Day #3: October 26, 2012 Arrival in Nairobi Kenyatta Airport

The flight from Amsterdam seemed more taxing this year than in the past, and for some reason I was unable to sleep.  By the time we landed in Nairobi we had been traveling for almost 48 hours, and boy did it ever feel like it... but there's something that comes alive in me as we land in Nairobi each year.  The picture below was taken in the air just before landing in Nairobi's Kenyatta airport at sunrise



The immigration and VISA line at Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi.

Looking down on baggage claim from the immigration/Visa area.  The customs officials questioned us more this time than they had on any previous trip, but luckily we had all the required letters and inventory lists of supplies that we had packed in our 20+ bags.

Tony, Johnson, me, David and Michael after we cleared customs, waiting to load our luggage into the vans for our 4 hour trip out of Nairobi to Tenwek Hospital.



Our first stop on the way to Tenwek Hospital was Nakumatt the area grocery store for mandatory staples to get us through the next 2 weeks... such as camel's milk   ;)

... and off we go on our way out of Nairobi.  We're not in Kansas anymore Dorothy!

The following photos were taken as we went through the many small villages and towns between Nairobi and Bomet Province where Tenwek Hospital is located.

 There are many corn or maze fields on the way to Tenwek.  The bags above are filled with dried corn ready to be taken to market.

The maze is dried by spreading it out on the ground on top of a material like canvas and the men turn it over to speed the drying process by walking through it as seen above.

The cattle are hearded back and forth between the owners homes and the watering holes.  Many times by children who look to be as young as 10 years old.

And  it's not unusual to have traffic stopped by cattle in the road.

Cattle are considered a gift from God to the Massai Warriors and they will protect them at all costs.... at all costs.  The Massai people can be identified by their bright red and blue robes.  It is said that the lions are afraid of the Massai and will not approach them.

Aside from the people, my absolute favorite thing about Africa are the Acacia trees.

 

A mother bathing her child outside their home. 

 

     

About half-way to Tenwek, we stop at a lookout point with curio shops as we enter the Great Rift Valley.  From left to right:  Rick (Samaritan's Purse Chaplain), Bob, me, Johnson, Rebekah, Dr. Mary, Michael, Tony and David, 

 

A throw back photo from last years trip that I didn't get to post at the same point in the Great Rift Valley.  Kristen and Rebekah  

 

The Great Rift Valley.  God's country.