life

I haven't blogged in a while. I guess that, compared to a trip in Kenya, life is pretty boring. Some changes are coming up in my life, though. Things could become more interesting.

First of all, my lease at this apartment ends August 31. At that point, I will house-sit for some people I work with, who will be out of the country for most of September. Then I will live with some other people for October. I'm looking forward to house-sitting. I've done it before. It's fun to have someone else's entire house all to myself. It's also nice to have MY entire place to myself, but that's coming a little later on.

At the end of October, my commitment with Wycliffe will be fulfilled. I intend to get a job and a place of my own. The area I'm looking at is Temple, TX. My Rodgers will be going to UMHB, to turn his Associate Degree in Psychology into a BS, starting in August. (Today, he is still in Kenya, but will be back in 2 weeks.) So I am hoping to live near where he'll be and work in that area, too. It will be very different to live so close to each other. The goal is to get married eventually.

I actually bought a wedding dress already. I thought it was crazy to buy a dress before even being engaged. But I thought it would be ok since Rodgers already invited a ton of people to our wedding before being engaged. Plus, it was an $850 dress on ebay, and I won the bid for $35. The shipping was $40, but that's still an outrageously good deal. (I have a secret photo album with pictures of the dress, if you want to see it, just ask.)

I have found an apartment I quite like, as it is presented online. I haven't seen it in person yet. I will do that sometime when I'm down in that area. I'm sure I'll go down there for something... It's one of the largest one bedroom apartments I've seen in my price range. And I really like that the bedroom is a loft.

Since I'll kind of be a gypsy in September and October, most of my stuff is going into storage. I'll keep my clothes and computer with me, though - just the necessities. So I'm looking for a nice cheap storage unit in Arlington. I have found movers who will take my stuff there for a reasonable price. Since it's a short move and only a partial apartment of stuff, it is affordable. When I go to Temple, I will have to rent a trailer and get someone I know to tow it for me (I think I have a few options there). I could just rent a whole U-Haul truck, but I really don't think I need that much space. Maybe a small truck. But still, I think I'd want someone else to drive it. It's not really my thing...

my journal from Kenya

My whole journal is now online. For those who can't get enough of Kenya (most of them are named Angela) and want to know every detail. I didn't write all my stories down, but I did write a lot of stuff. There's an entry for all 13 days.

I figured out how to manipulate the date/time of the posts so that they are now in the correct order instead of backwards order. Yay!

safari ya kenya :: Day 1 :: in transit and Mombasa

Thursday, June 12

At ~ 4:20 a.m. Eastern Africa Time, on Thursday, June 12, 2008, I crossed the equator for the first time.

We arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly thereafter, where I promptly got lost. Not exactly lost, but I didn't know where to go or what to do. Eventually I discovered that the men standing in front of the directions were blocking the information that told me KQ Transfers were to the left. They were not blocking the part that said Transfers were to the right. Fortunately there were more signs with no men standing in front of them and I got myself turned around.

I stood in one line only to find that it wasn't the right place for me. But due to that, I was given some specific directions instead of trying to find the right place for me to be in the smallest airport I had been in at that time. I didn't have to wait in line for my visa. I got it with no problem at all, and still got to baggage claim ages before my 2 checked bags.

In Houston, on Tuesday, they had told me that I wouldn't have to pick up my bags until Mombasa. But visa guy told me I would have to collect them, take them to domestic departures, and recheck them.

I was a little concerned that I didn't get my bags until about 5:40, but it turned out to be plenty of time. At 6:15 I boarded a tiny airplane, but it was bigger than the one in the next space. It had 13 steps to climb from the tarmac. The next plane had only 6. So that was better.

We arrived on time in Mombasa, which has only 1 terminal and 4 gates, and is now the smallest airport I have ever been to. And my bags did make it on and off the plane with me. Rodgers was waiting for me with a taxi.

