Understanding that I am being hypocritical, as I enjoy the Starbucks experience as much as anyone, it is nevertheless befuddling to me that I can sit in Starbucks drinking coffee from beans harvested in Kenya and the Kenyans who harvest them cannot afford a simple mosquito net to reduce death in their family 33 %. How does that compute?
The more I read books like "Mountains Beyond Mountains", "They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky" or see a movie like "God Grew Tired Of Us" , it makes me feel as though I need to be doing more and that all of the things I have done haven't amounted to a hill of beans.
For the first time in my travels, I feel as though I am setting out for something more than just to scratch my travel itch. For sure, those selfish, egocentric reasons are still there. But, as I have passed from Europe seeming foreign to it being normal and from Asia seeming alien to it being the most fascinating thing around, I have wanted to use this ripening for something more. Volunteering always is "more". Volunteering in Africa, to me, seems the "most".
So, as much as this trip still is about me and my apparently unending search for meaning, purpose and celestial-intergalactic-omnipresent-oneness, I finally feel as though I might be aiming this ship in a better direction.
So, a rough list of where I will be and what I will be doing:
Volunteering in Kenya
Jan 12th to 19th:
Climbing Kilimanjaro
Jan 21st -April 2nd:
Lake Nakuru National Park, Maasai Mara Nat. Park, Lake Naivasha, Sipi Falls, Giraffe Center, Ngorongoro Crater & Game Drive/Serengeti, Mikumi Game Park, Private Game Ranch, Chobe National Park, Etosha National Park, Cheetah Park, Namib Naukluft Park, Cape Cross Seal Colony, Sossusvlei Sand Dunes, Fish River Canyon
Grade 5 White Water Rapids: Zambezi River
Highest Bungee Jump In The World: 216 meters/709 feet
Shark Cage With Great Whites (they're on the outside...)
Countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe
April 18th to the islands:
Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius
May 17th Egypt
May 31st Morocco
July 16th Singapore
July 23rd Indonesia
August 11th Start back home... maybe.
3 comments:
Hey J! Have a blast! Can't wait to see pics and read about your adventures!(Click Clock)!
Bro, you know that i'm the biggest fan of your adventures! Will join you in Ibiza!!!!!!! Partyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!
Thanks Jason. Sounds like a true adventure. It reminds me of my studies in Community Based Rehabilitation in Guyana. It took people 2 weeks to travel from the outermost area of Guyana to travel to the capitol. Your travel in remote areas will truly set you apart from typical travelers.
Cheers,
Gene
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