http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/smithlights/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from smithlights en-us Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:00:19 +0000 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:00:19 +0000 So whenever Irsquom in a situation where I try to blog regularly like tour or in Africa as I go throughout my day I try to make note of things to include. On a regular basis there are things I forget to post. Sometimes itrsquos even the funniest thing of the day. Once I titled the blog about something that we saw and then forgot to explain it Here is a recap of some funny or inte http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-426555.html Irsquom sure when I came home from Germany I was exhausted from traveling so long but this is a little ridiculous. That was one flight this is three or four over two days.Wednesday morning we got up in the hotel ready to check out between 10 and 11 as requested. Except we had no water in our room. Sarah told the people at the front desk many times and after a few hours it still wasnr http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Spokane/blog-426077.html At my church just a few weeks ago our pastor did a message on Jesusrsquo ldquoFirst Refocusrdquo as he called it. The story is told in Mark. Jesus spent a long day working and healing people and casting out demons and all sorts of things which was great. He worked late into the night and the disciples were all sorts of excited about being so successful. Instead of sleeping in Jesus http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-426028.html I got to sleep in today Today was maybe the first day I got to sleep in and not worry about people waking me up or having anything specific to get up for. Sarah is a great roommate because she knows I like to sleep so she doesnrsquot do anything dumb like turn on the lights. Plus she always brings me breakfast.We took most of the morning off just chilling and writing and fighting with the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-425389.html For hopefully the last time Bud and Irene came and woke us up at a ridiculously early time. We needed to be at the bus depot around 930 to board so we needed to leave by 9. So apparently we needed to get up at 630 In my house if I need to get up or leave or something my parents get me up at the last possible moment occasionally not leaving me enough time but I prefer that. And general http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-425240.html Bud and Robertta left for Tanzania this morning so they had to wake everyone up to say goodbye. I was up super late burning CDs for them so I didnrsquot move. Still it wasnrsquot near as much sleep as I wanted or needed. Sarah and I got all of our things packed up and ready to go.A former Choir kid Charles was due to pick us up for a day on the town. After a bit of rearranging which h http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Nairobi-Province/Nairobi/blog-425044.html Today was my favorite day in Mombasa and possibly my favorite of the trip. The morning was relaxed with a trip to the internet caf to get work done and post. Sarah and I opted against cold spaghetti or cold anything else for lunch so we found a restaurant with chicken and chips. I also enjoyed the slow pace and the part where there werenrsquot a zillion of us. Several of the others fou http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-424718.html I had a dream last night.We were flying home and somehow or flight got in like 15 hours early or something so we were able to go to the Summit. WPA had saved me some tickets. Our church was super huge like 4 times the size the current building is. First I went to the offices and the Lack boys were there. Pauly was packing up because it was his last day with us he didnrsquot want to l http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-424336.html Where did July go Oh yeah Uganda Rwanda KenyahellipSarah got up early to make mandazi. Supposedly she woke me up to help and I answered her but I donrsquot remember at all. When I got to the breakfast table there was one lonely mandazi left so I ate it. Sarah then let the secret go that there were more in the kitchen just for me shaped like Mickey Mouse even Once I got those t http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-424334.html I spent part of the morning taking care of some personal errands. George gave me directions that were something along the lines of ldquoTake a right at the internet caf go past the Maasai and when you get to the tree yoursquore there.rdquo The Maasai are the most famous tribe in Kenya and very traditional. Google them. One of my friends from Uganda once told me to expect directions http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-424129.html Something exciting yesterday and today Sarah brought me breakfast in bed Actually she left it for me on the table before she went to wherever she goes. I told her that itrsquos really nice but she canrsquot at home because therersquos a monster who eats things. AKA Rosco Wilson.Today was a great day really laid back. We did laundry in the morning but my shorts got bird poop on the http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-424125.html Hello FriendsI am currently in Mombasa Kenya which is on the coast of the Indian Ocean. I am staying in a compound which houses more people than I can count. Itrsquos owned by ldquoMamardquo Mary. Her house is never empty currently filled with her son George who lives in an outbuilding another son Timothy who is 13 her daughter Ann and her grandson Andrea 9 three girls who she http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-423367.html Just as my experience talking with high school girls came in handy yesterday my years of swimming competitively came in handy today. Sort of.After lunch we headed down to the beach to meet a boat that Spencer had arranged for us. We were going snorkeling. George and Mina the electrician joined us as well. I was thinking some nice big boat with all this gear and everything but that's not w http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-423362.html I worked on the chicken coop this morning. We have to patch all the small holes so the lizards donrsquot get in and eat the eggs. Sarah was helping me and had the great idea of putting leftover tin on the inside rather than using wood. Soon though she was called upon to teach and left me alone. I got some work done.Therersquos a huge spider in the coop that looks pretty amazing. Sort o http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-422684.html We went to church this morning. Unfortunately it will be our last church service here in Africa as next Sunday we are traveling. We went to sort of the end of the English service to hear the message and the beginning of the Swahili service for the worship. The pastor didnrsquot yell at all which was nice and there were hymns with the words printed in the bulletin for us. It was still http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-422683.html On Friday nights the house fills up with teachers and students from the school and all sorts of other people for prayer and worship. They oftentimes stay up well past midnight. The man who sort of leads it Israel says that Jesus could come at any time so we better be ready. And itrsquos only one night a week. So last night they all were here. There were half a dozen or so in the downst http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-422679.html No time to write yet but here are some photos from our time at the beach. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-422040.html There was no plan again today so I just woke up when I felt like it. Mary who is hosting us told us that shersquod like to have her old chicken coop repaired so she can put chickens back in it. My first order of business was to check it out and see what it would require. Apparently the lizards get in and eat the eggs and the cows scratch themselves against it and pull the boards off. Muc http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-422036.html We got up at no particular time to do no particular job this morning. No one was really sure what was going on but the guys headed to the school to start working. When we arrived later they were treating the trusses. A lot of the wood that goes into buildings has to be covered in used motor oil to keep the termites out so thatrsquos what they were doing. Did I mention there was a torrenti http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-422034.html Irsquom not really sure who decided we needed to leave at 7 a.m. but someone did. Everyone who showered last night got hot water. Sarah showered this morning and got the same. Apparently the shower had something against me because I was all ready for a hot one and instead got cold once again. Such is life.Paul arrived early and we hit the road. There were a few necessary errands before leav http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Kenya/Coast-Province/Mombasa/blog-422032.html