Nairobi and the Zoo

May 21st 2011

Today we went to Nairobi to meet the other interns in our program, and go to the animal orphanage in Nairobi. This involved getting a motatu (think a shared taxi, in the form of a minibus, but much more crowded and chaotic). Nairobi is extremely bustling and crazy. It has an energy that is really difficult for me to describe. Basically you have run down areas next to large developed buldings, suffering next to symbols of wealth. I don't really know... the entire city just has this intense business to it.

So, we grabbed a motatu from ndere to the city center, with the prerequisite jamming of bodies and limbs together. Because it is winter here, the small children were bundled up in jackets and wollen hats. Again, the contrast between the less developed areas and the giant skyscrapers was really distinct as we got close to the city center.

Upon arriving in the city center, we took the public bus to the animal orphanage. Pretty standard city bus. We waited for the other interns to arrive, grabbing a quick snack at the store outside the orphanage. The other interns are pretty cool. Susan is a native Kenyan, while another intern, Kelly, is staying with her in Nairobi while working at the UNDEP, with another intern Kristiana. A final intern intern, Hailey, is working on a microfinance project in Mombassa.

The zoo is awesome. You can get close to the animal cages, and there are wild animals such as baboons and monkeys surrounding the area. We met a tour guide, following some shady arrangements,  let us pet a feeding cheetah, and got a monkey to perch on our shoulders. Overall the zoo was similar to other zoos i've been to. Except I got to pet a cheetah.

We then ate an early dinner/late lunch at a swanky restraunt downtown and prepared to go home.  This proved trickier than it seems. We chouldn't find a motatu to nderi. We accidentally got on one going to deri by mistake, then eventually got directed by bored construction workers (it's over by the tree on the left...no it's across the street next to the tall building....)to the right motatu and our journey home.

I'm preparing for our journey to the coast tomorrow.