I am in Niger

I have successfully made it to the town of Maine-Soroa in Easter Niger. Finally was able to get my internet connection on my mobile phone up and working today. Hopefully I can resume regular blogposts. Although this is the slowest internet connection I have had so far, I do have electricity here!

I actually arrived in Niger a week ago. My bags did not arrive with me but I was able to reunite with them three days later. While I was waiting for my bags to arrive I had the privilege of going on a two day safari with a friend. We saw giraffes, elephants, crocodile, buffalo, birds, lots of animals similar to antelope and the beautiful Nigerien landscape.

We were supposed to sleep in a hotel but we ended up sleeping in a tent. We were not prepared with blankets or pillows, but the guide at least went and found us each a sheet to use. Let me tell you that it gets really cold here at night. We ended up sleeping in every piece of clothing that we had. It may be over 100 degrees during the day but it dropped to at least the 50s at night. My body had acclimated to constantly hot and very humid Zanzibar weather.

After the safari I spent a day in the capital city collecting all the last minute supplies that I would need for my journey to the East.

My journey to the town of Maine-Soroa was made up of a two day bus ride. I was impressed with the quality of busses (except I think there was an issue with the tire on the second bus I was smelling burnt rubber each we leaned to the right). On the first day the roads were great and the bus was fairly empty, the second day there was standing room only (I had a seat) and the quality of the road diminished (sometimes to the point of avoiding the road and traveling across the sand).

So here I am; another new culture, another language, no local friends and having to learn how to live all over again.  It is always an adventure.