicious hunters which one would
never guess to look at them)
Elephants (for their emotional group interactions)
Hippos (for their sheer girth and speed, also potential to kill humans)
Even a couple of regrets (first one - definitely, second and third - not really)
Not having travel insurance (we’re still kicking ourselves for that gamble)
Going into Mozambique at the chaotic South Africa border instead of from Swaziland (but we would
have missed an awesome stay in Kruger’s Crocodile Bridge Camp)
Not going to Malawi (but it would have been too rushed)
Things we will not miss when we finally leave Africa
The price of petrol
Dogs (most places we stayed at had several animals who were annoying and not well-trained…and we
like dogs)
The rain (especially while camping)
Police roadblocks
Runny tummy
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Day 101
The traveling part of our journey is finished now but we are still a long way off from coming home. Earlier this week, we embarked on a most unexpected journey...to the hospital. On Wednesday morning, Russ had some localized pain in the center of his chest. What we thought was a really bad case of heartburn turned out to be a heart attack. Actually it may have been both, an esophagus spasm and a confirmed myocardial infarction on the left anterior descending artery.
You can imagine our shock. That this happened to my healthy, young, (good looking) husband seemed impossible to believe. Right now, he feels fine. He is at Medi-clinic, the best hospital in Namibia, and has a good doctor attending him. While he has been in the ICU for the past few days, he was moved to a private room in another ward which has been great! He is not tied down to monitors and the doctor encouraged him to sit in a chair, go for short walks and shower.
We’ve cancelled our flights. Good news is that Russ’ heart rate has become more regular, and the echo cardiogram showed positive signs. We are waiting for the ECG to settle down and also his blood tests. We are in contact with a cardiologist in the States and my Uncle Jim, who confirmed that the treatment is on the right path. Before we can fly home though, we will most likely need to go to South Africa to see a cardiologist, of which there is none here in Namibia. There they will determine if he needs a stint. It is also cheaper than we could ever expect in the States, where we might even have to wait a long time to see a specialist.
We are thankful that this happened here in Windhoek, where the medical care is some of the best in Southern Africa. It is also the closest thing to home outside of the US. There have been several people who have helped us out. Initially, I was staying at a guesthouse where the owner made Russ food (the hospital initially was giving him bacon and eggs!), did our laundry, and then there was the constant internet access. At the beginning of all of this, there was also a doctor here and he was instrumental in getting Russ admitted. Now I am at our friend Libet's place. She is just up the street from the hospital, a good listener and a great resource. The sisters (nurses) have been really nice, and the doctor is also one of the best in town, we're told. Even though there is not a cardiologist at the hospital, Russ was able to get the echocardiogram which was really helpful in determining the future course of action.
With the initial shock over, I am doing better emotionally. I am sleeping quite well at night, mostly because I am exhausted. Not eating under stress has never been a problem for me, and I can usually get something at the hospital or the market next door. Russ continues to go between being very scared and anxious to being quite calm about everything. He enjoys hearing from people back home and that always raises his spirits.
Stay tuned! More to come.
You can imagine our shock. That this happened to my healthy, young, (good looking) husband seemed impossible to believe. Right now, he feels fine. He is at Medi-clinic, the best hospital in Namibia, and has a good doctor attending him. While he has been in the ICU for the past few days, he was moved to a private room in another ward which has been great! He is not tied down to monitors and the doctor encouraged him to sit in a chair, go for short walks and shower.
We’ve cancelled our flights. Good news is that Russ’ heart rate has become more regular, and the echo cardiogram showed positive signs. We are waiting for the ECG to settle down and also his blood tests. We are in contact with a cardiologist in the States and my Uncle Jim, who confirmed that the treatment is on the right path. Before we can fly home though, we will most likely need to go to South Africa to see a cardiologist, of which there is none here in Namibia. There they will determine if he needs a stint. It is also cheaper than we could ever expect in the States, where we might even have to wait a long time to see a specialist.
We are thankful that this happened here in Windhoek, where the medical care is some of the best in Southern Africa. It is also the closest thing to home outside of the US. There have been several people who have helped us out. Initially, I was staying at a guesthouse where the owner made Russ food (the hospital initially was giving him bacon and eggs!), did our laundry, and then there was the constant internet access. At the beginning of all of this, there was also a doctor here and he was instrumental in getting Russ admitted. Now I am at our friend Libet's place. She is just up the street from the hospital, a good listener and a great resource. The sisters (nurses) have been really nice, and the doctor is also one of the best in town, we're told. Even though there is not a cardiologist at the hospital, Russ was able to get the echocardiogram which was really helpful in determining the future course of action.
With the initial shock over, I am doing better emotionally. I am sleeping quite well at night, mostly because I am exhausted. Not eating under stress has never been a problem for me, and I can usually get something at the hospital or the market next door. Russ continues to go between being very scared and anxious to being quite calm about everything. He enjoys hearing from people back home and that always raises his spirits.
Stay tuned! More to come.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Down to the wire
After a full day of shopping in Windhoek yesterday, we crashed quickly last night at the Chameleon Guesthouse. Our friends left early this morning for Botswana, and it was the last time I think we will all be together. We will certainly see Zane and Helen back in Gaborone early next week, but Rosemary, Rafa, and Jose Ramon will be in the Delta, only returning after we leave the country. Our last supper was at La Marmite, a Cameroonian restaurant that Russ and I fondly recall from years ago. The groundnut, chicken, and spinach stew was just as good as I remember.
We talked about the highlights of the past ten days – Zane liked Deadvlei and the kudu steak at Joe’s, Helen talked about how we followed the porpoises on the boat, Jose Ramon was amazed with the light and the night sky, Rafa and Rosemary both loved the desert sunsets and climbing Dune 38. Russ joked about Zane finally getting a new pair of veldskoene (field shoes). For me, it was so many of these things and more. My first thoughts always go to the excellent food we have eaten, particularly the fish and oysters in Luderitz. Russ and I also gave out awards - "Most Enthusiastic" to Zane, "Braaimeister" to Jose Ramon, "Best Prepared" to Helen, "Best Team Player" to Rosemary, and "Most laid-back, best translator, coolest sunglasses, earliest 5 oclock shadow" to Rafa. We all had a good laugh.
We will only be in Windhoek for a few more days before heading back to Botswana. After being in Namibia for five weeks, it is a strange feeling. It’s been an incredible homecoming, more than we could have expected.
We talked about the highlights of the past ten days – Zane liked Deadvlei and the kudu steak at Joe’s, Helen talked about how we followed the porpoises on the boat, Jose Ramon was amazed with the light and the night sky, Rafa and Rosemary both loved the desert sunsets and climbing Dune 38. Russ joked about Zane finally getting a new pair of veldskoene (field shoes). For me, it was so many of these things and more. My first thoughts always go to the excellent food we have eaten, particularly the fish and oysters in Luderitz. Russ and I also gave out awards - "Most Enthusiastic" to Zane, "Braaimeister" to Jose Ramon, "Best Prepared" to Helen, "Best Team Player" to Rosemary, and "Most laid-back, best translator, coolest sunglasses, earliest 5 oclock shadow" to Rafa. We all had a good laugh.
We will only be in Windhoek for a few more days before heading back to Botswana. After being in Namibia for five weeks, it is a strange feeling. It’s been an incredible homecoming, more than we could have expected.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
My kind of camping
We left Luderitz last week much as when we had arrived, calm with little wind. Amazing. We stopped at Kolmanskop, the abandoned diamond mining town ten kilometers down the road that we have been to several times before. It was incredibly fun walking through the sand dunes inside the buildings to take photos. Further down the B-4 highway, we stopped when Russ spotted several wild horses in the distance. In fact it turned out to be almost fifty animals of different family groups, older stallions and week-old foals. Spectacular. We finally arrived in Aus, the shortest drive of this ten-day adventure which paradoxically took more than six hours from when we left the coast.
Klein Aus Vista is one of our favorite places in all of Namibia. We stayed two nights in the Geister Schlucht (Ghost House), a wonderful rustic cabin with full kitchen, bunk rooms, composting toilets and hot showers. Rosemary and I both agreed that this is our kind of camping. The towering red rocky kopjies cast shadows over the fields of blond grass stretching as far as the eye can see. The silence of the desert was positively deafening. Our friends fell in love with it too and our days were filled with hikes, bonfires, good conversations, photography, and painting (notably Zane who has been sketching the entire trip). Not since the Drakensberg in February have Russ and I done so much hiking, so it was about time to get the lead out. One morning, he got up in the middle of the night to hike the mountain behind us for the morning sun to rise up from the horizon. Then we climbed the neighboring hill to watch it set. We were sad when we had to leave two days later, as we all agreed we could spend at least a week more here.
We drove further north into the Namib desert where we were back to sleeping on the ground thirty kilometers outside of Sesriem, which is the gateway to Soussesvlei, perhaps the most recognizable landmark in Namibia with its imposing shifting red dunes. Our campsite was a bit of a disappointment after all the fantastic places we have stayed. Billing itself as “luxury camping”, it was nothing more than a concrete shelter that we crammed our tents under. Nevertheless, the view was spectacular and on a holiday weekend, we were lucky to have even this.
