Arrived in the Village of Kanyewegi near Kisumu by Lake Victoria

Please be patient if this posting gets interrupted for a hr, day or what ever as we can have internet, power drops, just plain computer crashes or writer frustration!!!1
Ok, so the 4 of us Angus, Jessica, Katy and Tom made it to Kanyawegi after a 9 hr bus ride from Nairobi. We thought the tiring time were behind us after climbing Mt. Killimanjaro but brother Kenya wanted to show us what he could do to wear us out. We should have known what we were in for when the Professor who we stayed with in Nairobi told us he doesn't come to visit his mother who lives in this area because the roads were rough and the ride is long!! When a Kenyan tells u that then that should be a warning. The road lived up to it's reputation as we felt like we were in a stagecoach in the wild west (of Kenya). We got bounced and tossed around for a few hours. The roads were also quite dusty as there were big trucks also hauling goods. It would have been a lot better if drivers slowed down but that's not in their volcabulary. Our poor bags in the storage below were all covered with dust. My nose was so plugged I could hardly breathe. Oh well we made it and now only have to do it when we return to Nairobi now! It ranked up there with the 18 hrs bus trip from hell we took from Bangkok to Seim Reap Cambodia last March, luckily it was shorter.
We were met in Kisumu by John's brother (John is the Kenyan who is taking his Phd in Vancouver who set us up to come to his village) and rode in a smaill bus the 40 mins to his village. The name Kanyawegi is a sub location comprising many villages so it's confusing. I've been here almost3 days and I've been lost 2 times. Yesterday the 4 of us went for a walk to the shore of Lake Victoria. Well I stopped to talked to some villagers and see their mud & cow dung hut with grass roofs. The huts are amazingly cool in side and have 2 rooms. A room for eating and cooking and generally living in. Then there's a wall which separates the bedroom. I didn't go and check out the bedroom because the lady had babies in there and didn't speak English. I didn't want to upset her by walking in there and checking it out by taking pictures. I can be sensitive to others sometimes plus who knows if her big brusinng husband may have been in there too. Well after checking out a few people and huts I got lost from the other guys. The whole area is just a bunch of trails between sort of bushes and land. It all looks the same so a person can get lost easily. Well like Stanley and Livingston I pushed on through the bushes os Western Kenya searching for the shores of Lake Victoria. After searching for weeks (would u believe 1 hr) I stumbled upon a real road (actually rings most of Kanyawegi). I thought civilization couldn't be far so I pushed on to the shores of Lake Victoria. I came up what I was told is a beach park and thought "wow I'm saved if there is a beach park". Actually the name beach park was given to an area where a bunch of locals gather to sell a few goods. There were also a bunch of fisherman preparing their nets and selling taplappea (sp). The people are all so friendly and waved but I wondered what they were saying to me? Probably something like 'Can't we just hang out without a bunch of foreigners intruding'. Well I stayed long enough to take a couple pics and started my journey back to my estate in the woods. I call it an estate because we were given the use of a beautiful home by village standards. The owners are a principal and his teacher wife who teach and live in Kisumu. We each have our own rooms with our own mosiquito nets. Those are important to keep mosiquitos and bats off u at night. I had to chase a bat out of room the first night before crashing. Someone mentioned bats may have rabies and I thought christ I didn't get those shots (got every other one though) as it would have cost me $600 for 3 shots.. We have our own cook Milldred and helper/security guy Bernard, plus cleaner Parmella. We'd rather do with out all that help but the owner wants them there so we have no choice. Can't believe the security they use there. They look 3 barred doors in the front and 3 in the back before we go to sleep. We do have to use the outhouse so the locked doors could be a nuisance. sure hope I don't get a case of dieherra during the night or I could be in trouble. It's not like there are Zulu warriors or wide animals on the prowl. The most dangerous thing I've seen is the neighbor's dog and rooster. Hell I've checked my appearance in a mirror and it would scare off any thing! We asked them why so many doors as we have to go to the out house at night. I guess the owner wants it so who are we to say anything.
It gets dark here by 6:30 until about 6:30 am so we have been going to bed about 8 pm (boy that's the earliest I've been to bed since I was a kid-this from a guy who normally goes to bed at 1 PM). I've been getting up with the birds and chickens. This morning I decided to go for a run to John's sister's house (has electricity) to charge my camera, phone and mp3 player. Well his house is about 2 miles away I'd say as we walked there yesterday. Well I must have took the wrong turn as I got lost and couldn't find the house. I asked someone for directions to John's house but of course they didn't know what I was talking about. So I walked across this field and got more lost. I made it to a road and walked to the highway and flagged down a taxi truck to take me back. I left the house at 7 am and got back at 10 am and never did find the fouse to charge my stuff. Then today we came into Kisumu to check out some stuff (maybe buy a bike to get around), use the internet and whatever. Tomorrow we have ameeting wtih the KASOW (Kanyawegi Support for Orphans and Widows) committee on the priorities we and they want to get done while we're here. So I'll try to explain what our objectives and goals are in my next blog - whenever. I hope to add a few pics the next time so please be patient as the internet is slow - this has taken me some time. I don't expect or want everyone who reads this to call me as I have a pay as you go phone but I bought my cell phone and changed the sim card to a Kenyan card. My number from back home is supposed to be +254 735003016 (254 is Kenya and the + is keyed by holding done the 0 key. I may get John to call me to confirm this number as my sister Kanae tried it and couldn't get through. Once I confirm it I'll put it in my blog.
See you soon!

