Malaria

So we decide not to go to Ethiopia for Christmas. The news everyday is talking about how the Somali border is very dangerous right now and thats basically where we are and would be even closer if we went to Ethiopia. Plus, it would take too much time. So- Jinja, Uganda for Christmas. We are going white water rafting.
We board the bus in Lamu- 9 hours later Mombassa. Find a night bus to Nairobi and arrive at 6am- here we make a friend on the bus to walk us to the next bus station. It is notoriously dangerous but seems just fine. We run in for some breakfast and when I open the bathroom door I find some woman crying and being violently strip searched by a pack of women and men. They stop- look at me and motion for me to squeeze through and out. I sit down and we are informed that everyone is sizing us up here so we move on and get on the first bus OUT haha. This one is mm 12 hours to Jinja. We play the new CDs and DVDs we bought on the bus for everyone's entertainment. 36 hours of bus = Jinja but we're doing fine. Weird but Ive had worse. Maybe it's the scenery....maybe the company.
We go moutain biking in Lamu, sign up for all our fun activities and then guess who gets malaria for christmas ;) Thats right... this girl.
Ive seen it wreck us white kids a couple times so I didnt mess around- caught it early. Sleeping lots now and eating well. Looking out over the nile and feeling like malaria is "the shit". Im enjoying myself haha- dont you worry bout me.

Lamu

"You think its easy..... but its no easy".. this is what the rastas keep saying to me inbetween singing "No Woman, No Cry". We've made it into the annual Doah race in Lamu for the Muslim New Year Celebration. Nikki and I are entertained to say the least. First, I love boats and apparantly tacking a Doah requires a crewman to jump overboard and swim the sheet around to the other side. I wouldnt make it up- we round the first mark and suddenly crews from every boat are in the water. We come in fifth... but our boat wins the spirit award. There is drumming, singing, hollering, "one love" the whole way. I usually say no, but hanging with rastas for the week was mmmm priceless.
Lamu is an island on the north coast of Kenya. Here- donkeys are the main transport and Im blown away by it. You would think eventually someone would have the brilliant idea to attatch the donkey to a cart but here it is efficeint enough to haul building supplies on the backs of donkeys. Hey its Africa- there is no time constraint. So- 900 bob will get you 9 donkeys hauling sand in saddle bags. I watch construction one morning and it goes something like this: one man with a barely working wheelboro brings cement back and forth while 4 men stand and watch him, some with arms crossed, others on cells phones. 4 hours later he is still doing this- no one else but him. They all wear hard hats yet- no scafolding, no second story in sight. Oh Africa- uniform is important. Stamping things is important. Writing out receipts are really important. Silliness really.
Nikki and I are in a very muslim town and so are hounded constantly. We are accutely aware of how much the women miss out. Are there any other girls in the doah race? no. Are there any women in the donkey race? no. Were there any respectable women out dancing? no. Are there any women enjoying a sheesh and a beer? no. The women are sitting in groups, tending to children, wrapped from head to toe in sweltering heat- watching their men fawn over muzungus. Bogus. We are told one day that we should be wearing Burkas as well.. "when in rome". But I dont feel like I wish to participate in such an oppressive religion. And it is oppressive. I try to find good in things. Try to see them as no better, no worse, just different. BUT when it comes to islam- I am not a fan. Even if I have met some really great muslims.
Lamu- oh I love Lamu. Its fascinating. There is a town accross the sandy island where they build the Doahs... I must go. Nikki and I start trekking but now it's noon. The sand is burning our feet- really burning it. And so we start scrapping together our Swahili and going to houses and asking to pay to use their donkeys. Finally- someone comes along and we are emergency evacutated via Donkey to Matondoni where the town opens it's one store for the muzungus to replenish and recover with soda and fresh fish. Its hilarious.
So the Donkeys: they all get branded by the owners and wander around town, eating from the dump. The owners collect them in the morning. Because they are overworked and fed from the dump there is a donkey hospital and a donkey ambulance (the one car on the island). The morning of the donkey race our friend "Happy" (they all have names like this), a happy half indian rasta, is telling us a story he finds really funny. His brother is racing his donkey "Shakira" today and he didnt sleep at all last night. He made a fire for the donkey and the real funny part, he even fed it. Lamu is endlessly entertaining.

