Sleepless in Nairobi

After some Spartan but comfortable accommodations in Nigeria, my colleague and I arrived at our hotel in Nairobi for a workshop.  All shiny and new, it was renovated only two months ago and had had, they said, only a soft opening.  That might have explained a few things.  Upon further investigation, things weren't quite right.  For one thing this hotel seems to have an identity crisis.  Is it a hotel or is it an event space?  Is it large enough and sound proof enough to be both?  There were other incongruencies.  There was a lovely little french press and bags of custom roasted ground coffee, but no electric kettle.  There was a flat screen TV but only a few local news and sports stations.  There was a posh glassed in shower but no water pressure or hot water.  There was a phone but it didn't connect to the front desk - to possibly inquire about the previous issues.

For most of these obstacles there were work arounds - no coffee/tea in the room, read a book and make due with the sink's hot water.  However the biggest sticking point was the noise.  Our second night, the staff delivered a letter apologizing for an event that would be over at 11:30p.  It had a live band, which sounded like it was in my room.  The party ended at 1am.  The next morning as people shared stories of their sleepless night, it turned out everyone had complained and over several hours were told "oh it's wrapping up, it will be over in a few minutes".  Because my phone didn't work, I may have scared the front desk worker coming up desperate and wild-eyed in pajamas and bathrobe.  The next night there was also a party but it was a bit quieter.  And this afternoon, as I wait to go to the airport, there has been a party, also with a live band, so a pre red-eye nap is out of the question.

On the bright side, the staff were exceptionally nice and they gave us one night stay free.  

Road Rules

Even if I had had a camera, pictures would not have accurately described the drive from Ibadan back to the Lagos airport.  We departed at 6:30a for a 12:30p flight because no one can anticipate how long it will take to get there.  Could be 3 hours, could be 5 hours.  There is one road, two lanes in each direction, heavy with truck traffic.  There were five of us and the driver in a trusty, old mini-van.  Pretty much Nigeria is where motorized vehicles go to die - if the number of dented, rusted, broken down cars and trucks is any indication.

Not 10 minutes after departure we came up against a "jam".  Traffic going our direction had stopped.  So, like many others, our van crossed the dirt median and start driving the wrong way down the northbound side of the highway.   Then we saw that the same thing had happened on the south bound side.  Gridlock going south had run into vehicles trying to go north.  The accident, a turned over truck was blocking the northbound side so the cars had crossed over only to stop the on-coming traffic.  So like many other cars, our van took a one-lane back dirt road through the shacks alongside the highway.  Of course the north bound cars, trying to get around the accident had also decided to try this route.  Again head-on standstill with cars trying to turn around mid-road.  Fortunately we persevered and some bystanders or passengers of other cars started directing traffic.  We then crossed back over the northbound lane, through the dirt median, through the north bound cars in the south bound road and back into the traffic going south which had started moving again.  The Nigerian drivers are fearless and aggressive.

The rest of our trip was a harrowing duck and weave. Cars drive very fast and there are no lanes on the roads.  They are just narrower or wider allowing for more cars to pass each other.  You can pass on the right or the left, just as long as there is enough room and you give a honk to say your are going.  If there is no room, you drive on the dirt shoulder.  Depending on the traffic built up a two "lane" road could easily become four cars abreast.  One would think the number of accidents or at least missing side mirrors would be high, and vehicles came within inches of each other but somehow an invisible buffer or supreme spatial relation skills kept everyone separate.

We made it to the airport early and safely where a handler maneuvered us and perhaps greased the wheels through check in and security. 

Page Refresh

One day I'm running a 5 mile turkey trot in 20 degree temps through the snow.  24 hours later, I walk into a Nigerian wall of 90 degree temps with 80% humidity.  I'm not sure the human body was meant for such transitions.  Since I did not take a camera on this quick, sit-in-meetings trip, words will have to suffice.

Departing the airport defied logic.  It was hot, the immigration line made no sense, the driver appeared at immigration, disappeared and then finally reappeared outside customs, and customs waived us through without taking our forms.  I had met two consultants in line for immigration who were going to the same campus, which was nice considering the confusion.  In addition, our car was called back to the airport so we could switch to a larger vehicle to go pick up several people at the Lagos guesthouse who had been forgotten all day.  The plus side was an unexpected trip through the city.

I am spending the first three days on the research campus of one of our partner centers.  They have sub-centers in several other countries but are headquartered in Ibadan.  It is a huge, beautiful, serene campus, except for the air raid siren that announces work breaks throughout the day.  This morning I managed a run which took me through a tree lined residential street, down to the lake and back through the experimental cassava fields.  It was a bit sweaty and buggy.

Needless to say, impressions of Nigeria will be limited to the airport, the 2 hour drives between Lagos and Ibadan and to the campus.  Though, as our meeting runs an hour behind, as one of the consultants said: in Nigeria, everything happens in its own time.

