greetings from Amboseli

Hi there! I'm here, writing via generator power via blue tooth cell phone hook up. I'm at a camp at the base of Kilimanjaro where we've spent two nights. The days are spent looking at animals - elephants, giraffe, and BIRDS amongst the most popular so far, except for Henry who loves the cows (just like Grandma Gini). Yesterday afternoon we went to a Maasai Boma (compound of several houses owned by a large family). One of our hosts was a man with three wives and many children. He showed us around and helped Henry milk a cow (I was not a good milker - need more practice without the pressure of 20 pairs of eyes staring at me to see how the mzungu - foreigner - would do). Henry loved it and made a date to walk the cows out to the watering spot this morning. He spent all evening practicing what he might say to the cows if they weren't moving - "Get along cows...Keeeeeep it moving...etc."

Kilimanjaro has cooperated well. Normally it is cloud-shrouded and we're lucky to get a glimpse during the day. We arrived by plane and could see the top of the mountain, but the clouds were thick. But a few hours later the clouds burned off and both yesterday and today the mountain has been wide open for us to see. We hiked through a gully yesterday after driving past a huge herd of giraffe. We tried to count them, most of us using binoculars and large camera lenses, except for Pacuo, a Samburu friend I've known for 21 years. He quickly scanned and said, "42." We not-so-quickly counted with all our tools and agreed with his number. Mike says it's because he hasn't spent years on computers but rather years scanning the landscape.

There is much more to say, but not so much time as I don't want to take advantage of this connection. Just wanted you all to know that we're not only alive, but VERY well. This is an amazing place and I feel very much like I've come home with the environment and old friends who I've literally known half of my life as I met them all when I was a 21 year old student.

Lots of love,

jenn, brad, and henry