Nairobi to Kisii

Blog Post Number 2...look at me go! So I'm currently sitting outside in the sun on the expansive grounds of an old plantation house which is now a hotel...it's a pretty good gig I've got going on at the moment, but work is definitely on the way. I'm in the town of Kericho for the weekend. It's known for its tea and, literally, the tea fields stretch as far as the eye can see. Green, prefectly manicured bushes only interrupted by the red tile roofs of the workers living quarters. It's quite beautiful. I've been relaxing, watching some monkeys play and sipping tea. I did even go for a run and, turns out, running hills at altitude, much harder than running the flats at sea level. Apparently it's the area where their marathoners train...

Anyway, since last I wrote, I've been on the moved. We travelled from Nairobi to Kisii (about 5 hours) which is a beautiful drive that takes you into the Rift Valley. I was totally mesmerized by my surroundings. The endless plains dotted by herds of goats and cows ushered onward by the local Maasai people. The gazelles, the impalas and ZEBRAS!!...I got to see a herd of zebras. so cool! I think my partner John thinks I'm a bit weird. He kept asking if I was bored by the drive but seriously, how could you be. Apparently you can be though because he's never been on drive before and he was clearly not enthused. Oh well, I'm easily amused. Maybe it was all the driving when I was little when my parents would challenge my sister and I to the silent game (ie whoever stays quiet the longest wins...my parents were sneaky weren't they) that caused me to be able to sit quietly and just stare at my surroundings while driving. Who knows, but I was quite the champ of that game.

Kisii, where I'll be living the next 6 weeks, is on the western side of Kenya up in the hills with lush greenery all around rather then the vast plains of the Rift Valley. The town is busy, tons of motorcycles (boda bodas) zooming around...generally speaking, all vehicles are zooming around. Blind passing, swerving in and out of traffic, 20+ people per van with the requisite live chicken on another passenger's lap (yes,that was my bus ride today)...it seems traffic rules are more like traffic suggestions...and you can always bride the police to let you off if they pull you over. I settled into St. Vincent's Guest House...I can effectively lock myself into my room 3 times over which should make my dad happy...and that doesn't include the gate, the wall with barbed wire or the guard.

The hospital is empty because of the strike...no patients to be seen which is weird for a place that is usually at 120% + capacity. It's a bit of a national crisis and now they are threatening to fire all 25,000 workers. (to get around that the nurses are coming to work, signing in and then not doing anything). It's all a bit crazy but the nurses and workers have a point. Working conditions are terrible. 2 nurses to 70+ in the paeds ward, no gloves, 3 kids to a bed...quite sad.

No other major events to report...except the minor bombing that killed 4 people and injured 40 in Nairobi...you know, just a minor event (fyi-that's sarcasm...it's a pretty big deal). I'm far from there but, nevertheless, the program has their eye on me. Also, interestingly, it took me 7 banks, a 20 minute call to ETrade and waking Per up at 630AM to get cash. Nevertheless, problem solved and crisis averted.

Here's some picts (I'm dying to take more of people but my partner tells me there is a lot of superstition around what photos will be used for...alas)