Prayers and Thoughts for Kenya

This post will be brief but, I don't think I can conclude this blog without mentioning the insanity that happened in Nairobi since I've left (just one week ago today).  Last Saturday, 9/21, The Westgate Mall in Nairobi was attacked.  Several people were shot, grenades were thrown, hostages were taken.  The death toll went up over the course of the days after the attack was initiated.  This evening (9/24) Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta declared the siege over, giving a death toll of 61 civilians and six security officers.

In this lifetime, I will never understand how people can kill in the name of their religion.  It will never make sense to me.  Rather than waste my energy on that, I will focus it toward thinking about the families of the victims who's lives were taken senselessly and prematurely.  

Another reminder of how precious life is.  I hope that I never allow myself to forget.

There's No Place Like Home

The most stressful part of the trip home was the drive to the airport.  Thankfully, we gave ourselves plenty of time because a ride that should have taken 30 minutes at most took almost 3x longer.  The team that left the night before said it took 2 hours to get through the queue.  Luckily, that wasn't the case for us.  We got through check-in and customs quickly and made it to our gate.

We had a brief stop in Amsterdam and another in London and, when I say brief, we really just got off one plane and went to the gate of the next.  This is the view I got of Amsterdam before I left:

Very quick and painless.  In all, it was about a 24 hour process.  I was able to upgrade my seat to Economy Comfort for the last leg of the flight which made a HUGE difference.  After a few hours of sleep, I vowed to remain awake so I could get myself back on EST.

The worst part of the trip home was that Mary Kate's bag got lost.  They told us (after waiting for 30 minutes or so) that it was on the next flight.  As far as I know, it still hasn't made it.  Damn it, Delta.  You were doing so well!

When I got home, I got showered up and then pampered myself a bit (mani/pedi, baby!) before picking Vincent up from school.  I don't think I'll ever forget the look on his sweet face when he saw me.  11 days of being away from this guy was NOT easy...

I challenged myself to stay up as late as I could last night.  My husband and I started watching the most recent episodes of Breaking Bad.  I made it 15 minutes in (it was about 8pm) and I started dozing off.  Of course, Michael nudged me saying "you have to watch this...it's so good!"  I think he quickly realized that wasn't going to happen.  I made it to my bed in time to fall into an 10 (or so) hour coma.  A much needed one.  

And, because life is never dull, the other thing I had to make sure I did when I got home? 

Call the Dekalb County Courthouse to see if I had to report for jury duty.  Let me give you a hint...(this was for you, Ken!)

I showed up, bright and early at 8:15.  And, after waiting for 3 hours, I was free to go...until I am summoned again (12 to 18 months from now).  Believe it or not, I ended up working a full day my first official day back. I was beat by the end of the day but, relaxing at home would have been a challenge with so much going on.  

All in all, an adventure-filled couple of weeks.  I have to say, it was definitely one of the most productive shoots I have ever been a part of.  I WAS IN AFRICA! And I got way more than a lousy t-shirt.

Baby Tembos

Monday morning started off with a bit of sleeping in (first time in a while) before our last breakfast at the hotel.  We were able to extend checkout until 2pm so, that gave us some time to get organized, pack and take what would be our last shower before getting home.

Some of you asked to see some pics of the Fairview which is where we stayed for about 4 of our 9 nights.  I was going to post some of mine but, stumbled upon this video and realize now that there are several parts of the hotel I never got to see!  

Anyway, after a late lunch, we checked out and met our driver out front - bound for the Karen Blixen Museum. Well known for her books "Out of Africa" and "Babette's Feast" (none of which I have read...yet) among others, it was fascinating to see her home and hear about her history.  

The tour kicked off with a briefing and then a walk through the house and the surrounding grounds.  We learned a lot about the history of Blixen's life in Kenya and saw some of the equipment she used to get her coffee business started.  

1922 Fordson Tractor Model F

Her coffee plantation failed due to the soil being to acidic.  As a result, she was forced to abandon her home there. I had no idea what a coffee tree looked like but now I do.  And so do you...

After the failure of her coffee business, Blixen returned to Denmark where she lived the rest of her life.  The Nairobi suburb that stands on the land she once owned is now named "Karen".  It's a beautiful suburb of Nairobi.  If I had to live in Nairobi, it would be in that area (assuming, of course, that I could afford it).  Since we had time to kill before going to adopt our elephants, we went to the Karen Blixen Coffee Gardens for a coffee and a snack.

