"let's get together and feel all right"-bob marley

ok, i feel like i have to summarize the rest of the trip. my life has already moved forward…and one of my goals is to stay in the moment. i need to catch up to the present time…life is happening right now!

the musical collaborations that took place at the orphanage were so incredible. a major part of the program was music can cross all boundaries, but to witness it first hand really drove home the notion. despite experiences, age, gender and even language; people can come together through music. music is the international language. when this teenaged girl sought eric out and then asked him if he could play kenny rogers 'the gambler', i couldn't believe how into it she was. she knew all the words…even more so than eric! i would have never guess that country music would be a hit in kenya?

the days were long and hot with rehearsals and sound checks. it gave me time to document it all and of course, fall in love with more kids. it was beautiful to watch the collaboration of some of the young guys in the updeno choir work with eric. john, dustin and wilford picked up ''ll fly away' so fast. the harmonies were tight.

the kids recited a poem about how AIDS has affected their live that was very touching.

to be able to watch the upendo choir all afternoon was such a treat. this group from tanzania, dressed to the nines with multiple changes, had such great spirit. 

these children, from another nearby orphanage had their teacher ask eric if they could touch his beard. they were adorable. 

my man, jimmy!

the next day was the big concert at the wida motel. 

another long day, but the concert was a total success

tee shirt swap. hey, traxler tees!!

ok, so this where our african tale comes to a major turn. jesse, eric and i had gone out with our new friend andrew. we did some drinking and ate some late night food. i took a pepto before i went to bed, feeling a little rough, but just figuring i had drank too much. when i wake in the morning, i feel incredibly nauseous. as i am searching for the pepto, my mouth begins to water. i vomit in my hands as i run to the bathroom. i then vomit again in the bathroom. as i walk back into the bedroom to inform eric that i was just sick, i ask if he can find the pepto for me. before he even has a chance to look, he grabs his mouth and runs to the bathroom where he become audibly, violently ill. we are scheduled to catch a flight to lamu today. in fact, a taxi is on its way to pick us up. i figure we got sick,  got it out, we should be fine. feeling rough, we load our packs into the cab, say our goodbyes and we are on our way to the nairobi airport. i have now learned that being in a cab in downtown nairobi may be the worse possible place to be feeling sick. driving all crazy…i feel like i need some air and puffs of smog and dirt blow through the opened window. eric and i are holding hands, praying silently to keep whatever evil contained. i squeeze his hand quickly as if to indicated that i could contain no more…i tried to make it out the window of the cab, but the evils strength was too strong. as i am vomitting into my hands and all over myself, eric, the gentleman, removes his straw hat and offers it as a barf receptacle. i then get my head out the window and proceed to vommit out of the moving cab. the driver is still weaving through traffic, oblivious to my upchucking in the back seat. when he finally does realize, he pulls over. i immediately exit the cab, crawl on my hands and knees in desert-y sand, with fully intact pieces of kale stuck to my face. i can hear talking….eric and the cabbie are frantically cleaning up the mess in the car. when i sort of come to, i look up to see two men with machine guns in my face. they have some sort of military looking uniform on. i glance up and their is a military truck, you know the ones with the canvas awning tops? a bunch of young men, with machine guns are loaded into this truck. it has 'police' hand painted on the bottom. they seem to be checking if everything is alright, as i am sure a white woman on her hands and knees on the side of the road looks rather suspicious. however, one of the young machine gun toters has this sort of attitude as he tells us we are not allowed to stop on this road. eric, concerned and stressed responds with a shrug and a 'ok'. the next few minutes were an awkwardness that is indescribable. basically, he wanted us to pay him off. pay him to 'let' us go on our way. we hand over 500 shillings and i instruct the cabbie to drive, now. the young machine gun toter then demands that we give him our newspaper. are you fucking kidding me? i grab it and hand it to him. 'you'll fee better now, madam' says the other one. whatever. we are headed again, to the nairobi airport. i am such a mess, literally and physically. i tell eric, please, can you just get us on the plane? can you take over and make this happen? cuz i am out. and he does. knight on white horse style, eric takes care of it all. as i am sitting by the gate, i decide to take some more medicine. i then head to the bathroom, to clean up properly before getting on this plane. i vomm again. medicine is out. while on the plane, i vomm again. barf bag for the lose. 

look kids, kilimanjaro!

we land on manta island. the sun is incredibly bright, there are a bunch of cats at the airport. lamu cats, referred to as 'paka' in kiswahili, look different. they have distinct ears, are very long and slight. this was my test that i would fail: don't pet random stray animals on foreign islands. well, ya win some, you lose some. we then call aswif, a guy that was recommended to us through friends of friends. he is there to pick us up. we board the 'i'll be back' and are on our way to lamu island. 

aswif, always chillaxin'.

you would think that after a full day of vommiting, riding on a boat would be torturous, but actually, it was nice to have then wind in my face. i am pretty out of it for our arrival on lamu. aswif takes us to a house and we negotiate a deal. $22 a night for a house with a view of the indian ocean. i love this place immediately.

but i am still  mangled from whatever 'bug' we have caught. however, if you are going to feel like shit, it might as well be in paradise, right? our house has a gigantic bed with mosquito netting on the inside, but it also has this ornate bed on the porch. this is where i will spend the rest of the day. it was actually really peaceful, despite feeling like i could vomm at any minute.