Sick Matatus

Sooo. I made it to the coast of Kenya and it is incredible. There is a lot to say so Ill summarize. The beaches are white sand and the water clear blue. Nikki and I went diving and the reef was pretty decent. We swim, eat, swim, eat. Here the sex industry is disgusting. The coast is a vacation spot for middle aged Italians. What's nice is the western influence on the area. I cant deny that I love the option of pizza although we usually each chiaptis anyway. What I dont care for is going to a restuarant with mostly middle aged white men and their local prositute(s). Clubs and bars here are filled with mostly with prostitutes. It makes me sad for the idea of marraige. Also- we cant really hang out on the beach without being bothered every 10minutes by the "beach boys" -male prostitutes. They are pretty awful: we've tried many tactics. If you are polite- they stay, if you are rude- they stay, if you dont speak- they stay, if you pretend to speak another language they dont know- they stay.... if you dont look at them they say ' youre just ordinary you know'.. Africans in their desperation for money are relentless and 99% of their conversations head to the "give me some money" punchline. Ive found that I prefer to talk and just ignore that part. Nikki and I like to play soccer with the kids and play card games at dinner. And my favorite part of the coast is the sick matatus. Matatus are the vans used for public transport- they pack em full of like 20 people and everyone pays 20cents. But on the coast its like an episode of 'Pimp my ride' - Kenyan style. Yesterday I was in one with the wall covered with Lil Wayne, TuPac, ..everyone really.. and on the wall it said "The Rich Also Cry". Matatus with soccer team themes, rims, music videos playing, ...... Im gonna miss these matatus. Next move: Ethiopia for Christmas ;)

Malindi

I left ICODEI and took the overnight bus to Mombassa complete with armed military checks and crazy bumpy roads of Africa. But it was pretty awesome- for one, I was able to sleep cause the seats recline enough and two they play britney, madonna, and celine- what more can you ask for. Mombassa was a beautiful clash of muslim, african, beach town... I just loved it. And if I said "no thank you" that person would then say "ok" and walk away. So nice. Sooo- I traveled in a Matatu(minivan) with 28 other people and a goat to Malindi today. Its a beautiful beach town and Im gonna go take advantage of it now- realized I hadnt updated in a while. Hope you all are well!!! XXs and Oos

Leaving ICODEI

I love Kenya.. I ride to town on the back of a motorbike through fields of sugar cane on red dirt roads.. What's not to love. The sky is beautiful 24 hours of the day. The people swindle you constantly and well.. complain of chest pain at a rate that has made me decide .. I am heading to the beach. Ive been doing health clinic for 3 weeks, teaching a women's health class in mud huts, visiting orphanages, and mmm oh yes playing with street kids. I have gotten what I wanted from ICODEI and before I give them another cent..Im off to Mombassa for a little fun ;) I see patients all day long and come to find out half of what I prescribe isnt being handed out by the pharmacist at clinic. I feel good about the education Ive been providing at the very least :) Dont get me wrong. It is a good program, a good experience, ...but guilt leaving- very little. I am looking forward to meeting a friend of mine on the coast and then...Africa is my oyster.

KENYA

No pictures due to slow internet- but there will be plenty.

Kenya- where I go little children in tattered school uniforms follow shouting "how are you". White people are called Muzungos and we are endlessly entertaining to Kenyans. Public transport into town to get to this internet involves a Matatu- VW bus crammed with 20people, a Piki Piki- back of a motorbike, or a boda boda- back of a bicycle. In the morning I get up, shower with a bucket of water- heated over a fire, and have breakfast of bread and peanut butter. I get on our VW bus with supplies and 4 other nurses my age and we drive..... maybe 1 hour, maybe 2. We go to surrounding towns and set up in churches, huts, whatever. I sit down with a translator and diagnose and prescribe. I teach things so elementary it's painful. Back pain- because you have been carrying things on your head your whole life....etc. So much tuberculosis, STDS, AIDS, Typhoid, ........ so many sick people and children. And when I ask "when did this begin" 75% of the time the answer is over a couple years ago. Yes yes we are blessed and yes it is beautiful to see these small communities in their huts with their cows... and the most beautiful snotty children... More to come.

