Africa, Sept 6-7th, 2011




Roadside market for fruit & trees

 

Counting money & having tea



Here we go, leave Omaha at 1:15 pm and arrive in Nairobi 10:25 pm the next day Sept 7, 2011, which is 26 approx hours later. We stay at the Methodist guest house overnight and get ready to start our adventure in the morning. Our trip was Omaha to Chicago and then to Brussels, Belgium. Small layover and on to Africa. Wednesday morning we are met by William the Bishop of Meru area churches and Arnold a retired banker. It takes 2 vehicles as we have 350 lbs (one bag didn't make it) and our persoal luggage for the four of us. The main road out is under construction and what a sight. We go around the work and back in alot, but that's not the interesting part. Every kind of vendor is along side of the road and I mean along the side. Not only are there workers and equipment but people are crossing at will. They lay out their wares in the dirt and sell. We could buy jeans to toliet paper. Lots of fruit and more. Roads are terrible and people everywhere. No cell phone service for me but locals all have service. No internet yet either. Driving would be impossible for us-- they honk and plow ahead. Drive on left, dodge others, honk and turn. How could I guess it gets worse, I see a man in the netting above a truck full of goats enjoying a ride and a public bus full of people with chickens in crates above. And it's stuffed full....people and chickens. But it beats walking. Takes approx 4-5 hours to get to Meru. We stop to buy some fruit, trees, a drink and straight to the bank for money exchange. That is different too, as we sit and have tea while they are counting money right in front of us. On to our quarters for our 14 day stay.
More to come!