Home Sweet Home

I got home late Thursday night after 38 hours of travelling; I was on the last flight out of Brussels due to the volcano eruption in Iceland. I do not think the Whole Planet people made it home because they left a day after me and were going through Amsterdam. After less than 24 yours in Capitola, I fondly remember all of my experiences in Kenya but am now back to 24/7 Seventh Generation. Emails, conference calls, reports, analysis, catch-up with the Natural Specialty Team and brokers etc. now dominate my life.

At this point there is little integration between my passion and my work; luckily I work for a company I believe in that does good things. I look forward to when I can mesh both and maintain the excitement and pleasure I experienced throughout the trip to Kenya. Lots of decisions to make about how and where to spend my time after my commitment to SVG is up at the end of 2011. I will take time later this year to develop a plan that provides the balance and purpose I want for the rest of my life. I am so jealous of people that have that now!

Stay tuned to where and how I will live during the next phase of my life...

Field Trip Continued…

By the time we arrived at the Mount Kenya Safari Club to spend the night, it was after 9:30PM. We saw an incredible lightening show through the last half of the trip and Mt Kenya was highlighted during many of the strikes. It was a very powerful vision. The club was originally owned by William Holden (famous actor in the 1950s) and a few of his friends. This historic club is situated on the Equator at the foot of Mt. Kenya. The members and visitors before it became a Fairmont Hotel were royalty, heads of state as well as stars of stage and screen. They have an extensive animal orphanage on sight as well. We had a late breakfast and I have a picture of Susan, the Outreach Director of Jamii Bora before we left to an office in Nanyuki.

We met Nancy who was recently robbed because she sits alone in a small office without the benefit of the bullet proof glass or other safety features of a regular bank. Her office was next to the new Nakumatt (Kenya’s Wal-Mart). I thought Joy, Jewel and Genie (all from Whole Planet Foundation) would like to see a supermarket and they will have much to share with their teammates when they return. We then started the last leg of our journey to visit one of the newer branches opened last September in the Embu District.

The branch manager was a young man (most are older women) and he had a different perspective when it came to his clients because he wanted to bring in more young people and does a big outreach at local schools and organizations with 18-25 year old. We met some of their clients but one young woman spoke very eloquently about why she became a member. At first she did not believe the concept of Jamii Bora was “on the level” and was very skeptical. It took a few months and her girl friends explaining how they saved and were able to get a 10,000 shilling loan. She finally talked to the people in this branch and because it looked just like a bank, she thought her savings would be safe and she found five other friends to join with her. She almost has enough savings to get her first loan. I was glad to hear this story because so much of what I hear are the immediate successes and now I know they can explain the program and concept to all and make it available through the outreach programs.

I am sorry to say I did not take an extra memory card so I have no photos of this part of the trip but you can go to the Whole Planet site to see many. It was another long and emotional day but I would not have missed it! The van dropped us off at the Fairview around 7:30PM and we said goodbye to Susan. We look forward to her visit to the USA in July. I leave tomorrow but The Whole Planet Team will have some one-on-one time with Ingrid Munro.

I will write my reflections of the trip when I return home on Friday.

Jamii Bora Field Trip

We arrived in Nyeri after a three hour journey from Nairobi. The branch team and clients met us singing as they did last time. It was like a homecoming for me to see so many of the same people and I was shocked by some of their comments.
Both the men and women remembered my visit last August and I was touched by their comments. One of the farmers was telling his story and he said that he now uses “organic” fertilizer for his crops because of the comments I made on the last trip about how harmful the chemicals were to him, his family, livestock and the crops. He also said he could get more money for it and it is paying off for him and he is telling other farmers to do the same. I was shocked and very pleased that I had this kind of impact on their practices.
Another women in a beautiful red dress remembered that when I came she just started with her first loan and considered herself poor. Now she has a 20,000 shilling loan and has a shop and wanted me to see how much better off she is now.
We were then invited to visit two farms and it was an amazing experience. It was just like Rwanda where they were so honored you came to their home to meet their family and to see their farm. They also had to provide refreshments and during the course of the day ate lots of bananas, sweet potatoes and arrowroot.

