Roberta Scholdan, 89, of Issaquah, has packed much into her life. Her fondness of wildlife, archeology and ancient civilizations has led her to explore the world, particularly Africa.

On the cusp of retirement in 1989, she decided to go with her eldest daughter, Dixie, and six other women on a photographic safari in Kenya, Africa. She was immediately taken with the wildlife, the culture, history and the intriguing native people, the Maasai. Scholdan has written her first book — about her life in Africa — called “Echoes of my African Heart — Life and Adventure in a Fabled Continent.”

In the book she states that after she got back from the first trip with her daughter, “Africa has crept into my heart.” She returned to the United States and started planning her move to Kenya. She returned to Kenya in the fall of 1990, almost a year later, settling outside of Nairobi in the suburb of Lang’ata, remaining there until 1997. She lived near friends she made on the first trip, across from the Nairobi National Game Park.

“It was a time I could do what I really wanted to do,” she said. “I was right at home there. It’s so beautiful.”

At times there would be uprisings by the people, which were worrisome. She said the biggest discrepancy was the difference between those that have and those that have-not.

“It borders Somalia, so shifters would come in with their AK-47’s and they are very scary,” Scholdan said.

Guns are not allowed in Kenya.

Scholdan said the majority of the population of Kenya is under 16-years of age. The elders died of HIV or malaria — she said the life span of the average Kenyan is 49 or 50, but she thinks it’s getting better, due to access to vaccinations. She loved the people and the research going on in Kenya regarding the origin of man. She said the people were patient, wonderful with children and very easily pleased.

“They are happy and natural,” Scholdan said. “They live in one room houses, but the children are immaculately dressed. They were helpful and eager to learn.”

And, the Kenyans were definitely interested in what goes on over here. Scholdan said they knew more about American politics than we do.

She had a few scary moments with wildlife. She recalled a time in Tsavo East, a game park in Kenya, the home of Tsavo lions, maneless and man-eating lions. Her group was watching a pride, when one walked up to their Land Rover and started rocking it. Scholdan was on the roof and stayed still. He walked away, but then eight lionesses surrounded the vehicle. The driver moved the car slowly and got away.

“They know there’s more there than metal parts. These lions were very aggressive,” she said.

She said she has not seen a tiger in the wild, but she’s seen everything else. “I think leopards are the most dangerous,” she said. “They’re very stealthy — you don’t see one coming, then he’s on top of you. Don’t make eye contact with one — he’ll come after you.

“Even after she left Kenya, she traveled back to Africa every year for five years. Besides Kenya, she has visited Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula. She said she had very little trouble with violence, but learned to be aware of where she was and keep a low profile. Wearing expensive jewelry or carrying an expensive camera were not a good idea, she said.

“I loved Namibia, there are lots of desserts and canyons,” she said. “The oldest dessert in the world is there,” she said.

She was also very fond of Botswana. After that first trip with the other women, she traveled alone.

Prior to retiring she was a nurse in Providence, Rhode Island working in the hospital. But a back injury sidelined her so she worked in the ER as a medical secretary. Her life was interesting before her African adventures. Scholdan was a figure skater who competed nationally, which is how she met her husband, Edi Scholdan, a hall of fame Olympic figure skating coach. She lost Edi and her 11-year-old son in a tragic plane crash in 1961.

“It was a huge sports disaster,” she said. “It wiped out the whole team.”

The entire 18-member U.S. figure skating team was killed when the plane went down in Berg-Kampenhout, Belgium. The team was on its way to the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Scholdan coached with her husband and she skated in the European championships in 1947 and 1948.

Prior to living in Issaquah, Scholdan lived in Santa Fe, N.M. She is originally from Rhode Island. She said if she didn’t live here she’d choose to either go back to R.I. or Colorado Springs. She has a daughter here, a son in Park City, Utah and a daughter in Texas. It’s hard to tell if she will go back to Africa.

“There’s so many other places I want to see,” Scholdan said. “Russia, Mongolia, back to Vienna….” She trails off. So many places in the world to see.

Scholdan will be talking about her book and her life in Africa at the Issaquah Library Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. “Echoes of My African Heart — Life and Adventure in a Fabled Continent” is available on Amazon.com, for Kindle and by order through Barnes and Noble.