Jambo.

It was a Tuesday. Me and Chelsea had a really early breakfast, because we needed to catch a bus to Nairobi, and with traffic, it can take 2hours to the city. And so it did! We got to Rongai at 8h15, and we arrived in Nao at 10h15. By 10h30 we were at the Coffee House next to VICDA Offince (the meeting point) having Chapati and a Coke (because we were hungry - again) and we weren't sure when we were having another meal.

Daniel and Sonya were late for our Kibera tour. But so was the guide, so I had time to make some phone calls (parents, lil sis and grandparents). After Daniel, Sonya and Peter (the guide) got to VICDA office, we took the bus to Kibera surroundings. It was a strange feeling. Excitement and worry. Happiness and sadness. Tiredness and hyperventilating! All kinds of stuff came through my mind: 'What if a guy takes my watch? It's better to keep t in my bag. What about photos? Should I just keep the camera on the bag the whole time?'. Well, that bus trip seemed endless!

Eventually, we stopped at Kibera. I was so surprised how many people were there! The main street was busy as any shopping mall during Christmas. Lots of people on the street, shops selling everything from chickens (cooked or alive), football jerseys, candy, movies, plants and even furniture. The loud music that was being played just seemed like random rhythms, but if you listened carefully you could hear that it came from 3 different shops…

Peter waled us inside the slums. Our first stop was Tunza Kibera. This is a Primary school that belongs to the same woman that owns the orphanage that Daniel and Sonya are volunteering in. The building consists in a small area, the same as a small house's, with two stories. It has, a kitchen, dorms, staffroom, classrooms, washroom and more. And actually they were planning on reenforcing the foundation of the building to grow another store, cause they have to many kids and they need more classrooms.

We left Tunza Kibera and walked all the way inside the slums with Peter leading the way. The noise and music form the main road disappeared completely! We were walking in silence. Only our footsteps and some children yelling 'How a'you?' could be heard from time to time and we would answer back with a smiley 'Jambo!'. The houses are made of soil mixed up with some garbage and waste from these narrow streets between buildings. We had to walk carefully cause, specially me and Chelsea (the giants of this land) could easily hit with our forehead in a sharp zinc sheet from a roof, 'Watch out for that one' said Daniel after slamming against one. We went to another school were we got a great dancing and singing performance as we finished the tour around the classrooms (which were divided by sheets of plastic 'Made in Korea').

Classrooms' walls made from plastic sheets.

We visited some family from Peter. We took some pictures and talked a little with them. After we went to Peters place. We sat on his couches and bed (Chelsea got the bed, while me and Daniel and Sonya shared a couch). By this time, Peter went to the back and got back holding a National Geograpic magazine, that later he explained that is was the first issue of 'Africa National Geographic'. It was a big deal this issue! He was in it! Peter our guide helped a project in Kibera and some filmmakers from hollywood came to document the happening. He made us read the article, which was kinda cool and unexpected.

We were getting hungry, but before lunch we headed to the clinic. It was lunch time so the patients had to go out of the clinic, and they only could come back after 14pm. The clinic was really in good conditions, it had beds, medicines, 2 doctors and water. Tough, it is the only clinic to assist the Kibera slums… if you cannot be treated there, you have to go to the hospital, with is far away from Kibera and much more expensive.

Eyes full of curiosity and humility @ Kibera.

Finally we were having lunch. In a place by the main road, so yes, it was loud and people were passing by all the time (and staring at us, of course). We wanted a menu to see what we could have there, but the guy said 'There's no menu. We have ugali with beans and chapati, we have…', 'I want on of that please', I said with confidence and a pinch of excitement for Ugali. Chelsa ordered the same and Daniel order fried rice and beans. The other orders were made, and by the time that we got the bill we were amazed… 4 meals including drinks for less than 500KSHS (that's less than 7USD). We usher to pay and continue our journey, but this time to Ngong.

We got the bus one eleven to Ngong (by the way, you don't say the N, you read Gong). Thirty minutes in the bus drive, it started to rain… a lot! The bus driver even let a couple of kids to take a free ride to Ngong cause it was raining like crazy! We were almost in Ngong when the bus had to stop to drop some passengers. It pulled over out of the road. the step between the road that the soil was so high that we had to switch chairs in the bus so that it could maintain its balance and not fall over… It was a moment to forget!

Finally we got to Ngong and… It was raining a lot. We sheltered a while waiting for the rain to stop. When it did, we jumped to the Piki-pikis and drover to Mama Tunza's orphanage (about 10min way). The mud, the rain and the call that the driver answered while driving made that trip unforgettable. Chelsea on the middle, me on the back and the on handed piki-piki driver. When we got to the stop, we still had to walk 15min to the orphanage. Since it had been raining, everything was muddy, and as we alkyd we grew in height (mud accumulated in our shoes forming irregular heels). FINALLY we were in the orphanage were Daniel and Sonya are volunteering. It's a really nice place, but for what we heard, there are some management issues, that if they were resolved, that place would be much better. Still, it is pretty good.

It was time to head back to Rongai. Esther told us the night before, that from Ngong to Rongai we don't need to go back to Nairobi. 'Get matatu to Kiserian and then Rongai. You will not pay more than 40 KSHS for trip, I am sure!'.

It kept raining. We got home in time for dinner.