This farmer (who has a degree in thelogy) was showing how he grafted different types of coffee plants to be more resilient. He pointed out his composting and manure systems to fertilize the crops and it was rudimentary but very impressive.
A woman farmer had just bought a water pump to help irrigate her fields and was waiting to install it next week. Here daughters performed a poem for us after we visited her fields.

We traveled to the Kagumo branch where we met more clients and visited another larger farm of a member who farmed as well as had the welding shop in town. This group was the most lively and entertaining as well as successful. There were three generations on the farm with the grandmother, daughter and baby. The contagious happiness and joy of this family and their friends was another highlight of the trip.

Our last stop for the day at 6:30 in the dusk was a new member who was a widow. We saw the lack of repair on her farm but with her first loan she was buying a cow to help her with organic materials to use a fertilizer and to sell the milk.

We saw many different types of clients who have been touched by Jamii Bora and there is so much more to they can do by adding banks in more communities.

KIBERA

Kibera is a neighborhood and division of Nairobi, Kenya. It is the largest of Nairobi's slums, and the second largest urban slum in Africa, with a population estimated at 1.5-2 million inhabitants; most of whom lack electricity and running water. To give some perspective, it is a little smaller than Central Park in New York City. Kibera accounts for less than 1% of Nairobi's total area, but holds more than a quarter of its population. If you want to see Kibera, it is featured in Fernando Meirelles's film The Constant Gardener, which is based on the book of the same name by John le Carré.

Thanks to the open sewage system and the frequent use of "flying toilets"; it is contaminated with garbage, and human waste. The lack of sanitation combined with poor nutrition accounts for many illnesses and diseases. It is estimated that one-fifth of the 2.2 million Kenyans living with HIV live in Kibera.

We met at the Jamii Boro bank branch and then went to the top of a six story building to see it from a distance. We were all standing near the laundry lines listening to a history lesson. After that we toured the market that Jamii Boro helped to rebuild after the violence during the last election. One of our guides, John was the leader of the gang that destroyed the market. He is now a promoter for Jamii Boro and has been recruiting gang members to turn around their lives like he did. There are other promoters who were prostitutes, alcoholics, criminals, and beggars. The philosophy of the organization is you have to “walk in their shoes” and speak the same language in order to help.

We met a number of their clients in the market and one from the Muslim village (a total of 15) invited us to see her home. Eleven people lived in a 10x10 shack…words cannot describe it and since it was in the Muslim community, they would not allow photos.

We traveled to another village to a restaurant owned by one of the clients and had goat, tomatoes, spinach and maize for lunch. It was all finger food and not the best meal of my visit. I wish I was a beer drinker because the ice cold Tuskers looked great. I settled for a bitter lemon and it hit the spot after six hours in the sun. We were asked if we wanted to attend a football match after lunch but we decided to come back to the hotel.

As I took my shower and began to feel like a “human being” again, I could not help but think about the fact that none of the people I saw today would have that luxury. The words of the one speaker who said sanitation means dignity, really hit home. This experience will help me make some decisions when I return. Tomorrow, we head to Northern Kenya to meet the clients in the coffee producing areas.

An Amazing Day

Each day I am amazed by the quality of the speakers and the timeliness of the topics. As a business person, today had the most interesting and engaging sessions for me. The highlight of my day was meeting Professor Yunus and Professor Latiffee of the Grameen Trust. I had the opportunity to discuss Seventh Generation and why we are a Social Business and partner with Whole Planet Foundation. I also met Hans Reitz, the CEO for the Grameen Creative Lab. Hans is someone I think Jeffrey would enjoy meeting and discussing how to tie into his global network of Social Businesses. Another fascinating speaker was the Founder of Bamboo Finance/Blue Orchard Fund from Switzerland talking about financing social business for profit. The passion they all expressed was contagious.

