Africa Wins Again - and so the adventure begins.....

There is an expression in Africa, AWA, Africa Wins Again meaning that anything can happen even when you think you have the best laid plans. It seems that Africa's influence traveled many miles beyond its borders today as we headed for Kenya.

I started out with a wake up alarm at 3:45AM for my 7AM flight. Little did I realize how small Munich Airport is. I was more than two hours ahead. Not even the check-in counters or passport control were open! I found myself a nice cappuccino and settled in to wait. My flight to Heathrow was uneventful.

Brad and I planned to meet at a British Pub near our departing gate for our flight together to Nairobi. We had gone on line and paid extra to ensure that our seats were together. When I arrived at the terminal I checked that his flight had arrived. They said it had come in at 6:30AM. So I started looking for Brad in the British Pubs, then all the restaurants and finally in all the seating areas.

No Brad.

We had agreed to meet at the gate if we missed each other for breakfast so I sat down and got something to eat. Afterward I headed to the gate and still no sign of Brad! Well now I started to wonder what was going on so I went back up to the service desk to have him paged. I found out that the service person checked the wrong arriving flight - from BWI, not Dulles (BTW they have no arrival screens in this terminal). His flight was delayed and he had just landed but he WAS NOT going to make our flight!

He did not bring his computer or have an international cell phone and I began to wonder how I would tell him I was going on. They put a message on the computer but I wasn't sure he would get it so I texted and emailed him in hopes that he would find a place to check email.They rebooked him on the evening flight to Nairobi which means he will have flown two overnight flights in two days. I hope he gets some sleep!

Sure enough when I landed I got an email from him. He will arrive at 6:30AM with plenty of time for our flight to Mombasa. So there is no harm done and Africa Wins Again.

Photos: my cappuccino in Munich and my view of the African coast as we flew over.

Decisions, decisions....

I will be arriving in Nairobi on Feb 15th but the safari doesn't start until the 20th. That's because I am heading to Germany first for a Feldenkrais training with Mia Segal the 4 - 14th. Since I am going to be there early we decided Brad should join me, I wouldn't want to be lonely! The next question is what to do with 4 days in Kenya???

Last time we spent a couple of days in Nairobi so we don't really want to spend all of our time there again. I decided to asked Mary Robinson, long time traveler to Kenya and organizer of all my safaris, what to do. She came up with two suggestions: spend time near a salt lick or go to the beach. Beach?? Wow! Didn't know that was an option. We are definitely leaning towards the water!

In case you haven't noticed when I book a clinic I don't really check out where I am going. I just show up. That's how I wound up in Finland - I was heading to Holland and they asked me to give a clinic outside of Helsinki. Needless to say I didn't look at a map to learn that Finland is well north and east! I found out soon enough when the time zone changed on the flight. That changed my perspective on where I was going.

So why would a trip to Africa be any different? You know, book a ticket to the recommended airport and show up. Get in a vehicle and sleep (well not on Kenyan roads) and you are there. Of course I wouldn't even think that Kenya has beaches since last time we climbed up the rim of the Rift Valley, to the Masai Mara, over 5000 ft. When I think of Kenya I think of lions, giraffes, hippos, Thompson's gazelles and Maasi warriors. But it seems there are also beaches, sand, palm trees and fresh fish.

Brad really likes the idea of laying back in a lovely little place called Samawati near Lamu. The advertising says 'Lamu is such a totally laid-back place that your natural instinct is to do nothing at all'. Sounds like a plan to me.

Let's hope they aren't booked.....

Kenya Embassy - Round 1

My departure date is fast approaching... Feb 2nd to be exact. I am heading off to Germany for Feldenkrais Training then on to Kenya for Horseback Safari. This means that I have to get everything organized for both trips. Packing is going to be so much fun!

Finally booked my flight. Now have to get a visa to enter Kenya. First step, go to website and find out they have changed the system since last time. Next, fill out on-line application and fight with date boxes that want to blow out the web page. Decide I had better expedite visa as website says it will take 14 days - not good because I have to leave my passport WITH them while they process my visa.

Call Embassy and make sure I can make out one money order for both processing fee $25.00 and expediting fee $20.00 for a total of $45.00. Tell woman I am going to DRIVE my visa application to the Embassy today so I can get passport back sooner. No problem. Next print visa application and sign. Now get a money order and return paid envelope. Sooo...

Off to the Post Office for money order and Express Mail Overnight Delivery prepaid envelope. Hummm..... don't think I have ever purchased a money order before. OK got that sorted out. Now envelope... Put my address as both sender and receiver, that way if it gets returned it will still come to me. Write down tracking number as I can't remove the senders sheet since I am not actually sending it to myself. With the help of very nice Postmistress that is all sorted out.

Next off to Washington DC to deliver passport, application, flight details (which I had already printed out), money order and postage paid return envelope to the Kenya Embassy on "R" Street near DuPont Circle. Traffic not too bad, Googled directions and sent to my iPhone so I could find the place, parked in the driveway of the Embassy - yes you can drive right up -no security guards or streets blocked off, got out of the car and.....

Read the sign on the wall outside the Embassy:

Visa Office Hours 9:30am - 1:30pm.

Time now 3:00pm. To be sure looked up the Kenya Embassy website on iPhone and called. Yes, hours are 9:30pm to 1:30pm. Would have been nice if the woman I spoke to on phone this morning told me that when I said I was going to DRIVE to the Embassy to deliver my paperwork....

Got in car, drove through Georgetown to get out of city. Wondered to self why the only way I know how to get out of DC is to drive through Georgetown. No answer. Crossed bridge into Virginia, got on Route 66 West. Sat in traffic until past the beltway. Stopped at Wholefoods (where Emeril does his shows) to pick up a few things. Drove home.

Tomorrow drive to DC to the Kenya Embassy.....

Note to self: Get there before 1:30pm.