I’m in Kenya?!

Sunday 30th September 

Travel Day

This is just gonna be a splurge of my journey to Kenya to start my volunteering adventure - enjoy!

It’s been a looooong ol’ day - but a good day! 

Started at 4:00 am, woke up (started to fall asleep again I think but the intention was there, thanks for making sure I was up Mum!), quick shower and plaited my hair - ready for action! Got to Heathrow with plenty of time, had final breakfast with the parents before a teary wave goodbye, then I was off on a solo mission to get myself to the plane!

Cruised through security no problem and went to WH Smith’s to get myself some provision - loaded up on snacks, water, hand sanitiser, I looked for some metallic sharpies for my scrap book but there were no pens - what kind of Smiths doesn’t have pens?! Got some earphones too, sorted. Checked the times board as I came out, my flight said boarding already! Slight panic, paced it through the airport right to the other end, gate 42, and I rocked up just as they called Group 5 to board - that was me! Deane would’ve been proud, I didn’t stop moving till I got to my seat! Felt weird not pausing, I’m used to waiting and being mega early, but it was a success!

The ladies I was sat with were amazing, I reckon I was destined to sit there since my pre-booked seat was randomly chosen to reseat someone downgraded from Business class...? I don’t know, but we had to choose a new seat last night but I’m glad I sat there! We had some really interesting conversations and they both knew loads about Africa and Kenya, Ruth is a climate change finance researcher (or something like that), she was going on to Tanzania for the paper she was writing, and Lydia lives in Nairobi and works with businesses (large and small) on ethical business management I think...but anyway, we were talking about everything from Africa’s history and descendancy to how plane engines work and Rols Royce engines! Apparently, the turbines in the engines are grown in moulds, they’re made from titanium crystals - like those magic snow-crystals Christmas trees you could grow in a tray that we used to have as kids! Crazy. But yeh, it was so interesting listening to them talk about different issues and the little snippets of wisdom and advice, feel like I’ve learned a lot already!

Lydia is absolutely crazy, she’s great - she was telling me where to go (and not to go) in and around Nairobi, key words in Swahili and little phrases and things to help me interact with the kids...she even gave me her card and said to keep in contact and to come visit her and her massive, pedigree cats if I have chance! Apparently her suitcase is full of Wiskas cat food because it’s cheaper in England! She really looked out for me too, so kind and caring - she told me to stick with her to get through check in and manoeuvred us into position on the bus so we’d be first off and first in the queue, then took me through as her “ward” so I could jump the massive “evisa” line and go through with her on the residents bit, definitely saved me an hour of queuing! Asante sana a thousand times! (That’s thank you very much in Swahili :D ) She stayed with me to wait for my suitcase too, good thing she did because it was on a completely different conveyor belt and I was starting to panic but she kept me calm and logical - of course it was on the one labelled as a flight from Liberia. Anyway I’m waffling, but I’m very glad I met Lydia and Ruth and had them to send me off too, lovely lovely people.

Next was pick up by Marifiki - the charity I’m working with. As I walked out of the gate there was just a crowd of people holding up signs and names, it was a bit overwhelming! A security guard must’ve seen me standing looking slightly alarmed as I couldn’t see my name, he asked if he could help and who I was looking for, and welcomed me to Kenya many times! He even gave me his phone to call Marafiki to make sure I was where I was supposed to be, just as I did I saw a man appear with my name printed out, off I went with an Asante sana and well wishes to the guard! The Kenyan people I’ve met so far have all been really friendly and helpful, they appreciate manners and a friendly demeanour too and - like Lydia said - it puts a smile on their face when I use my few words of Swahili!

The guy who came to pick me up, John I think, was very impressed I had “already learned the proper words” to use! He was super bubbly and put me right at ease, holding my arm to guide me across the crazy roads to get to his car - felt a bit like Elf in New York. He was funny, apparently he’d hit a “small” pothole on his way to the airport...pretty sure he’d given his car an puncture or dented the back wheel somehow, it was clunking every time it went round! He said now it sounds like we’re driving a train and kept randomly going “choochoooo”, funny guy. It was a noisy and bumpety drive to the Volunteer House but still fun, he likes drama and acting too and has performed in the National Theatre in Nairobi, mad! He loves his car, when we got home he was thanking it for getting us home safely and not falling to pieces on the side of the road, and promised to take it to the doctors and give it something tasty and oily to drink. A fun trip! He also said I’ve now had my true welcome to Kenya as I saw my first Massai - one of the tribal peoples of Kenya - because a Massai man opened the gates for us to enter the Volunteer house.

I then met Yvonne (also lovely) who took me upstairs to my room and I met and chatted with my 2 room mates so far, one American one Swiss, and now we’re settled in to bed! Learnt some crazy things about Swiss bunkers and protection and stuff too, all in all an educational, fun and tiring day of travelling!

I’m definitely ready for some sleep - no idea what’s happening tomorrow but we’ll see in the morning! Hope this has been ok for a first blog - massive info dump, just wanted to record everything that happened today....hopefully my tired and jumbled brain made some sense!

Love to you all back home xx