We began this morning with a bit of jet lag and shared clothes and supplies from our 16 lost pieces of luggage. Everyone in good humor and working together.
Breakfast was delicious at the Gracia Gardens Guest House in Nairobi and we set out for some local errands in Nairobi around 9:30a. Unbeknownst to us, photography was not permitted in the “mall” and teammate Tanya was detained by security. Don’t think US mall security, think AK47s. She was calm and collected, and team leader Pat and our local friend and driver Simon were instrumental in assuring the authorities of our her positive intent. A cheer went up for Tanya when she boarded the bus unscathed.

From Nairobi we went toward the Rift Valley. Traffic in Nairobi is quite terrifying. Only centimeters separate vehicles large and small, along with pedestrians, animals, and shopping stalls right at the road. Despite the appearance of chaos, there are very few accidents. I regularly gave thanks for our skilled driver, Simon, and his almost telepathic traffic abilities.

It is hard to translate commerce in Nairobi to a US city. Individuals and families have roadside shop stands. This hardware store photo captures some of the feel.

More posts later about today’s travels in the Rift Valley, Maai Mahui, Lake Naiavasha, and Nakuru…