Back in the USSR!

Okay, fine. Not really the USSR, but that song sounds much better than Back in the USA. Which really is not actually a song, Or, at least it wasn't until a minute ago, when I wrote this song called "Back in the USA." It wasn't a good song, though. So I'll stick with the Beatles.

Jet lag? What jet lag?

I got back last night after about 37 or so hours of traveling. I don't really know, because the time differences and layovers just really messed me up. The trip went relatively smoothely. It was a gradual leaving-behind of my fellow ISL team members, starting in Moshi, and ending in Minneapolis, when I bid farewell to my last travel companion. Strange to spend so much time and intensity with nine people that I may never see again... (I suck at staying in touch - this blog is my pathetic attempt to excuse myself from the Guilt of being a Bad E-mailer)

But, back to the important things. Where did we last leave off? Ah, yes. I was about to go on Safari.

Safari was a completely and totally different experience from the rest of the trip. First of all, there were white people everywhere. I think we'd all gotten used to being a novelty as we traveled. It was strange to again 'blend in' with the crowds. As we approaced the safari areas, people got more... jaded seeming. There seemed to be a lot more expectation that we would either buy things (at outrageous prices) or even just hand them money. The kids got really pushy about running up to the jeep, holding out their hands and asking for change. I didn't give it to them, because I couldn't stomach the thought of encouraging that kind of behavior.

We did two days of safari - on in Lake Manyara National Park, and one in the Ngorongoro Crater (the eigth wonder of the world, so they say). We saw giraffes, and baboons, and elephants, and vervet monkeys and wildebeest, and warthogs, and all sorts of birds, and hippos, and lions and a cheetah. And some other stuff that I don't remember. I made a list, but I'm too lazy to go get it. Shut up.

Our last day together, we spent shopping. We had to do one of my all time favorite things to do (in Opposite Land) - Bargain. It wasn't actually too hard to bargain, as every place we went had enough sales people that we had our own following us around going, "What price you want to pay?" There were some things that I didn't really feel like buying, but man, the moment you touch it, they really try to get you to buy it.

I ended up getting several things. Mostly for me, 'cause I'm terribly selfish. There wasn't actually much to get that was small and souvenier-y, so the things I got were Big things for me. And the obligatory Family Presents.

I like Capitalizing today.

On our last evening, we had a nice dinner out, and were all given a thank you gift. The girls got khanga - which is a wrap thing that the women wear in East Africa. The guys got T-shirts - which is a shirt made from T's... Haha. Not really. I mean, they really got T-shirts. That wasn't the funny part. Except that it was kind of funny, because... T-shirts vs. Khanga? Khanga totally win.

And then people left, and more people left, and then I left.

I'm completely exhausted right now, so I'm not writing any more. Shut up, again.

I'll post pictures tomorrow!