New Years Eve 2011

Well here we go again. I wrote this post once and even viewed it to see how it looked and all was okay. I came along late yesterday and it was gone. Let's see if I can recap. Daniel left just after midnight, early on the 31st so he can make it back to Houston to celebrate with his girlfriend and others. I was invited to join the Livingston family to see the new year in. We watched fireworks from the top of their garage. We were pretty impressed with the display we could see on many of the hills that surround us. Since they live around the corner and down the hill from me I didn't have to worry about crazy party goers on the roads as I returned home.

I went to bed thinking about what may lie ahead in 2012. Here's a thought that I liked.

No Fear in the New Year
(by Chek Phang Hia, from Our Daily Bread 12/30/08)

Hours before 2007 began, some friends of ours in the UK were aboard their boat, anticipating the arrival of the new year, when a violent storm struck. But they were able to send us this reassuring note: "John and Linda are sitting on board the good ship Norna, and happy to say that we are secure. . . . The wind is storm force ten [48-55 knots]. Hope that all of you have a happy and prosperous new year."

Jesus' disciples also encountered a stormy experience. They were on the Sea of Galilee when a windstorm whipped up (Mark 6:48). The storm was so violent that despite being experienced fishermen who knew the lake well, they feared for their lives. But Jesus walked out to them and saved them.

No one can predict with certainty how stormy the new year will be. We do know, though, that everyone will face storms. But we who have Jesus have our future securely moored to Him. Jesus, who did not fail us in the past, will not fail us in the future.

Lewis Edgar Jones aptly described our situation in his old hymn:

I've anchored in Jesus, the storms of life I'll brave;
I've anchored in Jesus, I'll fear no wind or wave.
I've anchored in Jesus, for He hath power to save;
I've anchored to the Rock of Ages!

How will you fare in the storms of the new year? If you're anchored in Jesus, you have nothing to fear.

Faith in Christ will keep us steady in the stormy sea of change. Happy New Year!

Goodbye to Kenya

Our last day in Kenya dawned and I rushed over to look out the window where I hoped to see the elusive mountain, but it was not to be. Instead I saw a cheeky monkey sitting on a ledge directly outside our room. I opened the door a crack to get a better photo. I took the photo and then just stood and looked at the little fellow. He jumped to the ground and came to the door. He used his hands to try and pry open the door. I quickly pulled it closed. Imagine the chaos if I had let him in.

After breakfast we took one more look around the lodge. One of the walls in the lounge area is filled with Masai spears, masks etc. It's eye catching.

We made the 3 1/2 hour journey to Jomo Kenyatta airport without any problems, even saw a few giraffe on the way.

The one hour flight on East African Airways went without any hitches also. I say this lightly but you just never know how things will go around here. Remember, T.I.A.

We were sad to have come to the end of our Kenyan adventure but so thankful for the wonderful opportunity and memories to cherish.

More on the Masai

I have been thinking about how interesting the Masai are and thought you may like to know a little more. As I think I told you in the last post they greet visitors with a dance. It's quite exuberant. The men jump as high as they can from a standing position. All the man want to jump high. This is to enable them to see a lion from far off. Young boys have to kill a lion as a sort of rite of passage. I think they are about 10 when they do this.

The women are very colorful with beaded necklaces and earrings. Many have holes in their ear lobes that hang down quite far. At first I thought they just wear the jewelry when they are celebrating but I have seen them come out of the bush or they are doing their work and they have it on. They are simply clothed like the men with a red cloth wrap. Sometimes it's red and purple. No dilemma on what to wear each day! They have plain sandals. Some of the men have sandals that are made from car tires. I'm sure they last a long time. They have no vehicles and walk everywhere.

Before we entered the compound a prayer of welcome was prayed over us. Not sure what or who they believe in.

Once inside their compound they showed us how they start a fire. They used a stick, some loose leaves or brush and donkey dung. By applying friction with the stick against a wooden beam they quickly started a fire.

Our Masai guide took us into his hut. At first I couldn't see a thing. We were led to the bedroom and sat on what felt like cow hide strung between posts. Our guide explained about their huts, how they keep in warmth and keep out heat. There are only tiny slits for air, hence the dark. He further explained that they are polygamous. The man decides on which wife to spend the night with and then non verbally communicates his choice by placing a stool outside her hut.