Easter morning found us on top of one of the oldest and highest dunes in the world just after the sun came up. A mist rose from the coast, and left an eerily beautiful cover over the dunes for much of the early morning. It also allowed us to climb without being exhausted. We spent the day in the park. It’s hard to describe Soussesvlei; the dunes are immense, deep red with extraordinary contrast, and larger than they first appear. One must experience it to fully appreciate it. They are like nothing else in the world.
Now in the last leg of our trip, we are finally discovering the finer points of our cameras, realizing they can do much more than we thought. Too bad that did not happen earlier, but better than not learning at all. We still have more to learn, but taking hundreds of photos to try it all out.
The dynamics of the group are going well. In some ways, it is like a big family where everyone has their particular routines and nuances. There are of course minor irritations, but we are getting along pretty well, given that we have been with each other 24/7 for the past eight days. We are now in Windhoek for the eating, drinking, and shopping tour, which kicked off with dinner at Joe’s Bierhouse last night.
Klein Aus Vista is one of our favorite places in all of Namibia. We stayed two nights in the Geister Schlucht (Ghost House), a wonderful rustic cabin with full kitchen, bunk rooms, composting toilets and hot showers. Rosemary and I both agreed that this is our kind of camping. The towering red rocky kopjies cast shadows over the fields of blond grass stretching as far as the eye can see. The silence of the desert was positively deafening. Our friends fell in love with it too and our days were filled with hikes, bonfires, good conversations, photography, and painting (notably Zane who has been sketching the entire trip). Not since the Drakensberg in February have Russ and I done so much hiking, so it was about time to get the lead out. One morning, he got up in the middle of the night to hike the mountain behind us for the morning sun to rise up from the horizon. Then we climbed the neighboring hill to watch it set. We were sad when we had to leave two days later, as we all agreed we could spend at least a week more here.
We drove further north into the Namib desert where we were back to sleeping on the ground thirty kilometers outside of Sesriem, which is the gateway to Soussesvlei, perhaps the most recognizable landmark in Namibia with its imposing shifting red dunes. Our campsite was a bit of a disappointment after all the fantastic places we have stayed. Billing itself as “luxury camping”, it was nothing more than a concrete shelter that we crammed our tents under. Nevertheless, the view was spectacular and on a holiday weekend, we were lucky to have even this.
Easter morning found us on top of one of the oldest and highest dunes in the world just after the sun came up. A mist rose from the coast, and left an eerily beautiful cover over the dunes for much of the early morning. It also allowed us to climb without being exhausted. We spent the day in the park. It’s hard to describe Soussesvlei; the dunes are immense, deep red with extraordinary contrast, and larger than they first appear. One must experience it to fully appreciate it. They are like nothing else in the world.
Now in the last leg of our trip, we are finally discovering the finer points of our cameras, realizing they can do much more than we thought. Too bad that did not happen earlier, but better than not learning at all. We still have more to learn, but taking hundreds of photos to try it all out.
The dynamics of the group are going well. In some ways, it is like a big family where everyone has their particular routines and nuances. There are of course minor irritations, but we are getting along pretty well, given that we have been with each other 24/7 for the past eight days. We are now in Windhoek for the eating, drinking, and shopping tour, which kicked off with dinner at Joe’s Bierhouse last night.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
From travelers to tour guides
Before leaving Luderitz five days ago, we spent some time with Brad, one of two volunteers here. It was one of those connections where the conversation keeps taking new turns and never tires. We talked about volunteer life, living overseas, food, ham radio operation, gifts to oneself on birthdays, African and US politics, and interesting books. We also went to Kevin’s flat for brunch Saturday morning where three other volunteers were visiting, including the two new Luderitz people. All of them were very nice. In talking with them, we learned a lot about the current state of Peace Corps. Like how volunteers have to write monthly reports on a computer and how they receive an allowance for cell phones – two things that we did not have back in the day. Also, volunteers are not allowed to drive or to hitchhike, making transportation more of a challenge. HIV education remains much as it was thirteen years ago which does not elicit much confidence. The volunteers that we met in Windhoek, Mariental and Luderitz seemed quite young, and in talking with our friend Libet who did some training with the newest group, there is a pervasive sense of entitlement and general immaturity which leads to a lot of complaining. Of course these are generalizations, but Russ and I both realized that the generation of high school students that we worked with over the past decade are now of volunteer age. Back in high school some of them (and their helicopter parents) had these same issues, and my sense is that they still haven’t learned. Who knows, maybe we are just becoming righteous old farts. Anyway, Brad did not fall into this category at all, which is probably one reason why we liked him so much.
We decided to overnight at the Seeheim Hotel which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Actually, it was forty-five kilometers east of Keetmanshoop and on the secondary road that would take us to the Fish River Canyon. It was lovely and resembled a castle. We stayed in the highest room, which tested our heart health, but also gave us gorgeous views of the nearly full moon and the spectacular desert.
Our friends Zane, Rafa, Rosemary, and Helen arrived in Namibia on Sunday. Rafa’s cousin Jose Ramon came from Spain too. We met them on the northern rim of the canyon at this funky roadhouse reminiscent of a Route 66 establishment. These are our camping buddies and so we pitched our tents, made a large braai and marveled at the stars. The next day we went to the Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world. It was nothing short of spectacular. Although we were prohibited from going down, we did walk quite a ways along the rim.
All afternoon we watched the ominous sky change colors and fill with clouds. One never wishes for rain while camping, but if that was all we had, we would have been lucky. A severe hailstorm of nickel-sized pellets reined down on us for a good fifteen minutes, followed by torrential rain. Russ and I had never experienced anything like it. The ground looked as though it was covered with a thin layer of snow. Russ finally got a touch of the winter he had been longing for the past few months.
Because of the warm desert wind however, the tents dried out fairly quickly the next morning and we got an early start on the arduous journey towards Luderitz. The gravel roads took a bit of a beating with the last storm, so it was a longer than usual drive. We also stopped for lunch at the newly renovated Bahnhof Hotel in Aus. Sitting on the veranda with a cool drink was the perfect thing to do before the last 120 kilometer push to the sea.
We arrived to amazingly good weather in Luderitz. Here we had been warning these guys about the notorious wind, and it hasn't been blowing the entire time we have been here. After checking into our 1900's-era guesthouse which had a spectacular view of the bay and town, we walked down for a fish dinner at Ritzi's on the waterfront.
It was a good thing that it stayed so calm, as early this morning we sailed on the boat Sedina, something Russ and I never did when we lived here mostly because it always seemed so rough. I for one have never quite found my sea legs, but the trip today was incredibly pleasant. The boat took us out to the islands where the Cape Fur seals and Jackass penguins make their homes. It was a wonderful trip, as we also saw quite a few dolphins and porpoises.
After showing the group the school where Russ taught and a stroll down Agate Beach, we went to the oyster factory for lunch. Amazing raw and grilled oysters, although we were careful not to eat to many as we will be going back to Ritzi's later tonight.
Tomorrow we head back into the desert for four days. It's great to hang out with everyone again.
We decided to overnight at the Seeheim Hotel which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Actually, it was forty-five kilometers east of Keetmanshoop and on the secondary road that would take us to the Fish River Canyon. It was lovely and resembled a castle. We stayed in the highest room, which tested our heart health, but also gave us gorgeous views of the nearly full moon and the spectacular desert.
Our friends Zane, Rafa, Rosemary, and Helen arrived in Namibia on Sunday. Rafa’s cousin Jose Ramon came from Spain too. We met them on the northern rim of the canyon at this funky roadhouse reminiscent of a Route 66 establishment. These are our camping buddies and so we pitched our tents, made a large braai and marveled at the stars. The next day we went to the Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world. It was nothing short of spectacular. Although we were prohibited from going down, we did walk quite a ways along the rim.
All afternoon we watched the ominous sky change colors and fill with clouds. One never wishes for rain while camping, but if that was all we had, we would have been lucky. A severe hailstorm of nickel-sized pellets reined down on us for a good fifteen minutes, followed by torrential rain. Russ and I had never experienced anything like it. The ground looked as though it was covered with a thin layer of snow. Russ finally got a touch of the winter he had been longing for the past few months.
Because of the warm desert wind however, the tents dried out fairly quickly the next morning and we got an early start on the arduous journey towards Luderitz. The gravel roads took a bit of a beating with the last storm, so it was a longer than usual drive. We also stopped for lunch at the newly renovated Bahnhof Hotel in Aus. Sitting on the veranda with a cool drink was the perfect thing to do before the last 120 kilometer push to the sea.
We arrived to amazingly good weather in Luderitz. Here we had been warning these guys about the notorious wind, and it hasn't been blowing the entire time we have been here. After checking into our 1900's-era guesthouse which had a spectacular view of the bay and town, we walked down for a fish dinner at Ritzi's on the waterfront.
