We started out our last day in Africa by going to Babu's store. Sister Jensen's husband had meetings to go to so she came with us. Close by Babu's store, is an open air market. My parents had never been to it and so we decided to check it out. We were walking by it, trying to find the entrance when I heard shouting behind me and turned around and saw all of these guys running towards me. My first thought was run! They told us that we were going the wrong way and showed us to the entrance. While taking us to the entrance each of us got escorts of about three guys telling us that they would help us and to pick out what we wanted and then they would give us a package deal. Inside the market Mom, Sister Jensen and I were escorted down one aisle while they took Philip and Dad a different way. They kept trying to separate us and I made them keep stopping so that Mom and Sister Jensen could catch up with me. They kept telling me that I had to keep moving because I was blocking traffic. I told them what I was looking for and they took me to a booth that sold dolls but in the process Mom and I managed to lose Sister Jensen in the crowd. At the booth that sold the doll, I asked the girl how much the doll was and she told me 1200 ksh, I told my mom and she said, "Holy moly, do we have sucker written on our forehead?" I told the girl that I had bought the same doll for 150 ksh and I wasn't going to pay more than that. She sold me the doll for that price and wanted me to buy more. After that all of our escorts magically disappeared. I think they realized they weren't going to get the tourist prices they wanted out of us. We then found Dad and Philip and split up to search for Sister Jensen. When we finally found her she was very happy to see us, she still had her escorts. We decided that we didn't like this market, there was way too much pressure and unwanted help.
After lunch we went to the factories and saw where they make some of the stuff they sell like clothes and bags and such. We were able to get some bags at wholesale prices there. At the stall where Sister Jensen and I bought our bags, the people behind the counter started laughing after we had paid for them. We found out why later when we found the same bag for cheaper at a different stall.
For dinner we went with all of the couple missionaries to Osteria, an Italian restaurant, we then said goodbye to them all and they waved their white napkins. They said they do this when they say goodbye.
Right before we got to the airport we saw zebras and then giraffes along the side the road. I thought it was nice of them to come and say goodbye to us.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Day 13 - The White Hippo
We woke up early to go on another game drive. We saw a male lion walking down the road and he walked next to our truck. We saw hyenas and baby hyenas playing by their burrow. We also saw two female lions lying under a tree, then we saw a herd of elands. After that the guide told us to look under the trees for a white hippo. Each of the guides told their passengers in the trucks this same thing and so everybody was looking for a white hippo. Then when we came over a hill we came upon a bush breakfast that the resort had fixed for us. Some of the couples were confused and didn't realize the breakfast was for them, and some were still looking for a white hippo. We were the only ones that knew about the bush breakfast. The bush breakfast was really nice and it was fun to eat outside. They set up tables for us and brought waiters and cooks out from the lodge and they cooked our eggs there and brought food from the resort. They told us that one time when they had the breakfast there that after everybody was done, they looked up in the tree and there was a leopard watching them.
We then went on another game drive and found the mom cheetah and her babies again. We watched the babies play and try to climb a tree and fall on each other. Then we followed the mom around as she tried to hunt some gazelles. The first spot she tried the topi spotted her and warned the gazelles, then the next time the hartebeest spotted her and warned the gazelles they were with. After that she gave up and rested in the shade. By that time it was time to go back to the resort for lunch.
We rode in another small plane back to Nairobi, after we had flown a little bit mom noticed that there was something moving around on the wing of the plane, we decided it looked like a gas cap. So I watched it the whole flight hoping it wouldn't make us crash. Flying in small airplanes scares me and the ride, i thought was very bumpy most of the way. After we had landed all of the couples told the driver what a great job he did flying and how smooth the ride was and I thought to myself, were we in the same plane? As we were exiting the plane I asked the guy that was helping us off what was on the wing. He looked at it and told us it was a gas cap that should have been put back in. He also said that fuel could have leaked out.
We then went on another game drive and found the mom cheetah and her babies again. We watched the babies play and try to climb a tree and fall on each other. Then we followed the mom around as she tried to hunt some gazelles. The first spot she tried the topi spotted her and warned the gazelles, then the next time the hartebeest spotted her and warned the gazelles they were with. After that she gave up and rested in the shade. By that time it was time to go back to the resort for lunch.
