Launching Into the Unknown

"What should I bring to Africa?"

The answer I got to that question at 31 years old was "Whatever makes you feel at home." Having lived in the southern United States, I had no idea what to pack. Once I arrived in Africa, I adjusted quickly to the various places I lived. "Home" became more of a state of mind than a physical location or set of things.

Some of my most unique experiences happened because I said yes to adventuring half-way around the globe:

Waking in the middle of the night to find...