I attended a session that tug on my heart more than others on “Microfinance in Conflict and Disaster areas.” The speakers from Afghanistan and Occupied Palestine told their stories and managed to leave me with hope. The final session ended at 8:00PM (a very long day) with speakers talking about best practices and included Philip Sansone the President of the Whole Planet Foundation.

We took a little side trip into Nairobi Center to pick up Chicken and Chips for dinner and met the best taxi driver. Peter reminded me of Eric, our safari guide on my last trip. He will take us on a few adventures in the coming days. Tomorrow is another busy day because we will tour Kibera (largest slum in Africa).

Day Two

Lots of great speakers and sessions on sustainability and how to use microfinance to propel investment in renewable energy, water and sanitation. One started off his session with this quote form Ghandi “Sanitation is more important than Independence” another said “Sanitation is Dignity”. Over 3 billion people have no toilets and the world needs a sanitation transformation. Most of us take this for granted. One example in Kenya was described where public toilets are multifunctional and you can have your shoes shined, buy mobile minutes, and charge your phone etc while you use the toilet. Another program is awaiting approved form the government to use urine fertilizer on crops. Sanitation can create many jobs for collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of human waste that can be funded by microcredit.

Grameen Shakti is an example of renewable energy program: solar panels, biogas and stoves using less wood to provide more heat. This is very successful in a number of countries and a Jordanian official outlined their solar program as well.

Water.org was represented and the spokesperson said “water is life” and everyone has a right to clean drinking water but over 1/3 of the world’s population does not have access to it.

Another session focused on sustainable cities and that 1 billion people have no adequate housing today. The discussions were around slums and how to change and renew them. They gave interesting examples from around the world on how to transform slums into viable human habitats.

The best part of the day was a reunion with people from Jamii Bora, especially Susan and Ingrid. I am so looking forward to the two days with the clients in Northern Kenya after the summit concludes on Sunday.

I joined the WPF team for a lively dinner with thought provoking discussions on numerous subjects. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to attend this event and share my time with some extraordinary individuals.

Day One of the Summit

The Microcredit Summit started today and in the opening session we heard from the President of Kenya, the Queen of Spain and a Princess from the Netherlands but the most dynamic speaker was Professor Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Peace Laureate and Managing Director of Grameen Bank) talking about the global financial crisis and the worlds poor. He said now is the time to redesign financial architecture to reinvent these institutions to serve all. What a powerful man and message.

In another session Ingrid Munro and her team from the Jamii Bora Bank (yes, they are a bank now) were the stars talking about all the program they have developed and success stories like my friend Joyce who I met on my last trip.

I attended a session on “reporting standards” because it ties in with so many things we are trying to do at Seventh Generation. It was organized by the SEEP Network (Small Enterprise Education and Promotion) connecting microenterprise practitioners from around the world. Presenters from Palestine, Uganda, Kenya and the US talked about best practices in their countries; some of them are applicable to business.

I met a fascinating woman who works for the UN in Sudan and Care fundraiser who invited me to a party on Friday night. Since my name tag says Whole Planet Foundation, I usually have lots of explaining to do when I meet new people.

Some of the microcredit clients were selling their wares in booths outside the meeting so I will not have to go to the market for presents.


My reflections on the first day…
• There are so many amazing things going on in the world that give me hope for the future
• Business can and should do more to help alleviate poverty
• I want to be a part of this movement in a peripheral way now and more involved when I am able to retire from full-time work

It was an amazing day in nature...
First stop was the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to visit the feeding of the 21 orphaned elephants from the age of 2 weeks to 2 1/2 years.
The older elephants can take as many as three bottles (6 pints each) every three hours. I adopted Kimana (a male) for my niece Grace's Birthday. The $50 helps feed him for a few weeks a year and others will adopt him as well. Here is a photo of him taking his third bottle in less than two minutes!
I met his keeper and he showed me where they sleep together every night. In about a year, he will be taken to Masi Mara and become part of a herd.

