Unexpected Africa

Some things I never expect. Like being in Kenya right now. Yup, I just arrived, checked into my hotel, and am trying to sleep, but I can't sleep. I wish I could sleep! Blasted jet lag.

I got a call last week from my old employer asking if I was available to help with a project in Nairobi for a few weeks. Who turns that down? Of course I'm available! (Well, except for my classes, but I'll work them out.) Actually, I was apprehensive about leaving Ben for so long, but he's really proud of me and totally supportive. I also don't like being out of the country during December because it means I'll miss a lot of the Holiday season. But that's just something to complain about in a situation where there's no room for complaints. I'll be home in mid-December with plenty of time to get into the Christmas spirit.

I think this project is going to be a good challenge and an exciting career opportunity. Plus, it's always cool to travel and see a new place. Especially when it's unexpectedly in Africa.

Me and Salvador Dali

Lots of people love his stuff.

As you can see, I'm just a little weirded out by it.

Sometimes I feel like this

Heights

We went camping/canyoneering this past weekend in Moab with Ben's brothers. I lucked out on scoring an awesome family in law. If I had to survive in the wilderness for an unknown amount of time with anyone, I'd pick the Roberts as my crew.

Reason for the trip: this guy, Sammy. This week, he is headed to the foreign state of Iowa for the next two years to serve a mission for our church so we had to get the bros together before he left.

I know my husband is an avid outdoorsman, but I had no idea that he is big-time when it comes to canyoneering.

He took us on a couple of really cool hikes. Here's the top of Elephant Butte in Arches National Park. The other hike, Dragon Fly, made me hysterical - no joke. I was fine swimming through two freezing pools

and doing an 80 ft rappel. But when I had to squirm my way through a slot canyon with my back on one wall, feet on the other and about 15 feet of space to the ground below me only to find a 150 ft drop off rappel at the end, I was no longer fine.

NO WAY JOSE!

The thought of putting myself over that cliff by a rope put me at my complete emotional limit. I cried and I nearly hyperventilated. That's what you do when the only way out is down, and you thought you were brave and have been acting all tough, but you're actually afraid of heights.

This is me crying (I tried to give a little smile) while contemplating my downward fate.
But Ben came to my rescue. He calmed me down and scouted out a way for us to climb out of the canyon without doing the drop. Follow the yellow line in this pic to see our route.

His brothers, who are fearless, did the rappel and said it was pretty cool, but that I would have been really scared doing it. Going up out of the canyon wasn't easy either, even though Ben belayed me up.

Let me tell you, crawling out of a 60 degree angled canyon wall by a rope that is hooked to your husband is quite the bonding experience. Here we are at the top, glad to be out. Yes, those are now my tears of joy that you see here.

We finished the trip with a hike to Delicate Arch. We had a poster of Delicate Arch hanging on the wall of the basement in the house where I grew up. I've always wanted to see it. It's breathtaking! As for canyoneering, we're going to join a climbing gym so I can practice rappelling. I think I did alright with the first three drops of the day considering that it was my first time rappelling ever. I just freaked out for the last one. It's all about trusting your fall. Trusting your strength. Trusting your ropes and the bolts that hold them into the rock and knowing your physical (and emotional) limits. I think I can do it again.

DMV

All I have to say is that the Colorado DMV is a much nicer place than the Virginia DMV. Anyone who has dealt with the Virginia DMV would be jealous of my 20 minute in and out trip. All I needed was to surrender my VA license, which in and of itself was sufficient documentation to complete the application. None of this fill out ridiculous amounts of forms, show me six proofs of your existence, then prove to me that you live here, oh, and you probably should have taken today off since you'll have to come back at least once because you didn't get it all right, and yes, you'll have to wait in our three hour line again, and NO, I DON'T CARE business.

Today, I really like Colorado.