On safari: On the road to the Samburu Game Reserve

We left Aberdare National Park for a three-hour drive to Samburu Game Reserve. We'd been in lush green hills and were headed for a lower, drier, warmer elevation.

Our first stop was at the equator, where we were greeted by enthusiastic vendors beckoning us into their shacklike shops. I spent a few minutes with a man who showed me, from 20 meters north of the equator and then 20 meters south, how water swirls clockwise in one spot and counterclockwise in the other and not at all on the equator. I could have bought a certificate that I'd been there, but I gave him two dollars instead and thanked him for his demonstration. I knew this, but I'd never seen it demonstrated.

We stopped for lunch at Mt. Kenya Safari Club, quite an upscale resort where I enjoyed the lunch but felt gratitude we wouldn't be staying there. I'd need to be thinner and more elegant. Nearby was the William Holden Wildlife Education Center which includes an animal orphanage.

Gold crested crane (national bird of Uganda).

Lynx.

Can't remember the name, but it's related to the elephant! Ah, HYRAX!

Cheetah.

Porcupine.

Black and white colobus monkey.

We didn't get a picture of the bush pig who fostered an orphan warthog. The orphanage staff is looking for a mate for each of them.

We arrived at Samburu Intrepids Club at dusk. We'll be spending three nights, with time for game drives and some relaxation along the Uaso Nyiro River.

On safari: Going to the animals: Aberdare National Park

We left the city and journeyed north to Aberdare National Park. We made a stop for lunch at Aberdare Country Club, originally the homestead of an English couple that settled in Kenya. Our destination for the night was The Ark, a hotel within the national park built next to a water hole, but that accommodation is traditionally accessed by a bus from the Aberdare Country Club -  from the days of British colonialism when access to the area was reserved for British royalty and other VIPs. We were allowed to pack only an overnight bag; the rest of our luggage was held at the country club for our return the next day.

At the country club we saw a family of warthogs. The babies were darling! Who'd have guessed?

On the way to The Ark we came upon a family of elephants.

We also saw two troops of baboons, and a small contingent of impalas - a buck and four does, and a lone oryx.

Once at The Ark, we settled ourselves at one of the viewing windows. There's a watering hole below, and the staff puts out salt to attract the animals.

The Ark has a webcam at the watering hole; if you're interested in seeing what's going on right now, check it out.

Besides elephants, we saw rhinos and cape buffalo. Late-night observers also saw a leopard. Art was up several times during the night with "traveler's disease"; through the window of our room he saw a hyena and a white-tailed mongoose.

I'd heard that elephants have a social community, but I'd never observed these animals except in a zoo. Watching them at the watering hole, though, I could really tell. Babies stood under their mothers or were watched out for by other elephants; young males sparred. The movement of these animals was fluid and unhurried. We were fascinated.

On safari: The first day in Kenya: Nairobi

We spent a full day in and around the city after our arrival in Nairobi.

Greater Nairobi has a population of about four million, but the vast majority live in the suburbs. Central Nairobi is mostly businesses.

Here's what we saw on the first day.

The Nairobi National Museum. I'm usually not keen on museums, but this one held my interest. Our young guide, Djanice, was engaging and interesting. We actually had a conversation beyond what was in the museum displays - my first "local" contact other than George Gituku, owner of Sandrage Safaris, who planned our trip.

I gave DJanice the name I use on my Facebook page, so we might keep in touch. We have learned that some people in the safari industry started out as museum guides. I was impressed with DJanice and hope she has that good fortune.

The Karen Blixen Museum. The book and film "Out of Africa" portrays the life of Karen Blixen. The British influence on this estate was apparent as it was at the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden, where we had lunch.

The Giraffe Center is a sanctuary for the Rothschild giraffe - which is endangered - and rhinoceros.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, an elephant orphanage. The sanctuary cares for these young animals until they can be released into the wild. Part of what we paid for this safari includes the "adoption" of an elephant. The babies have to be bottle fed every three hours for three years. Their human companions have bunks in the individual stalls.

This rhino was born blind and lives at the shelter. 

Another rhino has been released into the wild but returns to the shelter from time to time. It knows where its pen is. Staff leave the pen gate open for it. During our visit the rhino trotted into the shelter.

By the end of the day I could barely summon the energy to eat dinner before going to bed early. There's a ten-hour time difference between Seattle and Nairobi. It will take me a few days to get my body clock into sync with African time.