It was a good thing that it stayed so calm, as early this morning we sailed on the boat Sedina, something Russ and I never did when we lived here mostly because it always seemed so rough. I for one have never quite found my sea legs, but the trip today was incredibly pleasant. The boat took us out to the islands where the Cape Fur seals and Jackass penguins make their homes. It was a wonderful trip, as we also saw quite a few dolphins and porpoises.
After showing the group the school where Russ taught and a stroll down Agate Beach, we went to the oyster factory for lunch. Amazing raw and grilled oysters, although we were careful not to eat to many as we will be going back to Ritzi's later tonight.
Tomorrow we head back into the desert for four days. It's great to hang out with everyone again.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The winds, they are a-changin'
I think everyone is aware of the fact that the world's weather is a little deurmekaar (upside down) this year, from droughts to rains to severe winter temperatures, not to mention the horrible earthquakes and tsunamis. Even Luderitz hasn't escaped but it's been for the better. Everyone here tells us that the winds are not what they used to be, that they have died down significantly. Without doubt, it is still a windy place, but maybe no longer the windiest town on earth and not quite enough to blow us over anymore. Also, last week it rained briefly for an unprecedented three days in a row!
Russ has been busily visiting colleagues and former students, and there is a buzz around town with his return. He is well-remembered as he was much loved by many people. For the eight months I lived in Luderitz, most of the people I knew I met through him. One of them was Beverly, the librarian who has continued to befriend every volunteer who comes through town. We are staying with her and her family for two nights before couch surfing with Brad, a current education volunteer from Texas. We met him in Windhoek and we got along quite well.
As delicious as the Namibian meat is, I think I am off of that for awhile. One can have too much of a good thing. Now that we are in Luderitz for awhile, I hope to eat lots of fresh fish. The oyster industry has grown tremendously and the local complain that the price per oyster on the half shell has risen to 80 cents (US $). I say, bring them on!
The cruise ship pulled into the harbor this morning and a horde of tourists descended upon the town. This only happens two or three times a year, so the shops are hopping. It's a great boon to all who live and work here. The ship actually started it's voyage in Florida on a 107 day cruise through the Panama Canal to Southeast Asia around India and now Africa before heading back across the Atlantic. That's intense!
We are looking forward to meeting our friends from Gaborone on Sunday at the Fish River Canyon. It was always the plan to come to Namibia during the first school break and now it will actually be happening.
While Russ is socializing, I am catching up on the internet at the library which is maybe the fastest connection we have encountered in Namibia. It also keeps me out of the wind, which may have subsided over the past ten years, but still leaves me wondering how we ever lived here.
Russ has been busily visiting colleagues and former students, and there is a buzz around town with his return. He is well-remembered as he was much loved by many people. For the eight months I lived in Luderitz, most of the people I knew I met through him. One of them was Beverly, the librarian who has continued to befriend every volunteer who comes through town. We are staying with her and her family for two nights before couch surfing with Brad, a current education volunteer from Texas. We met him in Windhoek and we got along quite well.
As delicious as the Namibian meat is, I think I am off of that for awhile. One can have too much of a good thing. Now that we are in Luderitz for awhile, I hope to eat lots of fresh fish. The oyster industry has grown tremendously and the local complain that the price per oyster on the half shell has risen to 80 cents (US $). I say, bring them on!
The cruise ship pulled into the harbor this morning and a horde of tourists descended upon the town. This only happens two or three times a year, so the shops are hopping. It's a great boon to all who live and work here. The ship actually started it's voyage in Florida on a 107 day cruise through the Panama Canal to Southeast Asia around India and now Africa before heading back across the Atlantic. That's intense!
We are looking forward to meeting our friends from Gaborone on Sunday at the Fish River Canyon. It was always the plan to come to Namibia during the first school break and now it will actually be happening.
While Russ is socializing, I am catching up on the internet at the library which is maybe the fastest connection we have encountered in Namibia. It also keeps me out of the wind, which may have subsided over the past ten years, but still leaves me wondering how we ever lived here.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
On the road to somewhere
Before leaving Mariental, a couple of things happened that still brings a smile to my face. Unlike Russ who had longterm contact with students during his Peace Corps stint, I was mostly working with adults. Paul was one of them, and it was definitely good to catch up with him. Most of the social workers have either died or moved out of the area. One of them was Elaine in Bloemfontein and that was wonderful to visit with her. In my second year however, Bridgette and I started a girls group and then Jen and I worked together with a group of about a dozen girls. I saw two of the young women yesterday and they knew me immediately, even before I could recognize them. They are married now, with kids of their own and it was lovely to talk. I also visited with our neighbor when we lived in the hostel. Mrs. Shehama and her three kids were like family to us during that first year.
There is a big new youth center in town and I met the Peace Corps volunteer who is there now. Despite not having a job description (which I didn’t have either), she seems to have carved out a niche and her time in Mariental has been good. It’s a good feeling knowing that there are solid, sane people in place coming after you. Peace Corps can get pretty wacky, and more than once Russ and I have thought they should bring back the pre-service psych testing.
Last night we had dinner with my friend Hannalie. I was so happy to see her happily on her own, running her own business. Hannalie was a close confidante; we spent several evenings after work drinking red wine, and playing field hockey during the weekends. I lived with her family for a short period, and she was the one who took me to Pretoria to get the lasik surgery eleven years ago. Like my time has been with Hanlie and Marita over the past couple of weeks, it seems as though no time had elapsed. We just picked up where we left off which is an incredible feeling of friendship.
We headed south for the two hour drive to Keetmanshoop, which turned into four hours because we took our time, stopping for lunch and driving out of the way to see the Quivertree Forest (which are more like aloes than trees). The topography changed from some hills to incredibly flat expanses of scrub brush. There aren’t even any trees, just bushes and the occasional goat.
We stopped over in Bethanie instead of driving a further four hours to Luderitz and were pleasantly surprised. Twelve years ago, Bethanie was a sleepy, dusty little town with not much going on, forty kilometers off the main road. It most definitely still is but now has a comfortable guesthouse. It’s nice having the time to stop at a place like this; we normally would have driven right through.
Here we are in Luderitz for the next several days before we meet up with friends from Gaborone to show them the south. While we still have quite a bit of driving to do over the next three weeks, we have now essentially driven Namibia from end to end, from Katima Mulilo to the southern coast.
There is a big new youth center in town and I met the Peace Corps volunteer who is there now. Despite not having a job description (which I didn’t have either), she seems to have carved out a niche and her time in Mariental has been good. It’s a good feeling knowing that there are solid, sane people in place coming after you. Peace Corps can get pretty wacky, and more than once Russ and I have thought they should bring back the pre-service psych testing.
Last night we had dinner with my friend Hannalie. I was so happy to see her happily on her own, running her own business. Hannalie was a close confidante; we spent several evenings after work drinking red wine, and playing field hockey during the weekends. I lived with her family for a short period, and she was the one who took me to Pretoria to get the lasik surgery eleven years ago. Like my time has been with Hanlie and Marita over the past couple of weeks, it seems as though no time had elapsed. We just picked up where we left off which is an incredible feeling of friendship.
We headed south for the two hour drive to Keetmanshoop, which turned into four hours because we took our time, stopping for lunch and driving out of the way to see the Quivertree Forest (which are more like aloes than trees). The topography changed from some hills to incredibly flat expanses of scrub brush. There aren’t even any trees, just bushes and the occasional goat.
We stopped over in Bethanie instead of driving a further four hours to Luderitz and were pleasantly surprised. Twelve years ago, Bethanie was a sleepy, dusty little town with not much going on, forty kilometers off the main road. It most definitely still is but now has a comfortable guesthouse. It’s nice having the time to stop at a place like this; we normally would have driven right through.
Here we are in Luderitz for the next several days before we meet up with friends from Gaborone to show them the south. While we still have quite a bit of driving to do over the next three weeks, we have now essentially driven Namibia from end to end, from Katima Mulilo to the southern coast.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Memories of meat and dust
We arrived in Mariental on Friday only to find out that the National Braai Competition was going on. That is so perfect for our time here, as Mariental is a center of meat production and consumption. Farmer organizations from around the country descended on the municipal sports field Friday night to set up their stalls. Many of them were quite elaborately decorated in some kind of African theme. Early Saturday morning, each team was given specific ingredients to create a main dish, two sides, and a dessert. This was a real boere dag (white farmer day), and felt much like a country fair in the US Midwest with live country western music, farm machinery demonstrations, and fair type food. We went over in the early morning and then later in the day when the event was just getting its’ second wind, winding up for the steak braai and langarm dance. We skipped the evening event for obvious reasons – Russ doesn’t dance and we have eaten way too much meat in the past two weeks. We walked back to the house, had a salad, and watched satellite television in an air-conditioned room.
