An Ode to Chai

The world is full of beverages that people like to drink

But even all the hot ones are not made equal, I should think.

Coffee is a drink which I very often take.

It's bitter rich aroma throws my eyelids wide awake. 

Early mornings in Seattle I could seldom function

Without a steamy cup of this caffeinated production.

Few things are as pleasing as sitting by a teapot.

Black tea, green tea, white tea, I like them all a lot. 

Sipping slowly at a delicate brew is very comforting

Being warmed from the inside out makes my soul to sing.

On a cool, crisp autumn, a cider can't be beat.

Such a delicate balance of refreshing, spicy, and sweet.

Hot chocolate can be nice after playing in the snow

Otherwise I often think it is really just so-so.

You may now think that I have exhausted the drinks

which are warm and non-alcoholic. 

But I tell you now, and do not lie:

You have not lived if you have not had chai.

Oh chai, what a beverage, crafted of tea and milk

with just a touch of sugar, you taste as smooth as silk.

Rich and yet so delicate, such a lovely reddish-brown,

If there were a king of the hot drinks, you would wear the crown.

I admit I was not converted at the very first taste,

But now I count the hours and run to you with haste.

You make waking up in Africa such a lovely task

knowing that when I rise, in your flavour I can bask.

And in the afternoon as my eyelids grow so heavy,

you strengthen and uplift me, make me strong like a chevy.

So thank you, lovely chai for all that you do.

I say it now, loud and proud: Chai, I love you!

Sunset over Watamu

Yesterday (Saturday) night, Benjo took Robin and I to a great spot on the cliffs to watch the sunset.

This required us to take my first tuk-tuk ride. A tuk-tuk is a sort of motorized pedi-cab, but resembles a mythological creature with the front parts of an old motorcycle, the feet of a tricycle, and the body of a square wheelbarrow, with a bench. It was a bumpy ride, especially up and down the drive of our “plot 28,” which only has pavement in two tracks and rocks in the middle.

We voyaged deep into the heart of Italian Watamu (Italians are by far the most common tourists) to a small path leading between two construction sites. When we got to the top we saw this:

The cliffs are old old coral rock, so they’re very porous and jagged and actually really resemble basalt (lava rock). There were great places where the waves crashed under ledges of this rock forming blowholes:

It was just spectacular. We followed the cliffs around to get to a spot where we could look west, towards the sunset. It was well worth it.

It was a great adventure and a nice send-off for Benjo who has again changed his mind and will be leaving for the UK tomorrow for three weeks.

My new digs

I thought you would all like to see where I am living now so, here it is:

This is the building where I live. The far left door is the toilet, then my door, the next room is Grace’s, a Kenyan general volunteer who is studying tourism operations at University currently. The green door on the right is the shower.

This is my room. Currently I do not have a roommate, which is really nice. When another female volunteer comes she will live with me. Until then, freedom! It’s actually really good that I have a place where I know I can go, shut the door, turn on the fan, and have a moment to myself. I really needed it the first couple of days.

This is my bed, covered with a lovely kikoi bedspread. If I’m hanging out on my bed during the day (naptime), I tie up the mozzie net on one side to let the fan in better. Henry (the center director) said he puts his fan inside of his mosquito net, but I can’t make mine reach…

Finally, this is my gecko. I have seen him often next to my bed or sheltered under a hanging shirt during the day. He eats my bugs and I repay him by startling him with flash photography. He probably doesn’t think too highly of me. 

I also made a video tour of the base, but it is about 4 min long and isn't uploading. We'll have to try again later. The center is truly gorgeous, though. Plumeria and hibiscus flowers litter the ground and smell amazing in the morning and evening. The buildings are all painted white and go so nicely with the lush green of the surroundings. It is ridiculously hot, but there is plenty of shade and many fans to help the sea breeze. I like it here, it is comfortable (in all ways except temperature) and homey.

I made permanent marks on the reef...20 actually...

...but it was for science.

After dinner on my arrival day I was chatting with the two British boys on the base: Benjo (the main marine researcher) and Robin (a general volunteer). They taught me the game dopple and Benjo brought up that he wanted to get some permanent quadrats put in to one of the reefs the next morning. I had gleaned from previous conversation that Robin wasn't a diver and I was keen to get in the water, jet lag or not, so I cheerfully said I would help. At lunch the next day everyone was shocked at him for taking me diving on my first full day, saying that I needed my rest, so now it is put down for historical reference - I volunteered to go diving, I was no coerced. (In fact, I quite wanted to!)

It was a hassle getting out for the dive, however. Apparently the boat motor has to be kept locked in the office when not in use because otherwise it may be stolen by local fishermen. So as Robin and I carried down bags of dive gear and the fuel tank I looked back shocked to see Benjo in nothing but his swim shorts, straining under the weight of the engine like Jesus with his cross.

The three of us alone took the boat out to the reef and Benjo and I dove while Robin snorkeled. When I first got in I was shocked - the corals were like nothing I had ever seen before, not even in Zanzibar. Huge lacy plates of Acropora were everywhere - species i have never seen out of an aquarium and certainly not in that magnitude. Just stunning. And inside the delicate branches of these corals are tiny tiny fish - whole families of damsel fish who have claimed a coral head for their own, sometimes accompanied by a small red coral crab or blenny.

