A MEET IN HONOLULU

Looking forward to reading all about your exploits after their visit and seeing some good photo's.

have a good time.

Thanks, Pheonix.... I'm sure we will.  All they need is some typical Waikiki weather!  Sunshine and trade winds!

That's great Emjay (and Shutterbug!) I look forward to reading your reports of the meet (and hopefully seeing the pics) in Hawaii.

In fact, most of us europeans are quite happy to share pics online from meets - and many Africammers; European, South African, American, Australian etc.. have done so, over the 9+ years that Africam has been in existence, via various picture/web sites.

The good thing is that it is now much easier to 'protect' pictures that are posted on the internet - not that we worried over-much about this in the past as most of the pics that we posted were not of any real interest to anyone who might want to 'steal' them for their own use.

However, if you are posting pics, it is advisable to put a copyright to them before posting, if you don't want them to be copyable via a search engine or have them appear on someone else's website. 

Personally I do not have any knowledge about how to do this but if you contact Katja (Africam Moderator) she has a lot of experience with this and I am sure that she will be happy to advise you.

Thanks for the advice, Tabs... Swift and "Iceman" made me paranoid about having our faces photoshoped onto naked bodies and posted on You Tube!  In my case, it would probably be an improvement!  I'll ask Katja how much is involved.  I've never been patented before! 

less than a week to go, and way more than a week's work to get ready to go! i am so excited about not only going to hawaii, but meeting emjay and her family!!!. it will be my first time meeting another africammer! haven't been to hawaii  for 16 years, since our honeymoon, and my 14 year-old son has never been there. emjay has ordered lots of sunshine, and i can hardly wait!!!   ...laurel

I hope you have a fantastic time and a great meet.

Bet it's a bit more than "nippy" in Belgium by now... come on over, Cerinthe! You can learn the hula! 

You going to teach me?

Wish I could, I have not been to a meet in a long, long time, I'm getting itchy all over

Yes im with you Pheonix i can hardly wait to hear all about it...Please take plenty of pics...

Hi Emjay and Laurel

What a nice surprise that you will have a "meet" . And then at a place like Hawaï. Wow.

About pics uhm....it is not Europian but a personal choise, we luckely can make

Wish you all a great time and many laughs!

Thanks, Swift! Over here, I know where all the restrooms are! LOL... Hopefully that will not be an issue! I can promise you... there will be pictures! Laurel has told me I don't have to entertain them, but I do hope they will let me do my thing at our Zoo, and I'm on call at all hours of the day and night if they need me. I'm just down the road, so to speak! I have MORE friends coming to town on the 27th and will no doubt take them around the island. It's fun to be a tour guide! I missed my calling!

No way! you really had one of those and you danced in it? rofl, they do that only in movies! I wish I can see one of them.

I assure you they are real!  just don't believe as some people do that we live in grass shacks!  :-)  Some poor souls come here expecting to see that.  You can... at the Polynesian Cultural Center... google it! 

you don't live in grass shacks???

just wanted to thank all the "well-wishers" from africam! i feel like i'm at a bon voyage party!!! my last weekend evening is slipping through my fingers. better get something washed or somethin. ']

Swift wanted to know more about what work I did at our Zoo... what better place to tell her than here, because I'm very proud of our "little" zoo. Over 15 years ago, we did away with cages where ever possible and opened our African Savanna exhibit. It was essential to have docents (teachers) out in the area to keep the people from climbing the natural hills and pits that kept the animals separated from the visitors... that sounds really dumb, I know... you would think they would know better, but people seem to think because they see keepers in some of the exhibits, etc., the animals are tame... NOT! So in addition to answering questions about the various animals and birds (we went though a training period to be able to do this) we also acted as a protective shield for the visitors AND the animals! We were only supposed to work 2-3 days a week, but in the first few months, I worked 5-6 days a week. I loved the job and did it for over 8 years before I "retired". My favorite stations were the hippos, the hyenas, and the cheetahs, but for the most part, I covered the whole savanna, as well as the tiger exhibit and white handed gibbons, who were not back in the African exhibit. I assisted the keepers when they gave their "talks" on these 2 species. It was good, hot fun! I recommend volunteer work in your local zoos, where ever you live!

