Our Christmas letter done in pictures! Trying to have less text. Will try and keep it short...
WELCOME TO OUR HOME KIDS, DON'T PACK MUCH WE HAVE CLOTHES HERE FOR YOU TO WEAR FOR YOUR WEEK IN ARUA SEEING WHAT WE DO, HOW WE DO IT, AND WHERE WE DO IT AT. GET ON THE BIKE AND COME FOR A RIDE.
NOW THAT THE WEEK IS OVER IN ARUA LETS GO CELEBRATE NEW YEARS IN THE PARK. JUST A 2 HOUR BUS RIDE FROM OUR HOUSE. DID SAFARI ON LAND AND RIVER NILE BUT THE KIDS HAVE THOSE PICTURES. KATE LIKED THE GIRAFFES AND CONOR THE ELEPHANTS
BREAKFAST OVERLOOKING THE NILE AS THE MIST ROLLS OFF THE RIVER
3 HOURS LATER ON NEW YEARS DAY WE WERE IN MASINDI WHERE AFRICAN QUEEN WAS SORTA FILMED OR PARTS OF IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE MAN THAT KNEW WAS NOT WORKING TODAY SO WE NEVER GOT THE WHOLE STORY JUST GREAT FOOD AND A COLLECTION OF WONDERFUL AFRICAN ARTIFACT THAT IN ARUA IS NOT PRESERVED DUE TO THE WARS THAT HAVE TAKE PLACE THERE. BEAUTIFUL AND ALMOST AMERICANIZED FOR AFRICA
OUR NEXT ADVENTURE, CAMPING AT THE RHINO SANCTUARY. NOTICE THE CATTLE GATE AROUND THE 4X4. THAT KEEPS THE RHINO'S OUT AT NIGHT WHEN THEY FEED.
WHITE RHINO'S WERE HUNTED TO EXTINCTION IN UGANDA AND THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO BREED THEM FOR THE PARKS. SO FAR 12 RHINO'S AND 60 RANGERS WHO WATCH THEN 24/7 FOR POACHERS. THE CHINESE PAY BIG BUCKS FOR THE HORN
OUR DRIVER DAVID NEAR THE RHINO WE WERE TREKKING. DAVID WAS A GREAT DRIVER BUT FORGOT TO PACK ANY LINENS OR BEDDING FOR OUR CAMPING ADVENTURE. HE GOT A NICE BED TO SLEEP IN COMPLIMENTS OF THE PARK AND WE BORROWED 2 SHEETS AND 2 PIECES OF FLEECE FOR OUR TENT. GOOD WE ALL KNOW EACH OTHER WELL AS WE WERE SLEEPING REAL CLOSE TOGETHER FOR 2 NIGHTS. IT IS COOL HERE AT NIGHT AND THE RHINO'S CAME RIGHT UP TO THE FENCE DURING THE NIGHT AND MUNCHED GRASS. THE MOSQUITOES CAME TOO AND MUNCHED US. STILL WAITING TO SEE IF I GET A REFUND ON ANY PART OF IT... ANOTHER MOM STORY I GUESS... RIGHT KIDS I DID IT ON PURPOSE? THIS IS THE CRESTED CRANE NATIONAL BIRD OF UGANDA
NOW WE ARE IN ZANZIBAR ENJOYING A DELICIOUS MEAL ON THE ROOF OF AN EXPENSIVE HOTEL FEELING THE COOL BREEZE OFF THE OCEAN. ZANZIBAR IS HOT HOT HOT AND STICKY STICKY. CAN YOU TELL? EVEN AT NIGHT IT IS LESS HOT BUT STILL STICKY. I FORGOT SOME VERY WISE ADVICE FROM OUR NEIGHBOR ABOUT AC HERE AND DIDN'T BOOK A ROOM WITH IT.
THIS IS THE ROOM. ARCHITECTURE IS BEAUTIFUL HERE WITH THE ARAB INFLUENCE IN EVERYTHING BUT VENTILATION IS POOR AND UNDER A MOSQUITO NET ON A FOAM MATTRESS YOU SWEAT AND SWEAT AND SWEAT. THE KIDS HAVE STORY'S TO TELL OF THIS ONE. WE WERE STAYING IN A CHURCH MONASTERY CONVERTED TO A HOSTEL. THE SLAVE MARKET WAS THE SITE OF THE CHURCH AND MONASTERY AFTER SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED HERE.
THE CHURCH IS IN THE BACKGROUND AND SLAVES GOING TO BRAZIL TO WORK IN THE SUGAR FIELDS WERE TRADED FROM HERE. THE QUARTERS STILL REMAIN UNDER THE CHURCH. THE ANGLICAN CHURCH WAS ERECTED OVER THE SITE OF THE MARKET ITSELF. FASCINATING AND SAD TO SEE HOW HUMANITY TREATS HUMANITY
THIS IS WHEN WE WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND OF ZANZIBAR, DOING A SPICE TOUR. TANZANIA MAJOR EXPORT IS SPICE AND CLOVES ARE #1
THESE 2 MEN WERE OUR GUIDES AND CREATORS OF ALL THE STUFF YOU SEE WE HAVE ON MADE FROM COCONUT PALMS.
