A Very CIA Moment

The other day up in Naivasha, Kenya we had a very CIA moment. We went out on these motorized canoes to see some hippos that live in the lake. We also saw some cape buffalo and fish eagles. The guides on the tour actually got the fish eagles to swoop down next to the boat, pick up a fish they had thrown in the water, and soar up into the sky with their catch. It was amazing to see.

However, what happened as we were coming off the water was what I can only describe as a "very CIA moment." When we got back to the dock, one of our drivers ran down to meet us. He seemed very worried when he arrived and we had no idea why. He told us that they couldn't take us back to our lodge with the vans, because the locals were demonstrating on the road and it was too unsafe for us to try and travel past. So with echos of last year's post-election violence, in which thousands were murdered throughout the countryside, our guides and driver decided to shuttle us across the lake to our lodge instead of taking the chance of creating an international incident of sorts. With large thunderhead clouds rolling in over the lake, we rode off into the waters again all while being watched by the locals that were standing around down by the dock. The whole incident reminded me of some sort of CIA operation where they work continuously to evacuate US citizens. A very CIA moment.

Elsewhere in my journey, I got back to the ranch and was talking to one of the waiters here and he said, "I nearly forgot. I got you something." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a 10 cent coin that was about the size of our half dollar. He told me that the coin was minted during Kenya's occupation by the British. The date on the coin was 1952, some 11 years before they would gain independence. Michael, the waiter that gave me the coin, has a brother that works here too, and he said that in 1952 their father was fighting the British to gain independence for Kenya. I was very honored to be given something with such a storied history. So this evening, I gave Michael a Michigan State t-shirt. Unfortunately, it was one of my older ones but it was the only thing I had to trade him.

Tomorrow we leave for Amboseli National Park. We'll be there for a few days and then heading out towards the coast. It's crazy to think that the trip is over half over with, but in the same sense that means there is still half to go.

Best wishes,

Jordan