Thursday, October 29th, 2009: London bound

Got up at 7:30am. Once again this hotel in Nairobi is noisy!!! Disco/music goes on forever, even on a weeknight. Then around 5 am, someone started to chant/pray over what I think was a loud speaker? Yikes. Even my earplugs didn't help.

Had a luke warm shower, but it allowed me to wash my hair atleast without giving myself a brain freeze. Got packed up..."Go day" today... Had our hot breakfast which is included in the $27/cdn per room! I guess for the price I shouldn't complain.

Paul picked us up at 10am so we could get to the airport in time. Said our goodbyes to Paul. He was a great driver and took good care of us. Something really important when travelling in Kenya. I would hire him again. He is also very knowledgeable of Kenya and safaris. The funniest thing though is he thought I was quiet. He kept asking if I was always this quiet.... oh my husband would totally disagree. But both Hillie and Denise are very animated (which is great) and know him better so they were very talkative. So I kind of took a back seat in the talking department...I know a shock for my friends.... this time atleast!

Virgin Atlantic is now oversold and we are on standby except for Hillie. Plan A was if only 1 could get on it would be me. Two reasons: 1 the hotel reservation was in my name in London, and 2 Denise knows Kenya better and more people in Kenya. She could get Paul to come back and get her. Plan B was if neither got on, Hillie would have to stay in London until we got there! We were hoping to use BA but we had not purchased backup tickets on them (ZED fares). Sitting and waiting till noon was painful. The ground manager spoke with us, so nice and so concerned. We assured him after 21 years of flying standby we knew the drill and we were prepared for the worst.

Well at noon he called us over and we got the last seats on the aircraft! Yay! We were all split up but I didn't care. Denise got Economy plus, I got an aisle. Just happy to be on!

Crew again were so nice and they were so happy to hear our stories. Andrew was one of them and he is originally from Toronto! He gave us special parting gifts!!! So nice.

Food was good again... chicken schnitzel. Talked at the back galley with the crew again and they poured us some camping drinks.

Only bad news: We are having some problems with Ndwiga who is to deliver the donated mattresses. He wants us to pay for the gas to get them from Nairobi to Embu. We want him to donate the gas as his brother is the pastor that is associated with Toto Love and we found out about Toto Love thru Ndwiga. Gas money takes away from the money to build them a new orphanage too. We shall see, we didn't send anything.

Didn't really sleep on the flight. But watched a few movies instead. 9 hour flight to London, we landed around 7pm. Headed to hotel, bit of confusion getting there as we took a free bus, but went to the wrong Sheraton and ended up taking a taxi to the correct one ($30 later) would have been cheaper and easier to take a taxi or hopper bus from the airport! Next time.

Good to have a hotel with hot water, blowdryer, electricity!!! Hotel is about $110/night for airline employees. Though Ryan from Virgin knows a cheaper hotel for next time. Hotel guests also get 45 mins of free internet. Had a bath and when Hillie got back to the room, after booking her Edmonton-Grande Prairie ticket, we decided we were hungry and went to the bar for a chicken burger and chips! Went back onto the internet to email Doug and friends.

Crawled into bed after midnight~

Friday October 30th, 2009: Homeward bound

Said my goodbyes to Denise and Hillie as they were heading to Edmonton.  I left hotel about an hour later as my flight was after theirs.  Was able to checkin at hotel to save time.

Once again the most boring airport....no where comfortable to sit...tried to shop but nothing I needed...tried internet for about 20mins...had a bit to eat....ugh hate this airport LOL

Gates don't open until 1 hour before dept so then you feel like you are running to the gate!

Once again had a whole row to myself on the flight and knew the crew.  Able to tell them about my adventures!  Can't wait to see my family and to blog my experiences...oh and to download my pictures.

Landed in Calgary, and customs was so backed up...yikes, so many flights.  Met a nice guy in the line up who was on my flight...he was trying to connect to Medicine Hat.  We took different lineups though at end, and my lineup was going faster so I told him to change places with me!  He wasn't going to but I insisted....other's heard my offering and my lineup let him go to the front of the line so he could make his flight hopefully.  I didn't mind waiting another 10 mins, even though Doug was on the other side of the door!  

Tired but happy to be home...great experience and want to find out more about the children of Toto Love and to return!

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009: Camp Patterson and return to Nairobi

Hippo across the river from our camp.  He was so still it was like watching a statue!

Had an ok sleep, but the animals are pretty noisy.  But it was nice.  Maasi warrior woke us up at 6am, and we got ready for our walk.  We saw the family of hippos in the water.  The maasi through rocks at them to get them to come out from under the water (no he didn't hit them).  At one point though we thought they were going to chase us and we ran up the banks of the river LOL.  Scared me but they didn't come to our side.  We saw the elephant and hippo scat (poop) and they had come into the camp area for sure.  Hard to believe.

Had breakfast, fruit, toast and jam, eggs with bacon and coffee. This meal is also included in the price.  

