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Woke up and had some eggs and freshly baked bread from a Dukan across the street. Then I went with my sister in law and another girl, Stephanie, that lives in the same compound as us to visit some women from Darfur. It was very interesting to be in their home and spend time learning who they were. We had to wear sleeves that covered our elbows and scarfs that covered our hair.  My 2 yr old niece came, too, and played really well with the little boy that was there with the women. It is special thing to see a little white baby girl (culturally ranked above even grown Sudanese men) serving a little Sudanese boy coffee and sharing food and toys with him. It was one of those days that will be impossible to forget.

Unfortunately this was the day I was super sick. At one point I was just walking hunched over because of such bad stomach pain. I was nervous it was Giardia, but it passed in a day (thank goodness). Note to self, if you are feeling ill, do not walk across town, stay put and don’t move.

This is on the street right outside the compound where I am staying. You can see the army in the back. In Sudan there are no street names. People just say "on the road going to the airport" or "on the road back from the SUK (market)"

Still on the same street. Super cute children on their way to the school behind our compound. I was a dukan (little corner market) where sometimes the children come to buy their lunch.

Avery and Allison at the Dukan

A beautiful women at the Dukan. I was a fan of her bright necklace!

Same street again. These donkey carts are all over Malakal. Used at F350s in the states.

Women are incredibly talented with carrying stuff on their heads. The water jugs are the most amazing to watch.

My adorable niece!

Allison and I on our way to visit some Muslim women from Darfur. Elbows, Ankles, and Hair must all be covered.

This is Regina. She is the lady that helps Allison with laundry and cleaning around the house.

Avery and the boy enjoyed playing with my sunglasses. No one really uses those here.

Love this shot, doesn't it look like Avery is breakdancing!?

Allison, Avery and Stephanie with the Darfur women.

The area of Malakal where the women live. Behind one of the gates, is a group of homes entire families share. And if one family moves away, some other random relative will move in. Everything is group owned.

These group of girls followed Allison and Me to the market. SO sweet. I think Avery was the point of interest. Most of the time they think she is a doll since they haven't ever seen a little white baby. Actually, Avery is the only white child in all of Malakal.

A beautiful (guhmeela) Sudanese girl.

Thanks!

Today was great in Malakal. I met a ton more people, went to an Arabic church, into town for food, hung out with the family and just enjoyed the day.  The church was great, tons of singing – videos to come when I have a better internet connection.  The whole church would sing, then there were opportunities for groups of people representing each of the tribes to come forward and sing… which meant all the white people got a turn.  So the six of us, my brother, sister in law, Avery, and 2 other missionaries on the property headed to front and did our best rendition of O Come Let Us Adore Him.  It was a hit, at least I think it was.  Though – following the AMAZING music from the tribes, we might have looked quite silly.

After church everyone files out and shakes every person’s hand. When you get to the end of the line, you join it and start shaking everyone else’s hand. I like that.  Personally greeting everyone, even the teeniest kids. It was fun.

Here are some pictures from the day. Soon I hope to have some of the “Suk,” the local market in the city.

My new friends on Loki. Lea was the one that took care of me there before I headed to Sudan.

My first experience sleeping in a mosquito net.

My favorite picture yet. At the Loki police station

I wanted to climb these mountains!!!

Avery loves her bottles of water!

The face killed me!

The church choir.

A super pic by Allison, my sister in law. Taylor enhanced it. It was amazing to watch this little boy, probably no older than 2 being completely content for 2 hours during the service. And, he was sitting directly in the sun shortly after this picture and was dripped in sweat. This people are far different from any I have known before.

Some of the kids from church.

Allison and me in our formal Laos for church. The women are very specific about these laos. Apparently mine was tied incorrectly so a super kind woman came and untied and fixed it for me. She was so gracious about it. Looks like something you just throw on so you don't have to care about what you are wearing, but it is quite the opposite. The shirt underneath MUST match and the skirt as well.

I left Friday at noon and headed to Loki in Kenya for an overnight stay. The lady that runs the guest house there, forgot to get me, so after an hour of being a little nervous and waiting at the airport, I asked someone for a public phone to call, but my number didn’t work. Luckily, grace from God completely, he recognized the woman’s husband’s name and called him over (he worked at the airport). So he gave me a ride (phew!)

