Staying on the left and having fun

What have I done for fun lately? I drove on rural Kenyan roads! Leaving the cybercafé the other day, I went to hop in the front passenger seat – and realized I’d gone by habit to the wrong side of the car. Before I could say “Oops,” Emmanuel told me it would be fine if I wanted to drive. So I had my first experience driving on the left side of the road. All the pedestrians and bicycles and other cars are a constant reminder to keep left, but Emmanuel’s Isuzu truck was another thing. He just chuckled as I learned to change gears with a shift stick on the left and to signal turns with a lever on the right. When we got out of Kitale town and onto the dirt road, the traffic disappeared but the potholes began. You haven’t lived until you’ve experienced African potholes. They’re deep and they’re everywhere. But it’s OK to drive on any side of the road or right down the middle, wherever you have the best chance of getting through. We made it back just fine!

OK, let’s see if I can do a really weak paragraph transition…or maybe an abrupt change of subject! I AM still in Kenya! And I’ve had two days to relax and just hang out with the cows and geese and the Manor House students. I was afraid it would be sad to have everybody leave at the close of the conference, and I did feel the pangs of losing new friends. But it’s rejuvenating to rest up and take sunrise runs (alas, without Jane) and sunset strolls to see the students play soccer. Tomorrow I’ll get serious about finishing up the current writing projects – and later this week I’m going to visit several people in the area who want to show me their gardens.

I used up all my air time talking with Heather and Hanna last night, but I learned they’ll be in Tanzania a little longer than I’d thought, so I can linger here this week and then find a bus or plane heading south.

I’ve been busy plopping photos into this space and hope it doesn’t slow down the page. (I can’t tell because everything here is slow.) Maybe I’ll figure out some way to attach pics so that you can see them a little bigger.

Surprise! A short blog post!