In that earlier post, I said I didn't want to start a new blog on a more general theme, because it would mean admitting to myself that I was finished with Tanzania. Well, this blog has already become more general, or at least less Tanzania-themed. But I'm keeping the same name, because I'll never be finished with Tanzania. I don't know when I'll visit again, but everything about Tanzania will stay with me and will color everything I see here. Much as my two years living in the Philippines in 1982 and 1983 still colors everything I see here, and colored everything I saw in Tanzania. You never finish with those other places and people; they come away with you. So thank you, Tanzania and K2, for the big adventure.
And since I stopped posting back in January, my readership seems to have gone up! I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Anyway, it's mostly based on tourists at Kenyan and Tanzanian beaches trying to find out if an insect has actually laid eggs under their skin. The answer to that question is usually "Yes! And you'd better do something about it!" So I'm providing a public health service by keeping this blog in place.
Good bye for now, Tanzania...
What's next? Who knows? Not me, that's for sure. I have wandered away from my home in Utah, where allergy season is in full bloom and I could expect to have a sinus headache every day for the next five weeks. I'm in Tucson for a few weeks, because I like it here. A lot of retirees move to Arizona. Maybe I will, too. It's a test run. But I notice there's palo verde and mesquite pollen everywhere. Wherever you go, there you are--and it's allergy season.
Hello, Tucson...
...where the prickly pear are blooming.
Just look at all that pollen!
I'm into the second course of the Stanford Continuing Education Online Creative Writing Certficate Program. That continues to keep me busy. I'm learning lots and enjoying it. So maybe, in addition to the big adventure, I'll get a book out of Tanzania. But that'll be at least a couple of years away, so don't worry about my blog going all promotional and author-platformish just yet.
Oh, thank goodness you're back! I was starting to get worried! I think I mentioned that we lived in Arizona for quite a while (Tempe)and one of my biggest shocks was that my allergies in Arizona were as bad, if not worse than, as they had been on the East Coast. Surprised me, since it used to be that people went West to improve their health, especially if they had asthma or TB or whatever. According to what I heard, all the East Coasters who moved West (and brought all of their East Coast plants with them) are to blame - either that, or the air pollution from all the cars (in Phoenix, we had days where you could distinctly see the 'brown cloud' floating over the East Valley...blech. Whatever the reason, we had plenty of allergy misery in AZ - I sympathize.
ReplyDeleteWe have talked about someday retiring in AZ as well - would probably have to be somewhere like Cottonwood or Sedona or Prescott - far enough out of the Valley to get out of the really brutal heat, but not as far as Flag or Williams so it wouldn't get too cold. Picky, aren't we? We just want to be somewhere where we have options...
I'll be looking forward to whatever you write - in or out of Tanzania!
So good to see you back. I started reading following a vacation I took in Tanzania and wanted to find out more about the country but I'm happy to follow you with whatever you do and wherever you go. I'm in the UK so anything from anywhere in the world is fine by me. Not long back from a vacation in Mexico - another country I've fallen in love with and hope to return to some day. I'm now Googling like mad for more info while I relive that vacation by producing a photo book. In between Tanzania and Mexico I've been to Bali, Lombok and Cyprus - I've been spreading my wings! Vacations are not quite the same as living and working in a country but at least it's better than staying at home and insular. In between I read blogs like yours to feed my wanderlust - LOL!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you blogging again and I appreciate the update on your life! Also, only you would ensure your blog contains a public health message - you rock ;-) Carol
ReplyDeleteBarbara, you are such a free spirit! I like Tuscon and have a good friend there. We go to Gallup about once a year to visit Alex's relatives on the Rez. I think you enjoyed Hawaii, but it's awfully small for a long visit.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see you posting. I check on you frequently. Let's keep the same title for your blog! It has a marvelous ring to to it!
i'm in the same place with my blog-thinking about leaving it-now that i am leaving africa...but don't really want to
ReplyDeleteI feel like I'm kind of limping along, blog-wise, back in the States. I really want to keep it going,but it seems harder to get to it and write posts. Part of it, I guess, is that, although I'm having a lot of fun and running all over the place, it doesn't seem very exotic so it's not as easy to seize on a subject for a post. And also, I'm finding it much easier to keep busy here than in Tanzania, so I have less time to blog. I think I have to find my stateside groove. Maybe you'll find your Scotland groove!
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