Those who have traveled with Scott will know this, but for the benefit of those of you who have not I must relate the following: Scott in Africa has a very different public face than Scott outside of Africa.

Africa-Scott wears pants everywhere (some of you, like cousin Craig will know that home-Scott LOVES his shorts) because in Africa, only little boys wear shorts. 90+ degrees, he wears khakis, just like all the other men here.

Africa-Scott loves beer. home-Scott can barely get down a pint at home, but something about the hot humidity and the no-work-tomorrow turns Africa-Scott part-British.

Most astoundingly, Africa-Scott talks to everyone - Taxi drivers, kids on the street, waiters, bartenders, hostel-hotties (ok, everyone talks to the hostel-hotties), bus drivers, etc. And he doesn't just chat, he shakes hands and gets names and finds out where each is from and which football team they support, and what they think of Barack Obama (so far, universal love and admiration). You will find this hard to believe, but I am usually a wallflower in these encounters, listening to the conversation and wondering how I can get a word in..

There is a darker side to Africa-Scott though, Africa-Scott does not take any smack from anyone. When a ferry salesman stalks us on the sidewalk trying to get us to come into his office in Dar Es Salaam to buy his ferry ticket, Africa-Scott puts up with his following us around but does not abide the man getting a bit too loud and pushy - where America-Scott would have glared in my direction and tilted his head silently to indicate that we were getting the heck out of there, Africa-Scott stops dead and turns to the man and inquires why he is yelling in his face. Hilarity ensues. Africa-Scott also is a very, very hard bargainer. He advises me to put down the necklace and walk away from the salesmen when my bargaining is not going well and makes sure I do so, then eventually buys the necklaces for 1/4 the price I was at, from the window of our car as we are driving away. When a taxi driver asks for 35,000 Tanzanian shillings for a ride we think is 10,000 and hesitates when we ask him to lower the price, Africa Scott quickly goes to another driver, gets a good price, and then taunts the first man as we drive away, saying out of his winder "You asked for too much, too much my friend. You should not do that."


As I think of other Africa Scott-isms, I will pass them along... For now, here is a photo of relaxed, Africa Scott..