Blogs from Nairobi, Nairobi Province, Kenya, Africa - page 23

After going to the barbers for a shave in Cairo which felt enormously civilsed I quickly packed my stuff (except my plug adapter which has been forgotten but would have been packed if retrospective packing had been invented) and headed in my last Lada trip to the airport. At this point I'd like to say thanks to Tom and Andrea for a most excellent time in Cairo, as I think I've seen the best of a place which many tourists have come off on the wrong side of. I had the great privilege on an overnight flight to Nairobi stopping off in Khartoum thus preventing any sleep, although this was outweighed by two meals. I arrived in Nairobi at 7 in the morning where my airport transfer to the backpackers hostel was disappointingly absent. However, ... read more

February 8 2010: On the way between Mombasa and Nairobi, we passed an area where baobab trees grow. They're primal; their bark made me think of an elephant's skin...and they are enormous. Their branches look like roots, as if the tree must have grown upside down. We weren't in Nairobi long before we traveled through Machakos to Masii (pronounced Ma-see) where Paul's shamba is located (actually we visited three of them; one with the house where we stayed). One day we traveled to one higher up the mountains and walked in to it. Mazee led us up and through fields and then we skirted around to the shamba of Paul's uncle. The buildings were mud over whattle; simple and beautiful. The setting was extraordinary, the farmland lush and productive. Very nice people! We stayed and chatted ... read more

Just a quick one today to let you know that there are now photos for all of the posts that have had them missing. I have found a good quick net connection and have spent the day, and quite a few Kenyan Shillings, uploading. Things should now be up to date and I trust that it will prove to those who wonder that we are all still kicking on. We are currently in Nairobi and have been here for the last 5 days. Most of the time we spent in the Indaba Camp which is a little out of town on the way to Karen - a pretty flash part of town if the shopping centre is anything to go by. It was a very relaxing time in the camp and we needed a bit of ... read more

It's our last day in Nairobi - for now at least. It's somewhat embarrassing that we spent four days in Nairobi without once venturing into the city centre, except as a transit point on our final day, in order to catch a matatu south towards the Masai Mara. Our justification? We had a trip to plan! Hanging around the camp to attempt this exciting activity, we pretty quickly discovered that negotiating an itinerary is no easy task when faced with four months to spare and an infinite number of places to spend them! Africa is so vast, and the options so limitless, that settling on a decision as to what should be our first step was hard enough, let alone deciding on the general pathway for the whole trip, or the equipment we may or may ... read more

As we ended one year and began a new one I started planning for all the new beginnings that are and will be happening. Our harvest has begun in our garden, giving us plenty of cabbage, carrots, corn, potatoes, kale, spinach and beans that we are able to happily donate to the orphanages. Even though the cabbage is a bit stinky I enjoy loading the back of my car and rejoice in the fact that I am over my nausea and can carry it to the orphanages without losing my lunch. Upon arrival at the orphanages the kids happily run to the car, each one with outstretched arms wanting their chance to carry some of the bounty. Our garage has turned into a clothing barn as people have given supplies for me to distribute to the ... read more