Next stop, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.  You need to sign up in advance to see the animals and, if interested, you can adopt a baby elephant for $50.  As part of signing up, you pick an elephant, adopt them, get an amazing packet of information about your elephant and then monthly updates on how your elephant is doing.  

During our visit, we also saw a sweet, sweet rhino named Max.  He's a 4 year-old rhino who is vision impaired.  I've never really thought of rhinos as cute but, let's face it.  Could you really resist kissing this sweet face?

Everyone was crowing around the limited space to see him so, I wasn't able to get much footage of him at first.  I snuck back over once the elephants came out.  

Oh yes.  The elephants.  

Essentially this program works to protect and rehabilitate two animals who are poached for their ivory and horns.  The little ones are sent out to pasture during the day and brought back in at a specific time to feed and rest inside their stables.  There's a very clear process that's followed.

The reserve is open from 5 to 6 each day and you have to make an appt. After meeting Max, we were ushered over to the back "wall" of Max's pen and were told to wait.  So, we stood in anticipation of what would happen next.  

First, these little elephants came running down the path toward us (the picture will right itself after a few seconds, sorry!)...

followed by these guys...

and then these little guys.  

And, this is the last of them. Note the particularly, um, determined one that runs by at the end.  He was literally two feet from us.  WARNING - You might want to turn the volume down before watching this one.   

As each one ran by, their names were called out.  And, I knew immediately, which one was meant to be mine.  Well, ours...I did it as a gift for my Michaels - my husband and my son (Michael) Vincent.  Here name is:

I'm not sure why she stood out to me but, she did.  And, when all the little elephants were in their spots, everyone sort of scattered to get a closer look and, I looked for her and when I found here, there wasn't anyone else there.  We bonded.  She ate.  She drank.  And, she even farted.  Which made me laugh.  

Isn't she beautiful?  Sweet Lima Lima.

After I spent some quality time with my girl, I went to fill out the paperwork and make it official.  Then, I was off to find Mary Kate and see her little beauty.  I couldn't help but get this video of the elephant next to hers.  I think it was drinking and blowing its nose, all at the same time - blowing bubbles.

And then, I had some alone time with Max and got to get some video of him before we left to head to the airport.  

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!

The shoot was complete yesterday and I am finally caught up on the blog.  As it turns out, we had a day or two of fun before returning home.  Today was always meant to be a "safety" incase of weather or some other issue beyond our control.  Vincent, Jonathan and Derek are leaving tonight.  Mary Kate and I will be heading out tomorrow night.  

Since we got all of our shopping in, we wanted to visit some of the local sights and the Nairobi National Park was high on our list.  We left the hotel around 5:45am to make it to the park gates right when it opened at 6:15.  To give you an idea of how large the park is, it covers 117km (72 miles).  It took us 4 hours.  Yes, I said "4 hours", to cover it.

Below are some quick facts about the park:

• It's the only wildlife park in the world that is so close to the city

• Home to the black rhinoceros: which is an endangered species

• The first park to be gazetted in Kenya on December 16, 1946

• Major rhino sanctuary for breeding and restocking other parks

• Has over 400 bird species. At least 20 of which are seasonal European migrants.

• Home to over 100 mammal species, four of the Big Five (lion, buffalo, leopard and  rhino)

• Has a spectacular wildebeest and zebra migration

Finding some of the animals was like a real life game of Where's Waldo. And, I must say, we were pretty good at finding them.  I took as many pics as I could but, given that it was with my iPhone and in many cases they were far away, you're going to have to bear with me. The black rhino was particularly hard to capture but, I had to note it someplace.  I wish we'd seen one closer up but...I am thrilled that we saw everything we did.  And, yes, I did have to look up some of the animal names online.  If you knew what a Dassie Rat was then...you watch too much National Geographic.  Just sayin'.  

We got George (our favorite driver) back and he came to pick us up in a van where you could pop the top up so we could ride along like this:

It was a truly amazing experience. In an effort to address my video embedding issues, I went ahead and created a YouTube channel so I could link to some of the footage caught. I got some great covered at the entrance of the park when we happened upon a large group of baboons.   The first baboon video is innocent enough.  The second video is, shall we say "NSFW"?  Enjoy.   