Long Good-bye

It was Thursday morning in Nepal when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series and as luck would have it, Paul found the game on TV.  While our crew waited for our delayed flight back to Kathmandu, there was a bit of celebrating.

Back in bustling, dusty, Kathmandu, we settled in for our last night at a very nice Tibetan run hotel.  While the others cleaned and repacked their bikes, the plus of renting bikes was that we had more free time. One of the goals of this trip was to look for carpets if possible.  Turns out the hotel runs a Tibetan carpet showroom at their second location and an export business.  They provided a taxi with no obligation to buy and off we went on a successful shopping adventure.  The designs tended toward the bold and contemporary but we were able to find a few that would work.

On the morning of our last day, the rest of our group got up predawn to catch a flight to see Everest.  We opted to sleep and then take an early, but still overwhelming stroll through the trekker neighborhood of Thamel.  After breakfast with our group we said our goodbyes and started the long trip home.  Kathmandu airport is unsurprisingly hectic involving long line waits especially when the ladies and gents have separate security lines for the terminal and to board the plane.

With the addition of two duffles for the carpets we opted to leave them at left luggage in Bangkok airport and took the train into the city where we managed to get a taxi and have the unfortunate experience of the metered taxi suddenly becoming a fixed price ride.  It ended up alright, with us getting to our friends' apartment and the grumbling driver only getting the metered fare.

Back to the airport Saturday and off to Korea where we again had an overnight. By a great coincidence, a close friend of Paul's who lives in Singapore was also arriving with his family that evening so we stayed at the same hotel and went out for a late night Koran bbq.  And now we are back a the airport ready to board our long flight have to DC.  It has been a great adventure.

Headng South

Today we began our trip back down the valley toward Pokhara however due to the nature of today's ride it was decided that I would sit out the first half of the day and rejoin the ride at the lunch stop back in Jomsom.  This morning's ride would take the group up to over 14,000 ft and the downhill was steep, narrow and rocky.  Instead I caught up on-line then boarded one of the two trucks taking our bags down the valley.  It was a fun, ride bouncing all over with Indian music playing. And then my truck got stuck crossing the river. We took off shoes and socks, pulled up the pants legs and waded out.  While they waited for the tractor that frequently tows stuck vehicles the other truck dropped me at the outskirts of town with my bike and I met the battle worn riders at the lunch stop.

We continued our ride to our next stop of Marpha. A vicious head wind picked up and the clouds rolled in turning part of our route over a particularly rocky section into a grey, dusty post-apocalyptic landscape. Marpha is known at the capital of apple country.  We had some free time so walked around the tiny town, visiting the monastery on the hill overlooking the rooftops.  That evening, with hot coals warming us under the dinning table, we had yak steak and apple pie for dinner. I also sampled the local apple brandy (not so great) and cider (very good).

Morning dawned cold and so began my longest ride.  By lunchtime I was ready to throw in the towel and get in one of the vehicles. However with encouragement from Paul and the other riders, I kept at it and managed the two hour downhill road ride. We passed breathtaking scenery and were in the deepest valley in the world between the world's 7th and 10th tallest mtns. With the non-stop ruts, bumps, rocks, and mud, I arrived at our next stop Tatopani completely exhausted but happy.  Tatopani means hot springs and they aren't kidding, they were hot but welcome for all the sore muscles.

The following morning was our final ride.  It was only two hours but after yesterday's ride, it hurt.  Our ride ended and we boarded a van for a three hour drive back to Pokhara.  This is Nepal so on narrow roads high above beautiful terraced valleys we bumped along dodging moving and stationary obstacles. We had to get out several times so the van wouldn't bottom out.  And now we are back in Pokhara. Laundry is being cleaned, we are warm, have wifi and other amenities.  It's sad that the trip is winding down but it feels good to be off the bike.

"On top of the world"

Yak steak in Marpha

Walking so the van can make it across.

Lower Mustang Valley

I write from Cafe Applebee's in Kagbeni, Mustang.  There probably won't be any legal issues with the name considering down the street is Yak donald's.  This may be a very rustic village of ~500, but there is entrepreneurship.  This is apple country ergo the naming of this cafe (which has internet when the cell phone tower works), and I've been promised we get to try local apple brandy at our next stop.

Because we have been sans internet there are a few days to catch up on.  Friday morning we boarded a small prop plane for the 30 minute flight to Pokhara. Our bikes were trucked 20 hrs to make the bumpy 400km drive.  Pokhara is lower and warmer than Kathmandu with a picturesque lake in the middle surrounded by the snowcapped Himalayas. It was a day off so the group scattered. We opted to be paddled across the lake and hike up to the World Peace Stupa with amazing views. The hike down was aided by a 13 yr old boy who found us wandering. Apparently he and his friends earn good tips guiding tourists up and down the forest paths.  A very charming kid, he definitely earned his tip.