In the next room we were shown where the woman cooks. It's over an open fire with very little space for the release of smoke. They eat only meat, drink blood and milk. Doesn't sound appealing but I did not see any obese Masai.

As we left the hut I heard a small baby crying somewhere in the recesses. Can't imagine how you care for an infant in the dark.

At the end of our tour they took us by their handicraft market but we have been so inundated with requests to buy we declined this time.

Amboseli Day 2

Up early as we have to meet Francis at 7:30 for our full day in Amboseli. Sadly, Kilimanjaro, is cloaked in clouds again this morning. We were not far from the lodge when we sighted our first wildlife of the day, the Go Away bird. As a matter of fact we saw lots of beautiful birds like the Kori Bustard,(largest flying bird in he world) African Fish Eagle, Egyptian Geese and the Superb Starling whose colors are so pretty, so if you are a bird watcher Kenya and Uganda are great places to consider for a vacation. The Weaver bird is a clever little fellow too, weaving all those basket- like nests.

The biggest non flying gird we saw was of course the Ostrich. We watched several pairs of male and female. Their wings are so big that they made a lot of noise when they ruffled their feathers. Those long legs can sure travel.

I can't post and describe every animal we saw but today was filled with many wonderful sightings, like the hippos both in a out of the water, the Wart Hog on the run and of course more elephants, some taking a bath in the swamp. The Baboons were fun to watch as well. Check out the big guy I have pictured!

What about the Zebra... is it white on black or black on white?

We did not get to see Simba (lion) as they had apparently followed other animals far away to get water. The cheetah had also left for the foothills of Kilimajaro. The mountain never did let us get a full glimpse of it. The base is huge and we could see about 3/4 of the way up but the peak eluded us.

About 12:30 we were driven just outside the park gates to a very large tent that had been set up, complete with tables laid out with china, glassware etc. We were served soup, main course and dessert with tea or coffee. It was a pleasant time to share with a British couple and 4 Italians.

In the late afternoon, after seeing the wild side of Amboseli we saw some culture, although it was a bit wild too. Our guide took us to a Masai village. The tribe came out to greet us in a traditional dance. Daniel and I both got to participate. What a fun experience. Masai life is very interesting to say the least. We were taken into one of their huts made of cow dung and cow urine! It didn't smell :-) They have some interesting customs. It was a great way to end the day.

Back at the lodge after dinner we went to a lookout to watch for animals that appear after about 9:30 pm. The lodge puts out about 50 kgs of meat to entice them. We saw a Dik-Dik ( tiny deer like creature) and we really hoped to see the Spotted Hyena but they chose to show up about 5 minutes after we left, much too our disappointment. Daniel thinks he saw a Civet cross our path as we were walking to our hut. It's kind of scary walking around these paths at night. Sometimes the night guards will just appear out of nowhere and offer to walk you to your hut or hold an umbrella if it' s raining. Quite unnerving when you are not expecting it.

Amboseli Day 1

Our driver/guide, Francis was on time at the gate to pick us up at 7 am. In the midst of heavy rain showers we first needed to stop at the Kenya Wildlife Service office to obtain our passes to enter Amboseli National Park.

With that done we were on our way. It is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Nairobi. Francis told us that when we were about 70 kms. from the lodge we might get a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We watched expectantly.

Upon arrival at the lodge we were greeted by a 7ft Masai warrior named Sammy. He turned out to be a gentle giant.

We ate a buffet lunch and then wandered around the grounds. There were monkeys everywhere!

Took a nap in our hut and then after a cup of tea we met Francis again for our first game drive. We saw some wildlife before we entered the park officially. A giraffe is hard to miss. Also saw a little family of guinea fowls. I guess the animals don't read the signs. Amboseli is known as the Royal Court of Kilimanjaro. It's quite spectacular. We drove around for about 2 1/2 hours following various marked tracks. We saw lots of elephants, some Thompson and Grant gazelles, Wildebeest, Zebras, Giraffes, Impala, Cape Buffalo and Mongoose. God's creation is amazing! I really wanted to get out and play with the baby elephants. They are so cute, but didn't want to start a stampede especially since the males of the herd are huge. I just viewed then from the safety of the pop top. Francis let us watch to our hearts content. It was a "National Geographic" moment!

