"Vac" Begins

As any school has, RVA has its own lingo.  The time between terms is not called break or vacation, but "vac" (which rhymes with break).  So, to mark the beginning of this Vac, and to get away as a family before our homestay, we went to a little cottage about an hour from Kijabe that is owned by a family with children at RVA.  It was in a beautiful setting - a mature acacia forest with abundant wildlife.  Thankfully, the directions that were given to us were pretty clear, because this is a screenshot of google maps on my iphone as we drove along the dirt road that did not, in fact, end:

View of cottage/yard from behind.

The cottage was simple but more than adequate - a bedroom and bath downstairs, open room with kitchen, eating area, and sofa, plus a loft upstairs with 3 twins for the kids.  Rick described the steps to the loft as "navy steps," and I made Emily come down backwards to hold on better!  The hot water was provided by a wood fire system that actually worked great and provided hot water as long as the embers were burning.  Ingenious, actually - we would really like one in Kijabe!

Wood is added where you see the glow of embers, and the hot water is collected in the tank on the wall.

The first morning was nothing short of magical - a symphony of bird songs that I had never heard before.  I wished I could have recorded them to remember later.  I haven't looked up the birds yet, but here are a couple of my favorite shots....

This is a colobus monkey - they make a horrifying racket at night!

We drove into Naivasha both days to explore - the view from the roof of the car was as much fun as anything.  We saw lots of cows, goats, and sheep - and even camels, but my favorite was the children waving and yelling greetings to us. :)

View from the roof rack - Emily's favorite seat!

 One day, we explored Hell's Gate National Park - an area that reminded us of the region of Colorado around Mesa Verde.  We were thankful to have a guide, John, to show us around and get us out of their safely.  John is a young Masai man who lives about a 20 minute walk from the gorge.  He told us that he has been giving 3-5 tours 7 days a week for the last 8 years - I couldn't help but notice that he was wearing well-worn dress shoes.  I was embarrassed by our comparatively nice shoes, still far from new, and the knowledge that we each had several pairs at home.

This entrance to the gorge wouldn't pass any kind of regulations in the US.  We entered the gorge through this "Emergency Exit."  John told us that the water quickly rises 30 meters during heavy rainstorms.  We were thankful for a sunny day!

Magnificent!  God's handiwork is stunning!

This dead-end made us feel really small!

Having lunch at a little Indian restaurant behind a gas station that was recommended to us. :)  Eating out is a rarity that I really appreciate now.

Anna learned how to make Peppermint Patties!  Yum, yum!

Love,
Sarah

Psalm 8

Lord of all creation
of water earth and sky
The heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high

Chorus:
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are Holy, Holy
The universe declares your Majesty
And you are holy holy

Lord of Heaven and Earth
Lord of Heaven and Earth

(God of Wonders by Third Day)