Menengai Crater... almost...

On Friday, school was closed for Kenya's Independence Day holiday. Brian and I decided we'd drive up to the Menengai Crater and do a 2-3 hour hike into the crater (which is technically a caldera) and then drive back to Nairobi. The drive there and back was plagued with busier-than-normal levels of traffic because of the holiday (and crazier driving conditions, if that is possible), so it took us 3 hours and 15 minutes to arrive at Menengai. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a gorgeous view of the caldera, carpeted in lush green foliage with a steep descent to the caldera basin. We clambered out of the truck, hiking shoes laced up and itching for a good workout... only to discover... all trails are currently closed because of a land dispute with local farmers! We could see cattle way down below, and apparently the trails have been "tampered with" by the farmers so visitors cannot use them. We admired the view while we drank some lovely Kenyan tea, and then climbed back in the truck for the long journey back to Nairobi. It was definitely a long way to drive for a spot of tea!

Road obstacles in Kenya...

While driving in Kenya, there are always multiple ways in which traffic can be blocked. On our way back to Nairobi today, here were three interesting obstacles we encountered. Driving here is certainly NEVER boring.    :)

Visiting our Maasai friends at Ilkengarre Village...

While we were in the neighbourhood of Amboseli National Park on the weekend, we visited our good friend Daniel Ketukei at the Ilkengarre Maasai village near the park. We also enjoyed an overnight stay at Tortilis tented camp and saw many amazing animals (including an ostrich family that boasted 26 chicks!). What a magical, magical place.

A new Freedom Through Learning project...

On Saturday, Brian and I were excited to visit a small town near Wote (north of Emali and east of Machakos) with our colleague Peter Muthusi. In Peter's hometown, a small high school has started and the community is committed to its success. We met so many lovely people connected to the school (Kimuumo Secondary School) and everyone was incredibly hospitable. We were served a lavish breakfast of mandaazi, pumpkin, sweet potato, arrowroot and lots of fruit, along with piping hot Kenyan tea. The area is fertile and beautiful, and when we visited Peter's home we were also treated to glimpses of Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance. We are very excited to partner up with this school!

Nairobi poet Njeri Wangari visits...

Last week, Nairobi poet Njeri Wangari came to ISK to run a workshop and read her poems to my IB English students. My students are studying some of her poems and they were thrilled to be able to meet her and interact with her. What a rich time to enjoy the power of words!

Halloween fun...

Brian and I donned our favourite Star Trek outfits on Friday (Captain Kirk and Nurse Chapel), complete with a battery-operated Tribble and a blow-up alien purchased (where else?!) in Roswell, New Mexico. We had a lot of fun talking about sci fi all day and celebrating Halloween with dozens of spirited students. On Saturday the dress-up fun continued as we participated in a Loresho Halloween event. Dozens of ISK and neighbourhood kids stopped at about 20 houses along a pre-established route, gathering candy and sharing neighbourhood camaraderie. Brian used the event to break out his zebra outfit to match our gate (see post below about our escalating interest in zebras).  :)

Zebra theme...

It seems zebras might be our favourite animals, at least if you gauge interest by the amount of painting we have done in the last few years adhering to a zebra theme. A few years ago, Brian and Cora painted our gate with an awesome zebra design. Then I added a few zebra pillowcases into the mix of pillows in our living room. Over the past few weeks, we have taken an old writing desk and given it new life with colour and a continuation of the zebra motif. It was a lot of fun to add some funkiness to an old and nondescript piece of furniture and I find myself looking sideways at several other pieces in our house. Perhaps a new hobby is emerging. Below are photos that feature the before, during and after versions of the desk.   

October break, Part 2...

On our way back from the coast, we made a detour into the Taita Conservancy and then Tsavo West National Park. For one night we stayed at the Sarova Salt Lick Lodge and were amazed by the dozens and dozens of elephants coming right up to the hotel to drink from a water reservoir. It was magical and we were able to observe so many interesting elephant behaviours. Buffalo were also keen to drink from the pool, and a mama lion and her cubs made an appearance early in the morning. The lodge was fantastic. While driving through Tsavo West National Park, the landscapes were stunning and we saw several shy lesser kudu (a type of antelope we haven't seen up to this point).