April 29th (Giraffes!)- Nairobi, Kenya

Heidi decided it was necessary for me to see the giraffes! So, off we went to find giraffes. We drove a bit out into an area called Karen. For those of you who have seen Out of Africa, Karen Blixen is the lady who who owned the farm in Africa. So, in Kenya there is an area named after her. My mom would LOVE this. (I've already told her about it)
The farther we drive the less busy it is and there are fewer people around. But the trees, fields and cows on the sides of the roads are entertaining to watch. We arrive at the Giraffe National Park and there is a hotel there where people can stay the night and in the morning while they're eating breakfast, the giraffes walk up to the windows and stick their heads in and eat right along with you. Heidi says she really wants to do this sometime, but her husband Keith says there's much better things to do with their money. lol very practical/reasonable of you Keith.
Well this trip soon changes it's pace as I walk up to this hut- like area where I assume you can see giraffes from. A man greets me and Heidi tells him I'd like to feed the giraffes. He starts chuckling and says something to her in Swahili and she giggles back and says "Ya, ya very good"... i'm thinking um, hi what was that? He grabs my hands and dumps enormous sized rabbit food pellets into them. I turn around and there's a HUGE giraffe, and the face of the giraffe like oh maybe 2 inches from my face!! AH!! I'm kinda scared but it's so fun at the same time.. they'd never let you do this in Amercia. and I love animals so I immediately start talking to it..hahaha and the guy thinks that's hillarious and he says, "oh, you know her?" i'm like no.. just saying hi. Next he starts feeding her, while telling me that, " he has something very important to show me that he never shows others (i'm thinking.. oh, right i believe that-not) I will show you how to kiss a giraffe!" Heidi is loving all of this by the way and is taking pictures while he forces me to hug and pet the giraffe..next he says, "ok, put food in your mouth"...Uh..no thank you?? hahaha you want me to what???! (they have huge, long, BLUE tongues-incase you were wondering) But finally I'm like oh what the heck, it's just a giraffe. I put the food in between my lips and we lean forward and Daisey (the giraffes name) licks my face taking the food with her!!! AHHHH!! okay.. it wasn't that bad. I had fun! I just kissed a giraffe! hahaha weird!
The giraffes are really Beautiful animals! And very gentle.. there were also two babies there that i got to feed too! oh and a few warthogs.. It's sad because there are only a few hundred giraffes left and place like this breeds them trying to keep them from extinction. :(
Anyways, that was fun! On our drive back Heidi told me you can stop and see Karen's house and stuff and we agreed that my mom's obsession with her was enough reason to stop. It's a beautiful house! we didn't go in, but I took lots of pictures for my mom! (would have been fun to have you there to see it in person mom!)
We picked Heidi's kids up from school and hung out.. enjoyed the weather and threw the ball for Duma (one of their dogs). AFter dinner, I went for a run. I have to say, I didn't want to stop. (which is rare for me) but the sun was going down so I headed in..
I'll tell more later