cout sicky-face

visiting lamu island is like boarding a time machine. this ancient, islamic island has no cars but donkeys. the 'roads' are like small dirt pathways, alley ways between buildings, so concrete surrounds and obstructs your view of anything but what is directly in front of you. as you turn the corner, you may literally run into a pedestrian, a donkey, a heard of cats or a women in a full burka, which they call bui-bui. the textures through out the small town of shela are all natural and simultaneously ancient. 

paka!

they are also know for making their own sailboats called 'dhow'. i guess 10-15 years ago, it was still motor less, but now, for whatever reason, they have added motors to their traditional sailboats. they work and build them right on the beach, with plenty of paka around. 

pakas! i made a simple kiss noise and cats began emerging from every crevice!

kitties and donkeys

baby kitties!

the following day, still a little queasy but feeling so much better. we stroll the town of shell, one part of the island. it is divided into shela and lamu town, a 30-45 minute walk connecting the two. that evening, we decide to take a sunset dhow ride with aswif and his boys. they choose the original sailing methods, discuss the history of the islands, point out mangroves and their love for nature.

saleem! when i asked if i could take his picture, he posed and said 'peace, love, haukna matata'

mangroves!

sunset over lamu

we then go across the chanel to the island of manta, where we were told by a lovely british girl who has my exact birthday, day and year, the a man called frank has people over on wednesday and sunday. wealthy expats have built large homes, this one had a little 'restaurant' and bar. they served all fish, which i am sure was delicious, but we opted for a tusker dinner instead. 

we then sat on comfortable beach lounges, gazing into the ocean. 

puppy!

when all was said and done, i commented to eric, "i think we just hung out with muslim hippies?"

the next morning, we got up early and decided to walk to lamu town. i wore my long skirt, purchased at goodwill before our trip for this very spot, trying to be respectful of the islamic culture. i made sure to be all covered. we walked on a dirt path in the blazing heat.

suddenly, the road disappeared and became only ocean! i hike up my skirt and trudge through. i see women in full buy-bui just walking right through. fascinating.

i love the paka!

through out our exploration of lamu town, eric and i muse about the need for a recycling program and animal welfare. some of these donkeys and pakas look real rough. 

we then meet a young man, francis, who asks us to come to his art studio. we weave in through a concrete maze to this little spot deep within the town.

francis

francis shows us his wares, jewelry, pipes and other various things he makes from the coconut shells he finds on the island. he introduces us to isaac, a painter. 

we sit in the back with them, have a safety meeting, and discuss world affairs. through their thick accents, i find myself translating their english to eric. we buy a few things, but they keep giving us more items, wanting to give eric beads for his beard.

i apologize for my disposition as i am totally overheating. francis returns with a hand painted butterfly that he would like to give me to fan myself. it is beautiful. i say that we are in search of a new hat for eric as the sun is so oppressive and eric lost his in the vommitting epidemic days prior.

we set off with francis who says he will take us to his friends store. 

this town is surreal, complete with running water/sewage going through the town.

we get some fresh juice and giggle about things that may or may not be lost in translation. note to self: passion fruit and lime juice makes your face feel funny.

the fan francis gave me and the very tart juice

i got a bag full of fruits and veggies for $1.20

we then finally give in, to take a guided walking tour with a black man with blue eyes named istanbul

i find lamu town overwhelming, fascinating and smelly. 

we opt for a ride back with aswif to the much mored 'chillaxed' shela. we continue our exploration and adoration of the many paka!

we reluctantly leave lamu, back to manta to catch our plane back to nairobi. i thoroughly enjoyed what eric and i affectionately referred to as our 'honeymoon' on lamu island. if you are looking for a getaway, you can't get much further away than the pole, pole, sawa, sawa lifestyle of this island. tourism is a major part of their economy, they are waiting for your mzungu ass to visit. they constantly remind us that they are a peaceful people, not to be confused with the image of muslim culture we are fed through our american media. the whole experience was beautiful, serene and completely relaxing. exactly what we needed after all our hard work with the kids and the bustling pace of the nairobi city. 

when we get back to nairobi, we make a talked about dream, drunken indian cook out, a reality. dave, a third generation indian kenyan takes us to his local spot where he teaches us how to make authentic indian curry.

i should have taken notes…the whole experience was wonderful. appealing to all of the senses, we enjoy alcohol and banter.

we then have to get a cab to the airport to head on home. i am sad to leave such an amazing place, such an amazing experience. the traveling home is long and grueling. the jet lag is real and strong. we hazily spend our first few nights home tired and completely unaware of time. waking up at 4 am, conceiting and getting up to face our tasks of preparation for our next journey out west. 

we have a lovely bonfire the night before our departure, where dear friends come in and out to wish us well on our journey. everything feels like a daze right now. i am continually made aware of the changes occurring within me. from my tolerance to life on the road and some of the discomforts it can bring to my interaction with random strangers, i find my personal growth to be immeasurable. i feel like i am settling into my own skin, my own body, my own self. i have a stronger sense of calm than i can ever remember. not for a moment have i regretted this major life change. if anything, i wish i quit my job and sought out my own interests long ago. you can't teach this and you can't buy it. i finally feel like every day is a blessing and a gift and an adventure, just waiting to happen. i am excited and content to start each day and rarely feel disappointment in anything i encounter. disappointment held such a long standing place in my world, it feels incredible to dispose of it. 

