The Beautiful People

7:50PM, Le Jacaranda Guesthouse, Arusha Tanzania

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday Lynn and I traveled (sans wakeup call, so somewhat frantically) from Sharm to Cairo. We spent our final hours in Cairo lying by the pool and sleeping. I've started my malaria medication and it's making me miserable, so I've had as much downtime as possible in the last two days. I left a sleeping Lynn at around 11:30 last night and ventured out from Zamalek Cairo to the airport...and what an adventure it was! Ramadan is officially over, so almost every citizen of Cairo was partying in the streets. It was fantastic to be part of that special time of the year, even if it's not something that I totally understand...the air was electric with celebration and almost everyone was smiling and happy. Those that weren't smiling were the young kids, ready for bed or sacked out on their parents shoulders. I'm convinced that I saw a Sudanese or Jordanian or maybe even Iraqi shiek at the Marriott as I was leaving - his bodyguards gave me the once over but realized I was harmless. And the man could basically have sat on me and rendered me defenseless with his sheer size alone. It was crazy to feel as if I was so deep in the middle east with women in burkas, bedouins (both of which I'm used to now) and other costumed Muslims wandering around. I think you'd have to be there to understand what I'm trying to say - and I digress. :)

It was fantastic to travel with Lynn. I think we did very well together...and hopefully each learned a little something from the other. Hopefully Lynn can remember sometimes to take a deep breath and enjoy the journey, even if she lives in the fastest paced city in the US...and I can remember that procrastination isn't always the best medicine. Thanks for a great two weeks Lynnie!!

The bad part of yesterday is that I saw a horrendous motorcycle accident which I will not describe to you. I mention it only becuase the driving in Cairo is insane. I tried to video tape it but was unsuccessful as I basically shut my eyes after I saw the accident and until I got to the airport. Please buckle up for safety. :)

I touched the ground of 5 countries today: Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. My flight(s) were miserable but the view of Kili peaking through the clouds made up for it when we flew from Nairobi to Kili Airport. As a sidenote, I was the only white person on my first three flights today. Further, I was the only woman traveling alone. Unlike Egypt, I didn't get hassled at all...I got smiles from the beautiful children and their mothers, and strange sidelong glances that turned into smiles from the men on the flights. It's definitely different not to be harrassed at every turn as we were in Egypt!

I landed at Kili and was immediately in awe of the amazingly beautiful massai people. Tall, thin yet athletic, strong features, dark chocolate skin...and each person I saw was dressed in very brighly colored wraps and moving very gracefully, even with 10 gallons of water on his or her head. It was such a contrast to see these stunning people on the brown or green landscape of Tanzania. I cannot wait to have more photo opps!

I've spent the rest of the day packing, unpacking and packing again. I spent a couple of hours with the Massai that works the front gate of my guesthouse. We were talking (via hand signals) about the monkeys that keep him company. Cute little shits, but definitely deviant as they were playing tricks on us almost the whole time we were 'talking' to one another. It is amazing that something as simple as a monkey can bring together two people that don't know one another, dont' speak the same language, have nothing in common yet can somehow communicate - mostly with smiles and laughter. Yet another experience that I'll remember forever (and yes, I may be getting just a little bit sappy at this halfway point of my trip!!).

As my final post before I'm on Kilimanjaro for 6 days (hopefully dominating the crap out of that big-ass mountain)...

A list of 10 things I'll...

...miss about Egypt:
1) Diving in the Red Sea.
2) Hummus and tahini. Yum.
3) Lynn!
4) Sharing 'shisha' (hookah) after a long lazy dinner.
5) Diving in the Red Sea.
6) SAKKARA!! (Has been replaced by Kilimanjaro beer, by the way...)
7) Camels.
8) Swimming in the Red Sea.
9) Lying by the pool.
10) One last time - diving in the Red Sea. Seriously, nothing compares.

...not miss about Egypt:
1) Creepy Egyptian men.
2) Creepy Egyptian men proposing to me.
3) Creepy Egyptian men asking me where I'm from.
4) Creepy Egyptian men following me around the town square.
5) Hit-or-miss food - of all nationalities.
6) The Russian Mob.
7) Creepy Egyptian men trying to bully me into their stores.
8) TV, room service, white bathrobes.
9) Creepy Egyptian men speaking with an Australian or British accent because they don't guess (or can't tell) that I'm American.
10) Driving. On any street, in any town, at any time of day. Not for the faint of heart.

Keep me in your thoughts in the next several days...I had dinner with a man that just came off of Kili, has been doing the 7 Ascents (including Aconcagua and other mountains in the Americas) and he said it was one of the most challenging things he's ever done. I hope that my stubborness wins out over the altitude.

Hope you're all well. Can't wait to see you when I get back! XO

Cheers -
G