We rode in another small plane back to Nairobi, after we had flown a little bit mom noticed that there was something moving around on the wing of the plane, we decided it looked like a gas cap. So I watched it the whole flight hoping it wouldn't make us crash. Flying in small airplanes scares me and the ride, i thought was very bumpy most of the way. After we had landed all of the couples told the driver what a great job he did flying and how smooth the ride was and I thought to myself, were we in the same plane? As we were exiting the plane I asked the guy that was helping us off what was on the wing. He looked at it and told us it was a gas cap that should have been put back in. He also said that fuel could have leaked out.
sunrise
bush breakfast
Day 12 - Samson the leopard
We woke up early to go on our game drive. Everybody really wanted to see a leopard today and so when we got the call that a leopard had been spotted with it's kill we were very excited but we had to cross the river and it had rained the night before and made the crossing very slick, going down the bank on the one side of the river was okay, but when we started up the other side we couldn't quite make it, Samson tried about 5 times to go up the bank and right when we thought we were going to make it we got stuck. There were about 5 trucks that were all planning on crossing the river with us and one followed us down, when the others saw the trouble we were having they waited to come down. When we realized we weren't going to be able to make it up the one side of the river we turned around to go out the other side but the truck that had followed us down couldn't make it back out that side either, so after several attempts they had everybody in that car get out and walk up the bank and a more experienced driver drove the truck up the bank. Then Samson tried with us in the truck to get up the bank but his truck wouldn't make it either so he had us get out and walk up the bank and then he was finally able to get up. After we were all back in our trucks we got word that the leopard had taken her kill into a bush and they couldn't find her. So we search around for a different leopard for a while then moved onto another area. We decided to have them give us our breakfasts in a box instead of going back to the lodge and on our way to the spot where we were planning on eating our breakfast we saw a hippo walking out of the water and a pride of lions. We then sat by the river and our driver laid out blankets and we ate our breakfast. While we were by the river we saw crocodiles and a hippo stand up in the water.
We then drove over to lookout mountain, which my dad's usual driver Ruben, calls Luke Mountain. From there we could see Tanzania. We then started our trek back to the lodge but on the way our driver Samson decided he wanted to have another shot at looking for a leopard so we drove slowly through the trees when all of the sudden Samson slammed on the breaks and told us to look up, right above us in the trees was a leopard with his kill. After all of the trucks in our party got there the leopard decided it would bring its kill out of the tree and so we watched it come out of the tree with it's gazelle and take it into the bushes and start eating it. We decided to name the leopard Samson since he was the one that found it, one of the mission president couples that were with us have been in Africa for almost 2 years and had never seen a leopard so they were very excited to see it.
Then our drivers dropped us off by the swinging bridge across the river from our resort and we walked across the river to where lunch was waiting for us.
After lunch we went on another game drive, we saw a hippo out of the water, elephants, one had her baby and we saw the baby nursing. We also saw two male lions laying on the ground, after we started to drive off one of them got up and walked right next to the truck that was there and went over by where his brother was laying. We drove through what our driver calls Paradise Valley where we saw lots of animals. He then took us to where the animals cross in July-December when they are migrating. At the crossing we saw crocodiles and hippos, and I saw a monkey in a tree. On our way back to the resort we saw elephants, ostriches and lions.
Back at the resort while we were waiting for dinner, we saw two hippos walking along the bank of the river. During dinner the Masai warriors did a dance for us, Sister Esplin, Sister Anderson and Sister Taylor danced with them. Then all of the waiters and cooks came out singing and brought a cake out for Elder Littlefield and sang happy birthday to him, he is 70. While we were eating dinner I saw a bush baby in the rafters, they like to come and steal your food when you are not paying attention.
We then drove over to lookout mountain, which my dad's usual driver Ruben, calls Luke Mountain. From there we could see Tanzania. We then started our trek back to the lodge but on the way our driver Samson decided he wanted to have another shot at looking for a leopard so we drove slowly through the trees when all of the sudden Samson slammed on the breaks and told us to look up, right above us in the trees was a leopard with his kill. After all of the trucks in our party got there the leopard decided it would bring its kill out of the tree and so we watched it come out of the tree with it's gazelle and take it into the bushes and start eating it. We decided to name the leopard Samson since he was the one that found it, one of the mission president couples that were with us have been in Africa for almost 2 years and had never seen a leopard so they were very excited to see it.