we head to st.louis for a gig, where we are surrounded by great friends. i love that eric can see his college buddies and i can see my bff, jessica in this town. it was a magical night and one of those gigs that makes me completely understand why eric chose 'musician' as his occupation. we then head off to joplin, mo. we see some remnants of the tornado. the black thorn pub is a super chill and i am able to post my first african blog at the bar. we are graciously welcomed into the home of doug from the ben miller band. his house is so charming. we finally get some extended sleep, it feels wonderful. we go on a lovely hike in the morning with doug before we set off for oklahoma city. for whatever reason, the 4 hours to okc seems like forever. we arrive at the most wonderful home of artists tara and randy. their are people coming out of every where, everyone interesting and captivating. they have a magical back porch where we all gather. intellectual discussions on politic comense as men are preoccupied by building a fire. it is always so inspiring to be around like-minded people. i feel like i have known them all for years. we get another good night sleep. we wake early in the morning, walk to an adorable, quaint coffee shop to start our day. we have a 9 hour ride to albuquerque today. the landscape is quickly changing. finally, the long awaited trip to albuquerque, with the promise of rest and relaxation. and a chance to regroup. my mind is racked by all that i want to do, it is this time that i will organized my thoughts and make some plans. or not at all and just try different stuff. i can't wait to go to santa fe. i have dreamed of this for so long…about 7 years…and now it is finally here. my feelings of happiness are intense and embraced. 

pura vida. hakuna matta. va bene. ce la vie. 

"gonna take some time to do the things we never have" -toto

i have mentally taken notes through out this life changing experience. i have literally taken notes too. i took 1,035 pictures and videos, but still…there is no real way for me to explain the experience of traveling to kenya. the beauty….it would take me all day of scanning a thesaurus to come up with the words. i can only say that you should in fact go visit yourself. 

before our departure, many people expressed their concern and worry for our safety. the notion of traveling to africa, a place we are told is rivoted by poverty, health epidemics, starvation, and violence. let it be known that africa is in fact a continent. much like new york city or the grand canyon couldn't possibly be the representative for all of north america (much to the protest of the often neglected canadians) one cannot label such vast space as any one thing. we traveled to kenya, one country among 53 nations on the continent of africa. within kenya, we traveled to the capital city of nairobi and then an island off the coast, lamu. to even remotely state that i have seen kenya would not be accurate. to encompass the trip as 'going to africa' is even more misleading. all i can say: the experience totally blew my mind. no matter the effort i put forth, this blog entry will hardly cover any of it. it really was that amazing. that in itself, is a wonder to be hold. to be in the moment, knowing you are living memories that will last a lifetime. my cup constantly runneth over…

here it goes:

so the seventh annual townes van zandt tribute night that eric hosts which benefits WCBE (it is fundraising time, y'all. donate to your local npr station right now!) was a usual success. i unexpectedly took up the role of merch peddler as it was the debut of the eric nassau beard tshirts!  

they turned out wonderful, all thanks to the amazing peeps at traxler tees. contact eric about getting one for you and your friends today! needless to say, we danced, imbibed  and stayed out far too late for folks who were traveling across vast oceans the following morning. a few last minute packing freak outs and we were headed to port columbus airport. the trip was finally here!

i will eat your face.

our first leg of many flights was to newark, nj. we then had six hours to just hang out in the newark airport until our next flight. i was all fired up to do some vegan food reconnaissance. as always, there are always plenty of vegan junk food options, but you best put your detective hat on to find some actual food. a japanese restaurant had a few options, but the real gem was finding bertuchi's…comprised of pre-made vegan meals. and man, this shit was gooood. 

serious nomz

however, swiss airlines, my new favorite airline, was super accommodating. onward to zurich! 

the flight was long. we tried to practice our swahili, simultaneously tethered to the iPod. i am sure their were movies being played, but we didn't take notice. we may have slept. when we arrive in zurrich, we are on a quest to find a specific swiss chocolate for one super hot rotarian, miss erin corrigan. we filmed dance videos and took in the clean swiss design and immaculate cleanliness. we begin to board the plane and i look to eric, 'where is the guitar?' i ask. not only does he not have the guitar but he responds with ' i don't know". we had been all over the zurrich airport, it could be anywhere. mild panic begins to form as we excuse ourselves from the boarding line. yes, the plane is currently boarding and the whereabouts of the guitar that we were so generously given to donate to the children should be etched on the side of a milk carton. w.t.fuuuuuuuuuuck. eric scurries off into the minimalistic structures in search as i anxiously await his return at the gate. i am now sweating through my shirt. i see a little straw hat bopping in the distance, it is eric running….with the guitar. <exhale> phew. just in time to board the plane. our first disaster adverted…

that is the swiss alps, y'all!

we fly over the swiss alps, in between dozing off and reading travel books, swiss airlines constantly feeds and waters us. 

swiss airlines veg food. quite good, actually.

we touch down in nairobi, exit the aircraft to find the lovely emily waiting for us. 

