That's hello in Swahili. It has been an exciting week. I'll go into details later as I can only write a page worth today. Monday was spent traveling to here (Sweetwaters Reserve outside Nanyuki). My accommodations are 1/4 of a thatch-roof hut, which is very comfortable. So far I have been chased on foot (and had to run away from) 3 elephants, 2 rhino, a cape buffalo and today we had to walk slowly away from a lion (running would have only encouraged her to gore us). The guards only had to shoot (to scare off) for the elephants - we had followed one big male swimming down the river, and when he cane out of the river and charged us, we ran towards a momma and baby who charged us as well. Lots of running for that one, but I haven't had to climb a tree to get out of reach of anything yet. Other animals I have seen in their natural habitat include: zebra, lions, elephants, giraffes, warthogs, hartebeest, eland, hyenas, baboons, cap buffalo, bushbuck, impala, Thompson's gazelles, reedbuck, ostriches, jackals, hippos. Also chimps in a Jane Goodall sanctuary - one threw rocks at us through the fence! Yesterday I went into town to look at their wares, and that was a whole different adventure.
Other notes: The night sky is gorgeous - I can see the milky way clearly - but I have not seen the moon yet - I'm not sure why. Daily schedule is: get up ~6:30; eat breakfast (usually porridge and toast); go out into the bush with an armed guard from 8-12 or so (different tasks each day),; shower; eat lunch; rest until 3 (generator-run electricity is only on 6a-12p, 3p-11p); download data we collected in the morning; do an afternoon activity (or nothing); eat dinner; night activity (or nothing). Afternoon and evening activities are things like game drives and trips into town. Tonight we are going to a disco in town - should be very interesting!!
By the way, I can't see my own email, so I will not be able to read/respond to them for another week. Hopefully next Thursday or Friday.
Brigid