Africa

From the time she was a little girl, Wendy aspired to visit Africa because of her father’s World War II pictures and stories including those about his pet monkey. While in the U.S. Army Air Corps between 1943 and 1945, her father visited/was stationed in ten countries (one of which is now four separate ones) before returning stateside. Wendy first achieved her dream in 1997 when she and Rick safari’d in Kenya and Tanzania for two weeks. But clearly, Africa called her back.

The Walleighs moved to Swaziland for six months in 2006 then to Nairobi, Kenya for 2007 to work for TechnoServe as part of their encore careers, also traveling extensively while living there. Since 2007, Rick and Wendy have traveled to Africa several times, most recently in May 2012 to Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique and Uganda. Throughout her travels Wendy has been astounded by how much rural Africa is still similar to her father’s pictures from 60 years ago. Though of course the urban centers are larger and more modern, sadly the surrounding slums are also huge compared to the 1940s. In any case, Wendy recognized how much of a life-changing experience her father’s 2+ years living in Africa must have been for him. Her time in Africa certainly was life-changing for her.

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Uganda: Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary

Uganda: Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary

With their son, daughter and friends the Hubers, Wendy and Rick took a 1.5 hour boat ride on Lake Victoria from near Entebbe to reach Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary.  Almost as soon as their luggage hit the tent floor*, they were off to view chimps from the platforms...

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Uganda: Typical Animals and Birds

Uganda: Typical Animals and Birds

Between working on TechnoServe Uganda projects, Rick and Wendy visited two national parks--Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks--and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Wild Chimp Forest.  Landscapes of both parks, the Ngamba Chimp Sanctuary, and trekking...

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Mozambique: Recovering from Failed Marxism

Mozambique: Recovering from Failed Marxism

As many African countries did, Mozambique began its fight for independence from the Portuguese colonialists in the 1960s.  After a 13-year struggle, Mozambique-- twice the landmass of California--became independent in 1975.  Unfortunately the timing coincided with the...

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Kenya’s Maasai Mara–Animals & Tribal Culture

Kenya’s Maasai Mara–Animals & Tribal Culture

Perhaps two of the most famous safari locations in Africa are the adjacent Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Maasai Mara in Kenya. During approximately August through September, columns with millions of Wildebeests and Zebras migrate back and forth between the...

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Rural Kenya Starts on Edges of Cities

Rural Kenya Starts on Edges of Cities

Though the Walleighs spent lots of time working and living in Nairobi in 2007, during their many visits to Kenya, starting in 1997 and into 2012, they passed through many rural areas of the country.  It fascinated them how rural zones merge with the edges of most...

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