Took lots of pictures and videos.  Monkeys had come to our verandas while we were hippo watching, because we had sugar and milk on the tables from our morning coffees.

Finally saw the crocs.  Bought a few souvenirs at the store at the camp.  Packed up and out by 11:30pm  Sang O Canada for the staff just before leaving.

Stopped at a few places on the way up to Nairobi.  Had a box lunch at a roadside store and picnic area.  Box lunch was also from Camp Patterson.  Chicken sandwich, boiled egg, passion fruit, shortbread cookies and a juice box.  Pretty cute and such a good deal.

Continued driving and got some good video of how they drive in Kenya.  Don't think I will complain about Doug's driving ever again.  They really don't care about the line, whether it is yellow, solid or not solid, they just pass when they think they can!  Some times over speed bumps.  Of course the big trucks can't go over 80 km/h so often the vehicles are not going super fast, but still scary sometimes!

Got to the hotel, Connections, same one we used before, at around 6pm. We decided to get ready, hot shower now that I figured out how to use it, and go for dinner downstairs.  Had chicken curry with rice and Kachumbi (the salsa).  It was really good, and I even ordered extra of the salsa.

Headed up to room by 10pm, so tired.  Rest of the gang stayed to dance a bit at the disco.

Unfortunately woke up around 1am and stomach a bit rumbly.  Might have been the curry?  Beds are hard as rocks here and the disco noise is almost unbareable!

Tuesday, October 27th,2009: Safari and Camp Patterson

The tents we stayed in.  Nets above that the staff bring down for you 

while you are having dinner.

Up at 4 am but the power went out, had to finish packing up in the dark.  Raining really bad.  Julius and Livingstone came to say goodbye even at about 5am.  We loaded them up with all our leftovers, pop, chips, cookies, even the pizza and pasta from the night before.

Headed out to the safari.  Quick stop at the souvenir place, I picked up some braided bracelet for 250 ksh each, bought 7, and 2 cow bone bracelets f0r 300 ksh.  Roughly that is $3.40 and $4.10.  Still raining so we had a coffee and waited it out a bit.

Entered park and bought a safari hat for $10.  Put the roof up and away we went.  Rain has died down now. Saw elephants, giraffes, lions eating, lots of birds, monkeys, zebras, Impalas, african buffalo, hartbeasts and baboons.  Was pretty incredible.

Had lunch at the Vio hotel, $18 for buffet but very nice.  Over looks the park and it has a watering hole to attract animals.  Rained so hard we had to move tables because we were getting wet in the restaurant (no windows, only a roof)  Around 3 we were able to leave to go to our camp, but Hillie really wanted to see more of the park.  We saw 2 male lions who had just eaten.  They must have been only 100m away!  So awesome.  Saw more elephants, but this time a baby one. And girafees even closer this time.  Saw lots of dick dicks, they are really cute and they travel in couples.  Monkeys were right at the end of the park.

Went down the highway to get to the Patterson camp.  Amazing tented campground just like 1898.  When Col. Patterson trapped and shot 2 lions who had been killing the railway workers.  The tents are the larger almost army style with beautiful cots and nettings.  Flushing toilet, shower and running water (gravity) inside the tent.  If you want a hot shower though, the guys will bring a bucket of hot water and climb up the back and pour it into the shower water supply barrel!  Maasi warriors must escort you especially at night.  You can hear the hippos splash into the river at dark.  We had a 4 course dinner in the diningroom.  Soup, salad, entree and dessert with coffee or tea.  All this is included in the $80 USD we paid per person for the night.  Had a glass of red wine with dinner.

Went back to the tent and in bed by 9:30pm.  Generator runs the power from about 6:30-10:00pm and a bit in th morning.  Once it is day light they don't.

Oh and we ordered a wake up call,  Maasi Warrior will knock on the tent at 6am so we can go for an escorted walk to see the hippos in the morning!

Monday, October 26th, 2009: Last day in Mombassa

Woke up with lots of misquito bites even though I used the net!!!!  Upset stomach today.  Not like Hillie and Denise though.  Napped a bit and went down to the beach to find JJ for more key chains but no luck, the weather was turning for the worse and many of them were going to pack up soon.

Vendors are very pushy here, don't make eye contact and if you don't like the price they are negotiating with you, just walk away.  If they can they will call you back.

Camel rides were negotiated for $350 ksh each, but I didn't go on one.

It ended up raining around 5pm.  No monkeys today but a cat was on our roof.  Ginger one, not sure how he got there!

Getting a bit homesick now, scared to call home because I might cry on the phone.  Miss my family but will be home soon.

Safari is tomorrow and 1 night there, then to Nairobi, 1 night there, then fly to London and 1 night there!  So last 4 days.  I would love to bring my family her, esp to room 42/43 as it works really well for a family and use Paul as our driver.

