Greetings from Africa 2

Tuesday, June 10, Samburu, 9:30 a.m.

I had to check my calendar to verify the date and time. As I look at
the computer info, it is 1:30 a.m. CDT. Hope you are having a good
sleep while we are living our dreams.

We just finished breakfast after our 6:30 a.m. adventure into the
animal kingdom.

Our guide is Edwin, a pleasant and knowledgeable gentlemen who
expertly drives our van over various terrain. As is generally expected
on group trips like these, we have grouped up with either family and
old or new friends and we stay in the same van for our trips and
excursions.

Edwin can drive the van, spot game, consult his map, contact other
vans and explain what we are seeing all at the same time. He is
amazing and we greatly appreciate all we are learning from him.

At Samburu so far we have seen monkeys, baboons, elephants,
crocodiles, gazelles, cape buffalo, oryx, dick-dicks, impalas, and so
many more creatures. I would have to consult our photos to remember
them all. The birds are colorful and plentiful. I am sitting on our
little patio now listening to their beautiful calls.

Housekeeping has just straightened up our little room and explains
that it is important to keep the door closed so that the monkeys do
not come in. One of the little critters grabbed a bag of peanuts from
one of our party this morning. A warning sign near our cottage warns
us not to "feed or encourage the monkeys" as they may bite. We are
happy to follow the warning.

My plan to perhaps lose weight in Africa was for naught. They are
feeding us like royalty. I won't even go into details.

My mantra for this trip is "Never pass up a flush toilet!" I say this
because tomorrow we begin a journey into the hinterlands -- through
the dessert over non-existent roads up to Marsabit where we will visit
with students and their families. Br. Chuck has warned us of the
primitive conditions we will experience while there.

Yesterday we attended a dance program featuring Samburu tribal dancers
doing some of their native dances. It was very entertaining.

We will have another outing at 4 this afternoon. It is too hot here
during the day for animals and people. Our goal for this preserve is
to see lions and cheetahs. So far no luck. This morning, however, we
were in the midst of a herd of elephants, not quite close enough to
touch, but amazingly close.

We are going to attempt to send pictures, but so far we are not having
the best of luck posting on the blog. We shall see.

K