Being Canadian.....

Mount Kipipiri... 30 kms of nature

Five am comes pretty damned early but it's well worth the early start to hike up high during the rainy season in Kenya. About 25 intrepid hikers made our way North and West from Nairobi to do the 30 km hike to the summit of Mount Kipipiri and of course - and with great reluctance - back down. At 3400 meters it's not as grand as Mount Kenya 5000m (coming up in February) or Kilimanjaro at 6000m but it is unique in both the varieties and volume of growy stuff you encounter along the way. A flower lovers dream... there are views in all directions competing for your attention and admiration.



While the summit view is very nice and offers up a great sense of accomplishment, it's the journey rather than the destination that is so fantastic on this trek. We fiorded bogs and negotiated muddy hillsides to finally reach the rocky top. The hike was wet and green though punctuated by numerous wildflowers that definitely caught my attention. The blue Orchids shown above were of a blue hue rarely seen in flowers and seemed fake... or colored by some devious hiker who had come just before.














Wild mint grows all over the mountainside and being underfoot perfumed the air with a crisp fresh fragrance as we traipsed along.  Blue skies - at times - grey dark and moody at others, we continued on for 12 hours through rain and sun. I was both soaked and sunburned on the same day. That's Africa.

All had a good laugh when what I though was a pretty darned aggressive bull chased me a bit. I guess I overreacted...and in my haste to get away tripped over a branch and landed face down in a prickle bush. The stick that tripped me in a conspiratorial fashion somehow lifted my feet high in the air pinning me face first into the prickle bush. And as I struggled somewhat frantically to get up  - thinking the bull was coming to finish me - I ended up with a face full of prickles. When I finally got up bloody and panting - there stood the bull just watching.....wondering... confused and I think somewhat amused. Silly Mzungu (White guy)!!!

Just like me - a real nice fungi...hahahahaha

Being Canadian in Africa

 

I don't have any pictures of the Canadian High Commission (Embassy) in Nairobi because well - I think they would shoot me if you tried to take one.... but I finally got an invite to my embassy for a party. Yahoo!!!!!! So exciting!!!!  For me  - it was like a movie or something.. and I was very excited. An invitation from the Canadian High Commission...so cool!!!


My friend Ksenia (my +1) and I made sure to overdress for the occasion and make the most  of the experience hob-knobbing with diplomats and all manner of fancy-assed folk. I was a little disappointed by the number of people in casual business attire but hey..... that's life and not a movie..... :) What wasn't disappointing was the sense of belonging and pride once inside the immaculately secured and organized premises. A cold beer and heaping helping of Poutine greased (literally)  my way to the many assembled chatty and pleasant party goers. It was nice to hear that familiar accent, receive a smile just for being from the same country and complain about Canadian weather and politics. Homesick? Not really - but certainly proud to be inside those gates and representing a country I am very proud to be from.

Thanks for Reading...Layno!!!!