I got to see Mombasa Baptist High School, Rod's library, and meet some of his co-workers there. I got to see the Indian Ocean and Fort Jesus, which is an old Portuguese fort from some conflict with Arabs. I rode in a tuk-tuk and a matatu. And I walked a lot.

Me at Fort Jesus

I was supposed to stay with Agie, but some concerns developed regarding burglaries. They thought having a mzungu staying there would be inviting trouble. Other people I was to stay with had some other things come up.

In the end, Rod decided to put me up in a hotel.

Jundan Hotel is brand new. When I checked in, there were pieces of masking tape with the room numbers stuck to the doors. The keys had the room numbers attached on pieces of cardboard. By late afternoon, they had installed the real room numbers on the doors and attached plastic ones to the keys. It is quite nice, with a guard posted outside in the evenings. It is right next door to a mosque, so I hear the call to prayer quite clearly.

My hotel room


Out my hotel window

All three meals today Rod took me to different little restaurants. Breakfast was eggs, toast, and samosas (fried dumplings) with chai. Lunch was githeri (beans, corn, beef, and kale), which Rod said was his favorite. For dinner we had Kenyan chicken and chips with chai. Rod has always said that American chicken is different and not as good as Kenyan. It was different. It had more flavor and tasted a little wild. Not wild as in weird, wild as in wild bird as in not domestic.

safari ya kenya :: Day 2 :: in Mombasa

Friday, June 13

The morning started with the mosque's call to prayer before 5 a.m. I tried to sleep again afterwards, but gave up around 7 and took a shower.

Breakfast was sausages, mahamri (a type of roll), and of course chai.

Then we went to a place that highlights some of the big tribes in Kenya. The man representing the Mijikenda (which includes Rod's tribe, Giriama) renamed me Furaha, the Swahili word for joy. It was very interesting seeing the way different tribes do life - their housing and providing for their families. We also got to meet a witch doctor. He said the spirits told him that we're all well. That's good.

After that we went to Haller Park, where we saw several Kenyan animals. The giraffes and one crocodile were very close. Took some good pictures I think.

Giant Tortoise


Giraffe


Crocodile

Then - the beach and the Indian Ocean. It's the windy time of the year now. Plus it's not very hot. So I was freezing. But it was fun playing in the water together. I got a ridiculous sunburn. Like someone splashed red dye on me at random.

Then we went to Agie's house and had chapati and beans in coconut milk for dinner. I didn't eat a lot because I got too much sun, but it was good. It's one of Rod's favorite dinners. Good chai, too. Agie seems wonderful. Her daughter Emmy is fun too. She's a very smart 3 year old. At first she kept calling me Mzungu. But after Agie's and Rod's insistence she tried to learn my name. Sometimes I was Uncle Rachel (because she knows it's Uncle Rodgers). But in the end she settled on Auntie. That's the aunt that doesn't rhyme with ant. And the emphasis is on the "ie".

Rod and Agie making chapati

Me shredding a coconut

safari ya kenya :: Day 3 :: in Mombasa

Saturday, June 14

We took it easy this morning. We checked emails and had a late breakfast. Then we looked at some dresses to give our moms, but we didn't like any of them. We went to a bank for me to exchange currency, for which they charged a $5 commission. I thought that was a bit excessive. We had to wait in line for about 12 days. Rod knows a place that doesn't charge for exchange, but they don't take anything under $100 bills. I had 20s, so that was out.

Around noon we took naps and then had lunch at about 2. Fish and chips.

Then we went to Aliston's and Angeline's for dinner. Fried chicken, fish, ugali, rice, coconut stew, and bananas. Not sure if the water was safe to drink, but I drank it anyway. We'll see. I may get a parasite.

The 2 daughters, Esther and Mercy, are learning English in school, so they practiced on me. That was fun.

Oh! Before we got to the house for dinner, we stopped at Beatrice's shop (I later learned that Angeline also works there). She's a dressmaker and is going to make dresses for our moms. We just have to get their measurements.

