Southern Africa Part 2: Namibia

Part two of the three-part Southern Africa series (don't forget, Sabrina's typing in orange)

I cannot say enough positive things about the Namibia, the second country on our three-country road-trip tour of Southern Africa.  I get the impression that Namibia is mostly undersold to western tourists and doesn't get the attention it deserves because it is right next to it's famous neighbor to the south.  But honestly, Namibia and South Africa share parallel narratives.  Even though it was first colonized by the German's back in late 19th century, a little thing called World War I happened and Namibia found itself as a protectorate of South Africa who subjected it to the same apartheid segregationist rule until it gained it's independence in 1990 and did its own thing that point onward.  From this short history blurb, it's easy to understand the diversity of people and cultures that make up this country (one of the things that gives it its charm).  Namibia has been my favorite country so far...with a couple more to go...but still, it is just plain amazing. The people, the food, the environment, it is all just lovely!

Another great feature of Namiba is its diverse landscape.  Driving from the southern border almost to the northern, we got to see just about all of it.  Along the way, we made some friends to include kudu, oryx, and many many many springbok (pretty much the dear the southern Africa).

Oryx on the side of the road

More Oryx...

More roadside Oryx

Kudu! (female)

Of course, between animals sightings, there was open space and roads.  Lots of roads.  Some of it paved, but most of it sand and gravel. Ryan is being nice with saying that some were paved.  I think on our thousand mile road trip of Namibia less than 1/4 was paved.  We were wicked excited to turn on to our first dirt road, but after the first 100 miles your but hurts and you just want to see a line painted on the road! The kind of wide open space that most people think of when they think "Africa."  A place with no cell phone signal, not emergency call boxes, not another car in sight.  Just you, nature, and breathtaking views of the arid scrub brush with the Naukluft Mountain Range hovering in the distance.  Just make sure that if you're using a GPS, always check the route that it doesn't try to take you on any adventurous "short cuts" and get you lost in on a dirt track road that cuts across private property. Ok. so about that last sentence.  I think that Ryan is trying to skirt his biggest GIS booboo of the entire trip.  So there were were, trying to get from Sosussvlei (see below) and trying to get to Windhoek, the capital.  With the research Ryan and Jess did before our trip, it was going to take six hours.  Doable.  When I put in the address of the new hotel, with Ryans coordinates, it said 3 hours.  Score!  We were all excited.  Started driving.  Watched the windmills, and cows, and Oryx...la la la just another driving day in Namibia.  We were on a 'main' road (still not paved but had road signs!) and the GPS told us to turn right.  Ok, we did.  Then there was a gate, and a sign in Afrikaans that we assumed said "Please make sure gate is closed after driving through"  So we continue driving.  The road becomes more narrow with every mile, more gates with signs...no worries.  But then we actually start off roading.  Like giant boulders, Acacia bushes scraping off paint and just a faint pair of road tracks that we had a hard time following.  All this time from the back seat Ryan kept saying "Keep going, we are ok.  The highway will be along soon" Yeah, sure.  We drive and drive at about 7 mph for a while.  An hour and a half actually and then there is was.  A fence.  Running right through the trail.  Jess and I about lost our minds. So, we had to turn around drive the almost two hours BACK to the 'main' road, and start our journey over. Low and behold after about 40 miles on that road, we found the main highway.  Sorry hun, but your GPS skills failed that day.  But we did learn a very valuable lesson, if the road name has the letter D before the numbers it means it is a district road, which pretty much means just a road to someones house/property.

Big dirt road, little man

This was our first official dirt road experience.  Obvs we were excited enough to want to take pictures, but it sure was pretty. 

Bessie, or noble stead just taking it all in

This was in SA, with Namibia in the background.  

For our stop, we stayed at the Desert Homestead Lodge.  This is an example on how Namibia is capitalizing on its vast natural beauty by promoting eco-tourism with just the right mixture of comfort, ruggedness, simplicity, and isolation to draw in visitors from all over the world as well as within the country itself.  We stayed in a well-furnished little cabin/hut which we had all to ourselves.  The views of the Naukluft Range and the flat lands beneath were breath taking and animals would come within 100m to drink from the watering hole with nothing between us and the open veld.