We stayed with my friends Marita and Radie and had our own braii of springbok fillets and lamb chops Friday night. They left on Saturday afternoon to go to Cape Town, but left us more meat (cooked and uncooked) to last us a month (we only stayed four days). We were happy to house sit for them and feed their cat, dog, and bird. It also gave us a great opportunity to visit more friends.
We met some people at the braai competition and others at the supermarket. But there are a lot of people that I don’t recognize anymore. We spent time with my former co-worker Paul and his wife Petronella, and met their one-year-old Olivia. Paul is such a good dad, and was always my go-to reference for politics, sports, and news. It was great to catch up.
Before Marita left, we had time to drink copious cups of tea. She is one who introduced me to putting sweetened condensed milk in my tea many years ago, which was aa real treat. She must have a dozen tins in her pantry. She filled me in on a lot of the news about town, but also broke the news that our friends Zack and Elaine’s son died a few weeks ago. Having seen them at the beginning of our trip in Bloemfontein, we were stunned at the news and totally saddened.
A warm wind stirred up the sand over the weekend and we were quickly reminded of why the Nama name for Mariental is “dusty faces”. It was not long before my allergies kicked in (they seem worse then I remember). The air temperature was pleasantly warm, but the sun remained quite intense, a signature feature in southern Namibia. Even in wintertime, the sun can often be too much.
There are new buildings and others falling apart. There must be at least a dozen new guesthouses and restaurants just in town, and many more in the surrounding area. Still not sure what the big attraction is, but it sounds like the Kalahari side of the desert is experiencing a tourism boom.
The Women and Child Protection Unit that I helped start is no longer in the same location, but still operating, so that's good. The Bridge, a long-standing German NGO affiliated with the prison, recently closed. There is a brand new HIV center and human rights office. There are two new funeral parlors and a coffin shop, so that says something. And there are three volunteers here - at one time they had six!
Our time has been low-key in Mariental, not so different from when I lived here. Things seem to move slowly, and that’s ok.
We stayed with my friends Marita and Radie and had our own braii of springbok fillets and lamb chops Friday night. They left on Saturday afternoon to go to Cape Town, but left us more meat (cooked and uncooked) to last us a month (we only stayed four days). We were happy to house sit for them and feed their cat, dog, and bird. It also gave us a great opportunity to visit more friends.
We met some people at the braai competition and others at the supermarket. But there are a lot of people that I don’t recognize anymore. We spent time with my former co-worker Paul and his wife Petronella, and met their one-year-old Olivia. Paul is such a good dad, and was always my go-to reference for politics, sports, and news. It was great to catch up.
Before Marita left, we had time to drink copious cups of tea. She is one who introduced me to putting sweetened condensed milk in my tea many years ago, which was aa real treat. She must have a dozen tins in her pantry. She filled me in on a lot of the news about town, but also broke the news that our friends Zack and Elaine’s son died a few weeks ago. Having seen them at the beginning of our trip in Bloemfontein, we were stunned at the news and totally saddened.
A warm wind stirred up the sand over the weekend and we were quickly reminded of why the Nama name for Mariental is “dusty faces”. It was not long before my allergies kicked in (they seem worse then I remember). The air temperature was pleasantly warm, but the sun remained quite intense, a signature feature in southern Namibia. Even in wintertime, the sun can often be too much.
There are new buildings and others falling apart. There must be at least a dozen new guesthouses and restaurants just in town, and many more in the surrounding area. Still not sure what the big attraction is, but it sounds like the Kalahari side of the desert is experiencing a tourism boom.
The Women and Child Protection Unit that I helped start is no longer in the same location, but still operating, so that's good. The Bridge, a long-standing German NGO affiliated with the prison, recently closed. There is a brand new HIV center and human rights office. There are two new funeral parlors and a coffin shop, so that says something. And there are three volunteers here - at one time they had six!
Our time has been low-key in Mariental, not so different from when I lived here. Things seem to move slowly, and that’s ok.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
A river runs through it
While we are feeling quite at home here in the capitol city, there are things that we are still amazed about this week. Like how the water that has completely washed out many of the paved side streets in many parts of the city. Water is running (not even standing) in places that we did not even realize there were river beds. Everything is so green here, and it keeps raining on and off. And yet Windhoek still has a serious water shortage problem. With all of the growth, I don't know how they can maintain this kind of expansion and still have enough water for everyone.
We are told that this is the high tourist season. That Windhoek has a high season especially starting this early in the year is remarkable. We could not stay a fourth night at the Chameleon Guesthouse because they were already booked. It's been interesting to see such a diverse group of people at this former old-school backpacker's place this week - families, young backpackers, older travelers, locals - that made it a different crowd from years past. For tonight, calls to a dozen other places did not yield anything. We finally found Casa Piccolo, a lovely guesthouse in Klein Windhoek, where we can sit in the shade to read and catch up on some internet business. The school in Kuwait has been sending us much to read and work on. It is odd being here in Africa and thinking so much about our lives there in Kuwait later this year.
As much as we enjoyed staying at the Chameleon and walking through town, we love the Klein Windhoek area, and spent a lot of time here when our friends Irene and John lived in town. It's where twelve years ago, I became addicted to the X-files, and could indulge in what seemed to be incredibly exotic food items such as stuffed grape leaves, hummus, olives, and pesto. What a haven from dusty Mariental that only featured iceberg lettuce and potatoes!
Portuguese might as well be the twelfth official Namibian language now. With the influx of foreign aid into Angola, there are also a lot of people with money in a country with little infrastructure. Windhoek is booming with Portuguese businesses, restaurants, bakeries, and guesthouses. There are brochures in Portuguese and apparently the medical industry is booming with people coming over the border. We are of course pleased with the addition of the eateries as we enjoy Portuguese food quite a bit.
We might be enjoying the food here too much. There is still a lot of meat in our daily diet more than we are used to. Tonight we will meet a friend at Joe's Bierhouse, a Windhoek tradition for it's fine selection of German beers and local game meat. Without doubt, it will be excellent!
We have been walking through much of the downtown area, and spending some time at Peace Corps. It's nice walking through the souvenier shops, sitting at the outdoor cafes, and getting simple errands done. In particular, I enjoy going into the pharmacies too look at the OTC drugs that you would normally need a prescription for. They are much cheaper than in the States too, and I will probably pick up a few small things as well as some homeopathic remedies.
Russ had to get more pages added to his passport and based on past experiences, we were dreading going to the US embassy. But the people there were pleasant, helpful, and seem to have their act together (none of which were the case twelve years ago). What irritates me ever so slightly is that the US government now charges USD 80 (previously free) for additional pages. Que sera sera...
We are told that this is the high tourist season. That Windhoek has a high season especially starting this early in the year is remarkable. We could not stay a fourth night at the Chameleon Guesthouse because they were already booked. It's been interesting to see such a diverse group of people at this former old-school backpacker's place this week - families, young backpackers, older travelers, locals - that made it a different crowd from years past. For tonight, calls to a dozen other places did not yield anything. We finally found Casa Piccolo, a lovely guesthouse in Klein Windhoek, where we can sit in the shade to read and catch up on some internet business. The school in Kuwait has been sending us much to read and work on. It is odd being here in Africa and thinking so much about our lives there in Kuwait later this year.
As much as we enjoyed staying at the Chameleon and walking through town, we love the Klein Windhoek area, and spent a lot of time here when our friends Irene and John lived in town. It's where twelve years ago, I became addicted to the X-files, and could indulge in what seemed to be incredibly exotic food items such as stuffed grape leaves, hummus, olives, and pesto. What a haven from dusty Mariental that only featured iceberg lettuce and potatoes!
Portuguese might as well be the twelfth official Namibian language now. With the influx of foreign aid into Angola, there are also a lot of people with money in a country with little infrastructure. Windhoek is booming with Portuguese businesses, restaurants, bakeries, and guesthouses. There are brochures in Portuguese and apparently the medical industry is booming with people coming over the border. We are of course pleased with the addition of the eateries as we enjoy Portuguese food quite a bit.
We might be enjoying the food here too much. There is still a lot of meat in our daily diet more than we are used to. Tonight we will meet a friend at Joe's Bierhouse, a Windhoek tradition for it's fine selection of German beers and local game meat. Without doubt, it will be excellent!
We have been walking through much of the downtown area, and spending some time at Peace Corps. It's nice walking through the souvenier shops, sitting at the outdoor cafes, and getting simple errands done. In particular, I enjoy going into the pharmacies too look at the OTC drugs that you would normally need a prescription for. They are much cheaper than in the States too, and I will probably pick up a few small things as well as some homeopathic remedies.
Russ had to get more pages added to his passport and based on past experiences, we were dreading going to the US embassy. But the people there were pleasant, helpful, and seem to have their act together (none of which were the case twelve years ago). What irritates me ever so slightly is that the US government now charges USD 80 (previously free) for additional pages. Que sera sera...
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
No longer a tourist
The further south we travel, the less we feel like tourists. While there are some things that we are refamiliarizing ourselves with (like unique colloquial phrases and the sheer amount of meat consumed in a day), there are very few surprises. After eight years since our last visit, it all comes back and feels very comfortable. And that is a good thing.