BTW... we are currently  building a huge facility to allow for the breeding of our 2 female Indian elephants.  That is another looooong story!  Nothing stronger than a male ellie who wants to mate!  LOL

i got to talk to emjay on the phone tonight! sounds silly, but it was so exciting to put a voice to all those e-mails. she is so fun. we giggled through most of our conversation,  and yes, we are looking so forward to having the best tour guide at the zoo show us around!

Have a wonderful trip and much sun and fun! 

Enjoy! I'm sure emjay is a wonderful guide, her speeches spiced with humour, LOL.  

Laurel, How exciting it will be for you to return to Hawaii.  I have always wanted to go there to.  I am sure Emjay will show you a good time.  She has a great sense of humor.  I hope you and your family will share pictures of your adventures.  I look forward to hearing from you.

thank you, ursula. speaking of beautiful places, i loved switzerland! i was fortunate enough to be able to go there in 1989 with a group called "up with people".

thank you, lea. i don't have a very good memory, so it's actually like i'm visiting honolulu for the first time! don't know if you have gotten a chance to talk to emjay, but she's even funnier on the phone . i foresee much laughter on this trip. and, yes, i would like to share some photos.

Didn't you say you were here on your HONEYMOON, Laurel?  You probably saw very little of the island!  LOL

tomorrow, tomorrow, i'll see ya tomorrow! it's only a day aawaaaay!!!!

This is one time I wish we had an SUV.... I'd meet you guys at the airport and you would get a proper "lei" greeting! So as it is, we'll be in the last hour of preperation for our Thanksgiving dinner, but please call as soon as you're settled in to your room. I hate to say it, but better pack some rain gear... they're calling for rain on Mon. & Tues! And I hear music in your last comment! LOL

HAVE A SAFE FLIGHT! And if there's a problem at the airport, call me... we'll bring lots of rope to make the caboose! LOL

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, ALL! We waited dinner for you, but finally had to eat it all ourselves!

Laurel just called me from her hotel, but I was on the phone with Icyman, so we will make plans later... main thing, they made it, and it's a beautiful day! Thank you, Lord!

Hi There,

I just was on the phone with Emjay when Laurel phoned in.

I wish you both a very happy "never to forget" meeting, But i am sure that's no problem at all ... Once you seen and spoken with Emjay "live" you will never forget her .

have a wonderfull time !

(to Swift) i have a new computer and lost all old email, (please mail me again,  and i fully agree on what you posted about the picture's , its not european it was our own personal choice that we didnt want picture's online:)

( If we had put our foto's online  we would have to handle to many marriage proposals from single africammers

Whats new also.... It is possible that there will be another meeting between Iceage and Emjay in januari/februari 2008.

I ll keep you informed as more data,  rumors and gossip is worthy to post inhere.

Big Hug.

Happy Thanksgiving you all.

Laurel just called from the beach! They are not wasting any time getting all that Oahu has to offer! We have made arrangements to go to the zoo bright and early tomorrow morning... http://www.honoluluzoo.org/ ...pictures will follow!

I may have to open a travel service over here for all you COLD weather friends... Jan/Feb is perfect timing, Icyman! Thanks for the kind words ... always appreciated!

It's Friday, and what a wonderful morning we had! The husbands opted out of doing the Zoo, so it was just Laurel, Spence and myself! I picked them up at 9am, and the whole family is just delightful! Laurel is such a "pretty little thing"... we had such fun! Russ, I'm sure he won't mind me telling you, is a paraplegic, with a great attitude, and an amazing personality! He went off to the beach, and Monday he is going to learn how to surf! What a guy! Spencer is a typical 14 year old... acts very blase, but it taking it all in! He's a smart kid! Knew a lot about the animals as we went along!

OK... that's the family! We had a blessing in the morning... what we locals call a very light shower that doesn't even get you wet. Laurel knew why I wanted to get an early start as the day got hotter, but there was a nice breeze... perfect day!

I will only post a teaser of pics now, cause she has an amazing camera, and took really fabulous shots of the animals.

First stop: Our Indian Elephant Exhibit, with Mari in the back:

Entrance to the Savanna: