I AM HERE

i am here and WOW


Just back from a game drive Coolest thing we saw a a kudu - 3 actually male, female and young. also saw many blue wildebeast and antelope and "danger" birds.

5 of 11 volunteers are here.

think africa...and guess what - this place is pretty much it.

we start work tomorrow. story is that this place was a long time ago opwned by one man (1800's). WHen he died he had no relatives so to any man he gave as much land as could be walked in a day with a horse. It was fenced off. Now they are trying to bring it back together nito one reserve. Lots of work to be done.

Off to watch the sunset. the milkey way and southern cross were awesome last night.

we start work tomorrow!

Cheers!

outa here

Holy man, I am wound up.
In 20 minutes i will be walking out my front door. If all goes well i will be picked up at Johannesburg airport at 12 noon EDST (we're 6 hours ahead of the east coast) and taken to Klipkop preserve. I think i am as ready as i will ever be. I was not able to exchange for any South African Rand (currency) before I left. The guy at Thomas Cook told me they didn't keep minor currency on hand. I wonder what the South Africans would think of having their currency called "minor?"

I am nervous as heck and as excited as I don't know what. I hope everyone has a great next few weeks.

Next stop: Gauteng Province, South Africa.

Sunday night 7/24

I got back from Southern California yesterday. Robbie and i drove across country with my stuff - it's in storage in Venice Beach now. We made a stop at the Petrified Forest / Painted Desert; hiked in 110 degree heat in J Tree; 120 degree heat to the MASH site in the Santa Monica Mtns; and finally just hung out on the beach. This is us hiking at the top of San Jacinto Mtn. It was a fantastic trip, but that's another story.

Just 4 1/2 days until i leave for Africa. I will be flying out of Philly to JFK where i will catch a flight to Johannesburg. I think there is one refueling stop - in Dakar. Basically, allowing for the time change, it looks like nearly 24 hours of traveling. Most of my time will be in South Africa. I have committed to 4 weeks of volunteer work on a reserve called Klipkop. I have 2 more weeks of time on the continent after that. I will either extend my time at Klipkop or I may travel around Southern Africa. There is a rumor 2 friends may join me for the last 2 weeks. I am pretty excited about it all.