SEA-AMS-NBO on Sunday

On Sunday afternoon we board our plane to Amsterdam, with a connecting flight to Nairobi. We'll spend a day in the city and then head out to four national parks for our 16-day safari.

Kenya wasn't on my bucket list, and my husband Art didn't want to go to Africa at all. He said it was too dangerous. But we had houseguests last summer - Ed and Jeri - who said their two trips there had been life-changing experiences for them. They were very enthusiastic! At their suggestion, we contacted a friend of theirs - Tom - who has made over a dozen trips to Kenya in the last couple of decades. Then, at Tom's suggestion, we contacted an outfitter in Nairobi - George - who'd provided fabulous experiences for Ed and Jeri and Tom. We've been emailing Tom and George for five months now, and George has crafted an itinerary just for us. We tried to find one to four other people to travel with us - for the company and for the lower cost of more people sharing a driver/guide - but had no takers, so it will be just Art and me. George's company provides airport-to-airport service, so we'll be in good hands during our time there.

We told George we'd like to see the animals, of course, but also that we'd like to meet the people and learn about the history and culture of Kenya. Our goal? To make personal connections and, on our return, to feel like we've really experienced the places we've been. That's always what we look for when we travel - whether in another country (as Ecuador last year) or other parts of our own country (as in Kentucky and Tennessee, also last year). Tom said, "If you make a connection with your driver, he will open up a whole new world for you."

In 15 nights, we'll be staying at seven places:

Two nights at the Nairobi Serena hotel

One night at The Ark, in Aberdare National Park

Three nights at Samburu Intrepids Club, in Samburu National Reserve

Two nights at Sweetwaters Tented Camp in Ol Pejeta Sanctuary in Nanyuki

Two nights at Flamingo Hill Camp in Lake Nakuru National Park

One night at Kembu Cottages in the Njoro area.

Four nights at Kichwa Tembo Camp in The Masai Mara. One of these nights may be spent, instead, in a village nearby. At present the village is being moved to find fresh grazing for the cattle, so the huts may not be built in time to accommodate us, but we are planning on spending an evening in the new location.

We'll be in Kenya from May 27 to June 11, and high season starts June 15, so we should avoid both the crowds and high season costs, but we'll miss the Great Migration. George says that on a game drive, we may be the only vehicle watching, say, a group of elephants or lions, rather than one of 20 vehicles. That's fine with us.

On the two in-country flights, we have a 33-pound weight limit, so we're packing light. I understand we'll be able to have laundry done every few days. 

We're taking along a few items to give as gifts: writing tablets and pencils, colored markers, and balloons. I'd hoped to collect a few used knitting needles and sent out a request on Freecycle, but didn't hear from anyone. I thought about stickers for the kids, but haven't had the chance to buy them yet - so maybe or maybe not. And Tootsie Rolls, if Art has a chance to get to the store. Plus one Obama t-shirt from his 2008 election campaign. Someone in Kenya may love it.

Temperatures should be in the mid-70s during the day and in the 50s at night. We'll be at the equator, but at 7000 feet the temperatures are cooler.

This is the most expensive trip we have taken. We considered it carefully because the cost exceeds our annual travel budget. But we decided if not now, when? We'll never be younger, and we'll never have more money. The Bag Lady is actually okay with this. She wants to see some elephants and giraffes in their natural habitat.

I am taking my laptop and expect to blog a few times. George has lent me his modem so I can access wifi where it's available. Art has a new camera with a fabulous telephoto lens. If all goes well, there will be a few photos included in the blog.

I am a little edgy. It will take 20 hours for us to get to Nairobi, and 23 hours to get back. Nairobi is 10 hours ahead of Seattle time. I'm not keen on jet lag or loss of sleep while traveling. 

Still. This will be a memorable trip. I'm so grateful we can do it.

The Bag Lady goes to a wedding

Yesterday we went to the wedding of our friends Beth and Sue.

Washington State voters approved same-sex marriage last November. I'd always been in favor of civil unions for gay couples, but I thought long and hard about my vote on Referendum 74. Something niggled at me. I finally realized my thinking had been influenced by old, church-based ideas about marriage. And I haven't been a churchgoer in a while now. I have been a spiritual person, though, and I believe we're all in this together.

I've known Beth and Sue for a couple of years. When we were invited to their wedding I was glad - and curious. I wondered what "my first gay wedding" would be like.

It was one of the nicest weddings I've ever attended. I cried all the way through it, as I always do at weddings. Beautiful music - piano, organ, flute, an a cappella choir. Lovely vows. Delighted grins on the faces of the newly married couple. Cake (gluten free, soy free, nut free!) and ice cream sundaes and punch at the reception. About 150 people from all areas of the couple's life.

