Blog World Meets Real Life in Kasane!

On Friday, Val of 'Monkeys on the Roof' blog, appeared in my Kasane office straight off the ferry from Zambia, and we went together to meet Lori of 'Lori times 5' blog - in the flesh! Lori, husband Chuck and sister Lindy had actually detoured off their planned trip to include a couple of nights in Botswana, especially to visit the Daycare Centre in Kazungula (quite famous in my blog, by now, and loved by blog friends! Last write up appeared here)

Lori took these children to her heart, all the way from California, and embarked on a project to create a special gift, made with love, for each individual child. Here's her own story about this.

It's a slightly weird feeling meeting a person in real life, after becoming friends online! However, as I saw Lori materialise on the pathway in the gardens of Kubu Lodge, I recognised her immediately from her blog. As expected, she is just as lovely and genuine as she comes across in her writings... A beautiful, ethereal, soft-spoken person with an aura of something very special about her...

Although the three weary travellers were straight off the road from Zimbabwe, via too many global airports to count, they were whisked straight into the world of the little vulnerable children they had travelled so far to meet. Teacher Emeldah gave them a comprehensive tour, and the slightly sleepy kids responded to all the warmth and love.

Lori (seated), Val (right) and Lindy (left) are shown the kids' schoolwork by Emeldah, while chaos reigns - the exhibitionists in the foreground!

Songs were sung, schoolwork was inspected, and as we got down to floor level with the kids, Lori's and my eternally fascinating locks of caucasian hair were siezed upon and either lovingly stroked or enthusiastically yanked, while 'high fives' were administered by tiny hands with resounding force and gusto!

Each child was given their own soft and cuddly animal-themed knitted hat, and the teachers received some thoughtful goodies for the school, kindly carried around in luggage through the countless airports!

I had to laugh at myself, actually - having immediately gone into boring stereotypical mode (you're a boy, you will have this blue hat...), I was intrigued to hear from Lori that lots of the little boys in her part of the room went straight for the vibrant pink ones - being allowed to make their own choices! Hmm.. how we learn a little more about ourselves and others, every day!

Lots of photos were taken, and I am quite sure Lori will post her own impressions and images of the Daycare once she returns, so I shall stop here.

Group picture, just before saying goodbye

Later that evening we drove out to Elephant Valley Lodge, to join Lori and family for dinner. What a magical setting - with elephants of all ages and sizes congregating around the illuminated waterhole, providing a continuous backdrop and soundtrack for our chilly outdoor barbecue!

At one point, Lori and I stood next to the open the fire together, looking up at the magnificent constellation of Scorpio shining down over the elephants, and we agreed it was a surreal but wondrous experience!

To complete the crazy blog-theme, Val also rang Geli of 'Letters from Usedom' blog, while we were there, and we all spoke to her, to make up for the fact that she couldn't be with us all... certainly not through lack of wishing, though!

I know that Lori was a very, very tired person by the end of the evening, but I hope she will agree that it was a tremendous pleasure to meet up, and I found it a very renewing, worthwhile and happy experience to connect with somebody on such a level, from halfway across the planet, having only ever trusted to and communicated via the written word up till now... Yes, I do love my blog friends, and there sure is a new dimension that blogging has added to life!