Somalia Visit

After the brief holiday period, it was back to work. I spent about half of January in Somalia. In fact, with the exception of one vacation day, and the recognized holidays, there wasn't much of a break at all. Somalia doesn’t take much time off since they obviously don’t celebrate Christmas and New Year’s is basically just a long weekend. With a late trip to Mogadishu in December and an early one in January, there was very little break in work continuity.

* * *

Given my postponed trip to Baidoa (in the southwest) originally scheduled for December, I needed to fit that in early in the new year. This area was considered to be the epicenter of the recent severe drought. As devastated as the population was for the past few years, within weeks of the return of the rains (finally), flooding ensued. A brutal twist of fate. The flooding was the worst on record, which comes with a caveat in that measurable records don’t go back very far.

I would be traveling with a colleague from the regional team. I have mixed feelings about traveling with people. I sometimes like the interaction and I enjoy showing people what I consider to be one of the most interesting places I’ve ever been - a place that most people will never see. But I also like traveling alone. Decision making is easier and, in an insecure environment, there’s simply less to worry about.

* * *

Taking the UN flight, we were able to make it all the way to Baidoa from Nairobi on a Sunday, transiting briefly through Mogadishu. It’s an effective use of time, but with a 3:45am wake-up, it makes for a very packed day. Sunday is the first day of the week so the plane was full and the airports were busy.

waiting lounge

When I first arrived in Somalia years ago, almost all international travelers used either UN or EU flights. For years, it was deemed to be the only “safe” way to get to Mogadishu. I was one of the first to transition to commercial flights which, over the years, have become more the norm. There are some organizations that still require staff to fly UN, but that number is reducing by the year (EU flights were discontinued a few years ago).

The transit in Mogadishu with the UN flight leaves a lot to be desired. Having grown accustomed to commercial travel in Somalia where you enter a proper air terminal with all the basic amenities, returning to UN travel seems almost farcical. Unnecessarily so, I would add. After the plane lands, you’re escorted over to a container. A few years ago, you didn’t even enter a container, but queued up outside for a long wait to go through “immigration”. It’s usually hot and dusty. We stood outside the container for over 45 minutes: no seating; no toilet; no water/food; wind gusts blowing sand in your face while waiting to re-board our plane to continue to Baidoa.

I realize that for short-term UN workers to Somalia, this is part of the ambiance. Obtaining “street cred” in a relatively brief hardship posting, a lot of people embrace this sort of thing. As humanitarian work goes, Somalia is the real deal. A little grit is good for a person's Instagram posts.

I cringe when I see these people. Not only do they enter the context with an inflated perception of their value-add, they are also very expensive. Most are making decent money with frequent R&Rs and are not even allowed to leave the green zone. It’s a system that gradually needs to be dismantled, but there doesn’t seem to be an appetite to do so. 

Alas, I digress.

* * *

Eventually we boarded our flight to Baidoa and were off. Upon take-off, for safety reasons, flights immediately bank sharply towards the ocean. It’s a security protocol to gain altitude over the water before continuing the flight path over land to minimize the risk of anything being fired from the ground. Such incidents are highly unlikely but the protocols remain for most aircraft.

The flight is short – about 45 minutes. I was surprised to see the greenish landscape below as we approached the town. I have only traveled to Baidoa during severe drought so it was a nice change. Some fear that the green will soon begin to fade if the next rainy season fails.

Scattered mostly on the outskirts of the town you see the massive dome-shaped ramshackle tents of those who have been displaced by drought and conflict (“IDPs” in our language – internally displaced persons). From the air they look like small polyps, extending farther and farther as each crisis comes and goes – people arriving for help, most with no intention of returning to where they came from, either because of the recurring fear of conflict or the lack of livelihoods by which they could feed themselves. But also no ability to move beyond the temporary housing which ends up being permanent. Supporting these people is a big part of what we do in this town.

