Gogo Rono's

Gogo Rono’s 

May 12

Today we went about 1.5 hours away to see Gogo Rono.  She is Alice’s mother and she lives with Alice’s brother Abraham. 

Getting there was quite the adventure. We drove to Mois Bridge and then we took a left onto a dirt road. Now we were in Alice’s new car and I must admit it’s a nice ride, but driving it on these dirt and gravel roads probably isn’t the best for the car. Nelson drove us (he is Alice’s oldest son) and he drives like a little ole man.  I’m told that he isn’t a risk taker, and I would have to agree with that assessment of his driving. Very causious and careful. 

Anyway we get to Abraham’s house and Gogo is sitting outside in a chair by herself. Ellen, Abraham’s wife is busy cooking and comes to greet us and goes back to being busy. So we sit and talk to Gogo for awhile. She’s in the beginnings of Alheimers and gets confused easily, but she is delightful to be around. She kept asking me if I was Michelle’s mother, which I thought was funny cause Michelle is black. 

Abraham’s place is really nice.  The house itself is surrounded by green grass, trees, and many flowering plants. Let’s not forget the chickens running around the yard as well. Abraham has dairy cows, like everyone else in this part of Kenya, but I don’t know how many he has. His dairy is really nice for Kenyan standards. He also has sheep and I didn’t get a chance to count them. One of the cows came looking for her baby and that baby got into the dairy area and then the cow broke down the gate to get to her baby. Then Sarah, Nelson’s wife, herds that calf and grabs it and gets it out of the dairy area, and then, this woman simply amazed me here, she hers that darn cow back out to the pasture. Sarah is definitely a force to be reckoned with, and the stupid cow didn’t have a change in staying close to her baby. Cracked me up to watch Sarah, the school secretary, chase that cow back out to the pasture.

After that fiasco we headed into the house to eat lunch. Lunch consisted of meat and potatoes, rice, chapati, chicken, and veggies. It was good and the company was very nice. The only downfall is that everyone speaks Swahili and most of the time I have no idea what is being said.  I feel very left out when this happens and it happens here a lot to me. Alice tries to translate for me but she often gets wrapped up in the conversation and forgets to translate until I remind her. 

After lunch was over we had tea.  I like Kenyan tea, it’s just like Chai back home. It felt good on my throat. After more talking we started to file outside to get ready to leave. Well it took us awhile to get out of the house and then everyone wanted pictures taken so I began to take pictures. Not sure how many I took, but I took a lot. 

Once we got back into the car we headed home, but we stopped in the small village to pick up something Alice wanted. I have no idea what it was, all I know is that on our way back home we had a chicken riding in the back of the car.

Apparently Abraham gave Ednah a gift and that gift was a chicken. I couldn’t believe we were taking a chicken back home with us in the car. At one point the chicken decided she wasn’t down with the whole riding in the back thing and she started to make a ruckus. Luckily for us, Ednah came to the rescue and subdued the chicken and got her back into the back of the car. 

We arrived back home after dark, and got everything out of the car, including the chicken which Ednah took care of. Chickens are kinda funny things. One minute they aren’t happy, but the next day they are happy as a chicken. lol 

Pokot Village Once Again

Pokot Village once again

May 8

A lot has happened since I last posted. I was in Nairobi and sicker than a hound dog. I do believe I have bronchitis once again, and what’s the pits is I’m in Kenya and my own doctor is way far away in Vancouver. UGG. I spent yesterday in bed all day trying to stay off the bronchitis, but I believe I’ve failed that quest.  Then today I spent the entire day going to and being at the Pokot village in West Pokot. I realize now I probably should have stayed here in Kitale and send my regrets to the people. OH well lesson learned right?

