Report of 17 Feb 2013

Good afternoon!

This is the stuff of which memories are made.  Scott and I spent about a week in Kenya.  It was the first vacation that we have taken by ourselves, sans children.  I expected to have my usual vacation time - "This is great, it's time to go back."  But no - it was spectacular.  The safari, the people, the warmth, the treatment of all people as people - magnificent.

We flew into Nairobi on Emirates (a long-awaited first experience) and stayed with schoolmate Latha, her husband Srini and their daughter Nanditha.  They are loving and hospitable folks, and we spent a fine evening.  The next morning, we flew to Kisumu to visit our friend, William.  William was a med student visiting St. V when I was there.  We had invited him and his classmate, Samson, to spend some weekends with us, took them to the farm where the good relatives engaged them in conversation and then thanked me for sharing our guests, took them out for inexpensive meals (a resident's salary is not lordly) and to the $1 cinema (see the last part about the salary? :) ) for flicks.  It was business as usual for us, but William recollects it vividly and continues to appreciate it.  That was confounding: I had no idea that our welcome and inclusion of the students as parts of the family were anything extraordinary, but lo these many years later, William remembers it.  And reciprocates it staggeringly well. 

We spent a memorable 2 days in Kisii, seeing Lake Victoria and an impala sanctuary en route, and then being with William's family.  He has since married, and he and his beautiful wife, Naomi, have 2 children - Gavin and Gladys (named for William's parents).  His friend, Josh, and their Masai helper, Lillian, were also fine additions to our experience.  We heard of William's work - magnificently heading a CDC-funded project on HIV - and walked around Kisii.  The following morning, I took a walk by myself and listened to some beautiful gospel music in Keswahili playing over many loudspeakers at churches.  The people of Kisii were dressed in their lovely Sunday best (I was in walking clothes) and I enjoyed the sight and soul-stirring feeling of intense faith.  We visited a Kisii stone outlet where we bought some souvenirs, ate a nice, traditional lunch prepared by the multi-talented Naomi, and then the family was kind enough to drive us to the Equator, a cherished dream of Scott's.  Pictures later, we headed to the airport and back to Nairobi.

Latha's warm house again, and discussions of Kenya, India, people, places.  Latha is extremely well-read, Srini is genial and welcoming, and both (as well as Nanditha) are great conversationalists, thus our intellectual and anthropological curiosity were also well-fed.  Srini and Latha were also a wealth of information on how best to utilise our time in Kenya.  We left the following morning for Masai Mara and a safari.  We drove there, stayed in a spectacular tented camp, ate till our bellies nearly burst, and drove out to see animals 4 times.  The roof of the van lifted out, our guide Benson showed us the wildlife, and we got some lovely pictures.  Even when not seeing animals, it was wonderful to see the verdant and vast surroundings, and feel insignificant.  We saw elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, lions, hippos, rhinos, many varieties of deer and gazelle, birds.  The folks at the lodge/camp had hospitality down to a science - tourism is a big industry in Kenya - and we felt relaxed and welcomed.  Scott came down with some food poisoning, unfortunately, and has recovered nicely.  One evening, the singer at the bar sang very well, and as I felt the rhythm course through my blood vessels, the old bod must have responded appropriately; a young employee came over and said I ought to dance to appreciate the singer's music.  Needed I a second invitation?  I got up and danced with her, and we talked, and I loved all of it.  The Masai dancers came next, complete with jumps and striking costumes and jewellery.  We left after 2 days of this singular merriment - replete with spectacular scenery, awesome animals, delicious food, warm people.

Back to Nairobi, Latha's warm home again, and then to shop a little.  We saw some of the sights of Nairobi the next day, including a giraffe breeding facility (we were educated on their defense system - them bones are very heavy, as we found when we lifted a forearm bone) and an elephant orphanage, where they work to nurture orphaned little elephants (extremely cute, as with the young of many species) and release them into the wild.  All of it was grand fun.  We also saw Karen Blixen's home - very lovely; she was the subject in "Out of Africa," and there were beautiful pics of the 2 good-looking stars of the pic - Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.  Apparently, Klaus Maria Brandauer did not make the cut to the pics as KB's husband.

We left that night, spent some time in Dubai airport, and headed home.  Naren picked us up, and when he asked, "How was Africa?," I had to pause, vivid memories of the expanse of the Mara flooding my thoughts.  I attempted to answer.  "Beautiful," I said, " a once in a lifetime experience."  Scott said, "It would have been grand if you and Navin had been there, too."  I had thought I was not an adventurous tourist, preferring to stay in English-speaking countries, etc.  It was great that Kenyans spoke English, of course, and they spoke other languages, too; I loved seeing Kenya through Kenyans and Indians, and experiencing the tremendous love that Kenyans apparently have for everyone.  My brother has steadfastly said the white person (my husband, in this case) is often courted in several countries; I have discounted that, feeling very welcome myself in these countries.  It was in Kenya that I distinctly felt just as welcome and noticed the significant lack of kissing up to white people, no offence to anyone.  "Jambo" ("Hello") produced an instant and warm "Jambo" back, I felt the connecting of hearts and spirits and eyes, and asked questions and smiled back and stopped to talk.  It was all good.

Why do people visit the man-made attractions of the U.S. and Europe?  Everyone has their favorite vacations, of course.  Having seen both - the U.S. and Europe, and Kenya - I do know that the love and happiness of the Kenyan people (even little children, who smiled and waved at me) and the spectacular natural beauty of the land are staying with me for quite a while, bringing a far-away look to my eyes and a tremendous sense of warmth to my whole being.  All starting with "Jambo," and eating ugali, and seeing a cheetah up close.  Asante sana, Kenya.

Unw -

R