Then our drivers dropped us off by the swinging bridge across the river from our resort and we walked across the river to where lunch was waiting for us.
After lunch we went on another game drive, we saw a hippo out of the water, elephants, one had her baby and we saw the baby nursing. We also saw two male lions laying on the ground, after we started to drive off one of them got up and walked right next to the truck that was there and went over by where his brother was laying. We drove through what our driver calls Paradise Valley where we saw lots of animals. He then took us to where the animals cross in July-December when they are migrating. At the crossing we saw crocodiles and hippos, and I saw a monkey in a tree. On our way back to the resort we saw elephants, ostriches and lions.
Back at the resort while we were waiting for dinner, we saw two hippos walking along the bank of the river. During dinner the Masai warriors did a dance for us, Sister Esplin, Sister Anderson and Sister Taylor danced with them. Then all of the waiters and cooks came out singing and brought a cake out for Elder Littlefield and sang happy birthday to him, he is 70. While we were eating dinner I saw a bush baby in the rafters, they like to come and steal your food when you are not paying attention.
The truck that followed us down, trying to get up the bank.
Our driver Samson driving our jeep up the bank without us.
Masai Warrior
Friday, May 1, 2009
Day 11 Masai Mara
We woke up early and flew in a small airplane to the Masai Mara. When we arrived there they took us on a game drive. My dad usually has the same driver, Ruben, but he was on vacation. We lucked out though and ended up with a driver that is just as good. His name is Samson.
On our game drive we saw gazelles, blue jean topi, spotted hyenas, jackal, ostrich, wart hogs, a warlett plover bird, impala, zebra, and a pride of lions. The cubs were climbing and playing in the tree. There were two male lions in this pride. While we were driving our driver Samson taught us some swahili words for the animals. leopard-chui, lion-simba, warthog-ngiri, cheetah-loma, elephant-tembo, zebra- pundo milio, buffalo-nyati, giraffe-twiga, and hippopotamus-kiboko.
They then took us back to the resort and showed us to our tents. The tents are very nice and we are right next to a river but they have an electric fence on the bank of the river so that we don't get unwanted guests in the middle of the night.
On our next game drive we saw elephants and hippos. We then saw 3 lions that were playing with wart hogs. They would sneak up on the wart hogs and get them cornered and then just when it looked like they were going to attack they wouldn't and the wart hogs would run away, they did this several times to the wart hogs. Our guide told us that wart hogs have very short memories that they would start to run from something and then they would forget what they were running from and stop. The wart hogs are also very funny to watch run, they put up their tails and run. Philip said that these are his favorite animals.
After the lions, we found a cheetah and her two cubs eating a gazelle she had just killed. We then saw 3 male lions and 3 female lions lying around and a servo cat in the grass on our drive back to our tents.
That night while trying to sleep I could hear the hippo splashing and making noise all night long in the river right in front of our tent.
On our game drive we saw gazelles, blue jean topi, spotted hyenas, jackal, ostrich, wart hogs, a warlett plover bird, impala, zebra, and a pride of lions. The cubs were climbing and playing in the tree. There were two male lions in this pride. While we were driving our driver Samson taught us some swahili words for the animals. leopard-chui, lion-simba, warthog-ngiri, cheetah-loma, elephant-tembo, zebra- pundo milio, buffalo-nyati, giraffe-twiga, and hippopotamus-kiboko.
They then took us back to the resort and showed us to our tents. The tents are very nice and we are right next to a river but they have an electric fence on the bank of the river so that we don't get unwanted guests in the middle of the night.
On our next game drive we saw elephants and hippos. We then saw 3 lions that were playing with wart hogs. They would sneak up on the wart hogs and get them cornered and then just when it looked like they were going to attack they wouldn't and the wart hogs would run away, they did this several times to the wart hogs. Our guide told us that wart hogs have very short memories that they would start to run from something and then they would forget what they were running from and stop. The wart hogs are also very funny to watch run, they put up their tails and run. Philip said that these are his favorite animals.