Anyway the trip wasn’t as bad as the first one because we had a Range Rover Defender and that rig went where ever Joseph (the driver) told it to go. YES!! So much better than a Matatu. So we got there and the service started and guess who preached? ME! I know, totally blows me away as well. Anyway I just encouraged the Pokot to continue in their walk with Jesus. I reminded them that life isn’t fair, but then God didn’t promise life would be fair. I told them to keep the faith and perserver under trial because it will be worth it in the end. That isn’t exactly what I said, but you get the gist of it, right?

Anyway, I had a good time and enjoyed my time up there. I also, hoping and praying, to help the Pokot become self sufficient and to be able to feed their children. This project is basically selling handmade crafts. This stuff is really unique and well done, now I just need to figure out how to market it and the proceeds return to the Pokot people. This is a huge undertaking for me, so if you can help me out in anyway please do, just contact me. 

OK, now I want to ask how many people can you get into a Range Rover Defender? 5? 6?, or 7? WRONG.... We got 13 people in the Defender today. YES 13!! I couldn’t believe it either. I counted everyone twice. We did this because the Tribe Chief’s mother died last night and we went over to his place to pay our condolences.  There was a ton of people there and while the others I was with went to view the body (NO I didn’t go) I sat and talked to one of the members of the tribe who spoke really good English. Then Pastor Evans spoke to the people and he introduced me and I spoke for a bit. I don’t really remember what I said, only that I was sorry for the loss of the Chief’s mother, and to keep the faith in Christ that you already have.  Then we left and went to the Generals house (not a real Army General) and had lunch. I just ate rice with some broth in it. Eating food in the bush is not easy for me to do and then being sick I just couldn’t even fake it today.  

When we finished Lunch we came outside of the hut and there was a little female puppy. So naturally I picked her up and talked to her and the Pokot people just laughed at me. I explained that it is our job to take care of God’s creatures, no matter what you may think of them. I told them that it is our responsibility to care for dogs and treat them with kindness, and not to kick them and beat them. Which happens often here in Kenya. Then I told them that in America there are dogs who lead blind people to work and home or wherever they need to go. Now they had a difficult time believing that, but I told them, “Have I lied to you yet?” Hopefully they believed me. 

Now I’m back home in the dinning area drinking hot chocolate (tea) and enjoying the fact that I’m back in my jammies. I still feel like crap and coughing like crazy. YEP I think I need to see the doctor tomorrow. 

Masai Mara Day 2

Masai Mara day 2

May 3

When you go looking for wildlife you never know what you’re gonna get. Kinda like Forrest Gump with candy, you just never know what you’re gonna see. Anyway, I didn’t have any great hopes of seeing anything spectacular at all. Why? I have no idea. What we did see was really awesome. Now how we got to see them is a tale I shall tell. You get into what is essentially a minivan. Now these vans have roofs that pop up so you can stand and take pictures of the various animals. What is so awesome about the whole idea of searching for wildlife is that all of the guides talk to each other and tell where you can find say a lion. They all have a CB radio in their van as well and they talk on that on what they have found and where. Personally I thought this was rather cool, considering they are all trying to get the most clients, and yet they help each other achieve their goal. Helping the clients see the “Big 5”. Buffalo, elephant, giraffe, lion, and rhino are the big 5 that everyone wants to see. Personally I wanted to see a cheetah, but no such luck on this trip. Maybe next time.

Anyway, so we drive around the park on first a dirt and gravel road, then we turn off if it and onto a 2 path lane and it is on these little lanes where you find the animals. Oh you see wildebeat, zebra’s, and the like on the main road, but on the lanes is where to good stuff happens. We had elephants cross the lane right in front of the van. We had a giraffe eating from a tree right next to the van. AND we got up close and personal with a lioness and her 3 cubs on one of these lanes. OH and we had to stop once and let the buffalo pass before we continued on the lane. Buffalo’s aren’t the nicest of beasts around. They can be rather particular on their territory, so we waited for them to cross.

