The Farm

Shelia and I posing for the camera. It was very difficult getting a picture cause the dog tried to lick it everytime i set it up to get a photo of me







my fist wildlife sighting! I finally saw a baboon. I didn't get too close cause i didn't want poo thrown at me or other vicious things that happen when animals go wild...






looking over the vast expanses. Here i am dressed for the occasion. I felt like a dungaroo.







Final Destination- 500m drop





















My Hiking Companion Shelia... Boy do I miss my dog Lucy












for a change of pace, here is my solo hiking destination when I was out at the jesuit rest house, "the farm". 4 hrs in the south african sun did a number on my skin. It is a lesson learned and i am sure to lather up once in the tropics









The farm --
I have spent the past few days in the rural parts of South Africa out near Rustenburg at the rest house of the Jesuits. This place, dubbed “the Farm” by the Jesuits is quite wonderful. These men certainly deserve such a retreat away from their work. While living here I have had a chance to see all the difficulties that come with life working in a parish. While at the farm I entreated myself to some pleasure reading (Big Bang by Simon Singh). Within this text I learned that the big bang theory was first suggested by a Belgian catholic priest named George Lemaître. I also had a chance to stretch my Oregon legs and took a four-hour hike into the hills. My hiking companion was a dog-named Shelia. She is a South African mutt who snuck under the fence to join me for this hike. This hot and arid land had a harsh beauty to it very similar to the karoo. I hiked until I reached a cliff that dropped 500 m. On my hike back I spotted my first indigenous wild life. It was a baboon! Amongst these hills there is also apparently an ancient Stone Age settlement. I didn’t find this while on my hike, but all the same it was wonderful just wandering in the wild. Though I hail from thoroughly suburban upbringings, I consider myself very much to be a nature boy and with a decent collection of books I could find myself at home in the most remote wild lands. Well, I like to think so at least. I am now preparing for my departure to Uganda. Bruce’s ordination is tomorrow and from then on the festivities will go until I leave Sunday morning. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I travel. Peace, Mike PS my new address will be Moroto Diocesan House, Nsambya PO Box 7572 Kampala, Uganda