"Just give me some time."

Hey Bloggettes, I'm trying to catch you up so I'm doing multiple Posts.

After the departure of my parents, we had a week to decompress and then get ready for our next guests, Ryan and Peyton Woolverton. Ever since we moved to Zambia, Ryan has wanted to come visit. Early on, Ryan would talk a big game but he wouldn't pull the trigger and actually commit to buying the tickets. He continued to toy with the idea well into the Christmas season when I finally called him out on the carpet and essentially told him that if he was going to come out he either had to SH*& or get off the pot. It wasn't but a week later when I checked my emails and there was an itinerary for Ryan and Peyton sitting in my inbox.

Three months later, there they were walking in through customs at the Lusaka Airport. However, Ryan's bag didn't travel as well as he did and it was no where to be found. (Not uncommon for flights through Johannesburg, South Africa). Unfortunately, the following day once again failed to produce his bag so I provided him with some shirts and shorts and Trevor did the same for Peyton. With he and Peyton now looking exceptionally cool (due to the new duds) we headed out for Chipata, Zambia.

Chipata is on the eastern border between Zambia and Malawi and is about an eight hour drive from Lusaka. The drive itself was uneventful except for Ryan's amazement at how the Zambian women could carry so many things on the top of their heads with perfect balance. We would also slow down on numerous occasions to snap off pictures.

We spent the night at Mamarula's Lodge in Chipata. Again, somewhat uneventful except for the unintentional entertainment provided by Ryan. Shortly after check in Trevor came to our room laughing hysterically. Apparently, Ryan picked up a hot water kettle in his room thinking it was a flashlight. (Just for the record, the kettle looked nothing like a flashlight!) He proceeded to spill all the water in the kettle all over his tv and other electronics in the room just as Trevor and Peyton were walking into the room. As both kids burst out in laughter, Ryan could only react by stating "just give me some time guys". As we watched the hotel staff bring towels and mops, we kept hearing Trevor in the background saying over and over "just give me some time". For the rest of the trip, whenever someone did or said something that wasn't up to par, we would all say "just give me some time."

Already gone!

Hello Blogettes.

It has been quite while but in my defense I have been pretty busy. Over the past month in a half we have had many visitors and explored some new and familiar landmarks here in Zambia. Our first visitors (my mom and dad) toured Victoria Falls. It was their 50th Wedding Anniversary and my friends at the Zambezi Sun International surprised me and them when they put them in the Presidential Suite. It was the perfect start to a great few days. While in Livingstone, we visited Victoria Falls and engaged in some of the local craft markets. Unlike my first visit to the Falls, this time the water was flowing. So much so that it was very difficult to snap off any pictures because the backsplash of the Falls rose up so high it was like being in an intense rainstorm.

My parents and I (the kids had school and stayed behind), also embarked on a river safari for a chance to brush elbows with the hippos and the crocodiles. Fortunately the animals obliged and my parents were able to take in the safari experience while floating down the mighty Zambezi river with the sun setting in the background. It was just before the sunset that I could see my Dad's eyes glazing over. I imagined it was because he was hit with the realization that he, a Durango native who grew up on the end of East Third Avenue, and who as a boy sold newspapers to the men in the pool halls and bars to help make ends meet, was now 74 years old and floating down the mighty Zambezi River on the Continent of Africa with his bride of fifty years. Or maybe it was because he was on his 4th gin and tonic and wasn't feeling any pain. Either way, we had a great time!