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| Yes I realize I got this test done almost a year ago now but hey at least I posted it |
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Malaria Testing
Yep I know; I'm kind of a science nerd. But did you really think I was going to get a malaria test and not take a picture of it.....oh and no worries it was negative.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Impala Park
Last Sunday Josh and I decided to head down to Impala Park which is the only national park in Kisumu. Normally we avoid this small park because after you've seen the animals in the Mara or Tsavo roaming free its a little disheartening to see them penned up (I'm never going to be able to go to a zoo again.).
We went with the goal of petting the cheetahs and getting our picture taken doing so. Since being able to pet the cheetahs is a very unique thing to this park and to where we currently live, we thought it would be a neat way to send a save the date for the wedding. It turned out to be a slightly eventful endeavor. After being led, somewhat sneakingly, into the pen we bent down to pet the male cheetah. He loved Josh petting his head but did not appreciate me scratching his belly. He swatted my hand away with his paw. For all my family out there who are now cringing, there were three armed guards in there with us and he was de-clawed.
The female cheetah, Alice, was much friendlier than her male counterpart, Festus, allowing both Josh and I to pet her. Unfortunately though we didn't get any great pictures with her because of the weird angle she was laying at. Guess Festus will have to be the star of our save the dates!
Along with the cheetahs we saw lions, a cervial cat, baboons, monkeys, buffalo, and a leopard. The park recently acquired a rhino but they are currently in the process of constructing a pen for the animal thus viewing is not allowed. After touring the park we headed to the newly build eco-lodge for lunch. It was a great treat with good food and a beautiful view of the lake. I'm not sure we'd pay what we did for it again but I do realize that now and again its nice to splurge.
Overall it was a fun afternoon touring this small gem in our backyard. Its definitely something we don't do often but was a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
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| He was cute and let Josh pet him. Think Buddy wants a new friend? |
We went with the goal of petting the cheetahs and getting our picture taken doing so. Since being able to pet the cheetahs is a very unique thing to this park and to where we currently live, we thought it would be a neat way to send a save the date for the wedding. It turned out to be a slightly eventful endeavor. After being led, somewhat sneakingly, into the pen we bent down to pet the male cheetah. He loved Josh petting his head but did not appreciate me scratching his belly. He swatted my hand away with his paw. For all my family out there who are now cringing, there were three armed guards in there with us and he was de-clawed.
The female cheetah, Alice, was much friendlier than her male counterpart, Festus, allowing both Josh and I to pet her. Unfortunately though we didn't get any great pictures with her because of the weird angle she was laying at. Guess Festus will have to be the star of our save the dates!
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| The cheetahs we got to pet |
Along with the cheetahs we saw lions, a cervial cat, baboons, monkeys, buffalo, and a leopard. The park recently acquired a rhino but they are currently in the process of constructing a pen for the animal thus viewing is not allowed. After touring the park we headed to the newly build eco-lodge for lunch. It was a great treat with good food and a beautiful view of the lake. I'm not sure we'd pay what we did for it again but I do realize that now and again its nice to splurge.
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| A lioness sunbathing in a tree |
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monkey Rock...again
So I recall saying climbing Monkey rock was one experience I didn't want to have anytime in the near future. BUT well Josh promised we'd take the actual trail this time so I couldn't really say no.
A month ago (yes I know I'm behind but I honestly forgot about this little trip) we headed up to monkey rock to try to make it to the top. If you don't remember our first attempt you can read a little more about it here: http://kenyadreamit.blogspot.com/2011/09/monkey-rockan-adventure-im-not-sure-i.html
This time we marked the trail head and found a guide willing to take us up to the top. I don't know much else to say about the trip other than it was a long and difficult hike. The climb was mostly uphill with many large steps carved out of the mountain side. It was embarrassing to get passed by little kids scrambling easily over the large rocks.
We were greeted to amazing views of Kisumu and got to enjoy some wonderful small waterfalls. At the top Josh tried his hand at a little grappling and actually got to the top of monkey rock. With the difficulty of the climb and the little fact of no safety net I decided I was better off on the ground.
Overall it was a good day. We got to do a little hiking (not to mention exercising) while enjoying the views from the top. Again I'm not sure I would do the hike again. Although nice it was very long and difficult and I'm not sure I could find my way up to the top again. BUT I did say never again before and look where that got me :)
A month ago (yes I know I'm behind but I honestly forgot about this little trip) we headed up to monkey rock to try to make it to the top. If you don't remember our first attempt you can read a little more about it here: http://kenyadreamit.blogspot.com/2011/09/monkey-rockan-adventure-im-not-sure-i.html
This time we marked the trail head and found a guide willing to take us up to the top. I don't know much else to say about the trip other than it was a long and difficult hike. The climb was mostly uphill with many large steps carved out of the mountain side. It was embarrassing to get passed by little kids scrambling easily over the large rocks.
