6/9/11
Ivy woke up early in the morning for which we woke up to give her the gifts. The young four year old was shy but eventually opened up. We took her to her school bus. She has kaka’s physical features and dada’s smile. So today is the day to go to Thompson Falls. Unlike our previous cities of stay, Nyahururu, was colder, cloudy, and rainy. Just like I love it! We went to Thompson Falls, with a slight drizzle. In Kikuyu, Njoroge is trying to talk down the entrance fee, he calls Mokuhe (my Kikuyu name for short given to me during the Peace Corps days) and tells me something in Kikuyu. I look at him confused as I didn’t remember much of my Kikuyu. He went into Swahili and tells me to bargain the cost and explain that I live in Kenya. The lady wanted to charge Njoroge 50/= and Laura and I 200/=. I asked her to charge Laura and I 50/= and she said Laura is not a citizen but I am so she can charge me 50/=. I asked her to charge Laura 100/=. So she agreed. So from 450/= I bargained to 200/=. We took pictures of the fall and then decided to go down. Njoroge fears heights but it was exasperated due to the rain. He gingerly walked down not thinking that Laura and I could break his fall, or simply prevent it if he chose to allow us. He did stop and Laura and I proceeded down; I twisted my right ankle-Laura peed behind a tree. I continued to walk. We got Njoroge a soda for his bravery and he got us bracelets stating no one has done that crazy walk in rain. We went to Joyce’s store and chilled there and then we all went out for lunch. We delayed our departure, not wanting to leave in the first place. Even Gideon came to say hi!!!!! They all kept asking, please stay, please stay, and my heart was with them, but unfortunately, reservations for a safari had been made. I could not change that. Njoroge got our bus tickets to make sure we were not overcharged and they stayed with us till our matatu left to ensure that a luggage fee would not be added. A little one was crying constantly and an unrelated mama rocked her to sleep. The joys of communal living~ if only we could learn and respect each other more. Njoroge told the driver to drop us in Westlands. As we departed, I could not help but cry, recalling the memories of how much I hate to say good-bye. Friendships so deep that they are more like family do not come by often, and the unfortunate distance between my friend’s and I are to grand and heartbreaking. About half-way through we asked the same comforting mama to remind our driver that we are to be dropped at Westlands. Upon arriving a taxi driver tried to charge us 4000/= to go on a 5 minute maybe 10 minute car ride so we told him “hapana” and gave him 2000/=.
IMPALA HOTEL
The receptionist said we could use her phone to call if and only if we paid for her minutes. We said we would return and proceeded to our room. As Tani used the restroom, the receptionist transferred us elsewhere, quickly. In that time frame we were on an uneven path in which my left ankle turned and of course sprained. Luckily my right had healed. So off, to a cyber café and to dukas for an ankle brace. We found a place and my old TKD student, Peter wanted to meet up. We asked to use the phone of the girl running the cyber café. We informed Njoroge we had arrived. We could not get in touch with the Kairi tours. And Peter was to meet us in 20 minutes. Laura got dinner but I was in no mood to eat. We returned and I spent time catching up with Peter regarding the good old days. He told Tani that my nickname was Ms. Ponda Ponda (ponda ponda= pound). We agreed to meet when we returned to Nairobi. He stayed till like 11:30/12 AM. Good times.
Safari adventures:
Yes, we got to go on our safari:
3 days Masai Mara
2 days Lake Nakuru
2 days Lake Naivasha and Hell’s Gate
We met two people from Korea, one from Brazil and 2 from China, and we the lone Americans. 7/9/11= traveling! We left at 9 AM and arrived around 6 PM. Dropped our luggage in our tents/camp site and went to Mara. Evening fun in Mara with the rain-delightful! We insisted that Joung Ju play cards with us to help with Jet Lag. We played till 11 PM. The running joke for Charles (our guide) was to have maji moto na sukari (hot water with sugar) which he did not try. We woke up to a freezing cold shower and yummy breakfast and left for Mara to see sunrise. We saw animals throughout the day and had a nice lunch on the land. This time the whole group played cards. We also met a group of missionaries. Tonight was definitely the first night of non-stop giggles. We also left the campsite to go on a walk and see the floods from the down pour. Upon returning, everyone got scared and asked us to not leave again for fear that the animals may get us not realizing that tree branches as a fence would not protect us any better. This was made quite clear when a monkey took Tani’s juice box and drank it clean!
