Recently, I returned home from a two-week trip to Kenya and Rwanda. I went primarily for Amsha (new designs coming!), as well as for Stahili, and squeezed in time with friends and a tiny bit of sightseeing. Trying to sift through photos and organize my thoughts, I realized it’s kind of crazy how much I managed to do in just two weeks. For example, I was only in Rwanda for 3 days, and yet I traversed the country, visiting the capital, the lake to the west, and a city down south. In Kenya, I averaged about 4 hours of sleep each night, because there was simply so much to be done.

I have a few posts coming up on more in-depth happenings from my trip, but I thought I’d open with a quick intro of what it’s like to travel in Kenya. A few days after arriving, I sent this message to a friend:

Yesterday I traveled back to Nairobi from up north via minibus. As we are driving down the highway, the trunk pops open and my bag goes tumbling down the highway. As if the driver didn’t think twice about the fact that maybe the latch is broken, he shoves it back in. 30 minutes later, we come to a sharp halt on the shoulder and I turn around to see my bag laying in the highway once again and cars veering to miss it. Ah, the joys of travel in Kenya.

Even though Kenya and Rwanda fall under the umbrella of East Africa, they couldn’t be more different. While Rwanda is organized, orderly, safe, and clean, Kenya is virtually its opposite. The streets of Nairobi are insanely crowded, petty theft is rampant, and public transportation is a death trap. I usually try to laugh things off when things go wrong in Kenya, because otherwise, I just find myself frustrated and defeated. And to be honest, Kenya frustrates the hell out of me. But as you will soon read, I cannot keep myself away. I have so much love for people there and for Kenya’s stunning beauty, that I’ve learned to shake my head and not dwell on the difficulties. After all, where else are you going to find baby elephants that are this cute??