Athens to Africa

I love Athens..... I have fun durring the day.. At night I go around to the bars with kids from the hostel and the Acropolis is lit up on the hill. Amazing :) And now I drop down into Africa. I have to run to catch my flight... so this is my goodbye to all. I will write as I can. Internet is 10km away but Im sure I will manage. Dont you worry bout me... Im smiling and in good hands :)

Santorini

I fly to Greece with my friend and we take a 7 hour Ferry out to the Island of Santorini. We rent a scooter and spend the next few days driving around, catching sunsets, eating good food, and taking a million pictures. Santorini is beautiful and friendly.

DAHAB

In Dahab I have entered a fish tank. It's world class diving for cheap...for so so cheap. 15 Euro a dive. I finally eat full meals watching the moonlight red sea with Saudi Arabian sandy mountains in the distance. Every day I dive at twice, eat, and lounge on pillows and smoke shisha with friends. Paradise.

Egypt

This one will be long:

In the airport in Rome the bartenders have started to feed me free drinks with all the crying Im doing. Im tired. My last flight scared me. I have a good cry and a nice sleep to Cairo.

In the airport there is a crowd for the taxis and a lot of hollering. Luckily Ive done this before...but I have clearly left Europe. I get a cab to my hostle and arrive 40min later after driving through a city of cars who dont use lanes. There are no traffic lights... only organized mayhem and communication via horns. I drive past cement buildings and green lighted Mosques. When I arrive at the hostle I walk down the street to buy a beer and everyone is staring at me, men hollering and practicing the inappropriate English they've learned from American movies. I am a white woman with her head and ankles exposed and I didn't think Cairo would be this Muslim. This is my first time in a Muslim country and I've never received so much attention in my whole life.

Day 1: Pyramids

We drive out to the pyramids. There's cars dating back to 1950, farm animals, palms, and sand. I climb down the long shaft into one of the pyramids. Ive worn a skirt that comes past my knees for the occassion and it was a bad choice. It's about 90 degrees, dark, and Im sharing this experience in a 3x3ft shaft with traffic both ways. A little claustrophobic even for someone who isnt usally bothered by that. At Giza, I hire a camel after a lot of bargaining. 2 hours for 50$ and I ride around to each pyramid and think about all the different people who have stared at them over the ages.

At night a nice Italian at the hostel goes out for Shisha with me and he agrees. Even men with their burka'd women in tow turn around to take a look at me. The Koran forbids drinking soooo- the alleys are lined with Shisha bars where men gather to play backgammon on folding chairs and tables. Works for me. We pay 4$ for 2 smokes and 2 teas- and our bartender- a devout muslim- gives us the local price.... for which he recieves a good tongue lashing from his boss and he motions for us to move on. He's got this one.

The next day I decide to go shopping. Ive had it with my two outfits. I want to be pretty. And I wouldnt mind covering my ankles. First- everyone is Cairo is trying to rip you off. Wherever you go-someone is following saying "i seen you from across the street" "where are you from" "can I give you advice" "i lived in america- where are you from". Natural born hustlers- they're good at what they do. I am followed, hustled, touched, hissed at----- bothered allll day long. I go all over the city. Here they are all escorted by their husbands.. by each other. They must be good women. They look at me with dirty looks.