We were lucky enough to see:

Baboons

Lions

More Lions

Eland

Cape Buffalo

Dassie Rat

Monkeys

Antelope

Impala

(Reticulated) Giraffe

Ostrich

Wildebeest

Gazelles

Hippos

Zebras

Marabou Storks

Crocodile

Spider Monkeys

Black Rhinoceros (Circled in Red)

Our first encounter (past the entrance) was with some female lions and their cubs and they were beautiful.  I also got videos of some eland, the one black rhino we saw from a distance (like the picture you'll have to look very hard at that one but should see him moving), impala, zebras, ostrich, and giraffes. 

At one point as we drove around, we happened upon a spot for you to park and get out - AKA the Hippo pools.  We were required to wait until the guide came to get us and walk us down the path to the river.  He pointed out several things along the way, including the type of dung we saw (and sometimes stepped in).  And we saw A LOT.  Our guide happened to be a leader in the Masaai tribe whose village backs right up to the park.  

He pointed out different plant types along the way too, including a sand paper plant - which, after researching, I found is actually called ficus exasperata and has been/is used for many things - mainly to help shape and smooth wood.  

We then got to a man made bridge which was built 3 years ago.  As you can see in the picture below, the water isn't visible but, in the rainy season, he said it goes up to the base of the walkway.  

What I found interesting was that lions and monkeys and other animals without hooves are the only ones that use the bridge.  Because it's made of metal, animals' hooves made a very loud knocking sound that they don't like so, they tend to avoid the bridge. Fascinating.

He told us more about the animals in the park, their habits, patterns, etc. The crocodile we were able to get a picture was perched on the edge of the water in a place that we wouldn't have been able to see on our own.  He looked over the edge of the drop-off to the river and pointed it out to us.  I wondered how he knew to look for it there so, I asked.  During that part of the day, the sun shines on that particular side of the water so, the crocs typically sun on that side.  When the sun moves, they migrate over to the opposite (more visable) side.  

This park was so amazing and if you make it to Nairobi, make time to see it.  Find an experienced driver, in a 4WD vehicle and go for it.  OH!  And, bring some binoculars and an adult camera if you have one.  

Once we left the park, it was back to the hotel for lunch and some R&R.  The guys had to pack up and check out.  We regrouped for our "last supper" at a nice restaurant in town called The Talisman.  Then, the guys and Flora headed to the airport and Mary Kate and I headed back to the hotel.  We check out tomorrow and have the day to spend in town before our late evening flight home to Atlanta - by way of Amsterdam and London.  

Tomorrow we plan to hit the Karen Blixen Museum and the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage where I plan to adopt a baby elephant.  I'll be sure to share pics and stories.  

Unsolved Mystery

5:30 am Saturday arrived VERY quickly.  Especially after a late night trying to keep this blog updated with very dodgy wifi.  It showed four bars but it was giving me LOTS of attitude. Yes, this is where someone might say "1st world problems" and it would be 100% true.

This particular shot required rubble which we were thankfully able to find very close to the hotel.  In an effort to make sure we caught everything, we planned to shoot both at dawn and dusk. In preparation for the morning shoot, Derek worked hard to get the CARE box placed just right.

The talent was great and our morning session was wrapped up within 2 hours.  This left us with some free time so, after breakfast, we went off our own.  I promptly returned to my room, shut the curtains, armed myself with my sleep mask and took a long nap to catch up on the sleep I didn't get the night before.  

Our new driver arrived (George had been our driver and we LOVED him so) and was kind enough to take the scenic route to our destination, so we could drive by the President's house (taking pictures was prohibited) as well as an overlook where we could get a shot of the Nairobi skyline as seen below (and slightly distorted - I'm still trying to get this whole "panoramic" thing down).  

Because we weren't going to shoot again until late afternoon, we had some time to do one of my favorite things.  Shop.  We went to a great store/market called Spinners Web where I did round two of purchasing items for friends, family and colleagues.  The current exchange here is 85 shillings to the dollar so, things are actually more affordable than they would be at home.  

After shopping, we had a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant and then returned to the hotel to prepare for the afternoon portion of the shoot.

So - you may be wondering "why did Ginger title this entry 'Unsolved Mystery'?"  Well, when we returned to our location, (which was supposedly locked up and secure while we were gone) we found that the flat platform of concrete that we'd shot on in the morning had been destroyed.  And, it was ONLY that particular spot.  Nothing else seemed to have been touched.  We couldn't (and still can't) think of a reason why someone would do that.  