Still Alive as I Made it to Summit of Mt. Killimanjaro 19200 ft (5980 m)

It was an awesome idea to climb the tallest freestanding mtn in the world and tallest in Africa. But when we went to do it, it was both a real physical and mental experience. Most of us who did it say it’s the hardest thing we’ve ever done.
We left Nairobi on a Sun to enter Tanzania to Mt. Killimanjaro which was a 6 hr bus ride.
We stayed 2 nights in Arusha the 3rd largest city in Tanzania for 2 days as we got our supplies for the climb. Then a 3 hr trip to the start of the climb up Killimanjaro. The Tanzanian gov’t requires every body climbing the mtn to have a Tanzanian guide and porters plus paying $500 USD.We had arrange the climb at the last min. so things were a little confusing. We had paid our fees a head of time. But a few days before we arrived a bunch of Kenyans went to Tanzania and tried to rob a bank and were killed. So the Tanzanian gov’t said something like no Kenyans could make bank transactions, etc. So we get to the gate of the park and the Kenyan guys who set up the trip couldn’t used their ATM card to move the $2000 for the 4 of us to Tanzania to pay for the climb. So the 4 of us had to go to the ATM to withdraw the money again to pay the fees (later of that subject). After 4 hrs of African time we got started on our climb. The climb to the Summit is thru 5 ecological zone types, Rain Forest, Moorland, Deserty, Mountainest and Iceland. There are 3 huts to stay in Mandara, Horombo and Kibo. We stayed at the Horombo Hut for 2 nites to acclimatize our selves. There were a lot of climbers from all over the world. Plus each group of about 4 people had a bout 8 porters and 2 guides. We only had to carry our personal stuff and water, poles etc. The porters cooked our food which was good so we had it pretty good that way. This hut was up about 13000 ft so most of us were kind of winded as it was starting to get hard to do anything for some people. Heck there was this 70 year old Japanese guy who could snore up a storm. He looked like he’d pass out climbing stairs let a lone a mtn. I figure this was like the Base Camp of the climb. It was good to talk to the climbers both going up and finishing.
We then climbed to this Kibo Hut which was another 1000 m higher at about 4700 m or approximately 16500 ft. We got there around 5 pm and ate dinner around 6 pm and had a sleep till 10:30 PM. We got woken up for tea and cookies. Most of us slept with our climbing clothes on. Then at 11:30 PM we started our climb which some people couldn’t do as the atlitude sickness was getting to them. The climb was up about a 35 degree height but felt like 50 degree when we do it in the dark as it was thru gravel. It was suppose to be a 6 hr climb to this Gillman Ridge and then another 1 ½ hr climb to the summit. About a 1 ½ hr climb in I started to get a bad stomach ache. So I had diherra and threw up. So I told the group to keep going without me and I’d catch up maybe. So one of the porters stayed with me. I was so spaced out by the altitude that I had to rest every 10mins. Another group came up and I started following them up at the end. About an hr later while resting one of our guides brought 2 of the girls in our group down as they were dizzy and couldn’t function. They asked if I wanted to go down but not knowing any better I told I’ll continue going up. So I half crawled and climbed as I barfed. I was told I barfed 6 times after that. But like the fool I am I kept climbing and resting every 10 mins but I made sure that I wasn’t more that 10 ft behind the group as they were going really slow too. I felt drunk and when I stood up I kept sort of falling back and this porter kept me from falling back. His name was Mahmood so he was a Muslim and he told me he thought I was in a Muslim prayer postion when I was barfing. The whole 7 days I kept telling him he was a lousy Muslim as he was eating and drinking during the day as it was Ramandan. I don’t remember about 3 hrs of the climb but can remember it getting light which brought me back a little bit to reality. Then I remember getting to top of this rock ledge and it was Gillman Ridge about 5500 m (18500 ft). We all had a real adrenalin burst. We watched the view and took pictures congratulating ourselves. About 10 mins later we said OK lets go for the summit which seemed really close. Well it may have looked close but it was a long distance and not an easy climb. The only good thing was it was light. We were all so tired from the altitude that it was torture to walk let alone climb. When I made it to the Summit was so tired I could hardly remember anything.
