Blogs from Central Province , Kenya, Africa - page 10

Ed realised an almost lifelong ambition today - watching water drain down a plughole on both sides of the equator. We began the day with a repeat of yesterday's fruit salad breakfast, which was even better now that she's added avocado to the mix. Surprising, but avocado goes extremely well with banana. Then we went to pick up the car we'd rented for the day - after a bit of a mix up we got a beast of a Landcruiser 4x4 which had recently returned from a muddy trip into the Masai Mara. The car rental guy told us how lucky we were to have a brand new car - kind of surprising when it looked old and knackered. But he said "Yeah it's brand new, only 3 years old" so these things are all ... read more

Breathless On Mount Kenya It's the second highest point on the African Continent, is easily accessible from Nairobi and, with Point Lenana, at 4,890m, described as "trekable", it's no wonder there is a constant stream of tourists and backpackers rolling into Nanyuki looking for a quick and easy taste of the high mountains and falling into the hands of often poorly experienced "guides". But let's get this in perspective. Would you consider trying to climb up to Everest Base Camp in just three days ? No - it would take a couple of weeks at least. So, why should it be possible to climb almost as high up Mount Kenya (and higher in the case of Kilimanjaro) in just three days? As soon as you go above 3,000m you need to be really careful about altitude ... read more

When Into Abba’s Arms was started years ago it first opened its doors to ten children. These children came from various backgrounds, homes and situations. All of them came because of the death of their parents and the lack of resources by extended family members to care for them. Some lived with Aunties or their sho sho (grandmother) or their siblings. All of those relatives had to say goodbye to their precious children when it was time to send them away in hopes of a better existence. Here in Kenya, when someone sends their kid to an orphanage it doesn’t mean they do not want or love the child. It usually means they simply can not provide for their basic needs. Almost always there is a hope in their hearts that when the child grows up ... read more

Yesterday was a good day. After torrential downpours the night before, we got up at 5:40 a.m. to see there was no rain. The generator kicks on at that time and all the florescent lights buzz loudly and glare brightly as if announcing that the school semester has again started. To get 14 kids up, dressed, fed, and ready to be on the road is quiet the show. Actually all the kids do really well changing, making their beds and cleaning their rooms before leaving. It is pleasantly peaceful as I step out of the dorm to walk to the kitchen for morning coffee. In the mornings the mist lies gracefully on the fields and its neatly lined rows of cabbage and corn, the trees, and the houses that are scattered along the hillside. In the ... read more

The smells of East Africa: something burning (usually charcoal or frankencense), bad exhaust and dust and body odors of many types. One day on the Kenyan side of Moyale (no beer but better food) and then 9 hours on a gut-churning, bone-crunching ride in a cattle truck over corrugated "road" through the North Kenyan desert. There was a lot of red dirt and rocks, sand with low brush, a few trees, a stop for lunch and talk of "shiftas" (bandits!) But the police wouldn't escort the truck convoy so off we went. Two trucks got flat tires and we stopped for each one - ugh! My pants were so bunched up that I didn't think I'd ever see my underwear again. We were like Mexican jumping beans in the truck cab. Just when I thought my ... read more