Of Snakes, Ostriches, and Jellyfish

As always, living in Kenya brings about interesting animal encounters and this vacation certainly has had its share. It’s been a wonderful few weeks of time with family and plenty of time to rest. Some highlights include going to an alumni pool party, going out for Indian and Ethiopian food, going to a water park with my cousins, trying to learn how to golf, having lunch with a good friend from high school, and baking (and eating) lots of wonderful Christmas treats.

Family Christmas picture:


Ethiopian food at Habesha:


Christmas Eve brought a snake into our house which my Dad bravely killed with a butcher knife, after which we were relieved to figure out that it wasn’t the very poisonous black mamba that are so common. Then one day we went to an ostrich farm where we took a tour and then each got a turn to ride an ostrich. Try to imagine a six foot bird (who did not look too pleased to be the one chosen for our rides and growled at us) running around a small arena with two men running as fast as they could alongside to try to control the bird as well as keep us on the very flimsy excuse for a saddle. Definitely an experience to be remembered!

Trying to stay on the ostrich:




This past week we spent at a house on the Indian Ocean in a house enjoying the beautiful beach and a relaxing pace. The only downside was that one of the first days when I got in the water to go snorkeling, I was stung on my lip by a jellyfish. Several of the days, we found hundreds of them washed up along the shore, so we didn’t get in the water as much as we would have liked. They certainly afforded us several adventures as we tried to get to a different beach with better snorkeling, which involved clambering over sharp coral with a sheer cliff on one side and jellies swirling at our feet. When we finally got to the beach, it too was covered with those awful creatures and we had to walk back to our house in the blazing sun along the road.

Snorkeling - moments before the jellyfish attack:


Jellyfish around my feet:



Now it’s a flurry of preparations fly to Cairo tomorrow! I can’t believe its already time to go!

Should anyone want to send me something while in Egypt (hint, hint) this is the address. I can't receive packages though because of customs.

Rachel Brown
Middle East Studies Program
P.O. Box 213
Zamalek
Cairo, EGYPT