Gifts from Colombia

It has been 2.5 months since we left Bogota, Colombia.

The shooting club, Club Cazadores, gave us two gifts to 

remember our time with them and our time in Colombia.

We couldn't have received better gifts.

I had been searching for a perfect mochila for 4 years. 

None ever really "spoke" to me. 

Well, one did, but it was when we first arrived and it was pink. 

Never found another one like it.

I had decided that I would not settle on just any one, 

so I never purchased one. 

My gift from the members/friends of the club? 

A delightful ORANGE mochila. 

I love it!

Eric received his gift and it couldn't have been more perfect. 

We had been saying that we needed a hamaca (hammock) 

but never got around to really shopping for one. 

And sure enough, there it was waiting for us. 

We are haven't moved into our new home, but we do have the hamaca in use!

We reminisce the fun times we had with all our friends.

Just like an old favorite song states:

 "But all you get to keep are the memories. 

You gotta make the good ones last."

Cheers to all our friends, all over the world. 

An Elephant Never Forgets

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust: A Haven for Elephants and Rhinos.

What a wonderful foundation for baby elephants & rhinos that are orphaned because of poachers and man made environmental issues. Daphne Sheldrick created the foundation in 1977 in honor of her husband David. 


"To a baby elephant, the family is all important,' Daphne explained. 'The babies are always severely traumatized on arrival, having witnessed the violent massacre of their elephant family at the hands of poachers or in human conflict situations, or having been separated from the herd during the panic of a stampede. Some grieve so painfully for their lost family that they give up the will to live. Others can be nurtured into a new life only if they can be convinced that there is a loving new family for them.'


The youngest elephants are covered with blankets (tied on with belts meade of pantyhose) so that they won't catch pneumonia, which is the greatest danger for a young elephant deprived of the body heat and sheltering of its mother. There are no early signs of pneumonia for an elephant who can not sneer or cough. It is only until the mucus starts streaming from their trunks that they know they are in danger. And then they will only have 2 hours to fight the sickness. Not very much time at all.





There are caretakers for each elephant. They are with them all day and sleep in their stables at night. The caretakers rotate so the elephants do not become too attached to one person. Affection and touch, are critical to replicate herd life if the elephants are to grow up to be well-balanced members of a wild herd.


Yes, after their rehab, the elephants are taken to the Sheldrick Trust Center in Tsavo National Park. There they are introduced to wild elephants. At night they are in a large stockade which protects them from predators at night. Every day they are released from the stockage and at some point they will decide not to return at night. 

It is not a cliche that an elephant never forgets. 'They form strong bonds that last throughout their lives,' states Daphane, 'Eleanor was one of our first orphans. Shortly after she was born in 1958, her mother was killed by poachers in Samburu National Reserve. She is now the matriarch of a Tsavo herd, yet when one of our old keepers went to the park two years ago she rushed up to greet him without a mount's hesitation. It was 37 years since she had last seen him!'


We were also told that in recent visits, some elephants have shown their caves to the caretakers in Tsavo. Quite remarkable, that these orphans have been reintroduced to the herds and now are showing their babies to the caretakers. {sniff}


I have recently downloaded Daphane's latest book An African Love Story: Love, Life and Elephants. I am looking forward to learning more about this wonderful woman. 


I hope you will enjoy the photos of our visit. 


If you'd like more information on the foundation, please visit http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/orphans.asp


If you are interested in adopting/fostering an elephant or a rhino, please visit http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/fostering.asp

The youngest must be hand fed, because they have not mastered control of their trunks.

Here is a baby, who really wanted some water.

But didn't know how, so it kept splashing the water.

Finally the caretaker came over and hand fed it some water.

Clearly in control of it's truck.

When the group of the youngest elephants were leaving, this one, did not want to go. It was squealing just like a little child who didn't want to leave a party. Finally the caretakers were able to make it lead the others out. It eventually decided it was ok and started running. So incredibly cute.

Can't forget about the rhinos!

Little Bit of Nairobi

I found this video on CNN International. It has many interesting points.

1. We have been thru the roundabout at the start of the video.

2. There are at least 4 roundabouts going thru the city. At every access point, there are 2 police directing traffic. They only allow 1 or 2 access points to use the roundabout at a time. So the other sides must wait. This is one of the reasons the traffic is very congested here.

3. The Storks. Man, they are not kidding when they say the wingspan
is 10ft. They are huge!

4. The Nairobi National Park is the one we went to on Day 2.
It is 117 sq km. In sq acres = 28,911.

I hope you have about 10 minutes to watch the video. It will give you a feeling of what the park is like and some of the street scenes.

Click on the picture below, it should open the link to the video.

This photo is part of the statue dedicated to 

the Ivory Burning Ban ceremony.

Well, we made it to our new home city & country.

Let's say it together: 

Nairobi * Kenya.

Malley, our 10yr black lab, arrived a few nights ago. 

My friend, Jovita, has a new thing started. 

[She gets me started on all her new things.]

