Home with a boatload of souvenirs

 Actually unpacked!

Souvenirs

The End of African Adventures

Just hanging out before heading home Park Inn Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

     Sitting on the lovely patio area at the hotel watching the clock tick away my last few hours in Africa. Also enjoying my new favorite drink, Stoney Ginger Beer. It is available on Amazon for a mere $23 per 6 pack. 😬 Made new friends and got to share this amazing adventure with long time friends. Maybe hearing about it will inspire you to come to Africa! I only saw a small bit and 5 weeks wasn't long enough. 

     But you all have traveled. You are so excited to get there and take in all of the sights. Then, the last day your thinking about your cushy bed at home. And my bed will be the 6 month resting place of my still packed luggage. Then on to planning the next trip...after I finish paying off this one!🤣🤣 

     I will be coming home with many pics, memories, too many souvenirs, and NOT a single mosquito or tsetse fly bite...only a minor sunburn. 

     Views from the top floor of the hotel! See you back in St. Louis!

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Sarit Mall and Pizza Garden across street from hotel

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Park Inn rooftop view

Day before departure Park Inn Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

     Quiet day? Thought I would go back to a mall for lunch and another walk around. I didn't know it is a holiday. Mashujaa Day or Heroes' Day to honor all who fought for Kenya's independence. So there are celebrations, parades, etc that makes getting around a little tricky. 

     I ate the root veg soup and chicken samosas with piri piri (or peri peri...very spicy with birds' eye peppers) in the hotel. Then, maybe some relaxing word puzzles in the 11th floor lounge. I will have plenty of time to do last minute packing Monday since I don't check out until 9pm. Flight leaves at 1:20am East Africa Time Tuesday.

Ramble on yesterday's rained out tour Park Inn Hotel Nairobi, Kenya

Good morning! Another long ramble...what do you expect? 🤣 

Yesterday's trip to Ol Pejeta! Guide Ben arrived early! Good start. Fortunately traffic was light since it was 5am on a Saturday....except for the drunk college students walking/crossing the highway. There are crosswalks on the highway. YES. They are proceeded by sets of rumble strips and speed bumps. However, people don't always use them. It was a very scary drive to get out of a very stretched out city. 

It is a 3 to 4 hour trip. You are lulled into thinking this should be a piece of cake until you abruptly get to the portion of highway that is still being constructed. So, could be single paved, packed dirt, rocks, all of the above. All along the road are makeshift stalls. On the way back they were in full force with charcoal, fresh produce, pots and pans, etc. Lots of small villages with shacks of corrugated metal, HUGE mansions of cement block and high walls, and partially built buildings that ran out of funding. 

We arrived at Nanyuki, a large city that is the point where we turn off to go to Ol Pejeta. Before that, we stopped at a luxury camp called Kongoni for breakfast. This camp is owned by a Brit who is retired military. Nanyuki has a UK training base. So there are lots of retired soldiers who liked it so much they stayed. Interesting considering Kenya is a former British colony. Anyway, weather was perfect for a Brit, cold and rainy. 

We started down the road and it was getting worse and worse. The mud was horrible. My anxiety level was horrible. Then, a truck ahead of us got stuck. Nope that's it for me. I was ready to call it a day! Yep, I told Ben to turn it around and back to Nairobi. He was confused and concerned he would get into trouble. Emailed his boss and explained with pics of the road conditions. True, probably no big deal to local drivers but I didn't want to risk it. The drive to get there was stressful enough. 

 So on the trip back we stopped at the Equator for pics. Since a man took our Pic I had to visit his Store #10! We haggled and ended with a "you need a bag" argument. I learned this game in Zambia. A neighboring store ownet will gather your items to take them next door where the bags are. Uh uh. To get you into his store and dillydally packing items while you hopefully look and buy from him too. I said nope don't need a bag. And a back and forth began with me insisting he give me my items. I just kept saying Asante Sana- thank you very much- as I walked back to truck. 