I think the highlight of the safari was watching the lioness with her cubs, but then again the male lion eating a buffalo was pretty awesome too. It’s hard to say what was the best part about Masai Mara. The amazing thing is that these animals are still very much wild and dangerous, and yet they are all healthy looking and thriving. (Kaiser Perm. would love that lol) Kenya isn’t what a lot of people think. The lions, elephants, buffalo’s and etc don’t roam all over the country. These animals are mostly found in the National Parks, where it is illegal to hunt them. (except for the Masai people). Along the roads you will find baboons and different monkeys and we saw a couple of Zebra’s but that was it. Kenya isn’t rolling in wildlife any longer.  If you are walking down the road here in Kitale, the wildlife that you might encounter will most likely be domesticated and produce milk (cows and goats). So come to Kenya and see for yourself the beauty here.

Masai Mara

Masai Mara

May 2, 2011

Masai Mara is a national park here in Kenya. Here you can, on a good day, spot all 5 of the “Big Five” animals here in the park. From what I’m told spotting all of them is rare, but it has been done. 

To get to the park is nothing short of a trip to hell. The road is horrible, dusty, and all of the drivers go really fast even over pot holes. There are essentially no potty stops unless you go in the bush, and no place to purchase a soda or water on the way. From Nairobi it took us almost 6 hours to get there. Now if the road was a good road it would of only taken us about 4 to 5 hours. Once we arrived at the park and at the lodge we settled in in our individual rooms. The lodge was really unique in that all of the rooms were in a “hut” like building but had all of the modern conveniences needed to make our stay lovely. The lodge sits on a side of a mountain, well what they call a mountain here in Kenya at least and you can see it from the road, but it is well hidden withing the canopy. Most of the security guys on the grounds were Masai men/warriors. I asked one of them what he was doing with a machette. Then I was told that a Masai Warrior is never without his machette. Well that was comforting at least. I guess it is a real good thing too as the lodge sits right in the middle of the park and there is nothing seperating the lodge guests from the residents of the park (lions, buffalo, elephants, etc). One thing about being on this short safari is the ability I’ve had to take a hot shower. Can’t do that at Alice’s house, but the hotels and lodges have hot water even if it’s only for a certain number of hours each day.  Masai Mara is in the middle of nowhere to coin a phrase. It is essentially smack dab in the middle of Masai land. The Masai people have all of their rights to raise their cattle and goats, and if a lion kills one of their livestock, the Masai have the right to go and chase down the lion and kill it. Which they do on a normal basis. It is said that a Masai man can not become a warrior until he kills a lion. Poor lions :o( 

Mombasa April 29

Mombasa

April 29

Have you ever been to a place where the breeze blows softly across your face and the white sand between you toes is so soft you don’t even notice it?  Well I hadn’t either until I came to Mombasa. Talk about white sand beaches ... OH MY.  Yesterday after we got here I went out on the beach just to see what the sand felt like, and believe me it’s nothing like Santa Cruz, Ca or anything that I’ve ever experienced before. The sand is so soft and white it reminds me of white flour.  

Last night after dinner, the kids went off on their own and I hung out at the hotel pool bar for the evening entertainment.  There were traditional African dancers, and they were pretty good. I think they were part of the staff and they dance at night for extra cash. Don’t get me wrong, they were good and I enjoyed myself. While I was there I met a really nice couple from Wales. Anthony and Adele. Very nice people and we talked about their safari they went on a few days ago. Adele said is was great and they really enjoyed it. At this hotel there are a lot of Europeans, a lot from the U.K. and then some from Germany.  I asked if many American’s come here and I’m told no.  Then the receptionist asked me if I would tell my friends about Mombasa. I told her I would, but I also told her that most American’s don’t want to fly all the way over to Africa to go on a beach holiday. If American’s want a beach holiday they usually go to the Caribbean or Hawaii for fun in the sun. Personally I’ve never been to either, so right now at this very point in time I prefer Mombasa to the other choices. If I go there I might change my mind, who knows, but for now this is IT for me.