She calls it

So I thought the timing was perfect. I've had quite a week.

Here you go!

I'm gonna go back a couple days, so this week will be 1 week + a few days.

Tues, May 29th

Depart Bogota 11pm 

Weds, May 30th

Arrive JFK 6am

Find a locker to store all of our 6 pieces of luggage + 4 carry-on bags. 

It was a slight nightmare. 

But we settled on it and the price. 

Grabbed a cab to Rockefeller Center.

Waved to Matt Lauer, Al and Ann on the TODAY Show.

Had a great latte and pastry while we watched Giada create something with ice cream.

Next we headed to the Beretta Gallery. Wow What a great place. 

If you are a shooter, it should be on your must see when in NYC list.

One the way back, we passed an Italian restaurant. My eyes rolled back into my head. It smelled so good. I looked at Eric and he said "maybe we should try a slice of pizza". Done. 

Went inside and indulged. It was just okay. 

After all, we have our lifetime favorites, so the bar is set very high.

(Chi Chi's Pizza & Hoagies, Anielllo's Pizzeria and Lombardo's Pizza)

But we were still on a mission to eat at Shake Shack in Madison Square Park.

Thanks to the Palacios family for suggesting it. 

You wouldn't believe the line!

After lots of walking and snacking, we headed back to JFK to get our next flight.

Checked all our bags at the KLM counter. 

Headed to the lounge, great lounge...some other airlines should take note.

I should mention, we flew on a 777-300 in business class. 

The best flight of my life.

The seats recline so you are horizontal. 

The best flight of my life.

Thursday, May 31th

Landed in Amsterdam. 

Another trip and I will leave the airport.

Eric promised.

Next up: 747 again in business class. 

I've flown in a 747 years ago. 

This time we sat UPSTAIRS! 

We must have been so tired. I don't remember most of the trip.

Touched down in Nairobi after 6:30pm. It was already dark outside.

Traveled to The Tribe Hotel. North of Nairobi city center.

Friday, June 1st

Early pickup 7:30am

Headed to Nairobi National Park

7 km from the city. ( less than 5 miles)

Size of park: 117 sq km (huge)

Like our ride?

And here is one the animals we saw. 

Loving the telephoto on our new camera.

I promise I will have another blog entry just on this close-by safari.

{I like this picture because it was how our old dog, Grady, looked at me all the time.}

Saturday, June 2nd

We changed rooms in the hotel. 

Thankfully we were given a bigger room.

Cuz, how could we live w/6 suitcases and a little closet?

We relaxed all day.

I think.

Let's just call it a lost day.

Sunday, June 3rd

Met with our new friend Amy. 

We met her on the Nairobi Facebook page. 

What a wealth of information she is.

Not only has she helped us find a kennel for Malley while we are in the hotel, 

she has the "in" with the dog food importers. And she has introduced us to great friends as well. 

We went to look at a lovely housing compound that she has lived in and still is friendly with the landlords. If only there was a house available for us.  

Had a great time looking at the land and the houses with the owner, Paul.

Crossing my fingers, someone will move out in the next 2 months!

Monday, June 4th

Went driving today. Learning the different neighborhoods.

Joined the Kenya Quilt Guild.

Checked out the ice rink for Eric at a local hotel.

He is excited. And will start skating and playing hockey again.

Lunched at a hotel restaurant that boarders the National Park. 

Ate lunch while watching 6 giraffes in the distance. Pretty sweet.

Tuesday, June 5th

We received notice that the relocations company will not help us until we have a real housing budget. 

We will need something much higher that the $800/month we were given.

Laughable. 

If only we could laugh. 

Someday we will.

For now, we sit and wait.

To kill the pain, Eric went ice skating.

Weds, June 6th

Quick decision.

We are going to the Giraffe Centre!

Okay, this is not me. 

It was a German lady who was at the Giraffe Centre the same time. 

The guide suggested we have the giraffe "kiss" us. 

It was more like a French kiss.

Oh my. 

I didn't do it. 

And Eric didn't do it either.

We'll leave it at that.

We lunched at Karen Blixen Coffee Garden.

If you don't know the name but it sounds familiar, think Out of Africa.

It was a real story, not just Hollywood.

{Thinking this deserves its own blog entry.}

And to round out the day, Eric plays pickup hockey!

I do some work on my Dots! project.

{Dots! will be another blog post.}

Thursday, June 7th

Spent the day with Amy.

And met some new friends. Val, Sammy and Graham

Looked at 3 available houses.

Very nice houses. 

One in particular called my name.

But without real $, I can not get my hopes up on anything.

Friday, June 8th

Eric visits the office. 

I walk around Village Market and start this new blog.

Saturday, June 9th

Visit Malley in doggy jail!

{photo in another blog posting}

So there you have it. Our first days in Kenya.

I still can't believe this girl from Rocky River, Ohio has landed in Africa.

Who would have thought?

Thanks for reading this long week + . 

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As they say here: Jambo!!

{Hello!!}