Farwell to Russia, Much Too Soon!

The travel writer who wrote my guide to Russia, obviously got off the plane in the wrong place...... perhaps Outer Mongolia??? Moscow was nothing like the description that I faithfully learned in preparation for coming here. My favorite bad advice that he gave is that I should dress all in black and not wear anything conspicuous. Also, instead of a purse, I should carry a plain plastic bag. Talk about "conspicuos;" if I had followed his advice I would have really stood out, especially compared to all the women wearing Versace clothes, Jimmy Choo shoes, and Gucci handbags. Another piece of his advice was to beware of bands of women who might attack and rob me. The only bands of women I saw were the ones trying to get into Escada for a sale. I have to admit that before arriving I was fearful. The advice from the handbook and growing up with Russia being the anti-American superpower made me nervous about venturing out from the hotel on my own. The ride from the airport didn't help either. The architecture everywhere is intimidating; everything is huge and ponderous. It's all designed on such a gigantic scale. Even the main roads are 12 lanes wide with traffic going all the time. The first day I did make all kinds of excuses to myself; I have a cold, I have to catch up on my blog, I speak only 3 words of Russian and I don't know the Cerrilian alphabet. Also, when I checked into the hotel, the 2 Brittany Spearlettes at the front desk had a ball making sport of me. Finally though, I started meeting folks like Yana, who ran the internet center of the hotel. She spoke great English and also was incredibly helpful and friendly. At one point, I tried to tip her and she declined and said" No, I want you to know that Russians are friendly and that you receive good customer service." Guess who I would put into place as manager of the hotel?.... Finally, the second day, I got the courage to leave the nest and walked to Red Square. Nothing can describe it. It would take a week to see it all and I walked away feeling that I had touched an important piece of the history of my lifetime. The 2nd day was time for whimsy. The week before I left Florida, a piece appeared in the local paper about a Harley Davidson store that had opened that month in Moscow. There was no address, just the name of a high end shopping area near the River. I had a cab drop me in the general area and after a good walk, I found it! It was like old home week. I showed everyone there the article and they had to have copies. I took lots of goofy pictures of all of us and I didn't leave without a "Harley Davidson - Moscow sweatshirt." I'm sure I'll be the only one in Florida, and possibly the only one in the US with a Moscow H-D product....To sum up my time in Moscow, it was so much like being in Paris, only larger, more friendly, and cleaner. The city is immaculate. I didn't even see a cigarette butt anywhere. And despite the language issue, people try to communicate. A cab driver and I laughed the entire trip at our attempts to speak each others' language. We finally settled on the little German we both knew......Sadly,today I must say Dostyvania (good bye) to Russia and also Spaseeba (thank -you) for a lovely time. It's off to the airport for an overnight in Milan, Italy and then on to Delhi, India.....Signing off with hopes for Happy Trails for you, Marion

What's the Worst Thing That Can Happen?

My introduction to Tansania was jarring. After all the smiling and "Jambos" of Kenya, everyone in Tansania seemed so reserved. Although they spoke the same language (Swahili) my few words elicited no response except glares. There was a curiosity about me and when I looked away people would actually turn and stare. When I looked up they would look away. We played a kind of peekaboo game the entire time of my visit. Hours of good clean fun. The exception was my introduction to Daniel my guide and Bashir, the driver. Daniel spoke very good English after living in Chicago and Tennessee. Bashir's English was almost as good and the 2 of them helped me get to know the city and surrounding areas. One overall impression was the beauty of the women. They all had the grace and poise of ballet dancers. I'm guessing that it's the result of learning to balance heavy loads on their heads from a very early age. In addition you may see a woman balancing an extraordinary load on her head, a baby in a sling on her back, and carrying a huge bundle. As Daniel said jokingly, "The woman does all the work, the men do nothing!" In addition to the flowing graceful walk, all of the women have on vivid colorful patterned wraps that cover the head and flow to the ground. This may be all one pattern or 3 separate bold patterns with distinctive patterns and colors. No 2 dresses looked alike. It was clear that I couldn't photograph the women's fashions with their knowledge, so I tried discretely taking pictures when they walked by.......As to the worst thing that can happen ; when I arrived at the airport to leave for Russia, I had to wait for 5 hours in the un-airconditioned airport before being told that my reservations had been cancelled. And not just for this leg of the trip! All of my reservations for the entire trip going forward had been cancelled. After getting through the shock, I took a cab back to the hotel (by then it was midnight) and spent the rest of the night trying to get things straightened out. My cell phone bill is probably higher than the cost of this entire trip. Finally, sometime the next day, I found 2 people who really helped me. Michael from Global Assist from American Express was the first kind voice I heard who really seemed to want to help. He stayed on the line as he transferred me to the right Delta line. While we were waiting for them to come on the line he talked and joked with me and it made all the difference. Someone out their cared. Also, Mary Hunt at Delta was great. My original reservations took almost a week to put together, but she was able to restore everything in 30 minutes, as well as getting me to Russia on a flight that evening. I'm still getting over the fear of having all my mail forwarded to Tansania and how do I get the cats there and will they like it. But now it's time to get out and see Moscow. Счастливого пути (Happy Trails) from Comrade Marion