Took some pictures and started back down meeting others climbing up and down.
I thought the climb down should be easy but it was just as tough going down. Being very tired , still with altitude sickness and protecting our knees it was a struggle. I had to stop and rest every 20 mins. The grade was steep, through big boulders so we had to watch our steep. Then we got in gravel some big and small. The small ones were slippery. I was walking down this path and suddenly I fell and did 4 somersaults with Mahood chasing me. I felt pretty good when I stopped (it was painful later). So we slowed down and took 3 hrs to get back to the Kibo Hut where my group was waiting. They were worried about what happened to me and then they saw a helicopter hovering over the mtn because I was about 1 ½ hrs behind most of the Summitters. I had a 30 min rest at the Kibo Hut and then we headed to the Horombo Hut to stay the night. This was a 10 Km hike down this trail so we could make it by night fall. I got there about 4 PM. This was about 18 hrs after getting up to start the climb to the summit. Dang I was beat but feeling better. Had a meal and then sacked out about 630PM. Everyone I talked to said it was the hardest thing they ever did, even the 70 year old Japanese. So I didn’t feel so bad. A lot of people didn’t make it because of altitude sickness like headaches, dizzyiness etc. Heck 3 young porters died a week before we went. They were carrying too much, no experience and it was raining.
After a 10 hrs sleep We walked to the parking lot which was a 7 hrs walk but was tiring on our knees and toes. It was a real experience which all I have to say is Bin Dare, Dun Dtat and don’t want to do it again!
You may have heard the Swahilli saying “Hakuna Matatta” which means “No Problem” well I must have heard it a 100 times but still don’t believe it. But I believe the word Jumbo meaning Hello in Swahilli.
A sad note was one our guide’s wife died while we were on the 6 day trip so he had to head down after 2 days. I felt like a real dirt bag when we got down as I didn’t change my clothes for 6 days. The food was African and good, the people we met were great. The average age of the climbers was around 45. I ‘d say about 50% make the climb. The others could climb it as they’re physically fit but get altitude sickness. I’d say it’s ½ physical and ½ mental.
When we got down to the parking lot. We weren’t able to leave the park as we owed another 650 USD because we stayed 6 days not 5 as the permit said. The company still couldn’t get their money from Kenya. Their communications skills were lousy and since we were beat and wanted to get a shower one of the guys took out the money to pay it.
We then had a big meal with beer with the guide and porters. We had to take a 3 hr bus ride back to Arusha for our hotel and a shower and clean clothes. Then after a rest we went to this Club (Disco) at 1130 PM. It was very dark in there and mostly Africans. They suggest non Africans shouldn’t go out after dark without an African present.
The beer was only $1.20 so of course we had to have a few. That African music is really great to listen and dance too (after a few beers and little sleep).
All in all it was a great trip and experience but I think I’d pass on doing that climb again. Also I don’t think I’ll ever be that high again with out oxygen or motor power.
We had a 7 hrs bus ride to Nairobi on Mon and almost got run off the road by a big truck as our driver was driving on both the left (correct side in E. Africa) and right side to avoid the pot holes. Unfortunately the truck driver lost control and hit the ditch and was driving to a fence when we last saw them. Probably a bit pissed I’d think We’re back in Nairobi at Mamma Ruth’s home resting, washing our clothes and waiting to go to Kanyawegi (village ) tomorrow which will be a 10 hr bus ride on a supposedly bumpy, road.
So I’ll try to update this blog when I get to electricity and an internet connection. Also may update some postings after completing them as sometimes the power goes off or the computer connection is the pits!! What I’m doing now is writing my blog in word on a memory card and then cut and pasting it to my blog. Sorry if the blog isn’t proof read! Attaching pics will be coming soom to Enhallah (god willing)!
So hope to see u soon! Oh by the way we’re still waiting for our money as the company was to meet us at 11 AM and it’s 4 PM. African time!!!!!