I take the metro home after a million story worthy things happen. This is one of my favorite experiences in Cairo. 1st: to get a ticket you push through a group of people to the window. I had a large bill which I didnt think would be a problem until the clerk started emptying his entire drawer. The equivelent of giving me about 200 1$ bills. I drop my head in embarrassment and look around with "im sorry" eyes. This pushy group ralleys around me and just when I think all Egyptians are swindlers- they are counting my money to make sure I have it all for me. The kind of thing that makes you nervous- but when I see it is all there I take my huge stack of cash and say "Shokrum" with a big smile. 2: the train is smashed full of men and Im thinking "crap". Then I notice the women's car. When I step on I am in a sea of beautifully covered head scarves, women in burka with gloves, and they smile at me sweetly. Im part of the club- chicks.

When I get back- my friend has arrived- and we are off to take the night bus to DAHAB on the red sea.

Rome

Rome is where I go after I leave Sorrento. That is how it feels to me. I walk down to see the Colloseum at night. I walk to see the Vatican. I wander around looking at fountains and squares.. all beautiful. I have left friends at the hostle to go my own pace and meet up with them again to go out at night. Rome is filled with history and beautiful sights but it's no Sorrento. It's a different Italy all together.

Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento, Italy

Sorrento, Italy has caught me by surprise. After one of the craziest transits.. I look out the window and see Italy. All memories are washed away. No more rain. I arrive at the seaside town of Sorrento on the Almafi coast. First thing I notice is the amazing showers at this hostel.. of course and I sleep. In the following days I meet great people, go swimming in caves on the Medditeranian, rent scooters and drive up and down the Almafi Coast, and visit the ruins of Pompeii. Everyday I take one to two showers, drink wine, and eat and eat. I can honestly say Sorrento is the best for the soul... and so I extended my stay again and again. Tomorrow I leave for Rome with a smile on my face.

Croatia

I am exhausted on the train and I awake in a sun filled cabin with the ocean out my window. Croatia.. they said it was beautiful and it is. I am finding it harder and harder to locate the correct punctation on the keyboard so bear with me. My current relationship appears to be dissolving and so I do what any girl would do.. go to the Chinese shop and splurge 2 dollars on a manicure kit. Back in the hostel, the Italian woman sharing my room with me finds my singing and happiness amusing. Its the only thing we understand about each other. The next day the Plitvice lakes blow me away.. although a 4 hour busride starting at 5am to get there ..and no I didnt plan it. I make a friend when I get there and we spend all day exploring. I ride back to Zadar and spend the night. The next day a walk around in the rain and decide to leave early for Split. The hostel in Split is a good one and although it's monsoon weather.. I find someone that will trudge around all day with me in it. Even time for an afternoon nap. In the morning I jet out.. 5am again.. to Dubrovnik where I spend a few hours walking the roman wall, going to the maritime museum, and eating pizza. That afternoon I hop the ferry to Bari Italy... and that was my whirlwind tour of Croatia. It was beautiful but I look forward to returning someday with a car in the summer.

Slovenia

Slovenia

In Slovenia I have stepped into an episode of Planet Earth. I go to caves with dazzling crystals, ceilings so high, and me so small. The country is so beautiful. I travel to the sleepy town of Bled. Tourist season is over. It is too cold to swim in the lake so I wander through the country side stopping every few miles to read my book amongst the clang of cowbells. I am looking at the Julian Alps. I walk along a gorge with light blue/turqouise water. I eat sausage and custard cake. I have befriended a Slovanian who lets me wander but comes to Ljubljana to take me to a hockey game and relax like old friends. He reminds me of Mark.

Venice

Im lost.. Im lost.. Im in Venice and the ambulance boat drives by. I can count on 2 things Im always interested in: what the hospital looks like, and the maritime museum. I wander along the canals amazed by the decadence of Venice. Yes, I am walking through throngs of tourists but eating my apple which makes everything better. At night I wander to the local sector for dinner and get turned away. It's like they knew my sweet face wasnt going to order the second course. I get it.. back to the tourist sector to have inedible pasta served by waitors that love yelling to me across the restaurant. I open my book and ignore the attention from other tables. My book is my best friend. In the morning, I spend the day with a woman I met at the hostle- she tells me what it's like to quit your job after 13 yrs, sell your house, and leave to travel indefinately..... and I make her go to the maritime museum..haha. This is where I learn that torpedos orginally were driven by two frogmen and went 2 knots...well worth my money. We go to watch glass blowing demonstrations and ride the Vaparetto up and down the grand canal. I spend my money wisely on a bag of italian cookies, a lemon soda, and 3 apples to get me through my night ride to Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Lake Como

