10/17/10 Playtime: Kucheza

After returning safely to Daraja with Cipro and rehydration salts, I was looking forward to settling back into routine with students and making up for lost time on our projects. I learned quickly that time continues to march on for the rest of the planet when one is ensconced in the Pony Club Room, and the girls were now deep in the final stretch toward midterms. Beginning on Sunday, they had three days of testing leading up to the nation-wide Fall holiday and they take this seriously. I made sure to get and give plenty of reassuring and encouraging hugs (these ladies are the best huggers), and bivouacked out to the bush for some quality recovery time with good friends and San Diego transplants Bennett and Maria.

I had no idea these guys were friends outside of cartoons.

On the way to Soit Nyiro.

 Bennett and Maria live on the Soit Nyiro Preserve, a wedge of land sticking out into the much larger surrounding Mpala Preserve. Observing baboon feeding ecology, exploring the local autism world, and learning about the intricacies of Kenyan life fill their days, and they generously offered me a place to regroup while the Daraja students tackled midterms.

About 3 hours drive past Daraja, Bennett and Maria legitimately live in the bush. Pictured behind them: the bush.

Trusty Steed. Unfortunately for Maria's baboon work, the Land Rover is painted Maasai Red. Thanks to generations of mutual distaste, baboons have developed a strong aversion to the stunning scarlet hue local Maasai prefer.

Excellent porch for resting, recovering, and watching Africa walk, fly, and swim past.

As conservationists, you spend a lot of time walking around open land. Which leads to finding cool skulls, which leads to a certain macabre-chic porch decor.

I spent a much-appreciated couple of days lounging, napping, eating, and going for the occasional hike. Cold Tuskers were enjoyed, stories swapped, and my gracious hosts pointed out the elephants we could hear trumpeting nearby after dusk fell. Perfection, and asante sana to my wonderful friends.