Survivor Reward Challenge

Permit me to be a little overly-dramatic:  over the last week and a half, I have frequently thought about the similarities of my current living situation to the television show Survivor.  I know I am stretching it with the analogy, but the people on the show frequently eat the same food over and over for days on end (here it is potatoes, rice, and coleslaw - plus water) and they live in close proximity to one another without their usual comforts.  Well, in keeping with the Survivor theme,  today (Saturday) it felt like we won a Reward Challenge! :)


At noon, we loaded into 2 Land Rovers and headed to a place about 30 minutes away called Acacia Camp.  Evidently, it has been owned by a British family for 3 generations - 2200 acres!  We got there and enjoyed a delicious lunch, that included a green salad that we could actually eat. 

A Family Photo, and all smiling!  Is it too early to pick our Christmas card photo? :)

Acacia Camp

Garage

There were monkeys running around, similar to squirrels in NC!

We had fun watching the monkeys, and then loaded back into and ONTO the cars to go see what animals we could find.  Of course, having never ridden on the top of a car for any length of time, the kids (and we!) enjoyed that aspect immensely...nevermind the animals! :)

You can't tell that we are on the roof of the car, but we enjoyed it immensely!

Rick and Ted's turn on the roof!

 You have to be very careful riding under Acacia trees, though.  Acacia trees are the prototypical African tree that you frequently see in photos of the African plains.  What you don't see from afar is that they are covered with 4-5 inch thorns that are like daggers-not something you want to run up against!

Acacia thorns-not your average thorns!

We first came across a HERD of zebra - probably 20 or 25.

Next were Elands - in the antelope family.  Quite large with straight horns.

The giraffes seemed solitary, in contrast to those at the Giraffe Park in Nairobi.  They were the most likely to face the camera. :)

Impalas - reminded me of the deer back home.  Notice those acacia thorns!!!

Wildebeest

Warthogs - evidently they are not as sociable as Pumba!

The Masai Ostrich rules the roost (couldn't resist the pun...) Can you see that it looks like it is wearing pink stockings?

The Superb Starling, at the camp.  Isn't it aptly named?!

I would like to tell you that we had a relaxing drive back to Machakos but, honestly, the drive back had to be the scariest thing I have ever experienced in my life!  The highway was packed with trucks, cars, and buses, and we spent as much time in the other lane as our lane.  Everyone else was doing the same thing-so much so, that your really could hardly tell whose lane was whose.  Others passed on the left/on the shoulder (they drive on the left side of the road here - that British influence).   We are told that the railway in East Africa is in a state of disrepair, so they have largely resorted to trucks for shipping goods.  This is the main highway that connects Mombasa to Nairobi and then on to Uganda, Ethiopia, and Sudan...so it is busy.  At any rate, when I drive, I am sure that it will take me 3 times as long as everyone else to get anywhere, but I don't think I'll ever be able to drive like that!! 

I hope you have enjoyed our Survivor Reward Challenge - it is back to camp life for us!

Love,
Sarah
Psalm 100