After that my driver Peter (a Jami Bora taxi client) took me to Giraffe Manor.
Two orphaned giraffes were added to the 8 in the sanctuary so the guide said it was a difficult morning due to the new dynamic. It's good to know all families have interesting dynamics.

Lazy Day

I made it to the hotel around 1:00 AM Monday morning and immediately crashed.
Between the cold and jet lag, I spent the day resting and exploring (in between rain showers) the charming hotel...The Fairview, a country hotel in town. It is set within five acres of beautiful gardens and is owned and manged by the same families that opened it in 1946. It uses solar power and sustainable practices in every area of hotel operations. Coming at the end of the rainy season (they have had lots of rain), it is very different than last summer during the severe drought. The plants and flowers are beautiful.

I will visit the elephant and giraffe sanctuaries tomorrow. On the way back to Nairobi, I will stop by a store to buy a usb cable that I forgot to bring to download photos to the blog.

The Whole planet team arrives at various time tomorrow and we will meet up on Wednesday AM to attend the conference.

First flight was painless

I was upgraded to First Class from SFO to ORD and it looks like I will make it into Business Class for the flight from here to Brussels. I napped most of the time but woke up due to a coughing fit.
The self medicating seems to work for 4 hours max(even with NyQuil)and then the sneezing and coughing starts again.
Connecting through Chicago has an added benefit...Garrett's Popcorn. When I had my braces I was not able to have any so I made up for it today and my hands are orange from all the messy cheese!
I only have a 70 minute connection in Brussels so I am hoping both my luggage and I make it onto the Nairobi flight. My friend Betsy would have carry on for two weeks but not me...I did not know what to bring and have two bags checked plus a backpack and a messenger bag.
I can't wait to get to Africa, I have missed the energy, joy and peace it brought me last year. Part of me belongs there so I have lots to figure out for my future; perhaps I will gain an understanding on how I can coexist in both worlds. The best thing about this trip is the time it offers me to break away from my chaotic life and ponder my next passage.

I am off to Nairobi

Just a short introduction and more to come when I am on my way tomorrow...

This trip starts with anticipation and excitement, with none of the fear I had when leaving last year for my sabbatical. I only wish I felt better and did not have a terrible head cold. I am sure my seat mates for the 22 hour flight will not be very happy with me. I am hopeful that my self medicating will knock me out for most of it.

I will miss Easter this year due to flights and the time change so I ask that you remember me in your prayers on Easter Sunday.

I will attend the International Microcredit Summit at the Kenyatta International Conference Center and visit the wonderful people I met from Jami Bora last year. I am fortunate to be part of a group from the Whole Planet Foundation who will also attend so I will not be on my own most of the time.

I have one day for fun and plan to visit the Elephant and Giraffe sanctuaries outside of Nairobi on Tuesday. I wish Betsy and Luanne could join me for many reasons but they are also much better photographers than I am so the pics I will add to the blog will not be as fantastic as many form our safari and time in Rwanda.

Transition and Growth (my last post)

It has been six days since I returned from Africa but it seems longer because my old life is now foreign to me. I wonder if they have a support group to help people re-enter after spending time in the Third World; if not, maybe I should start one.

I have had long waits in voice mail hell trying to reconnect all my services, shopped to refill the fridge & pantry, gone through endless piles of mail, and fought jet lag for the first few days. I also had time to walk and ride my bike around Capitola and saw it from a fresh perspective…I live in a beautiful and magical place. I was able to visit the monastery to sort out new feelings brought about by the African experiences.

I have more questions than answers right now but I am committed to integrating the “New” with the “Old” (not chronologically) Susan. I realize I need a new framework to analyze my life of abundance and work. Developing this will be the most profound and important part of the journey for me and the most personal.