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| The kids beat us |
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| Encountering a little road block along the way |
Overall it was a good day. We got to do a little hiking (not to mention exercising) while enjoying the views from the top. Again I'm not sure I would do the hike again. Although nice it was very long and difficult and I'm not sure I could find my way up to the top again. BUT I did say never again before and look where that got me :)
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| Josh at the top of Monkey Rock |
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Rusinga Island
Last weekend Josh and I decided to get out of town and enjoy some quiet time on Rusinga Island. Rusinga Island is a small island on the southern side of Lake Victoria. To get there you can drive about an hour and a half north and take the ferry across to the town of Mbita. From Mbita its a short 30 minute to the hotel over a man-made causeway.
The Rusinga Island Lodge is a beautiful compound with 8 bandas sitting right on the lake. We were immediately welcomed with a beautiful lunch of nile perch. After lunch we headed to the tallest point on the island to get a bird's eye view of the area. We could see across the lake to Mfangano Island and the beautiful Gwasi Hills to the left. After taking a few pictures we headed back down for a boat ride to Mfangano.
Josh has been to Mfangano many times but I had never see the rock art the island is so famous for. After a very bumpy and windy boat ride we landed on the island. The trail was a little steep and there were a few downed trees along the way but we made it to the site even in our flip flops! The rock art is said to have been used by the Suba people to bring rain and drought to the other tribes living on the island. They would travel to a neighboring island to sacrifice an animal and worship their ancestors. Afterwards they would travel back to Mfangano to make the appropriate circles in the cave: red for rain, white for drought. It was interesting to learn about the history of the island but the cave art wasn't very impressive.
The boat ride back to the lodge was beautiful as we timed it to coincide with the sunset. I've seen a lot of sunsets here in Kenya, especially on Lake Victoria, but this one was just breathtaking. The clouds mixed with the colors made for a breathtaking site.
Dinner was delicious lamb chops and we spent the rest of the night relaxing and chatting. The next day we got up a little early in hopes of doing some fishing. Unfortunately fishing was not included in the price of the room so we decided to do some water sports instead. Not a bad deal if I say so myself! I didn't get into the water as I was still recovering from being sick but Josh had a great time water skiing, knee boarding, and slaloming. I got some great pictures and even a few videos.
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| Our beautiful room |
The Rusinga Island Lodge is a beautiful compound with 8 bandas sitting right on the lake. We were immediately welcomed with a beautiful lunch of nile perch. After lunch we headed to the tallest point on the island to get a bird's eye view of the area. We could see across the lake to Mfangano Island and the beautiful Gwasi Hills to the left. After taking a few pictures we headed back down for a boat ride to Mfangano.
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| On top of the look out point |
Josh has been to Mfangano many times but I had never see the rock art the island is so famous for. After a very bumpy and windy boat ride we landed on the island. The trail was a little steep and there were a few downed trees along the way but we made it to the site even in our flip flops! The rock art is said to have been used by the Suba people to bring rain and drought to the other tribes living on the island. They would travel to a neighboring island to sacrifice an animal and worship their ancestors. Afterwards they would travel back to Mfangano to make the appropriate circles in the cave: red for rain, white for drought. It was interesting to learn about the history of the island but the cave art wasn't very impressive.
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| Rock art on Mfangano Island |
The boat ride back to the lodge was beautiful as we timed it to coincide with the sunset. I've seen a lot of sunsets here in Kenya, especially on Lake Victoria, but this one was just breathtaking. The clouds mixed with the colors made for a breathtaking site.
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| The beautiful sunset |
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After another amazing meal, we headed back to Kisumu about mid-afternoon. It was a short trip but definitely worth it. The lodge was amazing and I hope we will be able to get back there. Next time I'd like to try my hand at water skiing!
Another Baking Adventure...
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Christmas a little early...
For the last few months a few students from George Washington University in Washington D.C. have been studying here in Kisumu. Its been a blast having them here in town and we've loved getting to know them. It was really sad to see them leave but alas that is the ebb and flow of folks around here.
I was shocked and really excited when the girls asked if they could leave a few things with me when they left. "Sure," I said. "We'd take anything!" Little did I know the bounty they would leave at our house.
We got granola bars, craisins, shampoo, Chrystal light, pistachios, biscotti, clothes, band aids, sunscreen, bug repellent, Clorox wipes, medicine, nail polish and even a luffa! I mean the list goes on and on. I can't tell you how excited I was. Definitely Christmas a little early this year and a HUGE thanks to Jenny and Sarah for the amazing gift. We love it!
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| A bit of the loot! |
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Feast IV-Mombasa
For those of you who don't know, Josh and I have been playing ultimate Frisbee pretty regularly here in Kisumu. A group of our friends decided that it would be great to get a league going and we've been able to recruit a lot of interested folks to play every Thursday evening. As part of this team it was one of our goals to get to the East Africa Frisbee Tournament in Mombasa this year.
Feast (I'm not sure what that acronym stands for) was held this year on Tiwi Beach which is just south of Mombasa. Twelve of us headed out there to compete with other teams from Kenya as well as teams from Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda and South Sudan. The first day we were scheduled to play Uganda, a Nairobi team, and Peace Corps. These games would decide the seeding for the next day so it was crucial to get a win or two. Boy were our eyes opened!