Twiga Magic in Nairobi

Twiga is the Swahili word for giraffe and they create magic as they stroll freely around Giraffe Manor, peacefully co-existing with the 10 warthogs and 3 dogs that have the run of the estate. Being there was like stepping into the film "Out of Africa.". Ironically, the woman who is the subject of the film, had a house not far from the Manor. If you remember at the end of the film, Karen Blixen gives all of her furniture to friends before leaving Africa. My room actually had furniture from her home as well as a large wood burning fireplace. Even though Nairobi is near the equator, the city is about 4,000 feet in altitude and this is their winter. The nights did get cool, but morning brought the giraffes to the windows to be hand- fed kibble. It was an incredible experience to feel a giraffe licking the kibble gently out of my hand and to meet them, up close and personal. Staying at the manor is also an opportunity to help preserve the Rothschild giraffe. They were almost extinct when the original residents of the house (Betty and Jock Leslie Melville), heard that the small band of exisiting giraffes was going to be wiped out. They managed to save one baby which they named Daisy, and Giraffe Manor began. They later rescued Marlon their second giraffe and now there are 10 at the Manor (7 adults and 3 babies). The mistress of the manner now is Betty's daughter-in-law Bryony who is a tad intimidating. She is one of those folks who have lived out the fantasy of actually being raised in Africa so in addition to her British accented English, Bryany speaks fluent Swahili. Also, Bryony looks like a model, has the sophistication of a life-long world traveler, and makes graciousness look like it's as natural as breathing.(just like Suzanne and Paul!) Bryany and her incredible staff; (Cosmos, Julius, George, and the other 7-8 folks who work at the manor) make every guest feel like a member of the family. You can't possibly stay there without getting caught up in the enchantment of it all. I embarassed myself by tearing up when I left. It felt like leaving home; a home that exists in dreams only......On to my last stop in Africa: Tanzania.....Happy Trails until then, Bwana Marion

"Jambo" ("welcome" in Swahili) to Africa

A one night stay in Nairobi before flying to the island of Madagascar. The trip to the hotel in Nairobi brought back memories of the time I lived in England; road signs, roundabouts (traffic circles), the British accents, are all reminders that Kenya was once a British protectorate. Given that there are only 2 flights to Madagascar each week, I was at their mercy for scheduling. 2 flights and a 3-4 hour drive in a four wheel drive finally brought me to Berenty Reserve, the home of the lemurs in the southernmost part of the island. It was established to prevent the lemurs from becoming extinct. I was lucky that Dr. Allison Jolly, a world authority on lemurs, was there with her merry band of graduate students.
I was also very lucky to run into a great British couple who (1) knew everything about birds and lemurs (2) knew everything about plants (3) told great jokes to the amazement of our superb guide Mbolo and shy driver Jose', (4), were terrific photographers, and (5) spoke English. The last became very important in a country where the primary language is Malagasy, secondary language is French, and almost no one speaks English. I hung on to this poor British couple like velcroe. I'm sure they were happy to finally rid themselves of the annoying American......Staying at the Berenty Reserve is a little like an Outward Bound experience. No TV, radio, stereo, newspapers, reading materials of any kind, air conditioning, fan, outlets, and no electricity between 10 pm and 7 am. Any civilization beyond the reserve is at least an hour's drive away. My mantra became "good cause, good cause." It was all worth it the first morning when the sun was rising and all the lemurs came out to catch the morning rays after a cool night. They all sat on their haunches with arms outstretched facing the sun like little buddahs. The lemurs left no doubt that this was their place and we were just visitors...They truly are little people in hairsuits......After 4 days of becoming one with the lemurs it was time to return to Nairobe and become one with the giraffes at Giraffe Manor.....Happy Trails, Marion

