Adapting

This morning while I was walking to work, I casually passed a herd of cattle and greeted the owners with a quick 'Habari Zenu!' (How are all of you!). And suddenly, for the first time, it occurred to me that I was not fazed by this at all. In the past 3.5 months, I have somehow completely adapted to living here. Things that I used to stare at in amazement, I now pass without a glance. I suppose it's an important protective mechanism so that we can go about our days without reacting to every single thing we encounter. However, I kind of think it's sad that we can adapt to environments so different from our own in such a short period of time, and lose that incredible rush of experiencing something unique for the first time.

So the following is a list (with some pictures!) of interesting things that I see on a daily basis that I need to try to remind myself to take the time to look at more since they are not 'normal' in the US:

1) herds of cattle walking on the side of the road











2) People carrying chickens upside down under their arms through town. (Did you know that if you put a chicken upside down they will not flap their wings?? I thought this was a fun fact...)

3) Women carrying large items on their heads












4) Turkeys tied up to a can of cement in the hospital yard while people visit their loved ones (Perhaps Kenyans would find it interesting that we leave our dogs tied up outside stores?)

5) People riding on top of cars...I guess any ride is better than no ride?

Mt. Elgon

Mt. Elgon is the second highest mountain in Kenya, and it sits on the border of the Kenya/Uganda border. It is only about a 2.5 hour drive from Eldoret so it was a perfect weekend trip.

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We left Saturday morning and arrived at the campsite around lunch time. We were greeted by some water bucks and zebras...










After some delicious homemade tuna sandwiches, we went to explore two famous caves in the national park.
First stop was Kitum cave, a favorite spot for elephants who often come to the cave to lick the salts from the walls. Also, for those of you who have read The Hot Zone by Richard Preston, a true story about two visitors who went to a cave in Kenya in the 1980s and died shortly after from Ebola virus...this is the cave! The outbreaks led to an extensive US military investigation to find the vector, but after sampling many animals in the cave, the virus was never found!












Makingeny Cave












We went to bed early after enjoying chili and smores by the campfire. On Sunday morning, we drove up the mountain to the Koitobus peak trail.












The hike took about 6.5 hours roundtrip, but it was well worth it.
We were led by our armed guard to protect us from any leopards or Ugandan rebels (although I think it's just a great way for the park to make more money since there have not been any reported problems in years...).












The start of the hike...












As we climbed, the landscape began to look as if we had stepped onto another planet!












The climb to the peak was steep and cold, but well worth it once we got to the top. (The top of the peak in the background was our final destination!)
























The group at 13,248 ft












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