After the lions, we found a cheetah and her two cubs eating a gazelle she had just killed. We then saw 3 male lions and 3 female lions lying around and a servo cat in the grass on our drive back to our tents.
That night while trying to sleep I could hear the hippo splashing and making noise all night long in the river right in front of our tent.
What you can't see in this picture is dad shaking the bridge.
sunset over the Mara
Day 10 - More books please!
We started out the morning by visiting the Zebra Market with Elder & Sister Esplin and Elder & Sister Jensen. When we first arrived at the market the first vendors we saw were asking way too much for their stuff so we went farther into the market and found vendors that were more willing to negotiate and meet our price. So we were able to find lots of fun stuff to buy.
We then ate lunch at the Java House, it is a coffee house/restaurant that has very reasonable food prices and it is also very good.
Nathan's 1st/2nd grade class and a 4th grade class at Pomona Elementary collected 120 books to give to the kids here in Africa. The schools here are on holiday right now but my parents know a man, Jackson Ehaji, that has started a library for the kids. The libraries here charge money to go into the libraries and to use them and then charge money to check books out. So he started a free library. They make the people that use it wash their hands before they come in and take off their shoes. And they can't take any of the books home. The director of the schools owns the building they use and so he lets them use the room they have free of charge. Jackson took us to the library and rounded up all of the kids that were under 13, there were about 17 of them and they helped us carry the books into the library and then I read them the letters that Nathan and his two friends Parker and Noah wrote for the kids and I showed them their pictures. The library then posted those letters and pictures on the wall of the library. Then I gave each of the kids a book to keep and take home with them, we then donated the rest of the books to the library because they told us that 100 schools in that area use that library. After we gave the kids their books we asked them if they would like to write letters back to the kids in America and they all wrote nice letters. We then gave them each suckers and gave suckers to all of the other kids that were in the library, most of which were teenagers, they all acted cool and like they didn't want the suckers when I was giving them their suckers but you could tell they all wanted one because after I set it on the table for them and walked away they all popped them in their mouths. The Director of the schools in that area was there while we were giving the kids the books and he told us thank you and asked us if we could bring more books. The library was very happy to get the books that we brought because they were for young adults and kids and they said they didn't have very many of those.
The director of the schools also let us go and see one of their schools and take pictures. They took us to one of their nicest high schools, I was hoping to see a school with dirt floors but even their nicest school doesn't compare to the schools in America.
That evening we went with all of the other couples to the mission president's house and had dinner.
We then ate lunch at the Java House, it is a coffee house/restaurant that has very reasonable food prices and it is also very good.
Nathan's 1st/2nd grade class and a 4th grade class at Pomona Elementary collected 120 books to give to the kids here in Africa. The schools here are on holiday right now but my parents know a man, Jackson Ehaji, that has started a library for the kids. The libraries here charge money to go into the libraries and to use them and then charge money to check books out. So he started a free library. They make the people that use it wash their hands before they come in and take off their shoes. And they can't take any of the books home. The director of the schools owns the building they use and so he lets them use the room they have free of charge. Jackson took us to the library and rounded up all of the kids that were under 13, there were about 17 of them and they helped us carry the books into the library and then I read them the letters that Nathan and his two friends Parker and Noah wrote for the kids and I showed them their pictures. The library then posted those letters and pictures on the wall of the library. Then I gave each of the kids a book to keep and take home with them, we then donated the rest of the books to the library because they told us that 100 schools in that area use that library. After we gave the kids their books we asked them if they would like to write letters back to the kids in America and they all wrote nice letters. We then gave them each suckers and gave suckers to all of the other kids that were in the library, most of which were teenagers, they all acted cool and like they didn't want the suckers when I was giving them their suckers but you could tell they all wanted one because after I set it on the table for them and walked away they all popped them in their mouths. The Director of the schools in that area was there while we were giving the kids the books and he told us thank you and asked us if we could bring more books. The library was very happy to get the books that we brought because they were for young adults and kids and they said they didn't have very many of those.
The director of the schools also let us go and see one of their schools and take pictures. They took us to one of their nicest high schools, I was hoping to see a school with dirt floors but even their nicest school doesn't compare to the schools in America.
That evening we went with all of the other couples to the mission president's house and had dinner.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)