Back in the land of computers :)

Hello from Arusha, Tanzania!!!!

We have just spent a wonderful two weeks away from the world of computers and phones and in the peace and quiet of Malawi... the "warm heart of Africa!"

We were able to spend a few days in Nkhata Bay relaxing on the shores of Lake Malawi and I was able to reconnect with lots of people that I had met in my previous two trips. Even better we were able to reconnect with the Peace Corps volunteers that we all know and love Austin and Sarah. We spent a few days in their village getting to know the area and the groups that they will be working with for the next year and a half and we also went to a beautiful and fun hostel in Nkhotakhota call the Nkhotoakhota Pottery. It is right on the shore of Lake Malawi and has a fully operational pottery workshop. Lauren was able to spend a couple hours at the potters wheel and we were also able to purchase some very beautiful pottery for friends and family... and ourselves!!

I can't think of a better place to end our trip than with good friends on a beautiful lake!!!!

I do have to report that we had our first, and hopefully only, run-in with the ever-present African scam artists. And we came out a little frustrated, and out $10, but hey... that isn't so bad. When we left Dar we went to Mbeya, TZ a town near the Malawi border. We arrived as it was getting dark and wanted to find out the best way to get to Malawi the next day. We thought we had done the right thing by booking tickets for a bus that was supposed to leave at 6:30 the next morning. The tickets seemed a bit expensive but hey... we gotta go. So we show up at 6:00 in the morning and there is no bus to be found. We ended up paying again to get on another bus... and again got overcharged for out tickets. So a ride that should have been $4 was now costing us each $24 :( But we made it to Malawi... and it was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It really helped me to get the closure I need to get ready to head home. And in the end we did get some money back for the tickets when we went back to Mbeya. Now that we are done with most of the long-hauls (17.5 hours from Mbeya to Arusha yesterday) we are all getting ourselves ready to return.

I can't speak for everyone but I think it is safe to say that we all had an amazing trip... and will all be overflowing with pictures and stories when we get home. (I have 2000+ pictures I think)

So we all just got some very very very bad news over email that a good friend of ours has had one or multiple strokes and is in a coma at UNMC so I would just ask that all of you think some good thoughts... or say prayers... or whatever you can. I have a lot of hope that she will recover, she is young and strong, but as of know things sound pretty scary.


All my love from Africa, stay safe, and we will be home in a week.

Peace, Jill

May I have a sip of your passion....

fruit fruit flavored Fanta soda... said Lauren to Megan... I feel a new pick up line being born!!

Anyways we made it to Dar Es Salaam (Haven of Peace) on the coast of Tanzania. We met a girl from Oklahoma when we got of the bus and we have had a great time hanging out with a fellow mid-westerner! She is an recent graduate and engineer and was volunteering at a medical supply repair place for the last 13 months, she is headed home tomorrow.

We booked out tickets yesterday to head to Mbeya which is a town close to the Malawi border. We leave here tomorrow at 6:00am and will arrive there 12+hrs later. We will stay the night then head for Malawi in the morning. We are meeting Austin and Sarah in Nkhata Bay, staying the night there, then heading on to their sight the next day. I expect that internet will be hard to come by so it may be that you will not hear from us until we start our trek back to Nairobi around the 28th or 29th.

For all who I know are wondering Megan is doing great... I assume she blogs when we use the internet but maybe not...

I love you and will talk to you all soon.

Love, Jill

From the bottom of Mt. Kilimanjaro

Sorry it has been so long... we were staying in the foothills of Mt. Meru while in Arusha and he internet is a bit hard to come by.

We spent 3 nights staying at the Songota Falls Lodge just outside of Arusha, Tanzania with Joyce Kimaro, her son Ray, and his new lady friend Consolate. It was great to go back and visit old friends. It is also fun for me to return to Arusha as it was the first place we stayed on my first trip in 2002 so it has that "where it all began" feeling! Joyce will hopefully be joinnig Isaac Kinyanjui when he visits Lincoln again in late September so it will be great to get to introduce her to my friends and family at home!

Yesterday afternoon we took the short bus ride from Arusha to Moshi where we are planing to stay one more night before we head to Dar Es Salaam. We will be spending 2 nights there before heading off to see our Peace Corps friends Austin and Sarah. I spoke with them on the phone last night and we will be meeting up with them in Nkhata Bay Malawi on the 16th then heading to their sight near Nkhotakhota on the next day.

Can't believe how close I am to the end of this trip... it has been fun and fast...

See you all soon, Jill

Jinja, Uganda

Hell from Jinja!

Just wanted to check in quickly and let you know that we are heading for Isaac's village in Kenya tomorrow and I probably won't be on the internet till we arrive in Arusha, Tanzania in about a week!

All is well and I am very excited to see Joyce and the girls!!

Peace, Jill