TAKING A BOAT RIDE TO PRISON ISLAND TO SEE THE GIANT TORTISIS AND SNORKLE IN THE CORAL REEFS. WE GET THERE AND THE BOAT OWNER TELLS US THE SURF IS TOO ROUGH TO SNORKLE MAYBE WE LIKE TO SWIM? WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT FROM SHORE BEFORE WE LEFT... THE LIFE JACKETS WERE STRAPPED TO THE TARP ON TOP SO IF WE FLIPPED I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE GOT TO THE LIFE JACKETS. WHERE IS OCEA WHEN YOU NEED THEM?
ONE OF THE LARGEST OF THE OLD FELLOWS WANDERING AROUND ON THE SMALL ISLAND.
THE ROUGH SURF AND THE VERY WARM INDIAN OCEAN OFF PRISON ISLAND OUTSIDE OF STONETOWN. APTLY NAMED BECAUSE THE BUILDINGS ARE MADE OF THE CORAL STONE THAT IS THE SOIL OR GROUND IS MADE OF.
THE NEXT PLACE WE CALLED HOME FOR 5 NIGHTS.
2 MILES OR 300 FEET FROM THE BATHWATER WARM INDIAN OCEAN ON THE E SHORE OF THE ISLAND. WHITE SOFT POWDER SUGAR SAND TO THE DOOR OF THE BUNGALOW AND THE SAME SAND MADE IT'S WAY INTO YOUR BED EVERY NIGHT TOO, BUT OH, SO LOVELY. THE NEXT PICTURE IS OF THE BUNGALOWS FROM OUT IN THE OCEAN WHEN THE TIDE WAS OUT. WHEN TIDE WAS OUT ALL THE WATER WAS ABOUT 2 MILES OUT IT CAME
FOR 6 HOURS AND WENT OUT FOR 6 HOURS. WHEN IT WAS IN YOU CAN SEE THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE SAND UNDER IT IN THE NEXT PICTURE THAT WAS TAKEN ON SHORE WHEN THE TIDE WAS IN. WE WENT FOR WALKS AND DID OUR DAY TRIP WHEN TIDE WAS OUT.
BELOW IS A DHOW (MADE FROM A TREE) WE TOOK IT OUT TO THE REEF AND SNORKELED TO SEE THE TROPICAL FISH, CORAL, SEA URCHINS STAR FISH AND ALL BEAUTIFUL THINGS UNDER THE SEA.
THIS IS WHAT THE DHOW LOOKS LIKE WHEN SAILING WHEN THE TIDE WAS IN. THE WATER WAS CRYSTAL CLEAR JUST LIKE IT LOOKS
WHEN THE TIDE IS OUT, THE LOCAL WOMAN OF THE VILLAGE WE WERE IN, HAVE A SEAWEED GARDEN. THEY PEG ROPES WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF SEAWEED TIED AT INTERVALS ON THE ROPES. THEY LEAVE THEM FOR 2 WEEKS AND THE SEAWEED GETS BIGGER AND THEN THEY HARVEST IT. THIS WOMAN IS BRINGING IN A BAG OF IT. THEY TAKE IT UP TO THE VILLAGE AND DRY IT OUT ON SHORE AND SELL IT TO BE USED AS A THICKENER IN ICE CREAM, COSMETICS, MEDICINES AND SOME FOOD AND BEER
THIS IS WHAT THE GARDEN LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE UP CLOSE. THE ISLAND IS ISLAM SO ALL THE LADIES HAVE ON THE LONG DRESSES AND HEAD WEAR. I ASKED TO TAKE PICTURES UP CLOSE BUT THE LADIES ALL ASKED FOR MONEY AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY JUST MY CAMERA ON MY WALK OUT IN THE TIDE BASIN.
THIS IS THE LOCAL TAXI WHEN THE TIDE IS IN AND IT ALSO BRINGS THE FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY THAT THE HOTELS OFFER FOR SUPPER. THE MENU HAD OCTOPUS, CALAMARI TUNA, BARRACUDA, KING FISH, MARLIN, PRAWNS, CRAB, LOBSTER, AND RED SNAPPER. MY FAMILY THAT NEVER REALLY CARED FOR FISH WERE SURE ENJOYING IT HERE.
THIS WAS THE VIEW OF KILIMANJARO FROM THE PLANE IT IS ALL THE WAY ON THE L. THIS MEANT WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME AND THE JOURNEY WAS COMING TO AN END. BELOW IS CHRISTMAS NIGHT WHEN WE TRIED TO STAY UP AND CALL FAMILY TO TELL THEM MERRY CHRISTMAS. BUT, WE WERE ALL TOO TIRED AND HAD TO CRASH. WE HOPE YOU ALL KNEW WE WERE SENDING OUR LOVE AND WISHES FROM THE COUCH IN OUR LIVING ROOM WHERE I SIT AND WRITE THIS. MISSING YOU ALL
HAPPY NEW YEAR.
