May 2nd, 2010
6:25 AM (Nairobi)
11:25 PM (Toronto)
Jetlag is finally behind me. Last night I slept like a drunk baby.
I think my dad’s habits are wearing off on me. I woke up at 5:21 AM this morning with zero tiredness. I then got up, made myself some break feast (not really make… just buttered some bread and drank some water). I love the mornings here though. Everything gets so bright in seconds.
I noticed that every window at Virginia’s house has bars attached. Obviously it’s to prevent burglary, but if there was a fire, I think I may be the only one to slip in between the bars because I weigh 60 pounds.
So today’s game plan sounds exciting. VICDA is going to be picking us up at 9:00 AM to go tour the downtown sector of Nairobi. From there, we are visiting the main offices to get a local cell phone and pay for any Safari’s. The cost for the one I want to go on (which is a 3 day tour of the Rift Valley, camping outside over night in the wilderness) is about 350 USD. I don’t have that much cash on me, so I’m praying I can use my visa card or else no Safari for me. I knew I should have brought more money.
After we tour the offices, we are going on a miniature walking Safari in the Northern part of the city. In this Safari, we get to see elephants, tigers, and probably some kick-ass looking birds. I’m pretty hyped for it.
When the Safari is over, we then go to our volunteer placements. Should be a fun-filled day.
List of Thing’s I Forgot
- 1. Camera Charger
- 30 days worth of Socks
- Shaver
- Enough money
2:22 PM
I did something today which I never thought would be possible in my life. We were at a zoo, touring around looking at animals you would see in The Lion king, when our guide stopped us in front of the Cheetah cage. The guide, who had the biggest smile I’ve ever seen, opened the gate and asked if we wanted to come in and pet the cat. I’ve seen enough National Geographic episodes to see what usually happens to Cheetah’s prey, so I was a little hesitant. I wasn’t the only one either. The Vancouver girl looked terrified and the Americans stated something about not wanting to lose their arms. The 45 year-old Australian, whom I’m pretty sure is dating another volunteer who is half his age (seriously, I was informed from a peer that they are a couple, but you’d think they would be father-daughter…. the girl is 24!), stepped forward and suddenly everyone followed. As soon as I stepped into the cage, there was a Cheetah about 2 feet away from me. I literally had to step over the cat to proceed into the cage. The guide then took our photos with us petting the Cheetah. I kind of wondered if Cheetah’s always hand on their feet, but then again, if I tested that experiment, I’d be the next Meo-Mix.
The tour of the zoo was awesome though. We saw a male Lion who wasn’t sleeping. And although no one else heard it, I swore I heard a Hyena laugh.
2:56 PM
Our driver then took us to the Junction, which is a mall that would make you think you’re in Toronto. Even the people who walk around are mostly white.
There’s a coffee shop called the Java House which offers free Wi-Fi. It’s about as modern as you can get.
Unfortunately for me, my VISA didn’t allow me to get any money out because I don’t have the credit PIN.
As I was walking out of the Junction, I heard this treat from the Americans:
American 1: Did I ever tell you the time when I finally understood E=MC2?
American 2: haha yea that was an epic day.
American 1: Einstein would be proud of me.
4:21 PM
The driver brought us to the VICDA head office to finalize our placements and organize any safaris we wanted to take. There was a 3 day safari which caught my eye. For only 350 USD, you go into the wild with a tour guide, a tent, food, and any other supplies you need. Everything seemed legit besides one minor factor. I didn’t have enough money on me to pay for it because m y VISA hates me. I asked the guy in charge of organizing safaris, Edward “Mr. Safari”, if I could pay the reminder 250 dollars later. He gave me a judging look. Nevertheless, he agreed.
4:46 PM
While still waiting for the volunteers to be finished finalizing placements, I got that “I need to get to a toilet immediately” sensation. I ran around the office, looking for anything that remotely looked like a bathroom but had no luck. I interrupted Edward as he was explaining a Mt. Kenya hike to one of the Americans and asked if there was a bathroom in the building. He replied using charades and mostly non-verbal communication that there was one outside the office, down the hall, and to the right. I walked quickly to where I gathered he explained when I found it. Of course, to my horror, the door was locked.
I walked even quicker back to the office and bumped into the driver (Tony or Anthony). Once he saw my panic look, he reached into his pocket and gave me the skeleton key to the washroom. Running seemed like a good idea at this point.
4:49 PM
I should have known: no toilet paper. Now I’m one more sock down from the few I already have.
4:52 PM
We’re on our way. The same driver who gave me the key loaded up my bags into the mini bus. The two Americans, another named Alex from New Zealand, and myself, all squeezed into the vehicle. About 40 minutes into the drive, we started driving by some slums. Little homemade shacks about the size of a garbage container had many people situated inside. Some of the shacks had fruit for sale, while others simply had clothes hung by a string. Alex looked uncomfortable.
We turned left into the real slums. There were hundreds of muddy people walking around, yelling “Mizguno” at us and smiling. Two boys were sitting against a dirty house, selling bananas. The van had to drive super slowly because the roads were so fragmented and weathered. The suspension on the van was surely getting a workout. Puddles scattered across the slum, while people cleaned their shoes and clothes in them.
The Americans were getting pretty nervous. Forehead kept on saying “sooooo this is where we are going to be…” while the other one kept acting fidgety. I really don’t know why they were acting so nervous, considering it’s Africa. It’s not like they were randomly dropped here. They had to sign up and read the volunteer package that told you what to expect. Then again, it’s Americans I’m talking about. The van stopped in front of a clinic. The driver turned and smiled at us and said, “Welcome home”.
Anthony or Tony told Alex and I that we were going someplace else. This was the HIV clinic. The Americans grabbed their luggage and left without saying goodbye. Alex still seemed nervous, so I introduced myself to put him at ease. I could tell he was a pretty reserved person. He didn’t really talk during the trip or the orientation. Alex volunteered in Rwanda 2 months before, and is spending the next two months in Kenya. He seems like a straight shooter. He will have to be my best friend for the next month.
