A picture perfect Kenyan morning breakfasting in the cafe and strolling the university grounds, noting all kinds of birds and trees, including a fan shaped one called an East West tree, for no matter how this tree’s seed is planted it will only spread east west. interesting, eh?
Afterwards, we visited a children ‘s school on the university and then on to a chapel service for the ground breaking ceremony for the Women’s Leadership Centre. An amazing and touching service of eloquent speeches and songs by Masi women’s choir. My best friend of 30 years so wanted to come to Africa one day top be of service but she never made it for she died two years ago of Breast Cancer. I swear I felt Dianna’s spirit with me today. Dianna Barrett was there and I brimmed with joy. I am now more inspired than ever to climb Kili after meeting so many of the good people responsible for making this dream a reality! The actual ground breaking with hoes, on the centre’s future site, was a metaphorical and literal colourful site, indeed.
After festivities and lunch it was on to the giraffe sanctuary where giraffes licked the food right out of my hand and, yes, once even from between my teeth! Yuck, but we all had a willing go at it!
Next– boy we sure put a lot in a day!–it was on to The Karen Blixen Musuem/house (who, under her pen name, Isak Dinisen, wrote, among other stories, Out of Africa, upon which the Streep Redford film was based). For those who know me well, this was truly blissful!
A lovely twilight patio dinner at an elegant county restaurant in the town of Karen and now day is done.
Much laughter on the return bus ride (like kids at camp), but behind the laughter I believe there is a funny little mix of nerves and anticipation, for tomorrow morning we head for Tanzania via a five hour riggly bus ride. We’ll glimpse our first view of Mt. Kilimanjaro around 3pm (7am Toronto time). I feel my heart pounding even typing this…but in a good way!
So the orientation day of “The Main Event” starts after this sleep. So good night now. Blog again soon. Wish me luck sleeping with the howling dogs in the distance once again.
