Nairobi!

Last Tuesday we took a bus down to Kampala and then hopped on an overnight bus to Nairobi, Kenya! Our Ugandan visas were about to expire, and after much asking around, we concluded that the easiest way to extend a visa is to leave the country and then come back in! So we decided to make a mini-vacation of it.

We got to Nairobi around 5:30am, exhausted and groggy. We met a wonderful lady named Norah on our bus, and she helped us SO much by making sure we were safe and that our lodge shuttle arrived! We're thankful for her.

The place we stayed was called Heart Lodge, and it was overwhelmingly beautiful and comfortable! Hot showers and clean floors! It even had little bushes in the shapes of hearts...


How cute.

So, I'll divide this Kenya trip into days! Here we go!

Day 1 (17 November):

Unfortunately, Collin wasn't feeling well so he just stayed at the lodge and slept all day... which is probably best. So, me, Suzie, Leilah, and Erin were taken by our taxi driver to a huge mall... it definitely rivaled the nicest malls that I've seen in America. Talk about culture shock... what a world of difference from the mud huts we've grown accustomed to. The food court probably had every type of cuisine you could ever want, and the mall had multiple levels full of stores and banks and kiosks. We didn't stay long- just enough time to exchange some money, buy an issue of Newsweek magazine, and eat some hummus and pita!

After the mall, we took the cab to the giraffe feeding center! Probably one of the most tourist-y things I've ever done while traveling, honestly. But it was so fun! We fed giraffes right out of our hands and enjoyed a Stoney afterwards... my favorite African soda. It's like a spicy ginger ale!


It was a pretty great day and we slept SUPER well that night.

Day 2 (18 November):

Collin was much better, and we were happy to be back together as a team again. Breakfast at the lodge was the best thing about Kenya, I think. Seriously. Scrambled eggs, crepes, WHOLE WHEAT TOAST!, and fresh fruit! We felt like kings and queens. While eating, we met a couple, Pat and Don, staying at Heart Lodge as well. We learned that they regularly travel to Kenya, and spend their time there building libraries and doing work in various communities getting clean water. Very cool. We asked them for tips on what we could do in the city on a low budget, and after thinking for a few minutes, they offered to let us use their hired van for the day! They also basically made our itinerary for us for the day.

First, we went to see a ministry called WEEP. They're located in Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa.

WEEP takes in women who are HIV+ and teaches them life skills, like sewing and bead work. Many of these women are shunned in the community in Kibera... for instance, one woman, Lillian, was forced out of the home that she lived in with her brother. When he learned of her HIV status, he locked the door and said he wanted her and her child gone for good. She ended up on the streets, begging. Neighbors wouldn't even give her water because they fear people with HIV. Thankfully she found WEEP... now, she is healthy because she is taking the ARV pills, and she knows how to sew! She is making an income that is supporting her and her child. The people in the community no longer look at her differently because you can't even tell she's sick. Incredible.
This is Gladys on the left, the woman who started WEEP and cares for the women who come. On the right is Evelin, a woman who has been with WEEP for two years now (since the start). She's full of joy and life, and tells her story without hesitation. They're standing at a table full of crafts (necklaces, bracelets, rings, skirts, tablecloths) that the WEEP women made!

WEEP is great because it gives the women a community to share stories and tears and laughter. They all understand what it's like to be outcasts, and they all understand the feeling immense joy when they are accepted as they walk around Kibera.

After visiting Kibera, we went to a game reserve and had another tourist adventure... a safari walk! Really it was kind of just a glorified zoo... we walked on a raised walkway and looked at animals who were in cages. It was a beautiful landscape though, and we enjoyed just hanging out and walking around.

For dinner, we went to the Trattoria at the suggestion of Pat and Don. It was some of the best Italian food I've ever had! Maybe I'm just deprived of a variety of flavors and textures, but seriously... it was definitely a highlight of the Kenya vacation. I even got mint chocolate chip gelato for dessert! What a treat!

Day 3 (19 November):

We went to a park in downtown Nairobi and just hung out all day before leaving. Sitting the park was nice and very relaxing... we walked to a nearby grocery store and got bread and cheese and carrots. The perfect picnic!

After eating, we explored the city a little bit. We got ice cream and had no trouble finishing off the entire tub...

Then, we headed to the bus station (braved the worst traffic jams I've ever seen), and were headed home to Uganda.

All-in-all, it was a great vacation! We enjoyed our time but were so happy to be back home with the kids. Hugging them all when we got back was wonderful... I'm going to miss them so much.

Look forward to another potential photo blog coming soon... we're going to celebrate Thanksgiving as best we can tomorrow, so I'll be sure to tell you all about it.

Thanks for reading! I love you all. -Brynn