Thursday, June 25, 2009

Given up: cooking my own Sunday dinners...


Dear "addicted to Africa" diary...Mother has agreed to serve up regular Sunday roasts - I wonder, are my parents warming to my continual travel bug and are they secretly looking to boost my travel kitty?

I’ve been trying to avoid any invitations for Sunday dinner, as if we broach the subject of Africa I know it’s going to lead to a full-length analysis of my career and its future prospects. Mother doesn’t seem to understand that there’s more to travel than just jetting around the plains in a 4X4 and meeting like-minded people.  

In fact, trying to explain to my parents that travel broadens the mind on lots of fronts, including work, is like navigating a canoe through a crocodile infested river. On my last trip I ended up in Moshi helping a bunch of African children. Some had just been abandoned and others were victims of AIDS.  It was a truly uplifting and unforgettable experience.  

As soon as you arrive the children rush out to greet you like a swarm of bees and you're literally surrounded by a never-ending river of smiles. Whether you were painting, playing cards or just having a kick about with the kids – you couldn’t help but be inspired. It's the kind of place that makes you want to return. It's more than just another African destination to tick off the list - as the people, the project leaders and the children, make the holiday. 

We even packed in three-days of game viewing in the Serengeti (camping in the heart of the park was awesome - a 24-7 safari, the animals even tramp through the site under cover of darkness!) and the Ngorongoro Crater at the end of the tour – now that’s what I call an adventure! Can't wait to get back. Africa - madly, deeply...

Amelia Smith...

Saving up for your next Africa trip...any great ideas on how to generate more cash for Amelia's travel kitty? From the weird to the wonderful we're all ears...


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