Stuck in a Furrow

I was talking with a co-worker about my trip to Africa today. At SP, it is not unusual that I've been to Africa as at least 1/2 the staff have been overseas, most of them numerous time. It is exciting to hear how God has given us so many passions about other countries and what I feel about Mozambique, someone else feels about Cambodia or Nicauragua or Lebanon. As we were chatting, she asked me what my favourite experiences were so here is my list (and accompanying pics!) of my trip.



5. Walking with the lions. I got to spend 4 hours in +40 degree heat walking with 2, 18 month old cubs who could tear my face off with one swift swoop! I touched their claws, felt a tongue and realized that dying by lion mauling would be pretty traumatic. It was incredible though...I'd do it again!

(the next pic in this series is of me jumping up as the lion "playfully" took a swipe! What's "playfully" when he could eat me for lunch?!)




4. Elephant Safari Ride. I woke up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 to ride an elephant for 1 hour on a safari through the Zimbawean brush. We only saw a few bush busks, impala and warthogs but it was completely worth it and we got breakfast in the deal. I walked bowlegged for the next 3 hours (and you thought horseback riding was bad!). We got to feed the elephants and let me tell you, there was a whole lotta snotish substances coming out of their trunks. Nasty! This elephant kept swinging his ears and whacking me in the head so my sunglasses kept falling off. He is actually kneeing and I am perched on his kneecap. I wonder if they'd let me do that at the zoo?

3. Victoria Falls was incredible. It was the sole reason that I ventured from Mozambique to Zimbabwe. I couldn't bear to be that close and not see the falls. They were incredible and my pics do not do it justice. I was there in January so there wasn't much runoff yet but it was a bazillion times more impressive than Niagra. In the spring and summer, there is so much water flowing and mist that you actually can't see anything. There are 7 falls that make up Vic Falls and David Livingstone actually landed on 1 miniscule island between the falls when he discovered them. I think he is one lucky bugger as the fall to the bottom would not be fun. These falls are about 100 m down and the noise was intense! I was so glad to get to see the falls!



2. 111m down in 4 seconds. That is the length of a football field and I WILLINGLY jumped off a bridge at that height. It is the tallest bunjee bridge in the world and has never had a death. I figured those were good odds...with over 10, 000 people having jumped so far. As the nice bunjee workers wrapped the blue kitchen towels and frayed bungee rope around my ankles, I remember thinking that IF the rope snapped and I plummed to my death in the Zambezi river, that no one would know who I was and my parents would be quite worried when I didn't get off the plane in 1 week. It truly was quite the adrenaline rush and as they hoisted me back up to the bridge, they asked if I wanted to go again...I said no...but now I wish I had done it again. After all, there is something so fun about flying through the air and free falling that far down. I have it on video (which cost me an arm and a leg. Thank God for Visa!) and I still can't believe I did it.


1. My boys. I love these guys and wish I could visit them all the time. Maybe in the spring...here's to hoping! We email back and forth and just today, I found out that they are mailing me something! I can't wait...and it has spurred me on to send them the package that I keep promising. They keep asking me when I'm coming back to see them and it makes me sad to think that it may not be for awhile yet.

Tino S, Noah and Justino.

So...those are my highlights. I also did a few other things, some of them not so bright such as crossing the border into Zambia with a strange man, but I'll save those for another post.