I want to thank all of you for your support over the past four months and look forward to showing off the” New” Susan in the months to come.

Reentry

I am home (weary and tired but safe after over 48 hours of travelling) and the next few posts will be from me. The transition from Rwanda to home was made much easier by being with Bets and Luanne on one of our “Trips of a Lifetime”.

David and Gracie met me at the airport and I got goose bumps when Gracie ran up to me as I came out of Customs. I knew I had been gone a long time when I saw her carrying a purse and a magazine with Miley Cyrus on the cover; when I left, she was still into everything “Princess”.

We drove down the Coast Highway so I could see and smell the ocean. When I got home, there was a welcome home sign from my friend Jeff who took care of everything while I was away including paying my bills. He left a bankers box of mail sorted into different categories and only the last two months of magazines (an overwhelming pile).

Some of my superficial observations in no particular order include:

• Seeing family helped ground me because I am still disoriented with a leg in each continent
• The beauty of the CA coast still takes my breath away
• Re-stocking my pantry and fridge at Trader Joe’s, the local produce stand, and Nob Hill was a far cry from Nakumat and “the market”
• My teeth feel clean for the first time in two months because I could buy and use a water pik (both of ones I took with me blew out and I could not find one anywhere in Rwanda)
• Using my credit card made the need for a budget obsolete (not a good thing)
• Cold filtered water from the fridge was a delight
• Not having extension cords everywhere and having to plug and unplug things as I use them is much more convenient but I use more electricity
• Running water every time I turn on a faucet is a luxury
• Not having to ask a friend to make a call so I could be understood saves time and energy
• While unpacking the four bags, I realized how much “stuff” I bought because as I bought presents, I packed them…I have many more presents for people than I thought I did
• How quiet it is when you do not have a roommate or “domestics” around all the time
• My allergies are worse at home than they were in Africa
• The first time I drove the Prius I had trouble remembering how to operate it and my hand instinctively went for a gear shift and foot for clutch pedal that were not there
• Traffic was a breeze due to lights and four-way stops but it was not as much fun driving without the rotaries and having all the craziness of the motos and aggressive drivers

I have started re-reading my journal and have many issues to process. Before I left for Rwanda, I scheduled three days at the Monastery in Big Sur to help discern the “still voice” within me and guide me to make the changes I need to make to incorporate this life-changing experience into my life. With the Wild Fires in Monterey and parts of Highway One closed, I may not have the opportunity.

I am glad to be home and eagerly await how the sabbatical will manifest outward changes because the inner changes are immense.

Countdown to our Safari’s end

Posted by Susan

We had our final afternoon game drive and saw more elephants, zebra’s buffalo’s, lions, giraffes and assorted animals and an incredible sunset. We were late returning because we were so busy watching and filming a beautiful lioness. We hurried to get ready for dinner and decided to dress up for our last day because of the “party”.

Eric joined us and had a warm Tuskers (we found out most Kenyans do not even like cold drinks let alone ice or ice cream). Our pizza (Betsy’s request) was better than we thought it would be and Luanne was thrilled with the banana split; we did not know we would all get one. I asked for a coconut cake and it had a hint of coconut. The singing and dancing of the wait and kitchen staff was wonderful and Luanne filmed most of it. Eric was a delightful dinner companion and fun was had by all.


We asked Eric to see if he could move up our departure time tomorrow so we will leave immediately after the game drive and breakfast with the hippos. Because we will be in Nairobi six hours earlier, we can finally explore the city.

Last full day on Safari

Posted by Susan

Bets and I went on the early morning game drive while Luanne slept. We saw mating lions, hippos in the river, lots of Nile crocodiles who did not get any wildebeest for breakfast during a very brief crossing of about 100 animals. We saw an injured hyena with his left flank bleeding; Eric said he would not last long today. We also saw our regular faves: giraffes, zebras and elephants. I never tire of seeing these magnificent animals and marvel at the rules of the wild.

