Best. Monday. Ever.

Well, hello there. We're back!

We purposefully took today off from work because we knew that after traversing the globe (um, for realz) we would be beyond jet lagged. Aaaaaaaand we were right.

But waking up on Monday morning and unpacking Tanzanian souvenirs? That's not bad.

Entering the Serengeti

In short, the trip was both better and harder than we had expected. It feels like we were gone for a very, very long time. And, I guess we were. Two weeks. All of it unplugged from phones and texts and email and work and the normal daily routine. I took a deep breath when I turned my phone on last night. But now, it's so nice to get back to it. While the safari was incredible (more later!) we were very much in a 3rd world country (more later!) and to be honest, right now it's a little discombobulating to know that we can take a shower whenever we want to without first requesting a bucket of water from the river. So.

We saw All The Things. The landscape and people and animals and villages and tribes and sunrises and sunsets - tons and tons. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that we had an entire truck to ourselves. We were expecting to join in with a group of other people who were using the same safari company, but instead we had our own truck and our own guide for all ten days. I don't need to tell you the joyful introvert response we had to that news. Just picture us cheering each other with water bottles on like a daily basis.

We have some great pics and stories for you! For now I wanted to let you know that we're home safe and sound and with this one.

Also I'll give you all my King Soopers coupons if you'll go through our mail and also plan my syllabi for the fall semester. Thanks.

Ready, Set...

BRB.

Going to Tanzania.

TGIF, people!

The Last Time?

We leave for Africa soon. (Laaaaaaaaaa!)

Even though we've had the trip planned, officially, for about a year, I haven't been able to think about it much lately, other than the "To Do List". Get Visa paperwork. Get shots. Pack meds. Buy packs. Schedule boarding for Roo. Schedule house + plant sitter. Etc.

But now, the logistics are in place and, well, WE'RE GOING TO AFRICA.

And we're going to the Netherlands!

I have mixed feelings about this trip. For as long as I can remember I've wanted to go to Africa. When I was young, I would flip through my Papa's National Geographic magazines in awe of the landscape, animals, and people. In high school and college, I read literary classics and sociological/anthropological studies about various African countries and just could not fathom what it would be like to be there, feet on the ground.

The first few years that G and I were married, we would talk about travel during our hikes. About 10 years ago, we made a goal. At age 40 we would seriously plan to go to Africa, and we would seriously start looking at options to move out west (in America, haha, not Africa).

We achieved both goals five years ago, as fate would have it. So now, we will be making our second trip just in time for our upcoming 40th birthdays.

I sort of can't believe it. Hence, the mixed feelings.

If I had unlimited time and money (well, mostly the money) I would go to a different part of Africa every year, until I got to the point where I was revisiting places I'd already seen. It's just amazing. But, alas, I don't have unlimited time or money, and there's no rich benefactor in sight. So, as we make plans to scrimp and save for the next vacation, we consider other places that are on the list, and other things we'd like to experience while we're "young".

And so I don't know if we'll ever go back again after this trip.

I hope so, but I can't say.

So. For this trip we're going to be completely unplugged. No cell phones. No laptops. No suit cases. Just packs with the bare minimum and a ton of cameras and memory sticks. And a small journal, and one pen.

I'm going to fully take in the sights and sounds and smells and accents and adventures and dust and sun and crazy-looking trees and food and I'm going to be in the moment.

And then I'm gonna come back and blog like crazy so I can share everything with you!

TGIF, people!

The Introverts Have Died a Little

So, as fun as this summer is, the introvert in me (which, let's be honest, is a big part of me) is dying a little.

Em has been here for a couple of weeks, and G's brother and his gf have been staying with us for the last few days. When I'm not in the office, I have taken to doing my work in small 10-minute segments between activities and thus don't feel like I'm on top of anything, ever, and thus feel like I'm about to lose all of my jobs.

Plus, last night we had a few friends over. It was so fun. It was so...social. So social, says the introvert.

Between organizing meals and activities and texts and work and emails and deadlines and Africa prep and more meals and activities, I, well, I die a little.

Social death is the theme. Internal death is the theme.

But we're seeing a lot of people! Life is messy and chaotic and fun and flavorful and...really full in a way that it hasn't been in I don't know how long. In the wake of losing Lucy, this has been good for us.

So I guess internal life is a theme, too.

G took his bro and gf to Pike's Peak yesterday. A storm rolled in while they were on the peak, and they had to shelter down until it passed.

If you're wondering how Roo is adjusting, take a look. She's clearly at home and is ruling the roost (<<< the ROOst, get it?). Unlike Loo Loo Bean, Roo hops all over the house and much prefers the dining room to the hearth. She spends most of her time laying on the cool wood floor or exploring under the table. It's all very fun and exciting.

There was a delightful sushi dinner the other night with peeps. Nat King Cole recommended the white rolls below and dang. I'm sold. They are called Crispy Bincho and are filled with crab meat, asparagus, avocado, and I can't remember what else. They are to die for. I never need to visit Japan again; I can just go to Sushi Den.

Roo Roo fits in very well to our newly-extroverted lifestyle. She's all up in everyone's business. All the time.

Well, time for the next 10 minutes of work and then we're going to RMNP for some American safari. Tomorrow is a long work day for me, so I'll get to, you know, relax a little. :)

TFIG, people!