April 28th- Nairobi, Kenya

Hello to everyone who unfortunately is going to read this blog. I should tell you in advance that I am an aweful speller and I'm not writing an essay for school, so don't expect any fancy grammar. Sorry. And I like to go on tangents and sometimes I lose what I was saying but hopefully what I write will make enough sense. But, I guess I should start telling you all about my trip to Africa so far..
I finally left Oregon, after waiting a week and a half because that silly volcano in Iceland decided to erupt. But, I can't complain too much because I got to fly first class because the airline messed up so much of flight stuff.. boring. But, first class was fabulous!! The first thing they did when I sat down was offer me champaigne (sp? i know there's a 'g' in there somewhere-which, by the way is completely ridiculous in my opinion. where do you hear a 'g' in champain???) ...see terrible spelling! whatever. back to firstclass a.k.a royalty class- they literally won't leave you alone! kinda got annoying to be honest. There was like a four course meal, cheesecake, ice cream sundays :) la la laa, movies, games, fully-reclining seats, empty seat next to me :) ( so that means no stinky men to endure for a ridiculous 21 hr travel), and anything I could think of. I watched Crazy Heart-which everyone should see by the way and half way through I got up and asked if they had any snacks.. haha I made the right move here.. one of the attendants told me they would bring me something.. so I said great! and headed back to my seat.. and then a king sized bag of peanut m&ms appeared on my lab :].... excellent!!
Ok.. enough of dumb flying details. I land in Nairobi. I walk off the plane and first notice the smell of Africa.. which I can't really seem to explain.. then the sticky air.. then the old, worn-down airport around me.. then the people who stare at me so I smile back.. then i realize I'm like one of maybe, maybe 3 white people in the entire airport. Which I think is so cool!! I love all the different cultures! I'm so sick of seeing boring white people! haha sorry if any of you take that personally. Meanwhile, I'm making my way to customs to get my Visa. Hah! Now this is fun.. we all stand in line for a good 30 min- with little movement and then a lady comes over the loud speaker and says, "we apologize, our system seems to be running a bit slow, please bear with us." haha oh goody.. but I don't really mind.. I set my things down and starts moving me legs, cracking my neck, popping my hips, etc. (many of you have seen me do this) And I look up and I have everyone's FULL attention! haha and I just laughed and decided here was not the place. After waiting about an hour I made it to the desk. Now, here I have my first encounter with a Kenyan. So fun! She tells me there's a fee. I'm like ok, how much? she says something and i'm like ok.. i don't know how to give you that? hahaha and gave a shy smile.. she looked at me and said, "ok i help you. i hope you have someone teach you because others wont be honest like me." whoopsy... haha she was nice. and i asked Heidi later and she said the lady really was honest. sorry- my dad is probably having a fit reading this.. Hi dad!
Anyways- she stamps my passport and says, "Welcome to Kenya they will love you here." I get my bags and head to where my driver is supposed to be picking me up. Heidi informs me in a previous email that he will be holding a sign with some green on it and my name.--easy enough right? I walk through the doors and literally a good 100+ drivers are holding signs.. Oooo.KKkk.. let me just find the sign with my name on it. Well, I found him and away we went.. And I didn't know my life was completely in the hnads of a stranger as we pulled out of the airport.
Let me try and paint you a picture.. Wrong side of the road, Not a single traffic light (NOT ONE), and most importantly-NO RULES!! ok go!! hahaha I thought I was going to die several times, but we somehow didn't. He drives me to an area he tells me is called Lavington and says this is a very rich neighbor hood, you like it here, good for you, very safe. Hahaha I'm like ya..if I get there. We pull up to a gate and a man opens it and we drive through. He tells me that this neighnborhood is surrounded by a wall and is gaurded 24hr and each driveway and house is surrounded by a wall and steal gate.. well we pull into a driveway after waiting to be let through and he says ok we're here. so I get out and walk to the door. Two people walk up and I say, "You're not Heidi Wright??" kind of wondering if maybe Heidi has guests? No.. it was not Heidi Wright. My driver absolutely took me to the wrong house. hahaha and at this point I'm cracking up and I apologize and tell them I just got here and have no idea where I am..Long story short, I make it! Heidi laughs at the apparently Outrageous tip I give the driver.. I thought it seems right. Again, Sorry Daddy.. and I head to bed.
Heidi takes me to town the next day to get a phone and Malaria meds and other necessary items. Meanwhile, I'm slowly starting to take in all of Nairobi around me. People are everywhere, little shops/huts, kids, goats, and lots of colors! it's all very busy. I spend time with her and her family the first day which is great! they are all so cute and fun! Love the Wright family! Heidi is already very special to me and I felt at home right away.
The following day, Heidi took me to the slums or Kawangware. She tells me that this slum. where millions of Kenyans live is not even on the map of Kenya. It is a big blank spot. So basically, it doesn't exist to the government. I'm like.. Uh what do you mean it's not on the map? But, we're off to help a group of ladies that Heidi and her friend Ruth have helped start a business making paper beads which they then make necklaces and braclets out of to sell. All these women have aids and near to nothing. We are driven into the slum by Ruth's driver. As we "drive" through (the roads are so bad i wouldn't really call them roads) little kids who see us through the car window yell, "Mazungu! Mazungu! Mazungu!!" (white person) and run after our car. Everywhere you look there is garbage and sewer and people sitting in the garbage and shit and little kids running around with no shoes on through all of this.. I don't even know how to describe this place. And to be honest I would rather not. But- this really changed me. Right then and there. I could almost feel it.. and as you look around everyone, i mean everyone smiles at you. and i wanted sit down and cry. i felt dirty, like the skin on me wasn't mine and my clothes didn't fit.. i felt disgusting walking through there. and i don't know all the reasons why. not that i was disgusted in them, but that i was disgusted that we have let millions of people live like this. how have we done that to one another. but, i'm not exactly ready to talk about it either... but i tried.
I have lots more to tell... i'll try and post another soon.