Tonight the kids hung out with me until about 10pm. Then I decided to talk a walk around the garden/pool area and look out unto the Indian Ocean for a bit. The kids took off, I have no idea where, and then after awhile I went up to my room. At least I didn’t wake up with a hangover ... ha ha

Lake Bogoria ll / Nairobi

Lake Bogoria ll / Nairobi

April 27

It’s hot here in Lake Bogoria. I had the fan on all night long, and supposedly we have air conditioning, but there are no vents for AIR....so I’m gonna guess the fan is the air conditioner. LOL It didn’t bother me not having it. I slept just fine with the fan on, it was almost like home but my fan at home is a lot louder than this one. ANYWAY, this morning I woke up at 5:30 but went back to sleep. My alarm went off at 7am and then I got up and I took a shower. NOW, this was the first HOT SHOWER I’ve had in 4 MONTHS.  YES first hot shower in 4 months.  It was GLORIOUS!! Need I say more?

Went down for breakfast and had Kenyan pancakes. LOVE THEM... Now I’m all packed up ready to hit the road or the lake whatever Kiptoo has arranged I’m ready to go. lol Just waiting on him to get back from the front desk here at Lake Bogoria Resort and Spa to see what is in store for me today.

OH and the kids I’m with, Simon & Brittany Yego, Chelse, and Kiptoo (aka David) are great kids. Well they aren’t kids but they are so much younger than me. 

The drive here was really nice, except I’m totally turned around and can’t figure out east from west, let alone north and south. YEP I’m an idiot here with direction. I wish I had a Mt Hood I could use as my point of reference. Anyway, I can only say that Kenya is really beautiful. As we were driving down here the difference in the landscape and terrain was so different from Kitale. Kitale is more of a farming area, where as Lake Bogoria and down to Nairobi is more of a arid desert type. We drove across the Great Rift Valley and then up the mountain to the plateau and then on into Nairobi.

Now tonight here in Nairobi we are at Bishop Yego’s home. It’s a really nice place, and it’s really big. Well it’s big compared to my house in Vancouver.  For dinner we had chicken and chips (french fries), pizza, and a avocado tomato salad. YUM-O. Needless to say I ate my fill.  Tomorrow we leave here at 9am and we are off to Mombasa. I’m excited about going to Mombasa. We will be in Mombasa for 3 nights and then we come back to Nairobi for one night. Then we are at Masai Mara for 2 nights.  This is so cool because I get to see all of Kenya while I’m here.  After I get back to Kitale, I’ll be going back to Lake Bogoria with the 5th grade and then Kisumu/Lake Victoria with the 6th grade. 

If you ever have a chance to come to Kenya, COME you will not regret it.

Lake Bogoria Kenya

Lake Bogoria Kenya

April 26

I awoke early today to get up to the road so David, Simon, Chelsie, and Brittany could pick me up. 

Finally on our way and the first part of the drive was horrid because the road is so bad, but one we arrived in Eldoret the road was just like at home for the most part.  We didn’t take the main highway to Lake Bogoria, we took the scenic route. The road was really whinedy but it was a fabulous view of the north part of the rift valley. The valley is so huge and yet it’s not. It’s hard to explain, but it didn’t take us that long to get across the valley.  To look at the valley it looks like it’s a million miles wide, but in reality it’s not.

Once we arrived at Lake Bogoria Resort and Spa we waiting until we were shown our rooms. OH nice rooms too! Here on the property there are monkey’s and I’ve seen an male ostrich on the far side of the front grounds. There are two pools, and one of them is fed from the hot springs that are very close to the resort. The hot springs are HOT! I mean super hot. The steam from the springs was hotter than a sauna and the water, I’m told, will burn you if you touch it. Supposedly you can cook an egg in the water, but I didn’t have an egg in which I could use to test that theory.

As I’m typing this I don’t have any internet connection so I can’t find out exactly where I am in Kenya. I know I’m very close to Lake Borgoria, but I’m not sure exactly where that is on the map.