Baidoa town

As I’ve mentioned before, during previous posts of traveling to Baidoa, the town is completely surrounded by militant groups. There is no way for us to have access except by plane. You travel more than five kilometers in any direction and you begin to leave government-controlled territory. It’s a tough place to work and to bring in resources.

* * *

baggage claim

We arrived late morning and were whisked off to engagements with various government officials. After a good meeting with the mayor, a man I have met with a couple of times over the past year or so, we then headed to our office for a late lunch. 

Sweaty, sleep-deprived, hungry and dehydrated, I was happy to settle into our guesthouse for a nice meal and some air conditioning. After a meeting with staff, we proceeded to go back across town to a hotel within Baidoa’s version of a “green zone”, which encompasses the airstrip. Normally, I would stay in our guesthouse but for reasons I won’t go into here, it made more sense to be in the hotel.

The evening at the hotel was wonderfully uneventful. We each had soup, watched a bit of the Africa Cup of Nations and retired early.

* * *

The next day we would head out to one of the IDP areas to visit some of our projects and talk to a few of the beneficiaries. From there we moved back into town to a facility where we provide vaccinations targeting children under five years of age. It’s good to hear about the great work that is going on, but it’s usually overshadowed by the gaps and ongoing needs to either keep these facilities running or expand them to reach more people. 

endless domed houses of the displaced

providing learning while people wait for their turn in the clinic

IDP housing wedged in between other structures

It can be overwhelming to hear people's stories, one after another. It can also be inspiring to hear about some of the heroics involved in providing them services under such challenging circumstances. Either way, I find it emotionally exhausting. Even though I’ve done this sort of thing for nearly two decades, I never want to be unmoved by it. The unfairness of the situation these people are in motivates me to get up in the morning and do it all over again, all the while knowing it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed.

taking a call while he waits

* * *

The following day we would travel back to Mogadishu. The local flights are notorious for being delayed and/or cancelled. I was willing to accept the former. Less so for the latter. Our 9am flight would finally happen at nearly 1pm. Thankfully, my security guy was on top of things (in contact with people who could anticipate when we might depart) and we didn’t head to the airstrip until around 10:30.

I made it to Mogadishu just in time to head to a UN meeting while my colleague was escorted to our office in town. By early evening I was back at the office/guesthouse, had some camel stew, worked on a billion emails and then went to bed.

* * *

The next day we headed out to visit a health center on the other side of Mogadishu. It’s an adventure just to get there. With armored vehicle and armed escort, we plied our way more or less parallel to the coast, past the port, through the old city, past the fish market and eventually to our destination. Along the way you can see modern buildings, thousands of tuk-tuks, endless shops, bombed out buildings from the civil war, etc. It’s a fascinating drive and one that I like for visitors to see to get an idea of the many contrasts of the city.  

former Bank of Somalia

The health center we visited is one that I have been to more than anyplace we work. It’s well-run and provides a good perspective of the health and nutrition work that we do. The doctor that runs the place told our visitor that not only are our staff well acquainted with me, so are some of the patients. It was an exaggeration, of course, but it is nice that they feel that support. Access constraints in the country mean that most people working in these facilities feel isolated from support mechanisms and a lack of engagement by the international community.

We spent quite a bit of time talking to women who had come in with their babies. So interesting to hear their perspective and get an idea as to what their lives are like. No doubt, there are some tough people surviving in difficult circumstances.

* * *

From the clinic, we headed towards the lido district on the coast. Security permitting, we like to take visitors to have a meal in a restaurant overlooking the water. It’s important for the standard narrative about Somalia to change. It’s not all war and humanitarian disaster (though that is certainly part of it). It's a rich culture and the country has so much untapped beauty.

As you enter the restaurant from the parking side, you start to see the amazing turquoise water and feel the cool sea breeze. That is a treat in and of itself. But that was just the beginning.

