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A wonderful thing happened on the way up the FDR… Once upon a sleep evading night circa 2 or 3 AM, I made a whole bunch of workout mixes on my iPod.  Thing is, I usually don’t make it down to [...]

I wasn’t sure what to expect before I left for Africa in June.  It was the only continent I hadn’t visited, and the one I was most eager to go to.  Now, having spent 5+ weeks in Kenya and [...]

 When I arrived at the Nairobi International Airport in early June, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  A travel writer, I’d seen the likes of five continents, but this was my first trip to Africa and [...]

Four days on a beach in Mombasa leads back to Njabini and Flying Kites.  Only this time, we’re prepared for the Gimwa, our home away from home.  We’re not surprised when it takes two hours to [...]

A rainbow of blues—marine, turquoise, sea foam, sky, and royal—undulate gently to meet the reef.  Defunct rowboats idle along shore.  A concentration of tin-roofed houses opens onto vibrant [...]

Accompanied by the three babus, Sam (babu Thomas’s son), and Sandy, we head off to Tarangire National Park.  Guides Dennis and Rajai will transport us, and in Rajai’s Rover we speed over some of [...]

Day 6: Barafu Camp to Uhuru Peak to Mweka Camp Hike: 10 miles Altitude: 15, 331 feet to 19, 341 feet to 10,065 feet Midnight.  Elias turns up at our tent.  His usual “How you doing?” disrupts our [...]

Day Five: Karanga Camp to Barafu Camp Hike: 2 miles Altitude: 13, 105 feet to 15, 331 feet Oh what a beautiful morning.  Oh what a beautiful day.  Finally.  Darryl gives my face the once over and [...]

Day Three: Shira 2 Camp to Lava Tower to Barranco Camp Hike: 6 miles Altitude: 12,500 feet to 15, 190 feet to 13, 044 feet The mornings are cold and misty.  And this morning, particularly, I’m [...]

Day One: Machame Gate to Machame Camp Hike: 7 miles Altitude: 5, 380 feet – 9,350 feet It’s raining.   “Good luck,” says someone within earshot of my complaints.  Tell that to the bride, I [...]