Made it to Kenya after 2 nights on a plane

Can I say 'Half the fun is getting there"? Well in this case I question it. But hey I made it and was met by Mamma Ruth and the Professor. Ruth is a Kenyan girl in her 4th year at UBC. So hence her mother is called Mamma Ruth. We call her father Professor as he's a Professor of Law at the University of Nairobi. They're super people so warm and friendly. We got hooked up with them by John to unwind in Nairobi before we head to the village Kangawegi in Western Kenya. We are making a minor detour to the country of Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro for 7 days. This should be a great adventure since Kilimanjaro is about 19,000 ft high. So we have to take our time so we don't get altitude sickness. In fact on the 4 th day we don't do any climbing but just acclimitize. That's my biggest concern as I feel confident I can do the climb as it's not a very t echnical climb but it is exhausting. But time will tell. I read this book called Into Thin Air before I left Nairobi. It was appropriate but not very positive as it's about 12 people who died on Everest in 1996 caught in a storm. We won't have those issues but it makes for good reading.
Well I have to go and meet with the group to make final plans. Will try to update this blogs when I get to a decent computer and internet. I finally found the first good system to write this. Sorry if my eamils have been partial with mistakes. Catch you in the village and will try to update in a couple weeks. By the way I got a Kenyan Sim card here for my phone so can use it. But found out that it's cheaper if someone calls me than if I do. It cost me $1.50/ min to call Canada the other night. Delay in the start of our climb so I'm still in Arusha today and will start tomorrow. We've buying a couple things like chlorine tablets for to purify the water. I got my head shaved today as it's cheaper than buying shaving cream. My disposable electric shaver just doesn't cut it for my hear. Can't look scruffy when I make it to the summit now can I? Apparently we wake up at midnight to start to summit so we can arrive at sunrise. Guess we'll be using headlamps to light our way. Just hope it's not cloudy when we get there. Anyway will update you about the climb in my next posting which could be whenever I get on a good computer and internet connection.

John an inspiration to anyone!

Well I'm leaving for Kenya on Sept 12 today and I need to thank John. He's a cool guy from Kenya living in Vancouver working towards his Phd at UBC. He has done so much to help set things up for us in Kenya where his family still live. H works night shift at a lab and his wife works days. They have 2 small children which he looks after the kids during the day and then his wife does it at night. So it's amazing that he finds time to work, be a father, work towards his Phd and still help setup our volunteering trip to Kenya.

He told me a little about how he got to Canada and it is inspiring even if he said he had a lot of help. Most kids in his village don't make it out of the village and here he is getting his Phd. in Canada. I asked how he managed to get to university. He said his brother was a great soccer player but he was more of an academic. In Kenya young kids can write a national exam and if they pass they can get accepted to university. He studied and passed the test and was so excited to tell his parents. So here he was accepted to university and his family didn't have any food for the evening meal. He didn't tell me but I think he got a scholarship or bursary. When he got his undergraduate degree someone suggested he should go to Canada for his postgraduate studies. So he applied and was accepted to UBC. He's been in Vancouver for 6 years and got his Masters. So now he is working towards his Phd in Analytical Chemistry. It makes me think of what my brother Kim went through to get his Phd at U of Cal - Berkeley as we were also poor as kids. I guess if a person is motivated and works hard they can do almost anything. I mention this to John as many people ask how he got from a small village in Kenya, with no electricity, to work towards his Phd. I told him he's an inspiration to all the poor kids pf the village. He still can't figure out himself how he made it to university and then to Canada. John and his wile Lydia's 2 small children Grace and Emanuel were born in Canada. We were in a bookstore the other day and he bought a book by Barack Obama. I asked him wasn’t Obama’s father from Kenya? John told me Obama’s father and Lydia come from the same village. In case you may not know Barack Obama is a senator from Illinois of African American and Caucasian parents. John is proud that Obama’s heritage is Kenya but feels that Hillary Clinton may win the presidency in 2008.

