Hi!

For any of you guys out there that may be looking to lose a few pounds before hitting the beach this summer, I have just the answer!     Adopt my eating habits and move to Central America.  Then, follow it up with a trip to Africa. THEN, try and find something that you can actually eat.  Even if you do find something that works, you have backpacked for hours to do so, and you can afford to indulge in as many calories as you wish.  In short order you will be wearing Paris Hilton skinny jeans just like me.  Today I resorted to my contingency plan: African candy bars and protein powder mixed into everything I eat.   I have to nip this weight loss thing in the bud soon.  As for you ladies, you all are just perfect the way you are!  Don't change a thing.

FYI, in the morning I am heading back to Cape Town to catch a 5AM flight up towards where South Africa borders Zimbabwe and Mozambique!  I'll be packing my finest pair of short khaki shorts and knee high socks because this guy is going on a SAFARI!   I cannot wait to make Steve Erwin and Jack Hanna proud.  RIP Steve and please forgive me for dressing as you for Halloween a few years back.  It was all in good fun.  

Going on a Safari is something that I have been wanting to do for years.  For as long as I can remember, my dad and I have been fascinated with watching all those Animal Channel/Planet Earth Documentaries.  I really don't have a clue what to expect with this trip.  I'm hoping that it is outrageous and I see wildebeests running for their lives as Mufasa tries to eat them.  (The scary lion from The Lion King).  It sounds like I should be able to see the Big 5 too! (Lions, African Elephants, Cape Buffalo, Leopard, and Rhino) .  I cannot wait to run through the plains while taunting some lions into chasing me.  Perhaps I'll do my next bungee jump over a watering hole!

3-1 odds in Vegas that I get the living daylights scared out of me as I try to get closer than recommended to the animals.  This is going to be awesome!

I believe I am staying in a thatched roof tree fort right on the reserve.  This should be quite comfortable for me seeing as I lived in a shingle roofed tree fort in Boston!  Anyways, it may be a while until I'm able to post another blog.  I don't know if my tree fort will have wireless internet.  The one in Boston didn't

few other things worth noting from today:

1. I watched a guy take my milk here in our hostel and swap it with his milk.  I just sat and watched.  The effort he put into it all was priceless.  Milk here is comparably priced to home.  He put in a lot of effort to save $2.79.  His milk had gone sour.  After he left, I hid his, I mean my milk, and a loaf of his bread too.  Cheaters never win.

2. There were some really cool festivals in town today celebrating Freedom Day.  There were people singing and dancing in the streets. I guess Freedom Day would be similar to 4th of July?? Anyways, a reason to celebrate for sure.

3. I just got bit by some sort of ant and the swollen red mark on my ankle is the size of a dime.

4.  I bought malaria medications yesterday for my Safari.  I proceeded to throw them in a dumpster on accident.  I bought the same malaria meds today.  The pharmacist is loving me as a costumer this week.  Cold medication, malaria pills.  more cold medications.  more malaria pills.  Not cheap. Grrrr.

That's all I have.  Be good and wish me luck!

Now time to try and find a way to get to Cape Town for my 5:45 AM flight… remember, no public transit here in South Africa.  I'm  going to head to town and try to charm myself into the backseat of a car heading towards the airport.  60% of the time, it works every time.

That's one confident pizza guy!  Africa is BIG.

Remains from yesterday's hail storm! That water was literally ice cold.  All while it was about 65* out.  Wild!

Holy Hail!

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days