Arrived and Acclimating

After 32 hours of airports, planes, etc., we arrived in Nairobi last night around 11:30, and at the ACK Guesthouse this morning at around 12:30 a.m. A couple of the advantages of having a late plane: Most of the customs officials have gone home, and then there's the absence of Nairobi traffic jams. We were able to get home fairly quickly after a Tetris-like game of getting the suitcases in to the van (kudos to Silas and Livingstone for their skill and strength).

Stunned a little by the fact that we were back to four-wheeled transportation, I took in the bright billboards, the worn path by the highway (that seemed strangely empty--it's usually bustling with activity), and listened to Julie filling everyone in about guest house logistics and our plans for the days ahead. The team joked about how for a bit it seemed like I was driving--truthfully, it is a little odd for the first five minutes or so as a front-seat passenger in a country that drives on the left side of the road.

We dispersed to our various rooms, knowing we'd reconvene at breakfast over mango juice, eggs, and tea. Zadie and I have the front room in the guest house for the next two nights, so we hear a lot of the outside activity--footsteps, talking, cars idling, alarms sounding, and unfamiliar bird calls. Oh yes, I love me some earplugs. :-) Familiar were the sounds of crickets and some humid air.

As we turned in, the guest house light spilled in around the curtains, illuminating our mosquito nets. The reality of being in Kenya has set in.

Today we're heading out to a boys' orphanage near Nairobi. Among the things we're taking with us are a soccer ball and some scratch art supplies.

As everyone adjusts to the new time zone (and tries to remember important details such as taking malaria medication and brushing teeth with bottled water), we covet your prayers.