When the minister introduced the new couple at the end of the ceremony with "by the power vested in me... and the People of the State of Washington", I saw what my vote, and all those other votes, had done. It had allowed Beth and Sue - these two loving people -  to marry. And my heart was glad.

Here is the prayer we all said together during the ceremony. I love it.

A version of The Lord’s Prayer
from The New Zealand Prayer Book

Eternal Spirit,
Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,
Source of all that is and that shall be,
Father and Mother of us all,
Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world!
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom
sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and testing, strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure, spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,
now and for ever. Amen.

Community: four new faces

I'm still thinking about the importance of community when we're no longer working.  I wrote about it over a year and a half ago in my blog post Retirement, Year 2, but until recently I hadn't done much about cultivating a post-retirement community. I got a jump start this winter in Tucson, when we made new friends fairly quickly in a 55-plus snowbird resort. But it's easy in that environment, when people are eager to form seasonal friendships. It's a little harder at home - which is probably why I put it off.

In the last two weeks, I've made four new connections. Here's what happened.

1. I met Carol at small claims court. I do some small claims mediation, and I was interested in observing what happens when people don't settle during mediation and go to trial instead. I spent a Monday in small claims court last month, watching. Carol was the judge. I was interested in how she managed the conversations in the cases, and how she explained the law to the disputants. After the trials were over, I remained in the courtroom to ask a few questions. We talked for almost 15 minutes - first about the cases, then about what it's like to be retired (me) or almost retired (her). We made arrangements to meet for coffee. We did, last Monday. We had a lively, interesting conversation and plan to have lunch sometime soon. In this case, I just showed up at something I was interested in and decided to "approach the bench".

2. I met Fran at a regional growth management planning meeting. I'm on the planning commission for my small city (population 6,500) and she has just been appointed. We talked for a few minutes at the growth management gathering and decided to meet for lunch. We did, last week! She's widely traveled, smart, opinionated and humorous, and our lunch conversation was quite interesting. We have a common interest in making our family-oriented city more senior friendly.

3. I did a workplace mediation last Friday with Lisa, a co-mediator from the Dispute Resolution Center. Lisa and I have co-mediated before; I like her style and she apparently likes mine. When we finished up the session we talked about other possibilities for mediating together. I'm looking forward to that.

4. I've been chatting off and on in my water aerobics class with a woman named Vicki. She and I are the only ones in the class with dark hair, so people confuse us with each other - odd, since she was born in Indonesia and I was born in California! Today in the water, we talked a bit about spirituality, and we're going to have coffee sometime soon. I have a strong spiritual bent but haven't been part of a church or spiritual community for almost 30 years. I'm feeling myself drawn to that now. I expect Vicki's community may suit me well and I'm looking forward to exploring that.

In each of these cases, my conversations were one on one. When meeting new people, that's where I'm most comfortable.  I may not end up having friendships with all these women, but some of them may be part of my post-retirement community.

Springtime in two cities

We are in Anchorage this weekend. We flew up to watch my sister Alyx get pinned as a nurse after two years of rigorous training. That was Friday, with the usual congratulatory ceremony and dinner gathering of 16 proud friends and family at Outback Steakhouse. Saturday we awoke to a four-hour snow event. Lovely, to my way of thinking, though the sandals I brought didn't quite do the trick as footwear when we went outside. This part of Alaska is getting about 17 hours of daylight right now, so we went to bed before dark!  In June, this part of the country will have 22 hours of daylight.

Meanwhile, Seattle is expecting an 80-degree day with bright blue skies and sunshine. Unseasonably warm and wonderful. I see Facebook pictures of our son and his family on their new boat, out on the water to celebrate spring. I look at the forecast for the next week and it is almost all sunshine. I can do this! I think I'll finally be able to stand outside and pressure wash the lower deck.

Until I was about 50 I was unaffected by weather, or hours of darkness and light. I wonder sometimes why I'm sensitive to it now. Whatever the reason, I need to honor that in myself, annoying though it is.

I think I'm back to my normal self after a few weeks in a transition kind of place.  Coming home from Arizona, where it was sunny and I was physically and intellectually and socially active, to Seattle, where April set a record for rain and my life was simpler, was way harder than I'd expected. I'll keep that in mind next year so I'm kinder to myself when I'm in the in-between space.

I've felt quite supported by my home community and my virtual one. Thanks to those of you who suggested I slow down or give it time.