Ok, so I have about 10 minutes to try to write about everything that has happened in the past three or so days. I get confused, because I am still adjusting from the time zones and what not. The only thing I have realized that I forgot at home is a watch. So that sucks, being that I have a horrible sense of time. Other than that though, I am proud of mine/Mike's packing job.
So from the beginning. Stopped in DC, I was able to scarf the airport, including Obama. Youll be happy mom. Airplane- two NBA guys were on the flight from DC to Johannesburg. They were really tall. Heading to a camp they do in Soweto I guess. That was cool.
Got sick the first night, while everyone went out to dinner at the casino. Some guy was leaning against a car about 15 feet away just watching my vomit and cry. It was weird. Funny though in a way. Im starting to feel better. Still can't really eat much. Recovering the appetite though. We went to the US Consulate (satellite of the embassy) yesterday. It was interesting. Learned that there is actually a track for the foreign service. You can't take cameras in and two guys with us were going to take pictures outside and the security guard pulled them off the bus. Strange.
Today we went to South African Airlines Maintenance facility at the airport and got to see some planes up close and personal and go inside one made in the 50's. Pretty rad. Then we toured Johannesburg: Musem of Africa- cool, museum-ish; Top of Africa- tallest building in Africa (only 50 stories), met some little kids up there on a school trip and took pictures with them, they were ADORABLE! one little boy was so giggly; Homeopathic store- mom you would haveloved it, they had dead stuffed monkeys and hooves and stuff; Constitution Hill- used to be a famous prison, now their highest court, very beautiful.
My observations: a lot of street vendors, people literally stand in the middle of roads and intersections EVERYWHERE selling the most random things like sodas, cell phone chargers, dust covers for furniture, etc; a lot of people walk on the side of the roads on dust paths; the township taxis are crazy; the country revolves around the world cup next year all billboards and everything! It is awesome.
Things we have heard about: last week the military and the police fought, you should look it up; and the taxi drivers are on strike against the new public transit system. They shot some bus drivers. Supposedly the taxi's are run by a group similar to a mob.
We leave for Soweto in the morning so I do not know when I will be able to get online again. So I hope this is enough for you. I wish I could write more. We are about to go out to a club or a pub or something after dinner since it is our last night in the large city of Joburg.
Well I LOVE you all and miss you!
and GO SOUNDERS!!!!
I will get back ASAP.
awesome! I am glad you are feeling a bit better. I am writing more this evening.
ReplyDeleteOk so I added a picture to my profile because I can't figure out how or if I can just add a picture. You probably can't tell so well from this picture but it is AJ holding the Sounders Open Cup Trophy. How cool is that? We were at the aiport from 1:30am to 4:00ish am waiting for their plane to land with about 150ish other rabid Sounder supporters. The news was there and a PR person may have gotten pictures of AJ. Not sure yet. Strange though, Jaqua again made a point to specifically shake A's hand. Didn't see him make that effort with the others there and also Marshall asked him why he wasn't sleeping (in gestures through the window granted). Oh yeah and Adrian made a point to shake his hand as well. Great fun for the little man.
ReplyDeleteI will write again this evening when I have more time.
Holy guacamole. i dont know if i spelt that right. but, wow you go to pet baby lions. bring one back, we can share it as a pet. :) i bet you're having fun. did you give candy to any of those little kids? or any of the sunglasses? wow im so excited for you. NBA people? yah i bet they were tall. I hope you get all the way better, because it wouldnt be to much fun to go shark diving or any of your professional stuff when you're sick. you need to take your medicine woman. no boycotting. well ill keep looking everyday for more posts. I cant wait to hear more. I love you and miss you!!
ReplyDeletep.s. i think i'm going to the husky game with mike.
Hi Hun! Glad to hear sum of your info on the trip. Sounds pretty busy. Im glad that your starting to feel beter. Is it that you were sick when you left here or is it from all the meds you were takin before you left? Hav you got to go to any of the schools there or the seminars? How is the weather down there? Its good to hear that your havin a gd time. Take care and stay healthy. Love, Dad & Sonja
ReplyDeleteGruss Gott Ms. Koalabaerschnepfenstrauss Bernklau!!
ReplyDeleteI want you to know it took me until now to figure out that Joburg is the same as Johanessburg (which confused me, I'm an idiot). :) It makes me very happy that you're feeling better, keep it up, you just gotta feel better than better and even better than that! Got to play soccer tonight, as well monday night. Pretty good turn outs but its been really hard to find an unoccupied field. Aren't taxi drivers in foreign countries crazy? The ones in mexico raced eachother and the mexican bus drivers do their best in testing the limits of their vehicales on the edges of cliffs. Anyway, hope you had fun in your night out on the town!! LIeb dich so viel und vermiss dich auch sehr viel! In ewiger Liebe, Deine Antilope