Finally Weeks

Our final 10 days before this epic journey comes to a close. We travelled back from Tsavo, stopped off at Muhaka the main camp to do some washing and freshen up before we moved onto Kaya, in which we participated in forest conservation. It was about a mile down dirt roads from Muhaka, and the newest of the camps, built when we arrived for Camp Kenya. They had set up tents for us to sleep in like in Mwaluganje. In my honest opinion, this was by far the most boring camp. The projects consisted of planting baby trees, foraging in the sacred forest (sounds like something out of Avatar) for seedlings and clearing weeds and unwanted shrubs. The forest was protected by the community and we were told to be respectful when walking through. Our camp was on the boarder of the forest. 

Walking through the sacred forest with our guides, looking for seedlings to replant

Front of a house on the edge of the forest

Where the trees and seedlings were kept and planted. We were tasked with the mission of getting rid of the dead plants. Chris and Sam found a different way of 'destroying' them

Our third attempt at making fudge. This was better the last two but still didn't set properly. Looked more like ice cream sauce

Our filing system for the plants

After 5 days of being in Kaya, we returned to Muhaka for the final 5 days. To be honest, it never really felt like we were going to leave. We had been there for so long and grown so close, it almost felt like home and everyone felt like family. The 3 monthers had continued with the community toilet while we had been away and it was looking very impressive. They had bricked up the sides and now we had to start on the foundation. 15 feet of pure awesomeness. 

The start of the foundation

We decided that before we left we needed another party and decided on a toga night. The girls also cleared one of the unused bedrooms and made it into a party room and decorated it..as girls do. It was SUCH a good night. Everyone was in an amazing mood.

Chris and myself decided to make a challenge, for anyone who was up for it, to . Well i say  challenge, more of a who wants to be sick challenge. We bought mustard, chillies, cinnamon for the contestants to eat and see if they can survive. There were 3 contestants who nobley stepped up to the plate. The challenge consisted of a tablespoon of mustard, a chilli from the local market (and they were not your average chilli) and a tablespoon of cinnamon. Not for the faint hearted 

Although they suffered throughout the task, as shown, they all came out victorious. It was very funny seeing there expressions as they completed each stage

One of the guys had the idea of cooking our own dinner, so in the spirit of being in Africa, we bought a goat from the local village. One of the cooks agreed he would slaughter it and cook it for our dinner. The goat stayed with us for 2 days before we cooked it. We all gathered one afternoon for the event, which is quite disgusting. We were waiting to see something be slaughtered. However we were told that only 2 people could watch, due to religious reasons. The end result was incredible. The cook seasoned the goat and barbecued it. It was the best meal of the trip and it fed the whole camp with seconds! Thinking we should try this back home

The side of the the toilet a day before we departed. Before we left, we had completed the walls. All that was left was painting and putting the roof on it

We went out the last night and didn't get back in until 4 in the morning. It was a very eventful night, especially with one girl having a seizure, but i knowing our group i always knew that it would be. Ended up sleeping on the couch in 'The Crucible' (main area of the camp). The Cranleigh boys (Sam, Alex, Sammy D and I) had a flight to Zanzibar at 10am that morning. The time that i hadn't really thought about all trip, was here. The time I had spent here had flashed passed. We were leaving about 6 hours before anyone else. Had our alarms set and had packed just before we went out that night. It was very surreal finally saying goodbye. We didn't get the chance to say goodbye to everyone as they were all sleeping, but the majority where there. We heard our truck pull up outside and we quietly walked to the entrance of the Camp. There was lots of sobbing (on the girls part) and it was quite depressing. The people who basically became family, we were saying goodbye to. But thats life, you move on, another  stage of my life was over, but another one was waiting for me. I can't put into words how amazing those 2 months were. I am feeling emotional just writing about it. It really was the experience of a lifetime and i would do it over and over and over again. As we pulled off, we lent out of the jeep, waving frantically as they got further and further away until they vanished round a corner. Camp Kenya was all over...

Tsavo

Tsavo. Where to begin. An incredible change in scenery. From green lush bountiful trees to dry, brown desert with only the huts we slept in and leafless trees as shelter from the sun. We were driven by truck again and also used the safari jeep due to everyone coming (1, 2 and 3 monthers). The camp was 30 minutes from the closest road, and soon became apparent that we were in literally in the wild again. As soon as we stepped out, we were greeted by the manager of the camp, Sammy. He was so welcoming and made me even more excited than I already was for the weeks ahead. He outlined our itinerary and where everything was on site. Then we were showed to our rooms and begin our adventure in Tsavo. 

On our first safari, the first point of interest we came to was a week old carcase of a giraffe

One of the native monkeys in Tsavo

Elephants at a watering hole

Survival day. We were taken to a remote rock away from the dry plantation, and were taught how to survive if we ever got lost in the wilderness. We obviously wouldn't be celebrating!

Making a fire was so difficult. We used two bits of wood, and One of our guards showing us how its done

Every day in Tsavo, we were given pack lunches containing boiled eggs. We challenged Jerry to mix his with ketchup, salt and pepper in his mouth. He took the challenge like a man and smashed it in the face

Our shelter that we made. Homely right?

First sighting of Lions. We were doing a local game drive and saw them about 5 minutes away from our camp, thats how close we were to the wildlife

Cattle being herded 

For two days we were sent to the Imani Womens group, an organisation situated on the edge of the sanctuary set up to generate income for the women involved. It provides emotional, educational and financial support for women in immense poverty and lagging behind in development issues. We had four projects we worked on will we were there, making a base for a large water tower to be placed so they could collect water, painting the community hall, plastering 2 bedrooms which they were planning on renting out and fencing the area around the compound. 

Sam getting the wrong idea about the plaster

We had to use machetes to cut the branches into fence poles and place them round the compound

Sam, Alex and I with Imani womens group on the day we left. They were incredible women and what they were doing for their community was truly inspiring. It made me angry that people back home do nothing and still recieve money from the government while these women were working longer  and as hard as us in 30+ degree heat without water to help the whole community

After the Imani women's group, outside our camp, there was a patch that had been eroded by the rain and an antelope had got stuck in it, the rains had then filled up the hole. The elephants then came to drink, not realising the antelope was in the pool and trampled it. We were tasked with fill the whole up with dead trees and vegetation so it made it harder for animals to get stuck in the hole

Celebration after the hole was filled

Sunset rock, the Cranleigh lads

Our group spent three days at the local school teaching, building and helping the teachers sort out paper work. This is the blackboard outside the teachers lounge which showed the amount of money they received each year to keep the school running. It totalled at 107,970 chillings per year, just £691.65. The school had 6 classrooms with at least 60 children in each

The schools kitchen built by Camp Kenya the previous year

After teaching, we brought our iPods and showed them a little english music... and they loved it

Break time 

The teachers lounge/common room

End of another incredible day, another incredible sunset

While we were doing our survival day, we started talking about the mountain/ very large hill we could see in the distance and asked if we could climb it if we had a spare day. Found out we did after being at the school. The hill took 6 hours to climb, but was a lot of fun. The first part of the trek was through open unsheltered hillside, and the second part was through dense forest like in this photo

Group shot at the top

2nd Safari in Tsavo

Love this photo, taken as we were driving back to the entrance on the last part of the safari. The elephants cover themselves in dusk to stop themselves getting sunburn and block the sun