It Ain't Happening This Year

That's right, you heard it here...I am not going to be able to squeeze in a trip to Africa this year...HOWEVER...my current plan is to head over next year to work there with an NGO for a couple of years...so why waste all that money to go for just a few weeks...I'd rather go when I can stay for a while. So, for now, I shall put this blog into hibernation, and when I begin preparing to head over next year, I'll wake it up again...thanks for reading.

Beach Life

When my friend S. was on the coast of Kenya, she hung her clothes on the line...they must smell heavenly dried in this air!

March - in like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

Speaking of lions...and other magnificent animals, my friend S. and her little ones sent me these from Kenya.

My passport has still not shown up, but they said April, so I reckon April is when I'll see them, as March is nearly gone, having come in frosty and snowfilled, and now the snow is melting and the temps have finally risen.

Passport Mania

Many of you have heard about the long lines at the Passport Canada offices, due to new regulations to travel into the US, among other things. I knew I wanted to attend in person anyhow, regardless of lineups because I was not interested in putting my ID in the mail with my application, preferring instead to show it, and keep it with me. I mean, what do they expect people to do when they've sent off their driver's license...only to be pulled over for some reason or another, and there I am without it. It's not like they are processing them swiftly...processing times these days are several weeks, if not days. So I looked up the Service Canada sites for Edmonton, got directions from my niece's husband, and off I went.

Snag one. There is only one location of the four listed that actually processes Passports, regardless of what the website lists. I went in search of one that didn't, not knowing this. Circled around and around to where it was supposed to be, in the Argyll Centre. I arrived at Argyll Plaza, and asked a fellow in the parking lot if he knew where it was. Nope. Had no idea. Great. More driving around, and I finally located the Centre. Directly kitty corner from Argyll Plaza. It was no wonder that I missed it. The sign for the centre was in the shape of a dreidl, with the name painted on the top, and the businesses contained within around the outside. Yes, the top. One could barely see it, let alone spot it from the street as you were whizzing through with traffic. Once I spotted it, I went in search of the office. Nowhere in sight. I went into a mattress store, and the fellow there said the Argyll Centre was across the street. Um, what? Why is the sign for it right outside your business? The sign across the street clearly says in huge letters - Argyll Plaza. He insisted that he was right until I took him to the window to point it out on the huge dreidl. Oh, he said. Then he pointed out the Service Alberta office across the street in the Argyll Plaza. Off I was like a herd of turtles (thinking of you Ang!). I march into the office, pleased to see no one in line and was invited to the counter. Ummmm, yeah. They don't do passports there and never have. I explained that I had gotten the information from the website. Still didn't do them, but what this kind lady did offer was to draw a map for me, which took me right there. I was to go right downtown Edmonton to the Canada Centre - a tall pinkish glass building. She also advised me where to park, in the underground garage. Great!

I motored right in and was off in search of the Passport Office. Once inside the building, I headed for the map to sort out where I needed to go, and bumped into someone looking for the very same thing, and he was so polite, and we headed off upstairs to the Info Booth to seek better direction. The map told you where the elevators were and little else. (save for the Info Booth). As we rode the escalator upstairs, we glimpsed a very long line...ugh...I wonder if that is the passport line.

It was. There were about 200 or more people ahead of us. Great. I'm glad I had something to eat before I went downtown, but wished that I had brought a book. However, the mood was very light, and people were chattering to their line-up neighbors about travels, passports, citizenship, and generally anything at all. The fellow in front of me was there with his wife, and 5 month old baby, and they were travelling to Rhode Island in 2 days to visit her grandmother, who has not seen the baby yet. The fellow behind me (and escalator mate) was handing in passport info for his daughter, who was travelling to Utah to attend university on a volleyball scholarship in the fall. The woman behind him was from Poland, having immigrated here over 30 years ago, and was planning to go on a cruise with a group. She is a pharmicist and used to work in the north years ago, travelling all over the NWT. We had quite a chat as the time wore on...the gal and her husband behind her were going to Europe, back to visit his native Croatia (which he insisted was no longer Yugoslavia and resented anyone calling it by that name). She worked at Blockbuster and spent a great deal of time on the phone trying to cover a shift that someone called in sick for. Bonding at it's best...

Once in line, we became very protective of it...anyone who tried to cut in line was promptly told where the end was, not understanding that it wove all the way out of the Passport Canada office, on down the corridor, around the water fountain, and back up towards the office again. Several people had camp chairs for the portion of the lineup that was not near any seating. There were about 200 or more people in front of us. I felt like I was back in university, standing in line to receive student loan papers...sigh...

2 hours later when we finally made it into the Passport Canada office space, and up to the pre-check counter, we were given a number, and told the wait from there would be at least an hour and we were free to come and go, possibly for lunch, or to use the bathroom. I went down for some greasy chicken and headed back upstairs again, only to be joined shortly after by the Polish lady. The mood inside was also light, and the security personnel were jovial, and we were all making jokes about how we would react when we finally had our number called. Apparently calling Bingo was now cliche...and one guard told us tales of people weeping, throwing themselves to the floor in full tantrum, and being escorted out for profanity. Their papers were not in order...

So, in an attempt to be original, when my number was called, I hollered out "I won!" which drew a chorus of chuckles...and I was off to wicket #5. Barely 5 minutes later I was on my way, having finished up and was informed that I would receive my passport sometime in April...