Before we left, they gave us some traditional Kenyan clothes, in purple.

Angeline, Rod, and me wearing purple lesos

It rained a lot today. The way to the house was all muddy. So we got covered in mud - I did at least, from the knees down.

safari ya kenya :: Day 4 :: in Mombasa

Sunday, June 15

It's Sunday. We found a place that actually serves breakfast before 9:30 a.m. Then we went to church. Very enthusiastic singing, dancing, and preaching.

During testimony time, Rodgers introduced me as the woman he loves and wants to marry. The ladies went crazy. It was awesome.

The service was very long, as usual. About 1:45, Benson, who was responsible for looking after me today, said, "Let's go get some lunch." So we went down to a little restaurant and I had pilau - rice and beef. When we got back, there were meetings in progress. We stayed for the youth fellowship (youth = single adults). They were planning what they were going to wear to a wedding in August. Then Rodgers sent us away.

Ben, Hope, and I came back to my hotel and watched TV for a few hours. Then Rod called us finally, after 6:00 and asked us to meet him for supper.

Tomorrow, we go to Malindi and the country. My hotel offered to let me keep some stuff here. So I will just take my messeger bag to the country with me. The lighter we pack for this safari, the better.

safari ya kenya :: Day 5 :: in Mombasa and Marereni

Monday, June 16

The day began with lots of rain. We met Beaty for breakfast at Little Chef, where we had breakfast and supper yesterday.

We planned to meet at 8:00, but we were about 30 minutes early. Because of the rain, she had trouble getting a matatu and was 30 minutes late, but it was fine.

After breakfast, we went to email Mom to get her to send us her measurements for a dress. Then we went to the market to buy some fabric. We got very nice African looking fabric for about $2.50/yard.

Then Rod and I got in a matatu bound for Malindi. The road was not as rough as I expected. From Malindi we took another matatu to Marereni. On the way, Rod pointed out the way he would go to go home and salt farms.

Rod's sister Halima had her third child this weekend. So Mama Esther is here with them in Marereni. She will be her until the baby is 7 weeks old. [edit: I really thought that's what Rod told me. Actually she only stayed 1 week.] Because of that and the rain, we won't go to the country house today like we planned. We are staying in a little hotel tonight at least. There is no A/C, probably no hot water, and the power lines fell during the rain, so we are powered by generators only at night. But there is a toilet, sink, shower, Ricky and Lucy style beds, a TV with 2 channels, mosquito nets, an oscillating fan, a table and chairs on the porch, and chai brought to said table at 8:30 tomorrow morning. Being that I was geared up for the country and peeing on the ground, it is plenty luxurious for me.

Each bed had a sheet over the foam mattress, a blue sheet to cover up with, an orange towel, 2 weird foam pillows

Jefwa (Katoto), Rod's brother-in-law, met us when we got off the matatu, and brought us to the hotel. We put our stuff down and went to his house, to meet Halima and Mama Esther. Rod hugs everyone in the U.S. but not in Kenya. He just shook hands with his mom.

It was 2:00 and we hadn't eaten since 8:30. So Halima brought us some ugali, fish, and prawns, followed by mango and chai. We ate and Katoto's mom showed up. A big discussion ensued regarding the name of the new baby. Not a great thing for having any quality time with Mama Esther. So we came to the hotel for naps. I think we slept for over an hour. Then we sat on the porch until Katoto came to get us for dinner, which was very good nyama and rice, bananas and mango. We spent some time talking after dinner.

I can't talk to Rod's mom, and like most Kenyans, she is very shy with me. Typically Kenyans will kind of clam up when I'm around. They'll talk to Rod some, but don't really even attempt to use him as an interpreter to talk to me through him. It's frustrating, and I don't know what to do. But she did get very excited when Rod told me how to tell her "sleep well" in Giriama.

