I think we were all sad to leave Tenwek this morning. Ben and Jen served us one last meal on their porch--french toast, eggs, and bacon. We said our goodbyes and loaded into two vans with our backpacks and clothes for the next few days. Our big bags will be bussed to Nairobi on Sunday. We then took a very rough and bumpy ride to the safari club. We made one stop in the town of Bomet for someone to mail a package at the post office but we stayed in the van. The ride here transitioned from the lush green tea farms around Tenwek to some very dry, flat land--the way I had pictured Africa to be. We saw (and had to stop for) several cows and goats. We also saw antelope, zebras, and monkeys. There is something amazing about seeing an animal in its natural habitat for the first time. I think it makes them just that much more beautiful.
The safari club is really nice. We're staying in tents but they are hardly roughing it! I'm with Donna, a structural engineer on the EMI staff from Colorado. There are two "twin" beds which look more like doubles or queens, a shower, and bathroom, and electricity. All of the tents are scattered in a beautiful setting along a river with hippos.
We had an outdoor buffet style lunch. There were some fun things to try including tomato salad, butternut squash soup, avocado salad, a lemony fish, some baked bananas in a somewhat spicy sauce, and some tasty bite sized desserts.
I'm taking some quiet time now to read and journal in a peaceful area called the "Hippo Tent" overlooking the water. I saw some hippos earlier further down the river but now I just see a Kenyan herding cattle and goats across the way.
I originally felt a little guilty about doing this on the missions trip, but now I'm glad since we're so close to this beauty and I may never get this chance again. This is a great blessing!
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