hey, girl

emily instructs us to use the kenyan citizen line at customs as we have visas. some of the perks of having assistance. eric breezes through while my customs teller seemed to be less than amused with my mzungu ass in her line. 'are you kenyan?' she asks me. i sheepishly respond 'well, mam, i have visa…' with the upswing on the last syllable like a spelling bee contestant unsure of their submission. 'that doesn't make you kenyan' she barks as she stamps my passport. whatever, lady. i am IN! lets go!

as we go to collect our bags, police officers begin to surround eric. they say something about needing to look in his bag. they take him away, off in a back room, just like you hear in customs horror stories. my dad donated flashlights, complete with a sleeve of batteries that eric was toting. apparently, it looked like ammunition. eric and the police officer had a friendly banter establishing the swahili word for 'ammunition' and its meaning. all was well, but eric's sweetness left him missing the officers corruption ploy of requesting a cup of coffee now that he had been cleared. welcome to kenya, where money can buy you….well, anything. at least it buys the government….and it is done outright, unlike behind our american closed doors. M.F.T #1. MFT=mzungu fun time, a term coined from the experience one can have simply by being a pale foreigner. i bet it is hilarious to be on the giving end of a MFT dose….

we wait at the airport for the others to arrive. i am super sleepy, but enthralled by a local music troupe playing traditional tunes and dancing. and so it begins. we load into a van and get our first taste of nairobi traffic. there are virtually no traffic lights or street signs. there are no lines marking the lanes of the road. they drive on the left side, steering wheel on the right, like jack nicholson busting through the door in 'the shining'. total maniacs. as we sling through nairobi, it looks like any major city. i am beginning to think it was all hype and stereotypes, just as we turn onto what becomes a much more rural road. and the term 'road' is generous. the driver weaves forward, avoiding severe potholes and jutting rocks. we go through the small village of Zambezi, complete with tin roofs, trash scattered in gullies and random donkeys on the side of the road. we finally arrive after a very bumpy ride to what we were told was a bed and breakfast. it is in fact a government run, forrest research center. it has a giant, looming gate with 'kefri forrest research center' hand painted on the wall. directly below was 'this is a corruption free zone'. whaaat?? we would refer to this as kefri house and also our home for the time being. a guard opens the gate and the van drives through. it is nearly midnight in nairobi, yet some people at kefri had the most glorious meal waiting for us. a special vegan plate just for me. the food was phenomenal. potatoes, greens, bananas. all prepared with consideration and comforting flavors. we all felt obligated to eat every bite, but the portion sizes were very large, even to our super sized palates. we all split off into our respective rooms. a strong smell of  clay fills the air. after a not so restful sleep and an interesting breakfast, we head out to rafiki farm. more time spent on the worst road in nairobi. we arrive to see a truly working farm. 

the technical school, donated by the newark rotary club of ohio

we get a very detailed tour….it is very impressive to see what they have done with the resources donated. almost the entire place has been donated by various groups from ohio. they are growing their own food. (and it is delicious!). they are raising livestock, using cow dung to generate methane gas to cook with.  

jambo cow!

they have pigs and piglets! up some very sketchy stairs that our group would be restoring during our visit, they house rabbits. so much for not petting animals…

the children pour out of the technical school for what appears to be recess. we ask if we can go play with them and….so it begins. we enter the fenced in area with a brightly colored playground soon to be mauled by the most beautiful children all dressed alike. despite the sweltering heat, many of the children wear the sweater of the uniform, some even with winter hats. they run towards us, extending their hands. they are so precious. when i asked them if they like to sing, this is what took place: 

the affection the children have for one another could make you cry. the older ones pick up the littler ones when they fall down. brush them off and send them on their way. they help each other with their jumpers after the bathroom. they hold hands and hug, always touching. i really can't explain the experience with the children. it was dynamic and momentous and really, there are no words for it. 

the manager, amos tells us he just had a large banner made for the concert. he unrolls it on a large table in the mess hall. it shows the various kenyan artists, muziki team from the USA with our logo and then eric nassau, usa and a picture of jim henson. they went on to eric's Facebook page to pull a picture and they ended up with jim henson. how do you translate celebrity doppleganger week in kiswahili? oh brother…

we walk back to kefri. the roads are even strenuous to walk on, let alone drive. we are then picked up by our new friend, andrew. we got connected to him through a kenyan friend living in columbus. we only had his phone number, we had never met him prior to our visit to nairobi. we handed our cell phone to a random guy on a moped to tell andrew where kefri house was located. in a matter of time, andrew shows up and we all pile into his car. 

nairobi traffic is so crazy. he takes us to a great look out spot and we get to see the nairobi skyline. 

he then takes us to a cute outdoor bar where we have our first of many tusker beers. TUSKER TIME! 

andrew gitonga, one cool mutha...

andrew then takes us to the nyayo soccer stadium. the rangers vs. sofapaka. we were the only wazugus there. terry and erin were already at the stadium. in our excitement to see our friends, i suppose we kind of skipped over to them. the band was playing, i love futbol, i guess we were excited. a large crowd began to cheer for eric and his beard. oh do they LOVE the beard over there. 

the sofapaka beauties

the next morning, we woke up stupid early to venture out on many tourist-y activities. first stop, nairobi national park. our own little safari. 

the eric nassau specialty: the multiple self-portrait

it is here we meet a man i would fall completely in love with, our driver, jimmy. his smile lights up his entire face, he laughs easily and often and his patience abounds with our butchering of the language.