We quickly learned we hadn't been playing by the rules exactly. Sure we kept a somewhat structured game going in Kisumu but these guys played by the books. We also found that our once weekly game for fun was a lot less then what the other teams did. The Uganda team was up at 6am running laps on the beach! We were also faced with a few other challenges as well such as playing in the sand. Normally we set up our games on a grass field so running was a lot more difficult and we found we got tired a lot faster. That first game really was a learning experience...
After two losses to Nairobi and Uganda we were able to come out ahead against Peace corps putting us at 9th overall (out of 12 teams). The next day was set to be a single elimination round and our first game was against Ethiopia/Rwanda. Although we were probably evenly matched as far as male talent their female members blew ours out of the water. A rule in the tournament was that the team on offense got to choose the number of female players and the other team must match that. We only had 3 females so when they chose to have all 3 out at once we got tired fast! Ethiopia/Rwanda eventually ended up beating us and we played a fun consolation match against Peace corps again later that day.
Overall I'm not sure were we ranked but it was so much fun to get out and play with other teams from around the area. We learned so many new rules and strategies that we are already incorporating into our Thursday play!
*For pictures of the tournament check out Josh's Flicker page http://www.flickr.com/groups/feast_iv/
Besides the tournament, which was the main reason for the trip, we were able to do a little snorkeling and some general relaxing. The lodge we stayed at was a bit of a dump but we traveled to neighboring Diani every chance we got to indulge in great food. Easter dinner we dined at Ali Babar's which is this beautiful restaurant situated in a preserved coral cave. It was beautiful to look up in to the night sky while enjoying amazing seafood.
The last day of our trip we escaped the falling apart lodge and rented a condo for the night in Diani. This was definitely the highlight as we enjoyed three beautiful swimming pools and air conditioning at night! Although we were a little disappointed that the restaurant did not have the Thai menu it boasted we made do with more amazing seafood with a few Japanese starters.
If we play again next year, I think we'll be better equipped to do well. Our knowledge of the rules has improved so much and I think we'll be able to take that and really develop some effective strategies. Also it wouldn't help to have a few more girls on our side this time! Overall Easter weekend was a blast. It wasn't the relaxing holidays we're used to but it was fun to go together and participate in the tournament. Maybe if we ever go back that way we'll take it easy!
Feast (I'm not sure what that acronym stands for) was held this year on Tiwi Beach which is just south of Mombasa. Twelve of us headed out there to compete with other teams from Kenya as well as teams from Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda and South Sudan. The first day we were scheduled to play Uganda, a Nairobi team, and Peace Corps. These games would decide the seeding for the next day so it was crucial to get a win or two. Boy were our eyes opened!
We quickly learned we hadn't been playing by the rules exactly. Sure we kept a somewhat structured game going in Kisumu but these guys played by the books. We also found that our once weekly game for fun was a lot less then what the other teams did. The Uganda team was up at 6am running laps on the beach! We were also faced with a few other challenges as well such as playing in the sand. Normally we set up our games on a grass field so running was a lot more difficult and we found we got tired a lot faster. That first game really was a learning experience...
After two losses to Nairobi and Uganda we were able to come out ahead against Peace corps putting us at 9th overall (out of 12 teams). The next day was set to be a single elimination round and our first game was against Ethiopia/Rwanda. Although we were probably evenly matched as far as male talent their female members blew ours out of the water. A rule in the tournament was that the team on offense got to choose the number of female players and the other team must match that. We only had 3 females so when they chose to have all 3 out at once we got tired fast! Ethiopia/Rwanda eventually ended up beating us and we played a fun consolation match against Peace corps again later that day.
Overall I'm not sure were we ranked but it was so much fun to get out and play with other teams from around the area. We learned so many new rules and strategies that we are already incorporating into our Thursday play!
*For pictures of the tournament check out Josh's Flicker page http://www.flickr.com/groups/feast_iv/
Besides the tournament, which was the main reason for the trip, we were able to do a little snorkeling and some general relaxing. The lodge we stayed at was a bit of a dump but we traveled to neighboring Diani every chance we got to indulge in great food. Easter dinner we dined at Ali Babar's which is this beautiful restaurant situated in a preserved coral cave. It was beautiful to look up in to the night sky while enjoying amazing seafood.
The last day of our trip we escaped the falling apart lodge and rented a condo for the night in Diani. This was definitely the highlight as we enjoyed three beautiful swimming pools and air conditioning at night! Although we were a little disappointed that the restaurant did not have the Thai menu it boasted we made do with more amazing seafood with a few Japanese starters.
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| Josh and I Easter dinner |
If we play again next year, I think we'll be better equipped to do well. Our knowledge of the rules has improved so much and I think we'll be able to take that and really develop some effective strategies. Also it wouldn't help to have a few more girls on our side this time! Overall Easter weekend was a blast. It wasn't the relaxing holidays we're used to but it was fun to go together and participate in the tournament. Maybe if we ever go back that way we'll take it easy!
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| The amazing condo we rented the last day |
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