Yeah, my posting activity has definitely declined. Our travels have shifted to revisiting places we loved. I also took my 10-year retirement anniversary as a reason to finally create a coffee table book of my favorite photos, so I have a little less incentive to go out and “get the shot.” However, we had never been to the East Coast of Africa, so in March, we joined a ship to explore. Most people use these stops to go off on safaris and inland adventures, but since we’ve already done that, we mainly enjoyed the coast and played some fabulous golf courses.

In Zanzibar, Tanzania, we were joined by our Kiwi friends and enjoyed the stunning beaches and the Freddie Mercury Museum.

While there was certainly a lot of poverty and we likely wouldn’t return, we found the people to be incredibly friendly and welcoming. We’ve often been asked if we felt safe. Honestly, we rarely worry about that when we travel – even in the USA, despite 120 gun deaths per day. People publish lists of safety practices that make most want to stay home. We have one rule: “Don’t be stupid!”

I left my wallet in a restaurant after lunch one day. After walking about two blocks in 100-degree heat, a woman ran to catch me and returned my wallet with all its credit cards and cash. In Maputo, Mozambique, we rented a car and drove three hours to Leopard Creek, a famous golf course in South Africa. The next day, I returned the car and took a taxi for 40 minutes during rush hour—it was crazy traffic. When I got to the ship, the rental agency called to say they had underbilled me by mistake AND I discovered that I’d left all my camera equipment in the back seat of the car (violating the “don’t be stupid” rule). Since the ship was leaving in two hours, I was afraid to go back. The taxi driver volunteered to take $100 to the agency and return with my equipment! When he returned, he brought his son to meet me.

There are bad people everywhere, but we find that the overwhelming majority of people are wonderful if they’re treated with respect.