Safari Pictures

Bushmen enjoying the marijuana our guide gave as a token of friendship before our hunting expedition.

These are cape buffalo. One of Africa's "Big Five". They are extremely aggressive. We saw alot of them--even on the walking part of our safari. We were with a ranger who carried a AK47 machine gun. He didn't have to use it happily--but in the past had been charged and shot in the air to turn the animal away.

This is a picture of the lion cubs we watched for 30 min or more about 50 ft away. We stayed in the truck. . .

///This is a picture of the Bushman tribe that we visited on day 5 of our safari. We went hunting with them. Our internet connection is failing so we will try again later.

February 17-- Sunday

Hello friends and family: We are at a good internet location so we will add many pictures. We are in Arusha at a nice hotel. We were planning to stay with the family of the Orphanage Foundation Fund (OFF) director--but it was so hot in his home that for health precautions we only stayed one night. We will be here at the East African Hotel until we leave on Wed, 2/20. As you know President Bush has come to Tanzania to visit us also--I am sure he will want to meet us for dinner the night he is in Arusha. We stayed one night in the hotel he will be in -- but not the presidential suite.

We have been seeing many of the orphanages. They are extremely in need of assistance. The workers are amazing in their sacrifices. One couple has a day care for 250 orphans or poverty children of their area. Without their help they would not eat or go to school. The average age is 6. Of course they are all cute! Most of the orphage helpers get no payment. Other orphanages have the small babies up to 2 yrs. My goodness they are cute! But lots of poopy diapers and runny noses. One orphanage (Adventist run) has 35 babies.

Safari Day 5

Hello friends and family: We are back in civilization after a few days far from our normal walk of life. Last night we slept in a tent luxury camp near the tribes of the bushmen and other very basic African tribes. We hunted with the bushmen this morning for two hours. Their payment by our guide was tobacco and marijuana. . .not our usual.
We have seen alot of Maasai tribes and danced with them. We have seen lots of babies and little children. Some only know the English words "give me". There is alot of poverty here but actually most people seem happy. We have an excellent driver/guide--31 yrs old.
Tomorrow is our last safari day. We will visit Arusha national park--more giraffes and monkeys and who knows what else. The leopards were saw were quite beautiful. My favorites are the giraffes and zebras.
Tomorrow night we go and stay with the director of the Orphans Foundation Fund and his wife for our last 6 nights. We will be seeing the 32 orphanages that they help. We are not able to post pictures tonight but hopefully tomorrow we will.

Bye for now, Ron and Sharon

Safari Day 3

Hello friends and family: We have been enjoying the safari portion of our Africa journey. We have very nice accomodations--last night in a luxury tent camp. We have seen all of the "Big 5 Game: Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino, Giraffe--or maybe the official list is different. We have seen many, many more. We have been within 50 feet of lions several times and seen a Cheeta several times. The Giraffes and Zebras are plentiful and are some on our favorites. Wildebeasts are by the 1000s up to over 1 million. Hippos are fun to watch and crocodiles are usually pretty lazy appearing but with big mouths. We had lots of rain today and were afraid we might get stuck. We did a 180 skid. . . It was kind of fun. Hope all is well on the West Coast. Ron and Sharon

Safari Day 1

Hello we are surprised to find internet in very remote places. . .Our first day of safari went well. It is just the two of us with aguide in a Toyota land cruiser. We saw giraffes, zebras, baboon,monkeys, elephants, wildebeast, cape buffalo, lions (just sleeping),warthogs, hyena, rhino, hippos with babies too, storks, ostrich, etc.The resort we stayed at last night was very upscale and the food safe. Breakfast was very good, dinner OK. The view, of course, is amazing. We bo to serengetti today for two days. We are both feeling better.

Africa 2/8

Hello: We are sending a last minute blog entry before leaving on our safari. We visited an orphanage yesterday that is here in Arusha. It is for previous street children. Conditions are very primitive but certainly better than the streets. There are 63 children at this center. One of their needs is school shoes. The director says they outline the childrens feet on paper and then go buy the shoes for about $7/pr. The needs here are amazing--we will share many stories when we return.

One more picture

This is a picture we took in the market today. We paid the woman 500 Tsh (=50 cents) to take her picture. She had a few green peppers she was selling in the market. Sorry I don't know how to turn the photos on the blog.

Arusha, Tanzania 2/7/08

Hello friends and family:
We are staying in a hotel in Arusha for 2 nights. We will begin our safari tomorrow. Today we wandered the streets with a local student as a guide. We will attach several pictures. This afternoon we will begin our orientation with OFF (Orphans Foundation Fund). This is an organization that Dr. James Lace is on the Board of Directors.

Africa 2/6/08

Hello friends and family:
This is not one of our easiest or relaxing trips. We spent 5 days and 4 nights at the orphanage in Dar es Salaam. Conditions are very primitive. The children are delightful--3 years to 19 and a few older--about 75 at the orphanage now--many are at boarding schools. We have both had some GI challenges. . .moral of the story is don't eat in 3rd World Countries!
We are now in Arusha--we are staying in a fairly nice motel. We will begin our safari on Friday. We will then spend time with an organization that supervises 32 orphanages--over 1000 children. The directors are both very nice so I am sure it is a well-run process.

The pictures are\;
A typical beans and rice meal being served.

Sharon taking BP on the orphanage staff.

\Sharon serving peanut butter and crackers to the children. They had never tasted peanut butter. The night before we left we supplied 86 bottles of cold pop. They don't have refrigeration and the orphanage so they only get cold drinks on special occasion. The peanut butter was hand delivered in our suitcase.

Returning from church--we bought coconuts from a bike peddler. The cost included him opening it and cutting the coconut meat out after we drank the milk. Fun and tasty.

The children are eating dinner. They don't use silverware--but they certainly are able to eat a lot. Mostly rice and beans.

Ron and the farm manager and one student inspecting the crops. The student, Derrick, now has Ron's sandels because he didn't own a pair of shoes.

Africa Update

Hello friends and family: We have now been here four days. . . We would say it seems like a lot longer. Imagine camping in hot, sultry weather. . .it makes for us being very tired. Plus jetlag still has denied us a total night's sleep.

They are treating us very well. The children are all very well behaved. The youngest is 3 yrs. I have done physical examinations on 31 of them --we will do more today. We went with them to the Lutheran church yesterday. The Lutheran church sponsors some of the children--but the orphanage is not a religious based organization. Ron, of course, is taking lots of pictures. We will try to post--b ut it is a slow internet connection. Sharon has an upset GI system--those who have traveled internationally know what that means. Today is grocery shopping day and also perhaps help plant some banana trees on the farm. There is lots to do--it exceeds our energy. More later..