September 4, 2016
Final Thoughts
First, I must correct my spelling error. Several times I have referred to Likomo Island as Lipomo. Please accept the correction.
We are now on board United Emirates between Johannesburg and Dubai, an 8 hour leg, which will be followed by a 4 hour lay over in Dubai and 14 hours to SFO. Then the drive home. Don’t know how long I will be able to think clearly so am beginning this missive while I can.
Earlier today, Mark asked me what was my favorite part of this trip. I have been thinking about that and come to the conclusion that it was all great. Each place we visited was unique and special and everywhere people have been warm and friendly. When I asked Mark that question, he agreed. We continue to enjoy and appreciate every destination we visit. We double checked our count and have concluded that we have now visited 27 African countries of the 54 possibilities. We are hard pressed to come up with additional countries we can visit safely, except for Mozambique. Sad to think that half the African continent is reasonably unsafe to visit. With time and better governance, we hope that will change.
I am glad we went to Sudan first and got the extreme heat and heavy rain out of the way early. We are glad to have learned about the Nubians and their archeological history and seen many of the 130 different pyramids. Meeting and interacting with a nomad family was an unexpected and special treat. Having been to the source of both Nile rivers, it was fitting to see the convergence of the White and Blue Niles in Khartoum and nearly in flood stage at that. We barely got to experience the Souk, but enjoyed what we did see and appreciated the help we received from locals when the torrential rain nearly swamped the place.
Uganda was very special for us in many ways. To see all the many changes in the hospital, the nursing school and the Bata Development Project that have occurred in the last 14 years was exciting and inspires hope for continued improvements. Mind boggling to imagine what the next 15 years will bring? To get caught up in Scott’s attachment to the Batwa is just as infectious as it was on our first 2 trips in 2002 and 2004. It was especially humbling and powerful to be able to make a real difference with the new hospital wing both for patients and for the medical and nursing staff. We remember fondly our visit with Jonathan and our stay at Wild Waters and Clouds, which we would not have known about without his booking them for us. Finally, the beautiful drive through the Ugandan countryside to Rwanda.
Rwanda was a short visit, but a powerful one. Learning the details of the genocide and the way the people on both ethnicities have recovered. They refer to themselves as Rwandans now, rather than as Hutus and Tutsis. It is a great testament to their spirit, to pick up the pieces, forgive one another and move forward; not to forget, but to heal. I hope it is truly happening as our guide and the museum have stated. The capital city of Kigali was very impressive for the progress and modernization that have been accomplished; new businesses and many new housing units at all income levels.
What can I say about Zambia? It was wonderful to get back to bush lodges, game drives, watch animals live their lives, enjoy sundowners in the jungle; even our sleep out, which I would not repeat, unless I could be guaranteed a wind or sand free night, was a good experience to have had. All the lodges and hosts were interesting and unique. It makes sense to visit several for the variety of settings, accommodations, birds and animals, staff and conditions. We even liked the walking safaris. Our most extraordinary siting has to be the buffalo kill. A terrible thrill. Then Mark caught a tiger fish and let it go, giving back life. However, by the time we left Zambia, we knew we had had enough. We were both getting bored. Where, oh where, were those wild dogs?
Then Malawi, the sleeper. I had no expectations or knowledge about the country as I had not had time to delve into what to expect. But we thoroughly enjoyed every minute of every place we stayed, including our very brief night at the Latitude 15 Hotel in Lilongwe. Stacey pulled out the stops in this country and we did way more than one would plan to do. We stayed in three very different lodgings on Lake Malawi, each with a lot of character and attraction. We went for a sunset ride on a dhou, rode motorcycles, kayaked, sailed on a catamaran, road in old and new motorboats, did a good bit of bird watching and some snorkeling. Could have done more, but felt like being lazy. As luck, and maybe Stacey, would have it, we ended up in our favorite place of the whole trip, Kaya Mawa. Could have stayed there several more days.
After 2 years of planning and agonizing about weather my mother would survive until our return, we said good bye and went anyway, finally putting her in God’s hands. Should have known that she would still be here and doing well. The 40 days have flown by. They have added up to a collection of very successful adventures providing us with many happy memories. We are already finding ourselves mixing up the events, places and people.
Above all, we return home with even more certain knowledge that the USA is the best place in the world to call home. The main concept is FREEDOM. We are blessed beyond understanding at our good fortune. There is only limited freedom and dramatically reduced services in much of the world, including, and especially, the African nations we have visited on this trip and in trips past. The worst problem as I see it is in the lack of careful, considerate, honest leadership. A benign dictator is sometimes better that a dysfunctional democracy. Meanwhile, there is a great deal of physical beauty everywhere we have visited, that by itself could easily qualify as a desirable home and people everywhere are generally good neighbors to each other. If we could all live in the UCW – United Countries of the World – with good leadership, we could all live in freedom, harmony, good health and security. Such are my dreams.
Thank you for taking the time to read my posts. Your comments kept me going. I have never thought of myself as a writer. Is there a new career lurking under the surface? Maybe I will have to continue to travel to keep writing. Not a bad thought.
God bless you all and happy travels, even if only in your dreams,
Julia
We have had a wonderful trip and have met hundreds of people. To look at us side by side you would think what different people we are but in the end we are all the same. We go through our day trying to make our lives and those of our family just a little bit better. They are building new houses and they are putting their kids through school. They get up in the morning and go to work too. So in the end we are more alike than appearances would suggest and I am so lucky to be able to meet these people. I think I am a better person for having the opportunity to meet the people that appear so much different than me.
Mark
Adventures with Julia 