July 5
We took off
right over the city. It was as clear as a bell and looked stunning.
The roads and
freeways snaked like shimmering jewels punctuated with open expanses of shops
and parks. And so we flew into the darkness to Dubai via Bangkok.
July 6
After a 5 hour
layover in Dubai – no hardship really it’s an amazing airport, we boarded our
flight to Nairobi.
Our route took
us across the Emirates' desert and across the mountainous interior of Oman.
After crossing
the Gulf of Aden we crossed the Horn of Africa and over Ethiopia until finally
crossing the border into Kenya.
It was clear
most of the way but as we approached the Equator the clouds became denser below
us forming a frothy white carpet. It was early afternoon and the sun was
shining brightly through the aircraft windows. The thick cloud gave way to
clusters of puffy cotton wool. Meanwhile I am listening to my album of African
music. Tears will happen this trip.
As we approached
the exact latitude for the Equator, I scoured the horizon for a sight of Mt
Kenya. I was on the right side of the plane. According to the on board flight
tracker when we were directly over the Equator that's when the clouds thickened
once more, blanketing the African scenery below. But we were descending. No
luck with Mt Kenya from above. Hopefully we will see her from the ground in a
day or so.
After meeting
our guide at the airport and our fellow travellers, we set off to our hotel for
the night. Through the afternoon traffic of Nairobi, we arrived and were
welcomed with warm towels and a fresh fruit drink. This became standard at
every hotel. African hospitality is very good.
We stayed in a very pleasant hotel on the north side of the city. The
staff were so friendly. A great introduction to this happy country.
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| Gazing down on the country I have yearned to see |
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| Then the clouds kept the view from me |
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| We would drive through these hills |
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| Those typically African acacia trees welcomed us at the airport |
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