My job for the dive was to hammer in two nails at opposite corners of a quadrat that Benjo placed on the reef at 10 different sites. The first one was a bit dodgy - I can't even hammer that well on land - but soon I got the hang of it and it left me plenty of time to investigate the wonders of the East African reef.

Apart from lunch, a shower, a nap, and dinner, that was about it for day one!

This morning I went to meet Benjo in front of one of the hotels up the coast to look at some tidepools he would like investigated before a community meeting where I got the full who's who of Watamu marine conservation - People from Turtle Watch, Watamu Marine Association, Kenya Wildlife Service, and then Benjo and I from ARocha. It was great to meet everyone and to hear their practice presentations and ideas for upcoming meetings with the boat guides and tour operators of the area. They want to do a workshop with them to get everyone on the same page about marine park do's and don'ts for various species, ecosystems, etc. It's quite an interesting thing and it might be an exciting thing to be a part of while I'm here, if it actually takes off.

Grabbed a chapati before catching a ride back on a motorbike "taxi" with Benjo, then a truly magnificent lunch of samosas.

Later, I was surprised by a crash on the roof and got outside to see a parade of local monkeys go through the compound.

Monkey in a tree outside of my door

Monkey on the roof of the washing building

Monkey on my roof

Find the monkey with the washing

Things are going well and I'm starting to get get settled in a little bit, I'm adjusting more to the heat and not feeling jet lagged, really, which is great. Things will get better as I get a real routine down, right now I'm just figuring things out while everyone else has an agenda to do, so sometimes I feel a bit lost and out of place, but I think that by the end of the week I will be getting into some projects that should keep me feeling occupied and purposeful.

High point of the first two days: that first glimpse of the reef
Low point: biting into what I thought was a candy...then realizing it was soap...

Photographic Evidence of London

Two quick pictures. There are more, but download speeds are rubbish here, so they'll have to wait.

Lovely takeaway lunch spot!

Then an asian family came and offered to take my picture. :)

too bad you can't see my stork...haha

I made it!

Well, I made it to Kenya in one (sweaty) piece. I may have misjudged the seasons...I though I was coming in the rainy season...it's possible that we're still in the end of the doldrums and the rains haven't yet hit...which is why its so so hot. It's the kind of hot where you wash your face and get back to your room and already it's covered in sweat again. Sticky hot. But, good news, if I'm right about the rains things should be cooling off a bit soon...or I'll just acclimate to the sticky hot.

My travels went off without a hitch though, and I was unbelievably lucky in getting an entire row to myself on both long flights (hello, sleep!). London layover was fun, nothing too exciting, but I did quite enjoy my haddock and chips, sprinkled with vinegar and salt, straight from the paper bag on a bench outside of Westminster abbey (listening to Big Ben in the background), I met a GIANT stork (I thought it was a pelican at first...), was asked for directions, had a leisurely walk along the Thames, and got a handle on the tube system. So all in all, a success! 

It was quite a shock to the system though to go from cool Michigan and London to sticky Africa (even if the locals were wearing fleeces and stocking hats in both places), especially landing in Malindi. I couldn't believe the heat in the sun. I found a small tree to stand under while I waited for the baggage to arrive, I knew I would burn myself in the first 5 minutes of being there otherwise. By the time I got into the car with Benjo, the marine programme coordinator, My face was nearly dripping. 

But I got here and everyone was so friendly and welcoming and allowed me a nice long nap before dinner. I needed it desperately! 

I have to go move dive kit into the office, so I'll save my first dive on the Kenyan reef for the next post (keep you wanting more! haha).

tutaonana!

Today is the day

I guess technically I'm leaving today...since it is already 2am...but really I'm leaving tomorrow. Still, it's incredibly soon.

On Thursday I had a last winey dinner with the bestie (a somewhat weekly tradition) and said goodbye to one of my best friends, who gave me a wonderfully thoughtful birthday/easter/thanks-for-watching-the-cat present.

On Friday I said goodbye to the cutest 7 month old on the planet who I have been babysitting several days a week for the past few months as well as his parents, who have come to consider me a friend.
Then I got a twisty cone at Dairy Queen to console myself. It worked quite nicely. Driving around, cone in hand, music playing, windows open (a crack) and sandals on, I said goodbye to winter and smiled at the arrival of spring. I'm glad it peeked it's head out before I left, spring is my favorite season. But I'm not sad to be missing it. I have grander adventures ahead of me and I'll be back for late summer, another beautiful time in Michigan.

Today I said goodbye to my Aunt, little cousin, and grandparents over coffee and pastries at Herman's Boy. Later I gave a last hug to Sarah.

My cat, Smudge, definitely knows that I'm leaving. He has hardly left my side for the past couple of days - he's sleeping next to me right now. Poor buddy. There will be so many less belly rubs in his life for the next 3 months.

I have packed two bulky suitcases to the brink of the 50lb limit with clothes, toiletries, scuba gear, identification guides, and other random necessities (including a jar each of extra crunchy peanut butter and nutella - more like essentials in my book).

I have even (mostly) packed a carryon bag.

Tomorrow I will skype with my lovely sister in Portland, OR. Then around 6pm I'll kiss Smudgely goodbye and we'll drive out to Detroit where I'll have to say goodbye to my parents and start the long voyage halfway across the world.

I think I'm ready. I guess I have to be. Regardless, I'm excited.