Luanne finally awoke around 10:00 AM feeling rested and better than she has in days. We got her room service so she could stay in her jammies and continue to heal. The Serena staff is very customer service oriented and very accommodating. We have liked the Serena properties the best and if/when we travel to Tanzania that is where we will stay.

We have one more game drive this afternoon and I have arranged a party for us tonight to celebrate our birthdays and we have invited Eric to join us for the final night of the trip so we can honor him with a poem, his tip and clothes we will not be bringing back to the US. We have enjoyed his company and calming influence on all of us…we adopted him as our brother (although he could be our son!).
It is very difficult for me to comprehend that I will be home in 6 days time and back to work in two weeks. I will need to make some major adjustments to get back in the groove!

Mara at Night

Posted by Susan (no night photos)

We took a nighttime game drive to give us a totally different perspective of the park. The three of us had a staff of three (driver, spotter and guard with rifle) to drive us around for two ½ hours. It was colder than usual and we were wearing as many clothes as possible and I lifted a heavyweight beach towel to help bundle up the ailing Luanne. This was the worst day of her head cold and sore throat and she finally decided to take some antibiotics.

We viewed the nocturnal animals that are usually not out in the daytime for assorted reasons. We saw a pride of lions stalking their dinner but we were happy we did not see the kill itself. We saw the cowardly hyena’s; both spotted and striped Mongooses, hippos, foxes, jackals, hares (everyone’s favorite appetizer), assorted birds with night vision, zebra’s, buffalos in a heard and what is called the retired generals (those older lone males kicked out of the pack by the young bucks), other assorted hoofed animals and giraffes.

Besides the cold, we all thought this was a great adventure and we learned about a whole different group of animals and their habits. I often wonder what the animals are observing us as we watch through binoculars and cameras and what their blog post would say…perhaps someday a chimpanzee will be able to do just that.

My Mara Expereince

Posted by Luanne

Of the BIG FIVE - we have seen the Rhinos (white and black), Lions, Cape Buffalos, and Elephants and were only missing the Leopard. Susan has been searching the tops of trees the last few days on "tail watch" as we know they spend a lot of day time in the trees. The best we could hope for was a sighting by seeing a black tail hanging from a high limb or on our one night game drive where we understand we will primarily see predators in action - I don't think you can get too close when that happens.

Eric saw some vehicles parked a few hundred yards from us - as we approached the driver in another car signaled him to go the other way. He then heard the report that a leopard was sighted and we could see "something" in the field of tall grass - we were hoping to get a glimpse and maybe a photo of it before he disappeared. As you can imagine we were stunned when we saw him, he was coming SLOWLY toward the van. He walked in front of our vehicle and then within 2 feet the length of it before sauntering off into the grass and then deeper brush. WOW - Eric said that was very rare and it was only because he was a juvenile that we saw him so openly; they are usually very shy animals.

You would think that would be enough to call it the best day - BUT no, we knew this area was best known for the migration of the Wildebeest across the Mara River. As we passed over the river yesterday, it was obvious that the river flow was not a fraction of what it had been as the water was so low and were we told the Wildebeest hardly had to swim, mostly walk across the river. But you may recall having seen the National Geographic or other depictions of how they line up in herds waiting for one to take the lead and they follow in lines down a steep cliff where they leap into the water and swim across. After seeing the leopard we drove to the side of the river and saw rows of safari tour vehicles with standing guests intently studying the scene through binoculars and we saw masses of black animals on the other side - but were all a good way back and could not see the river. But thinking of all those animals running down the embankment so quickly would be exciting. The anticipation was building, but there would be no way of knowing if this would all begin in days or hours. After waiting about 40 minutes someone yelled there that one had started and sure enough the dust began to fly and we could see the animals headed down. What we were not expecting was that all the drivers would take off (quickly) at the same time in what appeared to be a race to get a much closer view - what a wild and bumpy ride as we were all trying to balance the cameras and keep our footing while standing up (we usually only stand when we are in one place observing the animals).