Turkana woman (not my image)

While driving to the compound I observed the indigenous people of the area, the Turkana tribe.  Very interesting people – the women are super buff and do all of the work. They care for the children, do all the heavy lifting and money making and prepare all food, yet they are always last to eat. They wear thick brightly beaded necklaces, and beautiful long scarfs.  The men wear short skirts, from the same looking scarf and just hang around town.  I bet these women would be killer climbers, really athletic, thin and tall.  I saw some potentially great cliff there, maybe one day I will get to check it out. (pictures to follow)

I had a wonderful visit, played some volleyball with the family from the guest house, ate a beautiful hotel that used to be full vacancy all of the time, but when all the NGO’s moved back to Sudan when it was allowed and safe again, it left places like this hotel empty almost over night. After a super buffet dinner, we headed back to the guest house for some sleep to prepare for the next day.

My first experience with mosquito net: a good one, I’d say. No bites!  Woke early and by 6:15 headed out to the Loki airport to fly to Juba, connected there on a different flight to Rumbeck, and then on to Malakal and finally arrived about 1:00.  It was SO good to see my brother, super fit and really happy. We grabbed some sandwiches and I shared my observation of how super tall and long limbed the Sudanese people were, and he kind of emphatically (not really sure what that word means, but seems appropriate there) told me, “just like you.”  What? Really? I am tall, and thin-ish, but they seriously have the longest bones ever. Someone should google it and let me know.

Moving on, we grabbed some sandwiches and finally headed back to the SIM compound. We we arrived, much to my surprise, Avery and Allison were waiting on the step and Avery didn’t stop saying my name for 5 minutes!  I have been storing up so much love for her over the last year, that it just poured out! It was so great to see her in real life. She looks just like my sister and is the happiest baby! I can’t wait to continue getting to know her. She warmed up in about 5 minutes and the rest of the say she was keen to play with me anytime. After playing at the house, Taylor, Allison, Avery and I headed to town for dinner food. The market was a sight. So much going on – so much business. Donkey carts, chickens, produce, everywhere!

Fabulous dinner made by Taylor and another guy at the compound, Andrew.  A Darfur guy joined us for dinner, Mohammed, and I wished so badly I knew more Arabic than just “peace be with you” and “how are you.” Oh well, a gal can only do so much.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. I am so thankful that I going to be able to spend so much time with my family over the next month.

Cheers, y’all – may God be with you today.

I met a cool dude on my flight to Nairobi that has a non-profit out of Louisvill, KY where he travels to train people across the planet on disaster relief training and outdoor wilderness training. He raises money and then invites people for free to come for the 8 or 9 day training course.  Amazing work. Wish I had his site for you, but can’t find it right now.

I got to the airport, sailed though getting my visa, and ALL of my bags arrived (yahoo!!) and then had an easy pass through customs.  Beverly, the wife of the SIM Sudan director and also the missionary relations and general health lady, met me at the airport, super nice of her!  We loaded up and headed out and saw 4 wild zebras on the side of the road, crazy, eh??

Got in and settled in the house I am borrowing while some missionaries are on home assignment, started watching something on my ipod and at 11:10 pm, all power went out! And with a clouding night and no street lights, the house turned pitch black!  Ok, admittedly, I started to get scared. Come on, first night. alone. no idea what just happened. eek. Luckily those ipods are quite bright, so I was able to find my headlamp and checked things out. Then I crawled back in bed and fell alseep pretty quickly, only to wake up at 3:30am and stayed out. Half jet lag, half excitement.

Went to some orientation of how to stay safe in Sudan and also some information about the culture. I love how important greetings are in Kenya and Sudan. Everyone gets greeted all the time, strangers on the road ot best of friends. And if someone leaves and comes back 10 min later, you greet all over again. Now this is a place I could call home – I love meeting strangers! I am always that girl that says hello in an awkwardly silent elevator and such.

I walked around a little by myself and have started to feel a bit more confident here. Nairobi is quite a dangerous place and every where is gated. No joke. All businesses, restaurants, store fronts, apartments either have really intense metal cages behind the windows and/or a 12 foot tall metal gate where a guard stands 24/7.  Freaky. So far so good. Glad about that!

Big negative: I busted my knee. For real. I’ve never had an athletic injury before, but after talking to a nurse practitioner and today getting checked out by a sports medicine lady, they have deemed my troubles to over use. Makes sense since I have been aggresively hiking almost everyday for about 4 months now!  I have a knee brace that has been helping a little bit, but mostly I am trying to chill as much as possible. Since rest in the best medicine and that’s an impossibility since my feet are my only transportation here in Africa, I will just push through. 

