Coffee and Elephants

I woke up last Sunday morning, rolled out of the tent, and started to boil water for coffee. The sun was warm, but not yet hot. Our tent was situated on a bluff overlooking a wide turn in the Zambezi river. As I finished making coffee I sat down to enjoy the morning and breakfast. An elephant on the opposite side of the river was doing the same, rummaging through the bush alongside the river, picking and choosing which grass to pluck or tree to taste. Its a rough life. And its a life that I will miss.

There is plenty about living in Zambia that I won't miss, but probably more that I will. There hasn't been a month here when one tree or another isn't in bloom. Right now there are bunches of hanging yellow flowers. The incessant buzz from bus stops, from bus 'pimps' vying for your business to the pop music blaring out the window. The serenity of the countryside and the smiles on children's faces. Shouts of 'How are YOU?!', quickly followed by 'give me money' or 'I want a sweet.' When I look back on this chapter in my life, I expect the pleasurable memories to remain, and the annoyances to fade away.

I could get nostalgic - but I don't think that's quite my style. But its not everywhere you can share your morning coffee with an elephant.

Teaser

I've been swept up in a whirlwind of activity in the past few weeks. The ruckus of site installs has abated, most work challenges involved with doubling the number of clinics we are working in have settled down. I even managed to take a vacation.

My departure from Zambia is imminent. I don't know when, or if, I will be back. I think so. I haven't quite come to grips with leaving Zambia yet. As I sit and attempt to type, words fail to come. I instead look at some pictures...

Dried fish sold on a roadside stand.

Some of these speak for themselves...

We were stuck behind this truck going uphill for some time.

And then had to deal with a road full of potholes like these.

Ah, and there are so many more...