Bag lady, you gone miss your bus...

I have officially become the bag lady in Kenya.  I am always carrying way too much shit.  But how do you not?  I never know when I will see something cool and have to get a pic or take some video.  I never know when I will run into a place with electricity so I can charge my phone, laptop, batteries, etc.  Toilet paper and/or wipies are a must as sanitation is hard to find in some of the more remote areas.  I friggen love wipies.  Why should such a soothing wonderful thing be reserved for babies only?  Don't we adults deserve some comfort, too?

Today was pretty entertaining in a crazy sort of way.  Well, actually I wasn't entertained initially.  I was pretty tired and cranky and everything was pissing me off, even the cute kid on the bus who was trying to get my attention.  Mike knows how bitchy I can be when I pull my all nighters =/



Friday night at 9pm, I took a bus from Kisumu to Nairobi.  The ride takes about 6 hours and the roads were not too bad - definitely nothing that'll rock you to sleep.

I then arrived at the bus station in Nairobi at 4am.  4am...as in the dark of the morning!!!  As we were advised to wait in the waiting room until it got light out, I hung out with a bunch of folks as we all tried to keep our eyes open.  Some people felt comfortable enough to take a little nap, but I was on high alert.  Just what I would need...wake up from a nice nap to find all my shit missing! You have to be so careful when you stand out from the crowd.  Common sense 101.

Then it got light out around 7am and I was supposed to meet with someone at 9am at what she described to be the "Viewpark Towers".  I figured the directions she gave me would be obvious enough for locals to get, but no one knew where the hell it was.  I talked to 3 different people and the only thing in common with their directions was the 5 mile radius.  Not to mention it was raining and windy out.

So I just started walking in a direction I saw a lot of people going towards and I came across the Hilton Hotel.  I asked the bellhop and he finally was able to point me in the right direction.  He even gave me a map! I arrive at the Viewpark Towers and I wanted to change my smelly "I haven't showered" clothes.  There were like 6 faux security guards at the front desk and I looked at one and asked her if there were any bathrooms. Then all 6 of them proceeded to discuss my question in Swahili and respond to me in English.  Thought that to be a little strange...boy I had NO idea.

So one of the lady guards takes me to the 16th floor of all places and then proceeds to open the door to a bathroom once we get all the way up there.  It was a little smelly and the floor was pretty much flooded (I really didn't want to know where the water was coming from).  I told her I wanted to change my clothes as well and she just stood there.  Eventually she started rifling through one of my bags and then asked me if she could have my sunglasses to which I responded, "Hell No!" Luckily she thought that was funny.  It still annoyed me because she took them out of my bag and put them on.  Then she started asking me about the other things in my bag she was going through!

I got to the office where I was supposed to meet someone and she was an hour late.  Just as I was going to give up and leave I called her one last time and she said she was on her way.  Once I met her, she was really cool and I think we got along well.  So when I ask her about the supplies I am supposed to bring back with me, she proceeds to point at 2 extra large trash bags and 4 boxes of bar soap that each weigh at least 15-20lbs.  So now in addition to my backpack and a big camera bag, I was now being trailed by 2 trash bags of stuff and 4 boxes of bar soap that came from Nairobi all the way to Kisumu and then now to El Doret with me.  Kind of symbolic really...No matter how fast I run or how far I go, my baggage always seems to follow!

The bus ride back to Kisumu from Nairobi was 7 hours, but it was cool because it was daytime and I could see some of the central highlands of Kenya.  Absolutely beautiful! I then took off from Kisumu on a 3-hour matatu ride through the Rift Valley to El Doret where I am now.  I must say the coolest part of my day was the matatu ride to El Doret.  This is such a pretty place.  The sun set during the drive and as we headed up into the mountains and there was thunder and lightning, so every once in a while the sky would light up and you could see the shadows of mountains and gain some perception on how high we had climbed. I met some cool peeps during the ride.  As for now, I am about to sleep for 20 hours in this very cool hotel called the Klique Hotel. They have a bar downstairs and I can here the sounds of people having a good time listening to some afro-carribean beats.

I'm pretty beat right now...

Tomorrow I'd like to share a cool story written by a young boy.  He is the boy whose father is being buried tomorrow.  His father passed away due to complications from AIDS but the boy is not aware.  He thinks it was malaria.  He's so stressed that he won't be able to afford high school next year since his father was the provider for his school fees.  Everytime I ask him what he wants, he says he wants to be able to afford his school fees.  Not a bike, not a soccer ball, but his tuition fees.  This kid literally breaks my heart and is one of the best things to come out of this trip.  He represents the very reason why I came out here in the first place.  He keeps me in my place.

Only a few more days to go here and I hope everything keeps moving along and ends on a good note. I can't wait to come home and see everyone!!!