When we stopped and grasped what we were seeing, it was exhilarating - they started to come down from different paths and there were some Zebras mixed in with the Wildebeest. Soon we could hear some braying that was coming from our side of the river. Eric said they were offering encouragement to the others. I was able to get video and photos of the event and am glad I won't have to rely on my memory. It was amazing sight of enormous proportions. On the way back Eric spotted some lions (yawn) and eagles for us - we had yet to come down from the clouds with thoughts of the wildebeest herds - thousands and thousands within 20 - 30 minutes.

Bets and Susan opted out of the afternoon ride in favor of relaxing and reading. We went along different promontories overlooking the river to find more crocodiles than I ever imagined - they were huge and very well camouflaged and blended in this the sandy shore and in the water. We also saw the first sighing of Hippos who stay in the water all day where they can regulate their temperature and come out at night to graze. They live peacefully alongside the crocs because they both have such big mouths and teeth! We also saw a lone wildebeest that was limping and left behind during the river crossing. It was very sad to realize that he would be someone’s dinner.

On the way back we stopped to see the lion and lioness we had seen earlier. They were laid out sleeping, oblivious to the fact that two vehicles were parked within five feet of them. It’s a great photographic moment when one lifts its head and yawn, but this developed into several yawns and them slowly waking up. Within a matter of seconds we witnessed the mating ritual which is performed after the male and female stray away from the group for their week spent together, during which they are sexual y active 250 times (yes you heard that right). That was a stunning number until we witnessed the process which did not last more than 20 seconds, immediately after which, both of them promptly lie down and went to right back to sleep.

For the Love of Cats

Posted by Betsy
I can now understand how one could get lulled in to the belief that they are the “Cat Whisperer” or in the case of Grizzly Man, the “Bear Whisperer.” We have now seen several Lions, a leisurely strolling leopard and a Cheetah dining on an Impala. They are so cute and appear so soft and cuddly, as in the case of the sleeping Lion King pictured, that you want to believe they are as harmless as Kasha, my sweet deaf kitty that lived to be 19 years old.

We got very close to the napping male and female lions. Even though we were but a leap away from them, they were no more interested in us than our lazy little Ruby, when she has appropriated the livingroom sofa.

Then this morning, a Leopard ambled right up to and around our van. In the picture you can actually see the shadow of Susan, Betsy and Luanne as we snapped pictures from the car, just a few feet above. Leopards are notoriously shy and elusive so it was amazing to see one so calm, confident and slow moving. I again had to remind myself that my head was one swipe away from being an appetizer for this beautiful cat.

We then came upon two Lions in a mating ritual and in no time, there were seven cars and vans at the site. No privacy for these cats. There is a rule in the Mara that no more than 5 vehicles can gather and for no more than 20-minutes at a time and since our guide is of great integrity and ethics, we split as the cars piled up. Apparently, the two consummated their relationship shortly after we left. No regrets from us, as Eric has shown great skill in creating special experiences for us.

Last night he suggested that we have a morning drive at 8am after breakfast rather than 6am before. That way, if it seemed possible that we would catch the annual migratory river crossing of the Wildebeest, we would have more patience and be able to hang out until lunch time. This is the major attraction in Masai Mara this time or year, yet it is a total gamble when you may have a chance to see the ritual and many wait for days and do not see it at all. Within a half-hour of our arrival, it was show time! And that is all I am going to tell you – Luanne will fill you in on the rest.

I just want to assure Brian that he is not destined to take allergy medicine for the rest of his life – I will not be bringing home a Cheetah!

Lake Nakuru and on to Masai Mara

Posted by Susan
After what seemed like a very long drive (only 3 ½ hours), we arrived at lunchtime at the Lake Nakuru Lodge. It is located in the heart of Kenyan wetlands, which is a misnomer due to the drought. The highlight of this area was to be the birds, especially the flamingos. The lake had receded so far that we drove on the lakebed very close to the shore. Dead bird bones were everywhere. They usually have over two million birds migrate to the lake and this year they had about 200,000.
We did see several white Rhinos, lots f Cape Buffalo, and a few Rothschild’s giraffes (endangered species) at the park.

