The Sun Never Sets on the British Empire

Part 3 – January 27 with some reflections on January 25 and 26, 2015.

When Sandy suggested that I reflect on some of the exciting parts of our travel, I replied that the 98%/2% rule regarding boredom/excitement relates only to the actual to/from part, in the air and airports, like at the Dubai airport.  

Time spent on the ground outside of airports does not count in the equation. 

Excitement can come in many forms.  Even meeting new people of different shapes, sizes, colors, religions, ideas, and cultures can be exciting if you let it be.  For example, our hostess at the Reston Sheraton who was from Iran informed us that our bartender/waiter was from India, in fact Delhi.  He was friendly, excited, and happy to talk with people who would be visiting his home in just two weeks.  He gave us lots of advice on which 5 star hotels to patronize, what to eat not eat, and what to see and do, including India Gate, the Sheraton something or other, and a train that travels around the country treating its passengers like royalty.  We plan to do just one of these things, but it was exciting to see him so excited. 

The hostess from Iran told us of her many years in the US with her children after the revolution, the reunion of her and the children with her husband in Iran after he retired from the military, and the untimely death of her husband in a road accident just after the reunion.   She was an inspiration, and exciting in that way.

And then there was the short conversation with the airport shuttle driver who was from Ethiopia. He is eking out a living in a strange land.  His story is similar to that of many, some of whom may be in our own town at home and his bravery is like that of many who we know here in Kenya. 

On a lighter side, today we braved 3 hours of traffic in Nairobi to make a 1.5 hour trip across town to the Sheldrick elephant rescue nursery.  Unfortunately, we left the hotel with only 2 hours and 15 minutes allotted for the trip.  We arrived (actually turned around just before arrival) with only 15 minutes left of the 1 hour baby elephant visitation period.  If you are not aware, Sandy and I sponsor the care, rehabilitation, and rehabituation of a number of orphaned elephants.  You can too at www.davidsheldrickwildlifetrust.org. 

Our aborted trip to the Sheldrick gave us more time for a leisurely lunch at the Tamambo, by far our favorite restaurant in Kenya.  It’s on the grounds of the former coffee plantation owned by Karen Blixen (of Out of Africa fame). 

We’ll try the Sheldrick again tomorrow and throw in a visit to Kibera, the infamous slum of nearly a million people in Nairobi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibera) with CFK (Carolina for Kibera) staff.  We’ll just have to start earlier.

Terry and Sandy