Our "Little House on the Veld"

Just a short ways down the road from our hut  is the Nauklut-Namib National Park where we spent the day exploring the massive sand dunes in the world's oldest desert, the Namib.  Leaving early in the morning really paid off.  Not only did we get to see the sunrise over the massive dunes, we were able to see how the dunes actually changed color throughout the entire day. Our day trip took us through Sossusvlei, an Afrikaans name referring to the salt and clay pan surrounded by the local red dunes.  While in the Sossusvlei area, we enjoyed a nice picnic amidst the sand.  Our guide, Immanuel, was amazing and very knowledgable.  I dont know if anyone reading this will ever head to The Desert Homestead, but if you do ask for Immanuel!  

About the summit one of the larger dunes: "Big Daddy"

Chilly morning on the start of our drive.  Knox couldn't be bothered for comment quite yet.

The gang with our guide, Immanuel

This might be my fave photo from the entire trip.  

Sand dunes of the Namib desert

Heading up "Big Daddy."  It's harder than it looks

The kid just enjoying the sand

Our stay in the capital city of Windhoek was uneventful and a nice stopover on our way north to Etosha National Park where our attention turned from sand to fauna.

We drive three hours north and, at our "camp" waiting for us was the definition of "glamping": a canvas tent under a wooden shelter but fully equipped with electrical and climate control, not to mention a semi-private toilet and shower under the stars en plein nature as it was meant to be.  Glorious.  The hotel was called the Etosha Village and is one of the closest to the national park.  Supposedly you can some times hear the lions roaring from the camp.  But there is a really big fence between the two, dont worry! The glamping experience was awesome.  The tent was the perfect size bc there is so much to do that you are never really in there but to sleep or get ready for the day.  There is a kitchenette, outside, with picnic tables and a grill.  I inquired about the locks on the mini fridge and it was not to keep the guests out, its too keep the honey badgers out.  I guess they enjoy adult beverages just as much as some of us humans!  One of my favorite parts of this hotel, as like the Desert Homestead, was the watering hole.  It was a little bit of a walk from our tent, but I sat in the grass for hours waiting for the wildlife to show up.  It is so very exciting, and I got to see the biggest warthog I have ever seen in my entire life! (He was not as excited to see me!)

Our game drive in Etosha National Park turned out to be one of the all time highlight of the trip, and if the park was a highlight, then the highlight of the highlight had to be our once-in-a-lifetime encounter with the extremely endangered black rhino just meters from our car. Can you tell we liked it just a little?  I'm so glad the three of us got to see these animals while we can.  Conservationists are doing the best they can, but sadly animal poaching is extremely lucrative in this part of the world and the longterm future of these beasts is still uncertain.  I do hope that we some day have the privilege to live some place like this so that I can help in some sort of way with this problem.  I would GLADLY go poacher poaching.  We had a wonderful time though and I'll let our pictures speak for themselves:

Ok. so can I brag a little?  Well, I am going to do it anyway. We are driving around the park in the truck and I could tell that the guide, Ramon, was getting frustrated that we didnt see anything besides a couple of zebra.  We take a turn and I am watching a jackal running towards the brush.  And then he stops.  So I said, Ramon I think that there is something in the grass and he said Yeah, its a spring bok.  No, Ramon.  I dont think that a springbok would make a jackal stop dead in his tracks.  I stare for about three more seconds as Ramon continues to drive, and finally I see her and yell (well, whisper yelled) LION!  Ramon still didnt believe me. And then he saw her too.  That magnificent beast of a giant cat.  She wasnt too keen on seeing us, bc we were obviously getting in the way of her routine but I am happy that we ran into her and that I spotted her before we left the area.  

