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Mud, Miracles, and Mr. Nixon: Our Safari Begins

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Mud, Miracles, and Mr. Nixon: Our Safari Begins

The three of us were sitting at a table, poolside at Ilboru Safari Lodge. Mr Saif had come to review our itinerary, introduce us to our driver, and, of course, carry the news that Vicki would not be molding in her clothes.

The Bible Verse You Won’t Find in a Promise Book: The Fate of King Yehoram

The Bible Verse You Won’t Find in a Promise Book: The Fate of King Yehoram

The promised thing happened two years later. YHWH struck Yehoram with an incurable sickness. His mĕʻiy slowly oozed out and he died in great agony. Was it an abdominal hernia (gosh!) or rectal hernia (yowl!) that got infected? Either way this is divine judgment, Old Testament style.

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And there I was when I woke up (part 1)

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And there I was when I woke up (part 1)

This post continues the narrative of our recent safari experience in Africa. But it also serves as the first of a series. “And there I was when I woke up” will relate some memorable overnights in places around the world.

Taken for a Ride: A High-Stakes Arrival at Ilboru Safari Lodge

Taken for a Ride: A High-Stakes Arrival at Ilboru Safari Lodge

The driver in the stocking cap chose his route carefully. The sedan was not built for this kind of terrain. Time and time again we felt the thud of the frame bottoming out. The driver stopped, started, reversed course, chose a new tack and continued up the so-called street.

Into the African Night: A Leap of Faith at Kilimanjaro Airport

Into the African Night: A Leap of Faith at Kilimanjaro Airport

I hoped it was Arusha when we slipped in. It was hard to know in the dark. The tinting film stuck to the “taxi” windows, bubbled and peeling, made it even more disorienting. There were few working streetlights; those that did work revealed a shantytown in eerie hue. The driver, grimfaced under a stocking cap, looked straight ahead and never spoke a word. Vicki was unnerved.

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Dreams of Cinnabar: A Midnight Arrival in Zanzibar

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Dreams of Cinnabar: A Midnight Arrival in Zanzibar

Our flight into Zanzibar settled on the runway after midnight. I looked out the window. It was dark and soft like the inside of a smudge pot and there was little to see except the flashes of the ground crew. A tug swung around. Its lamps illuminated palm fronds just beyond the pavement. Dense vegetation completed the backdrop.

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The Last Full Night: Resting at 13,000 Feet

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The Last Full Night: Resting at 13,000 Feet

The following observations and reflections were made on the afternoon of July 22, 2019. On that day I reached Karanga Camp (elevation 12,992 feet) by foot. The camp rests directly under the peak of the Kilimanjaro.

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Ants in Your Pants: From Hollywood’s "Naked Jungle" to Kilimanjaro’s Slopes

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Ants in Your Pants: From Hollywood’s "Naked Jungle" to Kilimanjaro’s Slopes

Look out for the Siafu! This species of carnivorous ant swarms in massive numbers, eats animal protein, and has dedicated soldiers with serious pincer-style mandibles. An unfortunate encounter with the siafu in an East African rainforest made us all a little jumpy.

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Rookie mistakes

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Rookie mistakes

Two lessons here. The first is this: don’t brush your teeth. The second is akin to the first: don’t ever think you are faster than a black mamba. Follow these two rules in order to get the most from your foreign travel experience.

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Required reading for explorers (part 4)

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Required reading for explorers (part 4)

I was surprised to find it listed among National Geographic’s top 100 adventure stories of all time.* I thought it was more of a swoony period romance that limped along like a broken cricket. It was certainly not the stuff of extreme adventure..

Boy, was I wrong.