We made it!
After 19 hours of plane rides, 3 hours in vans, a breeze through customs and one minor incident with a baggage official…we made it onto the ground in AFRICA!
The first thing we did? Went to bed. And Showered.
Day one began in a Mennonite Guest house in Nairobi, Kenya. We hade a lovely breakfast of toast, baked oatmeal, tea and some fruit that I couldn’t actually identify. (Papaya I am informed.) A few of us suffered from some vertigo and so breakfast wasn’t a success but we did enjoy the scenery on the compound. And we enjoyed the play equipment.
At nine we were picked up by Brian Richerson and his lovely family and taken on a driving tour of Nairobi. We saw nice houses, slums, roadside fruit markets, and an occasional cattle crossing.
Our first stop was at a Giraffe Center where we heard an informational talk about the Giraffe population in Kenya. The center was home to ten Rothchild giraffes which are characterized by their “white socks” up to their knees and a darker and well defined spot.
We got to feed the giraffes from below and from a raised platform, so we could see each other eye to eye.
Oh yeah, and we got to kiss them.
After 19 hours of plane rides, 3 hours in vans, a breeze through customs and one minor incident with a baggage official…we made it onto the ground in AFRICA!
The first thing we did? Went to bed. And Showered.
Day one began in a Mennonite Guest house in Nairobi, Kenya. We hade a lovely breakfast of toast, baked oatmeal, tea and some fruit that I couldn’t actually identify. (Papaya I am informed.) A few of us suffered from some vertigo and so breakfast wasn’t a success but we did enjoy the scenery on the compound. And we enjoyed the play equipment.
At nine we were picked up by Brian Richerson and his lovely family and taken on a driving tour of Nairobi. We saw nice houses, slums, roadside fruit markets, and an occasional cattle crossing.
Our first stop was at a Giraffe Center where we heard an informational talk about the Giraffe population in Kenya. The center was home to ten Rothchild giraffes which are characterized by their “white socks” up to their knees and a darker and well defined spot.
We got to feed the giraffes from below and from a raised platform, so we could see each other eye to eye.
Oh yeah, and we got to kiss them.
After a good tooth brushing and sanitizing session, we hopped back into the van and toured a bead factory nearby. Some souvenirs were purchased and then it was back to the vans to get lunch at the Junction, which was a mall. Personally, I had a chicken sandwich and fries. Unadventurous, I know.
Then after an hour drive we made it to Rift Valley Academy where we were given a fabulous tour by Brian himself. Dinner was at Mama Chicu’s, a building about the size of standard American bedroom. We crowded around tables and ate some of the most amazing food I have ever tasted. There were samosas, cooked greens, goat stew, brown rice, irio-a bean paste, and plenty of chipatis to hold it all up. I ate too much, I admit it.
We burned off the food hangover with a drive around Kijabe and then had an early bed time. All in all it was an excellent first day…except for the sleeping. That hasn’t been going so well for me.
It is now 5 am on Thursday and we are driving to the airport to catch a plane to Rwanda. More photos soon!
6 comments:
How cool! Thanks for the update. We decided that we would visit the Sacramento Zoo today, after looking at web pictures of Rwandan animals. Aiden saw the giraffes today and really liked them, and the zebras too. We're looking forward to seeing some more pictures.
You're all in our prayers.
Sue and Aiden
Wow, we loved the pics and the great update! We are at the Ashland Shakespeare festival, so the entire family enjoyed the news! It is good to know that you all arrived safely and are having some adventures. God bless you all! Cathy and the Hays family
If you guys are interested, I might be able to make a compilation disc of the pictures that you guys take while in Africa. Talk it over and let me know.
Blessings,
Kevin Anderson
MMmmMMm samosas and Mama Chicus! I'm jealous and so extremely excited for you all!
Thanks for the blog update. It's great to hear how you guys are doing. We are praying for you guys throughout the day, each day. Make sure to mention any specific prayer requests that may come along. It sounds like sleep may be on the list.......
With Love, Laura Deal
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