Moving on- Boxing Day

Since today is our last day we thought we had better go out to the reef like the beach boys have been trying to convince us to do all week. We did not feel we needed their assistance but they are persistent. They just keep walking and talking with you. The tide was way out so we had to walk pretty far. The reef wasn't as spectacular as they had made it sound but we did see 2 neat things. First, Daniel, got to hold a spider starfish. I didn't know there was such a thing. No photo of it as we didn't bring our cameras. Next, we saw an eel. Interesting to watch and I got to feel it's skin. Slippery as an eel is right! The beach boys felt they needed payment for showing us the reef. Ended up they got sample size shampoo from our room which they were most happy with.

Check out went easily and we were happy to find out that our plane to Nairobi was on time. Our driver from Mayfield was there to meet us and we all stopped on the way back to the guesthouse for chicken take- out or take away as it's known as here. Mayfield is really closed now for the Christmas break but somehow once again God provided. We are grateful.

Christmas Day 2011

Asking questions in Africa doesn't always mean you will get the right answers even though
the answers sound convincing. Yesterday I asked at reception about local area churches. I was assured that all the churches start at the same time. We made our way to St. Andrews by 10 am only to find out we had arrived in time for the last 2 hymns and Communion. They started at 8:30!! Very disappointing.

We strolled along to Karen Blixen restaurant and had a cup of coffee and read some local papers. After a little rest back in our room and I opened my Christmas gift from Daniel (you should ask him about the lovely earrings he gave me. He will smile :-) We went to a restaurant next door for a late lunch and a refreshing gelato.

Later in the afternoon we thought we would go for a walk on the beach. We were very surprised at what we found. We are told that the tradition here is that you get new clothes for Christmas and then go to the beach. There seem to be thousands out strolling, sitting and generally having fun with their children. Daniel and I went away from the crowds and swam a while in the hot ocean. The temperature we heard is around 39 celsius (108 F)



The pool felt cooler so we jumped in there too. Our last night here tonight before we move on to our next Kenyan adventure. Tried the Mariposa restaurant tonight. Enjoying great dinner conversations with my son. :-)

Merry Christmas to all!

Christmas Eve in Kenya

Kind of a strange Christmas Eve. Here we are Daniel andI in Kenya. We are cut off from family as the internet is down and the I.T. person won't be back until 12/26. So glad I talked to my mum and dad yesterday. I was hoping to see my

grandchildren with their gifts Christmas morning via skype but that's not going to happen.

Since this community seems to be predominately Muslim just about everything seems to be open today. Daniel and I decide it's a good day to visit the Malindi Museum. It turned out to be a great choice. We learned lots of interesting things about the history of the town and surrounding areas. The first thing we learned about was a strange, prehistoric looking fish that was discovered here many years ago. It's called a Coelancath. If you're into dinosaur age fish, check it out! We also learned lots about the exploits of Vasco de Gama. From the museum we walked along to the pillar that was erected marking the explorer's visits. Later in the day, after a swim in the ocean and pool we readied ourselves for the evening activities which started at 7 pm on the beach. Maria and Josefa ( Italian ) arrived with baby Jesus amidst singing by a local group of young people. After several songs we followed a procession up to the main part of the hotel complex and then had drinks and snacks prior to dinner which started at 9 pm. There were approximately 260 of us seated around the pool. Just in case you are curious here's the menu. I'll give you the english version since most of you aren't fluent in Italian. Firstly there was Crustacean Fantasy, followed by Seafood Bisque, then I chose Lobster Catalana with coconut rice vs the Beef Fillet with Rucola. Next came a tangy Lemon Sorbet and lastly Panettone and Pandoro with Zabaion cream. In other words Italian cake ( 2 kinds) and a sweet cream on the side.

During dinner we enjoyed conversation with a Polish couple who were seated at our table. Popa Natale ( Santa) dropped in on a motorcycle and brought gifts to all of us. Daniel got some sort of wooden whistle and I got a kind of head bandana. We had songs from the children and a woman named Nora from Nairobi sang in the background. It was about midnight when the dinner ended. A very unusual Christmas Eve. No stockings hung when we went to bed but we are both glad for such a wonderful opportunity to experience new things. And now not a creature was stirring not even a mouse, just the rustle of the palm branches outside our room and the sugar plum fairies danced in our heads as we slept.