After a little drive stopped at Bantu Resort for lunch. Fancy place in the middle of farm land and tiny shantytowns. There are these odd dichotomies everywhere. Next, of course, bathroom break at, big surprise, a Curio shop! Owner explains it is a community store and money is shared...NO PRESSURE...I'll leave you to just look around as he followed me down every aisle.🤦‍♀️ In the end I came away with ideal souvenir...soapstone egg painted with the globe including lat/lon! Horrible haggling and escaped. He continually tried to add things, change price, etc even after I paid. 

On the way up Ben mentioned the pineapple fields that are next to his hometown, Thika. Had to stop because the owner of these 1000s of acres...DelMonte! We checked out the store. Beautiful pineapple for 250 Kenya shilling or $1.95. Too bad you can't carry fruit home! We drove through his city...huge...not Nairobi huge but LOTS of people and cars and tuktuks. Raining like crazy. By the time we got back to hotel I was exhausted. Yes. Missed the game drive but in the end it was a good day!

Muddy road but didn't get worst part. Too busy having a melt down to take pics

Cow crossing

More cows

At the Equator with guide Ben

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Bantu Resort where we had lunch

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Pineapple farm near Thika

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It smelled wonderful!

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Lookout tower to keep thieves away. Everyone was selling pineapples along the highway.  Ill-gotten 

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The fields went on for miles!

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The Thika waterfall at entrance to city. From the highway you can't tell how big and chaotic it is.

Westgate Mall Nairobi, Kenya

Pouring rain at Westgate Mall, Nairobi. I'm stuck in a very nice mall with 2 credit cards! What's a girl to do? I bought a lightweight hooded rain jacket for tomorrow. It is supposed to rain for the rest of my time here. Guess that makes up for the gorgeous weather at the start in Cape Town! 

Malls in Nairobi...high security. To be expected since they had a terrible terrorist attack in 2013...4 day standoff. This one, Westgate, is tightest yet. They have one street entrance and scanners. Well, of course, I set it off with my bionic knee. So was surrounded by security and patted down...except she didn't touch me. 🤣🤣 They have very large Belgian Malinois dogs with rather intimidating wire muzzles along with AK47s...the global rifle of choice. 

Did get a Subz sandwich for supper. Three meat delight: turkey, beef salami, beef pepperoni. 

Lunch was at Tapas for their special Beetroot carpaccio, Tuna and avocado ceviche, and HAM croquetas. All outstanding. Leftovers will most likely be supper and save Subz for another time...or maybe it is just "rent" so I can sit while the rain clears. The cookie worked in other mall.😉 

Food pics

Update...waiting for driver and only place near door to sit for 20min is Frost cakery...so Subz bag doesn't fool them one bit! Going for the espresso! And I took the farthest seat from the cakes!

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Ham croquetas

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Beet carpaccio

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Tuna ceviche with avocado

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Does the bag look familiar?

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Waiting out the pouring rain.

Park Inn hotel Nairobi, Kenya

Well not sure what is happening but today's tour of Ol Pejeta was close to canceling because of another late driver. This guy shows up an hour late disheveled, red eyed, and apparently urinated on himself. Uh nope. This is a full day of driving - 3.5 hrs there, 5 hrs game drive, 3.5 back...my gut said don't do it. Driver says he didn't receive Itinerary until after I WhatsApp'd him at 5:17am. Company owner says driver had it but never came to office to pick up information. Told both of them that someone isn't being honest and the two of them need to work it out. I agreed to go tomorrow, Saturday, but if driver isn't there by 5:30a...refund. So another free day! Going to take a little nap since I was up at 3:50 this am then off to some other unplanned adventure! 

So I leave you with copyright free stock photos of my new favorite bird, Marabou stork. They are huge and can have a wingspan up to 10ft. They are everywhere here. Their trees were cut down to make room for expressways 3 years ago. So they perch on billboards, edge of expressway, Tops of buildings. Anyplace high up. Apparently they have made themselves quite a menace as they hang out around outdoor cafes as they are scavengers. You can't just swat them away. They walk in long, slow strides...like Lurch from the Addams family😁

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Peace Memorial Nairobi, Kenya

Well morning didn't work out quite as planned. Nairobi National Park game drive was 2 hrs late. Driver wanted me to still go for 2 hrs and pay full price. Ah, no. Got a refund and set up another AM drive with another company for Sunday. So that left me with time on my hands to dig through the list of things I have been adding to for months. Top was the Peace Memorial. It was established at the then location of the US Embassy when it was bombed by Al Qaeda in 1998. It is a small but powerful. The artifacts room is a photo free zone. It is filled with various objects that were found in the rubble. Also a case of US flags and another with flags of other countries representing the many people who were killed. Several of the surrounding buildings were damaged but were repaired and still stand. 