So that is they thing in this park, and I am sure many other parks, is too see the pride.  I totally understand, seeing a lion is pretty epic. But every truck we past they would ask have you seen the pride?  Where is the pride? Sheesh people, just leave them be!  You are on their turf.  If they want to be noticed, they will let you know!  I guess that is just me being me, but I wish others wouldnt get entertainment by disrupting nature. And dont even get me started on "herding" animals while on safari.  ::PSA over::

I could also brag a little here about how I found the Black Rhino family in the brush.  But I wont, or did I just do it?  ;)  Anyway, I think that I should be a guide.  I would be damn good at it! Plus, I think I am pretty personable. Ha hahahahahah!

The running joke of the day was that I could find the animals that no one else could see but I could not see the 20 foot giraffe standing 50 feet in front of me.  Its true.  I couldnt find the dang giraffes. 

Lots of action at the watering hole

Pointing out "Olifants" at the watering hole 

All in all, Namibia was a success.  We were sad to leave, but eager to continue on to yet another country on our trek: Botswana.  Rest assured though, we will be back someday.

Southern Africa Part 1: South Africa

It's hot back in Rabat.  That was my first impression getting off the plane in Casablanca after spending the last of almost four weeks in the southern hemispheric winter on the other side of Africa.  I feel that way now at 8:45 PM with the windows open letting in the cool air that doesn't seem to be helping the situation.  Anyway, it's been a while since I (or we) posted anything, and now that we're back from another trip, we finally have something to share.

Still feeling a little weary from travel, we just returned from the better part of the month spent on a three-country driving tour that started in South Africa and went through Namibia and  ended in  Botswana.  The first part of this trip will be covered in this post with my writing in this color and Sabrina's input in this color.  Hey y'all!

Before being there, first we had to get there.  Of course the easiest way in my mind was a flight from Casablanca to Dubai on the other end of the Arabian Peninsula, then down the eastern coast of Africa to Johannesburg.  Two flights and 20.5 hours later we arrived and met our driver who took us the to hotel, too tired to notice that we were driving on the wrong side of the road.

I love that Ryan left out the adventures that we had in Asia.  Being my first time on another continent, I was wicked excited!  I know, I know being in an airport doesn't count...but I think that rule should only work for states, not actual continents.  Anyways, the flight to Dubai was boring, which is good.  Emirates is a great airline, and very family and kid friendly so I would recommend it to any one going on a family holiday.  So, we get off the plane in Dubai and we are excited to explore a world class top of the line airport, which never closes.  It was two in the morning and that place was like Grand Central at noon. I think that our excitement went a little too far, and Knox's little belly just had enough of the movin and shakin, and his dinner (which consisted mostly of bribery m&ms) ended up all over the back of Ryan's neck.  So there we were, me and my two boys and they were covered in puke I was in tears and the world was just passing us by.  We headed to the bathroom, and I was all proud of myself for remembering to bring an extra set of clothes for the kid, but none for my man.  For the rest of the trip Ryan had this faint stench of bebe vomit coming off of him.  Poor guy.  

We paid for two seats and ended up geting the whole row.  Thank goodness
....

First stop, Pretoria.  Pretoria serves as the executive/administrative capital of South Africa and is also just an hour away from its sister (and major) city Johannesburg to the south.  Compared to other places we've seen in Africa, Pretoria (like much of the rest of the country) definitely has more of a western feel to it.  Deep in the heart of the old northern Boer country, Afrikaans is also widely spoken as one of SA's two main language.  It's a little like Dutch but with more German, English, and Malay mixed in.  I actually picked up on a lot of it, thanks Mom, Susi and Daniel!!

One the first day in, we took a tour of one of Johannesburg's suburbs, Soweto (which stands for SouthWestern Township).  For all you history buffs, Soweto was one of the most important locations in the struggle of non-whites against the Nationalist Party government during the extreme racial oppression and segregation of Apartheid in the later half of the 20th century across the region.  Soweto is not only home to Walter Sisulu square (where SA's Freedom Charter was adopted) and one of Nelson Mandela's homes.  Soweto is also both a living history book and cross section of society which one discovers while traveling through.  Side by side stand sub-communities of decrepit long rows of former mine workers houses, brand new modern (and still empty) housing developments, and shanty towns made of tin, cardboard, or anything else handy.  The city itself stands as a living reminder of SA's past inequalities and a version of a possible future.  The Soweto Tour was one of my highlights of the trip.  Our guide, Sipho, was very knowledgeable, kind and willing to have a good time with a bunch of crazy Americans while still keeping with what needed to explained.  It is an area of the world that, I feel, everyone should see or at least learn about.  Its crazy how the world works, and sometimes doesnt work.  The Apartheid Museum was wonderful and very moving.  

