Writing from South Africa

It's getting dark outside and I'm sitting in this quaint little internet cafe in Roodeport South Africa.  Russ is dozing off next to me on the sofa... hardly surprising we spent the last two nights on the plane... but tonight it's a real bed... and a bath.  I figured out a good way of getting out of dirty laundry... wear the same clothes for three days! 

Our flight down here was awesome!  This huge double decker airbus was rather quiet and Air France served up some good food (which I don't say very often about the airplane cuisine.)

This afternoon after arriving late in Johannesburg (fellow passenger got sick in Paris and after much addo they decided he couldn't fly), we had a few glitches while getting the rental car, and  then we found our way (thanks to modern technology... GPS) to the Black Eagle Project.  Not without my driving down the wrong side of  the road at least once... sure scared the guy!  Wondered why he drove off the road into the dirt as I approached!

Black Eagle Project visit:

Then, there we sat on park like bench under a huge shade tree chatting with Libby.  Did I mention the view?  A waterfall coming off the rugged red cliffs along the Roodekrans.  Libby came to visit the project with her son in 1997, fell in love with the black eagle and the rest is history.  For  the past years she rallys the local community around helping the black eagles, in particular to preserve their ever shrinking habitat.  She is feisty woman and takes on huge developers and even the government to speak up for her birds.  The Black Eagles have a great advocate in her!

Wish I could post a few photos of this beautiful place... will do so when I can access the internet with my netbook tomorrow night. 

Off to Paris then on to South Africa!

Ahhhhh!  Where's this?  You got that?  How about the...?  It's scramble time as we pack our bags for our South African wildlife conservation tour.  It's off to the airport in a couple of hours where three cute little grandkids will wave good bye (can do that at the Jacksonville NC airport).  Our cat, Weasel, is staying with our daughter and everything else is safely stored.... we're about good to go then!

Long, wonderful layover in PARIS FRANCE!  How awesome is that?  There I was skimming over the reservation options, looking at the layover times... 11 hours!  We won't do that one... but wait, where is this layover?  PARIS!  Now that's another story.  What an unexpected surprise gift for this trip!

Russ layed out a whirlwind bus tour around this romantic city, along with time for strolling beside the river Seine and of course a stop of to experience the Notre Dame.  You bet we'll be posting photos and sharing the experience.

Then it's on to Jo'burg... 

I Chatted with a Real Hero Today!

On any given day you'll find Christo in the trenches fighting to save yet another rhino from a deadly poacher.

In 2005 Christo co-founded the South African Wildlife Conservation Foundation with the primary objective to preserve South Africa's beautiful wildlife.  Today he is almost obsessed to save the rhino.  For five years  he has sought NPO status without success.  For five years many rhino owe their very lives to Christo and his small group of wildlife warriors.

  

The Endangered Sable Antelope

Today I learned that more than once his hopes for sustainable funding has been dashed. Not too long ago he spent hours providing information, participating in meetings and visits with an outfit professing to help.  Fortunately for all, he discovered just in time that they wanted to turn his safe haven into a hunting ranch!  Then on another occasion, again with hopes for substantial funding on the horizon, it turned out the people only wanted his wildlife to sell off at auction!

With funds low and time elusive Christo hasn't budged from his goal to save the South African wildlife... he is a true warrior who stands firm against the "enemy" no matter how tempting the "mess of pottage" may appear.

Christo is a real hero for South African wildlife.  Thank you Christo!  And I'm sure I speak for many others and especially the hosts of wildlife who owe their existence to you.