Then back to the Sarit Center to see if the larger bureau d'change will take my leftover Chilean Pesos. That was a no. Noone wants South American money🤷‍♀️ Oh well. Got some Kenyan Chinese food for lunch...chicken spring rolls and satay. Yes, satay isn't Chinese but this is a prime example of how restaurants work here. Every place is fusion. They were ok. Definitely not Chinese seasoning. They had a thick soy sauce that was good. Sweet and sour that I didn't try because not a fan. Then the great piri piri. Wooooo....a little teeny tiny bit will knock your socks off! And finely diced pickled red onion...YUM! 

I've been craving a good sandwich so looked up menu from another place in mall, Java House. Ham and cheese...I'm in. Well they don't have it on menu anymore 😪 but they have bacon!! I got turkey, cheese, and bacon for supper. It is sitting in my mini fridge right now and I hope it is tasty!! Tomorrow off on the long journey to Ol Pejeta. We will cross the Equator!

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Peace Memorial 

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Peace Memorial. Sculpture made from fragments of the US Embassy.

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Wall of names of Kenyans who were killed during the terrorist attack

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Terrorist attacks around the world

Inside Peace Memorial

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Gate to Peace Memorial

Across street from Memorial. Beautiful purple trees.

Sauces at Chinese restaurant at Sarit Mall

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Satay at Chinese restaurant. Not what I was expecting. The satay is hiding under mountain of saucy veg. It was bland.

Turkey and real BACON sandwich for supper

Giraffe Center Nairobi, Kenya

What a morning! Seeing all most of the Nairobi touristy sights with my personal guide Max. Started off at the Giraffe Center and fed Daisy and her babies. They are Rothschild Giraffes and hang out at the very posh Giraffe Manor. Check it out...quite the place to stay here. 

Next the Kobe Tough Bead Factory. Single mothers, young women without families are hired here to make the clay beads, paint them, and make jewelry that is sold in the shop. I had planned to see another bead factory but Max told me about this one. It was started by a woman who was laid off at the other factory during covid. 

Next, the highlight, Sheldrick Elephant Orphange. Lots of people but was able to get a spot thanks to Max walking quickly in front of me. They brought out little Raha the black rhino. She is 2 but very tiny because of her injuries when they rescued her in the Mara. Then out came 5 or 6 of the 23 Elephant orphans. They are bottle fed and had fun playing with each other. The rest except 3 came our for their bottles. The 3 that stayed back were the newest orphan who was injured and 2 two yr old females who decided to adopt the new one. Unfortunately for me, one of the 2 yr olds was my adopted Nyambeni. I adopted her 2 yes ago right after she was rescued. 

The final stop was the Karen Blixen Museum. Her house and parts of the coffee farm have been preserved in recognition of all the she did for Kenya. The neighborhood is called Karen in her honor and is full of huge walled estates of politicians, CEOs, doctors, etc. If you have seen the movie "Out of Africa" then you have seen the house. 

Now back to hotel for lunch. I was going to do the buffet. But it is a mad house. They go through a buffet like they drive...any little small space and they will sneak in. I said f that and just ordered off the menu. 🤦‍♀️

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Daisy the Giraffe

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Babies at Giraffe Center

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More Rothschild Giraffes

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Feeding Daisy

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A friend of Daisy

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Lady at Kobe Tough Bead Factory finishing something for my BFF

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Karen Blixen Museum

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Karen's drawing of property 

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Warthog wandering around Sheldrick. The Elephant Orphange is inside the Nairobi National Park. The park is a reserve. So, animals have free reign of area. Various parts are walled off to protect the orphanage, Giraffe Center, and others. We were inside Sheldrick so we were safe. But these warthogs got in. Max told me of a time he was there and a young lion came sauntering passed everyone. 