This was the worst accommodations we have had to date. The rooms were dark and you could not open the doors at night so I roasted (no windows in the room!). The lunch we had when we arrived was in a dining hall that was very uninviting and the buffet smelled of sterno. We chose not eat dinner and asked for a plate of cheese and fruit. You would have thought we asked for the moon. If you ever travel to this location, do not stay here.

We could not wait to leave at 8:00AM for our six hour drive to Mara. The lodge provided a box lunch which we gave to some needy people on the drive and we stopped at a nice restaurant. We had a van pit stop to blow all the dust off the engine so the van could maintain the 80KMP: a governor is located on the vehicle. We did 80KMH on one of the worst roads we have encountered on the trip but when we entered into Mara, it was magical because we found lions…several sleeping and one black-maned who was strolling and stopped to roar which elicited a response from far away.

This place is difficult to describe because there is forest, green bushes and long golden grass. The elevation is a mile high and has more rain than most areas of the country. We experienced our first rain around 4:30 PM which was a short burst of heavy rain and then blue sky. It has wide vistas that we tried to capture in our photos but it is impossible.

We saw 1000’s of zebra’s, lots of elephants, buffalos, waterbucks, warthogs, baboons, impala, and giraffes and over a million wildebeest. We met a man from Italy who was here last year at the same time and he said there are half as many animals here now due to the drought and out guide said the same thing.

The Worst of the West

Posting by Betsy
So often I have visited countries and was saddened by how we seem to export to them the worst of the West. We live in such a magnificent country in the US and somehow, it is Brittney Spears and our plastic bag obsession that seem to make it abroad. We have witnessed this all over Africa and wonder what we can do to help change this. Rwanda, to its credit, does not allow plastic bags into the country and the difference this makes in the roadside litter, is stunning.

Many of you know of my anti-bottled water obsession and yet as tourists, it has been necessary to drink bottled water to maintain our health. In an effort to minimize this consumption, I have been pretty dehydrated for the last two weeks! As we drive through the beautiful Kenyan countryside, we see plastic bag and water bottle litter everywhere. Most shocking to me is the litter we see in the game parks, which I expected to be completely protected and pristine. Once the litter hits the ground in the parks, it does not get picked up - leaving your vehicle may make you dinner for a lion.

I am also struck by the poverty in Kenya, where much of the power and money is still resides with European concerns. Just this week, 800 tea-pickers lost their jobs and homes due to mechanization of picking at one of the large European Tea companies. The same is true of the booming flower industry. The build-up to Valentine’s Day is huge in Kenya flower-growing regions, like Lake Naivasha, where the flowers are exported to the US and Europe. It is important to remember that that $80 bouquet of roses we received from our sweetie was cultivated, picked and prepared by a Kenyan making $1/day.

Many Kenyans that do have some economic success work in various aspects of tourism. Many of them leave their family to relocate to one of the parks area, working in the lodges with 3 days off per month. We witnessed this last year in Nicaragua, as well. Because they receive room and board as part of this arrangement, wages are low so hardly an economic boom to these hard-working folks. It is impossible for these employees to bring their family as there is not housing provided and often no schools available to their children.

You read earlier how disheartened Susan and I were to visit the Samburu tribal village. We had to balance our feelings of exploitation of the Samburu people with their need for income. With the current drought and the death of all of their cattle, we realized that our money – for the tour, the school and buying their crafts would go a long way toward food, when a bag of rice costs $30.


We are having a fabulous trip yet it is not possible to ignore the ills of this country. I wish a similar experience could be had by all in the USA, thereby expanding our capacity for gratitude for what we have and compassion for others.