Prior to sitting down, we walked out to the beach. Not many people get to do this for obvious reasons. It’s a rare thing to see a foreigner on a Somali beach, particularly a Westerner. Generally, when we do this, we take a few photos and make our way back to the less-visible table within the restaurant. On this occasion, my security guy proposed something new. I saw him chatting with a ma on the beach but I wasn’t sure what they were talking about. Unbeknownst to me, the guy was trying to get us to go out on his boat. When my security guy pitched it to me, I laughed since I didn’t think he was serious. We’ve never even considered something like this before. I’ve always felt we were pushing the envelope just to be out on the beach. After a moment of hesitation, I agreed. I trust my team and if they were on board with this, so was I.

Within seconds, we were making our way onto the boat. None of us had footwear that made this easy but, by timing our loading between waves, we were able to all get in with limited soaking of our shoes. A few of our armed guards squeezed in with us. It was all a bit surreal.

Because of the way we boarded close to the beach (about ten people plus a few guns), we were now stuck in the sand and unable to depart. A bunch of curious onlookers came over and helped push us out into the water. While I still had my doubts as to whether this was a good idea, there was no turning back now.

Soon we were motoring out into the blue. Because I’ve taken many boats out into the Indian Ocean while on vacation, there was a part that felt normal and that other part that felt bizarre. I took some photos and video, trying not to include the security guys (since they’re normally not to be photographed). It was hard to capture the experience without them, however.

We weren’t out very long but it was long enough for me to transition from super-stressed to somewhat stressed. Don’t get me wrong. I did enjoy it. And I had a smile on my face all the way back to the restaurant.

amazing lunch

* * *

After lunch, we made our way back to the office. Other than the normal craziness that is Mogadishu, it was uneventful. Being out and about, I was desperately behind in my email stuff so I set up shop on the veranda outside the guesthouse. The outdoor seating is relatively recent, complete with padded outdoor furniture and artificial grass. In the late afternoon and evening, when it’s sheltered from the sun, it’s become my go-to place to work. 

impact of war in the old city

Around 5pm there was a flurry of gunfire no more than a block away. Occasional gunfire isn’t abnormal but this lasted for several minutes. The big concern is stray bullets and our building has been hit before, including a guesthouse window. So I went inside until it died down. Later I found out that it was celebratory gunfire from a football match. Seriously? Do we need to celebrate by firing weapons? In a place like Mogadishu? People are jumpy enough as it is.

* * *

The next morning I would accompany my colleague back to Nairobi. It was a good and full week. Always nice to have successful visits. It’s good for my team and it’s good for the visitor. I look forward to the day when non-Somalis are traveling to the country on vacation, not for humanitarian reasons. It may be some time before that happens, however.

Christmas Holiday 2 - Ol Pejeta, Orphanage & Safari Club

 Ol Pejeta

We decided that it would be good to frontload the game drive part of the trip on the first full day we were in Nanyuki. It’s the highlight for me. Anything that happens besides that is a bonus.

For starters, the “Ol” of Ol Pejeta is not the affectionate contraction as in “my ol’ truck”. Apparently, the name means “place of burning”. Hundreds of years ago, the pastoralist communities allegedly gave it the name because of the practice of burning the grass to kill ticks. I don’t know if that’s really the case but, since I don’t have any theory to challenge it, we’ll go with that.

As to whether it is old, it isn’t – at least not in the form of a conservancy. The area has had wildlife for centuries, but it’s path to becoming an area of protected animals apparently began after decades of cattle ranching by English settlers. I mentioned Lord Delamere in the previous post. His family apparently owned the land as Kenya transitioned to becoming an independent country in 1963. The ranch rangeland (shared by wildlife and livestock) had several owners until it first became a game reserve in 1988.