Saturday early we caught an even tinier 14 seater plane to Jomsom.  And then we really felt like we had arrived. A very frontier type town where trekkers come for the Annapurna circuit.  From there we road what for me has been the most challenging day.  The altitude is no joke.  Between the riverbed rocks, the wind, and lack of oxygen, we had a difficult climb to the village of Pallayak.  Very remote with 200 people we had a tea break on the roof of a local farmers house.  The other highlight was the suspension bridge we crossed twice. Our ride ended at our guesthouse in Kagbeni.

Sunday we were faced with a 1000m climb up to the town of Muktinath where we had lunch. After yesterday's experience I went slowly, pushed my bike a lot and the  guides had arranged for one of them to take my bike if needed which happened twice.  On the way back I took the option of an easier route while the others chose the more challenging path.

On one last note, as warned, sleeping the first night was challenging. We both had trouble breathing and even after 10 hrs of sleep felt horrible in the morning. Fortunately the next night was much better.

Top of climb at Muktinath

Prayer wheels in Kagbeni

View up Mustang Valley from Kagbeni

Moving On

This morning in addition to getting ready for our day's ride, we had to have our bags ready to go since at the end of the ride we were transported directly to the next place we are staying.  It might have been the sharing of beers from where we're from including nepalese rice wine the night before or the culmination of travel, but I was not feeling so hot. Rally I did and we were off for another four hour ride with lots of steep ups (which means lots of walking for me) and some challenging but successful downs.

While enjoyable all in all, it was still a happy sight to see our vehicles waiting at the finish. Our bikes will start their long drive west while we fly to Pokhara tomorrow morning. We are spending the night in historic town of Bhaktapur full of ancient palaces and temples just outside of Kathmandu which is also closer to the airport.  We had a guided tour through Durbar Square and the tiny streets of the neighborhood around it.  After dinner at a nearby courtyard restuarant it was an early night in preparation for tomorrow's travel day.

Nyatapola Temple

Kathmandu Induction

After a short flight from Bangkok we are now settled in with our tour in Kathmandu. Arrival was fairly seamless and our guide was there to meet us along with a couple others arriving on another flight.  We set off in a jeep around the city towards our guest house perched high up on the hills to the north. The vehicle was appropriate given the ruts, potholes and roads so step that today our van had to let us off part way to hike up to the house.  But the hikes are worth it because the view over the city and valley are amazing.

We are 10 coming from  the US, Canada, Norway, and Australia with two Nepalese guides, both of whom, actually everyone except me, are accomplished riders.  We will be at this location for several days getting used to riding here and at elevation before moving on for higher rides.  We've been told altitude sickness should not be a problem because we'll always be sleeping at lower altitudes.

Today we had a shorter ride but it involved a long steep uphill and a crazy, difficult downhill, where I unashamedly walked a fair bit.  Paul faired well and had no troubles.  Afterward we ate at a Tibetan restaurant and had a tour of the UNESCO site the Boudhanath

Stupa. A beautiful day.

Stupa

Bangkok Weekend

Without an actual keyboard but a Kindle instead these entries will be shorter for now. All flights to our first destination went seamlessly. Luggage made the two transfers as well and there is nothing quite like seeing your name on a hotel pick-Up sign when arriving past midnight in a foreign airport.

After a long snooze we took a taxi in to Bangkok proper to our friends' fantastic apartment  just off the main drag of a popular (read busy) part of town.  They took us to a fantastic lunch, we rode the light rail, walked around a bit, took refuge at a beer pub, and finished the day with even better food at a restaurant housed in an old colonial style hotel tucked away on a back street.

Sunday morning has found us with various levels of jet leg (someone, not me, got about 3 hours sleep) enjoying Aunt Jemima pancakes from the boxes we brought over by request and watching the Red Sox make it into the World Series.  We'll see how the rest of the day will roll out.

Break from the game.

Learning Curve

So why this week of meetings?  Because there are so many moving parts to this program and these moving parts are spread across the world. Sometimes email and Skype calls do not have the same effect as putting people in the same room to present, discuss and have side conversations over coffee breaks and meals.

One corner of the resort

The first half of the week our program team presented information and received input/feedback from our partner research centers. Topics included current research portfolio, how to grow our research themes, how to monitor and evaluated progress, reporting requirements etc.  The second half of the week was a smaller group of researchers discussing a topic that has been new to me: aflatoxins.  Two days of discussing research gaps on how to prevent and treat crops contaminated with this fungus that is prolific in all sorts of crops: maize, peanuts, cassava, a whole bunch of grains, chilies, and spices.  It can get into the milk of animals who have consumed contaminated feed.  Besides causing liver disease and even death when consumed in high concentrations, a chief interest in developing countries is whether it causes stunting in children.  One way contamination is prevented - at least in the US for now - is by biocontrol where a competing but safe variety of the fungus is put on fields so that it out numbers and drives down the bad variety.  And the topic goes on and on and on.  Two days worth in this case.

