It’s Wednesday night and we are back in Nairobi after two nights at Sweetwaters. We remained captivated by the ever-changing animals at the water hole in front of the Sweetwaters tents– but also went on three journeys out into the preserve itself. Pictures are the only way to show you what we’ve seen (hopefully Frank will have those posted on Facebook by tomorrow!)… but here is a short recap:
· Incredible birds – from tiny yellow weaverbirds, to the iridescent blue “superb starlings”, to the black and white tail-wagger bird (that Meg called the zebra bird), to a completely homely (even ugly) stork that stood 3 feet high and repeatedly visited our dining table (sooo glad for the glass that separated us from him!)… tawny eagles – and more!
· Many, many giraffes (my favorite!)
· Gazelles (small - Thomson’s and large - Grant’s)
· Impalas, Elands, Bushboks… & other deer-like creatures whose names I don’t remember
· Cape Buffalo (very ugly and very aggressive)
· Rhinos (white & black varieties... almost prehistoric looking)
· Zebras, zebras, zebras
· Chimps & baboons! And so many with babies riding on their backs… we all wanted to take one home!
· Warthogs – my second favorite… and we saw dozens and dozens of them! Such a unattractive animal – sparse hair, legs too small for their bodies (reminds me of a bobble-doll the way the thick body rests atop the stick-like legs)…. And that is to say nothing of their faces. But the way they travel in lines, with their tails upright as they trot off in a cloud of dust is just hilarious. I love watching them!
· No lions…
· Our final sighting came as we rounded a sharp turn to head back to the tents – and found ourselves face-to-face with a huge, old elephant. Elephants are known to charge cars… so Julius calmly put the van in reverse and slowly backed away as the elephant continued to lumber forward. What a spectacular end to our Sweetwater journey!
We have all vowed to watch the Lion King movie when we get home…we have lived it these past two days!
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Oh my goodness, the last seven blogs just showed up...not sure what happened. I'm just thankful you've been blogging so I can keep up with your adventures. I read your reunion blog on Grandma's computer in Connecticut and teared up tremendously. I can't wait to see pictures. I hope you have one of the woman you gave my manipulatives to, although I have my own mental picture, I'd love to see her face. I'm sure those you left in Dandora have special, unforgettable memories of you, as you also do of them.
ReplyDeleteI am loving the visual picture I have in my head of Yvonne's excitement about being sponsored...all the hugs and smiles and eyes full of joyful tears. A true butterfly!
I am thrilled that your three Kenyan daughters are doing well and thriving. I would have loved to see Irene's drawing on the walls of her mud hut.
Were you able to see Rose and her family and Florence and her family at the flip-flop give away? I hope they're all doing well. How is Rachel? I could see her shy, smiling face when I read that she'll be sponsored this fall and given another opportunity to become closer to her dream of becoming a responsible, independent adult. I pray all goes well for her.
I loved reading all that Meg's been doing; teaching with you and going solo with the young teen girls...with Celine Dion. Did you sing 'Thriller' or 'Man in the Mirror', Meghan? Did you hear that Michael Jackson died at the age of 50? Very sad.
I am loving ALL the ORANGE!!! I'd love to write a poem, but then nothing rhymes with orange (or purple, for that matter). Yea, ha ha!!! Anyway, I had to look up the word 'damask'. I'm now picturing bright plaid, almost seersuckerish material--I love that! If I'm wrong, please don't tell me unless what's real is 'better' than I've described.
If you read this before you leave Nairobi, please give Scott & Pam big hugs from Jim & me. Oh my dear Beth, your Kenyan journeys have almost come to an end. I know you will cry when you leave; I am doing so right now as I type. I know how hard it was to leave after just two weeks. Although, you and I have been thousands of miles apart I feel closer to you than before you left. Your friendship means the world to me. I long to see and embrace you soon. I must go now, as I can't see the screen or keyboard through the tears..and they're not stopping. Travel safe, my dear friend. Your loved ones await your return.