Phew...now THAT is dealt with...I simply need to wait for it to arrive...

This photo is of a passport queue in Bangalore...it looks even longer.

Living Vicariously

My friend S. is in Kenya right now. Her descriptions are inspiring and I am envious of her joy and contentment, sought so hard by so many, and found within days of arriving in Nairobi. They haven't left on Safari yet, and have already seen elephants, giraffes, and zebras. Her girls are having the time of their life, snuggled in the grass with their mom, watching the biggest animals in the world in their native environment. I checked out the hotel, The Whistling Thorns, and it looks pretty good. My friend K. and I can get a room with two single beds in it, a private bathroom and patio, for $22 each ($44 for the room). The rooms overlook the Ngong Hills in Kenya, and you can go for walks near the hotel and see Masai herders with their cattle, and my friend saw the zebras there, mixing in with the cows.

She wrote about the time difference and the challenges in adjusting quickly to it. I expect I'll have the same trouble...I'll likely need pharmecutical help to sleep...

It's warming to think of Africa as the temp locally drops to below -30 Celsius.[contented] sigh....

twiga = giraffe

ndovu/tembo = elephant

punda milia = zebra

My Friend Sarah

Well, my friend and former coworker just left this past weekend for New York and then East Africa with her children. I am super excited for her, and for the children. They will be gone for several months. What an adventure! I am on her group list so will hear from her then. Have already heard from her at the airport in New York. How lovely to be leaving behind -30C frigid weather to feel the hot sun shine down upon your body in the grasslands of Africa. They intend on spending their first month touring around before picking a spot to settle down for a while and absorb the culture, likely in Tanzania. I am still researching where I would like to travel in East Africa when I go. This is not a photo of my friend. This is a Bantu woman and her little one.

Huyu ni mtoto wangu = this is my child
Ni suki nzuri sana! = What a beautiful day

Visa!

Well, after a bit of investigating, I found out that I do not have to get my visa before I go and can easily obtain it once I arrive at the aiport there. Phew. I really don't like the idea of sending off my passport to embassy's either and have heard horror stories about it. So THAT matter is settled...onward with planning! My savings are growing healthily, and I am pleased. The countdown is on...

Visa Frustrations

Well, having never had to apply for a visa, I wasn't even sure where to start looking. I needed to find out who issues them, where do I get the forms, how much it costs, etc. Logical place I thought was to visit the Canadian government website, and look for a link. I tried searching for the Tanzanian office in Canada, but didn't get any search results. I managed to find a phone number for the Tanzanian office, but it was continuously busy. I searched the Thorn Tree on Lonely Planet, and nothing there, so decided to post. Someone replied right away, and quoted a 12 digit phone number for the Tanzanian office in Canada. I had to break it to her that we don't use that many digits in our phone numbers, particularly not when calling within one's own country.

It was very frustrating and I went in circles, with nobody offering forms, links to forms, links to websites. The only thing I could determine was that I needed a visa for both Kenya and Tanzania. Great. Where the hell do I get one? And how? Finally I was able to get through to the Tanzanian phone number and a very helpful gal provided the website for me. When you don't understand the process or what is required, there sure isn't much information out there to help you. Even on the Thorn Tree, I got conflicting information. Some tell me that I can wait until I arrive there to buy a visa for cheaper at the aiport, or when I cross the border. Then I had someone tell me they did that on another trip and spent 2 weeks holed up in pissing rain England, unable to complete their journey to India because they did not buy visa's ahead of time. Of course, they were royally pissed because they packed clothing for hot and humid...not pissy wet and cold. I also found out that one should not apply too far in advance as it might even expire before I leave! Some are dated for your travel, while others are simply dated from the time they receive it.

So, here is the website for the Tanzanian High Commission in Canada and here is the Kenyan High Commission both with downloadable forms for visas. If only I had this information before I wasted hours this morning looking for it...

viza = visa

kamisheni = commission

ofisi = office

Passport Hell - Am I There Yet?

My passport expired last year, so now I'm in the middle of applying for a new one. I had filled the entire thing out and was ready to print. I tried to access my epass from my work computer so I could print it out on laser, as opposed to the cheap inkjet I have at home. Unfortunately, it required the installation of a small program for which I do not have access to install. Fine, so I will simply root out my printer and do it from my laptop at home. Then I log into my epass only to find out that the Passport Canada website is overwhelmed, due to the new US requirement that you have a passport to enter or travel through the US. Crap. I can't even get in, despite numerous tries. So I go back to my work computer, and print off the application and fill it out by hand. My handwriting has suffered from keyboarditis over the years and I'm lucky to understand it myself, let alone some pencil pusher at the passport office. I tried my best for legibility, and am ready to send it off to my guarantor for signatures, and then it will make it's way to the passport office. Good thing I'm not travelling until fall, or I would be starting to panic by now...

pasi = passport
or
pasipoti = passport

Fresh New Blog

Habari! Welcome to my new blog. I'll post occasionally as I plan for my adventure, and if I can entice my friend S.S. to guest post occasionally, you'll get a preview of Africa before my adventure begins. Once I arrive, depending on net access, I will be posting photos and video from my journey, with more to follow upon return to Canada. Stay tuned! Tutaonano.

habari = hello
tutaonano = goodbye
I am hoping to share new Swahili words each time I post.