Kenya

So I’ve arrived in Nairobi from Cairo. Ready to begin my new adventure. Unfortunately, my flight was delayed and nobody is there to meet me at the airport. Cabbies begin approaching me, telling me they’ll take me to my hotel. I cling tight to my bags and tell them I’m pre booked for a ride. Ten minutes pass and still nothing. I’m like a dead carcass now, the vultures continually swooping in. I call the hotel, but nobody answers. Then I call London, where my tour is based. I tell them my situation, then the line cuts out. I nibble on my fingers and ponder my decisions in life. I try London again, but now I can hear them but they can’t hear me. 

The Kenyans are friendly, yet persistent. Suddenly, somebody approaches. “Kevin?” “Yes, yes!” I cry out while nearly hugging the woman. She rushes me out of the feeding zone and passes me off to a driver who takes me to a nice hotel in the center of Nairobi. Here I eat and chill and wait for my tour to begin. 

3 days later I’m picked up and taken to a big, yellow truck which will be ferrying me from Nairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa over a 77 day period. Say what? 

(Can’t beat the view, and open air windows!)

There’s 11 on our tour, and it’s like the UN. We’re from Canada, Belgium, Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, and of course the U.S. Everybody is excited. We start out to a local giraffe sanctuary where I feed giraffes from my fingers. Next we drive to a campsite and learn how to setup our tents. It’s a little bit of a pain  and they’re pretty heavy to lug around. 

The first night is rough. Cold and uncomfortable. The 4” bedroll they were to provide is more like a one inch bedroll. If that! Hmmm… How in the hell am I gonna make it for 77 days? One thing is for sure: I’m gonna need to dig down to complete this mission. Hang on…