Indian Ocean

Over to the Marine Park at 9 am, hopeful for a fun day. Paid for the trip in full and looked around for fellow boat travelers. Actually there ended up being 14 of us in all. Ten were Italian, one Frenchman, an African woman and of course Daniel and I. Since the water was way out due to low tide we walked to our boat. About 15 minutes after we set out the boat stopped and we watched some small fish through the glass bottom. Several of us got into the water to snorkel a bit. I had a piece of bread in my hand and it was fun to have the fish come and eat right out of my hand. They tickled and nipped my fingers. We pulled the anchor and traveled on another 45 minutes or so. The further we got away from shore the clearer the water became. When we finally stopped we found ourselves on a small island that was created due to the low tide. The boat crew jumped out and started setting up to grill our lunch on the beach. Daniel and I snorkeled around some coral and saw many, small colorful fish.

All that swimming and fun in the sun made us hungry. We were not disappointed with lunch. Tuna, barracuda, shrimp and lobster! The next course was a platter of fresh fruit including mango, pineapple,papaya and banana.

I think I explained earlier about local merchants who desperately want to sell their crafts. I found out that they will go to all lengths to get a sale. Today, here they were in what seemed like the middle of the ocean, coming up to the side of the boat to sell us jewelry,various carved pieces and cloth. They had gotten out there in old wooden boats!

Daniel got to see marine life up close today and held a highly poisonous "Pufferfish."

We were especially glad to have a covering on the boat on the way home due to the hot sun beating down on us. Not sure we used enough sunscreen :-( As we sailed back to the shore, we were served fresh coconut. Yum, one of my favorites.

Tonight, as if we hadn't had enough seafood we decided to check out the "Old Man of the Sea" restaurant. It has one of the best reputations in the area. Ernest Hemingway, who penned the story from Cuba, apparently traveled twice to Africa and wrote many stories about it. The food was delicious and we enjoyed the quaint ambiance. It was advertised as air conditioned but keeping the front door open doesn't really help. It was okay though as the balmy breeze from the Indian Ocean kept us comfortable.

At the end of our very full day it was nice to relax back in our room. We were surprised to find both our beds covered with a design of flowers from the garden outside.

Enjoying the wonderful fruit basket in our room stocked with fresh pineapple, mango, passionfruit,bananas and oranges. We bought our own coconut but we need help cracking it open. Also enjoying freshly brewed Kenyan coffee. I brought along my French Press as I knew we wouldn't have a coffee maker. For those of you who are coffee lovers Dormans brand is very good. Kenya is known for it's coffee but even more well known for it's tea apparently.

Visited the Marine Park to set up a boat trip for tomorrow. Paid a small deposit and hoping we are not getting ripped off. Visited the local tourist market stocked with handicrafts. It gets really hard to shop as every merchant there wants you to buy from them and they all tell you that you are their only customer for the day and that they need food. After being chased down and constantly asked to buy something we left with a few purchases and a guilty conscience that we can't help more. We shouldn't feel this way but it just happens here.

Since the resort we are staying at is primarily frequented by Italians we are starting to catch on to some of their habits, like not eating until after 8:30 pm. Fortunately tea and cookies/cakes are offered from 5-6 pm. It's all very civilized according to British tradition :-) You can sit by the pool and then sip some tea. Aah!

Malindi

Getting used to our new surroundings. It's tough, but someone has to do it! Boy is it hot here. The Indian Ocean is hot as well and I mean HOT, not just warm. We took a ride on the local transport system called a "Tuk Tuk" very cheap and easy way to get around. Scoped out the town and made some tentative plans for the coming days.

After dinner at the Karen Blixen restaurant (she was the woman featured in the movie "Out of Africa") where Daniel ate crocodile,we went back to the resort and watched the first of what were to be nightly performances. Tonight we were treated to the Masai warriors and their women dancing traditional dances. It was a lively performance.

Kenya day 1

Up bright and early for breakfast at the Mayfield Guesthouse. It's run by African Inland Mission. It's my 4th time to stay here. They are always so helpful. Before breakfast in the dining room they ask someone to give a short devotional. Today it was a South Korean man. North Korea's president has just died. It's always interesting to sit with and meet different people around the table at the Mayfield. We sat with an American Dr. who works in Christchurch, New Zealand and was there during the earthquake. She volunteers at least once a year in South Sudan. Then there was a young university, medical student from Melbourne, Australia. We also had a Scottish woman who is with a mission organization in Kenya and finally another American there short term.

After taking care of some business around Nairobi we flew off to the Kenyan coast via Mombasa and Lamu to the town of Malindi. We knew we were going through Mombasa but the Lamu stop was a surprise. This is Africa, full of surprises! Malindi is where we will be for the next 6 days.

