In a time when we all feel more than a little trapped it has been wonderful to join Reach the World as a Traveler, supporting their mission to give youths access to global possibility and global empathy. Revisiting the cycling ride across Botswana through their eyes has been hilarious and I believe deeply in RTW’s goal of enabling young people to find their adventurer within.

Fall 2019 I returned to Malawi with a new partner organization, Marion Medical Mission. The non profit group builds wells for the rural poor in Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi where even clean safe water is unavailable to many.

Although I typically work with a team on film projects, as the director, collaborating with a cinematographer, due to the extremely tight timeline (I was asked to leave for 5 weeks with 8 days notice) we couldn’t realistically scout, plan and put together a team.

I’m in western Maine looking out over a smooth slate blue lake reflecting the burnt autumn foliage of the mountains under stormy New England skies, even as in my mind I gaze back over the past few months. Exactly a month ago I sat high on a steep hill looking out over the vast cerulean blue of Lake Malawi, imagining Tanzania and Mozambique somewhere out of sight, trying to understand my weeks in country as I swatted the persistent flow of micro ants off my dress.

When I arrived in Livingstone, Zambia to join African Spokes, Jen Gurecki gleefully warned that I should be prepared to be “the most disgusting version of myself.” An organizer and veteran of the 70 day trip, riding from Nairobi to Cape Town, she was on to something.

After the African Spokes crew departed to the south of Windhoek to traverse Namibia's gravel roads on their way to South Africa I headed to Hohewarte Guest Farm for a few days, to slow down from the perpetual motion and reflect before I headed stateside.

I did not realize that this former Colonial Police Station and Post Office located on thousands of hectares of land at 1400meters above sea level would in itself be such a special experience.

Camping outside for 2 weeks, we got into a routine, and the midst of wildlife, all a big part of being in Zambia, Botswana and Namibia.

Chobe National Park in Botswana is famed for its abundant wildlife, best seen from a water safari, and is an amazing region where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe all come together along the mighty Zambezi River - the only intersection of four countries in the world.  This is one of many areas I hope to return to, and travel west across the Caprivi region of Namibia.

Days were measured in kilometers traveled, and wildlife spotted, and the butt pain meter. But most exciting was this day, and the 14 elephant day, including many babies, almost white from the salt pans.  When we passed most they raised their trunks in unison, trying to figure out what we were, bicycles not being very familiar.  For this reason we rode in packs when in elephant territory.

I have arrived in Livingston Zambia a few days before I am set to join Leg 4 of the 6 Leg cycling expedition called African Spokes.  The trip runs half the length of Africa, from Nairobi Kenya to Cape Town South Africa, crossing through 7 countries and over 6500 km in 68 days of riding on a range of road conditions you might expect in, well Africa.  Participants from around the world are joining in a leg or 2, and 6 hardly souls are riding the full 3 months.  I was still training indoors while the snow fell outside my home in Boston when the first group of riders set out towards the Masai Steppes in March, and the group will arrive in Cape Town in late May.