the wazimu mzungu handbook

jimmy's friends brother's matatu soon converts in a movie worthy safari vehicle and we all peek our heads out of the roof.

the morning was lovely and spotting wild animals was fun. we took to naming each animal a conventional human name, like gerald, which jimmy found hilarious.

we then went to the sheldricks elephant and rhino orphanage. these little babies were so cute and playful.

jimmy then took us to his friend's restaurant that specializes in fish. i explain to jimmy that i am a vegan and then explain what vegan is, something i would do a lot through out the trip. i know it is hard to believe, but you can really make do just about anywhere you go. he has them bring out a couple of fish for the group to share, prepared in different ways. i ask if i can just get the vegetables and jimmy relays to the waiter. the food was fantastic!

lunch just landed on yo plate!

the vegan version. eat your heart out, popeye.

after lunch, we filled one of my lifelong fantasies: sitting on karen von blixen's porch! 'i had a farm in africa…..' omg, dreamy!!! i read the book 'out of africa' and own the movie of which i have seen a million times. i love the story, i love the characters. robert redford washing meryl streep's hair out in the bush while reciting poetry may be the most sensual cinematic scene, ever. we got to tour the home and it was magical.

we then headed over to the giraffe center, where we got to feed a giraffe. she was a beauty. and had some pretty gnarly breath.

i could really go on about this forever. obviously...

and i haven't even gotten to the two concerts we put on! and then the part where i get violently ill and the trip to the islamic island of lamu. i shall try for more tomorrow...

as the present now will later be past, the order is rapidly fadein'.-bob dylan

although my mind is currently swimming with so many thoughts...i must round up the southern tour.

so we left ridgeville, sc a little behind schedule. we also didn't prepare to drive through the only snow storm in the country. it being only fitting after so many days in the glorious sun and of course, it wasn't even snowing back home. we had wanted to stop and hike somewhere, but our progress was slowed by the inclimate weather. i had just offered to drive and shortly after, driving through the mountains, the road becomes covered in snow. i will allow this blog some integrity and share with you that this is the part of the story where i become plagued with anxiety, totally puss out and ask eric to drive.

i am not sure what happened, but all i can say is that there were so many other times through out this trip, i was impressed with myself. this was not one of them. we stopped at a gas station to pee and eric got coffee.   we finally had some snow footage for the dance. still wanting to keep the dance video until it is finalized, i can share a prep so you can get an idea of the snow and how cold it was for a southern traveler.

as we go to leave, now with eric behind the wheel, the car gets stuck in the snow. tires spinning, no traction, no exit, no departure. uuuuuugh. i must say the concept is much more bearable when you have someone else with you to contemplate solutions. just as i described my last experience having my vehicle stuck (my idea of a psychotic toothless wonder that was living in the woods) the virginia version walks up to the car and mumbles something and begins to push our car. what i think was his daughter, joined him without a word and began to push our car out of the snow. this man might have had four teeth in his head and at one point the girl fell down face first in the snow. however, these random hillbillies freed us. i hope i continue to see the kindness in people in hopes of curbing my baseless fear. we are finally on the road again. we eventually make it to charleston, wv to the home of troy and kristin, their son, colin and doggies. they were so welcoming, they had made a delicious vegan soup just for me. it made the long day of sketchy driving fade away...

an early morning start the following day allowed us to have a 'family' breakfast before all ventured off on their mondays. eric having to be back for work at noon, it was nice to be up early for a change. back to the bus, back to the tasks at hand. it really was an amazing trip. returning to life as i knew it was bittersweet. the road is certainly a place to get lost...and found.

that all feels like a distant memory as i have been consumed with ideas of africa planning and packing up my apartment. it remains true, moving really is one of the worst things to experience. i would love to interview professionals. how does someone do this for a living? it is the pits....for the birds! we have had so many events and social commitments, eric had six different jobs this week. it has just been non stop. music in the round was a smashing success. i don't know the final count off hand, but we raised a lot of money for the orphanage. please see click this link, it is incredible. i don't have one love. i have all love for these four musicians and everyone in the room that night. i feel so lucky to be a part of this.

i don't feel nearly as prepared for africa as i thought i would be. i also thought i could focus and pack up my place with time to spare. with that spare time, i would do all the things that would allow me to feel equipped for a trip of this magnitude. however, it just isn't so. and maybe, it is how it is meant to be? because really, what would i be doing with that time? freaking out about things that i cannot control. africa is going to happen. my place will be packed up and cleaned. things get done, they always do.

perhaps i just want to do anything but pack my house, but i have really enjoyed hanging out with various peeps as of late. i have realized that i was never in the moment before. bogged down by the rat race, the stress of day to day life and the monotony that comes with it. i feel so much more at ease now. instead of thinking of all the things i need to do later, i can simply enjoy people. share stories, have a laugh. i like this. i am still giving myself constant pep talks. mantras of 'you will be ok' are common. this is also part of my journey. i hope to really work on this...worrying less, embracing more.

i have also realized that i have something else to add to my to do list for this year: write a screen play. i have no idea how one does this or what i will ever do with it, but that is ok. even if i never answer those questions, that is also ok. i want to and therefore i will. i remembered how much i enjoy films. i have a constant monologue, an active script during my every moment. i should see if i can capture it? catch me if you can.

currently, i am balancing the schedule of the various medications i must take: malaria and typhoid and who knows. my house is nearly empty and change is visual. i have taken some things, mostly of comfort, to eric's house. this is it. here we go...

officially out of the house my wednesday. townes van zandt tribute night on friday. depart for nairobi on saturday. hakuna matata. well...i am working on it.