Easy Coach, not so easy.

The day started at 0500 as I had to continue the load of wash that was abruptly stopped last night and then pop it in the dryer before we left at 0600. We were driven to the bus departure site and amazingly we left without any hitches only about 5 minutes after our scheduled time. This was looking promising for the rest of the journey. We settled back into our seats aboard Easy Coach, directly behind the driver and watched the early morning chaos of Kampala and then outlying villages pass by from our big window. We had heard that the border was about 3 hours away and we were trying to keep track with a big map I had brought along. It seems that it was about 11 and and the bus suddenly stopped and passengers started to get up. When we noticed passports in their hands we realized we must be at the border. This is located in the town of Busia. It is described in a Ugandan guide book as "scruffy". I would say that is an adequate description. We had our passports stamped out of Uganda and then walked through an unsupervised gate into no man's land for a short distance and then here we were in Kenya! After obtaining our visas we looked for our bus. Of course there was plenty of well meaning young men who wanted to point us in the direction of the bus and walk us there for a fee. We could clearly see the bus and unfortunately for them needed no help. What I did need help with was finding the rest room as there was no telling when we would stop again. A kind lady from Canada who was of German decent and a missionary in Kenya gave me the required few shillings to enter the restroom. After seeing the restroom I felt they should have paid me to use it. Anyway, probably more details than you need. Our next stop some hours away was Kisumu, rumored by Kenyans to be president Obama's hometown/birthplace!!! A short stop here and we are on our way again. According to the map we thought we would be going the shorter route but soon realized we were on the longer, more scenic route. The driver was a little erratic at times and the roads were less than desirable and after a while a young European woman approached the driver and told him she and some other passengers felt afraid and she requested he slow down. He did not like this and after some discussion he decided he would slow down and I mean really slow down. I think he did it to spite her. Our journey now became much looooonger. We climbed hills up into vast areas where they grow tea. It was very pretty with a noticeable changes in temperature. Up and down we went and the miles dragged on. Next stop, Nakuru. We are now 2 hours behind schedule. The road from Nakuru to Nairobi thankfully is a good, paved road and the driver now picks up some speed and we arrived in Nairobi at 10:15 pm. We are glad to be off the bus after our 15 hour ride. We did save some money going this way and saw lots of Kenya but so glad we are flying back.

Kampala day 2

Off to church we went. Daniel and I attend the same church in Houston so it was a good opportunity for him to see where I go now. Very different in many aspects yet we worship in God's house the same way. Church here in the location I go to is held in a very large, permanent tent. Today it was packed to capacity. The children presented a program called "King of Kings." While the message was traditional the actors, props and costumes had a definite African flair.

Following church we did what many typically do after church, and that is we went out to lunch. As I have said before this a a city and land of contrasts. Today was no exception. We had a little trouble finding the road but then once we found the right turn off we traveled about 5 km on a rough,dirt path to the hotel complex. The road directly outside the complex was paved. The hotel sits in all its grandeur across the road from mere shacks with no electricity and running water. We are so privileged.

Lunch on the balcony overlooking the terraced fountain and Lake Victoria in the distance was relaxing and enjoyable as we caught up on each others news and talked about our upcoming trip Daniel got to try some local foods which of course always includes Matoke. In the evening we packed and prepared for our adventures which would begin the next day. Wouldn't you know it, the electricity went out mid way through a load of wash and you can't run the washer/dryer when the generator is running? This is Africa!

Kampala orientation

Daniel arrived safely last night. Yeah! I almost didn't think I was going to make it on time to the airport as traffic was totally ridiculous. Took me one and half hours to go roughly 20 miles. We had a big downpour in the morning so the streets were very muddy and messy. I gave Daniel the orientation tour. We dropped in to one of the local churches that some of my fellow Aid Sudan team members attend. They were having an outreach for approx. 200 street children. The children received new clothes, were fed and heard the story of Jesus.

Next I showed Daniel Oweno market. Some of you may remember other blogs about trips here. We made a couple of purchases and headed to lunch across town. On the way I made a U-turn which is very normal and okay. However a policeman decided this day that it was not okay. He wanted to give me an"on the spot fine" for 80,000 shillings (about $32 U.S.) he also wanted me to go to the police station to pay but I was NOT going there. After much discussion we compromised and I paid him 40,000 which I later learned was way too much. I'm sure he enjoyed a nice Christmas with the money he pocketed. Live and learn!