Interestingly, in those ranch years there was an owner by the name of Adnan Khashoggi. If that name sounds familiar, that’s because it is (unless you never read the news). Khashoggi was a billionaire arms dealer and businessman considered one of the richest men in the world in the early 1980s. He was also the uncle of Dodi Fayed, the boyfriend of Lady Di, who died with her in the fiery car accident in 1997. Adnan was also paternal uncle to Jamal Khashoggi, the murdered journalist. And yet another noteworthy fact about is that his yacht, The Nabila, was the largest in the world for a while and was used in the James Bond film Never Say Never Again. Needless to say, with his eventful life I’m guessing he didn’t spend much time on his land in Kenya – if he ever even went there. Though he did apparently frequent the Mt. Kenya Safari Club (which I'll mention below)

* * *

The conservancy isn’t huge, but it is about three times the size of Nairobi National Park. It has a good collection of wildlife for its size, but it’s most famous for its rhinos – the largest black rhino sanctuary in East Africa. It’s also home to the last two northern white rhinos, Najin and Fatu, both of which are female. Sadly, this makes the subspecies functionally extinct.

After a short drive into the conservancy, you cross the equator. Thus, most of the time we were in the park, we were in winter. By late afternoon when we exited the park, it was back to summer again.

* * *

The day began overcast but by the time we reached the park it was clear and sunny. Driving without a guide, in a park that I’m not familiar with, makes for more of a challenge. If you’re familiar with a park, you tend to have a better idea where the animals hang out. In this case, I sort of had to just feel my way around, guessing which way to go.

a topi with a couple of warthogs in the background

At one point while we were sitting at a fork in the road, a guy on a motorcycle pulled up alongside and asked how the morning was going. Upon closer inspection, I realized that he worked for the conservancy. He mentioned that he had seen a cheetah a few kilometers to the west of us. I more or less felt like I understood his directions, and off we went.

one of the coolest animals - the cape buffalo

After about a half dozen lefts and rights, I could see, across the savanna, a small grouping of vehicles. I was beginning to feel as though I’d understood the nice motorcyclist’s directions correctly.

* * *

The cheetah wasn’t easy to see. In fact we had to ask someone in an adjacent vehicle where he was. We could just barely see his head about the level of the top of the grass. You’re required to stay on the roads so there’s no barreling across the grass to get a closer look.

scouting out his potential lunch

To the east there was a herd of impalas (with a couple of gazelles hanging out with them) and the cheetah seemed to maintain a near constant gaze in their direction. That, and a few other clues, led us to believe that this was an early stage of a hunt. There was a breeze blowing gently in the direction of the cheetah which is a second indication that he was positioning himself for an attack. The breeze would prevent the impalas from catching his scent.

making his move

These things can sometimes take hours so we weren’t sure whether or not this would culminate in a kill. But after waiting for about twenty minutes, the cheetah began inching his way in the direction of the herd. There was a growing sense that something might happen.

thinking through his strategy

In the meantime, several other vehicles joined and now we were approaching twenty altogether. Word was out.

shielded by the vehicles - what a beautiful animal

Soon the cheetah veered to his right, in our direction, rather than straight towards the herd. At first it was hard to tell what his strategy was but very quickly we realized he was going to use the throng of vehicles as cover and approach them from behind. Moving from left to right in front of us, as he came around the last vehicle, he was now very close to a young impala visible on the other side. It was only seconds before he made his move. 

impalas in the distance

* * *

the victim, unaware, on the left; the cheetah bolted just after this photo

Just as he bolted, the throng of vehicles began to shift position to catch a better view of the attack. Our view was suddenly blocked. I started the vehicle and we shifted forward with the others. By the time we saw the cheetah again, the impala was in its jaws. The hunt was successful. It’s not a given, however. Cheetah’s often fail for various reasons, including the fact that impalas, even young ones, are lighting quick. They also have more endurance than a cheetah, so if the it doesn’t succeed early, it doesn’t succeed at all.

mission accomplished

Almost immediately he began looking both for shade and privacy. In this competitive world, if a lion in the area were to be privy to this event, the cheetah would more than likely have his meal stolen.

