Donna, Agnes, Joseph and I had a delightful get away to Nakuru last weekend, but more about that a little later. When we got back Sunday evening Donna got busy packing her bags and stowing her treasures. By the time we left for the airport for her flight Tuesday evening, it was clear that I was catching a cold. I wasn’t much company for Joseph on the (typically) harrowing ride home in the rain on dark and crazy Kenya roadways. About the time we arrived home, my cell phone sounded. It was Donna telling me she was on the plane and they were ready to depart.
So, I awoke Wednesday morning to a bed cold from loss of my partner, and sick with a serious cold. Of course, whenever a foreigner gets a sniffle around here, there is worry that it is malaria. Happily, this just seems to be a stubborn cold. But that is bad enough – especially without my favorite nurse and chaplain. And all this explains why the blog posting is a little later than usual this week. I am on the mend; not back to full strength yet, but feeling well enough to resume most of my normal activities. Donna had a delay in Paris which caused her to miss her Newark connection, so she arrived home about five hours later than expected weary and frazzled, but in one piece with all her luggage.
Now, back to Nakuru. The highway was good all the way and we made it in just over two hours; arriving around 10:30 Saturday morning. We checked into the Kunste Hotel and
headed to the market. Donna had a few more gifts to purchase before heading home. From my Lonely Planet Guide to Kenya, I had selected Kokeb, a Kenyan-Ethiopian restaurant. It turned out to be a good choice. Unfortunately, as we were leaving it began to rain. We wanted a little more time for shopping before heading for the Nakuru National Park. We tried a bit of shopping in the rain, then retreated to a coffee shop until it let up. We had hoped to stop by and visit Patrick, one of our CPE students and started that way. Then the sun came out and we headed for the Park instead.
There we found Lake Nakuru and its famed Flamingos – and there were thousands of them.
We were greeted by this little fellow who wanted to hitch a ride (remember the mischievous Vervet monkeys). Joseph tried to convince him otherwise.
Not far into the park we began to see wildlife. There were Hippos, Black and White Rhinos, Impalas, Gazelle, Cape Buffalo, a lot of Baboons and one Oryx.
There were also Lions, Leopards, and Cheetahs, but they didn’t come greet us.
The Park gates close at 6:30 PM, but Joseph assured us that once inside we could stay a late as we liked. So we drove the length of the park, finally arriving at Makalia Falls
(which we shared with a large troop of Baboons) before heading back. Darkness was upon us. Then the rain started. Visibility was poor. We missed a turn and found ourselves ascending the escarpment to the West gate – not where we wanted to go. Turning around on a narrow dirt road with drainage ditches along both sides, in the dark, in the rain, miles from “civilization” in a Park full of dangerous animals provided several very tense moments. But Joseph patiently upped and backed, turning little by little until we were headed back into the valley. With a collective sigh of relief we found the sign we had missed and made it back to our gate.
Sunday morning we visited the Anglican Church in Karunga where Leah (another student) had grown up. We stopped by her home (Shamba) and visited with her husband and friends. Then we stopped at Gladys’ home for another brief visit with her and her husband before heading to Baraka Farm in hopes of seeing Arthur Ndoro. Joyce, Arthur’s ex-wife, met us at the road and led us up to the farm. She was very welcoming and served us a nice lunch (for which she kept apologizing). At all three stops, I was wandering about trying to learn what I could about animal care and gardening – they kept geese, chickens, sheep and a cattle. Joyce and Arthur were married soon after we knew one another when he returned to Kenya in the mid-sixties. At some point along the way they separated. He now lives on the opposite side of this huge farm and they see little of one another.
I may make one more effort to see him, but it now looks unlikely that reunion will occur. This picture was taken in front of the church built on the farm with their support. The youngster next to Joyce is her grandson, Adrian. He and I became fast friends and Donna is convinced he was the donor of the virus that has laid me low.
Last week was tough on our whole group. Four of the six students were doctoring one kind of malady or another. Joseph has been searching diligently for a house to rent nearby so Agnes can spend more time here. This week he learned that the second one promised to him was given to someone else. Agnes made the long and difficult journey back to Maralal by matatu (12- 14 seat vans that scare me to death), and their son, Ike, was hospitalized briefly for food poisoning. We are all hoping next week will find us well and able to concentrate on the last month of the program. 
Please continue to hold us and the program in your prayers. Peace, Cal Brand PS: This Oryx posed so nicely for us, I wanted to squeeze him in.