Before dinner, I went to the bank and got fuel for the van with Paul.  Hillie was at Livingstone's home to see his mom and dad.  Went for dinner at the hotel, there is a nice Italian restaurant next door on the beach side.  Very nice restaurant, almost unusual for Kenya, it looked new.  Owned by an Italian.  Service was good and the food was excellent.  Bit pricer then what we have been paying in the past, but I only spent $11 for my pasta and it was really big.

Rained a bit through out the evening, much cooler but still nice.  Wore my new shawl I had bought in Limuru for $4.  Nice yellow!

Made sure we were packed up for the early morning departure and possible power outages due to the rain.

I decided to itemize items and their typical canadian prices for future reference and for the kids at Senator Riley.

100ml of toothpaste $1.90 (now I see why they don't brush their teeth)

toothbrushes $1.50

200g box of plain cookies $1.25

250 g peanut butter $1.25

455g bag of hard candies $4.00 (this is another treat for them)

1 roll toilet paper  28 cents (they sell a lot individually)

loaf of bread 50 cents

50g instant coffee $2.40

2L sprite $1.71

Beef  1 kg $3.15

Bananas 1kg $2.75

nail polish 85 cents

200ml shampoo $3.00

200g potato chips $1.31 (no name brand)

Tomatoes  14 cents each at the market

750 ml Vodka $14.50

can of beer $1.15

So to us the groceries are pretty cheap, but to them many items like the meat, are just too expensive.  That is why they all have gardens!  And why they ask us tourists for lotions, candy, nailpolish etc.

I had also done some tallying of what we spent at the orphanage.

$320 on furniture

$1072 on groceries, household items like sheets

$679 on maintenance like the gate, the paint, the fence (not including what Denise had sent previously)

$290 on shoes

$246 on labour

Sunday, October 25th, 2009: Day of rest, finally!

The monkey who came into my room and stole 5 bananas!

Today is beach day.  Bought some keychains for most of my friends.  They carve the names on safari animal shapes such as Lion, elephant, cheetah or rhino.  Only $200 ksh each.  JJ was the vendor.  Hope to get more tomorrow.

Drank beers at the hotel bar after suntanning on the beach for a bit.  Quite hot.  Beach is nice but they don't comb the sand, so there is a lot of seaweed and little sandcrabs at the water's edge too.  No chairs or loungers like on the beaches in Punta Cana or Montego Bay.  So next time I would bring a mat and a blow up pillow.

Also did some hand washed laundry today.  While I was in the bathroom a monkey came into my room and stole about 5 bananas.  Scared me as I was coming out with my wet laundry as he was still in my room.  Cheeky bugger, wouldn't leave right away and kept eyeing me thru the glass doors and I had to hide the bananas in the fridge outside.  I was scared he was going to pluck them right out of my hands!  More monkeys came out later, before we went for dinner and we did give them a few bananas.  I was trying to get food to the mom's with babies but the big ones kept stealing them.  The little ones were really cute, the big ones scared me!

We all has nice warm showers to get ready for dinner.  I really did not bring anything to wear out, wasn't thinking that we would have time to go to a disco.  Hillie had a cute black skirt, and I wore it as a dress LOL.  It worked.

We went to one place for dinner.  Chicken and chips.  Took Paul, Julius and Livingstone with us as a treat.  Had tuskers and watch the soccer match.  Went to the disco later, ladies free, men $100 ksh.  Lots of dancing!

Saturday, October 24th, 2009: Mombassa bound

The common area of the Hotel in Mombassa, covered patio with kitchenette and sitting area.

Beach in Mombassa at the Banburi Beach Hotel, where you can take camel rides!

Well that hotel in Nairobi was very noisy.  Disco was pumping till 4 am, and then the trucks across the road started up.  Slept about 5 hours.  Denise is sick now.  We planned to head to Mombassa at 8am or so, since it is a long drive.  Roads are crazy.  Some areas are so bumpy, other area smooth, and when you go through a town there are speed bumps!  Hillie and Denise were both under the weather, tough ride for them.

We did see zebras, giraffes, camels, and baboons on the drive down.  Very exciting.

Got into Mombassa and hit the supermarket for groceries as this hotel has a kitchenette.

The hotel is right on the beach, called Bamburi Beach Resort.  Pretty cool hotel.  We have the upper floor which is only 2 suites, plus the common area outside under a thatched roof.  1 room had a kingsize bed and the other 2 twin beds, both had their own bathroom.  On the patio is a kichenette with a fridge, stove and sink.  There are 2 tables both with chairs.  I really like the set up and would be good for the family.

Had to call the Doctor for Hillie, he thinks she has a parasite and bacteria so he prescribed Flagyll and some other Rx's for her.  She wasn't doing well at first but once some of the drugs kicked in she seemed to be a bit better.

Denise was just really cold and shakey, she thinks she has the flu.

Hillie's friends Livingstone and Julius came for a quick visit.  So we sat out on the patio with Paul and had a few drinks and a peanut butter and jam sandwich for dinner, just too tired to go out for dinner!