Tuk tuk travels

I've gone on a few trips by tuk tuk this week, visiting colonial-type places and doing touristy things.

In the back of the tuk tuk.

Enjoying morning coffee in the shade of old tall trees. 

Chai time. 

Nanyuki

A few snaps of this week in Nanyuki:

My hosts, the Swanepoels.

Nine puppies...a few may have escaped?

Nibbling my sandles and toes

A couple of cuties

Mount Kenya

There are pineapple plantations around Nanyuki, which I think is quite exciting, and this Del Monte shop, which is not!!

Back in Korr

Last Monday I travelled up to Korr. It was so good to be back there: catching up with old friends and aquaintances; staying with AIM missionaries Jim and Laura; enjoying the heat and sunshine; drinking lots of chai; and hearing how the church is sharing the gospel with the Rendille community. It was almost like going home - I didn't get lost, did lots of reminiscing and I remembered most of the Rendille language I picked up before. Not all that much has changed. Only now there is mobile phone network and a daily bus service. I only took a few photos this time, but you can get a flavour of my time there. 

Previously I mostly travelled by plane. However, the road and public transport have improved over the last three years so this time I went by road which was quite an adventure and I'm so glad to have done it. This is part of the main road from Nairobi to the Ethiopian border that was not tarmacked back in 2013. I hired a driver to Logologo, the nearest point to Korr on the main road, and then got the bus for the final hour and a half off-road to Korr. 

This is me with Grace, a shop owner in Logologo who I spent most of Monday afternoon with waiting for the bus. She runs a little shop that sells what most little shops sell - soda, tea leaves, seasoning - as well as petrol for bikes from 1 litre water bottles, charcoal and kerosene in brandy bottles. Grace invited me to eat lunch with her - very Kenyan goat stew, ugali and sukuma wiki. I'm grateful for her kindness and hospitality that day. 

Morning devotions at Tirrim Secondary School led by Joshua Ndoto.

A beautiful sunrise in Korr, that followed a very starry night. The sky was just as big as I remember it. Mostly cloudless, sunrise and sunset around 6am and pm all year round, with the sun hot and high in the sky in between times. 

This is Chulayo, one of TSS's promising Form 2 students. His pink shirt indicates that he is a prefect. I got to teach Chulayo and his class one lesson on Thursday: a Bible class on Genesis 2, marriage and the creation of Eve. 

Mama Jane is school matron, looking after the students who stay at school. I went round for chai and a pray. She gave me some beaded earrings and a necklace that she'd made. Years ago she moved from Logologo to help with the church in Korr. She loves Jesus and telling Rendille people about him! 

Afternoon volleyball on the school field.

I taught Catherine (left) and Somo (right) back in 2013. It was good to see them again!

Desert Trails - the bus I took from Korr to Logologo early Friday morning. It's a bumpy ride on sandy roads, crossing dried-up river beds and stopping as camel herds pass. From the main road I got a bus all the way to Nanyuki where I am now. It was a journey that I was rather anxious about as some of the connections were potentially risky for a  female travelling alone. But there was lots of prayer and Pastor David ensured there was someone on the bus who was going in the same direction to keep an eye on me. A Tirrim Secondary School teacher also travelled part of the way. In the end, the journey couldn't have worked out better. I'm very grateful to God for answered prayer and safe journeys!

Mayfield

I'm staying at Mayfield Guest House at either end of my trip, where I stayed in Nairobi before. Many missionaries stay here when passing through. It is so true that you get to meet amazing folks and get to hear their stories. So far I've met Stanley, the big brother of Laura who I'll stay with in Korr; Joy and Martin whose recent adventures with the Samburu up in the north I've been praying for; and Ellen, who knows many of the same people I know because she used to work with Rendille! I already have lots of greetings to carry!

Miss Jackson in Kenya, again

My first time time back to Kenya since I left in August 2013

First blog post since then

First time seeing Loki Swanepoel and the children since Feb 2013 (I saw Grant a couple of years ago when he came to UK for his sister's wedding)

First EVER term-time holiday, I think!!

I'm heading back to Kenya for two weeks. Nairobi, Nanyuki, Korr...

I just a little bit excited!!