8/9/11
A few hours at Mara posed to be a workout. Our vehicle got stuck and we came out to push it along its way. What seemed like an hour, cause us to get dirty and muddy enough to return to our camp, get clean and take a walk towards the Messiah village, only to realize that we were not willing to pay to see the village when we had already done that. We returned to leave for Nakuru. We lost two of the girls en route. Their safari ended with the Mara. L So Laura and I were left with the three boys. We get to Nakuru and decide to tour; We found a cyber café did some of scrap book shopping. Returned and then our guide suggested another route and we went that way and then decided to get “lost” but didn’t. We did worry Charles who was waiting anxiously outside wondering why it took us 2 hours versus 30 minutes, hahahahaha. He said it is a “risk” and I said “eh.” We yet again had freezing cold showers and card games. Laura decided to drink the alcohol I bought for my water pack with mango juice. I stayed up late to work on my scrap book!!!!! We gave our alcohol to our Chinese friends as there was no way could drink it alone. Everyone was surprised that she could drink anyways. Oh and I got my PASSION FRUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAAAA :D
So Nakuru, we saw Flamingos and Rhinos!!! And Wart hogs :D and, the gorgeous view. Oh and Bamboons! Now to Lake Naivasha… We stopped for a while in Naivasha where our driver left us in the van briefly and then we were bugged by Street Kids. Joung Ju knew not to give them something but they kept asking him, so I said “sina pesa” (we don’t have money). And, closed the window! Charles returned and we went for lunch. I had githeri!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, then we got sugar cane and I taught people how to eat them. Then the boys departed and then there were two, us girls with Chales. The evening was left for us to do whatever we wanted. So, we decided to find a cyber café…which are generally near Photcopy areas. Unfortunately, all the cyber cafés were losing connection. So, then we decided to get lost. We found train tracks where a random guy tried to give us directions and we said we know where we are going, but he slowed down his pace and kept looking back at us, so we went down the hill and walked. We later went back up and we laid down on the tracks for fun and then just went in all the circles we could possibly think of, only to not get “lost.” We went back to our guest house, and asked to use their internet which was a lot of money. We started picking up Kikuyu and some people thought that Tani knew it fluently since she was using a few words here and there. We then asked the chef to make some food and since we were the only ones there, he made us what we had requested. He made tomato soup with bread and salad. Then chicken, with fries, mokimo, veggies, and some other stuff, and passion fruit. It was the best last hotel dinner!!!!!!!!We taught Charles how to play cards and said we would meet at 6:30 AM. He told us to reconsider whether we wanted to walk to the second reception or take a bike or the matatu. Laura wanted to take a shower first which was yet again cold, so I went down and asked for a warm shower to which they said wait 30 minutes.
I know Tani and I had a conversation while she was waiting, but I was soooo tired that I crashed. I know I told her to wake me when it was my turn to shower. I don’t recall how much time went by, but when she came back I went to take a shower. She said go downstairs cause that shower warmed up faster than ours upstairs (our bathroom was used by everyone on the hall). There was a lady cleaning the bathrooms who said I can use the shower upstairs as it is warm and she fixed it for me. It was burning hot, or maybe I just got used to the cold showers :D. I went back to the room where Tani asked if I remembered our conversations to which I respond no. She said I demanded she select a number 2 or 4 and I kept asking her more angry each time and when she finally selected a number I was quite. I have no idea but I knew I talked in myself, next time I’m going to record myself. Hahaha. Anyways, I went back into the bed, and just slept.
