The move to blogger

Anyone who has visited my previous blog has probably noticed that I have redirected my domain (maryannwelke.com) to Blogger. I had previously tried to set up my own blog site using Joomla (open source software). It seemed to be working well enough, but I started to encounter some problems over the last few days and I don't have the time or energy to figure out how to fix it given that I am leaving for Africa in FOUR DAYS! I figure that the last thing I want to be doing while travelling is spending time in internet cafes trying to get my blog to function properly. Blogger offers all the functionality I need at this point in time:)

There were a few pre-trip posts on the old blog - but I didn't bother copying them over. Mostly because I was informed by some supportive colleagues (that's you Peter and Bill!) that my site "sucked" and was "lame".

Hopefully it will get more interesting when I actually hit the road!

Today my colleagues took me out for lunch to say kwa heri (goodbye) and safari njema (have a good journey). We had a fabulous dim sum lunch on in china town. Thanks to everyone for coming and for your thoughtful gifts!

Here's how my work colleagues sent me off:

A generous donation on my behalf to Spread the Net - a charitable organization that provides mosquito nets for african children to prevent malaria.

A keychain flashlight to I can see my way.
A compass so I don't lost.
A lock so my bag doesn't get robbed.
Hilarious head gear for safari (see pic)
A bottle of wine and a travellers cork screw.
Safari socks (to be worn with sandals? - not a chance)
"No jet lag" pills
'Long Way Down' by Ewen McGregor and Charley Boorman

And some of the words of wisdom written in the card:
"When the road ends, turn."
"The journey not the arrival matters"
"Until lions learn to write, hunters will tell their stories"
"Simba mwenda pole ndye mla nyama - bahati njema" (interpretations of the innermost meaning of this proverb our welcome!)
"Hakuna matata"




And finally - my personal favourite - a chineese proverb:



"You learn a lot more from your journey than you can learn from reading many, many books"

Thanks everyone!!