Monday, November 29, 2010

National Anthem of Kenya


national anthem of Kenya

"YouTube - National Anthem of Kenya." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. .

kenya music "baby don't go" by Mr Lenny and Kunguru


Kenyan pop music

"YouTube - Kenya Music "baby Don't Go" by Mr Lenny and Kunguru." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. .

Kenya Music


Kenyan music - 2

"YouTube - Kenya Music." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. .

Kenyan Benga Music - International De Nelly - "Rose Pambo".


Kenyan music

"YouTube - Kenyan Benga Music - International De Nelly - "Rose Pambo"." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. .

The Kibera Slums, Kenya


Video about Kibera

"YouTube - The Kibera Slums, Kenya." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. .

gedi ruins kenya - private road - bent


Video about the Gedi ruins.

"YouTube - Gedi Ruins Kenya - Private Road - Bent." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5y1xmtIvhM>.

East Africa Report - Tourism at the Great Rift Valley


Video about the Great Rift Valley
 
"YouTube - East Africa Report - Tourism at the Great Rift Valley." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abB_m4zblZ8>.
Like EasyBib?

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Day 11


Location of Kericho

Our final destination was a tea plantation in Kericho(48). Kenya is well-known for tea plantation. The people there were very nice. They were smiling all the time even though their work was very painful. The scenery around the plantation area was so nice. It was like a very quiet and calm country. After visiting the plantaion, we were done with our trip. I didn't get to know all about Kenya in 11 days, but I experienced a lot. I had great time with the people living here. They were always very nice although I was a foreigner. I also learned that the poverty here is a lot worse that I thought. Therefore people including I should aid them with any kind of help. The best part about this trip was that wild animals were always around us through the journey. I couldn't experience a lot back in my country. Overall, this journey was a great experience and a lot of fun.

Person working at Tea Plantation

"Tea Plantation." Budget Travel by HoboTraveler.com. 4 Apr. 2009. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.hobotraveler.com/travel-journal/tea-plantation.html>.

Day 10


Map of Homa Bay

Probably Fifty miles away from Kisumu, there was Homa Bay(41). George and I really hated the drive from Kisumu. The road was rough and had a lot of bumps. Homa bay was close to the Lake Victoria.I knew about Lake Victoria very well. Every time I see the Africa continent map, the Lake Victoria was really conspicuous. I've always wondered about this Lake. So I asked many questions about this lake to George. Luckily, he knew a lot about it. The lake was named after Queen Victoria, the first European to visit this lake. It is the largest lake in Africa and the largest tropical lake in the World. I've never seen a lake as big as the Lake Victoria. We stayed there for a while. Actually, I forced him to stay. We found a place to sleep right after leaving Lake Victoria. It was a really great day.

Lake Victoria
Agree, By Clicking. "Map of Homa Bay - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map of homa bay&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=#focal=cf5e3a9389cc1d12c3aa25912d3f90b7&furl=http://www.mapzones.com/citymap/kenya/nyanza/homa_bay.jpg
Agree, By Clicking. "Lake Victoria - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lake victoria&form=QBIR&qs=HS&sk=&pq=lake vi&sp=1&sc=8-7#focal=ce9512f6fcbd63da779ae7d57addcdf6&furl=http://www.ultimatemontana.com/photogallery/glacierfullsize/Victoria-Lake-Glacier.jpg>.

Day 9


Map of Kisumu city

Coming back from Dadaab by the terrfying single-engined airplane, we drove to Kisumu(38). Kisumu is Kenya's third city, on the shores of Lake Victoria. The countryside was wonderful. I could see Mau Escarpment and hill of Aberdares National Park. Also, there was wildlife. I saw zebras on the grasslands. But sadly, Kisumu's a poorest city in Kenya. Half of the people earn 50 cent or less a day. I didn't believe it because the city was nicer than the some of the places I've been during this trip. The houses were quite good and they had modern business districts. I also saw a bank called Wedco. After a while, we arrived at Jubilee Market. It's very crowded and noisy. But I enjoyed the circumstance. They were selling all kinds of food such as dried fish, vegetables, and nuts. The Jubilee Market was a great experience.
Kisumu
Jubilee Market


Agree, By Clicking. "Map of Kisumu - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map of kisumu&FORM=BIFD#focal=caf9492af29780e6b49468862f3be480&furl=http://www.travelpod.com/cache/city_maps/kisumu-city-kenya.gif>.
Agree, By Clicking. "Kisumu - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=kisumu&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-6#focal=3d7b481b0fc29b46d607110bb0183869&furl=http://www.africapoint.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/kisumu.jpg>.
Agree, By Clicking. "Kenya Jubilee Market - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Kenya jubilee market &form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=#focal=d38f7c01364625906885824ab85906a2&furl=http://cache4.asset-cache.net/xc/78137124.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF8789219B309651A2344B3F058EC5E3DD2DE5CD47CD8B2D1ECF552A45BB040B49C35B11>.


