Water, Water Everywhere – Kenya 2026, blog post #8

On our first Saturday in Kenya, we woke up at Anyoraa, the beautiful safari camp run by our friend, Izzo. Anyoraa means believe in the Maasai language, and it is our friend’s belief that we can all make a positive, lasting impact.

We slowly got moving that morning and had the usual breakfast of crepe-like pancakes, fried potatoes, and chai tea. Then we wandered out to the edge of the camp, where remarkable things were happening. 

Sometime before 2018 (when I first saw these filled water tanks), Izzo discovered a spring up the hillside from one of the other safari camps he had been taking volunteers to. He tapped into that spring, ran the water into these tanks, and provided clean water to the town’s people. And added more tanks.

It was his dream ever since then to build his own water bottling plant, to not only continue giving water away to the locals, but to sell it to the many safari camps in the area, offering employment to the women living there as well as generating income for his other projects.

The plant was only in its second day of operation when we wandered inside. The women were hard at work and happy to be productive. They run two shifts – one from 8 am to 5 pm, and the other starting at 6 pm and running until they are caught up on orders.

We thought it was a busy place when we were there on Saturday. But then we walked in the door Sunday morning . . .

The night shift had worked until 4 am and didn’t want to stop then, but they had run out of space for the filled bottles. One problem is that the building runs on solar power. During the day there is plenty of sunshine to keep on the lights and the industrial hair blowers used to shrink-wrap the labels and seal the caps, as well as wrap 24 bottles into a case. But at night, the batteries provide only enough power to keep the lights on inside and the filtration unit running.

So, while the women were in church that morning, we got to work. 

Using a gadget to print the lot number, date bottled, and expiration date on the labels.

Putting on the labels and cap seals, then shrinking them.

 Then putting 24 bottles together in a case. 

To really put the icing on the cake – or seal on the cap – I watched a young man load three cases on his motorcycle to deliver to one of the camps. Can’t get much more full circle than that. Even Izzo, the boss, got into it. 

Even Izzo, the boss, got into it. 

It was an amazing day.

Final Goodbye? Never

 

As I send this post out on the internet, it has been exactly one year since I started making phone calls early that Saturday morning to tell friends and loved ones that my beautiful daughter had taken her own life the night before.

          After the police had left our house, after midnight, Hubby and I called our son to let him know. Then we laid in bed, thinking that if we could just fall asleep, we would wake up to what we wanted – that it had all been a nightmare. Instead, I finally got up, grabbed a notepad and made a list of all the people we had to call once we thought they would be awake. (My Kenyan travel buddy was the first one, as I knew she’d be up early and she had gone to Kenya with Val twice over the years.)

          Am I done mourning? Have I even started? How am I coping today? And how will I cope for the rest of my life, not being able to read a new text from her, or call her up, or plan an adventure with her?

          It was probably the day after that first one, when my son and I decided we should return to Kenya this summer to spread her ashes.

          And so we did.

          In several places, thanks to our wonderful friends who live there and loved Val as much as the rest of us.

Other anniversaries? While I was there, I passed the twentieth anniversary of our first trip to Kenya. And the eleventh month anniversary of Val leaving us. And today is three weeks since we arrived back home.

I’m trying to fill the hole that is left in my heart. Not with things that aren’t Val, but with happy, better times with my daughter. She’ll always be with me, and I want that to be in a place in my heart that is full of laughter, and rescued dogs, and waterfalls, and Kenyan chapati, and children’s hands, and all sorts of love.

May God bless you today and every day. And thank you to everyone for your support and love over the past year.

For the Birds - Game Drive #3 – Kenya 2026, blog post #7

If you read to the end of Wednesday’s post, you may remember that I promised to share bird pictures today. I hope you aren’t disappointed. We saw sooo many different birds, but sadly, I don’t know the names of many of them. 

Several of my travel partners were big bird watchers, so as we saw our feathered friends, they were usually able to figure out what their names were. I am sure one of those friends will chime in if I got one of these names wrong.  

Egyptian Geese 

 

One Pelican

Many pelicans. 

Certainly some sort of Guineafowl, probably the helmeted one. 

African Fish Eagle 

Two African Spoonbill. Not sure who their little friend is between them is. 

Squacco Heron

African Sacred Ibis

Pied Kingfisher

Goliath Heron

Hamerkop, which translates to Hammer Head, which makes sense.

Superb Starling

Marabou Stork, seen at our safari camp next to the Mara. They are considered one of the five ugliest animals in Africa. Do you remember the others that I already shared on my blog? 

This Marabou was at the Masa Mara Game Park and here he is showing off just how ugly he can be. 

The Lilac-breasted Roller, Kenya's national bird. This is also the only picture which I borrowed from a friend. I took the exact same picture of this little guy, but I cannot find it among my 1,200 pictures! Thanks, Denise

Game Drive Number 2 – Kenya 2026, blog post #6

On Sunday’s post, I shared pictures from our late afternoon game drive at Amboseli National Park.

During the short two-hours we were there, we saw some remarkable herds of elephants, among other animals. Little did we know what was waiting for us the next day, when we would spend close to nine hours viewing a huge variety of birds and mammals.

And more wildebeest

More Thomson Gazelle

A big family of monkeys, picking bugs off each other

The hyena carrying some piece of food.

I don't know if he dropped his food to wash it or if he just wanted a drink. 

The king of the savanah, sleeping off his lunch

Which is why those zebra aren't worried about them.

"Pumba", the adorable warthog. 

Along with the hyena and wildebeest, the warthog is on the list of the five ugliest animals. I don't know why, I don't see it. 

The hippo with a little friend. 

Lots of zebras. They have such round butts. 

I'm pretty sure this is an Oryx

The Cape Buffalo, another one of the Big Five animals, along with the elephant and lion. Did  I get to see the other two? 

Also, because we saw sooo many birds, I might share them on Friday.