Evening at Lake Nakuru and Random Thoughts

7/1/09
So we got back to the camp and relaxed for a while before dinner...and
then there was a rain storm with huge drops!! It was neat to watch.
While this was happeneing, they came around with hot water bottles to
put in the bed. It was nice!

We had a nice dinner. We decided that the food/service/ambiance was
better here than at the sopa lodge. Still nothing particularly local,
but good food.

We had long conversation about business and technology controlling the
way we live. It boiled down to the fact that we need to balance needs
and wants, and we agreed in general that we Americans percieve many
wants as needs. In doing so the impact to the rest of the world is
tremendous. Its good and bad...sharing of ideas, increasing people's
education, improved quality of life, but also increased pollution,
increased desirements, losing of cultural values...

Night in the tent was neat. Lots of bugs around, but the off worked
well. Lots of animal noises at night...nothing very close to worry
about. The camp is separated from the part but a wire fence, not too
strong. It was odd hearing so many birds, then barking, rooster
crowing, and horns from the city all together!

I had a bad dream, and woke up to pitch black. I waited a few
minutes, but couldn't even see my hands in front my of face. I got a
bit scared and turned on the phone, and was relieved to be able to see
just fine. Odd situaiton, I can't remember it ever being that dark.

Ok, so here are some random thoughts, in no particular order:

1) I don't think I've ever had finer accomdations outside of people's
house than the past three nights. Dar was nice, but a regular hotel.
Amazing that I come to Africa for this.

2) Everything is similar to what I remember in India. Cities, towns,
rural area, landscape...

3) We haven't seen any castles or forts. Its a tribal/migrant
history, so there wouldn't be any...its different than all other
travels.

4) What an end to a crazy month for me...I needed this break...

5) I haven't seen any truly extreme poverty. Everyone so far would
fair ok on Yunas's 16 point scale...access to water, education,
sustaining income, home with a tin roof. Maybe not everyone, but a
large proportion. This comment is probably becuase I expected more,
and also because they don't take us to the extremely poor area. I
don't to visitors in the US.

6) I'm glad we chose this safari, we have seen everything we could
want. The big five, the migration, the masai...

7) Everything here has been amazing...I know its been the good life so
far, might not be the same with Julias at the orphanage.

8) Tasted 3 beers...Tusker, Pilsner, and White Cap. All are simlar.
Relatively light in color and taste...a bit sweet.

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