another weekend in review

Time is flying. And I will be, too, before I know it.

We house-sat for a missionary family this weekend, which basically means we fed their dogs and enjoyed having a TV for a few days.

Friday night we went to an Italian restaurant at Junction called the Mediterraneo. The pizza I ordered was the best pizza I've had here yet. It was a really nice restaurant, too - kind of reminded me of the Kenyan version of the Olive Garden.

Saturday we took a bit of a road trip...it was up at 4am for a bright-and-early (I guess not so bright at that hour) start to Mt. Kenya. It's about a 2-hr drive straight north from Nairobi. We spent a few hours in Sweetwater, a game park.

We didn't see any elephants, but we caught just about everything else - zebras, giraffes, a lion (just a glimspe), jackals, gazelles, warthogs, rhinos, hippos, and other things. I also got to pet a rhino. No, seriously. :)

We drove up to the gate at Mt. Kenya, but it was pretty cloudy so we just enjoyed it from the bottom and then headed out. On our way back home, we stopped at this restaurant called the Trout Tree. It's a restaurant built in a big tree, and below the restaurant they have big pools where they raise the fish that they serve. It was pretty incredible. Monkeys climb around in the tree and watch you eat (and steal bread).

There are more pictures here.

We also drove over the equator on our way there and back, so we got a nice touristy picture with the equator sign (I'll try to post it later).

Unfortunately I didn't get many pictures myself (okay, I didn't get any). The camera I had borrowed was dead on arrival, and I didn't find the extra batteries in the case until I was unpacking when we got back. Yeah, I was a little angry.

Actually, the most frustrating thing about having our stuff stolen has been that I lost all of my pictures and my ability to take anymore (at least without borrowing stuff). I have these next few weeks to make up for it...but I can't exactly go back to the coast or to Musoma. Ugh.

But, for everything a reason...whatever that may be.

Yesterday afternoon after church we went back to the Masai Market at Yaya Centre, and I accomplished most of my souvie shopping. We also had lunch at Java House (Nairobi's Starbucks)...which was incredible. Eating out seemed to be the theme of the weekend - Thursday night we went back to Diamond Plaza, Friday night was the Mediterraneo, Saturday at the Trout Tree, and then yesterday at Java House. As far as I know, we're sticking home tonight. :)

We also had a Chuck marathon yesterday and finished the whole first season. I had seen a couple episodes before, but I hadn't watched it religiously or anything. Not bad!

This is my last full week at the hangar. Friday is payday, so we're preparing for that, plus trying to issue Cost of Living Adjustments (since inflation is pretty high here), getting new contracts signed, issuing a new policy, and a host of other things. And sneaking in a blog update as we wrap up for the day. Busy is nice :)

Next week I'm at the hangar Monday through Thursday, Friday I leave for Meru to visit Koome, and I get back Saturday. That next Monday is my last full day at the hangar, then Tuesday is departure day (and wow-how-did-I-fit-this-all-in-one-suitcase day).

Didn't I just get here? I'm excited to get back to see family and friends and Erie before moving back to the Grove, and for OB and then starting my last year. But I don't want to be looking ahead too much and lose my focus on my last weeks here.

I'll leave you with the view out my office window: