Almost done . . .

We had a great time in Kangundo, but we just arrived back in Nairobi, getting ready to head to the airport in a bit. Luckily we have a room rented for a few hours to pack & shower.  

Our last few days looked like this:

Visiting homes in Kangundo and coming to realize what rural poverty really looks like. 

Playing games with the kids & coaches of  the Manyatta Club of Special Olympics.  

Becky learning to make chapati. 

Susan taught the ladies group to make Love Rocks. 

We enjoyed beautiful sunsets, and most of us were sad to leave. 

Now we head off to our next adventure. Polly stays in Kenya, the Canadians are headed to Amsterdam, and the rest of us head home, full of new experiences. 

Amboseli

Two vans (matatus here in Kenya) did the trek from Kijabe to Amboseli National Park early Monday. 

We stopped at this public restroom, but only two people braved it. The rest of us held on until we found a cleaner outhouse. 

We passed through a few villages selling roadside onions & oranges. 

Kilimanjaro hid a bit in the clouds, but it was still majestic. 

Our first game drive we saw 4-5 herds of elephants. 

We were treated to a lovely sunset. 

The next morning our game drive featured hippos!

I found this piece of a skull near a trail we hiked. 

Our group hike

One of the somewhat friendly monkeys living on the lodge grounds. 

Now it is Tuesday morning and we head back to Nairobi to repack before heading out to Kangundo tomorrow. 

Kijabe

We left Kijabe this morning, so we are finally back in the land of Internet. Some quick photos of Kijabe before we head out on safari:

We climbed a mountain to visit some of the kids' homes. 

Here we are inside one of the two room shacks that the poorer folks live in. 

We sang songs with the children at Mama Beth's feeding center (like a hot lunch program in the US).

Becky let some of the girls do her hair. 

We helped host a Medical Fair which served nearly 250 people with basic health screenings. 

Which includes playing with the kids. This is my buddy Simon. 

We helped remodel the Class 8 room at Kiambogo School, some folks helped cook for the kid's, some did home visits, and we all were just so happy to be there!

Today we hit the road in a foggy rain just before 7am to drive to Amboseli Serena Lodge for our one night of recovery & safari before we head back to work tomorrow. 

Just driving in to the lodge we saw monkeys, baboons, giraffe, elephants, Cape buffalo, ostrich, gazelle, and I'm sure more that I can think of right now. 

Here is part of the lodge grounds. There are monkeys in there, I can promise you!

Uhuru Park

Our group today & one of the many awesome maribou storks we saw. 

Out & About in Nairobi

You realize you are not at home when you don't quite recognize all the vegetables. 

And milk is in bags. 

And even when you do recognize it, it is called something else.

Becky was brave enough to try this Thai drink of mango juice & basil seeds.  She reports that it was quite tasty. 

FPFK

Our Nairobi housing is a guarded compound run by a church group. We are bunking upstairs for the most part. 

Our meals are in this common area, where wifi is also available. 

Lala salaama=good night

Just after midnight in Nairobi & we are tucking under our mosquito nets for the night at FPFK. All 11 of us are together & safe, ready for adventure. 

Landed

We are all safe and I will be reading in the customs line there is Wi-Fi!

Off we go!

Six of us are here at PDX, still waiting to board and excited to go!

Jambo!

In less than two weeks our group of eleven will be flying out from several points in North America to serve in Kenya for Forward Edge. If you are interested in volunteer travel definitely google them, because they do good forward thinking work in several countries. This will be my second trip to Kenya with FEI, and I'm pretty excited! Despite the vaccinations, malaria meds, DEET, and time away from my family, I really enjoy helping people & making new friends all over the world. 

Susan & I are tasked with journaling our trip so that everyone back home can get a glimpse of our time in Kenya, and really this is just a test message to get the ball rolling. So bookmark the blog, add it to you reader, however you get here, keep track of us as we spend the next month prepping for & enjoying a life altering trip.

-Peace