Salaam! (Hello in Arabic)

After my one day tour with Heesham and Mohamed, the 8 day tour began, highlighted by a slow cruise up the Nile. I say "up" because the Nile is one of 2 rivers in the world that runs south to north. After more touring in Cairo, we all flew to the Aswan Dam and the beginning of our journey on the Queen of Sheeba, a 200+ foot boat with four floors and a swimming pool and observation area on the top deck. Each day of sailing I would fall more and more into the rhythm of the river; the children swimming and laughing on the shores of the small towns, the hot winds each afternoon, the sound of the Muslim "Call to Prayers" 5 times each day. I think all of us were captured by it and found it difficult to leave when we finally docked. All along the shores you could see layers of life; the lush greenery of the foilage and palm trees along the banks, the next layer of small towns made of huts interspersed with the beautiful Minerettes, the next layer of desert sands, and then the final layer of desert mountains. All along the cruise we would visit Pyramids and ruins that date back for thousands of years. Hanan, the tour guide, made it all come alive for us. Hanan teaches at the University of Cairo and has actually participated in many of the archeological digs at the Valley of the Kings. Her passion for the subject combined with her knowledge and sense of humor made it all mesmerizing, despite the 110-115 degree heat. (My gift to you - if (when) you go to Egypt. go in Nov, Dec, or Jan when it is much cooler. Also, sign up for Hanan with Gate One Tours. She and Bill were incredible. They did not pay me for this commercial!!!)...It was very difficult to leave Egypt. It captured my heart. I will be back (during cooler weather) and I look forward to seeing great friends that I met there. One last piece of ancient Egyptian gossip; King Tut's tomb is actually one of the smallest and least opulant of all of the tombs found. What makes it so interesting is it is the only one discovered intact - it was discovered before grave robbers could get to it......Next trip on to Africa. Happy Trails, Marion
P.S. orsem hobby to Magic M

Alive and Kickin

It is 4 countries later and I have finally found an internet in Tanzania (thanks to Daniel, my guide).. For all these weeks I have been in places with no internet, no electricity, no newspapers, and no cell phone connection. It has been an adventure. Hopefully I can gradually catch up.... The "Real" tour of Egypt was highlighted by a slow cruise up the Nile River. The Nile is one of the 2 rivers in the world that travels from south to north. We flew from Cairo to the Aswan Dam and after seeing spectacular pyramids and tombs, boarded a 250 foot, 4 story ship to slowly cruise up the Nile. It is amazing how quickly your body adjusts to the gentle rythms and sounds of the Nile; the sound of children laughing and waving as they swim on the banks, the hot wind that blows in in the afternoons, the sound of the Muslim "call to prayers" that rings out 5 times a day. In addition, all of the side trips to land were beyond expectations. Our guide, Hanan, is actually a professor at the University of Cairo and has participated in many of the archeological digs at the Valley of the Kings and elsewhere. She made everything come alive and all of us hung on every word. One couple was in Egypt for their 5th visit and said that they had never heard the information in her tour. Also, Bill the other guide was knowledgable and truly concerned about all of our wellbeing. I can't recommend Gate 1 enough as the group to use if you travel to Egypt. And they are not paying me for this commercial!!!! The trip to Egypt ended much too soon but I know that I will return. It has my heart. On to Nairobi.........Happy Trails, Marion....P.S. Orsem Hobby, Magic M