Thus ended this week of non-stop information inputs.  Not all went in unfortunately and hopefully that portion that did, sticks.  On another note, I never did see the hippos come out of the water, but I'll end with this view of the path down to the lake.

Wildlife Excursion

Turns out the resort is bit bigger than I thought and backs up against Lake Naivasha.  After our second full day of sessions, two of which I led and am glad are out of the way, we trooped down to the lake to get into several 8-seater flat motor boats to do a bit of wild-life watching, or harassing as the case might be.

There was a diverse range of birds - which made me think my grandmother with her life-list would have really been impressed - and a spit of land called Crescent Island, was teaming with herds of animals.  Wildebeest,impala, zebras, pelicans, flamingos and others I didn't recognize.  Apparently if you visit the isle by land, there are giraffes and other large animals.  Along the shore on our side of the lake we saw hippos in the water.

Africa Light

I am spending the week in Kenya.  It perhaps sounds adventurous, and while maybe I should feel a bit guilty to be attending meetings at a posh resort, quite frankly, if you have to be tired and "on" for 5 days straight, having a beautiful room on a fancy property seems justified. Add that it feels a bit like a fancy jail, and the argument for justification grows.  I'm realizing that all of my experiences in Africa, both Kenya and JoBurg have involved gates, walls and guards.  But I digress.

To sum up, I flew with several colleagues which was a nice change.  We spent our first night in a very meager guesthouse in Nairobi.  So sparse in fact that other meeting attendees who stayed there before coming to Naivasha, requested to stay elsewhere when they go back to Nairobi.

This week we have back-to-back meetings, interspersed with side meetings since this is one of two times during the year that we can sit down and go over work plans, deliverables, budgets, timetables and other concerns.  There is an excursion planned for tomorrow when we are going to go see some wild life.  So while no picture worthy moments so far, there will likely be some tomorrow.

Requisite meeting photo

Bonn

Bonn city view

There seemed to be a lot of scope for a title with a cheesy pun but I'll just leave it simple.  It is the last leg of the European conference circuit.  Many who were in Granada are now seeing each other again in Bonn.  However, going from a picturesque city with a 6-day conference of 4,000 to the outskirts of a small town with a 3-day meeting of 300, does have its differences, and mostly in a good way.

The 2-hour train ride from Frankfurt to Bonn along the Rhine River was beautiful.  Something out of a fairy tale with castles, ruins, traditional little towns and vineyards climbing straight up the sides of mountains.  Unfortunately I was seated both on the wrong side and backwards so did not get any photos.  Perhaps on the way back.

Museum Koenig

Our conference is at a facility which is in what could be described as an industrial park.  However, both nights we have had events in town.  The first night our dinner was held in the Museum Koenig which houses a zoological exhibit and also was the new German democracy immediately after WWII since it was one of the few large buildings intact.  The second night the City of Bonn hosted a reception at their renovated City Hall.  A few of us went early, toured the birth home of Beethoven and wandered around the city's walking streets.  

Deutschland Limbo

Granada is done and Bonn has not started yet.  Since there was no easy, inexpensive side trip to take, and with an acquaintance in Frankfurt, I decided to spend the weekend exploring this often overlooked city.  A city probably best known for its frustrating airport transfers - a necessary evil to get to many parts of the world.  But this time, I actually exited the terminal.

"Love" locks on the bridge

Today's tour involved walking all over the city, food street, shopping street, European Central Bank, old opera house, walking bridge, riverfront on both sides, old square taken over by political party campaigning (the election is tomorrow), and lunch consisting of the local specialty called "green sauce", which was hard boiled egg and potato drowning is a creamy herb sauce.  I'll save you the search:  http://germanfood.about.com/od/saucessweetandsavory/r/gruene-sosse.htm

Frankfurt "green sauce" lunch

Carbo-Loading

Catedral de Granada

I am in Granada to attend a nutrition conference.  The subject matters range from straight-up hi-tech clinical dietetics to combating malnutrition in developing countries.  One would think at a food related meeting, they'd get the food right at least.  Logistics, sound systems perhaps no, but food?  That should be easy.  However, after receiving a sandwich in my lunch bag consisting of a thick slab of Spanish omelette in a baguette, I feel justified in a bit of complaining.  Indeed, I've been to diabetes conferences where the newcomer breakfast featured sugar cereals and whole milk.  The RDs were practically slapping each other to get the Total boxes and skim milk cartons.  At another, coffee breaks featured chocolate covered donuts and ice cream bars. But I digress.  At this conference, the coffee breaks come with mini-pastries and fruit and the afternoon coffee comes with mini-cookies and fruit.  The lunch sacks are salad and not one, but two sandwiches, though salad is a loose term.  Sometimes an assortment of seafood and sometimes a pasta salad.  There are very few places to eat nearby and I think they are trying to keep us at the conference center - ergo, we are kept fed and caffeinated on premises.