Soon we were on the road southwest across the country towards Cape Town. Road Trip!  Traveling through the High Veld of Guantang Province towards the Cape allowed to experience the true South Africa that many people miss by simply flying between the two major cities.  The driving also gave me plenty of opportunity to practice my stick-shift driving in a car with the steering wheel on the right while driving on the left.  It took a while to stop signaling my lane changes with the windshield wiper but I finally got it.  Luckily, our noble steed named Bessie had an "oh crap" bar installed.  I used it frequently.  

The smaller towns vary greatly in what they have to offer as did our hotel experiences.  The majority of the time, however, we stayed in very "at home" feeling bed and breakfasts and were treated to some very nice fare and good old-fashioned Afrikaaner hospitality along the way.  Especially beautiful was the scenery driving through South African wine country nestled in the valley's near Stellenbosch to the east of Cape Town as well as to the north.

South African Wine Country

We figured out early on that the time we allotted for driving everyday was very much exaggerated, so we had a lot of time to do touristy things when we arrived at our destinations.  I looked up things to do in Bloemfontein, and the first thing that came up was the Cheetah Experience.  Oh.em.gee.  I got to climb into cages with giant housecats!  Well, they are not domesticated in any way shape or form, but still, they liked to snuggle and play and can slice open your jugular in one swipe.  Its called adventuring, people!  But this place is a not for profit sanctuary that takes in big cats that need a home.  It really was one of the coolest places ever.  

Nice kitty.......

Our eyes were really first opened, however, when we came across the warnings about baboons in the road.  People, do not take these warnings lightly.  Soon we found ourselves dodging these little (big) guys in the middle of the road as well as the other drivers who would simply pull off to the other side of the road and stop to get a closer look.  Nope! Those little buggers will come IN your car.  And steal your stuff.  And possibly steal a baby.  Those baboons were serious, and dangerous!

Baboons (and yes, we're on the proper side of the road.  The other car is not)

Once clear of the baboons and entering deeper in to wine country, we happened upon peculiar vendors standing on the side of the road selling grapes.  Feeling adventurous, we stopped (again in the middle of road....joining the club) to buy an entire box of grapes for 50 rand which is an amazing deal.  Little did we know (until later) that there's a chance that these grapes may or may not have been legally picked and sold.  Ahhh..illicit grapes.  They were so good though....

Illicit grape vendors

GRAPES!  Five dollars for the whole box!

Sign telling us not to buy grapes....after we bought grapes

Cape Town was like a beacon of hope after wondering the wilderness of central South Africa (and only once running in to a locked gate on "Famer Jan's" property on the way to the hotel thanks to Garmin's awesome directions.  We happened upon a gate, nothing too serious.  But as I was getting out of the truck to open said gate there was a man watching.  Seriously watching me.  I proptly turned around and ran back to the truck, and the man continued to stare.  Until we were well passed his property.) 

 The city literally appears out of nowhere once you crest the valley(and go through a serious tunnel) in the shadow of Table Mountain.  It's so lively, and westernized, and relatively well kept; it's like a cross between San Fransisco and Chicago.  On our first day, we took a short drive south from our hotel to the Cape of Good Hope and saw the exact point where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean.  It was quite a hike but the kid got a sweet ride out of it.

At the end of the earth at the Cape of Good Hope

We weren't done adventuring, so on our way back in to to town we stopped by Simon's Town and saw some African penguins hanging out on the beach.