They are different than ones we saw in the Mara and Amboseli.

Raha's entrance!

Raha the baby rhino at Sheldrick Elephant Orphange 

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The babies at the orphanage

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Feeding and playing

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They don't seem aware of all of us

Relaxing day at the mall! Nairobi, Kenya

Spent last night going through everything and rearranging for trip home.  At the new hotel, Park Inn.  This AM was a huge breakfast buffet. Like the other hotels it included items we would consider lunch-ish. 

Off to the Sarit Center. One of the big shopping centers in Westlands. Well the Two Rivers Mall can't hold a candle to this place. Lots to look at. Hit up the bank for more Kenya shillings, another trip to Carrefour again. Can you believe after spending 10 months packing and repacking I am a week short on socks and over packed underwear. 🤦‍♀️ Got socks and munchies...like red skinned Peanuts. I normally do not care for this kind of peanut but there is something different. Something way better than Peanuts at home. Maybe the oil used, roasting method, type of salt?? There was an organic store and they had some dried apricots that were tasty. So have some snacks. 

Stopped for Lunch at food court which included a Chinese place, Middle Eastern, Healthy/organic, American Fried Chicken (nope, not KFC but logo and menu looked exactly same 🤣), and my stop, Chicago Pizza Place and Eat Indian. I had the beef pepperoni thick "base"pizza. Not thick like we are used to but good. Like the other pizza I tried, the sauce is very light and needs a little seasoning. Mozzarella cheese seems different here as well. Overall, tasty but I am looking forward to spicy pork pepperoni at home. 

Tomorrow, off to the Giraffe Center, Sheldrick Elephant Orphange, and the Karen Blixen Museum.

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The Kenyan version of Chicago pizza

After safari! Nairobi, Kenya

Back in Nairobi! Plane rides were a little like game drives this time but noone tossed their cookies. 

On the drive from Wilson Airfield to Park Inn hotel was a completely different sight. Alot of military services housing, hospitals, and the State House where the new president lives. And we passed the State House All Girls' School. It is HUGE. Size of small city. Streets are lined with makeshift markets selling anything from socks and underwear to handmade tools. And food stands busy with people getting their lunch. Speaking of lunch...I'm off to get some. 

Nothing for tomorrow except find a bank, rest, get a shower, laundry....whatever else. This hotel is very friendly, near stores, near CBD. Room is nice size and simply but nicely appointed.

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Park Inn room tour

Hotel lunch buffet with local dishes

Last day in the Maasai Mara Mara-Olkiombo airstrip, Kenya

The Mara-Olkiombo airstrip. The cafe, the gift shop, the gate waiting area.😁 

No air traffic control. Just look up, left, right, and go

Airport market

Waiting area/market/food stall

Definitely a track but all weather?

Landing at another strip for more passengers

Last evening drive in the Mara

Last day...had a nice massage and facial after lunch. 

I'll post menus and pics of food later in one post. The food here is outstanding. 

Then Morris decided to start PM drive early because he got a tip of black rhino sighting near the public bathrooms. Yes, this massive conservancy/park has public bathrooms...no I didn't check them out because you could come out and find a rhino. 

No rhino but did see a Serval...very small cat, elephant, Warthog family, baby giraffe, and last stop to check on the baby lion cubs. The vids are long but you could spend hours just watching their cute antics. We got a close viewing spot about 5 ft from them. 

Then a Sundowner few sips of wine and a nice conversation about travel with Angel. Goodbye to Morris as he will be on AM drive with Angel and someone else will take me to airport. 

Africa can really get into your heart! Back to Nairobi tomorrow AM to new hotel.

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Warthog family pout for evening walk

A serval out of nowhere

Serval on the prowl

Male ostrich following a female in the distance

Starting to run

Baboons stopping for a bite

And giraffe...

Some sort of bird...

And back to the lion cubs having dinner

All cuteness but no rhinos

Stop for a Sundowner to celebrate the trip

Another beautiful sunset on the Mara

Supper menu

Baked onion soup

Time to pack and hit the hay for tomorrow return to Nairobi.