The blog continues with some encouragement.... it is hard with no way to upload pictures and internet costs. So luckily I wrote some things down :)

Lake Como

We arrived in the pouring rain and the weather got better with each day that 3 old friends slipped back in to being 12 yrs old again.

The bus vears through small towns along the lake till we arrive at the hostle. We sit down on the porch located on a hill looking out over the lake with snow capped mountains in the background. We dink carafs of house wine and play SPIT, talking about the years we've missed of each other in between. The sun slides behind the jagged mountain tops and the moon slowly rises surrounded by constellations and galaxies I rarely get to see.

We are laughing loudly and Ashleigh says that ˝if we are going to be loud, we should go in the closet˝ .... and we are in fact 12 yrs old again and nearly crying.

The pasta is amazing, the stories hilarious, the scenery stunning... but there is so much ˝home˝ here that its hard to remember we are far away. I love my old friends and seeing all the wonderful changes in all of us.

Yeah But She Cooks A Mean Paella

A little gazpacho, a little paella, a little creme de catalon (same as creme brulle with milk sans cream)... and Im 50% the girl you want in your Kitchen.

So I write these stupid blogs - maybe I can make it up to you with a little Catalon cooking. Dont write me off yet.. now I'm useful.....ish.

This is a special thanks to Darcy for sneaking me in to class. Infinite friend points.

One Step Closer to God

After an hour of standing on the train, I arrived at the base of Montserrat and took a cable car up to the monastery.



I walked in a sat down to take it in. I enjoy the architecture of cathedrals but something inside always seems to allude to the Spanish Inquisition in my mind. This one was different. It seemed to be filled with goodness and I fell asleep. When I woke up the pews had filled, the cathedral walls were lined with people, and a boys choir shuffled in. It was the sweetest sound.....and I remembered how much I love to sing. ( A little sideways video cause I was layin sideways in the pew - palease).


Later, I escaped the crowds and climbed up to the highest point... (but of course). I ate my lunch and watched the world far below.

Stomping is Seductive

Darcy gone for the weekend, I was invited to a Flamenco show with Sara Baras who is the Prima Dona of Flamenco in Spain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htMf9sl4jes


A piece from Carmen that they did:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8VO3WqeX9U&feature=related


I spent that night with girls that reminded me of my own welcoming friends. I laughed at jokes I didn't understand and we were all positively inspired like little girls.

Perfecting My Tapas Dissapearing Act.......

Barcelona continues to impress me... This city values creativity, individuality, and art. Here there is something beautiful on every block...

Besides the Ecuadorians, Italians are the main immigrants. I find Darcy's roommates particularly adorable speaking Spanish with thick Italian accents. Everyone is able to speak to me in English which makes me ...... American.

I spend my days eating bread and my nights eating Tapas. There isn't enough walking in the world to take care of the amount of "cafe con leche" I order.

In the picture is the La Sagrada Familia. It was designed by Gaudi and started in his lifetime. Since his death, other architects have worked on it using his same style. It is to be finished in 2015 and is absolutely fantastic. From far away it looks like a cathedral and up close there is creative detail on every inch of the building.

I have arrived in Barcelona......

I woke up over the Pyrenees and smiled. I wasn't expecting this even though I planned it. Barcelona is a vibrant city- the architecture is so beautiful: gothic, art nouveau, Gaudi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Jfader_batto_facade.jpg.

There is the sense of the sea everywhere. This is my first time on the Medditerranean and I am in love. I even look like all the women here.

So for my friends and family that knew how nervous I was to get on the plane.... I have arrived safely and with a smile on my face. Thanks for all your support :-) In my corner, I have nothing but the best.