I’ve made it a quarter of the way through my trip as of today. It’s hard to believe that so much has happened since my one month review.

Here are some trip highlights from month two:

1. Running the Dead Sea Marathon. It was the toughest run of my life with the first 15 miles being downhill, leaving the remaining 11 miles to be run with throbbing quad muscles.  I was also recovering from food poisoning, so after 20 miles, I had to walk some of it. By the time I made it to the end, I was just happy to have finished!
2. Having an overnight layover in Qatar, which meant that Qatar Airways paid for my transportation to and accommodation in a 5 star hotel. Amazing!
3. Reconnecting with old friends in Kenya.
4. Spending time with some really great kids at an orphanage in Kenya.

My favorite travel purchases I made for this trip:

1. North Face Paramount Peak Convertible pants: These are miracle pants. They dry quickly and are the easiest thing to hand-wash. I can get out red clay and grass stains with little effort (and I’ve had to do it multiple times now). The fabric must have some magic ingredient in them. They also can be pants, capris, or shorts. A great item to pack when you have limited space.
2. eBags Packing Cubes: If you read just how terrible of a packer I am, you’d never know it now that I have these bags. They aren’t necessarily a space-saver but they keep me organized and are much easier to pull out of a backpack when digging for something. I absolutely love them!
3. Gregory Deva 60 Backpack: Smaller than the last pack I traveled with, it has lots of handy compartments and utilizable space. With its different size options, I was able to get a backpack that properly fitted- finally. Since I walk quite a distance with my pack on, it was worth the investment.

Some Blog Housekeeping:

1. I’ve run 2 marathons on my trip so far, and my next race is May 23: the International Peace Half-Marathon in Rwanda.
2. I’m currently raising funds on my Sole Purpose page for my first micro-lending project. Make sure you check it out!
3. And lastly, do you remember when I bragged about usually having a room with a view? Well, my friends, my current view isn’t quite as spectacular. This little guy below, along with 21 of his friends, is what I wake up to every morning. They like to wake me up before 6:30, as they are squealing for feeding time. Although I really can’t stand the pigs and their smell, on rare occasions I think they’re kind of entertaining…