Here's a photo of our trusty Land Cruiser, dubbed "Taita" in honor of one of our first adventures in Kenya. She (and Steven, our host, mentor and driver) helped us cover many dusty and bumpy miles, as illustrated below by our map and Muddy's log of our journey.
Kenya travels, 7/27/10-8/10/10
MUDDY'S LOG:
Sunday, July 25
10:40 AM Jamie, Muddy, and Claudia arrive at Logan Airport
11:30 AM Told flight to NYC delayed for mechanical reasons
2:45 PM Mechanical problems not resolved; new plane on way
3:45 PM Weather in NYC (80 MPH winds) cause further delay; means we will miss connection and must rebook and meet Laurel in Zurich
9:30 PM Leave on Swiss Air for Zurich (3738 mile trip)
Monday, July 26
10:30 AM Arrive in Zurich; meet Laurel; check in at Radisson Blu Hotel at airport (6 hour time difference from EDT)
12:30 PM Take train to Old Town part of Zurich
1:30 PM Eat lunch at Zeughauskeller Restaurant
2:30 PM Wander through Zurich
5:00 PM Take train back to hotel
7:00 PM Take train back to Old Town and eat dinner at Mere Catherine restaurant
9:30 PM Back to hotel as sun is setting
Tuesday, July 27 (cloudy and cool)
7:00 AM Wakeup call
9:30 AM Leave for Nairobi (3784 mile trip – 7 hour diff. from EDT)
6:15 PM Land in Nairobi as sun sets and met by Stephen Labarakwe and a driver
6:45 PM Arrive Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi
7:30 PM Meet Joseph Lekuton for dinner at hotel
10:00 PM Bed
Wednesday, July 28 (partly cloudy and cool)
5:30 AM Wakeup
6:00 AM Leave in Toyota Land Cruiser for Sarova Salt Lick Game Lodge in Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary near Tsavo West Game Park in southern Kenya (360 KM)
12:30 PM Arrive at Sarova Taita Hills Game Lodge for lunch
4:00 PM Game drive with guide named Crispus; saw elephants, zebras, buffalo, eland, gazelles, antelope and more
7:30 PM Dinner
10:00 PM Bed
Thursday, July 29 (partly sunny)
5:30 AM Wakeup
6:00 AM Game drive (same animals plus giraffes and monkeys)
8:30 AM Surprise breakfast in the bush with tables with linens, chef, full breakfast and champagne
10:15 AM Return to lodge
11:30 AM Up to Taita Hills for lunch
12:30 PM Relax
4:00 PM Game drive
6:00 PM Another surprise – Sundowner, which is snacks on a hill as sun sets
8:30 PM Dinner
10:00 PM Bed
Friday, July 30 (sunniest day yet and warm)
7:00 AM Wakeup
9:00 AM Leave Tsavo West area for Nairobi
4:00 PM Arrive Sarova Stanley in Nairobi
7:00 PM Dinner
10:00 PM Bed
Saturday, July 31 (partly cloudy and cool)
7:00 AM Wakeup
9:30 AM Leave for Joseph’s camp in Ngurunit in the north
12:30 PM Lunch at Trout-Tree Restaurant (amazing monkeys nearby and the freshest fish possible)
1:30 PM Stop for pictures at Equator
4:00 PM Tarmack ends at Isiolo and dirt road begins
8:30 PM Arrive at Joseph’s camp after 500 KM drive and dinner
10:00 PM Bed
Sunday, August 1 (mostly cloudy and cool)
6:45 AM Wakeup
7:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Hike in area with Josephat – See many mothers, young children, goats, and camels; we hear loudspeaker speeches about upcoming vote on constitution
12:00 PM Back to camp for lunch (chicken stew and ugali) and relaxation
2:00 PM Quick visit from Joseph and quiet afternoon
7:30 PM Dinner (spaghetti and potato stew)
8:30 PM Bed
Monday, August 2 (sunny and warmer)
6:45 AM Wakeup
7:30 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Watch 3 moran (young warriors) get water from well
10:00 AM Walk to local school; on way saw young boy who had stepped in fire and burned foot badly (we gave some bacitracin)
11:30 AM Drove to Ngurunit Primary School to see it. Jamie and Muddy stay there while Claudia and Laurel ride with Steven to Marsabit to help with errands
12:30 PM Laurel and Claudia attend Samburu wedding
1:00 PM Jamie and Muddy walk back to camp with two young Kenyan teachers who work in school a primary and secondary school in Korr
2:00 PM Lunch
4:00 PM Jamie and Muddy climb a hill that gives good view of area
7:00 PM Dinner
9:15 PM Laurel and Claudia return from Marsabit
10:00 PM Bed
Tuesday, August 3 (sunny and hot)
6:45 AM Wakeup
8:30 AM Walk to Stephen’s camp and then drive to school to paint more blackboards
11:30 AM Drive to see another school in Mpagras (13 KM away);
Stephen talks to elders there about news including the proposed constitution; see place where well they tried to dig was washed away by flood
2:30 PM Lunch
4:00 PM Women from village set up market for us to buy crafts
5:15 PM Drive up tough road to slide in mountain stream
