Twenty four hours on the double decker bus with restless leg syndrom and a terrible sugary cookie to nibble on. In South America you´re not supposed to flush TP. Who knew there was a road all the way up to Machu Picchu? Don´t put all your cash in one place. The Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia is the largest salt flat in the world, four times the size of Lake Iliamna, ¨islands¨ in the lake have coral formations covering the rocks and the flats are 11,995 feet above sea level!! I have a bladder the size of a mustard seed.
With a day to kill in Salta, Argentina we decided to obtain our Bolivian visa, a wink and a nod allowed us to recieve them the same day! After wandering the streets and climbing the local statues and sipping sweet drinks in the the town square we made our way to the bus station in the dark to spend our second night on the bus, this time destination Uyuni. We again hit the ground running, sucking the marrow out of the day as I like to say. We found accomodations and then set out to find someone to show us around the joint. By night fall we had a deal secured and we were off after sunrise for a journey into the barren hinterlands of the Salar de Uyuni. These meager pictures have trouble showing the vastness and ruggedness and brutality of these barren wastelands that are so full of gentle life and quick to judge those who don´t take it seriously. Words and pictures barely scratch the surface of the extreams of the place, vast seas of brilliant white salt flats, pink flamigos acting like life is so good at 13,000 feet in orange water with green grass; blue skys; and blistering white salt flats, volcanos jutting up in all directions, islands in the salt flats with ancient coral encrusting the rocks with cactus growing out of them and mini ostretch type birds pecking around miles from the nearest inhabitable land.
After three days of touring, sleeping in hotels made entirely of salt and huddled in a Land Cruiser with six other chaps we were on sensory overload and were almost greatful not to see another mind blowing vista. Fortunately the schedule in the train station didn´t match up with reality in our favor and we had an extra day in Uyuni to digest the previous three. After the burning cold of night set in we huddled in the train station with the other tourist heading down the trail and the locals sleeping on the benches scattered around. As expected the train was an hour or two late and we whiled the time away talking about different trails explored with the other tired travelers.
The train was pleasant and a few hours of sleep were afforded to each of us and soon we were rolling into a town called Oruro where we had the challenge of finding a bus to Copacabana on Lake Titicaca. We quickly found a bus through La Paz, which a local boy kindly sent off in style by peeing on the back tire. Again my expectaions were blown out of the water as we passed the shores of the giant lake. It was even bigger and more beautiful than I had expected with the Andes mountians in the distance and tiny hamlets dotting the shore in cozy hilly niches.
Copacabana was an unknown to both Heidi and I and we were taken with the town immediately and decided we could spend more time than we had exploring the place. Sailing was on tap the first day and we used several hours out on the lake figuring out how to run the ship and getting every inch of exposed skin brilliant red despite the layers of sun screen applied. The following day we rented bikes and peddled down the road seeking the floating islands. Heidi´s bike broke on the first hill, half the handlebar ripping off the center post. A little Alaska modification and we were off again albeit a little unstablely. The floating islands turned out to be a tourist trap, literally, they were all trapped there. So we enjoyed the view and the sore bottoms from the hours of riding and headed back to town just in time for yet another bus taking us to Cusco, Peru.
Copacabana was an unknown to both Heidi and I and we were taken with the town immediately and decided we could spend more time than we had exploring the place. Sailing was on tap the first day and we used several hours out on the lake figuring out how to run the ship and getting every inch of exposed skin brilliant red despite the layers of sun screen applied. The following day we rented bikes and peddled down the road seeking the floating islands. Heidi´s bike broke on the first hill, half the handlebar ripping off the center post. A little Alaska modification and we were off again albeit a little unstablely. The floating islands turned out to be a tourist trap, literally, they were all trapped there. So we enjoyed the view and the sore bottoms from the hours of riding and headed back to town just in time for yet another bus taking us to Cusco, Peru.
