I think we were all intentionally dragging our feet a bit this morning. It was hard to leave such a magical place after having been here for only three days. There’s an urgency about the fight for survival that is apparent at every turn in this vast natural wonderland that makes you feel strangely calm. It’s simple. It’s beautiful. And it’s the way the world was intended to be.
The silver lining on the cloud that was our departure from the Mara is the fact that in a few short hours, we would be in the loving arms of the Lewa Children’s Home – a place with a different definition of the word “calm” but with an undeniable beauty all its own.
Another plus about today’s adventure was the promise of the opportunity to see a vast stretch of the Kenyan countryside during our drive from the Maasai Mara to Eldoret. In total, this trip took around eight hours, but was broken up by stops at a few artisan workshops and the famous colonial Kericho Tea Hotel.
The roads didn’t improve until an hour or two into our drive, and by the time we hit the tarmac highway, we had all had enough of our complimentary African massages. Who needs the spa when you’ve got gravel and potholes?! But hey, it’s all part of the experience.
Though we began our journey in the dry heat of the Great Rift Valley, by the time we reached the hills of Kericho, the terrain had transformed from a dusty brown to a lush green, covered with vast tea plantations that made the land look like it had been covered with emerald velvet. One of my fellow travelers remarked that, were he to show a photo of this part of Kenya to someone who had never visited the country, they would guess that the scene was laid in the south of France or the hills of Ireland. Kenya is, without a doubt, a country full of wonder, and its diversity never ceases to amaze.
One of Kenya's many tea plantation complexes
Lunch was held at the Kericho Tea Hotel. To my surprise, one of the women traveling with us (who had lived in Kenya for 12 years during British colonialization) informed me that she had held her engagement party in this very hotel, over 50 years before. Her anniversary being tomorrow, she said that she felt as though her life had come full circle and, though her husband passed away a few years ago, it was lovely to be back in this place that held so many fond memories.
After lunch, we were given a tour of the tea plantation owned by the hotel. As soon as we neared the fields, the fragrant scent of unplucked tea leaves hit our noses. The smell was bold as if the tea shrubs knew of their celebrity (Kericho is one of the most famous tea brands in the country) and wanted to remind all of us of their superb breeding.
As we all crammed into the quilted tea field, our tour guide explained to us that the workers who are responsible for harvesting the tea leaves get paid per kilogram picked, with the average worker earning around 550KSH per day (about $7). The workers were also given free housing and free schooling for their children, however, with the plantation acting as a sort of self-contained base complete with schools, clinics and houses. Having driven through “towns” consisting of make-shift huts and trash-filled streets, I can honestly say that these workers are among the luckiest of the laborers in Kenya. If that doesn’t put things into perspective for those of us coming from middle-class America where “luck” is often defined by one’s ability purchase the hottest sports car of the moment, I don’t know what does.
The group in the Kericho fields
The second half of the drive was as beautiful as the first. We wound our way up through the Nandi Hills, an experience that would have been terrified had we not so trusted our drivers. These “hills” that seemed more like serious mountains to me and the winding roads that perched themselves precariously on narrow cliff-edges were slightly intimidating for those of us who prefer to stay away from heights.
Four hours later, we all arrived in Eldoret in one piece. Having now had the opportunity to see much more of the country this time around, I was viewing Eldoret through different eyes than I was last year. What had once seemed like a small, albeit busy town, now appeared as a bustling metropolis when compared to the many ramshackle settlements that we saw on our journey north. The bright lights, colorful billboards, and crowded streets welcomed us wholeheartedly and, for a few moments it felt as though I’d never left. My memories of Eldoret town came flooding back and any lasting pangs of remorse for having left the Maasai Mara were instantly washed away. I was glad to be back.
Phyllis, having harnessed her superhuman power of preparedness, had the dining room ready for us and the smell of the kind of delicious food only Phyllis is capable of creating met us at the Home’s gates. Phyllis and Jos were both there to meet our group and we were all immediately swept into the dining room for a late dinner.
Despite the excitement of finally arriving at the Home, we were all a bit tired from the long day of traveling. The children had already gone to bed by the time we arrived in Eldoret, but early to bed, early to rise. Their morning routine will be sure to wake us all up bright and early tomorrow, so we turned in soon after dinner in order to physically and mentally prepare for tomorrow’s excitement. Stay tuned for updates on the kids, the Home and everything that comes with them!