Before long we decided to move on. It was an exciting event and we were happy to have been able to be a part of it, but we had more to see.

* * *

I felt my way back across the park. I had a general idea where I wanted to go, mostly using a basic map the conservancy had provided at the entrance as well as some landmarks. Soon we were heading out across the wide-open savanna. Even if there were no animals, it’s a beautiful part of Kenya. On a clear day you can see Mt. Kenya, Africa’s second highest mountain, and the Aberderes Mountains, both of which were obscured by clouds on this day.

the latest in impala fashion

As we made our way along the dirt road, I noticed some conservancy rangers walking in our direction way off in the distance. It appeared to me that one of them motioned for us to stop. You never know what these guys want. My first thought was that they were going to say we were someplace we shouldn’t be, an idea that popped into my head also due to the fact that there were no other vehicles in sight. It turned out, however, that they were desperately thirsty. They were out in the middle of nowhere without any water bottles. I’m not sure what they were thinking. Fortunately, we had plenty of water. I emptied the cold coffee dregs from my Contigo, rinsed it out and they each chugged their fill of water.

like being in the presence of dinosaurs

We then carried on and soon we spotted four rhinos near the road. I have to say, they are such cool looking creatures. We spent some time in the quiet watching them, listening to them munch on grass and enjoying the fact that we had them to ourselves.

We would later see many more. It’s exciting to see that they are repopulating in the face of continued threats of poaching. I probably should have given those rangers more than just water.

* * *

We stopped for a late lunch at a small place within the conservancy and then decided to make one more stop before heading back to our B&B. Ol Pejeta hosts a chimpanzee sanctuary, a place for chimps who don’t have any other options but to reside under protection. Many are orphans and/or have some sort of injury or some other reason that would doom them if left in the wild. As sanctuaries go, it’s quite nice. It’s massive and allows them a tremendous amount of freedom to roam. It does make viewing them more of a challenge since there is only a small area where they are visible to visitors. Thankfully, they generally are curious and seeing people on the other side of the fence is an attraction for them – or at least some of them.

It was a bit weird given that Priya and I have seen them in the wild. I even got to know Jane Goodall many years ago on a flight to Kigoma in western Tanzania. It was tough knowing that as good as these creatures have it here, there is no way that they can be re-introduced into the wild. But it does prolong their lives in a comfortable way, and it provides people with opportunities to see them and for researchers to study them.

 

the divide between two clans of chimps

After visiting the chimps, we needed to get back to the B&B. We stopped on the way out for a quick photo as we crossed over into the Southern Hemisphere. Summer and winter felt about the same.

* * *

The Animal Orphanage

One other activity was a visit to the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club and the adjacent wildlife sanctuary. The Fairmont is an amazing hotel nestled at the foot of Mt. Kenya. I had stayed there many years ago for some regional meetings so I had already explored the place. But I thought it would be fun for the family to see it.

Adjacent to the hotel is a massive, tarmac airstrip that apparently facilitates the arrival of the rich and famous.

We began by visiting the orphanage. Much like the chimps we had seen in Ol Pejeta, most of these animals had been victims of some sort of trauma that necessitated them being in protection, trauma that would prevent most of them from ever being re-introduced into the wild. For some of them, the impact of their trauma was evident just by looking at them. For others, not so much. But it’s a strange collection of creatures, either because of their rarity or because they are animals you don’t normally see in this part of Africa. In the case of the llama, you don’t normally see them in Africa at all.

what are you looking at?

