A Day in Karen, October 18, 2014

We were picked up by a Me to We driver this morning and taken to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, home of the elephant orphanage. It is currently run by David's widow, Dame Daphne Sheldrick and her daughter Angela and husband. Anyone who knows me will be aware that I do some reading and research before travel destinations. So naturally I had read Daphne's book on her life and the orphanage which made me really pleased to see the facility in person. I was disappointed to not actually see Daphne, although she couldn't have signed my book anyway as I read it on my Kindle!

Seeing the young elephants was an amazing experience. They ranged from two months to three years. We learned some interesting facts. A keeper actually sleeps in the stall on a raised bunk with the infants. The keepers constantly rotate so the elephants don't become attached to one human. You can't help but pity these poor babies who lose their mothers often due to human greed for ivory and the poaching that provides it. After three years juveniles are moved to Tsavo where they are reintroduced to the wild, a process that takes five to ten years!

We had lunch at Utamaduni where there is a hotel and craft centre. It was a nice place with barter-free shopping. Love that! We also had a brief (perfect!) tour of a bead making workshop called Kazuri. This place provides employment and health benefits for single mothers. You might find some of their work at places such as Ten Thousand Villages.

Skip has not experienced the chaos that is downtown Nairobi as our time has been totally in this affluent suburb of Karen.

A young boy of perhaps eight years came into the hotel with his mother last night. His name is Finn!

Note to self: I must remember to take some photos on my iPad today so I can post them.