11/9/11
We both woke up and went to Hell’s Gate after breakfast. Our guide yet again asked us to confirm how long it would take… 1.5 hours to the 2nd receptionist and 2 hours down the gorge. Our guide was worried, we said “eh.” We went. I had my ankle wrapped but that did not prevent another sprain from occurring. My foot got caught in the tree branches that would get caught in our legs. That was when I decided that I would not do the 1.5 hour return. My ankle turned twisted, got jumped on, every bit. Luckily, George, our guide for the Gorge was great and he was able to lift and carry. I found that short legs can be advantageous if you are creative. It is called Hell’s Gate cause you are going down. George was the last of the cows received by Laura. She made it clear to him that she had a boyfriend. We walked with the Zebras, the Giraffes, Buffalos, Wart Hogs, it was simply an experience of a lifetime. We saw some of the pipe projects that helped generate electricity and kept the volcano from erupting again. George called Tani a monkey b/c of her adventure with hiking. A pro she is. Then off we went, back to Nairobi. We asked to be dropped at Afya Center. We got there between 3:30 and 4 and Tani realized she left her picture somewhere :/. She was upset. We looked forever for a Kodak store, and finally found one, but instead of developing pictures we just put them on a dvd; the videos did not convert over to our dismay L. This took almost an hour. By that point it was 5:30. We hit up a cyber café and I messaged Peter to meet us at Afya Center. He helped us search for a duka that sold dvds but they were all closed. I for some reason felt it was Monday not Sunday, otherwise, I would have called him earlier! We still hung out and he got Tani and I nice pictures, so sweet he is. And then, John came by and we all went for dinner and the deal was that I had to eat everything and of course I was unable to but I tried very hard. Laura could not eat her fish cause the “eye” was staring at her, so I flipped the eye. And made a mess with the sauce which was cleaned up. We went to the park, and the dichotomy of my student’s personalities was quite present: John-“don’t fight here.” Peter-“I wanted to spar” and we still fooled around, and Laura and I did have our last sparring match. We put down our stuff while the boys tried to find us a taxi. I took a picture, a guy came by to try to take it, but the camera was already put away. We went elsewhere… we had a drunk guy bug Laura so we switched spots, I turned and said loud and firmly “No.” He, was taken aback. And my students, told him to back off. They said with drunk guys we have to act indifferent and not give them attention. By this point we had a taxi driver coming; it was a friend of Peters. They use him for his company. Next guy was on one crutch and kept saying he was hungry and finally Peter told Laura, “face your fears.” And she says to the guy “no” and “no money.” Our cab arrives; I’m coined as the front seat person. And off we go. Our students stayed with us till the entrance, hoping that we would get a flat tire or that our flight would have a malfunctioning and we would stay an extra day. Nope, it flew off, and low and behold, our friends Staci and Reed were on this flight too! We went to sleep in our flight. We didn’t have individual tvs and I was woken up for a meal to which I said no.
Spontaneous Decision: EXPLORE BRUSSELS.... Why wait 5 hours
We arrived in Brussels. I finally met Fabian who took us around. We got stuck in traffic, quel surprise! (What a surprise). No more Hakuna Matata. He took me back to the airport to prevent delay. My day pack was checked twice. I met a nice guy en route home and we chatted about our travels. I had to walk multiple times down and up the airport as I couldn’t sit still. And of I went. I spent my time in the airport catching up on my journals, watching movies, and a nap here and there. The flight ended with a complete circle, as Reed and Staci were directly behind me. We waited with anxiety as our luggage finally came to luggage claim… and I finally came out at 3 PM. My mom picked me up and we went home. I immediately unpacked. And around 8/9 PM started to doze.
All week, I woke up at 3 and slept and around 8/9 PM. I find it interesting that our attempts to get lost in Kenya did not happen. But, my attempt to go from TKD to Chiles via I-95 proved to get me lost. The U.S. has been hard to adjust to. Driving everywhere, and being the driver to everywhere. No one taking the time to simply talk, always hustling around… No walking…However, I must say, waking up early to simply cook and eat breakfast, has been enjoyable.
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