This was actually the morning of Day 6. Mama Esther, Halima (Rod's sister) and me

Halima took Mama Esther's measurements and we called Beaty to give them to her for making the dress. Mom and Mama Esther will have matching dresses. The fabric is the same print with different color schemes.

safari ya kenya :: Day 6 :: in Marereni and Malindi

Tuesday, June 17

Today we had breakfast on our porch. Then we went back to Halima's house and said goodbye to Mama Esther. We had a short conversation, interpreted by Rod.

As we left, we stopped by Joyce's store. She was so excited to see Rod! He actually did hug her. Halima prodded Rod to buy several things, for her, Mama, her daughter, and me.

We finally got out of the store and went to wait for a matatu to take us to Malindi. Katoto went with us. He seemed to wait for a driver he knew (he is also a matatu driver) so he could have a free ride. It was a long ridiculous wait, pointless for Rod and me.

In Malindi, Francis met us at the bus station, took us to a hotel where we could stay - you can get a single room with a view of the Indian Ocean for $10/night. The one he took us to is not near the ocean, but they serve breakfast for no extra charge.

We had lunch at Francis' house, under a mango tree. Then he took us to check email. I got Mom's measurements and we passed them on to Beaty. She had already finished Mama Esther's dress!

We stopped in a Safari place to see what a Safari would cost. There is a big park nearby - Tsavo East and Tsavo West - where safari tours go. But a 1 night / 2 day trip cost 25,000 KSHS. We don't have that much money.

Rod's nephew Moses works near that safari office and internet place. So we sat at a nearby cafe and drank sodas with him and Francis. They all went to Mombasa Baptist High School together. Moses was one year behind Francis and Rod.

We missed naptime, so we got some take out from that cafe (which is little black plastic bags of food) and went to our hotel to have a nice easy evening.

safari ya kenya :: Day 7 :: in Malindi

Wednesday, June 18

We checked out of the hotel this morning and got on a bus that would take us to Kambi ya Waya, where we would then walk to the house in the country. Rod kept trying to call Wilson (his older brother) to see if he was home, but couldn't get him. The bus hadn't left yet, so we just got off.

We decided to check in to another hotel and found one on the beach - still about $10 for a single room for one night. Our tuk-tuk driver waited for us, then took us to Malindi Marine Park. We didn't know what it was, but apparently it's mostly for snorkeling. We didn't have our swimsuits, so we just walked along the beach, then sat in some shade talking until we got hungry for lunch.

From my hotel window

After lunch we took naps. I checked on Rod after a while, and he was sleeping so soundly. I woke him up accidentally, but he couldn't stay awake. I thought he would sleep all day. Finally he did wake up though, and we took a walk, checked out an even more expensive safari place, and checked email again.

In the pub on the ground floor of our hotel

Beaty called to ask for Rod's youngest sisters' measurements - Khadija and Chorus, who are in high school. I guess she's also finished Mom's dress now.

After checking emails, Rod called Moses and Francis again. They came and drank tea with us in the same cafe as yesterday until it was almost dark. Moses had permission from his wife to stay there at the cafe with us as long as he wanted, but his vehicle (which I think was a motorcycle or a scooter) didn't have working headlights, so he had to leave before 7 when it gets dark.

We walked back to our hotel. It's a full moon, or close to it, and the moon reflected on the ocean. It was beautiful and romantic. So we walked back to the hotel along the sidewalk next to the beach, watching the moon and holding hands.

We had dinner in the hotel's pub. I was thinking of curry and the waiter said one of the curries was the best - his favorite food on the menu. So I had that. It was unlike any curry I've had before.

We did eventually hear from Wilson. He was going to a funeral for one of their uncles' grandmothers. The funeral is tomorrow. So there will be no one at home in the country. We'll probably go back to Mombasa.

safari ya kenya :: Day 8 :: in Malindi and Mombasa

Thursday, June 19

We thought about going to the country again this morning, and returning to Mombasa in the evening. But when we got to the bus station and surveyed the incoming clouds, we changed our plans and went straight to Mombasa.

