Africa Plans

Today I woke up thinking about Africa. I am planning a trip in 2008. The purpose of this trip is to visit my sponsored child (Miriam) in Uganda. I don't know how I did it, but I was also able to convince my parents to join me to visit their children (Paul and James) in Kenya. Since I have friends in Tanzania, I have to stop there as well. My friend Meg got back from her trip to Africa a few months ago. Visions of her pictures keep scrolling through my head and I found myself wishing I would have been there to share those memories with her. Her sponsored children are in Rwanda. I am the prayer group leader for Ghana, so I would like to go there as well, but it is conveniently on the other side of the continent. Since my job pays for me and Jay to go to Central America in 2008, we have to make up the difference if we upgrade to Africa. So we have been saving and actually doing a really good job so far. We are banking about $1800 and still have a couple years to go. This I find encouraging since we were never able to save anything in the past. Of course, I have been extremely blessed because we won $1000 right off the bat the last time we went to Cripple Creek. I also won $500 in playing BINGO on the cruise, so that went to pay for our cruise and other expenses. I am also hoping to accomplish a dream I have for my life... shark diving. Not any shark diving, either, but with the Great White! I could go to Cali or somewhere closer to go find these creatures, but the best place to go is Seal Island which is off the coast of Simonstown, South Africa. Have you seen the specials on television about "Air Jaws"? Well, this is the charter that I have been in touch with since 1999 - before they got popular. I have numerous photos and posters of their work and I get their newsletter monthly. It is great to know I might actually be able to achieve an encounter with a Great White! So, that means I will have to have enough saved up to visit: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Sorry, Meg, you are on your own for Rwanda!
Anyway, I just thought I would let you know about my plans in advance. It also makes me feel like it is actually going to happen. Sometimes I think I get caught in a dream state and then I realize that I don't have the money or the right stuff to be able to go. I also need to get scuba certified. I really want to lose weight so I do not look so scrumptious to the sharks. Lots to do! I am sure it will be here before I know it. After all, it is already 2006!