Cape Town's waterfront is a bustling center of activity including shopping, eating, and just hanging out.  It was also the starting point for our boat ride over to Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent the majority of his 27 years of imprisonment for his role in the fight against the oppressive policies of the Apartheid government back in the 50's and 60's.  The prison is closed now but was set aside primarily for political prisoners back in the day.  What I thought would look like Alcatraz ended up being at least 20 times bigger, the island not the actual prison...that was quite small,  and included not only a prison but a quarry for hard labor, and entire town for the staff where people still live today.  It was truly moving hearing the history of the struggle and prison conditions from a former political prisoner who actually served time there.

Nelson Mandela's Cell on Robben Island

The sign says stay off the rocks (in English and Afrikaans).  People are so good and following directions

Before leaving Cape Town, we wanted to get a better view so we head to the top of Table Mountain via hanging gondola; we were not disappointed.  Another opportunity to see the point where two oceans meet plus a better view of town including one of the stadiums that played host to the 2010 World Cup.

TWO OCEANS!

Just hanging out over Cape Town

World Cup Stadium

On the way north out of Cape Town (on our way to the Namibian border) we stopped in Vredendahl and Springbok.  Both wonderful stops with some well deserved rest from our time on the road before crossing over to our next country.

The fam with Flicka and Diva!

In the next installment: Namiba! (Which in my opinion might be one of the best countries in the world.  And I am not saying that just bc I am half German.  I truly is wonderful!) Stay tuned. 

Traveling with a P.I.T.A. written by a crazed momma bear

Traveling with a Pain in the Ass is the only way to title this blog entry.  I am sorry of those who see my kid as that who can do no wrong, but let me tell you....

Where are we going this time, Mom??

So traveling through the many airports that we have as a family is fine.  Tag team is the game and we dont play around.  Ryan and I can tell when the other has had their limit and usually swoop in before there are adult tears along with toddler tears.  But, Knox and I have been on THIRTEEN flights together since December.  More of half of those were just the two of us.  As most of you know I am a terrible flyer as it is. I had an awful experience on a tiny little Cessna, and have not been the same ever since.  Anyways.  I would go the 'liquid courage' route, but its usually looked down upon when you have a little one with you.  

This blog post is not just about me bitching and whining, I promise.  I am writing to tell you flying with a toddler alone is a very hard thing but I hope that I can offer any tips and shortcuts to help anyone else out there that might be in the same situation.  

Dang, he sure is cute.  

 First and foremost.  If you can buy the kid a seat, do it.  We didn't think about this on one trip just K and I took back to the states and we were both miserable.  Sure holding a tiny, three month old baby who sleeps like a cat for twenty hours a day is alright.  But trying to hold a 30 pound jittery bouncing toddler who is throwing a fit bc he is overtired is a different story all together.  We booked the flight and bc I had 'an infant in arms' they gave me a bulk head seat, which was nice.  They offered me a bassinet that attached to the wall in front of me and I scoffed at the weight restriction and put my giant kid in that damn bassinet, it was only supposed to hold up to 15 lbs.  I got a good two and a half hours to myself, which was nice. And he refused to go back in the bassinet for the next eight hours. (the lady next to me, not so nice...she told my kid to hush, so I told her where to shove it.) 

He was scrunched up like a sardine, but he slept a little while!

 Snacks.  The one thing that will make any human happy.  Especially delish ones that you have never had before like fruit snacks, lollipops and m&ms.  You know I am not all about being totally organic or vegan or anything like that (but if you are, good on ya!).  But Knox does not get things like that on a daily basis. But you better believe he did while on those planes! Even just the offer of letting him have one made him turn into putty that I could make do what ever I pleased.  Muuuuaaaahahaahhahahahaha.  

Electronics.  My kid could say Ipad before he could tell me what number came after one.  Am I ashamed of this fact, yes.  Has the Ipad stopped me from shoving him into a strangers arms and walking away, yes.  He is better at using that damn thing than I am.  But what ever makes him happy, he can have it from time to time.  He can watch the same episode of a show at least three times before he gets bored, and that gives me at least 30 mins of non-Knox time.  Oh and Bose noise cancelling head phones are awesome.  They stay on his giant head and I cant hear the annoying yap of Elmo over and over.  