We spent the weekend with my good friends Hanlie and Christo on their potato and onion farm near Hochveld. It is 175 kilometers off the beaten path, southeast of Otjiwarongo. I last saw them twelve years ago when we visited them in South Africa, on our way back from Mozambique. They have two boys now and we enjoyed their company immensely. The boys have not started English instruction in school yet but initiated conversations, having learned everything they know from watching American television. I am quite amazed by that.
Hanlie was the first person outside of my worksite in Mariental to speak English with me, and I had many good times with her, and then also with Christo. They have gotten to know Russ over the years and instantly there was a level of comfortableness. We were completely at home with them for four days.
The meals with them represented a deep passion of many Namibians – love of meat. We had it at every meal – deli meat at breakfast (with egg, toast, and tomato), chicken or wors at lunch, and then braai for dinner. We ate oryx, kudu and beef. We learned about the strict new laws surrounding Namibian cattle: no hormones of any kind, great living conditions, and special slaughtering processes. It’s not a farmer’s choice, it’s the law, and the only country in Africa to hold such high standards. Well, they are higher than in the US in any case, which is why McDonald’s and the like will not be coming here anytime soon. Farmers are finding a premium market in Europe, and so good for them.
The road from the farm to the tarred highway in Okahandja was a challenge. The rains have really chewed up the dirt, leaving a muddy mess and the most difficult driving since the road to Semonkong in Lesotho. What was normally a 2.5 hour drive to Windhoek turned into more than four.
We are in Windhoek now and our bearings were shaken a bit. The skyline has changed dramatically and there is much growth. It has really matured into a wonderful metropolis which is still very easy to walk around. We checked into Chameleon Backpackers, which had not only moved to a much more accessible location, but expanded into an en-suite guesthouse. It took some creative haggeling to even get in as they were so busy (we were in one room, then another). Years ago, it seemed like no one travelled through Windhoek, and now it is a bustling hub with people coming in from all destinations in Southern Africa and then fanning back out into Zambia, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
We ran into some Peace Corps volunteers and stopped by the office which is around the corner. It felt like we were volunteers again. We met the current person who is in Luderitz and Russ enjoyed swapping stories. We’ll spend the week here walking through the downtown area, revisiting favorite places, and eating sentimental foods (first stop last night was Sardinia’s for anchovy, garlic and oil pasta, and then gelato – so very tasty). We hope to see a few friends.
We spent the weekend with my good friends Hanlie and Christo on their potato and onion farm near Hochveld. It is 175 kilometers off the beaten path, southeast of Otjiwarongo. I last saw them twelve years ago when we visited them in South Africa, on our way back from Mozambique. They have two boys now and we enjoyed their company immensely. The boys have not started English instruction in school yet but initiated conversations, having learned everything they know from watching American television. I am quite amazed by that.
Hanlie was the first person outside of my worksite in Mariental to speak English with me, and I had many good times with her, and then also with Christo. They have gotten to know Russ over the years and instantly there was a level of comfortableness. We were completely at home with them for four days.
The meals with them represented a deep passion of many Namibians – love of meat. We had it at every meal – deli meat at breakfast (with egg, toast, and tomato), chicken or wors at lunch, and then braai for dinner. We ate oryx, kudu and beef. We learned about the strict new laws surrounding Namibian cattle: no hormones of any kind, great living conditions, and special slaughtering processes. It’s not a farmer’s choice, it’s the law, and the only country in Africa to hold such high standards. Well, they are higher than in the US in any case, which is why McDonald’s and the like will not be coming here anytime soon. Farmers are finding a premium market in Europe, and so good for them.
The road from the farm to the tarred highway in Okahandja was a challenge. The rains have really chewed up the dirt, leaving a muddy mess and the most difficult driving since the road to Semonkong in Lesotho. What was normally a 2.5 hour drive to Windhoek turned into more than four.
We are in Windhoek now and our bearings were shaken a bit. The skyline has changed dramatically and there is much growth. It has really matured into a wonderful metropolis which is still very easy to walk around. We checked into Chameleon Backpackers, which had not only moved to a much more accessible location, but expanded into an en-suite guesthouse. It took some creative haggeling to even get in as they were so busy (we were in one room, then another). Years ago, it seemed like no one travelled through Windhoek, and now it is a bustling hub with people coming in from all destinations in Southern Africa and then fanning back out into Zambia, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
We ran into some Peace Corps volunteers and stopped by the office which is around the corner. It felt like we were volunteers again. We met the current person who is in Luderitz and Russ enjoyed swapping stories. We’ll spend the week here walking through the downtown area, revisiting favorite places, and eating sentimental foods (first stop last night was Sardinia’s for anchovy, garlic and oil pasta, and then gelato – so very tasty). We hope to see a few friends.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Big Sky Country
After three days of rain, the sun came out, and we drove into Etosha National Park. We found out that our destination camp – Halali – was closed because of flooding and no clean water (an inherent contradiction and also a real problem here in the north, to have so much rain but not have water to drink or flush away sewage). So we spent the morning driving from the eastern gate all the way to the southernmost camp – Okakuejo, an Oshiwambo word meaning “a prolific woman” or “a woman who has one baby after another”. Many of the campsites were washed out here too, and with ominous clouds on the horizon, we decided to splurge on a room. The National Park system has gone through a complete upgrade since we were last here in 2003; our simple room had an “Out of Africa” charm to it, as well as the best shower we’ve had in a long time.
Zebras, springbok, impala, wildebeest, and oryx all got second looks as they were the only players on the field. Gone were the elephants and other large game which we never failed to see here in the past; there was so much water they did not need to travel far to drink. In fact, we had never seen this amount of water in the pans or the park so green. That in itself was amazing to see. I also found myself gazing off into the big puffy clouds as the sky seemed to go on forever.
Three things more than made up for the scarcity of animals. First, the sunset and the backlight at dusk showed a spectacular spectrum of oranges, reds, violets, and blue shades. It was a magical forty minute sky show that took our breath away. Second, we heard traditional singing and drumming from our room after dinner. We went down to the restaurant to find a choir of school kids from the local village (which is inside the park, just outside the camp) to see what was going on. It has been one of our enduring memories of Namibia – the harmony, rhythm and clarity of the voices we have heard so many times over the years. It seems to be an inherent trait – people can sing quite well here. One dance I enjoyed in particular was the memorizing traditional Ovambo stomp dance, which while quite provocative, is only performed by pre-pubescent girls to rapid drumming. Once they mature, they are not allowed to do it anymore. Third, the breakfast this morning was the standard Namibian fare which we have waited so long to have again – fried eggs with boerewors, sliced tomatoes, cheese, toast, fruit and yogurt. The long thin sausage with the coriander and cinnamon seasoning here is unique to Namibia; we have not been able to find it elsewhere in Africa. We indulged and did not have to eat again until dinner.
After two long days in driving in Namibia (Kasane to Divundu and Divundu to Tsumeb), the next few weeks will have much shorter distances (nothing more than two hours a day) traveling to places such as Otjiwarongo, Hochveld, Okahandja, Windhoek, and Mariental. Let’s face it – Namibia is one huge country, about the size of Texas. The roads are fantastic though and the driving is easy, which is a good thing because I am still doing most of the driving. One fun thing to do while on the road is to tune into National Radio which is heard all over the country. This is a far cry from NPR. People will post ads, say “I am looking for a ride to Ondangwa this weekend” and then other people will respond to that. At times, several different languages can be spoken, but it’s mostly in English. They play cheesy music and read the horoscopes. We have listed to a whole hour on farming advice and another on cricket rules. It’s an absolute riot to listen to.
Zebras, springbok, impala, wildebeest, and oryx all got second looks as they were the only players on the field. Gone were the elephants and other large game which we never failed to see here in the past; there was so much water they did not need to travel far to drink. In fact, we had never seen this amount of water in the pans or the park so green. That in itself was amazing to see. I also found myself gazing off into the big puffy clouds as the sky seemed to go on forever.
Three things more than made up for the scarcity of animals. First, the sunset and the backlight at dusk showed a spectacular spectrum of oranges, reds, violets, and blue shades. It was a magical forty minute sky show that took our breath away. Second, we heard traditional singing and drumming from our room after dinner. We went down to the restaurant to find a choir of school kids from the local village (which is inside the park, just outside the camp) to see what was going on. It has been one of our enduring memories of Namibia – the harmony, rhythm and clarity of the voices we have heard so many times over the years. It seems to be an inherent trait – people can sing quite well here. One dance I enjoyed in particular was the memorizing traditional Ovambo stomp dance, which while quite provocative, is only performed by pre-pubescent girls to rapid drumming. Once they mature, they are not allowed to do it anymore. Third, the breakfast this morning was the standard Namibian fare which we have waited so long to have again – fried eggs with boerewors, sliced tomatoes, cheese, toast, fruit and yogurt. The long thin sausage with the coriander and cinnamon seasoning here is unique to Namibia; we have not been able to find it elsewhere in Africa. We indulged and did not have to eat again until dinner.
