First day in Oloika

Sopa!

Today we left Masai Lodge around 10 o’clock and stopped in Karen to run some last minute errands and get coffee.  After that, we started on our journey down into the Great Rift Valley.  Even though us two and Marianna have seen it before, the view was still breathtaking.  The road was bumpy which some people liked and some people didn’t.  After about 3 hours of driving, we made it to Lake Lipati in Magadi for a lunch break next to the flamingoes and salt.  Magadi is the largest baking soda producer in the area. 

After lunch, we had a little adventure.  As we headed on the final leg of our drive, we became stuck in the sand.  After a few tries, Shani and Brandt decided that we should all get off the bus and push.  It took a few tries with the bus moving forward a few inches and then rocking back, but on the last try, everyone pushed and we got the bus rolling.  It was our first team effort and the highlight of the day for a lot of people.  It bodes well for our future projects. 

 

Soon afterwards we drove into town.  It felt great for the two of us to be back and to see the camp with some big changes both good and bad.  The first thing we noticed was that the giant pavilion we normally eat under had collapsed due to heavy storms during the rainy season.  On the other hand, the camp had expanded.  There are at least twice the number of tents and showers than the last time we were here.

We spent a little down time unpacking in our tents before heading into town to see the school and future library site.  It was awesome to see the dining hall, our previous project, completed and being used.  In addition, the cistern that had barely been dug before our arrival two years ago was now finished and full of water.  We also saw the foundation of the new library which was conveniently located underneath some trees and near the water tank.  One of the best parts of the visit was seeing some old friends at the school.  It was striking to see how some of them had grown up especially Moses, one of our favorites from the last trip.

We walked back from the school and had a rest before dinner.  One of the best parts of using this safari company is definitely the food.  We had pumpkin soup and fresh bread rolls followed by beef goulash, rice, carrots, and broccoli.  It was delicious. Immediately after dinner, we reflected on why we are here underneath the stars.

We are looking forward to starting on the worksite tomorrow.  It should be a lot of fun.  We can’t wait!

-Charlotte and Eddie