Tufts alumni & professors

On the plus side, I know many people here - many people from DC.  Colleagues, former grad school classmates and professors and acquaintances from the international nutrition world.  Plus, a friend of mine from DC happened to be traveling nearby and came down to stay with me for a couple days.  We ventured out last night and found a great little hole-in-the-wall eatery off a side street.  Cheap, good, friendly, oh but it turned out the proprietress is Italian.  Ah well.  Spanish cuisine is coyly playing hard-to-get.

Granada

Atop the Alhambra

Lack of time and reliable hotel internet has made it difficult to post.  Plus, spending all day in conference sessions does not for interesting material make.  However, three days in, and I have played hooky a bit, probably less than other attendees, and joined in on some outings.  Despite logistical difficulties, and everyone has their story of innovative and/or sketchy measures to reach the conference, it is an amazing setting.  Plus the city center is quite small and with several thousand at the conference, you are likely to run into people you know.

view from hotel balcony

My hotel is tucked away between two alleys, just wide enough to walk through the outdoor seating of the neighboring restaurants.  It is also short walks to the conference and sights like the Alhambra.  I took a stroll up the steep hill to take in the views, and on my way back passed the head of my organization making his way up to do the same thing.  Last night, 15 of us went to a fixed price dinner and flamenco show.  We spent a 1/2 hour trusting google maps on a ipad to get us through the maze of tiny streets going up the side of a hill.  Researchers...  In the end it was on a main thoroughfare.  I'm not sure how the conference organizers expect people to show up at 8a when it's nearly impossible to go out for dinner and get home before midnight.

Moon over the Alhambra

Last Days

The last few days went in a blur.  Thursday and Friday were the conference days.  It was a very small conference mostly for young researchers to present their studies in agriculture and health.  Unfortunately, on Thursday I lasted through the morning keynote speech and then by way of a grocery store for provisions, stayed in my room for the rest of the day recuperating.  

Friday was more successful.  I nearly had to give my boss' key note address which had been pre-recorded but then lost in the "cloud".  It was found with minutes to spare, and while it probably would have been a good trial by fire for me, it was still a relief.  

I was feeling well enough and so met up with my friend Miho. It was the first sunny day since I arrived so we and half of the city accessed the roof top bar scene.  After that we met up with some of her friends whom I'd gotten to know at her wedding last fall.  Unfortunately, I was still not feeling well so wasn't able to eat much but the company was great.  Saturday morning I am home bound.

Stowaway

Today was our planning meeting for our proposed Agri-Health Academy for early researchers from Africa and Asia.  We'd invited prominent researchers from around the world (aka North and South), to weigh in on the needs, gaps and vision of what this might look like.  I stepped in for my boss to do an opening statement and another colleague took over chairing a session.  This was just as well because this morning I woke up unwell.  Tuesday I had no appetite which is highly unusual and so I should have suspected something was amiss.  Since I can't pin point anything I ate on Monday (poisoned by Rotarians?), it must be a delayed response to something from Kenya.  An unwanted souvenir.  Fortunately I was still functional and managed to stick with the meeting but am spending this rainy London evening in with my crackers and soda water.

  

To London to Visit the Queen

Well not really but I am now here.  To get here I picked the short travel straw and sat next to an 18 month old who tantrumed nearly the whole way.  Fortunately the day only improved from there.  My BnB is in the great little college area of Bloomsbury - very historic with blue plaques noting famous people who have spent time there such as Lenin and Dickens.  

After making sure the hotel where our guests are staying for this week's meetings were in order, I headed to the lunch meeting of the Rotary Club of London.  It was located in a membership club called the English Speaking Union that was all dark wood, marble, sweeping stair case and chandeliers.  They proclaim themselves to be the first and oldest Rotary club in Europe.  The Duke of Edinburgh is an honorary member and I was told there are several ambassadors who are members.  Needless to say I was a bit under dressed and glad that work is reimbursing my meals. The speaker that day was an American executive from Chevron giving a presentation about hydraulic fracturing aka "fracking".  I wasn't disappointed that I had to leave before he was finished.  

Next up was a meeting with the partner running tomorrow's meeting.  I found out the night I left Nairobi that my boss has sciatica so can not sit on an airplane due to severe pain.  We were able to come up with a plausible plan B.  And then this evening I met up with a good friend for dinner.  

