OK some fun times (if I haven't shared already) and things I love...
~We asked for bikes to ride one morning...we should've been more specific (though someone did say we wouldn't have gotten bikes then haha). Probably the most dangerous thing we did (yes i know we spent time with lions but this rivals that) was ride these bikes through the village. The one I had needed almost ten minutes of repair because the seat was too high (easier fix) and the front brakes were permanently stuck with the cables wrapped in all sorts of crazy ways. Thank you so much Dave and Todd for spending your own riding time to fix my bike (I didn't even have to ask again...they just did! Great great guys!) After that I could only use the back brakes, but I had it pretty good comparatively. A lot of people didn't have pedals- well- they had a bar to push on. I don't know of anyone who had both front and back brakes and more than one person who had no brakes at all. A few bikes weren't "trued" so some people had to weave their way around (watch out!!! hahah) A couple people had chain problems- aka they would hold their chain on or stop periodically to put it back on. Anyway, it was pretty funny to see 22 of us riding through town. Their roads aren't paved and though fairly even have random bumps etc. Only one injury (I'm aware of) poor Pete, who seemed accident prone the entire trip, ate it almost the first five minutes in. He manned up and kept riding though. We opted out of taking the big hill not for the intimidation of getting up, but the pressure and worry about not getting down without getting injured!
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| Meghann asked me straight out on our bike ride if i was "workin' it with her brother" I love this girl! |
~We played random games at night- like family feud and fruit basket. Someone said they thought I was the biggest girl flirt but I wasn't in the top 5 (I flirt but not so blatantly). I had to "flirt" with Scott and show my skills to get our team and extra 10 points. Jeni had to flirt with Sinoui to get her team points as well. Loren and Matt got biggest flirts and yes I voted for them. Other fun questions were what's your favorite thing to do here- showering was #1. How many people have you kissed- #1 answer was "none of your business" (yea Curt and Julie! Scott also tried to get me to confess my # and he got close but in the end I held strong haha). Fruit basket was entertaining to learn what people have and haven't done. I'm surprised 3 guys have been arrested and spent a night in jail....I still need to hear complete stories about that... I also still NEED to know who peed in what showers stalls (fruit basket statement- "I have peed in the showers in Kinango"), but am forever grateful I always wore my flip flops while standing there! So gross but no one was confessing in that much detail.
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| tire shoes- yes- made out of tires though not same tread haha- for my bro |
~We had a dance party the last night in the village. Most of the guys danced with their mosquito nets. Yes, we sang and danced to Toto's "Africa" Song...that was a fun time I'll never forget either =). I LOVE all the people I was with! We had such a good time. Some of the kitchen staff even came and danced with us.
~I really loved just sitting and talking with people- Kenyans and SHe members. I loved taking a nap and listening to the rain outside (and watch Ben enjoy Rinda's bed haha). ~I loved quick moments to read and Andrew (not to be confused with Andy though I love Andy too) who let me borrow his iPad (the one from China which is smaller than the USA iPad but bigger than an iPHone...it was perfect size I think and I may request he send me one...) to read a book. I read, "Ask me why I hurt" by Dr. Randy Christensen (sad book).
~I loved taking walks on the beach and bonding with Cami about boys hahah and Ben about all things random =)~I loved that the power went out the last night at our hotel and none of us cared but actually liked it (hey we all still had our headlamps hahah plus it made it romantic and 4- 5 couples hooked up that last night- told ya that hotel was romantic- whoowhoo).
~I loved how, while hiking and walking etc., the guys in the group would help me up and down the rocks- chivalry!
~I loved that the cakes over there are incredibly dry, but we figured out to pour a little orange/mango or whatever juice on it just to help moisten it, it tastes much better.
~ I loved standing outside the last night watching the storm and seeing the ocean and the moon.~I loved being crammed into ghetto vans and riding over ridiculous roads.
~I loved seeing people reading their scriptures when they didn't know anyone else was wacthing.
~I loved when I found a rhino beetle on my mosquito net and Dallin took care of it for me.~I loved seeing the guys invent creative ways to catch a bat (they tried but...eventually it flew out on it's own).
~I loved how happy the people are
~I love the sand of the Indian ocean!
~I loved that Africa time is really no time and when you'd call for room service or what not they would come when they wanted (but it always got fixed hahah).
~I loved church services while singing to a ukulele.
~I loved discussing deep topics with new friends- from religious ones, dating ones, personal tragedy ones etc. I really want to keep in touch with the group and I already have somewhat with a few people.
Coming home...well..it was hard (still hard! I wanna go back!). It was amazing that 19 of us were on the same flight for the longest portion back. Lindsay and Rachel had to have some of their stuff wrapped that were considered "weapons"....hum...Andy made it on with two huge canes (aka big, heavy, wood sticks) and had no problem...guess it's who you talk to at the airport=). Lindsay, Rachel and I sat across from a well dressed African man- white silk suit! But oh man! He SMELLED!!! I couldn't turn my head to the left to sleep because I would get whiffs when he would move, and I could NOT handle it! You'd think after a couple weeks of the BO smell I wouldn't have minded, but it was bad...it really was! I spent most of my time walking around talking to people from the group. I sat with Andy quite a bit- he talks one-on-one! Ben also let me sleep on him. He and Heidi convinced the person sitting with them (who only spoke French too mind you- you guys have skills) to move so they could have the bench to themselves. Heidi moved for about and hour and a half and Ben was obliging and let me lay out on him (yep- he's a great cuddler ladies!). We had an hour stop in Rome just to refuel. We weren't "de-boarding" but um um...some of kinda did =). Amman, Todd, April and I stood outside on the staircase at the back of the plane. They had switched crews so people came in from the front and back exits of the plane. We didn't get in trouble for standing outside either (still wish I'd run down the stairs, touched Italy's ground and run back up but oh well). The stewardess was nice and just told us to come back inside. It was nice to have fresh air too!
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| the way home stop in Ethiopia |
When we landing in Washington DC we had about a 12 hour layover. Ben, being the fabulously generous guy he is, drove us to see some sites and get some food. We ate at Ray's Hell for burgers- OH MY DELICIOUS MEAT! I hadn't eaten meat in almost two weeks and it was fabulous. (I did feel badly that they only accepted cash and Ben paid for me though I'd offered to cover him for being our tour guide...I will pay him back sneaky like one day!) Rachel has never seen the sites there, and I had not seen the new Martin Luther King Monument. Ben seriously could've been home sleeping (before he had to go to work later that day), but instead he chauffeured us around and made sure we had a good time (I mean seriously can you see the awesomeness of these people on this trip?!). He, Rachel and I also saw the Constitution and Declaration of Independence (no pictures allowed), while Rinda and Susan toured The Capitol Building
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