Arrival in Kenya

We arrived very late on Friday evening, tired but excited to get going on all of our plans. Lois and Faraj met us and our mounds of luggage at the airport, and somehow Faraj managed to jigsaw our giant duffel bags and travel weary bodies into the van. 

Entering the grounds of African International University and seeing Kijiji House felt like coming home! Gabi and Linda worked long into the night unpacking the duffels of supplies in a very cramped space kindly provided to us at Kijiji. Micheline and Sheree succumbed to jet lag and hit their pillows. 

Our Saturday was spent getting reacquainted with old friends: Paul, Kijiji’s chef, Ivy who oversees the house, Elias, our very helpful business advisor, our second driver, Barkat (Kamal’s son who we’ve watched grow up), and Lois’s husband, Mark, who was back to teach at the university. Of course, we met and exchanged greetings with many other students, staff, and workers because that is just what’s done. One would never walk past a stranger here on campus without a smile and hello. 

After breakfast, Faraj arrived to take us to a local shopping area where we visited picked up personal items we couldn’t fit in our luggage and other necessary items, including a blow dryer, lest we wazungu frighten the kids with our crazy hair. 

A nice lunch - the samosas here are fabulous - topped our travels and we returned to sort and repackage Superior Shields, hundreds of pairs of underwear for children and women, gloves, toques, warm clothing, socks, souvenir pins, and even refurbished laptops. 

The day ended with a planning meeting and dinner at Kijiji, followed by yet another packing party. It’s been a busy and productive start for the Tumaini Travellers. Tomorrow will be a day of rest, then Monday the real excitement begins.