The allure of Africa has drawn explorers and thrill seekers for hundreds of years, but what compels a young family to leave behind financial stability, family and friends, most of their belongings, and all that is familiar, for the unknown? Follow Elaine, mining engineer husband Roy, and children Leia (12) and Nicolas (10), as they begin the first of many international adventures together, daring to make the leap from wondering what might have been to remembering what was. Discover the Zambian city of Chingola of 1995 through Elaine's eyes; her first encounter with culture shock, local and international schools, daily food purchasing at outdoor markets, washing clothes in a bathtub, and dealing with the frustration of local African banks. They expect adventure, even challenge and danger but nothing prepares you for a rifle turned on your children in the back seat of your car, a command to enter a guard's hut at a highway checkpoint, a charge from an angry elephant and the sound of pounding on your door as thieves attempt to break into your house. They weather these events and cultural clashes together as a family while also experiencing great explorations, new and eye-opening relationships and journeys of discovery. Standing on the edge of the gorge in the mist of Victoria Falls, sleeping in a tent on the banks of the Luangwa river listening to hippos, and sitting and watching the wide open sky, they know their anticipation and courage have met surprise and difference. In the end, a desire for adventure, and an embrace of uncertainty and newness, grow into a lifelong desire to welcome growth of character and understanding.