Day 8

 To get to our destination, Dadaab(31), we had to take a single-engine airplane. So we went to Malindi Airport(30). When I saw the airplane that we were going to take, I was terrified. I doubted that it's safe. But Again, I had to get in anyways. Dadaab is on the equater and sixty miles away from Somalia border. This region was suffering from drought. In Dadaab, we went to CARE refugee camp(31). In the refugee camp, we helped the CARE worker with their duty. We distributed food, and visited schools. Still, the food and the supplies were not enough for all those people. In addition, their edacational condition was very poor due to money shortage.
School in Dadaab Refugee Camp

Map of Dadaab Refugee Camp


"From Horror to Hopelessness | Human Rights Watch." Home | Human Rights Watch. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. <http://www.hrw.org/en/node/81791/section/11>.
Agree

Day 7

I went to the Gedi ruins(27). From the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries Gedi was a thriving but it's very hidden. They lived the coast between Malindi and Mombasa. The inhabitants traded with people from many other regions such as China, Venice, and India. However, there are no records about these Gedi people. I thought that's really weird. Also, this place wasn't revealed until 1920s. Monkeys were running around the ruined walls. All the surrounding environments were making the Gedi ruins even better. The Gedi ruins was my favorite place so far in this journey. It was well preserved and had unique and stylish design.
Gedi Ruins
Agree, By Clicking. "Gedi Ruins - Bing Images." Bing. 1 May 1997. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Gedi ruins&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=1-9#focal=797215b86a0ec32981f3770395da16ff&furl=http://www.wwnorton.com/college/history/ralph/ralimage/17gedi.jpg>.

Day 6


Map of Mombasa

George said that we're heading to Mombasa(21). In order to get to there, we had to take a overnight train. In this Kenyan railways, there has been so many accidents that led to horrible disaster. I was so afraid of this unstable and hazardous transportation. I definitely didn't want to be a part of the disaster. I had to get in the train whether I liked it or not. The train was making an earthquake. I couldn't sleep. When we arrived at Mombasa, a car was waiting for us. The car took us to Watamu resort(25). The beach there was gorgeous. Despite the greatness of the resort and the scenes, tourists are decreasing because of the safety concerns. But I would really encourage my friends to travel to Kenya. It's wonderful.


Kenya railway

 
Watamu Resort


Agree, By Clicking. "Kenyan Railways to Mombasa - Bing Images." Bing. 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Kenyan railways to mombasa&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=#focal=753404f89c1dd46c0e9c7dc85b96f3ea&furl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3646/3485666447_179359f8ee.jpg>.
Agree, By Clicking. "Watamu - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=watamu&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-6#focal=8b6285cd715ce17b6c5bf75ee6375d92&furl=http://www.blueskycorporate.com/wat13.jpg>.








Day 5


Map of the Great Rift Valley

The destination was the Great Rift Valley(18). It was a plain that is four thousand miles long. In this valley, fossilized human bones are found. Before I came here, I was thinking of mountains or a canyon. It was a beautiful place. George said that although he has been here several times, he never gets bored of it. The dead volcanic craters created an amazing sight. The next place we headed for was Olorgesailie(19). Olorgesailie is a floor of the Rift Valley. It is famous for a large number of Acheulean axes. These pieces look very simple, but they were very vital for ancient human. Also, they put a lot of efforts to create these tools. They are not just a rock.
Volcanic craters in the Great Rift Valley



Acheulean axes


Agree, By Clicking. "Rift Valley - Bing Images." Bing. 2002. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q= rift valley&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=8-11#focal=c91f947522ef39095850ebdeb46a2d55&furl=http://www.swisseduc.ch/stromboli/perm/erta/air/icons/ja_080.jpg>.
Agree, By Clicking. "Olorgesailie - Bing Images." Bing. 2002. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=olorgesailie&form=QBIR&qs=HS&sk=&pq=olo&sp=1&sc=8-3#focal=8660b0c97b769e2dff2acf18a10c7580&furl=http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/OlorgesailieHandaxe-Oakley-p70.jpg>.


