Intentional days of rest and leisure are so vital for our general health and overall well-being. I firmly believe this is especially true when living in a foreign country and culture. Every single thing one can imagine is culturally different than it is in ones home country. These differences - sometimes looming and obvious and other times quite subtle and even silent - gradually take a toll on a person's energy level and sense of serenity.
When I'm at home - in my house at Ngong town (just outside of Nairobi) - I do my best to be intentional concerning this discipline. I might do some coloring, bake some bread, or read a book while sipping tea. I may get outside in the fresh air and sunshine by working in my little succulent garden, going on a hike, or head out on my bike exploring.
Even when traveling, I am equally intentional in scheduling a down day for my own good. Last October, on a trip upcountry to Eldoret and Kitale, I set aside a day to do some GeoCaching by heading to the Iten area. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and found one of the two caches that I looked for.
Come along with me, won't you, as I reminisce through these photos.
Top photo: I hung out a while with these two friendly girls, who were out herding their family's sheep. As per usual, they found me - the 'mzungu' (white person) - rather fascinating.
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| Feeling 'on top of the world' on an escarpment of the Great Rift Valley |
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| Close-up of an attractive dry flower |
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| I had lunch inside the banda on the right, at the always-wonderful Kerio View Hotel, overlooking the amazing panorama. |
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| Snack kiosk at a viewpoint near Iten town |
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| 5,550 feet elevation, overlooking the Great Rift Valley below |
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| I took a boda boda back to Eldoret; this and the next three photos were taken on the move |
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| Gorgeous field of wheat ready to be harvested |
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| Maize, harvested and drying on the stalks in bunches |
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| I never tire of seeing an Acacia tree, the quintessential tree of Africa |
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