After two long days in driving in Namibia (Kasane to Divundu and Divundu to Tsumeb), the next few weeks will have much shorter distances (nothing more than two hours a day) traveling to places such as Otjiwarongo, Hochveld, Okahandja, Windhoek, and Mariental. Let’s face it – Namibia is one huge country, about the size of Texas. The roads are fantastic though and the driving is easy, which is a good thing because I am still doing most of the driving. One fun thing to do while on the road is to tune into National Radio which is heard all over the country. This is a far cry from NPR. People will post ads, say “I am looking for a ride to Ondangwa this weekend” and then other people will respond to that. At times, several different languages can be spoken, but it’s mostly in English. They play cheesy music and read the horoscopes. We have listed to a whole hour on farming advice and another on cricket rules. It’s an absolute riot to listen to.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Doing time in Tsumeb
We’ve been lollygagging for a couple of days in Tsumeb, historically a German copper mining town, before entering through the northern gate of Etosha. Settling back into life in Namibia has been easy as we have been staying in a comfortable room with goose down duvets and pillows, catching up on sleep, and enjoying cooking in a real kitchen. On a recent visit to the Spar market, one thing we noticed right away was the high prices of everyday items, much more expensive than when we were last here. Oh, but the dairy, deli, and meat items are so much fresher and better than anywhere else!
Reading The Namibian revealed that the country’s unemployment rate recently peaked at fifty-one percent. The gap between rich and poor seems to be widening, so then it’s no surprise that we also read that the crime rate has been steadily rising too. Catching up on the country’s news for the past three days, we’ve learned all sorts of things. Like how there is an anti-Chinese sentiment among the general population right now because they don’t treat Namibian workers well, evade taxes, sell sub-standard goods, and do not invest in the country. The latest controversy is how the President angrily defended the Chinese businesses saying that Namibians owed them for China’s support of SWAPO during the struggle. (Wonder what kickbacks he is getting). Other news included pressure to stop the seal culling (which they are not keen to do) and the President’s support of Gaddafi. It’s easy to be critical of the government here, but freedom of speech is highly valued, something neighboring Zimbabwe sorely misses.
It has been raining almost constantly for the past forty-eight hours; it’s neither a gentle drizzle nor the fierce, brief summer storm that I used to expect in Mariental. This has been a heavy thunderclad pounding. And like the rain elsewhere in southern Africa this season, it is completely unexpected and unnatural. So in our room with the comfy featherbed, drinking tea and warming up prepared German comfort food like schnitzel and spaezle feels especially good right now. We had thought to camp tomorrow in Etosha, but that is really difficult to think about right now.
In the forty-five minutes it stopped raining yesterday, we walked around the town which was dead quiet. Russ reminded me that when we were volunteers on the weekends, there wasn’t much to do. Stores still close at 1:00 on Saturdays and Sundays (if open at all). There is a fine simplicity in that, and we find that we have plenty to do without doing anything. Today in the rain, we walked around to get some errands done and it felt even more like we were volunteers, as generally white people don’t walk around town. We have been excitedly talking about getting back to our hometowns in the south, but we will take our time, of which we have plenty. Geniet die dag (enjoy each day as it comes).
Reading The Namibian revealed that the country’s unemployment rate recently peaked at fifty-one percent. The gap between rich and poor seems to be widening, so then it’s no surprise that we also read that the crime rate has been steadily rising too. Catching up on the country’s news for the past three days, we’ve learned all sorts of things. Like how there is an anti-Chinese sentiment among the general population right now because they don’t treat Namibian workers well, evade taxes, sell sub-standard goods, and do not invest in the country. The latest controversy is how the President angrily defended the Chinese businesses saying that Namibians owed them for China’s support of SWAPO during the struggle. (Wonder what kickbacks he is getting). Other news included pressure to stop the seal culling (which they are not keen to do) and the President’s support of Gaddafi. It’s easy to be critical of the government here, but freedom of speech is highly valued, something neighboring Zimbabwe sorely misses.
It has been raining almost constantly for the past forty-eight hours; it’s neither a gentle drizzle nor the fierce, brief summer storm that I used to expect in Mariental. This has been a heavy thunderclad pounding. And like the rain elsewhere in southern Africa this season, it is completely unexpected and unnatural. So in our room with the comfy featherbed, drinking tea and warming up prepared German comfort food like schnitzel and spaezle feels especially good right now. We had thought to camp tomorrow in Etosha, but that is really difficult to think about right now.
In the forty-five minutes it stopped raining yesterday, we walked around the town which was dead quiet. Russ reminded me that when we were volunteers on the weekends, there wasn’t much to do. Stores still close at 1:00 on Saturdays and Sundays (if open at all). There is a fine simplicity in that, and we find that we have plenty to do without doing anything. Today in the rain, we walked around to get some errands done and it felt even more like we were volunteers, as generally white people don’t walk around town. We have been excitedly talking about getting back to our hometowns in the south, but we will take our time, of which we have plenty. Geniet die dag (enjoy each day as it comes).
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Starting with the thumb
If you bend your wrist downwards so your palm is turned towards you and the thumb extends to a 90 degree angle, you have the shape of Namibia. We started out our Namibian journey by entering at the tip of the thumb at Katima Mulilo on Thursday? (I am having trouble keeping track of days), and will eventually make it all the way to the wee end of the pinkie which is Luderitz. So far, we haven’t made it much past the thumb; although we plan on driving more than 3000 kilometres over the next six weeks, we are still unsure where we will go.
We spent the last few days on the Okavango River in Divundu in the western end of the Caprivi Strip. Once again we found a small luxury lodge that also offers what I consider luxury camping, so it’s a great way to go. Beautiful pool and garden, grassy campsite, wonderful bathroom facilities. It is one of a few places still open in the area due to the high floodwaters. In fact, four of their campsites, the bar area and wine cellar are under water. Come to find out, most of northern Namibia is under water, and then it rained some more all of yesterday and the night before. But it is also wonderfully green and lush, not something often seen here.
There are a few things we are quick to notice now that we are back in Namibia. One is that the tourism industry has boomed extraordinarily. Obviously Namibia is no longer the hidden treasure we left, but we wonder if this growth will be sustainable. Another thing (as we looked through the tourism brochures) is that most accommodation has moved to the high end; fortunately these same places offer camping which is what I think we will be doing for most of our time when not staying with friends. We have gotten pretty efficient at setting up camp. Getting out of the tent in the morning is the hard part as our bodies remind us that it was fifteen years ago since we last camped on the ground like this. We gave up our air mattress to save space since we were not planning on doing too much camping. In fact, we went sixty-one days before christening the tent on this trip. Now we are wondering where we can get a sleeping pad.
Russ came down with a slight cold as we left Kasane, so we decided to take it easy for a few days. No early morning game drives. No planned activities. We napped, braai’ed, sat in the pool, read and studied maps. Not that we were on a hectic pace to begin, and with rest he felt better, so we moved south. We had hoped to visit a friend of Russ’ in Rundu – Patrick Ferrell – but he was on a visit in the US.
Northern Namibia’s rural life is much like we have seen in other parts of Africa – cattle, goats and people freely roam about the interspersed homesteads. There are colorfully named cuca (homebrew) shops such as Peace Garden, Nightrider, and The Love Stop. This all ended when we crossed The Red Line, the agricultural checkpoint separating communal from commercial farms, 130 kilometers south of the Okavango River and Angolan border.
We are glad to be back in Namibia! Much is familiar and we feel very much at home.
We spent the last few days on the Okavango River in Divundu in the western end of the Caprivi Strip. Once again we found a small luxury lodge that also offers what I consider luxury camping, so it’s a great way to go. Beautiful pool and garden, grassy campsite, wonderful bathroom facilities. It is one of a few places still open in the area due to the high floodwaters. In fact, four of their campsites, the bar area and wine cellar are under water. Come to find out, most of northern Namibia is under water, and then it rained some more all of yesterday and the night before. But it is also wonderfully green and lush, not something often seen here.
There are a few things we are quick to notice now that we are back in Namibia. One is that the tourism industry has boomed extraordinarily. Obviously Namibia is no longer the hidden treasure we left, but we wonder if this growth will be sustainable. Another thing (as we looked through the tourism brochures) is that most accommodation has moved to the high end; fortunately these same places offer camping which is what I think we will be doing for most of our time when not staying with friends. We have gotten pretty efficient at setting up camp. Getting out of the tent in the morning is the hard part as our bodies remind us that it was fifteen years ago since we last camped on the ground like this. We gave up our air mattress to save space since we were not planning on doing too much camping. In fact, we went sixty-one days before christening the tent on this trip. Now we are wondering where we can get a sleeping pad.