Saving a few bills on a hotel we slept on the bus as we crused towards Cusco in the dark. We woke to giant terraced mountians drifting past our windows and wondered at these people´s tenacity to farm such steep rugged ground. Cusco bustled with activity and all the vendors salivated as we passed their doors baiting us in with the different deals of the hour. Machu Picchu was firmly in mind as we avoided all the touts and found our way out to the small town of Aguas Calientes where we would search for the old city. On the train ride we fell in line with a couple Yanks and ended up staying at the same hostel, enjoying dinner together and exploring the ruins with them. The highlight of the tour was climbing Wynupichu, the mountian on the far side of the city, and immagining how they built the lower city let alone the terraces and watch towers on this far spire. Simply amazing in scope and detail of the craftsmanship and location of the whole place.
Sensory overload set in long ago and I am struggling to take in yet one more incredable and unfathomable sight. In all our wanderings and traveling people ask us over and over what our favorites are and again and again we come back to people. Relationships are what make this whole deal worth it, they are the only things that will last. Heidi and I think back over the months and so many people come to mind, Mona, Muhamad and Mason in Egypt, Dave, Karen and the gang in Burma, Dave and Mark in Mexico, Yuval in Malawi, so many strangers we call freinds. Why has God allowed us this opportunity to go and to see. A vast majority of the people we meet could never and will never have this opportunity and yet we do. A verse Heidi and I repeat over and over ¨to whom much is given, much is required¨.
¨Dont buy any sunglasses within 150 mills of the ground, in La Paz I saw too many dogs cocking their leg towards them.¨
Peter the Kewi
Peter the Kewi
Our time in Livingstone was filled with beautiful scenes, hair raising adventures, and lots of water. The shear power and majesty of Victoria falls left us breathless and soaked to the bone. 
We peddled our bikes in the pouring rain; we learned how to play a Swiss game; we had breakfast on Livingstone Island on the very edge of the falls; we jump off a 111 meter high bridge; and we floated the Zambezi in our rafts gliding by Hippos and Elephants! 
Our time soon ran out and we headed to Windhoek, Namibia where those animals I thought out of reach suddenly and majestically came within our grasp. Lyle had secretly planned a hunting safari for me in Namibia. Nathan, my hunting partner of old, and Mom and Dad Wilder had made plans to join us. We picked Nathan up first and, with the excitement of seeing family for the first time in six months, I could hardly take it waiting for him to emerge from customs! We rented a car and spent two days exploring the Namib Desert. Nathan kept exclaiming, "Wow, I'm in Africa", it was great to share his enthusiasm. We picked up Mom and Dad Wilder after our frolic in the desert and headed out to the Eland Pro Safaris Ranch.
After taking care of the wildebeest Nathan and I headed out with our guide for one more try at the elusive Kudu, the animal I really desired, the animal that had been running through my dreams all week. We headed to a popular Kudu watering hole hoping for the best. What followed could take me an entire entry to describe with all the details and exhilarating emotion. Suffice it to say a beautiful, majestic Kudu bull stepped out into the opening around the watering hole with a commanding air and sense of superiority that reminded me of Bambie's dad. . . then I shot him.
I though I would never be able to hunt African animals in Africa. I had come to peace with the fact that I would not go home with a Kudu, but my dreams came true and I was able to hunt with Nathan, Lyle, and Mom Wilder who took their own trophies and make precious memories with family. How spoiled, how blessed am I? I deserve none of this yet God pours out His blessing on me, allowing me to fulfilling my dreams and goals. How great He is! 
As you can see we made a connecting flight into Kenya, although a day late and a lighter wallet to show for it. We hemmed and hawed at the price of hotels and ended up sleeping in our new friend Mason's apartment that we had spent the last few days looking for. It was another late night discussing if humans are basically good or not, his hot date with a local girl the next day, ultimate truth, and any other topic that came up.