Was it a coincidence?  Perhaps it had been untouched all week because whoever was working on it had another job M-F and they had some time to work on it on Saturday?

OR

Was it the guys who owned the lot who did it?  Perhaps thinking that since we'd left that morning without paying them (because we knew were coming back) that they were going to take it out on us by messing with the scene?   Not sure about this thought either - they would have needed some serious equipment to break up the concrete like that.

We'll likely never know (most of us assume it was the latter of the two).  Thankfully, this was the worst thing to happen to us all week and to say "worst" is an overstatement.  We shuffled around the rubble to create another flat spot to set up the shot and went from there.  Derek and Vincent carried on in their usual loving way.  

After another couple of hours shooting as the sun descended, and Vincent said those well known words..."it's a wrap" bringing our amazing shoot week to a successful end.  We went back to the hotel for a quiet dinner at the pool side restaurant and called it an early night.  

No shooting on Sunday but, we had plans to go to Nairobi National Park and if you really want to see the animals, you need to get there as soon as it opens (6:15am).  

Random notes from Saturday:

• Our driver was very sure to tell us that, if we had our windows open, anything of value (cameras, purses, etc.) should be kept out of sight.  He then said "that's why people call this city Nai-robby."  I'd been here a week before hearing anyone say that.  
• Vincent (our photographer) relayed to us the origin of toasting (that it came from a fear of being poisoned) which I found interesting but, when I looked it up, I was told a different story.  The true origin for any history buffs, can be found here (and I am assuming that this site is accurate).

Holy Cow!

Thursday's shoot was amazing (just like Wednesday) but, we needed one more thing before we could leave Kajiado.  We needed to find a cow that we could photograph to complete this particular story.  We had a few options - but wanted to check with the owner of the lodge to see if he had any cows we could use.  Fitting in perfectly with the "everything falling into place" theme of the shoot, he did.  And, better yet, they were right in his back yard. 

So, Friday morning, we were up at the crack of dawn to 1) get that great light and 2) get the cows prior to their going out to pasture.  There were several cows to choose from but, we selected our "winner" pretty easily.  And, she was a pro (Mary Kate referred to her as Naomi but, because she was so sweet, she switched it to Christy Turlington or just Christy). Check her out!

Christy literally did everything we needed her to and after about an hour of shooting, we were done.  Because we weren't in a rush, we had some time to walk the grounds before having a delicious breakfast at the lodge.  On a clear day, you can see Mt. Kilimanjaro.  And now you can too!  We were told that the snow cap is typically much bigger but it's gotten smaller and smaller over time.

I also took some nice pictures of the grounds.  I think I mentioned before how great this place was.  I've included one below but you can see others on this travel site.  Each building had 3 bedrooms - each with their own bathrooms.  There was also a common area with a small kitchen (which we didn't need because they cooked our meals and they were delicious!).

After we finished breakfast and got the car packed up, it was time to head back into town. Our shoot location for Saturday is actually right around the corner from our original hotel - the Fairview Kenya.  So, we headed back there and back to the land of traffic and technology and wifi.  We settled in for a nice lunch poolside and then Mary Kate and I got some more work done before calling it a day.

Friday night, we enjoyed a meat-filled meal at a restaurant in town called Carnivore which was recommended by a few people who knew I was coming to Nairobi.

Think Fogo de Chao - Nairobi style. It was a bit of a tourist trap but, it was fun and we got our fill of protein.  Here's a pic of Derek enjoying Ox Testicle.  You'll have to talk to him about a description of what it tasted like.  I stuck to the more common place proteins.

After sharing some desserts and coffee, we headed back to the hotel for a good night's sleep in preparation for an early call time on Saturday morning.

Just a couple notes from the day:

• The owner of the lodge (I really wish I could remember his name) referred to Nairobi as "The Grey Forest".  He couldn't be more dead on with that.  
• In Kenya (and I would assume all of Africa?) Diet Coke is Coke Light.  

  

Eyes Wide Open

Wednesday was a near perfect shoot day.  Flexibility meant going an additional night without access to our "things".  We'd been told to pack a day/overnight bag as we were supposed to be heading back to the city after shooting on Wednesday but as things shaped up, the plans changed. That's right.  This city girl was forced to wear the same outfit twice. Not sure if I mentioned how dusty/dirty we got on shoot day.  But, I sucked it up. Look at me!  Roughing it!