Russ came down with a slight cold as we left Kasane, so we decided to take it easy for a few days. No early morning game drives. No planned activities. We napped, braai’ed, sat in the pool, read and studied maps. Not that we were on a hectic pace to begin, and with rest he felt better, so we moved south. We had hoped to visit a friend of Russ’ in Rundu – Patrick Ferrell – but he was on a visit in the US.
Northern Namibia’s rural life is much like we have seen in other parts of Africa – cattle, goats and people freely roam about the interspersed homesteads. There are colorfully named cuca (homebrew) shops such as Peace Garden, Nightrider, and The Love Stop. This all ended when we crossed The Red Line, the agricultural checkpoint separating communal from commercial farms, 130 kilometers south of the Okavango River and Angolan border.
We are glad to be back in Namibia! Much is familiar and we feel very much at home.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Call of the Wild
I wasn't going to blog anymore from Chobe, but it's really been an amazing experience (and we are also somehow getting free internet). Turns out our new campsite is about fifty feet from a pod of hippos, which sufficiently freaked me out, but in a good way, like yeah, this is Africa. We've been told that they never get out of the water, but their loud grunts during the night are keeping our imaginations going. Similarly, on two different game drives, we were surrounded by dozens of elephants, which is truly awesome but also a little scary. Russ did a good job of keeping a respectful distance but it really would not have taken much for them to show us whose turf this was. This was after hearing a report of a guide being killed by an elephant two days ago and another story of small car that got too close to a bull who then overturned it.
These are not the jumbo tuskers we've seen in Etosha and Kruger. But big is big. We have seen more babies and youngsters than ever before. I am so utterly intrigued with elephant group behavior, and the little ones are quite entertaining. The elephant population is so large in this area; not only are they in national park but they often come into town (hard to miss all the dung). It does not seem to be a problem though.
We also saw a pack of wild dogs this morning! The first time ever was six weeks ago in South Africa. To see them twice in a lifetime is something, not to mention in one trip! They were much bigger than the ones we saw in Kruger. We also saw a herd of over one hundred buffalo, which was a spectacular scene. We must have over a hundred photos from today but cannot download them because we lost our camera cable. I am hoping to find someone who can loan us one.
It is good to be back in Botswana, speaking Setswana, and shopping with familiar brands in the supermarket with pula prices. Buying petrol has been a real pleasure as it is about half the price as anywhere else on this trip. We are looking forward to heading into Namibia soon though.
These are not the jumbo tuskers we've seen in Etosha and Kruger. But big is big. We have seen more babies and youngsters than ever before. I am so utterly intrigued with elephant group behavior, and the little ones are quite entertaining. The elephant population is so large in this area; not only are they in national park but they often come into town (hard to miss all the dung). It does not seem to be a problem though.
We also saw a pack of wild dogs this morning! The first time ever was six weeks ago in South Africa. To see them twice in a lifetime is something, not to mention in one trip! They were much bigger than the ones we saw in Kruger. We also saw a herd of over one hundred buffalo, which was a spectacular scene. We must have over a hundred photos from today but cannot download them because we lost our camera cable. I am hoping to find someone who can loan us one.
It is good to be back in Botswana, speaking Setswana, and shopping with familiar brands in the supermarket with pula prices. Buying petrol has been a real pleasure as it is about half the price as anywhere else on this trip. We are looking forward to heading into Namibia soon though.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A bump in the road, then smoothed over
We left Victoria Falls yesterday morning and crossed over to Kasane, but not without some dramatic moments. When we reached the Botswana border, we were told that we could not enter the country on a 90-day tourist visa because we had already used our days in 2010. This was different than what we had been told previously and we plunged back into an Immigration deja vu nightmare. We finally produced our expired residency permits and other assorted papers, then explaining that we needed time to sort it all out. She gave us ten days, which was not nearly long enough to do what we wanted to now in Chobe and later in Maun, and especially not when we need to tie up loose ends before leave the country in May.
A little shaken up, we decided to camp one night on the Chobe River and then leave in the morning, which would still give us eight days on the visa. It was a good decision. The campsite was one of the best we have ever been to; it’s attached to the schmancy Chobe Safari Lodge with full use of the facilities (pool, restaurant, bar, internet, lounge). We booked passage on the afternoon river cruise and it was an amazing spectacle of animal sightings so different from other safaris we’ve been on. We watched numerous elephants and hippos play in and out of the water along the lovely riverfront, and then watched the sun set. When we got back, we ordered burgers and chips from the restaurant, and it was the tastiest (if not priciest) hamburger since leaving the US.
We slept relatively well last night despite roaring lions, trumpeting elephants, grunting hippos, and sounds we could not make out surrounding the campsite. After packing up in the morning, we stopped off at the local Immigration office to see if they could extend our days (they couldn’t, but were incredibly friendly and helpful). Resigned to the fact that we had to leave, we filled up the petrol tank (back to cheap gas thanks to Botswana’s subsidy) and stocked up on groceries to head into the Caprivi Strip.
When we reached the Ngoma border post, the officer stamped our passports, and I threw out the question of extending our days. She said she couldn’t because we were leaving, but if we were to return, then she would give us the 90 day tourist visa. Ok! So we promptly crossed into Namibia, and then did a u-turn in order to return to Botswana later this morning. Thankfully, this is a four-corners of sorts where Zim, Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana come together. Four hours and 130 kilometers later, we went back to the Safari Lodge and found an even better campsite. Then we crashed at the pool. We will be here for a few days. Chobe reportedly has the highest concentration of elephants anywhere in Africa and we are keen to see them. But the pool, river sunsets, and burgers are attractive reasons as well.
A little shaken up, we decided to camp one night on the Chobe River and then leave in the morning, which would still give us eight days on the visa. It was a good decision. The campsite was one of the best we have ever been to; it’s attached to the schmancy Chobe Safari Lodge with full use of the facilities (pool, restaurant, bar, internet, lounge). We booked passage on the afternoon river cruise and it was an amazing spectacle of animal sightings so different from other safaris we’ve been on. We watched numerous elephants and hippos play in and out of the water along the lovely riverfront, and then watched the sun set. When we got back, we ordered burgers and chips from the restaurant, and it was the tastiest (if not priciest) hamburger since leaving the US.
We slept relatively well last night despite roaring lions, trumpeting elephants, grunting hippos, and sounds we could not make out surrounding the campsite. After packing up in the morning, we stopped off at the local Immigration office to see if they could extend our days (they couldn’t, but were incredibly friendly and helpful). Resigned to the fact that we had to leave, we filled up the petrol tank (back to cheap gas thanks to Botswana’s subsidy) and stocked up on groceries to head into the Caprivi Strip.
When we reached the Ngoma border post, the officer stamped our passports, and I threw out the question of extending our days. She said she couldn’t because we were leaving, but if we were to return, then she would give us the 90 day tourist visa. Ok! So we promptly crossed into Namibia, and then did a u-turn in order to return to Botswana later this morning. Thankfully, this is a four-corners of sorts where Zim, Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana come together. Four hours and 130 kilometers later, we went back to the Safari Lodge and found an even better campsite. Then we crashed at the pool. We will be here for a few days. Chobe reportedly has the highest concentration of elephants anywhere in Africa and we are keen to see them. But the pool, river sunsets, and burgers are attractive reasons as well.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Bungee jumping*
The town of Victoria Falls is a sleeping shadow of its former days of glory. Gone are the money changers and the hordes of craftsmen hawking their wares. The upmarket hotels are still here, and thankfully still a few backpackers’ places. There are still plenty of ways to spend money through a variety of adventure activities however – abseiling, ziplining, rafting, bungee jumping, helicopter rides, microlight, elephant safari, Zambezi river cruises, the gorge swing – to name a few. We thought about doing one of them, but which one to choose?
First however, we needed to see the Mosi oa Tunya, “the smoke that thunders”. We were a little concerned that the visibility would not be good because of the flooding further up on the Zambezi River. While there were still a few viewpoints obstructed by extremely heavy mist and downright torrential spray, we saw more than we expected as it was a sunny (and quite hot) day. The volume was higher than it has been a long time, certainly much more than we’ve seen before at this time of year. It was absolutely spectacular; words cannot describe the immensity or sheer beauty of this natural wonder.
We watched a couple of people bungee jumping from the bridge, their torsos plunging in a straight line until the dramatic bounce at the end, their bodies snapping in different directions. My one thought was I bet they need some chiropractic work after that.
Our first choice of activity was a microlight flight, but it was only offered on the Zambian side, which because of our single-entry Zim visa and the cost and process of getting a Zambian one made it more than we wanted to deal with for fifteen minutes in the air. But that would have been fun. The water was much too high for rafting (and will be for a few more months), but that was one of the best values for money on the adventure menu. Sadly, the steam train does not run anymore, but we did get a tour of the 1900’s dining cars, and Russ checked out the coal-burning engine.
