First Weekend Trip

Today we went on our first weekend trip, it was only a day trip.  We went to Umbrella Falls and Kerio View.  We left at 9 am and left with our driver Cha Cha.  When driving through town there was a huge traffic jam.  We decided to go "off roading", which basically means that we went where ever we wanted.  We cut through a few farms and made our way back to the main road.  Once we got through the traffic jam, we turned onto the road to Umbrella Falls.  It was a muddy, questionable road.  It is rainy season here, and it rains everyday.  Hence, the reason for the mud.  We were driving along when we came upon a milk truck making its way though a swampy mess of a road.  They almost got stuck, so we decided to take a different route. 

We finally made it to the falls, and we paid the owners of the land to guide us there safely.  Thank goodness they did because I would probably be in the falls right now with my slippery shoes and the wet rocks.  The view was AMAZING.  We got to see the top of the falls and go behind it as well.  Hiking/rock climbing back to the top was interesting, but I made it.  After all the fun, I had to take a bathroom break in the bush before leaving for Kerio View.

Every where we go, the Kenyan children wave to us and smile.  They all yell "Hibari Mzungu" ( meaning how are you white person).  They are all so cute.  We are something they have never seen before.

After leaving Umbrella Falls, we were driving along the road, when all of a sudden, the back window falls off the van we were riding in.  Molly and I happened to be in the back seat when this happened.  It was quite entertaining because we could see that the bottom of the window was being held on by a piece of gum.  Our driver, Cha Cha, grabbed a piece of wire from his radio or something and tied the window back on with that.  Cool. 

Going back through town to head to Kerio View, we found out what was causing the traffic jam.  It was an over-turned petroleum truck blocking both lanes of the highway. 


Finally, we made it to Kerio View, marketed as "a place for relaxation", and it was beautiful.  It was a small inn and restaurant over-looking the Kerio valley.  Beautiful flowers and foliage everywhere.  The meal there was super yummy.  I had fried Nile perch with cheese and garlic chipati (which is similar to Indian naan).  I also had Tusker beer, which is the main beer produced in Kenya.  Good too.  It is only ~$1 at the IU House, really cheap and good.  Also, the elevation is making me get a buzz faster, so I only need 2 beers and I am done.

Tonight after we returned to the IU House, we played some more euchre and then headed out to a club called Spree in downtown Eldoret.  It was alot of fun!  There were many Kenyan men that were hitting on all of us girls.  They all want a Mzungu wife. Haha.  I also made my way to the bathroom, and right after I walked in, there were 2 Kenyan girls who saw me, grabbed me, and then said "oh, mzungu you need to be in our picture".  So I was in their picture.  In the bathroom, there were 2 holes in the ground and one toilet.  I always waited for the toilet.  We took a taxi home, and now I am writing this blog and chatting with Molly and MyNa....