On the way home Daniel decided to try a local favorite- fried grasshoppers. He found out they were not his favorite :-(

Can you believe it?

Today I was looking for something in one of the kitchen cupboards and I had to move a few things about and then to my horror, what do you think I found hiding in there? A stinking little container of CREAM of TARTAR!!! UGH! Since it''s a U.S. brand I must have brought it with me. So now I have plenty in case I need it.

Today's drama was not being able to find any diesel fuel for my car. I drove to several stations and all said no diesel. I called a couple of people to see if they had any suggestions and then finally came across one that had it available. It was quite a bit more expensive but I didn't really have an option. There's a rumor that there may be a shortage for a while. That sounds interesting. I have been walking a lot lately so looks like I may have an opportunity to continue.

Headed down to Entebbe airport in a few hours to pick up my son. Wonder what his impressions will be of this place I call home?

on going saga of the cream of tartar

Okay so six supermarkets/stores is ridiculous. Don't know why I didn't think of this before but I walked down the hill and around the corner to fellow Aid Sudan team members house and borrowed a few teaspoons :-)

I have Scottish shortbread baking although I messed up the recipe, hoping it turns out okay. It would be tasty with my afternoon cup of tea. I have also made the master baking mix. Did you know a colander will work as a sifter if you don't have one? It's all about improvisation on the mission field.

I have been listening to a Christmas CD while baking. Sounds funny to hear about a winter wonderland when it's sunny and hot outside, in the 90s!

Cream of Tartar

A to of recipes for baking require cream of tartar. Simple enough, you just buy some, right? Well not here in Kampala. I have now been to 4 supermarkets and can't find any. I know it's out there 'cause I have seen it before but that's how it is here. More often than not, its here today and gone tomorrow. I guess I am working in mostly tomorrows.

I was hoping to start some baking so I will have some yummy Christmas cookies when my baby boy ( he's 28 ) arrives Friday night. I also wanted to make my own Bisquick mix. It's good to have on hand for a variety of things like pancakes, coffee cake,cinnamon rolls and a host of other things according to my African cookbook.

Well I think I'll listen to some Christmas music for now so I won't be so irritated about the you know what.

I've Shifted

What does shifting mean to you? In Australia where I grew up and apparently here in Kampala it means the same as moving. Saturday I shifted some of my things from the Henderson's where I have been staying since I arrived 5 days ago, to my new temporary home for the next month. I am living on the Baptist Mission compound. It is well located, very secure and is just what I need for the present time. I took a photo of my apartment so you can see where I am. I also wanted you to see some of the native wildlife here in Kampala. These critters are roaming the compound. I also hear a loud rooster at inappropriate times. His body clock is out of sync, kind of like mine until a few days ago when the jet lag wore off.

Today I realized I was a true missionary when I reused a tea bag for the 3rd time!!! It was still good. You can't get Lipton Super fruit White Mangosteen and Peach here so you do what you have to do. I forgot to bring some back with me and only have 2 more left. More updates later. Hope you will update me with your life events as well.

Back in Africa

Hello again from Kampala. I arrived safely just before midnight on Tues night. One of the highlights of my trip from Amsterdam to Nairobi was seeing the sun set from my window. The sun was a brilliant orange and I was able to watch it set completely. Directly below was I think the Sahara and the Nile River. It was an amazingly beautiful sight. Wednesday is kind of a fog as tried to get my bearings and navigate my way through some pressing needs. I had to go across town and although my driving on the left side was okay I did once try to get in the car on the wrong side and of course I put on the wipers a few times instead of the turn signal :-(

Most big shopping areas have a security guard at the entrance and they check in you glove compartment and take a mirror on a long wand and swipe it under the car before you are allowed to enter. Sometimes it can be very funny, yesterday was no exception. The very pleasant guard asked me if I was carrying any firearms. Surprise! I said no. he then asked if I was having a nice life today. I replied yes and he waved me through. Makes you feel really safe about would be terrorist in public places.

After a not very good sleep, since my body clock is still on Houston time, I went to see a potential place to live. Looks like I'll be moving in on Saturday afternoon for one month. More about that later. Time for an afternoon nap now to catch up and be refreshed for an Aid Sudan team meeting this afternoon.