The road to Zanzibar sometimes goes thru Ecuador…

 

Stone Town —  Zanzibar — Sand & Water

If you have been reading this blog closely you will have noticed that my wife and I have been planning for over a year to travel to Zanzibar this summer.  It is where she was born and raised.  She and our daughter went back last year but it has been 25 years since my last visit.  Those plans have changed.  We are going to Ecuador instead.  We leave on July 3rd. 

I will be meeting UraniumC face-to-face for the first time since 1972, 40 years ago.  We were both young men back then.  As described here, he had already lived a tough life.  I never expected him to make it to 30.  He’ll be around 66 by now.

 

Quito, Ecuador

On another forum my pal Rmak posted the following regarding UraniumC:

“I would respectfully ask him what I asked you. How did he verify? If there is no proof then it falls into the belief, memory, dream, faith category, I’m afraid. All less than reliable if you are making a claim. I would think that a reliable witness to these events would want to seek out something to at least prove to him or her self that they’re not going insane.

I know that a lot of these contact stories were “discovered” through regressive “therapy” (sorry for all the quotation marks, but I’m not a believer. I think most of it’s crap) You guys probably remember in the 80’s when these regression therapies made a bunch of children believe their caretakers were raping them in wild ritualistic ceremonies. The children had “forgotten” or “repressed” every detail until it was suggested to them by the unethical therapists. It was really akin to the Salem witch trials. When the stories got more and more bizarre and un-provable the charges and this pseudo scientific method dried up quickly.”

My reply at the time was:

“your question is a good one, but it will be delicate to pose. think I’ll wait a while longer before I press for evidence. I’m more interested in hearing more and don’t want to push him away.”

But after some thought it makes more sense to explore Rmak’s questions of verification sooner rather than later.  If this is only a dream or delusion, why bother.  If asking the question were to push UC away that itself, it seems to me, would be a good indication the story is no more than a tall tale.  So I asked.

UC laughed and assured me he had the most convincing proof I could ask for but that I would have to come visit him to see it.  Pictures, he said, would be too fantastic and I would only assume were doctored.

We went back and forth but he refused to tell me more.  Come visit, he said, if nothing else you’ll see a beautiful part of the world.  He lives now in the high Andes Mountains outside of Quito in Ecuador.  It’s a long way from south Alabama.

So, change of plans and we are off to Quito.  We return hopefully sometime in August and with luck I’ll have more to share on http://uraniumc.wordpress.com/ with you all then.

Wish me luck.

 When we return I will resume here as well.  If you are interested please take a moment to subscribe.  It’s free and I don’t sell your name or anything.  Next time I post here you’ll get an email alert.

Looks like Zanzibar will have to wait.

If you care to comment please just click on the circle at the top right corner of this post.

If you would like to suggest a question to ask UraniumC, please enter it by clicking on the “Questions” page at the top of the blog.

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Comments

  1. Trish Rempen says

    Enjoy Ecuador! And: Just heard that brother Tom’s next post may be in Mozambique. If so, 2 places on my list – Zanzibar and Mozambique – are becoming a reality. Maybe next year. Maybe another expedition with Big Jim and Jane (since the last one was 1985 in Nepal and Goa, it’s probably time for another one-) and brother Tom, who attracts adventure, stories, and good wine.
    It’s going to be a good year, I can tell. Bring back good stories!

  2. PatD says

    Bon Voyage’…..
    Here’s hoping you’re wife and yourself have a memorable time…
    and here’s hoping the 25 year gap clamps shut and it seems like old times for you…
    Hope to see some good pics…!
    Take Care….

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