Day 4

Early in the morning, we visited the Karen Blixen Coffee Garden(15), an old farm house that was once a part of the coffee plantation. The place was nice and well-decorated surrounded by the trees. After lunch, we stopped at the Kenyan National Museum(16). The museum was about ancient pre-human, which I don't have any interest in. The guide there said that fossilized human bones are very rare and precious. The Strong Room in the museum was holding the fossilized human bones. Since we weren't the experts, we couldn't go in. The parts were sent to the British Museum but it took 40 years to return.
Karen Blixen Coffee Garden


Fossilized Human Skull

Agree, By Clicking. "Karen Blixen Coffee Garden - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=karen blixen coffee garden&form=QBIR&qs=HS&sk=&pq=karen &sp=1&sc=8-6#focal=48ba39b048e1773e5c1c5bf6796a6a8b&furl=http://www.gaestehaus-kenia.de/html/img/pool/karen-blixen-museum.gif>.
Agree, By Clicking. "Kenya National Museum - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 25 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Kenya national museum&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=1-19#focal=2b0147117326a4224f3e7e69bfc9b9bd&furl=http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/02/07/gallery/turkanaboy_zoom.jpg>.

Day 3

In the early morning, we drove to Kibera(10), a biggest slum in Nairobi. Nothing in Kibera is official. It doesn't exist in the map. Population is probably 700,000, but again, it's not official population. Large number of Children are AIDs orphans and the large portion of the population are HIV positive. When we finally reached Kibera, we couldn't just go in. We had to accompany with the district chief. he is a government emplyee. I was astounded when I saw Kibera. Around six people were living in ten feet by ten home. the ground was full of dirt and sewage. Also, electricity, running water, toilets, etc do not exist. Because it's unsafe at night, these residents rely on the flying toilet. people would throw a plastic bag outside a door. Even though Kibera is one of the superior places, residents only earn one dollar a day if they are lucky enough to get a job. Goerge was used to this I guess. His facial expression didn't really change. After a while, he said that the government won't let CARE to improve and aid this slum because they don't want Kibera to actually "exist". The government don't want people to come to Kibera from countryside. In this area, there was a house of the president of Kenya. It was a very awkward coordination.
sewage in Kibera
Map of Kibera

Agree, By Clicking. "Map of Kibera - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map of Kibera&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=#focal=b1baaff886880f4a19fde42fe570d770&furl=http://www.breakingnewskenya.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/map_kibera.jpg>.

Day 2

The next morning, we left from London and arrived at Nairobi(8), a city in Kenya. On our way to Nairobi, George told me a great story about children throwing human excrement to people if they don't get money from begging. Great way to start our trip. When I got out of the airport, the view of Nairobi was shocking to me. Instead of trees, plants, and animals, the city was full of paved roads, big buildings, advertising signs and many cars. Unfortunately, this city was becoming a new crime capital of Africa. A lot of robberies were going on because of poverty. Car-jacking was one of the severe problems. It's a quite violent event that can happen frequently. George has already made a reservation at a hotel. Exhausted from the airplane trip, I fell asleep right away not knowing what's going to happen next day.


Nairobi
Map of Nairobi


Agree, By Clicking. "Map of Nairobi - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=map of nairobi&form=QBIR&qs=AS&sk=&pq=map of nairo&sp=1&sc=4-12#focal=1894943159e6fb9f27be5ed723f13803&furl=http://www.kenya-advisor.com/images/nairobi-map-width400.jpg>.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Day 1


National Flag of Kenya

I heard about a book called Bill Bryson's African Diary from my friend. Inspired by this book, I decided to take a trip to Kenya. Just like Bill Bryson, by that time, I was thinking about Savanna, wild animals, and other beautiful environment. I had a little knowledge of poverty and famine in Africa from TV documentaries. However, I thought that would appear only in TV. Since I had no clue about Kenya, I found a fellow traveler George who would help me. George was currently working in CARE, an organization that is supporting people in Kenya. He said he has been there several times. George and I had 5 hour discussion planning the trip. Also, he completely threw out my fantasy about Africa in my mind. He warned me about robbery, transportation safety and diseases. I didn't expect any of these but I was still in for this adventure. We will be meeting each other at the airport tomorrow morning.

Map of Kenya

Agree, By Clicking. "Kenya Map - Bing Images." Bing. Web. 26 Nov. 2010. <http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Kenya map&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=&sc=7-9#focal=67452596e189ce92246aa56368fb7e60&furl=http://www.wordtravels.com/images/map/Kenya_map.jpg>.