It was interesting and somewhat sad at the same time. We’re spoiled, being able to see animals in the wild for so many years. I will never be able to visit zoos or places like this in the same way. 

abandoned lion cub

* * *

The Mt. Kenya Safari Club

From the orphanage, we walked the short distance to the hotel. The Mt. Kenya Safari Club has a storied past. Allegedly, the property changed ownership a few times over the years before, in the 1950s, winding up in the hands of a guy named Ray Ryan. Ryan was an oil millionaire and notorious gambler with ties to the Chicago mafia. By 1959, after renovations and expansion, he and partners William Holden, the famous actor (I’m a fan; Bridge on the River Kwai, Sunset Boulevard), and Swiss financier Carl Hirschmann opened the club. Access to the club was reserved only for members and their guests. Charter members included Sir Winston Churchill, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Neil Armstrong, the Saudi Arabian royal family, US President Lydon Johnson, Conrad Hilton, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, etc. 

The orphanage was apparently William Holden’s idea. Although he was an avid hunter, he understood the need for conservation and it became a big priority for him over the years.

the bar/lounge area

Ryan provided club access to notorious members of the Chicago Mafia. It’s a long way to go to hide out but it apparently worked for a while. When the FBI found that that Mafia kingpins were provided free membership to the club, they began investigating. Ray ended up destroying the membership records and was indicted at a Los Angeles court for criminal contempt. Hirschmann was also indicted, but the popular actor avoided any implication in the scandal.

* * *

photo of my room when I stayed there ten years ago

When I stayed at the hotel in 2014, I had no idea how nice it would be. In addition to a massive room with a separate sitting area, the suite provided a fireplace linking the two rooms. There was a small sign on the mantle that, when laid down, would indicate to hotel staff to build the fire in the fireplace while you were away at dinner. There was a view of the national park from the windows. I didn’t see a lot of wildlife (a waterbuck and an occasional impala) since I was at meetings during most of the daylight hours, but it was nice nonetheless.

the labyrinth

With the family, we would only be stopping in to walk the ground, enjoy the hedge maze, and have a drink on the terrace. Such a beautiful place.

Christmas Holiday 1 - Nairobi & Nanyuki

Unlike most years, we decided not to travel to the US for the holidays. It’s not an easy decision given that, after almost 29 years as an expatriate, I’ve only missed two Christmas holidays with family in the States. This has been the third. That record has been no easy feat given where I’ve lived, given the expense, given the many weather-related flight cancellations, etc.

carols at church

Other than spending copious amounts of time in airports, driving, packing, unpacking, shopping, etc., I haven’t preserved many traditions over the years. It’s mostly about getting there, loading up my days with family, fighting off jet lag, flying back and dealing with jet lag again.

church services and caroling - only in Africa?

So this year the normal build-up of stress coming towards mid-December was avoided. There was certainly sadness about missing the special time with family (and missing out on skiing), but it just didn’t make sense this year, either financially or logistically. We survived.

* * *

Christmas

We had a rough plan as to how we would spend our time here in Kenya. I worked right up until Christmas Day so I didn’t have much time to think about the holidays prior to them showing up. Having said that, we did more decorating in the apartment than normal and we were more generous with the Christmas music. Both can be a bit too much when you travel to the US. We usually ration holiday stuff until we leave so that we enjoy it more when we get there.

The first event was a dinner that we hosted the day prior to Christmas Eve. A couple of friends were unable to be with their families for the holidays, so we welcomed them to ours. It turned out to be a nice evening, capped off with some cookie decorating, mostly by the grown-ups (the kids had a previous cookie decorating event). Neither of our visitors had done Christmas cookies in many years. Brings out your inner 7-year-old.

* * *

Christmas Eve we just spent at home as a family. It’s the first time we’ve ever done that. We are generally in Indiana with my in-laws. I missed the cold and the Christmas atmosphere. It’s always a great time but, I must admit, it was really nice to spend that time with just the four of us. 

* * *

The next morning, Christmas Day, we opened gifts and had a slow morning. In the afternoon, we went to some other friends’ house for dinner, carols in French, swimming and croquet. A very different experience than a rural American Christmas. They are an English-French couple and their respective parents were visiting for the holidays. Super interesting people. No kids, however, which was unfortunate for our girls. But we would (to our surprise) provide them with a few days of kids their own age a few days later.

