On the romanitic side, Africa conjures up images of safaris and animials roaming the plains. On the negative, images of famine, poverty, and war. For me, Africa represented a physical challenge in the chance to climb Kilimanjaro. When we decided to go Tanzania, preparation and planning for the trip revolved around training for the climb, buying the right gear, and choosing a route and a company to take us to the top. I spent little time thinking about the place, the land, the people, or the culture. Interestingly, it was that I ignored that intrigued and interested me most when I finally was there.