Loading a bus is a complex process in Kenya. The bus won't leave until it's full. And a large number of people don't want to get on until the bus is leaving. Every so often, the bus will begin rolling forward in hopes that people will think it's leaving so they'll get on. Eventually, the bus will reach the end of the parking lot and back up into its original position. Just before the bus actually leaves, there will be a rush of people getting on. These people have been just hanging around the bus station, refusing to board a bus or matatu. They seem to all suddenly decide to take this bus after all, and the bus is finally able to leave, not on schedule because it was waiting till it was full to leave. It was a long bus ride to Mombasa, and once we got here, we were both dying to stand up and move around. We had lunch a bit before 2, as soon as we were off the bus. Then we checked out a couple of hotels that are farther away from the mosque than the hotel I had been staying in. But they were not very nice, and I'm spoiled. So I came back to my very nice hotel with a 5 a.m. wake up call to prayer. The other hotels seemed like they were nice when they were built, but no maintenance has been done on the facilities at all, i.e. broken toilet seats are not replaced, missing knobs for the shower are not replaced, it still has the original coat of paint that is now peeling off...

This picture was taken from the bus that took us back to Mombasa (that's why I'm higher up than the matatu)

In the afternoon, we went shopping for some souvenirs. Rod told them that I am his wife / I belong here / am not going anywhere / and not a tourist so that they wouldn't insist on charging me the tourist price. After seeing everything that was there, I decided what I wanted and made Rod a list to go back and bargain/haggle some good prices for me. He loves that. He got me some good stuff, too. While he was doing that, I wrote some post cards. Then we had dinner, watched TV, and called it a day.

safari ya kenya :: Day 9 :: in Mombasa

Friday, June 20

This morning we finished my shopping. Rod made a deal yesterday with one guy that he would buy 3 chess sets for $15. I wanted to buy one for Trey and didn't really know what to get for Dad and Matt. The guys wanted $10-12 for 1 chess set, but made the deal with Rod. He made sure it was ok with me, and we went and picked them up this morning, first thing.

After breakfast, Rod went to Bamburi to pick up our moms' dresses. He was gone for a couple of hours. I stayed in my hotel and read a book, which was very nice. The dresses look great!

The dresses for our moms

When Rod got back, we took our postcards to the post office (he wrote 2 for his moms in Brenham) and mailed them. 95 KSHS to mail a postcard to the US. The one I sent to Cat in Senegal was only 75 (but that's still over $1 USD).

Then we met up with William and took a ride down to the ferry. We walked along the road by the river, looking at the baobab trees and watching a container ship coming in to the docks. Rod had taken me down there on my first day in Mombasa, but I was able to enjoy it much more today since I wasn't jet lagged.

The famous Mombasa elephant tusks (they are not from real elephants, just a metal sculpture)

We came back to GPO for lunch, then went to the beach. We walked from Pirate's beach down to Travelers' beach. Agie was still working and there was a volleyball game going on. Rod and Agie joined in.

William and Rod on the beach

Rod brought me back to my hotel to clean up while he went to buy some more shoes - his had gotten wet playing volleyball and he didn't have any more shoes in Kenya he could wear tomorrow besides his dress shoes. When I shaved, the top layer of sunburn on my legs peeled off (I'm sure Cat will find that particularly appealing).

We just took it easy till dinnertime. I wanted to try biriani, which has the same main ingredients as pilau, but is different somehow. The first restaurant we went to had only chicken and chips. The next one had only beef liver left. The third one assured us they did have food, but also had a limited selection. Fortunately, one thing they did have left was very good. Chicken fry - which is chicken with sauteed veggies and a tomato sauce. I'll have to try biriani some other time.

safari ya kenya :: Day 10 :: in Mombasa

Saturday, June 21

This morning, Rod decided to close his bank account and open an account at a different bank. We left early enough that there was no line at his old bank (the Kenyans were taught to queue by the British, who make it an art-form), but by the time we got to the new bank there was a long line. At least 50 people in each of 2 long lines (that's a conservative estimate). The new account line only had about 5 people, though. So Rod got an application, which I filled out while he went next door to copy his national ID. Then when he got back, he returned to the new accounts line and I got in the cash deposit line to save him a place so that he could make a deposit into his account after he opened it. I don't know how long I stood in that line. I would guess over an hour. It was great to experience how much more efficient you can be when there are 2 of you.