* * *

After the dust settled on Christmas, we were soon welcomed by my sister-in-law who arranged for a stopover in Kenya on her way back from a short visit to the US (heading to Laos). It prevented us from being completely devoid of family this year. 

* * *

Nanyuki

Given that I wasn’t taking much time off (i.e. just one vacation day), we had to organize whatever we were going to do around the long New Year’s weekend. We decided on Nanyuki.

Nanyuki is a town of about 75,000 located three and a half hours north of Nairobi, nearly in the geographical center of Kenya. It also happens to sit almost exactly on the equator. At 6,500 feet/2,000 meters, it is cool all year round. It is wedged between Mt. Kenya and a wildlife conservancy called Ol Pejeta making it a rather obvious tourist destination.

The history of the area is quite interesting. After centuries of being a mixed tribal area, British immigrants began to settle there in the early 1900s (some of their descendants still around). Probably the most prominent of these was a man named Hugh Cholmondeley, better known as Lord Delamere. After obtaining large amounts of land through a grant from the British Crown, he set out to raise livestock and farm. Delamere represented the many contradictions of some of these early settlers. While they made significant contributions to the land and to the conservation of wildlife, they were unabashedly white supremacists and disposed people of their ancestral territory – a legacy that shapes this area of Kenya even today.

Mt. Kenya

* * *

The Christmas/New Year’s holiday is the busiest time of year for Kenyan tourist destinations. Bookings need to be made well in advance. As such, we had made arrangements at a rural B&B outside of town. We were looking for a place that offered horseback riding and offered loads of things to do. This place seemed to be a good fit.

* * *

I had only been to this area once before and that was to attend some work meetings. This would be the first time that we would go as a family. We drove up on the morning of the 28^th. We opted to have lunch at a trout farm restaurant near to where we would be staying. An interesting place, it was built in and around a huge, sacred fig tree. Great food, unless you don’t care for fish. Anyway, I think it was a worthwhile stop.

We then drove the short distance to the B&B and settled in. To our surprise, our lodging would be in the same house as those who run the business. It’s close quarters, to be honest, but, thankfully, we all got along very well and it turned out to be perfectly fine. Though we didn’t have a view of Mt. Kenya from our side of the house, it wasn’t a huge issue since it was rarely visible anyway due to persistent clouds. The peak had a tendency to reveal itself around 6am each morning. So we would get up early, trek downstairs to a common space with a view, and briefly catch the clear view before it was subsequently obscured by morning mist.

* * *

One thing that was hard to picture prior to being there was the setting. It was indeed one of the highlights. Sitting on about 5 acres, the property consists of a few houses, shelters and so forth, in addition to a stable and a couple of animal pens. At the foot of Mt. Kenya, it was idyllic, particularly at the lush end of the rainy season.

 

 

My angels on horseback.

In addition to the beautiful setting, there were plenty of activities available: table tennis, a pool table, games, etc. There was a swimming pool that was inoperable and served as a nice place for waterfowl to hang out. There were stables with eleven horses and plenty of trails to go for hikes.

Things got a bit competitive.

 

Some neighbors joined us for a hike to a waterfall. Fun, but not the intimate hike we expected.

Waterfall behind the gap in the rocks. Icy cold water but yes, I took a dip.

Given that we were there for a few days, we often in and around the stables. Each of us pitched in here and there, brushing horses, filling water buckets, chasing down escaped horses, etc.

I have to admit, I drew some satisfaction from showing their sons how to hand siphon water. They seemed to only know how to do it by placing their mouths on the end of the hose and sucking. The guy running the stable did it the same way. Drawing from my farming experience, years of using siphon tubes to water fields in Idaho, I showed them how to use his hand to obtain suction more quickly and without sticking your mouth on a muddy hose. It takes practice (which one of the kids impressively committed himself to), but once you get the feel of it, it's a much nicer method.

But the first activity we did was a game drive at Ol Pejeta Conservancy.