Bumps in the road (literally)

Hello again! First of all, thank you for your continued support. I've gotten messages and comments from many different people, and it makes me feel very loved to know that you are all experiencing this adventure along with me. That being said, I don't want anyone to think that this blog is a substitute for talking to me directly about my trip, or that I am spending big chunks of my time here online. The only reason that I keep this blog is because I want to maintain an online record of my trip and so that my relatives and friends around the world can follow my experiences. Just wanted to clear that up so no one thinks I am spending my time online instead of fully experiencing Africa! :)

As for today... where do I start? It was an adventure, to say the least. We hopped into our vans (manned by our drivers, Peter and Peterson... seriously) and started the long/bumpy two hour ride to Mt. Kenya. After about an hour, our van suddenly headed down what can only be described as a crater-like dirt road. Seriously, I have not been that shaken up since I made the unfortunate decision to go on a particularly rusty Tulip Time carnival ride in 8th grade. We were SO confused as to where Peter was taking us-- the path became more and more narrow, and it was clear that we were in a small village that sat in a patch of green, Ireland-esque paradise surrounded by a bubbling stream. Not exactly what I expected for Kenya, but beautiful nonetheless. Suddenly, we were told to exit the car and look upward into a tree. I have one word for you: MONKEYS! That should pretty much sum it up. It was the first time I had seen a monkey in its true natural habitat, so I was excited.

After an hour of exploration and waiting, the cooks who worked in the "Kenya/Ireland village" gave us meals of fish (eyeballs and heads still intact), chicken, beef sausage, carrots, and potatoes-- very good. We continued our trek to Mt. Kenya, and the road bumpiness increased immensely as we approached the  distant mountains. Peter, being the unbeatable driver that he is, successfully dislodged our van from puddles of mud, dusty ruts, and rock-covered parking spaces. On the drive up to the mountain, we were blown away by the adorableness of the children we saw. As we drove by, children would run alongside our van and wave as we took their pictures. These Kenyan children have remarkable enthusiasm and untouchable cuteness, seriously.

Our jubilance would soon wear off, however, as we began our long trek up Mt. Kenya. It was exciting at first, and the scenery was definitely beautiful. After about 45 minutes of rugged uphill hiking, however, I was ready to head back to the van. I'm taking this as further proof that I should probably start exercising on a regular basis, and playing drums on Beatles Rock Band shouldn't count as "real exercise." Sad but true. ANYWAY, I pushed through, and we reached our destination. The view was gorgeous, and I was proud of myself for barreling through the physical discomfort. I also overcame another uncomfortable obstacle today when I took care of my business in one of the national park's toilets... if you can call it a toilet. In an effort to not gross people out, I will say this: using the bathroom is always more pleasant when squatting over a hand-dug hole is not involved... but I have no complaints. It will make for a good story someday, as soon as I wash the stench out of my clothes.

We spent the rest of the day back here at Thiiri-- I took a nice nap after our hike. Tomorrow is another preparation day at the schools, followed by a drive into town to visit a co-op for single mothers in the Meru community. It should be a good day all around, and I continue to be thankful for each and every experience here. Good afternoon, morning, or night, depending on where you are!

Me and some of the girls at Mt. Kenya!

Adorable children waving at me from the road.