Kenya--Spring 2006 >> Students' Travel Journal

Lauren Thie, June 2006
Habari everyone!
Today we climbed a hill called Loisoto, from which we could view much of the surrounding area: Chyulu Hills (one of the newest mountain ranges in the world), Amboseli, and even Tsavo West. It was beautiful!
I saw baboons, vervet monkeys, giraffes, Grant's & Thomson's gazelles, zebras, impalas, gerenuk, and wildebeest! School has started today, so it means I actually have to start working in free time and can't spend it all gazing at beautiful "Kili."
For lunch we had a traditional Kenyan dish -- Ugali (spelling is butchered I'm sure) -- which is much like a thicker version of grits. We also had chopped greens; they tasted exactly like collards. I think that southerners and the Maasai would get together well at the dinner table. After lecture this afternoon, we had a demonstration with a spear from the Maasai moran that works here. I think I am going to bring a Maasai spear back with me; so watch out! :)
Tomorrow we will head to Amboseli National Park, the most visited park in Kenya that is infamous for its elephants and its proximity to Mt. Kilimanjaro, the largest free-standing mountain in the world. Next week we are heading on a 5 day expedition to Tsavo West, home of the "man-eating lions." (Don't worry guards are coming with us, mom!)
Blessings from Kenya,
Lauren
P.S.I am 8 hours ahead here of Eastern Time.
P.S.S. These plants have the most intense defenses I have seen to
protect their leaves!!! Today at Loisoto we were warned against the
candelabra cacti that have sap that blinds, and every species of
acacia wants to take my pants! But the trees are so beautiful, that I
am happy to pick out all the thorns...