"if i fail, if i succeed at least i live as i believe" -whitney houston

i had every intention of blogging for the entirity of this trip. it was this exact moment that i was trying to avoid: now having to cover so much at once. however, getting wrapped up in the wonderment of great people and new places is a problem i don't mind having. ok, lets start…

i left charelston, sc headed off to ocala national forrest. i had done some research on where i wanted to stay…but was free styling against my usual mode of over preparation. after listening to danger's gifted cds, i reluctently popped in 'life with my sister madonna' by christopher ciccone. this would be a pivotal move later on…i have to say, while i was surprised by my enjoyment of this novel, he made a crucial mistake of reading his own book. his voice plain and flat, however, dishing about one of the biggest pop star of my lifetime is totally engaging. as i drove towards ocala in the warmth of the sunshine, i contemplated the elements of what made madonna successful: determination, confidence and an extreme work ethic. he mentioned her lack of professional training in so many of the arenas that she would work in, citing her unabashed confidence in any pursuit. the only difference between any of us and those that we idolize is simply that they are going for it and we are only dreaming of it. it made me fired up…feeling empowered and motivated, i continued on into the desolate forrest. my gps was dodgy and the signage limited. feeling like i might have missed the turn off to delancy lake (where i intended to camp) i continued to the visitors center. trying to be on top of it, i stopped to get maps and confirm the location. i had also received directions to the site from the internet. i turn back around and head to find delancy lake east. i knew and was told it was a turn off of road 66. when i see a small painted wood sign labeled 66, i figured the one labeled 'east' out of the choices east and west was where i wanted to go. i was told that the road was primitive, made of clay, so i wasn't expecting highway quality traveling. as i continue down this desolate clay road through the tropical forrest, i randomly see dilapidated houses and time worn trailers. being on my own and not seeing any resemblance of a campground,  i begin to feel uneasy. 

christopher ciccone robotically relays partying with celebrities as i desperately search for some direction. then…they clay road turns into deep sand. i am completely off roading at this point in my practical city car. my heart begins to race and i immediately turn off madonna's brother to gain some focus on the situation. where the fuck am i going? and what they hell am i doing in the back woods of florida, by myself, trying to be on a safari in a jungle of rednecks with hardly the proper equipment. just then, my car gets stuck in the sand. much like the snow that i am familiar with, my car will not budge. panicked, i scan the premisis. i see a few run down houses and think to myself how this resembles the beginning of a horror film: young woman, in the middle of nowhere, car troubles, needs help from deranged, toothless psychopath. what the fuck….what the FUCK am i going to do? inspired by madonna's ambition, i am determined to solve this predicament, also fully knowing that knocking on some rando's door in the middle of the woods is NOT an option. i shift into neutral and actually believe i am going to push my car back into traction. i go at it with full strength and the car comically doesn't move an inch. as someone who is frequently challenge by reversing out of peoples drive ways, i manage to reverse my car back into movement and then amped up to get the hell outta of there, i reversed a half a mile back to the clay road. it is truly amazing what one can accomplish when you must. i can not find this campsite! this is my first real test on the road on my own and i refuse to fail right out the gates! to summarize: after i make a few more investigative drives around the area, i cross the road to delancy west, which turns out to have both campgrounds.

frazzled, but relived to finally be at my destination, i am the lone woman among men in pick up trucks. undeterred, i pick out my site (one as remote as possible) and put my $10 in the envelope at the campground kiosk. i then set up camp, make a lovely dinner for myself on my pocket rocket stove and my new camping frying pan.

feeling very capable and accomplished, i collect sticks and then make my own fire. i enjoy a few beers, but in the remote darkness, realize sleep is probably the only option. i wake in the morning, dismantle camp, pack up and i am on the road again. once i finally get cell service again, i make the calls to the worried love ones to say that i have in fact survived one night. on to naples!!

i get to naples around what i can only assume is rush hour. traffic is awful and someone strongly rear ends the car next to me. ugh! get me outta here! getting the address wrong, i eventually make it to my dear friend rick's house. what a lovely home: 10 acres of land complete with two horses and tropical landscape.

petting horseys!

so many wonderful people here. to describe my next four days  would be impossible. i can only say enjoyable camaraderie, delicious meals, indulgent evenings spent discussing life and the ever talented 'compton and bennett' (along with other friends) entertaining us with their musical stylings.

you really can live anywhere: drying my clothes at my campsite on rick's property.
newly purchase travel close line= A+

it was divine. i got to pick up my sweet baby from the fort myers airport and we had a beautiful reunion. i had really missed him. i enjoyed my time traveling alone but it is so wonderful to share the delight with someone. it was hard to the leave the sanctuary, but eric had made a connection in ybor city, fl and we were off to explore it!

a quick drive to ybor city and we find ourselves in this lively artistic town. we make our way to 'the roosevelt 2.0' urban center for social change. 

