Going to go to Botswana!



For me, the journey to Botswana started back in 2002. For my birthday in 2003, I wanted to do something unusual. I’m grateful for the life I have. I truly believe that life is a gift from God. Thus, I wanted to do something fun and adventurous but also I felt a deep sense of gratitude for all I have so I wanted to find something where I could give as well.

Having done some local Habitat projects, the idea of doing one overseas made sense.

Thursday, June 26

I got on a United airlines 767 to begin the long voyage to Africa!

Plane rides in economy class are not real comfortable. But between reading, napping and seeing the mildly entertaining film Daredevil, I was doing okay. An added pleasure was finding out my seatmate was a fellow UC Irvine Anteater. She was suffering with a cold and wasn’t too talkative until the end of the flight after she had gotten a fitful few hours of sleep. She told me she was planning to study international law and was on her way to a summer internship in Tel Aviv.

New York was sweltering under a hot and humid summer. I got to my Comfort Inn in the Upper West Side of NYC on 81st Street. I used Hotels.com to get my reservation there.

Lincoln Center was walking distance from the hotel and so I went there to catch a show. I asked about the jazz concert but was told the cheapest seat available was $50. I went across the to the NY City Ballet and got $15 standing tickets for Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer’s Night Dream" (music by Mendehlsohn).

The usher told us (about 5 of us) at the standing areas we could claim empty seats once she left. And so we did! What a bargain, eh?!

The leisurely pace of a ballet was just right for me that night. A frantic dash to Broadway lining up for last minute tickets would have been too much.

Had dinner at a Turkish restaurant after the show and called it a night.

Friday, June 27

It was 85 F at 7:30AM! Went for a jog in Central Park. At 10am, I went to see the National Design Museum and later went to the Guggenheim gift shop. I wasn’t willing to part with $15 to spend so little time in the famed museum. Lunch was a sandwich and Gazpacho (a cold soup) on 82 nd and Columbus.



The Lincoln Center where I saw the ballet the night before.

The famous Guggenheim.


Taking a tourist shot in Central Park.

Plaque commemorating John Lennon near Strawberry Fields in Central Park.






Dave and Naomie



Emme, Enzo, Diane R and Diane D.



Jon and Diane D.

On the bus to JFK I saw Enzo our group leader!

While at the airport I discovered you can’t mail anything. They sell stamps but no mailboxes! I begged a shop owner to please mail the birthday card I had in my hands. I was pleased to hear when I got back to LA that my friend did receive the card. What can you say about the kindness of strangers!

At the airport we met up with most of the team.

Enzo was our the group leader and he is a retired banker from NY.
Dave is a school teacher from Wisconsin.
Naomie is a college student from Florida.
Diane D is journalist from New Hampshire.
Emme is our precious (a nickname we gave her on the trip to fondly tease and annoy her!) high schooler and Diane D’s daughter
Dianne R is the NY attorney.
Jon is an engineer from NY.


Jonna, Kathy and Richard got on board at some point but I didn't get to meet them until we got to JoBurg.
Jonna is a mom and an attorney (but looking into other things) from Portland.
Kathy an engineer and mom from Portland also.
Richard is in the financial services business and from Los Angeles.

George is an elementary school principal from Pennsylvania flew to JoBurg via Atlanta so we met up with him over there.

Natalie’s baggage got onto our flight but for some bungling by South Africa airlines her seat got given away and we didn't get to see her until Sunday in Gabarone. South African airlines eventually got her on a KLM flight to JoBurg via Amsterdam and paid for a hotel stay in JoBurg and got her on a morning flight to Gabarone on Sunday morning. Natalie is a schoolteacher from Wisconsin.

So that is our team! The lucky 13 that got to go to Botswana!







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