The Ferryman

Dear Michael, Thanks, Respects and Inspiration to you (Michael Jackson)

Thanks Michael for all those great music videos in the 80's.  You were a leader, an innovator, doing completely new and great things back then.  You entertained us when we took a break from our studies in college in the early 80s, and tried out this new MTV experience at the time.  (It was much more interesting back then!)  You were a Thriller!

Respects to you Michael, we played and danced to your songs last night, and were not alone.

Inspiration Michael, if we can take inspiration from your tragedy and Childhood legacy you could not shake off, it is that we should take some more time to reach out to our family, friends and contacts.  Even if it is that business partner, don't just always email them, get on the Skype with them, talk and get some understanding, build some shared meaning, reach out and support. As you said:

You are not alone, I am here with you
Though you're far away, I am here to stay
You are not alone, I am here with you
Though we're far apart, You're always in my heart

And if you want to collaborate folks in this flatter world don't be alone and far away. Reach out!

The Ferryman

Walking with Lions and Licked By Cheetahs; a visit with the Mukuni Project in Zambia

On the way back home in November from our expedition in Namibia, we stayed a few days in Livingstone in Zambia. As the rains had been falling on and off for two weeks, the Victoria Falls there were very pretty when we visited them.  But the really interesting experience was discovering and visiting a new lion and cheetah re-introduction initiative: the Mukuni Project.

More on our experience there below!

Experiences from Expedition work in the Caprivi Delta

In November we went out to work on a new community-based conservation project in a remote area of Northwestern Namibia called the Caprivi Delta. The approach was that a group of 12 volunteers including Nicki and I would travel to a new base camp there and help the local scientists with their work on the project.  The project is working on gathering information on the local wildlife in two large areas of wilderness which form two relatively new wildlife parks.  In between the parks are conservancies where the locals live in small villages.  Most of the local villagers are small subsistence farmers, i.e., they have a few cattle and goats, plant a small number of crops and use fishing and plants and wildlife from the local bush to provide themselves a basic living.  The people there are very poor by western standards. They have no doctor in the area, no computers or playstations, although a village may have a radio and more recently a mobile phone which is often shared!  Most people have to walk to school, work or to get water.

(continue reading continuation below if interested!)