7:30 PM Leave for Samburu Sports Camp in South Horr (70 KM away)
9:30 PM Arrive at camp, dinner and bed
Wednesday, August 4 (sunny and hottest day yet - Constitution referendum today)
7:00 AM Wakeup
8:15 AM Drive 70 KM north to Lake Turkana
10:30 AM Arrive at Palm Shade Camp in Loyangalani on Lake
Turkana; lots of lava rock looks like moonscape)
11:00 AM Meet lots of kids from Elmolo tribe (smallest tribe in world); they hold our hands as we walk down hill to market; get tour of village and learn about their main livelihood, fishing
1:30 PM Lunch
2:30 PM Rest at camp
5:00 PM Go for swim at pool fed by hot-water spring; then, go to watch local officials count votes for referendum on new Constitution
7:00 PM Dinner
9:00 PM Chat with Joseph who is optimistic about outcome of referendum
10:00 PM Bed
Thursday, August 5 (clear and hottest day of trip - 39 degrees Celsius)
7:00 AM Wakeup
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Tour of Loyangalani with David, grade 8 student; see Joseph conduct rally of locals while another group marches on our camp to press an issue with Joseph that he resolves
11:00 AM Return to Camp to wait for Stephen and Joseph and lunch
3:30 PM Leave for Ngurunit
6:00 PM Stop at Sambura Sports Camp for dinner and shoot some baskets with kids there
9:00 PM Arrive at Stephen’s camp and sleep outside on deck
10:00 PM Bed
Friday, August 6 (sunny and warm)
7:00 AM Wakeup
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Walk to riverbed to collect stones that will serve as foundation for 2 new classrooms for school (hot and demanding); fill Land Rover 4 times with rocks
12:30 PM Lunch and siesta
4:30 PM Moran warriors dance and sing for us for 90 minutes
6:45 PM Fireside chat with Stephen’s children and their friends and cousins
8:00 PM Dinner
9:00 PM Bed
Saturday, August 7 (sunny and warm)
6:15 AM Wakeup
8:30 AM Goodbyes to new friends in Ngurunit and leave for Nanyuki
10:30 AM Stop at World Vision office in Laisamis
11:00 AM Stumble on new camp built in hillside owned by Diipa Lenanyangara and sponsored by a group called Cultural Survival
2:30 PM Lunch at Oasis Restaurant in Isiolo
5:15 PM Arrive at Equator Chalet in Nanyuki
6:00 PM Walk streets and are besieged by children asking for handouts
7:30 PM Dinner at Sherlock’s Den at Books First
9:00 PM Back to hotel and bed
Sunday, August 8 (cool and brief mist before sun in Central Highlands)
6:30 AM Breakfast
8:30 AM Leave for Ilariak Game Lodge
10:00 AM Stop at Thompson Falls in Nyahururu
11:00 AM Stop at Kisima Secondary School run by David and Catherine; beautiful school for poor students from north of Kenya
11:30 AM Visit David and Catherine at their home
2:30 PM Arrive Naivasha and have lunch at La Belle Inn
5:15 PM Lights of car sow problem with engine so we are nervous; after restarting car, it is fine
6:15 PM Arrive at Ilariak Lodge
7:00 PM Dinner
8:00 PM Watch Kenyan Idol on TV
10:00 PM Bed
Monday, August 9 (partly sunny, 15 degrees Celsius at wakeup)
5:45 AM Breakfast
6:15 AM Leave for 65 KM trip to Masai Mara
7:30 AM Arrive at game park and pick up guide (Sam)
8:00 AM Get first look at 4 million migrating wildebeests (90% are male)
9:30 AM See hippo site near Tanzanian border, also see crocodile, hyena, cheetah, giraffe, zebras, and many dead wildebeests often with vultures
11:30 AM Get 10 feet from sleeping lion and lioness
1:00 PM Lunch at Keekorok Lodge
2:00 PM More touring of park
5:15 PM Return to lodge; drove 150 KM in park during day;
Crossed Sand River into Tanzania and Serengeti Park
8:00 PM Dinner
8:30 PM Great talk with Joseph and Stephen in front of fire
10:30 PM Bed
Tuesday, August 10 (cool and partly sunny)
7:00 AM Wakeup
8:00 AM Breakfast
9:10 AM Leave for Nairobi
12:30 PM Arrive Nairobi and go to Joseph’s office
1:00 PM Lunch in Parliament dining room
2:30 PM Observe Parliament in session
3:00 PM Go on walking tour of downtown Nairobi and to top of Kenya International Convention Center (2nd tallest building in city, with great view)
6:00 PM Meet Joseph in office and drive to Carnivore restaurant
8:15 PM Leave for Airport
9:00 PM Arrive airport and Joseph takes us straight to lounge used by Parliament members
11:30 PM Flight departs for Zurich
Wednesday, August 11
6:30 AM Flight arrives Zurich
12:40 PM Flight arrives JFK in New York
6:00 PM Flight arrives in Boston
Photo: Jamie Waters and Steven Labarakwe with Taita Toyota (Photo credit: Laurel Seid)
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