Transit thru Istanbul

Internet connection is a problem so I'll try to do a quick catch up while I have it.  It is a beautiful Tuesday morning in the outskirts of Nairobi, called Kaserani.  The travel lasted 48 hours including a 9 hour layover in Istanbul.  Both D and I were able to get some sleep at various times but everyone "crashed" when we finally made it to the Sports view Hotel Conference center. 

Istanbul is an incredible way point for the travelers of the world, and has been for at least 3000 years. Westerners headed to Africa, India and the far East.  And those people's headed westward.  A very exciting place for people watching!  I loved it and tried to be more open to the experiences than I have in the past.  We never left the secured part of the airport and did not see obvious security with guns (unlike Italy).

The 7 hour flight to Nairobi was much more pleasant than 4 years ago.  And we arrived in the daylight around 8 am (last trip it was 2 am!).  All 5 duffle bags with fleece blankets, etc for the widows and our small bags (too heavy to take on plane) arrived in good shape.  Hurrah!  David Gakuli (known as G from now on) was there to meet us with the big van.  Weather is in the high 70s and dry.  Pleasantly cool for sleeping under the mosquito netting.

Time to go off for the Masi market and other adventures.  I'll keep working on figuring out photo uploads from my smartphone.

The Adventure Begins

W e are at Dulles airport, luggage checked in and thru Security.  THe actual drive time including a lunch stop was 9:20 (from breakfst in Guilford, ct) to arrival at Best Western motel about 5:20.  See photo of luggage stuffed into suburu.
My Jersey friends will smile when they learn that the charming Trenton restaurant suggested for lunch is not open on Saturday.  After wending our way thru snowy Trenton streets we ended up at a Panera Bread in PA.

The Best Western is letting Terry park for free for the time we are gone.  Nice people.  Other nice peole we have met include a skycap whose large cart we were told we could borrow to move around the 5 duffle bags.  Bad info but he was very polite when he found us.  We also met two women on their way to Iraq, working for a private contractor.  At least one had been with the armed forces and said it has become less safe. I already feel connected to a bigger world, where fear does not have to rule every interaction.

We will begin to load in about an hour and then i"ll crash for awhile.  On to Istanbul!

Background Info on travel to Kenya

More than 11  years ago, a Kenyan Quaker named Constance Ambasa visited New Haven Friends Meeting.  She had been studying AIDS education for a year at Yale. As she was getting ready to return to Kenya, Dwight and I invited Connie and her husband Chris over to dinner.  Our neighbors in Madison, Sandy and Terry Kensler came to that dinner. Connie talked about her plans to work with Kenyan women widowed by the AIDS crisis.  The Kenslers, from this gathering, decided to book a flight to Kenya because they are adventurous and Sandy is an artist.  They got caught up in Connie’s work and upon their return to the US, they set up a 501 (c) (3) organization CLOUT Cares to support Connie’s Kenyan organization, CLOUT (Center for Livelihood Opportunities Unlimited and Technologies).  

Since then, Sandy and Terry have been very committed to the work, including traveling to western Kenya at least once a year.  In the past two years their children and grand children have gone along. What an amazing experience for those kids, to see beyond American culture! All along the way, Dwight and I have been supporting their work financially and by serving as a sounding board as they have traveled back and forth.  We tried to help by listening to them because it was a powerful experience for them spiritually, emotionally and physically.  

And now we're excited to join them.  None of us is getting any younger and travel has always been one of our passions. Your comments and questions on the blog are welcomed!

Please hold us in the Light

Maureen

Overview of Trip

Welcome to family and friends who may be interested in the upcoming trip of Dwight and Maureen.  We are flying late evening on January 30 to Istanbul, Turkey then onto Nairobi, Kenya.  We are going with our good friends, Sandy and Terry Kensler who have Been in Kenya many times in connection with their non-profit CLOUT CARES (CC).  The two weeks in Kenya is mostly a repeat of the journey that I took with them 4 years ago but with Dwight joining the fun.  We will be with David Gakule, a Kenyan with his own tourist guide company.

We are taking 5 duffle bags stuffed with fleece blankets for the women and children supported by 

Location of Kenya on African continent

CLOUT CARES. Their village of Kasavai is close to the equator and nights can be cold.  These Kenyans are farmers and live in houses without central heating.

We have also arranged to visit a child care centre in Kakamega (larger town in western Kenya), which was established by Quaker women from Maine.  We have supported children at this facility and are looking forward to a Sunday afternoon with them.

The end of our Kenyan visit will include 2 nights at Elsemere Conservation Lodge on Lake Naivasha.  This is the former home of Joy Adamson and Elsa, the lion in the famous movie, Born Free.  Then it is on to the Masai Mara Game Reserve for three days seeing African animals and birds in their natural habitat.  Dwight is absolutely going to love this!  David Gakule is very well educated about everything that lives here.  On Monday, February 15 we fly from Nairobi back to Istanbul, a 6 hour flight.  We spend two weeks in Istanbul and central Turkey, flying home on February 27.  Stay tuned for more details!

Trip begins in Nairobi and ends in Masai Mara Game Reserve