19 Sep 2014 - In and out of Nairobi

We were two bleary-eyed people waiting for our driver to pick us up at the hotel this morning...at 04:30! Yes, we went to bed early but I guess I thought it was just another nap and woke up at midnight and couldn't get back to sleep. Safe to say, once we got on the 2-hr flight to Johannesburg, I was out like a light. We only had a short wait before getting on a 6-hr flight to Nairobi and again, I didn't see much of it. Corky is very jealous that I am able to tune out so quickly on an airplane....he's a wee bit sleep deprived I think but we'll be on a more scheduled routine beginning tomorrow and I think that will help. (By the way Debbie....he holds his own in the snoring department!).

We were met at the airport by Goway's agent, 'Jay' and guide 'Sam'. Sam will be our guide for the next 7 days and there are only 3 others on our tour so we'll be a close knit group for a week. He picked us up in our game jeep, which only holds 6 so we will each have lots of opportunity to see and photograph without climbing over someone. We have both commented numerous times that Goway, and it's representatives throughout the trip, have been nothing short of spectacular. There was a small herd of giraffe's in a reserve right next to the airport so I guess that was our welcoming committee.

While Cape Town was clean and quite lovely, Nairobi is....not so much. Our hotel is lovely but there's been some terrorist activity here during the last few years and before we could go into the hotel, our baggage and our bodies were searched a la airport security. Quite an eye opener! Once in the hotel, it's business as usual.

The lobby and hallway walls are filled with African artifacts and it's an education just looking at the tapestries and other things in the showcases. I'm hoping to be able to buy a few pieces of beadwork but it will have to be something I'm sure someone local has made vice souvenir shops.

We were both exhausted but I put my bathing suit on and went down for a good long swim. Corky stood under a steaming shower for a long time and in our own way, we both loosened up. I know why most people come to Africa for at least 2 weeks....that flight time is hard on anyone's body!

Going out of the hotel to a restaurant is out of the question....the staff advise you don't be on the streets after 5:30 pm. Fortunately they have a spectacular restaurant and we ended up choosing the buffet. The food selection was beyond belief...roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, veggie lasagna, seafood paella, rock lobster, giant prawns and a thousand other things...some of which I didn't recognize. Dessert was another adventure and when the bill came it was less than $30. Restaurants here are very cheap, even our steak dinners, with wine, was less that $35 for the two of us.

There are lots of Asian and American tourists and I guess Africa is a destination of choice for those in the Netherlands as we hear lots of Dutch being spoken. The English/Dutch influence was certainly strong in Cape Town and the English signs in Johannesburg and Nairobi are a result of England's rule in times past.

It was rush hour on the way from the airport and frankly, the foul exhaust spewing from the trucks and cars made breathing difficult. Jay explained that this road was a main highway from Mombasa to the furthest points in all directions hence the large numbers of trucks...like our 401 I guess.

We have had a couple of discussions with our guides on the social issues in Africa. Unemployment is in the 35%-45% range and there is no social safety net....ie no welfare. Because of the sheer numbers of homeless  and unemployed, homes and business are mini fortresses, complete with electric wire or barbed wire on top of walls and our guide yesterday told us the saddest part is that Africa has so many resources but has been so badly managed.

We will be picked up at  08:00 tomorrow and finally begin our safari adventure. Hopefully, there will be photos to reflect what we get to see! Until next time, love and hugs to all. xx