The end of the dirt roads

We relaxed at St Andrew’s for a couple of days before catching a ride on their school bus to Nairobi. The day before we left (5th of Feb), we finally cancelled our flight to Cairo (scheduled for the 7th of Feb) and booked new flights to Istanbul with budget airline Air Arabia. They were at least $500 US cheaper than other airlines. You can buy a lot of on-board snacks and drinks for $500!! We had arranged to stay with Edwyn & Edna Kiptinness in Nairobi. Edwyn is the chairperson of A Rocha Kenya’s National Board. I had been in frequent email contact with him during the National Director recruitment process, so it was nice to meet them in person. They had a full, busy house, with three boarders and two older children still at home. But they somehow managed to squeeze us in (I think some people got kicked out of their room!). We had calm, peaceful days in Nairobi, travelling only once into the city centre with Kimutai, their youngest son. He was successfully managing to juggle research for a Masters in biochemistry and an ever-growing cake making business at home. He kindly showed us around and took us to where I could get my lenses replaced. For $2 I had my eyes rechecked (my left worsening just a little) and POWW! I had new lenses installed 3 hours later for only $35. We were happily surprised not to be mugged or beaten during our stay but only narrowly missed being conned by a laundry powder scam and smooth talking, sob-story telling Zimbabwean.

Spotted when we arrived last year, I had to get a photo of this Nairobian chemist

Before we knew it the time to leave Kenya had come, two days shy of six months. At the airport we used up our remaining credit calling Henry and Colin who were on their way back from a birding adventure at the Tana River Delta. I had hoped to have one last Bitter Lemon soda before we flew out. Bitter Lemon is like a mixture of Lift and Tonic water or a bit like liquid marmalade – refreshing and delicious. However, the only store in the terminal didn’t stock it and we weren’t allowed out of the terminal. We munched on our stack of chapattis we had brought with us. At least we had those ‘very sweet’ oily rounds to savour as we waited for take off. Kwaheri Kenya!!