Date received: Mon Jun 25 2001, 04:06 AM PDT
I am back from the Solipse festival and back in civilization.
The eclipse was stunning. Right on schedule, the sky darkened, and the sun disappeared. There was a sunset in all directions in the sky. The ground was covered with a strange wavering shadow pattern as the moonŽs shadow whisked by. You could see a giant solar flare on the upper right side of the sun.
As I tried to carefully orchestrate my photographs, when the eclipse finally happened, I spent most of the time just staring. Three minutes seemed like five seconds. I donŽt think I took any shots at the right exposure, but weŽll see when I get the pics back. I did manage to get a digital shot, which IŽll post soon.
The festival itself, a trance dance party, was lots of fun. I danced enough to make up for the past six months! I ended up staying about a week, which was a little longer than planned, but I was having too much fun.
IŽm now back in Harare, Zimbabwe, contemplating my next move. I am booked on a flight to Cairo for tomorrow, but I am still seriously considering going back to JoŽburg to buy a motorbike there, since the availabililty and pricing was so good. The Middle East is a big unknown. I have to make my decision soon, so IŽll know in a few hours.
peter