a very hospitable man named sky, welcomes us inside his project in the making. we sit on cozy couches in a loft where sky tells us his mission and plans for an art space that welcomes all who want to create. 

he is completely inspiring, enjoyable, vibrant. he then proceeds to buy us, complete strangers, dinner at a local restaurant. amazing. i leave feeling warm and affected. on to tarpon springs!

eric had a gig at the undergrounds coffee house in tarpon springs, fl. a small coffee house in the heart of this little town. it was populated by the artistic underaged. a small crowd, but notably in attendance was my sister-in-laws parents, ed and donna. they were genuine and kind. it was nice to catch up and visit. after all things are wrapped up we make the late night drive to barrow, fl to see our friends annie and ariel. annie, expecting a baby girl soon was in bed when we arrived, but ariel and their cat, fig welcomed us in to their home.

i was ever so grateful to sleep in an actual bed after a brief hiatus. i wake slowly, enjoying the nice bed while eric catches up with annie in the morning. she may be the cutest preggo ever. we then head into town to have lunch with ariel. lovely. then it is off to st. augustine!!!

i was excited to share the exploration of this town with eric as he had such positive experiences and i only a brief tourist. we arrive at the home of becky and dave (annie's parents!) who live ON THE BEACH. and they have kitties! <note: all cats are referred to as kitties no matter what the age.>

we have some nice conversation over cheap beers and becky's delicious homemade stout. she then makes a delectable vegan meal for me which we share with their son samuel. we then head out for a night on the town. we walk around the enchanting st. augustine and then head to 'the milltop tavern' to see the so very talented molly and todd jones (along with drummer jeremy).

their harmonies are impeccable. such kindness and a kindred musician spirit, todd invites eric to play a few songs. this prompts a few cd sales from a receptive audience. gas money, yo! we walk around a bit more, make a few more dance videos and then head back to the beach house. after a restful night sleep, we head out on the recommendation of ariel to check out 'discount groceries'. seriously, a heaven here for me on earth. it is like the big lots of organic foods. we proceed to purchase items to take to africa and a plethora of tortillas, a bag full for one dollar. then off to have lunch with my old college roommate in jacksonville beach, fl!

audrey and her adorable son geoff (playfully renamed geoffro) accompanied us at taco lu. i was able to enjoy some wonderful vegan options, tempeh tacos for the win! it was so nice to reconnect with audrey after so many years. 

she was as delightful as i remembered and so easy to be around. we then set out for the long awaited return to the hostel in the forrest in brunswick, ga.

i had frequented the hostel while in college, finding it to be a much needed retreat from the stresses of school and the drama of being a 20-something human being. i have spoken so highly of my experiences to eric, i couldn't wait to share it with him. the cost of a nights stay had changed from $12 to $25, but even a million dollars would have been worth it. the improvements made on the community were astounding.

it is seriously all the comforts of home in the middle of the forrest and all eco-consciously executed. we met some splendid folks, hula hooped, ate off the land and exchanged information.

a one nights stay in this ideal environment was cruel, but the promise of my former home of savannah made it bearable. to the 912, y'all!

we park off a square in downtown and i drag eric around every memorable landmark. he can immediately see the wonder of this small city. i cannot express my love for savannah enough.

we head out to the islands to see jordan and do a much needed load of laundry. i think clothing options are just one of the many things i have learned while on on the road that will be a work in progress. up until this point, i had been proud of my thriftiness. in my cherished savannah, all ideas of conservation went out of the window. i just wanted to enjoy, indulge and relive former glories. it turns out, times are indeed different, much like i am different. we went out for a night on the town, only to find such changes, not only to locations, but the familiarity of patrons of each establishments. i am also finding that the quickness of this leg of the trip to be rather challenging. staying only one night in each spot makes for a strange emotional experience. not able to get attached, but often doing so anyway only to have to leave. not my favorite. i find that my care for myself has also diminished. over indulging: a blessing and a curse. i realize that mastering balance while on the road will be a talent that i will need to develop. i am interested in returning home to get a better grasp on this new life i have carved out for myself. then off to charelston, sc!

where i was missing the memories of good friends in savannah (with the exception of jordan and her lovely family) i seemed to find it all in charelston. we met up with eric's friend john and his partner elaine at caw caw interpretive center.

we went for a nice hike, taught them the dance and enjoyed nature. we then went out to folly beach, which was celebrating mardi gras, despite the rain. it reminded me of a more happening tybee island. then off to meet up with the ladies at the delicious sesame. i had a fantastic black bean burger and a great reunion with the sarah's and thea. of course we must go to the mill? we make it brief, knowing the longest drive of the trip must commence the following day. man, i could get used to these ladies…so much love for them! we then trek to john and elaine's place out in the country in ridgeville, sc. so gracious, they offer us their own bed! being so tired upon my arrival, i was not aware or i would have protested. the kindness of people never ceases to amaze me. 

we have a lovely visit with them, albeit far too short. we now embark on the last leg, remnants of our lives in columbus infiltrating our bubble more than ever. hoping to hike a part of the AT at the half way part to charleston, wv…but the weather and our late start impedes. ever since i have been in the south, my proposed plans have been running about an hour behind. it suits the southern style. i have learned so much on this trip, i am not sure how to even communicate the experience. it is only a more clear example of how one must experience this life for themselves. it is truly life changing. an opportunity for personal growth that cannot be found elsewhere. i could go on about that alone forever...but for now, we rest.

to be continued...