Kenya caught our attention right off and we enjoyed the greener pastures. The persistent touts finally broke down my walls and we gave in to a taxi ride from the airport. It was strait to Africa Inland Mission base for us as we tried to connect with friends as we had done a poor job of announcing our arrival. Of course all of my college friends were out and we headed to the youth hostel to sleep off the restless flight. Three days later after fantastic evenings with friends we got the inside scoop on a safari headed to Amboseli National Park where the elephants and zebras roam. We made the trip with two brilliant British folks and thoroughly enjoyed their company and accent! It almost doesn't matter what they say, their accent is so mesmerizing. It was two days in the park for us and from the time we entered it was just like the films, animals everywhere, we were amazed at the sheer numbers of different animals we saw and so close we could almost taste them. Heidi was envisioning hunting every one I just know. We were able to see a lion, buffalo, zebras, hyenas, impala, gazelle, elephants, warthogs, wildebeests, fox type animals, countless birds, and I'm forgetting some I'm sure. The accommodations were fantastic including all our meals and even turn down service on our bed!
After a superb evening in the hotel we made a late breakfast and headed out on our last game drive on the way out. As we were well away from the hotel I felt that blurp in my stomach, you know the one, so I decided to move to the back of the open bus and let the little gas bubble be free. The only problem with the idea was that the salad the night before had done some magic on my insides and they had turned to jello and well I think you get the picture . . . We made full speed back to the hotel where I promptly changed my shorts. 
So with that behind us we walked across the border to Tanzania and hop, skipped, and jumped our way to the far side of the mountain. Kili dashed our hopes this time not by its height but by the size of the price tag to walk its slopes. The park fees killed us and we decided to trod a different path and made our way to Zanzibar for a couple days of fun in the sun. In my own naive way the heat at the equator surprised me and the lack of electricity didn't allow us to be cool. One night was enough. After waking buring the night in a pool of our own sweat we decided to move on to higher and cooler ground. A boat and a train took us to the south of Tanzania where we climbed on the mountain near Mbeya then headed south here to Malawi. We have found a place to rest here on the shores of the mighty Lake Malawi after two days of fighting our way to this ground.
So here we sit and soak in the sun and tranquility of this place and wake to the sound of the fishermen paddling their dugouts home from their labor at three in the morning shouting their catch. Rousing to the sound of singing in the town and washing on the rock below our love shack. Its nice here, I think we'll stay for a while.
Initially, I believed that after serving others in the jungle and helping different organizations the time here in Africa might be less gratifying. Over the past week we have had numerous gratifying and meaningful interactions with the Egyptians and tourists alike in this country! Heidi and I have been blown away with the opportunities to share ourselves and our thoughts with people, at the same time receiving more than we could possibly give. In Aswan my huge obnoxious beard brought about an interesting conversation with a devout Muslim man and two days of apartment hunting with our brilliant friend Mason brought about several late nights discussing everything under the sun. We have been blessed and challenged beyond our expectations! 
After boarding the train we ended up sitting in the wrong seats on the train and had the greatest conversation and eventually two days with a local Egyptian woman named Monna! She literally took us under her wing and answered all of our ignorant questions about her culture, country, and politics and many other things besides. She treated us to lunch and an evening of conversation with her and her friend Muhamad. Her great sense of humor and intelligence won us over. We learned so much about her in such a short time and treated us like a true friend, thank you Monna!
There are four pairs of underwear on this manikin . . .
At this moment Heidi and I are exhausted after a tiring day of driving our bicycles all over Luxor exploring the valley of the Kings and other nearby sights. Over the loudspeaker the Muslim call to prayer is lilting through the air adding a surreal feeling to the hot evening sun peeking through the cracks in the un-finished, semi-covered roof we are sitting on. All this after a fitful nights sleep on this same roof of our hostel listening to the sounds of a city like a child that will not close its eyes to rest. Thankfully Heidi has seemed to recover fully from her duel with the little malaria bugs. We must be careful as sometimes those little creatures hide in the liver and make a nasty come back down the road a piece. 