Nairobi layover

Because of meetings in London this week it didn't make sense to go back to the US in between so I had some time to use.  I opted to spend the day being a tourist in Nairobi before my midnight flight.  I hired a driver and we headed towards the aforementioned suburb of Karen.  I ended up not visiting the Karen Blixen Museum but did have lunch in a really great garden restaurant adjacent.  The weather was perfect and it was a very peaceful little oasis.  After that I ventured to the Oloolua Nature Trail which I had found on the internet but no one seemed to know it.  It is in a forest and from what I could tell is popular with local students.  While nothing phenomenal nature-wise, it was a nice to do a bit of hiking.  

Then it was on to the Giraffe Center.  Again, nothing grand but you can feed the giraffes, many choosing to ignore the posted guidelines and instead hold the food pellets in their mouth for the giant tongue to come lick it away.  As my veterinarian colleague had warned me, a great way to support emerging animal to human diseases. 

Finally I tried without success to do some souvenir shopping before opting instead for some coffee and tea as this trip's take-aways.  There's always next time.

Decompression

The course ended midday with the obligatory circle of sharing (and tear shedding) and once the flurry of goodbyes was over, it was suddenly very quiet for those of us who wait until tomorrow to depart.  After seven very, very full days, it's a bit surreal to just sit at the beach, hear the waves crash, feel the wind blow, watch the large ships go by and chat.  I spent the afternoon talking with ladies who work at the FAO in Rome - from Algeria, England and India with topics ranging from interagency policies to arranged marriages to why and how women chose to cover themselves in Muslim societies.  

Tomorrow, I depart early for the airport and have hopefully arranged for pick-up in Nairobi to play tourist for the day before taking a red-eye to London.  Quite honestly, part of me wishes I was heading home tonight but the rest of the trip awaits.  Stay tuned!

Requisite feet/beach/palm/ocean picture :) 

A Fine Romance

Last night's outing to the romantic Ali Barbour's Cave restaurant did not turn out the way we had envisioned but it sure made a great case study for the next day's lesson on conflict resolution.  But first - a picture:

Courtesy of the internet - my camera couldn't handle the lighting

Indeed the restaurant is in a cave with a roof open to the sky.  We asked what happens when it rains.  The response "The Masai cover the roof with a canopy".  They weren't kidding - a Masai in traditional garb was standing by the front door.  Anyway - At our resort several trainees and trainers had been approached by an older white South African man who wondered what this "women's empowerment course" was all about and did we realize the negative effect this would have on Kenyan women etc.  He himself had a young female Kenyan companion. As luck would have it - he and she were dining at Ali's at the next table.  We were fourteen and were perhaps a bit louder than the diner hoping for a quiet experience would like.  All of sudden he towered over our table shouting that we should be ashamed of ourselves and that we were "disgusting" and who did we think we were with our Bill Gates funding etc, etc, etc.  It was alarming and disturbing.  Long story short, the spit-fire members of our group backed down, and the hostess quietly got him back to his table.  He told her we were ruining the resort and were ruining the restaurant.  Hmm.  To think that this sort of mentality is probably not as rare as it should be was a bitter reminder.  

Team Day

I survived both team day and the feedback it was geared to produce.  While it was the learning experienced it was proclaimed to be, I will not be looking to repeat the activity.  On our forth day, after being Myer-Briggs typed we were divided into teams.  Let the games begin.  We participated in four activities each designed to demonstrate how we lead or function in a group setting.  The deck was stacked so there would be challenges.  Introverted leaders would be hijacked by extroverts, structured people wouldn't give space to roundabout thinkers, observing types would withdraw when they felt not listened to, etc. etc.  After each round our facilitator "helped" us uncover the strengths and weaknesses we bring to leader or team member roles.  Considering what this could have been like, I lucked out with a really great team.  Even as we went through our positive and "constructive" feedback this morning, there was still a sense of camaraderie and that we were, in fact, the best team.  Most of us also felt that the constructive feedback were things we already knew we needed to work on - no surprises.  

Tonight we are heading out to what one of my well-traveled Rotary friends calls "the most romantic restaurant ever".  Who better to experience illuminated cave dining on the coast of Kenya with than a group of ladies.  Reviews tomorrow!  

Team Baobab (black&white attire coincidental)

Leaders in-Training

The women's leadership training is three days in and going rather well.  Having never attended such a training but having had questionable group learning experiences in the past, I've been trying to keep an open mind.  The trainers are both American and African and the group of 30 ladies, as mentioned, come from most parts of the world - either native or ex-pat.  Course work includes doing a 360 leadership/management assessment from your colleagues (done pre-training), a Myers-Briggs test, learning about emotional intelligence and tomorrow will be team day.  We've been told to wear comfortable clothes...open mind, open mind. 