Sleeping Schedules.  If you are a stickler for your kids schedule, flying through multiple time zones is not for you.  Just give up now and stay where ever you are.  But with my experience, just let them sleep.  You will both be happier when you reach your destination.  And any schedule can be fixed in a day or two. Plus, flying towards Africa is sooooo much easier on the body.  We should just keep going that way on our next trip back to the states...

Running Around.  Usually the only time I get up and out of my seat on a plane is to go to the restroom, and I have been known to shove my way back there during boarding and right before deplaning.  Yes, I am that girl.  (I think its the idea of the toilet contents splashing if we hit turbulence YUCK) But with K we just had to get up and move around.  We did laps, we hung out with strangers, we both squished into the bathroom together.  Anything to keep our mind off of how many more hours we had on the giant tube of steel. But while in the actual airport, oh that kid got a work out.  One end of the terminal to the other, multiple times.  I dont care if our lay over is 30 mins or 30 hours, we both need to get some energy out!   

Patience.  Everyone has it, I promise.  But some times finding it is the difficult part.  I have been that person on the plane that rolled her eyes when they see a little one sit behind them.  But you have to think about what the caregiver is going through. Everyone on that plane has some where to go and to be, and we will all get there with better attitudes if you dont start in on me and my kid.  (See above about grouchy lady in seat 24b) Tension on planes and even in the airport spreads like wild fire.  I am sure it has to do with everyone not being in control and having the airline Gods dictate everything.  Give a sweet smile to someone who looks like they are having a difficult time, or even lend a hand!  I have asked strangers to watch my sleeping kid so I can take a breather or go to the rest room.  I mean, are they going to steal him?!  Where would they go?? There would be at least twenty witnesses to the kidnapping anyway. Hahahahaha, I kid people! 

Language.  Sure there is one person in every crowd that speaks English.  But will you be that one person?  It usually is me.  As my facebook friends read last week, I almost got on a plane to Tunis bc I couldnt read the signs.  Sure, its still in Africa but about 1,000 miles in the wrong direction.  Just be aware of what is happening around you. 

Vices.  Perhaps that isnt the right name for it for some, but I consider Knox's pacifier or p'ta his vice.  Anyway, if it makes them feel better, give it to them.  If it will help with a stressful situation, let them have it.  It was a new rule in the house while in Ohio that K could only have his p'ta while in bed. But he was allowed to have it the entire time we were traveling, It just a fight I was not willing to deal with.  

Airport and Airplane changing tables.  Most airports with in the US are pretty nice.  Clean and have soap and water.  In other parts of the world, not so much.  Charles De Gaulle is absolutely disgusting. Pack Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer.  And lots of it.  

Carry ons.  I HATE those people that are so cheap that they stuff as much as they can into a carry on that is way to big and bring it on the plane with them.  Giant pet peeve.  HUGE.  Buuuuuuuut....Knox had a pretty large bag of just toys on these last two flights we took.  Snacks, balls, stuffies, p'tas, extra clothes, books, Percy the Mail Train, and even a set of stacking blocks.  And I had a backpack. It was quite awkward carrying it all and chasing after a kid but we made it work and I didnt get told my bag was too big,  So there.  

Future pilot?  This momma sure hopes not!
 But maybe then I can sit in First Class!

Flight Attendants.  They can be your best friend or your worst enemies on these flights.  I am always nice perhaps too nice sometimes.  Always, until you are rude to me.     But they can make or break a flight in a matter of an instant.  On a flight from Rabat to Paris, I was told my "Electronics were too loud" after Knox had pulled out the head phone cable and I was scrambling to plug it back in.  Seriously and with all honesty, you could hear it for about four seconds.  Bitch.  But on our latest flight from Paris back to Rabat, not the same lady, the flight attendant sat with Knox so I could use the bathroom.  With a grain of salt people, but dont test me. 

Well, I hope that this post will help anyone traveling with a toddler in the near future, or just give you a rough overview of things that you can encounter.  In the month of June we are taking 4 flights and in July we are taking 12.  ::deep breathes::  So there might be more to add after those adventures!  

This about sums up our attitude when it comes to air travel!