John mentioned a number ot times that he had a lot of help along the way so he wants to give something back to the community. So he helps by making arrangement for people wanting to volunteer in Kenya. He doesn’t get anything for doing this except fulfil his intention of giving something back to the village.

While in Kenya I'd like to climb Mt Kilimanjaro

until I found out the price so I don't think I can afford & am too tight so I'm in a quandary if I should pay that much! I can't believe it should cost that much as I'd settle for a shorter trip with less glitz like no porters, not full accommodation, etc. But some countries have natural resources which they use to fleece the foreigners who visit. So I'd like to check out the prices once I get to Kenya. But I've also found out that if a person goes too cheap over there you can scarifice safety as they want climbers to have guides and some are unprofessional and can rip off foreigners or worse. So if I can't do the climb well so be it as climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro is not the only reason I'm going to Kenya. Bulletin! Bulletin! I found out that we can get a better student rate so I've decided to bite the bullet and go for it! http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/kili.htm

You can watch a video of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro by scrolling to the bottom of: "http://www.tanzaniaodyssey.com/mount-kilimanjaro/kilimanjaro.htm"


Top 10 reasons to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro

The famous quote because it's there" is far from the only reason you should climb Kilimanjaro!

1. A climb of Kilimanjaro is (literally!) one of the world's "top" adventures - a classic you get to check off your list.
2. It's one of the Seven Summits! At 19,340' Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain on the African continent. (Now, how's that for a conversation topic at any party?)
3. Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world and one of the world's largest volcanoes.
4. This is not a technical climb, so you don't need any specific mountaineering skills. (However, you do need to be in excellent shape!)
5. As you make your way to the summit, you will trek through six incredible and very different eco zones: farmland, rainforest, heather, moorland, alpine desert, and arctic summit conditions.
6. The sight of the beautiful rosy glow of an African sunrise on the clouds BELOW you.
7. The incredible feeling of accomplishment you'll experience when you reach when you reach Uhuru Peak (the summit) at dawn - almost 20,000 feet above sea level. And to realize that you WALKED all the way up there!
8. The precious summit photo - in which no one can see it's you (because you're all wrapped up in jackets, hats, gloves, glasses, etc.!) But YOU know you were there!
9. The joy of being able to breathe plenty of oxygen -- after you get back down to sea level.
10. Go now while Kilimanjaro is still snow topped. Unfortunately, the glaciers on the top are rapidly melting and scientists say they might be gone in 20 years.

Mt. Kilimanjaro climb

Marangu-route;-

Day 1: (16^th- 09-07) Nairobi –arusha (tz);Transfers + Half board Accommodation; (2700m)

Day 2:(17^th-09-07) Arusha – Moshi –Mandara Hut;Transfer + Full board Accommodation Mountain Hut

Day 3: (18^th-09-07) Mandara Hut 2700m-Horombo Hut; (3720m) Full board accommodation.

Day 4:(19^th-09-07) Horombo Hut Acclimatization Day Full board accommodation.

Day 5:(20^th-09-07) Horombo hut-Kibo hut (4700m) Full board accommodation

Day 6:(21^st – 09 07) Kibo hut – Uhuru peak (5895m) Horombo –hut (3720m):
full board accommodation

Day 7: (22^nd -09-07) Horombo hut –Marangu –gate full board accommodation at moshi hotel (1980m)

Day 8:(23^rd -09-07) Moshi –Arusha (half board accommodation)

Day 9:(24^th -09-07) Arusha-Nairobi after breakfast shuttle to Nairobi driving in the early afternoon.