Hark! The Plateau's Edge!

The day has come to leave London. I'll be in Greece for 2 weeks, then Namibia for a month, then Ethiopia for 2 weeks, and back to the US. Details for people's records of me:

6/20-28: Athens to achieve my Rescue Diving certification. It's the first level of professional diving and I'm excited to hone these skills.

6/28-7/3: Corfu to relax and explore some island back-country before heading down to whatever crazy adventures I'll find in Africa.

7/3-8/2: Namibia to volunteer on a wildlife orphanage. No internet, questionable phone service. Malaria medication, sunscreen, occasional showers, lion cubs.

8/2-8/18: Ethiopia to join an International Medical Relief mission to Mekele. I'm most anxious about this for several reasons. This will be the first time I've volunteered in medical assistance; I will undoubtedly encounter dire situations and harsh realities in Ethiopia (that the people there live in); Ethiopia has several political and social issues right now beyond a stagnant economy that worry me and will amplify the previous worry. I know the experience will be one of the hardest of my life, but I'm also certain it will alter my perspective and become a resonating experience for me.

Some final thoughts on London...I feel that when I came here, I was looking for exploration, explanations, experiences, and an escape. Now that I'm leaving, I feel I'm looking for more direction and definition for my post-grad life (as well as integration back into my established group of friends). Yesterday, I spent a fairly ideal last day: slept in, took my stuff to store for Africa to Heathrow, had humus beiruty in trafalgar square with delicious gelato (I ate the gelato before the humus, fulfilling my lifelong dream to eat dessert before the main meal), went to the Cortauld Gallery for one last time, walked back along Southbank, napped, ate cheap kebab for dinner, went to the pub and watched a futbol match. Wonderful note to end on!

Mixed News, Campers

Salamanca is beautiful and relaxed. It is the quintessential Spanish college town (from what I´m told) and actually does remind me of an Ann Arbor with older buildings and a crazier night life. I serendipitously timed my visit with a HUGE Castilla and Leon arts festival. Last night I saw an experimental rhythm group from France. They played all kinds of crazy things to make music, and they coordinated a massive fireworks show to boot...This was their last show before last night: http://youtube.com/watch?v=E-YP6Ix2kB4

Lots of explosions. From there, I went to Plaza Mayor and caught a free Rufus Wainwright show. Good times. Tonight, I´ll be seeing Gilberto Gil for free. Nice, yeah?

Now, for the somewhat bad news. My organization with whom I was planning on going to Namibia called me today to let me know that relations between them and the Zambezi reserve rangers have soured. They offered me a spot on the animal orphanage stationed just outside Windhoek, and they will pay for my online ranger training. I said yes since spots were filling up, but said that I would have more questions when I got back to London and could sit in front of a computer to investigate.

The orphanage would entail more hands-on working with animals, trying to rehab them for the wild. Veterinary assistance, prep-ing meals, cleaning cages (hmph). It would not be camping as I had hoped and planned for. There will now be electricity as well as running water and possibly even internet and cell phone access.

So, now I fdace the decision of agreeing to this (after I investigate a little more), asking for a refund and travelling Europe instead, or - this is a recent idea - get a refund and use it as well as my ticket to Johannesburg to get to South Africa and continue scuba diving down there. I don´t know if the money would last me a month though...so that could be a gamble. It could work out for the better though if I can get enough dives in to start working on the next level of certification...more later. no time left at internet cafe...

Where next?!?!? YOU DECIDE!

So, staying in Granada and speaking with lots of travelers who are here only on short stay has made me come to terms with the fact that I have NO CLUE what I'm going to do for the last 2 weeks of June (20-7/3). I figured I would ask you all so that you can live vicariously through me...SUCKAS! Here are your options, I will tally votes and surely let you know in the coming days:

1) Coastal trip through south Spain, diving and experiencing. Continuing to brush up my spanish (which I love!), diving, and playing with monkeys on the streets in Gibraltar. Possible weekend trip to Marrakesh/Tangier via a ferry.

2) Start in Lisbon, dive there (COLD water, but oceans with different species and sights i've yet to see), work my way through the Spanish coast and down to Gibraltar (but no further)...this too can include the trips to Morocco and Tangier...More travelling, more exhausting, more sights, more $.

3) Greek islands/Athens. Diving. Seeing a country I've yet to experience. All 2 weeks around here.

4) Athens for diving for a week. Spend the next week getting to and visiting Prague (and surrounding area).

5) Substitute Prague for Vienna in 4

6) Sardinia for 2 weeks. Diving. Lots of diving...Possibly going up to Rome. But I've seen Italy before and am not as big a fan of this.

Word. If you have any other ideas, let me know. Croatia's out due to my lack of funds for that trip. Best of luck in your own travels! I'll update whenever I can, stay in touch, etc.

Much love to HermHana on her trip to Argentina. Be safe!