Then we met Beaty so Rod could buy some fabric for her to make his mom another dress (Beaty and Angeline shamed him into doing this since the other dress they made is from my mom, and he believes his mom deserves everything, so he can't resist getting her something - he is really a mama's boy). He also bought fabric for himself a pair of black slacks.

I tried again to have biriani, but there was none, so I had a fish with the head still on for lunch, but I did not eat the head, as Rod would have.

We had lunch late and finished shopping afterwards. Then we took the rest of the afternoon just chilling, reading, and watching TV.

We had great pizza at Blue Room for dinner. It's the nicest restaurant I've been to in Kenya.

safari ya kenya :: Day 11 :: in Mombasa

Sunday, June 22

We left for breakfast a little after 7:00 this morning and I didn't get back to the hotel till about 10 pm. Long day.

I went to the English service at church this morning. Rod didn't make it because he had to go back to Agie's house after breakfast and change clothes. He wore blue jeans to breakfast, was thinking of wearing them to church too, and he looked nice. But since he was preaching in the main service he had second thoughts about his outfit and went to get nice slacks, shirt, and tie. He looked VERY nice in that. :)

The rain at church

After the English service was a Bible study, during which I had no idea what was going on. Rod had arrived by then, but was sitting in the back. He had left William responsible for me, but William wasn't translating for me.

By the time the main service started, Benson had arrived, and he did translate everything for me.

The English service was from about 9-10. Bible study ~ 10-10:30. Main service ~ 10:30-2 pm. No breaks in between.

Rod preaching

After the main service, the pastor gave me a kind of formal farewell and sent his greetings to America through me. I guess specifically my church, but I hereby extend the greetings to ALL OF AMERICA.

Then, when all the extra stuff at the end was over, I went out of the building, headed for the outhouse. Rod had been standing right outside the door since finishing his sermon, so I was going to talk to him before going to the outhouse, but I had to wait for him to finish talking to someone else first. While I was waiting, one of his cousins (I think her name is Esther) put her arm around me and led me aside so we could talk. She calls Rod "brother" even though they're cousins because Swahili had no word for "cousin." She said she would call me "wifi" (or something like that) which means "one's brother's wife." Her sister also joined us after a while.

Finally, we went to eat some pilau, and I got to use the restaurant's outhouse, which is a nicer one that the one by the church. [This is an important part of the African experience so I will describe it. If you don't want to know about outhouses, skip to the next photo.] There's really no plumbing, just a hole in the ground. But the hole isn't like our outhouses that have a little chair over the hole. It's actually a hole in the ground that you have to squat over. The ways the restaurant's outhouse was superior: 1) It (the restaurant's outhouse) has four full walls, a door, and a ceiling. The one by the church is a corrugated tin lean-to. 2) You can't see down inside the hole at the restaurant. By the church, you can see everything that's in there, which is mostly...um...worms...So that was nice.

Me and Benson Sunday afternoon, after chai

Then we went to Aliston's for chai, which was made from a plant we were sitting next to. At first I thought it reminded me of chamomile. But it may have been something like lemon grass. They crushed the blades of grass and made chai with it, which we drank sweetened but without milk.

We sat with Aliston, Ben, and William for a while, then went to Pauline's. She made us Mahamri. We didn't have time to sit and eat with her, but she wanted to make us mahamri anyway and send it with us.

Then we went to dinner with Florence, who I was originally supposed to stay with. It was a great dinner, with great conversation.