I leave tomorrow for Loki in Kenya, spending the night and then onto Malakal in Sudan. I CAN”T WAIT TO SEE MY NEICE!!! 

One surprise about Sudan, if I get bitten by a snake or scorpion, I have to wait it out. I thought they were joking. If anyone knows me, I have minimal pain tollerance, so let’s just pray that doesn’t happen. (I bought some codine over the counter just in case)

Salek Aleakum (Means peace be with you in Arabic.)

In Nairobi now and today I will have orientation on how to live safetly in Sudan and all things SIM that I need to know. Can’t wait!

More later.

The flight from DFW was nice and empty and full of awesome movies. I watched the Ugly Truth, Julie and Julia (which I didn’t know was a true story) and the beginning of G.I. Joe and croqueted a small bowl thing. Nice flight. Now onto Nairobi, baby!

It’s been 4 months, officially of my road trip and travels. I have thoughts, but they will have to be for another time.

I’ll be in Sudan until the middle of the month and then Kenya for a couple week, Cape Town with Desirae and then back to Nairobi for a bit. My return date is Dec 14th. I had to sign a will, give direction regarding how to deal with my remains if I die whilst in Africa…. cremated, I decided by the way.  Interesting things to think about.

I got to hang with some family, and a couple super friends while I was home. Here are some pictures of my fam, peace out for now until I get to type out some more.

Granny and Me

Lauren, my sister

Ma and Pa

But I have attained some wicked endurance now, so I need to a) believe and b) try really hard.  We’ll see how these last couple days  go. I will put up some pictures soon, but will be delayed since my camera was conficscated by Best Buy, I am at the mercy of my friends.

I am headed to Chicago Friday and then back to Dallas Sunday.  Time was short and sweet here – 3 weeks just not long enough!!  Met amazing people and forged some fun friendships.

Man! It has been SO fun these last couple weeks. Since I have a tad stronger than last time I was here in March, I am climbing at whole new crags and trying stuff that was a pipe dream before.  I have changed my mind after giving Chainsaw Massacre a couple more go’s, I think I would be better suited to project something a bit more doable in the less than 2 weeks I have left here at the gorge. I led another 11a yesterday (pictures below) that was SUPER fun. Good enduro training. Air Ride Equipped – each move is not hard. It is just linking them together and pushing through over the roof pull and then you’re done. SO fun!  So I think my new project will be at the end of the same crag that Air Ride is at. It is called Banche, 5.11c. I haven’t been on it yet, but it is crazy long and pumpy. But I think I can totally do it. I am so psyched to go back and try it!  There are pictures below of Paul a friend from Toronto trying it.

The rain has been a bit demoralizing, but apparently Mother Nature is supposed to let up tomorrow and give up 4 or 5 days of gorgeous sun. Ha-lle-lu-jah.  I had amazing pancakes and a crepe made by this totally crazy and amazing Italian dude named Dario this morning. It felt like I was in Paris at a Creperie. Really nice. AND – last night Paul and Raf, the dudes from Toronto made the tastiest steak fajitas. Beans, rice, steak, onion, red pepper all wrapped up in a tortilla – wow, delectable.

I hope all of my friends out there are having a great week. Count down to Africa, Nov 2nd – wooooo!  Gotta get some insurance now.

Hanging out on the gigando ledge of Air Ride Equipped, getting ready for the moves. Pic by Raf

In the beginning of the giant flakes of the long roof. pic by Raf.

Having a great time on Air Ride. Photo by Raf.

Belaying good times, photo by Paul

Raf giving her a go. Photo by Paul

Raf pulling the flakes. Photo by Paul.

Raf and Paul getting set up for Paul's go on Banche. Photo by Allison Martyn

Gorgeous climb. Good exposure for the Red. Photo by Allison Martyn

Look at them leaves! Can't wait to get on this. Give 'er, Paul! Photo by Allison Martyn

Dan checking out the 12's he'd about to onsight. Baller.

Paul is tearing it up. Photo by Allison Martyn

Banche. Photo by Allison Martyn.

Dan Forgeng being amazing onsight a 12 b or c. Not sure.

Dan ballin' again.

Good work Paul!