Kenya Comfort Hotel Suites Nairobi

12/11/09

Jungle junction to Thompsons falls

195 ks

Crossed the equator today, a defining moment for the trip. I stopped and took the pictures etc.... it was very cool. I got down the road another 2 km and there was another equator, and another 1 k down the road and there was another. The locals have figured out that the tourists all stop and there is an easy buck in it. The ...

... to pay $160 each local payments for park entry and staff costs plus book a hotel in Nairobi anyway. We’ve decided we can’t be bothered doing the same thing again and so we’re going to stay in Nairobi for 3 days and check out what’s there.

A quick ask at the Boulevard revealed they wanted $165 US per night which is way beyond our budget! Plus it looks like a pretty average hotel and is not central. Quentin and Julie who we’d met in Jinja ...

... to bed!

Today: Tummy Feeling Better!

So now we are up to date! Today we did home visits in the community.. shorter walks this time which was nice. We are now at Junction again, getting poster board to make a nutrition chart for Kilonzi. My stomach is finally starting to feel better and I am extremely happy!!!

I miss everyone like crazy though!! Keep posting your comments! I love getting them!

Until next time!!

Love, Britt :)

... a sad farewell to John Holland, whom had been a great travel companion since Ghana (over 5 months ago). The next day, myself and 5 others caught an overnight train to Mombasa, on which we enjoyed dinner and a few too many drinks...finally I was told to go to sleep by my cabin mates over 10 years younger than me...I dont know these young ones!!

The next morning we made our way to Diani Beach, a stunning stretch of beach not far from Mombasa. Kira's ...

... to Sth Luangwa NP, where she had an awesome game drive and got to see a leopard with a kill being chased by a Hyene, which ios so rare and meant that she had seen the big 5 anbd had basically done everything you could do on a game drive. So, at least the game had been ticked off and maybe one day we'll come back to Africa and she can do the things she's missed due t illness. Sadly, she also was unable to go to the Gorillas, and we have spent ...

... gorilla groups. Only a small percentage of the family groups have been habituated to the presence of humans. Very strict guidelines are in place for the trek, formed to minimize contact with the gorillas to avoid disturbing their natural patterns and passing on human diseases. Only 8 people may visit wash family group of gorillas for 1 hour every day, and must not come closer than 6 meters. The money from the exorbitantly priced trekking fees goes ...

... around 12 C (54 F). This is due to its higher elevation. At 1660 m. (5450 ft.), it is almost 2.5 times higher in elevation than Edmonton which is at 668 m. (2190 ft.)

First impressions are always notable. The arrival in Nairobi was chaotic. The airport is small with very labour intensive and antiquated processes and few facilities – kind of like the Edmonton airport when it opened in the 1960s. It ...

... was our first experience of safaris made it the highlight of my trip so far, and the perfect antidote to the chaos of the cities.

Random observations, learning points and top tips
1. Corruption may be a cliche but it's true. We got talking to a Nairobi businessman and his wife on the snorkling trip. They'd flown out to the cost for the week to celebrate his winning a big building contract with the council - thanks to an 'arrangement ...

... apart from expat/rich Kenyans in enclaves most of the city and outskirts was mainly very poor rural and slum areas-sad. Back in Nairobi we did a quick internet cafe net search and found out that one overland trip leaves on 3rd August and if lucky we could get on it as places still available. So we returned to the tour company Gametrackers and spent time trying to arrange the overland trip which we got on after a day waiting for confirmation and then to fill in the week ...

... measles, and diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis. Judging by the big crowd of waiting mothers and the speed with which Cana’s nurses treated everyone, this clinic seems to have worked out a very effective program. I was really impressed at how much Cana has changed since I was there 2 years ago, and I just wish we’d had more time to spend there!

We wrapped things up with both the clinics on Thursday, since Orielle and I had both come down with colds (to be ...