Like most things, it's the people that count and they have been very interesting and friendly.  Being here, reminds me that I've been extremely lucky to have never experienced gender-bias, partly from having worked and studied in female dominated fields and having had supportive male supervisors.  Among this group, that is not the norm. Most of them come from patriarchal societies where getting a passport, bank loan or other significant action requires a husband's, father's or brother's approval.  And they are often the only senior woman in their work where they frequently face defiance from male colleagues.   They handle all this plus manage a family (with domestic help) which makes them admirable and successful now matter how you look at it.  

Our group photo under the baobab tree.

At the Equator

It was a bit of a clunky trip from Nairobi to Mombasa.  My back-up alarm, the landlady knocking on my door, woke me at 6am for my morning flight.  Turns out I was to pay USD cash for my stay.  Hmm, I was able to pay half with a promise to somehow get the balance to her by other means.  Flight to Mombasa went well however the drive to Diani beach should have been easy but due to it being the 50^th anniversary of Kenyan independence (Happy Madaraka!), there was a traffic jam to get to the ferry.  It was a long, hot three hour journey. 

Foot traffic onto ferry

Am getting used to being in an equatorial climate again plus not being surprised to see the other inhabitants: giant millipedes, monkeys, colorful lizards and crabs. For the geographically minded this is where I am: http://goo.gl/maps/rFMbG. It’s a nice resort and getting to know the other training attendees over meals has been good. Women from Nepal, Rome, Cairo, US, Africa all working for various research or intergovernmental organizations.  The first session starts this afternoon.  This morning I managed a sweaty run on the beach though due to security that means running back and forth between the two guards like some sort of tropical pong game. 

  

 

Day 2

Nairobi seems to have the most perfect climate.  Windows stay open all day. No bugs fly in. Not too breezy.  Not too hot. Not too cold. Unless you are a native and then you put on a thick sweater and claim it's freezing.  

In other adventures, this morning I registered a SIM card.  Each country has different hoops to jump through.  Bangladesh - no problem; India - not worth it; but Kenya - doable. The semi-laborious process involved entering my ID info into the vendor's phone, which was connected to the provider's registration system. I'm not sure whether the transaction location (see below) is of concern but regardless, I now have cellular access which is not only convenient but feels a tad bit safer.

Back at the office...every Friday, the campus holds a coffee break.  It is a time for announcements and introductions of new staff and visitors.  I am only here two days, but my Kenyan colleague decided I should be introduced.  I was and survived my impromptu public speaking debut. Among the announcements was an explanation of why God created Kenyan's on the 8th day - half the joke was in Swahili and lost on me but I think it had to do with them being fun-loving which led to an invitation to this evening's Rastafarian bbq.  Considering I have nothing else planned once back in my gated community, seems like something worth checking out.  

Getting Acclimated

Fortunately day one looked up. I had lunch with a colleague who is a native white South African and just moved here from Uganda. She talked about where she's lived all over the continent, working for USAID, her aspirations to become a Kenyan citizen (requires 7 yrs of residence and Swahili skills), and she lives in a suburb of Nairobi called Karen, named after Out...(sorry, bunging jumping spider almost landed on my keyboard)...of Africa Karen Blixen, where she keeps horses.

This evening I accompanied colleagues out to a swank seafood restaurant.  We were a Scottish HR head, an N. Irish/Brit veterinarian, a career expat American economist who hasn't been west of the Rockies, a Dutch knowledge management specialist, a German journalism student and me.  The conversation ranged from Zanzibar vacation spots to animal castration methods.  Very educational.

I am spending these two days at our research center partner's offices - they research livestock but the campus houses numerous research centers.  It is located on a hill to the west of Nairobi and is rather picturesque containing manicured lawns, pastures, cow barns, greenhouses, bar, restaurant, cafe, swimming pool, store, travel agency, bank, hostel for visitors and staff housing.  I am staying in a local guesthouse located behind four gates.

Into Africa

Now, now I can say I have been to Africa.  No more of this: well, I've sort of been to Africa because I was in JoBurg and I mean I went to townships and...greeted with the nods and ah yeses that follow as true Africa veterans acknowledge that I don't have travel cred.  Visa stamp in my passport and I am legit.

My first day in Nairobi I had to remember to expect that most things won't work quite right and require work arounds.  So far, my alarm didn't go off or gave up (hustle to get ready), only to find that I couldn't figure out the hot water (cold hair wash), and my computer battery was drained because the cord won't stay in the adapter (jam a chair up against it) and the dry air led to a rare nose bleed which saw me running around the research center corridors to locate tissues while avoiding anyone seeing this bloodied stranger and reassure the alarmed washroom cleaning lady that all was well (calmly wash up and carry on).  All before 10am.  Just another day of international travel.

