difference

A panther and a monkey are different, but is one of them worth less than the other? You think it is a stupid question and you are right. Continue thinking it is stupid when it comes to people. Being different is normal. Everyone is different from the other. I am different from you. But your are not more or less because of the colour of your face or because of your father: that is ridiculous. If somebody can be your friend, how can he ever be less than you or than someone else? (from "Oeroeg", Hella Haasse)

Safari Masai Mara - 7-8/05/2010

On 7th and 8th of Mai I went to the Masai Mara. Amazing. Look at the pictures and the films.

All animals



Leopard??



Happy Hipo!

If you can't reach me...

Dear Client,
We've received communication from our backbone providers, TEAMS and
Seacom, that there currently is a fault with the South East
Asia-Middle-West Europe 4 (SMW4) cable used to connect our internet
communication into Europe, North and South America (SMW4) between
Alexandria & Marseilles.

This requires urgent maintenance by SMW4 consortium to be carried out
between 24th April 2010 and 28th April 2010

During the maintenance the ship has to locate the cable, make the
adjustment and drop it back into sea. As all ship related work is
highly dependent on the environment (Wind, Rain, Snow etc.) there may
be deviation from the above planned maintenance window.

Map of SEA-ME-WE-4 Fibre Undersea Cable

Throughout this exercise, there will be disruption of Internet traffic
for the entire East Africa region.
Please find below the details of the maintenance exercise:

Date: Saturday 24th April to
Wednesday 28th April 2010

Time: 0700 UTC/GMT 1000hrs (Local time)

Service Outage: Significantly slow speeds and
latencies during the entire maintenance period

Ticket Number: 143165
We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

A world without planes

interesting article by Alain de Botton

Tsavo Safari

Italy, October 2009

After I had left Turkey I received the news that I would not go to Taba (Egypt) but to Kenya and I would leave only on the first of November (and in the end it was only the 17th of November). Time enough to go back to Italy. Italy does not need many words, it is just there. Beautiful landscape, good food and wine and… all my friends of course…

Summer season in Side…

I am in Kenya right now, but many people ask what I have been doing last season. I spent my second “Thomas Cook” season in Side, 65 km East of Antaly (Kemer lies 65 km West of Antalya and is completely “opposite” of Side)


Training with theory and practical exercises.


Follow the ruler …

After the training a trip to the Turkish Riviera:
Waterfall from Kursunlu


Kursunlu


The old theatre of Myra


colleagues at the theatre…


De lycian toumbs in Myra


Saint Nicholas has been bishop here …


Action & adventure on jeep safari


Waterfalls of Manavgat…


Locals…


While the others go to Cappadocia, I accompany a famtrip: travel agents of Neckermann come to see how the hotels look like. And after that, I start working. The same job as last year.

As our chef thinks we also need some relax once in a while, he organises a crew-day. Is it a coincidence or not, but it is my birthday today……
Fun on the water …
Rafting

Another crew-day in Mai: Green Canyon. Again on the water, but much more relaxed…


On my day off, I go alone for some adventure: parasailing. High up in the sky you have a nice view over Side. But I experience something you hardly can imagine: seasick up in the sky!


June… my niece Melissa on honeymoon. We chat a lot and spoil ourselves in a hamam.


In June starts the “Aspendos festival”. Some calissical concerts can be seen in he old, well preserved roman theatre of Aspendos. The atmosphere, the illumination, the surroundings, the decor… an unique experience of which I take profit.



Aïda.


Carmina Burana, with live orchestra and ballet!


July and August: very high season: not much free time. Just to relax I organise a “spaghetti evening” with my Belgian boys…

The young lady on the picture is Marcela, de Czech tour leader

At the end of August I have again some time for new explorations: Sagalassos was on top of my list…

One week later I go to the east: Alanya Alanya peninsula and port


Ruines from the church and fortress.


Again one week later I leave history and culture behind and look for an unforgettable experience: swimming with dolfins …


Some more adventure: togheter with Elien, girlfriend of colleague Kenny, we go for a day “canyoning”. IN other words: a battle agains hard streaming water …””


Click on the picture to start the video (and turn on the speakers)

Is I have won against the water, satisfaction is very high.


Belgian crew-afternoon. We feel like monkeys …


Mario follows me..


Time for some more culture (as my muscelles are painful) … The theatre of Thermessos


graves in the rocks of Thermessos


2nd of October, season is getting to an end. So I call again all the “Belgian boys & girls” for an evening dive. Unfortunately we didn’t see any turtle.

October 12th, I am flying home. This is the end of my Turkish adventure, also this second season has been very nice. Thanks Perislav, Mario, Evelyn, Freek, Maarten, Kenny, Carl (my Belgian guys) but also Bart S. and Jetske, Charlotte, Liesbeth, Serena, Bart B and all the others. It was nice working with you. Who knows where we will meet again.