Thursday morning, we were up early to grab breakfast and head back through Nairobi to pick up our things before heading to Kajiado - home of the Masaai people.  The original "plan" was to head out to our lodging, unpack and then do some location scouting.  Our producer, Flora (who is honestly one of the most on-the-ball producers I have EVER worked with) had some locations in mind.  We were looking for a Masaai manyatta.  And, preferably one with some cows.  

We checked in at the Masai Eco Lodge and, while it may be highly unlikely that many people I know have plans to head to Kenya anytime soon, if you ever find yourself going on safari - talk to me. This place was amazing in every way - and a lot less expensive than the Sweetwaters Tented Camp I mentioned before. I feel would likely be a truly more authentic experience.  The owner was so sweet, as were the people that worked there. It was a little oasis in the middle of the bush.  The rooms were very nice and very safe. And, they can accommodate large groups.  The view was spectacular.  Below is a pic of Derek snapping some pictures of the view (and I will share some others later).

Once settled in - it was time to scout our location.  We spoke with the owner of the lodge to see if he had suggestions other than the ones we knew about.  He mentioned that there was a manyatta up the (dirt) road that we could check out and warned us that the man (AKA Peter) we'd be negotiating with would be "difficult".  He made a call and Peter showed up on a boda boda with a friend and hopped in our car to lead the way to his home. Side note: Thankfully, we were in SUVs with 4WD because to say the ride was "bumpy" would be a severe understatement. 

Ironically, the team assumed that Mary Kate and I wouldn't go along to scout the manyatta but, after Wednesday, we thought we'd better be there.  Should our great luck strike again and we turn a scouting trip into the shoot.  And, it did.

Peter was definitely a tough negotiator but, then again so is our producer and my new hero.  

But, before I jump into that...this city girl who is out of the country for the very first time has to say something.  My visit to Africa has been amazingly eye opening in so many ways, but none moreso than my visit to this particular village.  This specific experience gave the term "1st world problems" new meaning. Their way of life is so different than ours. I stress out at the thought of no wifi for a few nights.  These people live in huts that they've crafted themselves and tradition isn't a suggestion but a way of life for them. Yes, I've read about different tribes and have seen them on/in National Geographic but to see them with my own eyes live and in person is a different story.  Incredible.  And, don't get me wrong - what I felt wasn't pity.  What I felt was their happiness and their love for their way of life. Their traditions.  Very eye opening when I am sitting here thinking that I want to see videos of my child and chat with him via FaceTime each night, let alone the shows on TV that I am DVR-ing while I am gone.  Judge if you must.  But, admit it, you're starting to think about how much it would suck to miss the next episode of "Breaking Bad" or checking in at the next location at Facebook.  Nothing wrong with that. It's what we know. 

Anyway, the children were so amazing - smiling uncontrollably - some of them flirting even, with their sweet eyes and smiles.  Clearly, none of their faces buried in Nintendo DS's, iPads or laptops.  And the women - the grandmother and her daughters - the other mothers within this particular family - were absolutely striking.  Most of which were wearing traditional garb (as seen in the Masaai people link I shared above) with amazing beading and ear piercings.  And, they were just as fierce at negotiating.  Once we'd decided we'd be shooting there (and then) we started taking some casual pictures.  The grandmother immediately said "No!" and waved her hand in front of the camera.  "One shilling!" she said, "one shilling!". That's right.  You want a picture, you pay for it.  I didn't necessarily "pay" for this one.  

So, the shot was blocked off and everything was set up.  Derek, very carefully setting up the CARE box at just the right angle...

And, so the shoot took place.  Different circumstances than the water pump.  Very sunny. Very hot.  Very little shade.  And, yes, my new Columbia safari style hat made an appearance (notice there's no picture?) and while I felt like the dork I probably looked like, my head, my ears and the back of my neck remained unscathed.  Uh huh. That's right.

The manyatta is where the cows, sheep and goats are kept and it was right there.  So, there were a LOT of flies.  It was very dry and very dusty.  What's amazing is that the space where they keep the cows is surrounded by woven sticks and twigs (no barbed wire like we see everywhere else).  Below is a panoramic shot I took - to the right, you can see where they keep the cows (which were out to pasture at the time).  Further, you can see all of their huts and some more of the beautiful women to the left.  

Throughout the day, the children were so playful and kept asking us to take their pictures so they could see themselves afterwards.  I must have taken ten pictures of these two sweet girls over the course of the day.  