View from the ILRI campus, Nairobi

Homeward

There are no pictures to document final days in Delhi, partly because a storm rolled in and dumped rain on the city, plunging it further into its sepia tones.  Along with my boss' return, my last two days were spent trying to expedite health recovery and attending more meetings.  Both activities seemed pretty successful.  In other news, I missed seeing the Super Bowl since I was not able to find a TV channel which carried the game (just lots of cricket and the "other" football).  

My final night - before departing for my 2:30a flight - the noise from what I had thought was a several night festival reached a crescendo finally making me look out the window.  I was in time to see fireworks, and party goers greeting a brass band and a groom arriving on a white horse to his wedding festivities - being held under a large tent, in the rain, in the garbage park, just to the other side of the metro rail line.  Given license, one could wax poetic about that image - the grime and dirt of Delhi combined with the pageantry and vibrancy that is India.  Go with it.  In my lay over haze in Amsterdam, I certainly will, and I look forward to returning some day soon to experience more.

Into the Fog

I was determined to see the Taj Mahal during this trip.  In hindsight I should have been less attached to that outcome.  I'd arranged to depart at 4a in order to see the Taj at sunrise. Two young colleagues from the Delhi office thought it would be fun to come along.  I'd been battling my head cold this past week and just when I thought it was getting better, I woke up this morning decidedly worse - considered canceling but thought, oh it will be so worth it to see the Taj in its glory.  I chose wrongly.  

Our drive out took nearly twice as along as we'd anticipated due to the most dense fog bank I've every experienced.  For hours we drove with only a few feet of visibility.  We kept hoping that once we'd come to Agra, the fog would have burnt off.  No such luck.  You couldn't see the massive Taj Mahal until you were standing next to it - and even then it was like being in a cloud.  Coupled with this, maybe it was a combination of sinus infection, caffeine withdrawal and dehydration but I was stricken with a vice like, jackhammer, nauseating migraine.  Fortunately my travel companions noticed I was feeling horrible and we decided to head back to Delhi instead of going to Agra Fort.  After all, there's always next time.

Art & Yuppies

Thursday night, I joined a group from the office on a cross-town outing to see one of the research assistant's art on display in a hip new area of the city called Hauz Khas Village.  To get there involved a bus, metro with transfer and an auto (tuk-tuk).  The experience and the destination were worth it.  Gone was the dirt, noise, traffic and crowds of Delhi and in its place an enclave of buildings with narrow winding alleys housing high end boutiques, shops, cafes and restaurants - sort of shabby-chic.  It was fairly empty but apparently on the weekends this is THE place to be and full of "yuppies".  The art was hung in a covered alley wedged between a cafe and a beatnik bookshop.  

We then scaled five skinny stories to a rooftop restaurant terrace with a cold, foggy view of the city.  Fortunately, it was an early night, but getting back proved a challenge, since no auto wanted to drive far and my companions did not trust taxis.  In the end, one member of our group had a car and he nicely drove us the half hour across town where two of us needed to go.

Out and About

The head-cold has worsened, but since staying shut up in the hotel is just not an option, I've been spending the day working from the office, eating amazingly good and cheap lunches (a highlight of my day can you tell?) and having the occasional adventure.  The office is located in an amazing setting - a campus, housing a large number of agriculture related research centers.  

Tuesday evening I took the metro to meet a friend from DC whose partner is from Delhi and wanted to return home to do his dissertation research.  His area is geography and he is studying the role of the Delhi garbage pickers - how the amount of recyclables are declining causing worse sanitation and decreased livelihoods...I think.  My friend continues to work for the same organization he worked for in DC, but as a local hire.  In response to this pic, he wrote "Ah snow, falling in central Delhi".  Yeah that would be the particulates in the air.

Running the gauntlet from hotel to metro and from metro to our meeting place was not a pleasant experience but at least short-lived.  On the bright-side, I discovered the metro Ladies Car which was far more enjoyable and getting around on one's own is a satisfying accomplishment. 

Tourist Attraction

Despite a head cold, I ventured out to see the sights of Delhi.  I'd opted for the tourist mainstay of major cities, the hop-on-hop-off bus.  While there were 13 stops on the route, I quickly decided that paying the international visitor rate at each one would make for a very long and expensive day.  I chose to spend time and money at the Red Fort and one of the Tombs (above).  As sometimes happens in places where there is a lot of domestic tourism, the foreigner becomes part of the site-seeing.  My image is now on several Indian smart phones and so I thought I should probably capture the moment as well:

All in all riding around on the bus was a pretty good way to see the city, but the highlight of the day was taking the metro back to my hotel.  Like most world metro systems, it was very intuitive and the only questionable part was being crammed into the car with the rest of humanity.