Niger

Welcome back, reader.  For those of you keeping track, it's been a while since I last posted our trip to Western Africa.  Since then, I had the pleasure of returning to Dakar, but this time it was for work (and therefore not very interesting as far as this particular blog's intent).

Over the past month and half, however, I did spend my time in one of Western Africa's lesser-visited countries, Niger (living in the capital, Niamey).  Again this was a business trip, solo, working alongside the good folks in the embassy to both help the mission there and broaden my experiences as a Foreign Area Officer in training.  Being more of an actual business trip, I didn't get to go out and explore as much as I would if it were another cultural exposure trip like back in January.  However, I did get out of the city a little and I definitely got a strong sense of the city life in Niamey traveling everyday through it for work.

Niger, another of West Africa's former French colonies, lies in the Sahel region, a semi-arid transition zone between the Sahara desert in the north and the coastal forest to the south.  The word "Sahel" means "shore" in Arabic, which appropriately describes the particular physical geography of the country.  Niger is also one of the poorest places in the world--dead last on the human development index.  This is by no means a garden spot; however, the country is important for numerous reasons.  Niger is one of the world largest suppliers of uranium.  Unfortunately for Niger, economic agreements signed with western powers at the time of independence have pretty much ensured that most of that uranium money goes to foreign mining companies and not to the country itself that desperately needs it.  Another major reason Niger is important is its geopolitical setting between some of the baddest dudes in the world, Al Qaeda of the Maghreb (AQIM) to the west, ISIS to the north, and Boko Haram to the south.  Needless to say, a lot of countries have a vested interest in the security of this region and have paid a lot more attention to it for the past 3-4 years.

My first weekend in town, my colleagues had prepared a trip just outside of Niamey where we would ride camels across the Sahel then ride in a pirogue (long, narrow boat) down the Niger River looking for hippos and crocodiles.  I've never been as uncomfortable as I was for an hour on the tilted, rickety, wooden "saddle" affixed to my poor camel for over an hour.  We rode through scrub brush in to a village where we were warmly greated by children who loved trying to hold your hand (perhaps to check out what's in your pockets, but who knows).  The trail was hot and dusty, but most of dressed for the part with authentic headgear.

After our dromedary foray, we all piled in to the wobbly pirogue (cursing the fact that we brought electronics) and took off down the river.  The scenery was beautiful, dotted with the occasional village or fishing cooperative, and of course river wildlife.

It didn't take long for us to have some company in the form of a 3000 pound friend who was just checking out what we were doing in his neck of the woods (or water).  Happy to say hello, we stared at each other for a few moments until he started making towards us and suddenly disappeared underwater.  At that point, we all decided the best course of action was to continue on down the stream rather than let our new friend get a little more up close and personal.

"Hey, that rock just moved...."

Not part of our expedition, but this tortoise lives at the American school just adjacent to the embassy and I thought it was cool.

As for everyday Niamey life.  As I said, it's not exactly a garden spot.  Poverty is evident.  It is not uncommon to find fields of trash where sanitation services simply do not exist.  In the majority of places (even across Niamey), goats and chickens outnumber people.

I say Niamey is poor, however, only in the strictest economical sense.  Formal employment is low and many live on a dollar or less per day.  Rather than be kept down by these circumstances, however, the people in the city hold on to a certain industrious, and optimistic spirit as well as a pride of where they are from.  The majority of the people I was able to talk to did not feel sorry for themselves or feel the government (or the West) owed them anything (outside of one protest of college students who wanted a larger cost-of-living stipend....but they're college kids, of course they're going to complain).  The people I met were proud of their country, being "Sahelian," and developed a sustainable lifestyle and routine without complaint based on what they have in their life (something Americans can one day maybe learn)

"What are you looking at?  Haven't you ever seen a goat in a dumpster before?"

As I said, most of my time was focused on work withe Nigerien military.  My job gave me the chance to see first-hand how much assistance the US and other foreign powers provide Niger in the interest of common security.  The military still has limited capacity, but they are a proud and professional force to watch as they gain momentum in taking on forces that try to destabilize the region.

At a handover ceremony with the Nigerien Army.  I'm the awkward one in the back.