Wednesday, August 7, 2013

We decided that we’d leave early on Wednesday so that we could reduce the traveling a bit for Thursday.  Rather than leaving at 7am and driving 5 hours, we broke it up.  We would drive to Narok and spend a night there, leaving just 1 hour to the mara.  That way, we could have dinner with Isaac’s family… we’d been trying to meet them for some time, so I’m gald this opportunity presented itself.

We left the guest house at 8:30 after packing up most of our things.  We drove across the street for gas, and ATM stop, and sodas before heading to MBO.  We also agreed that Job would take the bus to Narok, along with two bags so that we would have more room in the van.  He was waiting for the bus just next to where we stopped for gas.  We all waved as we pulled away.

We got to the school, and as usual, the children cam running.  It was like watching waves crash onto the shore… they just kept coming and coming and coming. Everyone played with them.  It was predominantly the younger students, which made it that much more fun.  Again, just look at the smiles… on all of our faces.  We also got to see Leah, the young girl who had the baseball size cyst on her head.  It was really affecting her socially, and was eventually painful.  With the help of Job, Tom from Chulembo hospital and one of his friend's (a surgeon), the cyst was removed last year, and she looks fabulous!

 
 



 

Andrea, Kevin and I stopped to see John at the clinic before returning to the primary school for some last minute goodbyes.  Saying “kwaheri” (goodbye) to the children is always difficult, but it just makes it that much more important to return later.

We returned to the guest house to grab the remaining bags, and we were off!  I remembered that we hadn’t been to the equator yet, so I had Isaac turn left instead of right.  It was less than ½ a mile away, and you can’t fly halfway around the world without visiting the equator!  That’s just nuts!

They’d made some changes since we were here last.  Behind the marker that was doated by the Lions Club, there now sits “The Equator Car Wash and Gift Shop.”  Location, location, location… although we didn’t advantage of either.  Instead, we grabbed some pictures before beginning the four hour drive.

Karen got car sick before we even got to Kisumu, so I ran into Tusky’s to find a chemist.  After getting some medicine for motion sickness, we grabbed some cold water/sodas and back onto the road we went.

The landscape was beautiful, and as we got further from Kisumu, the more it changed.  It went from lush and dark green with flowing corn fields to brilliant bright greens of tea fields as far as the eye could see.  Then came the dryer sections where the crop changed from corn to wheat.  Then came Narok.  The ride took much longer than expected (6 instead of 4), and I was having difficulty no losing my patience.  I wanted out of this van, and I wanted it now.  Karen continued to be ill the entire time, and Sam was feeling the same.  That just made me feel worse.

We finally made it to Narok and the Guest House where we’ll be staying for the night.  It was a nice spot, albeit surrounded by a not so friendly looking neighborhood.  I didn’t question our safety at all though.  One, because Isaac brought us here, and two, because the guards are reassuring… and they’re inside the 10’ walls.

Just to test our resolve, we were given keys for the 4^th floor.  Nope, no elevator.  Yes, eight 50lb bags.  We made it, and no sooner did we place our bags on the beds, it was time to go to Isaac’s home for dinner.

It was great meeting his family.  His children (Caleb and Tatiana) are adorable, and his wife is a wonderful cook.  We laughed as we sat and ate until our stomachs were full.

We leave for the mara tomorrow at 8:30, so I apologized for not being able to stay longer, thanked Leah and her family for their hospitality and headed back to the guest house where I’m sitting, typing this bog.  I can’t wait to go to sleep.  It’s 11:30, I’m exhausted, and this entry will bring us up to date!  Yay!