In the end, we instead went for (low-risk) high tea at the grand colonial-era Victoria Falls Hotel, which oozed old world opulence with white glove table service, mounted African game trophies, and converted old boy smoking rooms. While Russ would disagree (mostly because he does not drink tea), I think there is nothing more delightful than a proper high tea in the late afternoon. It was his first experience, and I think he enjoyed the delicate finger sandwiches, flaky scones, and small cakes while watching, from the Hotel’s veranda, the mist pounding from the Falls. This hotel had the best view outside the national park and a great way to end the day.
*It was never a serious consideration, but I figured it would catch people’s attention.
First however, we needed to see the Mosi oa Tunya, “the smoke that thunders”. We were a little concerned that the visibility would not be good because of the flooding further up on the Zambezi River. While there were still a few viewpoints obstructed by extremely heavy mist and downright torrential spray, we saw more than we expected as it was a sunny (and quite hot) day. The volume was higher than it has been a long time, certainly much more than we’ve seen before at this time of year. It was absolutely spectacular; words cannot describe the immensity or sheer beauty of this natural wonder.
We watched a couple of people bungee jumping from the bridge, their torsos plunging in a straight line until the dramatic bounce at the end, their bodies snapping in different directions. My one thought was I bet they need some chiropractic work after that.
Our first choice of activity was a microlight flight, but it was only offered on the Zambian side, which because of our single-entry Zim visa and the cost and process of getting a Zambian one made it more than we wanted to deal with for fifteen minutes in the air. But that would have been fun. The water was much too high for rafting (and will be for a few more months), but that was one of the best values for money on the adventure menu. Sadly, the steam train does not run anymore, but we did get a tour of the 1900’s dining cars, and Russ checked out the coal-burning engine.
In the end, we instead went for (low-risk) high tea at the grand colonial-era Victoria Falls Hotel, which oozed old world opulence with white glove table service, mounted African game trophies, and converted old boy smoking rooms. While Russ would disagree (mostly because he does not drink tea), I think there is nothing more delightful than a proper high tea in the late afternoon. It was his first experience, and I think he enjoyed the delicate finger sandwiches, flaky scones, and small cakes while watching, from the Hotel’s veranda, the mist pounding from the Falls. This hotel had the best view outside the national park and a great way to end the day.
*It was never a serious consideration, but I figured it would catch people’s attention.
Friday, March 18, 2011
From the highlands to the lowveld
As hard as it was to leave the comfort of the duToit home in Harare, it was definitely time to move on. On Monday we left the highlands to drive south through Mashonaland to the Mukiriwe Dam. We found a quiet self-catering apartment on a lovely property down the road from Great Zimbabwe and crashed soon after dinner.
Although we did not sleep particularly well (warmer than usual, lumpy pillows and beds, and mefloquine dreams), we rose early to explore the amazing ruins down the road that gave this country its’ name. I had been to Great Zimbabwe once before, but my memories from twelve years ago were cloudy. It was refreshing to revisit this special site in Southern Africa and to bring everything back in focus. It was also good that we started so early; by 8:00 the heat started to remind us of Botswana.
The civilization known as the Great Zimbabwe started in the eleventh century and lasted until the fifteenth century, when like other people groups in the Americas, they overused the land and its resources and had to abandon the area. The ruins are in incredible condition and consist of two parts: the Hill Complex built high on a mountain and the Great Enclosure below which shows advanced craftsmanship in construction of their walls.
We spent a couple of hours walking around on our own before getting back in the car to drive west to the Matopos in southwest Zimbabwe where we spent Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. While Great Zim is a foundation in the Shona history and tradition, the Matopos are a sort of the spiritual home to the Ndebele. It is easy to see why. This valley in the center of Matebeleland is surrounded by huge boulders, often one or two balancing on top of each other. It is magnificently awesome and deafeningly silent – the sort of place one can be still for a very long time, to think or just to be. Cecil Rhodes’ “World’s View” became a World Heritage Site which means they can charge extra money to see it. Being the frugal travelers we are, we found a boulder down the road, climbed up that, and had our own world view for free.
Thirty-five kilometers north is the city of Bulawayo, which we instantly liked for its wide streets, late 1800’s architecture, and tree-lined avenues. We liked it much more than Harare, but then again we really only stayed in the suburbs. It has a vibrant artistic community; the international book fair is held here each year. We also went to the Railway Museum; Bulawayo was a central piece to Rhodes’ Cape to Cairo dream. But the highlight was the National Art Gallery showcasing the best of Zimbabwean art, which is some of the most talented in Africa. There was also a graphic exhibit that was off-limits but we sneaked a peak; it is highly critical of Mugabe and reminiscient of his 1983 Matebeleland massacre. It had to stay in the museum until the case went to trial, but the museum did not make it difficult to see the controversial graffiti art. We bought music cds on the recommendation of a friend back in the States; by several accounts also some of the best in Southern Africa, and had lunch in a garden cafe. A most enjoyable day.
We stayed with friends of friends of Jane and Andrew, a young couple from the US who came to Bulawayo four years ago, in the “tough times”, the “Zim dollar days”. Like the duToits, they would frequently go to South Africa for shopping, bringing back carloads of staple goods. They were once tied up and robbed in their home; the thieves apologized for stealing but explained they were desperate. Kayle and Matt went to college in the Boston area; he is from Maine and she is from Indiana, so we made connections. Their two kids are African babies, and the plan is that they will grow up here. I must admit that I envied their ex-pat lifestyle, difficult as it has been, because there still seems to be a higher quality of life that I hoped we would have. They were quite gracious and we stayed with them for two nights.
We’ve just arrived in Victoria Falls, where our story as a couple had its beginning back in 1999. We had met three weeks before in Mariental; then my friend Amy and I left for a road trip through Zimbabwe and Russ embarked on his infamous journey with the Luderitz students. Without knowing each other plans, we ended up at the Falls at the same time and knew it was not a coincidence.
More on our current time at the Falls in a minute...
Although we did not sleep particularly well (warmer than usual, lumpy pillows and beds, and mefloquine dreams), we rose early to explore the amazing ruins down the road that gave this country its’ name. I had been to Great Zimbabwe once before, but my memories from twelve years ago were cloudy. It was refreshing to revisit this special site in Southern Africa and to bring everything back in focus. It was also good that we started so early; by 8:00 the heat started to remind us of Botswana.
The civilization known as the Great Zimbabwe started in the eleventh century and lasted until the fifteenth century, when like other people groups in the Americas, they overused the land and its resources and had to abandon the area. The ruins are in incredible condition and consist of two parts: the Hill Complex built high on a mountain and the Great Enclosure below which shows advanced craftsmanship in construction of their walls.
We spent a couple of hours walking around on our own before getting back in the car to drive west to the Matopos in southwest Zimbabwe where we spent Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. While Great Zim is a foundation in the Shona history and tradition, the Matopos are a sort of the spiritual home to the Ndebele. It is easy to see why. This valley in the center of Matebeleland is surrounded by huge boulders, often one or two balancing on top of each other. It is magnificently awesome and deafeningly silent – the sort of place one can be still for a very long time, to think or just to be. Cecil Rhodes’ “World’s View” became a World Heritage Site which means they can charge extra money to see it. Being the frugal travelers we are, we found a boulder down the road, climbed up that, and had our own world view for free.
Thirty-five kilometers north is the city of Bulawayo, which we instantly liked for its wide streets, late 1800’s architecture, and tree-lined avenues. We liked it much more than Harare, but then again we really only stayed in the suburbs. It has a vibrant artistic community; the international book fair is held here each year. We also went to the Railway Museum; Bulawayo was a central piece to Rhodes’ Cape to Cairo dream. But the highlight was the National Art Gallery showcasing the best of Zimbabwean art, which is some of the most talented in Africa. There was also a graphic exhibit that was off-limits but we sneaked a peak; it is highly critical of Mugabe and reminiscient of his 1983 Matebeleland massacre. It had to stay in the museum until the case went to trial, but the museum did not make it difficult to see the controversial graffiti art. We bought music cds on the recommendation of a friend back in the States; by several accounts also some of the best in Southern Africa, and had lunch in a garden cafe. A most enjoyable day.
We stayed with friends of friends of Jane and Andrew, a young couple from the US who came to Bulawayo four years ago, in the “tough times”, the “Zim dollar days”. Like the duToits, they would frequently go to South Africa for shopping, bringing back carloads of staple goods. They were once tied up and robbed in their home; the thieves apologized for stealing but explained they were desperate. Kayle and Matt went to college in the Boston area; he is from Maine and she is from Indiana, so we made connections. Their two kids are African babies, and the plan is that they will grow up here. I must admit that I envied their ex-pat lifestyle, difficult as it has been, because there still seems to be a higher quality of life that I hoped we would have. They were quite gracious and we stayed with them for two nights.
We’ve just arrived in Victoria Falls, where our story as a couple had its beginning back in 1999. We had met three weeks before in Mariental; then my friend Amy and I left for a road trip through Zimbabwe and Russ embarked on his infamous journey with the Luderitz students. Without knowing each other plans, we ended up at the Falls at the same time and knew it was not a coincidence.
More on our current time at the Falls in a minute...
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