"still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you..."-ray charles

tally ho!

i left charlotte with a nice drive on to charleston. all the while, randomly tearing up at the most wonderful book, 'the help' by kathryn stockett. i am not sure if i even want to see the movie now. the books are always better. such a wonderful story and so well written. after two successes with audio books, i highly doubt my last one, some sell out book about madonna written by her brother will even stand a chance. luckily, a sweet gal in charleston burned me some cds of some local music. i think i'll be alright.

i ventured to mount pleasant, sc to go the sprout, a all raw, vegan place. it was in a strange location (why do these people do this to themselves?) but it was attached to a gym, so i guess they are trying to draw the health conscious. not a bad move...

i got a cleanse juice, which was delicious. and a vegan chai, i just couldn't resist. i didn't try any of the food, but it all looked good. it is really too bad that this sort of food must always cost so much. i feel like it is really eliminating so much of the population. another thing in life that just ain't fair.

i then went over to sullivan's island to get my first taste of the ocean. ahhhhhh. it reminded me so much of tybee, making me even more anxious to get down to savannah. it was really beautiful, despite being overcast.

i sat in the sand and relished the fact that i was not in a cubicle. i am not sure it has even hit me yet. i think i am just on vacation. i have with me, print outs of nasty emails to remind me of my choice for happiness. this life is so short, never knowing when our time is up, it is ever so important to enjoy it.

i then met up with some of the loveliest ladies. my dear friend sarah, from a childhood long ago but fitting seamlessly in the present. we all just fit together like the puzzles these gals squeal about. (note to self: start puzzling as a hobby) their monday routine consists of going to a community tai bo class. it was awesome! a great workout, a wonderful sense of community and it provided permission for the wildness that would ensue. i made an amateur move by not eating a proper dinner and suffered the consequences the following day. but oh lawd, it was so much fun. i LOVED their local hole, the mill. it was a place i would frequent for sure. i spent the morning and early after noon with the enjoyable danger (also a sarah) and then on i went to my former home, savannah, ga. 

i have spent the last seven years of my life getting lost. i never feel confident wherever i am going. if i end up getting there, it always feels like sheer luck. however, in this town, my body just knows where to go. i know savannah like i haven't known anywhere else. it truly is embedded in my being. the joy bubbled to the surface instantly. my first stop was one of great nostalgia: parkers. the finest gas station you will ever see. i did have to go to the bathroom, but i also realized i was coming empty handed to see precious olivia. every aunt must bring prezzies? especially ones of chocolate...

i couldn't believe how i just remembered everything, still knowing where the good parking is. i parked my whip, paid the meter knowing the severity of the maids round here and headed out on foot: the best way to enjoy this town. if only i had my bike...

instant LOVE. happiness. even the air feels better here. i just love savannah, georgia sooooo much. it was the first place that ever felt like home to me. every corner had a memory. i found myself just walking along and suddenly laughing at memories of reckless youth. it is so strange how much has changed and then not at all with all things that stayed the same. what i miss most is the people that used to inhabit this town that have since moved on, much like i have. all i can feel is that i just can't wait to share this with eric.

seeing jordan and her beautiful baby girl olivia has showed me how much all things change. and it is all ok.  jordan is family to me, i just love that girl. i feel like we will still find things to laugh about when we are busted up old timers. laughing....it sure is the best. and we are damn good at it.

the savannah trip has gone way too fast. i have hardly done all the things i wanted to. and i know that one day in the following week won't be enough either. i have realized that no matter what your schedule is like, you can never create more time. so why sweat it? i need to focus on the positives and be thankful for time at all here. when the negative thoughts come up, you just got to shoo them away. dismiss them entirely. they serve no purpose. oh and by the way, i am kind of a mess. i guess it is allergies? the pollen has always been bad here, but i never reacted to it before?! i am all stuffy and sneezy...ugh. luckily, i get to go to even warmer weather, get a lot of fresh air and just relax before the next big event. it is on to ocala, fl tomorrow!

parting is such sweet sorrows!

That I shall say good night till it be morrow  

"help me, i think i am falling in love again"-joni mitchell

on it goes. it's a travelers life for me. i am loving every minute so far. it is amazing how fast the time is going....

my visit in st. louis was such a blast. i seriously fell in love with baby chase. precious, in every way.

it was hard to leave my best friend in the whole world. you know you are around good peeps when it doesn't even feel like you are visiting, but rather you just live there too. ahhh, now that is magic. jessica is such a good mom. it is just amazing to watch. my girl done good.

the drive back home was easy breezy. i am now listening to 'the help'. dang, it is good. after a mad dash at home packing up for the next excursion, taking little girl to the vet, and cooking up a storm, i was off to charlotte, nc. the drive was beautiful. sunny and mountainous. i am really digging this book...it makes the long hours in the car so easy.

i arrived at colin and erica's house in good time on friday evening. i finally got to meet my dog nephew, dublin! what a wild boy! we have been having a good time going hiking. the boy has so much energy, still just a pup.

it has been fun visiting my sister and bro. we are going to a super bowl party a bit later. i think i can get a bit of a nap in before then. as colin would say, i need to catch a good zeal...