Friday, a group of about 15 of us went out for an Ethiopian feast. If you've never had Ethiopian food, or have had a bad introduction to it (Mom & Linda), give it a shot. About half of the group was vegetarian (I've met more veggies here in a month than ever before), and there was so much variety for everyone. We sat outside at a big round table by the fire and had a nice time. The highlight of the meal was a side-dish called Shiro (http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/ethiopian-spicy-chickpeas-stew-yeshinbra-shiro-wot-ru296355.html). It seems like a pretty simple combo of chickpea powder and spices, and I would've happily eaten it for my entire meal.
On Saturday, I was invited to join my friend Thomas and 6 of his friends (all French and German) on a trip to Castle Lodge (http://www.castleforestlodge.com/) on Mt. Kenya. After some heavy deliberation about not knowing anyone and being the only Americannes, I thankfully decided to go. We took two cars and it was only a 2.5 hour drive from Nairobi through some very interesting towns. Castle Lodge is a cluster of small cabins that were cut out of the dense forests near the base of the mountain. We saw the room where Queen Elizabeth II once stayed as a teenager, and much of the furniture had been preserved. The grounds of the "resort" reminded me of a cheese farm that Eric brought us to in Acul, Guatemala some years ago. Unfortunately they didn't make their own cheese, but there were cows, goats and horses grazing, and the staff cooked all our meals and built our fire. We played some games and watch a movie (A Single Man), and it made for a relaxing night away from the bustle of Nairobi. Sunday morning after breakfast, we took a guided hike about 9km up Mt. Kenya. The area is known for its wild elephants, and there were apparently some fatal attacks last year. We didn't get to see any elephants, but had to constantly avoid getting stuck in their leftovers. We hiked through some very diverse forestry (rain forest, pine, bamboo, etc.) and up to a beautiful waterfall. After lunch, we took off, hoping to be in Nairobi before dark.
On Friday I will be moving again. Two German girls I know have an open room in their guesthouse. I have really grown to like where I am now, but this new place is too convenient to pass up, and almost half of what I was paying at my studio ($300.00/month includes laundry and cleaning). It is on the same street as Gigiri Homestead, where I spent my first week - 20 minutes from work/gym, 15 from the grocery store. My major holdup is that there is only one bathroom, and I like to take my time in there (in the shower, I mean). I have also only ever lived with guys before, so I will have to learn to keep the seat down, which is easier said than done. Both of them are very cool, though, and it will be nice to have some company.
This weekend I will doing a day-hike in the Ngong Hills, just outside of the city. I'm also trying to arrange a tour in the slums, but haven't found many takers.
You may have noticed Amazon and Google advertisements on my blog from. That is because I decided to sell out and "monetized" it. So far I have earned a total of $1.93, so thanks for the support and tell your friends!
xoxoxo
Monkey in the Office (and you thought I was kidding...)
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