Back to the kids

I got back to Nairobi around noon and headed to WWC immediately.  I could hear the kids' chants of "Auntie Simmie is here!!" from up the hill.  When these children race out of the compound to be the first to greet me, it is a sight for sore eyes.  Poor Njeri and Denis fell in the dirt after trying to beat one another to the bridge.  Denis got up to continue the race and Njeri did what she always does when she doesn't get her way: lay in the dirt and wail. She continued to get her way when I scooped her up to carry her down the path.  I just cannot help it.  Njeri is irresistible....until she grins at the other kids in victory.  Down you go, I tell her :-)

Kenya teachers are still on strike, not surprisingly.  Thus, the kids are still at home.  However, we do pay school fees for our 6 little ones, in the same Government School that the bigger kids go to.  Each child in Class 3 and below must pay 1000ksh per term (about $11.50USD)  It's such an odd system, because there is no "public" Nursery School or Kindergarten.  Thus, our 6 little ones have to go to school while the rest of the kids are at WWC, waiting out the strike.  You can imagine what it is like to get these 6 off to school while everyone else stays home.  It doesn't appear to me that this strike will be resolved any time soon.  Teachers are seeking a 100-150% wage increase; they are fighting for equity and fairness, accusing the Kenyan govt. of violating international labor standards.  The battle is heating up, so we shall see.

The kids and I just fooled around and did absolutely nothing productive this afternoon.  And...we all loved every second of it. We read, beaded and watched silly videos I had downloaded for them.  They laughed until their stomachs hurt, which only made the adults laugh harder.  

I was blessed to be able to go to Nanyuki, in the Mt. Kenya region over the past two days.  I love this area of Kenya - the cool nights and hot days are really something, and the back drop of Mt. Kenya certainly doesn't spoil the scenery!  The area is extremely dry - no rain in at least one year.  This, however, did not spoil the game viewing:

Crowned Cranes:

Zebras will only rest their heads on one another, if they are family:

 My favorite bird, the Lilac Breasted roller:

We counted 17 sleeping lions in the bush.  It was impossible to shoot them, because they were all basically camouflaged, except for this cub:

Oryx:

The only time a giraffe is vulnerable to predators is when it is taking a drink of water and is positioned as such:

Water Buck

I stayed at a camp in Ol Pejata Conservancy, East Africa's largest Black Rhino Sanctuary.  It was a fabulous experience, to be able to see so many of these amazing creatures, roaming freely.  Currently, there are over 100 Black Rhinos living here. The Conservancy (364 acres) is housed by a fully electrified perimeter fence, which keeps the animals in their protected zone, and keeps the human predators out.  Under the watchful eye of Ol Pajeta, the Black Rhino populating is increasing.

Three of the world's six critically endangered Northern White Rhino are here. It was truly a once in a lifetime chance to view these magnificent creatures.

White Rhino are very social; Black Rhino are extremely dangerous, aggressive and will charge the vehicle, if annoyed.  

Below, you can see the horns are very short.  They are cut deliberately, as to deter poachers.  Without the horn, the animal is useless to poachers.  Horns do grow back.

Tomorrow, I will be at the home early.  Seeing as the older kids are available without the demands of our dear younger ones, we plan on going 'hunting' again :-)

Lots of love from East Africa.  It's been an exceptional 2 days!

Simmie, Tabitha and Esther