All in all, another successful shoot.  We wrapped, got everything sorted, got the cars packed and headed back to the lodge where they had a lovely dinner prepared.  We cleaned up, met in a beautiful stone common area for some Tuskers and then sat down in the dining room for dinner.  Chicken, rice, cabbage and greens - all organic and all grown on site.  Once dinner was done, we retired to the outdoor fire pit for some conversation and an amazing view of the stars.  

Who needs wifi when you have that?

Before I am done with Thursday, I wanted to share a few more random notes from the highways/roads of Kenya:

• I had mentioned the crazy drivers in an earlier post.  During our trip to Kajiado from Nairobi, we ended up playing at least two games of chicken.  And this wasn't from our passing other people.  This was from them passing on their end and being in our lane until the VERY LAST MINUTE.
• My Fitbit had me clocked at 200 flights of stairs climbed in a 24 hour period.  I didn't climb nearly that amount.  It was taking the bumps we'd hit in the car and counting them as steps.  Let's do the math.  Roughly 12 steps in a flight of stairs x 200 flights = 2400 stairs.  Or, major bumps in the road.  
• Kenya has the best coffee.  Truly delicious.  There's a chain here called "Dorman's" which is great - their store-made pastries are fantastic.
• "hujambo" = "hello" in Swahili.  You don't really hear the "hu" so, it really just sounds like "jambo".
• You don't drink the water here - every place you go has bottled water - flat and/or sparkling
• DelMonte has a huge presence in Kenya - the pineapple fields at the plant are massive.  The pineapples tend to be less sweet and a bit more sour than the ones we enjoy in the states.
• It is dangerous to be on the roads at night.  You probably put that together after reading about the crazy driving.  For more reasons than one, you stay off the roads at night.  It's really an issue of hitting other people/pedestrians or for fear that they may hit you.  
• Speaking of safety - several places we went had guards like these outside their gates. This made me feel both more secure and more scared at the same time.  And no, your eyes are NOT deceiving you.  Check out that machine gun.  Side note: See the guy in the side view mirror?  Meet George.  Our driver and so much more.  Love you, George!

• KFC delivers in Nairobi.  Yes.  Like, to your house.  It's heavily advertised.  That said, I made the revelation that I have yet to see a McDonald's in Kenya.  Wow!
• When you're driving on the highway you will inevitably see a lot of buildings under construction.  Some of them look new.  Some look just unfinished.  All of them use "sticks" like these rather than what we're used to seeing which is 2x4's.  I am sure the sticks are strong but, it amazes me to see a bunch of these basically supporting a LOT of concrete/cement blocks.  Here's a big pile of them spotted at a construction site.

The Water Pump from Heaven

Our water pump scouting took us to the Marura Village Dispensary which is supported by the Ol Pejeta Conservancy which was right across the street from the village.  The conservancy also happens to be home to the Sweetwaters Tented Camp (perfect for you "glampers" - I'm told it's $700 a night to stay there).  As we drove by toward the village, we saw a few friends through the fence.  

Anyway, the pump was perfect.  The location and lighting were spot on and the pump was functioning.  When we pulled up and starting getting out some equipment, some of the villagers came over and we found our star talent and, low and behold, we started shooting.  

The Village was miles off the main road so, as you can imagine, seeing us there was causing quite a stir and the villagers started congregating.  They were very friendly and spoke great English.  It was fascinating to learn more about their way of life.  Below is a picture of my new friend Rafael - who chatted with me and other folks on our team quite a bit.  He's holding their version of a shovel.  It looks much like ours, only the metal part of the shovel is actually bent at a 90 degree angle.  

Shooting went very well.  Several friends have been asking me why we couldn't execute this shoot in Atlanta - or someplace closer.  Much of the work that CARE does (56%) is here in Africa so, it makes sense to be here.  It also allows us to capture situations in their real environment (vs. being staged) and we end up experiencing things like random herds of animals cruising up the road and into the background.  Priceless.

After three hours or so of shooting, we wrapped it up for the day and did some quick celebrating with the villagers who were so welcoming and wonderful.  Again - I have an amazing video of them singing but...technology is not my friend today.  Below is a pic of some of the villagers who spent the afternoon with us.  So lovely.

Remember that whole "go with it" thing?  Our location scout turned into the actual shoot. Two shots.  One day.  Fantastic.  Next up?  Need to find a village and a cow.  But, not before celebrating the successful day with the team over dinner.