The bleak landscape of East Falkland Island came into clear view as I pressed my cheek against the plane’s cold window, surveying this remote island. Scrubby bushes peppered rugged hillsides, and one paved road dribbled off over a rise. Next to a few lonely airport buildings at Mount Pleasant Military Complex, a British flag flapped […]
Shopping at the Mwanza Market A summer program with Crossroads Africa was my first trip out of the United States. In Malawi, I helped build a dormitory and discovered I could go to Africa and return safely. Leopards at my Door is the story of my two years in Tanzania as a teacher at Bwiru Girls Secondary School. Mountain […]
Bower A short drive from the campground with the tawny frogmouths, we pulled over again. Twenty feet off the road, Chris pointed to a fascinating structure made of twigs tucked under the overhanging limbs of a leafless shrub. He explained, “This is an old bower, probably made by a Great Bowerbird, native to Australia and […]
This is the text of a book by the same name available from Amazon. Included in that book are two related items: Mountain Women, and Gifts from the Poorest of the Poor. When the Peace Corps invited me to teach in Tanzania, I was delighted. I had passed through East Africa on my way home […]
My group of fourteen birders and our Audubon guide, Steve Robertson, gathered in Cairns, Queensland in November 2007, springtime in the southern hemisphere. Migrating birds flying north to their breeding grounds were at their peak of color when our tour began. In contrast to birding in developing countries, I knew Australia would be relaxing and […]
A few months after my 2001 tour to Antarctica, I shared lunch with four new friends from that trip. After thoroughly discussing our previous excursion, reminiscing about the exciting times and difficult moments, someone boldly asked, “Where to next?” Immediately, I said, “Madagascar!” And another friend chimed in, “Yes, Madagascar!” Ring Tail Lemur It was […]
Chapters: Meeting Damiana | 1.Going Fishing … or Not | 2.Exploring | 3.Camp Life | 4.Trips to Town | Looking Back One day there were ten kids in camp and for several days there were none. Then five more children and one mother arrived with another great load of food. That night the treat was fresh flour tortillas with […]
Mwanza 16 January, 1966 Here at last! Steve Sterk, Winnie Golliday and I climbed onto the train in Dar-es-Salaam with several others in our group. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) usually take second class, but those seats were sold out, so Winnie I and travelled first class. The car was a bit younger and cleaner than […]
Butterfly (ip) Wednesday, May 3 Dear Family, Back at school after four days at Ukiruguru, an agricultural training center on the other side of town. About twenty teachers gathered to learn techniques for teaching field biology. For our first exercise we caught giant grasshoppers, abundant on the grounds, then killed them with chloroform and mounted […]
Cradle Mountain Janet de Morgan In northern Tasmania we encountered the raven-like Black Currawong, a cousin to the Grey Currawong we had seen in Sydney. The bill is heavier and longer, the body leaner with some white on the end of its tail. They hung around the lodge and picnic areas in search of meals […]
Chapters: Meeting Damiana | Going Fishing … or Not | Exploring | Camp Life | Trips to Town | Looking Back San Carlos sign on the hillside After a wonderful stay with Damiana and her family, Robert decided he was getting neither better nor worse, and that we should pedal on. The thrill of discovery had worn off for me. We were getting lazy, […]
In high school, I had read Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing, first published in 1959. When I learned about this dramatic exploration, my imagination went wild. I have always loved true adventure stories and this account of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition was riveting. The descriptions of Antarctica and its severe polar conditions fired […]
(Photos by Allen Denison, Reed Harrison and the author) Okavango Delta, Water Trails, Islands After a night in Maun, Botswana, my tour group of sixteen helped carry our chairs, tents, food and kitchen equipment to the two flat-bottomed motor boats for the first leg into the Okavango Delta. Four of my family and I were […]
Willing to try anything during my Peace Corps service, I applied to be a temporary instructor at the Outward Bound Mountain School. Located in Loitokitok, Kenya on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the school courses were for men with one exception. Once that year, young women from secondary schools throughout East Africa participated in the […]