With Florence and her sleeping children, after dinner

Coming back from her house was a muddy adventure. But none of us fell in the mud. I did slip and slide around on the mud a lot, though.

Rod says that mud is my official welcome to Kenya.

Our muddy shoes, though not as muddy as the next day...

safari ya kenya :: Day 12 :: in Mombasa and Kambi ya Waya

Monday, June 23

First thing this morning, Rod asked me, "How about going to the country this morning and coming back to Mombasa tonight?" So that's what we did. He says that my love for spontaneity and flexibility is the reason he loves me, but not the only reason. He said it would be an adventure, but we got more of that than we expected!

The plan was to take a bus or express matatu to Malindi, then another matatu or small bus from there to Kambi ya Waya (means Wire Camp). The bus stops to pick up and drop off, but the express matatu goes straight to Malindi. Then from there, the small bus stops closer to Rod's mom's place but only goes twice a day - around 10 am and 3 pm. The matatus run constantly, but there is a longer walk to the house.

We opted for the express to Malindi, and hoped we'd be in time for the small bus to Kambi ya Waya.

We were barely out of Mombasa when we stopped for gas, but the driver decided he didn't like the prices or something and drove off without filling up. We kept going...for about 50 feet. Then we ran out of gas. All of us boarded other matatus that stopped, but they were not express. They just go from Mombasa to Kilifi, with many stops along the way. In Kilifi, we got aboard a third matatu to take us to Malindi. Suddenly, it started overheating. Apparently, when they had filled the radiator reservoir, they didn't put the cap back on. So the fluid had been coming out the whole time we were driving. We waited on the side of the road for it to cool off and be filled with water, cap replaced this time. And then finally went all the way to Malindi. We were too late for the small bus so we took a matatu and then walked for about an hour. Part of the way was just dry red sand. But part of the way was standing water in muddy, slippery, sticky clay. Had we gone last week, the whole way would have been mud, and the water would have been much higher than ankle deep, as it was today. It might have been waist deep even.

The road to Mama's house

We finally got to the house and surprised Mama Esther and Janet (Wilson's wife). We gave Mama her dress from my mom and took pictures of her in it. Then they asked Rod to kill a chicken and made us lunch.

Mama Esther's house


Mama Esther in her new dress and me


Hoeing weeds in the corn field


Me and Rod


Chicken and ugali


In the mud

We had to go back soon, so after eating we walked through the mud for another hour, and took matatus back to Mombasa with no more incidents.

safari ya kenya :: Day 13 :: in Mombasa and transit

Tuesday, June 24

Today we had breakfast at the same place we had breakfast on my first day in Mombasa.

Rod had some pictures printed from yesterday and Sunday - to give to Florence and show Angeline and Beaty that we took Mama Esther's dress to her. We picked them up after breakfast and headed out to Bamburi one last time.

There was enough fabric left over from our moms' dresses that Beaty was making dresses for Khadija and Chorus - the only siblings of Rod's still living at home. One was already together when we got there, and Beaty put the other one together before we left. Rod abandoned me there so Beaty and Angeline would talk to me, but we still didn't talk much.

We had lunch with Benson. I finally got to eat biriani. Rice, meat, and sauce. It was quite good. Not really worth all the trouble it took to get me my first plate of it, but I'd eat it again.

Benson had to leave us around 2 because he had to work and then take a test in his computer class. We passed the next hour window shopping.

Beaty, Pauline, and Janet (not Rod's sister-in-law, but Beaty's sister and William's girlfriend) met us at my hotel at about 3, which is also when our taxi arrived. Then we went to the airport. I didn't have to check in until 5:30, but the traffic would have been worse then, so we went really early. I spent my last shillings buying everyone sodas and we sat and talked until time for me to check in. William joined us eventually, too.

It was strange to me that they all wanted to see me off at the airport. I kind of wished it could be just Rod and me so we could cuddle the whole time until I had to leave. But I probably would have cried more then.

31 hours till I'll be in Austin...