THE COOLEST ADVENTURE IN KENYA...

alright, last night was, in a word...AWESOME!!!

so on tuesday night i had made plans with Jackson and Richard to meet on Thursday so that I could make plans to go to Massai Mara this weekend. After the Orphanage I was supposed to meet Richard at the Chapel and we would proceed to meet Jackson in town (Richard was Necessary to guide me through the craziness of the city, to make sure i was safe, and obviously get closer to me so that he can get to the U.S.). Upon getting a phone call, plans changed so that I was to meet Richard in the City itself, i was a bit nervous to navigate myself around, but i could do with a small adventure :)

I arrived in the City at 4pm, approximately the same time it started raining. Now, when i say raining what i really mean is it started down pouring so hard that you couldn't really see anything in front of you...i had no jacket, and honestly it was the beginning of the best night ever. the rain was nice, and the weather was warm. I was having a blast. However, Richard is a wimp and when i met up with him he complained almost nonstop about the rain (maybe it only felt like nonstop because i was enjoying it so much) anyway, we met and almost immediately found the closest restaurant to take shelter and wait for Jackson. Almost 45 minutes later we were given directions to meet the guy who was going to help plan my safari. an hour later the plans were made, the money had exchanged hands and we were ready to head home by 5:30. then the real adventure began.

We walked from the office to the other end of the City to catch a Matatu that would bring both Richard and I to our respective homes. upon arriving at the stop we found that the Matatu's that head to Zambezi (my home) only picked people up on the other side of town. So we walked back to where we had started and beyond to wait. By this time it was rush hour and that paired with the fact that it was still raining meant that all of the Matatu's heading to Zambezi were full. We knew we would have better luck to just catch a Matatu to Kawangware (his home) and then getting one to Zambezi from there. Which meant we had to walk the length of the city again. Upon reaching the stop, traffic was at a standstill and seeing as it was still raining, all of the Matatu's were full.

We seriously must have walked at least a mile, in the middle of the street, looking for a matatu to take us home...they were ALL full. by 6:45 i had decided to just spend the money and we would get a taxi. So, Richard called his friend who had a taxi and was a member of the church (which he mentioned at least ten times). His friend was on the outskirts of town but said he would come as soon as possible.

It would be good to mention here that i HAVE to be in the house by 9pm but try to get there before dark to avoid anything that happens after dark(around 7).

Richard and I went back to the restaurant to sit and wait. By this time the restaurant was busy and the music was LOUD! usually i would love this atmosphere but for some unknown reason i was quite uncomfortable. I asked if we could leave but R. informed me that it was either sit here or stand outside (which i would have been fine with, but I'm pretty sure that is the last thing R. wanted to do and seeing as he was there as a favor to me, i was going to be as kind a possible). We were there for about 15 minutes before he was okay to leave and we went to stand outside the Hilton where his friend was going to meet us. Thankfully conversation went smoothly and after a long bit R.'s friend showed up...with no car. Another driver had borrowed it and was well across town and wouldn't be here for at least a half hour (it was approx. 8 by this time). So R.'s friend went on a search for a taxi.

Less then 15 minutes later i was shoved between one man i barely knew, and another I had JUST met, with two starngers in front. I laughed as the warnings of my family and friends not to talk to stranger and especially not to share a cab ran through my mind...I am sorry, but i broke every promise i made and it was probably a good thing i have not seen 'Taken'. however i felt perfectly safe. In fact, throughout the night R. had constantly told me not to worry, that i would get home by nine and i would get there safely. In the taxi he told me no less than three times that i was sitting between two priesthood holders and i would get home safely. I was not frightened, or worried, actually, i was quite the opposite. it was 8:30, past dark and i was not in bed, reading or sleeping. I was having a blast! There is a rush and excitement that can only come from being completely lost in a big city. I with with people i barely knew, alright, people i didn't know at all. I couldn't understand a word most of them were saying (I still am not fluent in Swahili, which i was informed was ridiculous cause i've been here two weeks and it is a really easy language to learn), and i had no idea what was going to happen to me next. I cannot explain how excited and free I felt. It was definitely a rush!

To finish the Adventure, i arrived home about 2 minutes before nine and I was safe. Through the night Joe and Alan called me several times to check my status and see if i was okay, which i was...more than okay :D