Home Sweet Home

Hi All,

I'm writing this update from my couch in San Francisco. It's comfortable, but it's not as exotic as some internet cafe in Africa where the electricity can go out at any minute.

Being back has been great - I get to see my friends and family, eat good Mexican food and sleep in my own bed. I do miss Africa, though.

I miss the variety of people and food and landscape. I miss the sense of adventure and possibility that was a part of every day.

But fear not, there is still opportunity for adventure and possibility. Once some of the more mundane tasks are accomplished - laundry, new car battery, 5 day course of antibiotics - I have the rest of my life to figure out.

I've got hours and hours of video footage to look through and figure out how to edit so that I can tell the story I'm trying to tell. I'm hoping that while reviewing the footage I get some clarity on what that story is.

I've got to determine next steps. How do I make this travel show a reality? Who do I talk to? What do I do?

I've got to keep doing my video diaries for the documentary film. A crew will come out to San Francisco at least twice before the year is up. In February, the whole cast goes to San Diego to meet and talk about what we've all done. The adventure of the documentary film is alive and well.

So for now, I'm going to go to the grocery store and reactivate my gym membership and edit my photos to a viewable number. Soon I will start taking the next steps to see this dream become a reality.

Miss K By the Numbers

120 - days spent traveling

10 - countries visited (can you name them all?)

2 - countries visited for less than 24 hours (Zimbabwe and Lesotho, where these photos were taken)

2843 - photos taken (seriously)

300 (or less) - photos you will have to see

24 - hours of video shot

45 - different hotels/campsites/backpackers/houses/trains and busses I spent at least 1 night sleeping in over the course of my travels.


Overall, this trip has been a fantastic experience and I would encourage anyone who is thinking of traveling to Africa, traveling solo or following a dream to stop putting it off and start making it happen.

It's up to you to make you happy.

Thanks for following along on this adventure. Stay tuned for updates on the documentary and updates on the people we met along the way.

xoxo,
Miss K

California Here I Come...

right back where I started from! (those of you who know the song and any more of the words should feel free to sing amongst yourselves)

Hey All,

Though it's hard to believe it, I'm down to my last few days in Africa!

Spent the last 2 days in the North Drakensberg mountain range. Went on a day trip to Lesotho organized by the backpacker place I was staying (Amphitheater). What a beautiful country! High up in the mountains and a very rugged terrain, we visited a town in the northeast that doesn't get tourists except for those that come on this trip.

Took a hike, chatted with the locals, met a traditional healer and took lots of pictures of the kids - a most excellent way to spend one of my last days. Would upload photos but am at a place with no usb connection. (Sigh)

Am now waiting to meet Sr. Jean, the former high school teacher of my friend Una. I'll spend my last few days with her in Pretoria finding out all about the projects she is working on then Wednesday (Halloween) I'll get on a plane and head home.

For Halloween this year, I will be dressed as an airline passenger. I think it will be my most convincing costume yet.

Looking forward to seeing you all when I'm back in San Francisco. If you're reading this and you're local... call me, we should do lunch!

xoxo,
Miss K

Diggin' Durban

Molweni,

That's Xhosa for "hi y'all". (When you are pronouncing Xhosa, please to be clicking where you see an X.) Of course, I've learned some Xhosa just in time to head to Zulu country where it will no longer be that useful but I try.

My time in Coffee Bay was filled with nature, culture and rugby. Last Saturday, I went on a 3.5 hour hike along the coast, up hills, over rivers, seeing dolphins, sheep and cows on the beach and eventually ending up at the Hole in the Wall - a rock formation where the sea comes crashing through, yes a hole in a big rock wall. The scenery was amazing, which made a good excuse to stop and rest.

Later that night I went with some people to a Xhosa village where we tried some home brewed beer. If you take any beer you may have and add milk and handful of grass from your lawn, that's about what it tasted like. Women in the neighborhood danced in one of the houses and we all joined in at the end - a very fun time. The next night, I spent the night in one of the people's houses. It was fabulous and boring all at once and I spent most of my time singing with the girls in the family.

The last two days in Durban have been divine, as people here are fond of saying. Monday I met up with the filmmaker who I met at a party in Cape Town. She and I met for lunch and were filmed by a local film crew that the Dream Team sent. The conversation was fabulous and I learned that she started doing the work she does with limited formal training... there's hope for me yet.

Next, the crew and I went to the Victoria Street Market to film an interview with me then ask random people to tell us about their dreams. People were very reluctant to talk on camera that day but when I went back today to do some souvenir shopping... people couldn't stop talking to me. It was actually wonderful to hear from locals about life in Durban and how they also want to see more positive portrayals of Africa.

All that and I met a woman who made wildlife documentaries who thinks that a travel show focused on community tourism and social responsibility type issues is a good idea. Catch the wave while you can.

I fly out a week from today and I can hardly believe it. I've been thinking a lot about recent conversations I've had with people about the impact you have on others when you're following your dreams and especially about an exchange I had with a woman in Cintsa.

On my last morning there, I went for a walk on the beach. In the distance I could see about 5 whales breaching, sticking their tails out of the water and generally having a good time. I saw a couple on the beach who was also watching them and we stopped to talk. I told the woman, I'm not sure what the whales are thinking but to me, they look very happy. She said, "Of course they are, they're doing what God made them to do." Her husband replied, "Shouldn't we all?" Well, yes.

So my message to me and to you is... figure out what you're meant to be doing and do it. It will make you happy and that will have a positive impact on the people around you. I've had a wonderful time chasing this dream of mine around Africa and I'm expecting wonderful things to happen as I start chasing it back to San Francisco.

Miss K