Jambo sana!
This morning I woke up at around 6.30am.
It was very cloudy but still warm (according to me anyway!)
I took a quick shower and then went down for breakfast.

When I came down to the dining hall there were like 4 tables with black people and one table with a white guy.
I just walked up to the white dude and asked to have a seat and we ended up talking for like an hour and a half!

His name is Nick and he’s gone from Wales to Nairobi by MOTORCYCLE! And is heading for South Africa!
He had a lot to tell! He had been to Ethiopia and was robbed and he has been staying at the Y for about a month.
He had some sort of infection on his spine… Hernia maybe? Anyway, he had to have surgery! And now he’s just waiting to get better.

Oh! When I went up to the guy who served toast, he asked what room I am in. F22 I said, and he commented my last name, Ayera, “is that you?” “Yes”, I told him.
“You have an African name!”
Coooool! :)

I have missed the breakfast at the Y! toast with Zesta jam and eggs. Lovely! And the Kenyan tea…It sure is the best!
I also had some Kenyan porridge, which Nick told me, foreigners usually don’t eat, but he does and they seem to like him for it :)
I had to try it! Didn’t taste much, but ey, it was breakfast!

Around 8.15am I went to my room to fetch the clothes and then I waited for Mary’s friend Njoro to pick me up.
When we entered Kangemi I recognized it all immediately!
It felt so so great to be back! And when I stood by the gate at Shangilia, it just felt… Amazing!

I sat in the office and some of the kids came up to me… Anne, Ken, Ester, John… And when Grace came… Oh my God!
She has GROWN!!! I got a big hug from her! I don’t think she remembered me all that much, but I really did not care!
I was just so happy to be back and to see her again! I gave her the photo album and she loved it!

It was very calm today at Shangilia.. Most of the kids were at a camp and would arrive later in the afternoon… With Cyntia, Bonniface, Sunday, Peter, Sammy, Julius and the rest :)
But it was all good, cause I got to spend much more time with the other kids instead.

There was also another white girl there. Her name is Jorien and she’s from Holland. She’s studying children’s rights and is doing her masters degree at Shangilia… She’s been there for 5 weeks, and has 5 left… LUCKY! :)
We spent most of the day at Shangilia together and had a great time!

We actually went through Kangemi! The kids took us to a big soccer field and we had to walk through Kangemi…It was AWESOME! :)
Some of the kids were performing there today. I don’t really know what it was all about, cause most of it was in Kiswahili… But it was still awesome! :)
The girls were dancing and the boys were playing drums and trumpets.

Eventually we went back...Jorien and I kind of got bored with all the Kiswahili, not understanding anything...
I do think we were filmed by Kenyan TV though! Hehe, wazungo in the slums! :)

Walking with Jorien, alone in Kangemi was just amazing! And I felt totally safe! People are so incredibly nice!
We even took our cameras out and took pictures... kind of felt bad though... SUCH a tourist... :/

But then I stayed at Shangilia until about 3pm. I also tasted the food they served that day... Getheri, it is a mix of corn and red beans with potatoes. It was good!
Just ate a bit though... Gotta be careful in the beginning at least ;)

Then some of the older girls were braiding my hair, so sweet!
And I seriously do not know how I will be able to go back... They asked me to stay with them... SO adorable!!!

MANY pictureshas been taken today! And video taping! I am so glad I bought that video camera!

At 3pm Njoro came to pick me up again and drove me to YMCA, for me to pick up my bag... I had left it there during the day, no extra charge! It was great!
Njoro is so cool! And he actually has an aunt in Sweden, AND he wore a t-shirt where it said Sweden :)

After that he drove me downtown to meet up with Mary. She had already bought me the train ticket (3650 KSh) for first class with supper and breakfast and bedding.
And whenI was gonna pay Njoro, he said 1000KSh, and Mary was like nooooo that is too expensive!
But he said I didn't pay in the morning! And OMG! I didn't! Haha, I just wen't straight to Shangilia! I totally forgot! In the excitement I guess... Hakuna matata!

Anyway, Mary and I went to an internet cafe cause I needed to get Diana's number... Apparently I did not have it in my cell! :P

After that we went to Java's coffee house and I had a delicious fruit sallad, an iced tea and a Malindi Chai Latte. It was so so good! Not at all like home! Loved it!

Then we went to a supermarket cause I wanted to buy some snacks and water for the ride and a notepad for me to write down everything, day by day! Since I don't have internet access everyday!

Check in at the train station started at 6pm, so we went straight there after the supermarket. It's right by the matatu station and it was just PACKED with people, and it still wasn't rush hour! Amazing!

At the station there were white people EVERYWHERE!
Mary and I hung out until I had to board the train at 7pm, Wagon 1210, compartment H - All to myself! :)

I told Mary I would fly back, but after this experience I'm absolutely taking the train back! it is just amazing! And Nairobi - Mombasa is SUCH a party train!

I was in the first dinner group, and I was the first one out. They just have one restaurant wagon, so we all had to eat in turns.
I thought I would be alone, but it did fill up quite quick!
Two random people sat down by my table, Mikael and Elisabeth. Mikael's also from Sweden and Elisabeth is from Germany. Cool!! They were so nice and we had such a good time!

The food was OK, I mean, I'm still not hungry... Malarone is really working it's side effects on me!
But there was soup and bread as an apetizer along with some fried fish thing...And then rice with chicken (or beef or vegeterian) and then dessert.

Then I went back to my compartment (chumba) and started writing my journal with my door open.
Down the hall I heard a bunch of Americans, so I went out and they were all: Join the party!! - Which I of course did!! :)
...Some of them were hiiiiiigh... But the group also had two Swedes, Hampus and Hannah, studying photography and going around Kenya.

Hannah and I actually ended up talking most of the night! She's really cool!
And! We're actually going back to Nairobi by train together on Tuesday!

Apparently the train just go every other day, since there's just one track, and Tuesday will be perfect and in great company! :)
We'll also hang out in Nairobi later on!

Oh! I almost forgot!
I have already got a marriageproposal from one of the train crew people (and apparently, so had Hannah)
"When you have seen the world, you come back and you marry me"
...Like in his 50's... Totally not charming ANYWHERE....
So  "Nooooo, thank you, I'm good...!"

Next time, I will just take the travel guide's advice and make up a few husbands... Yes plural = high status... Like cows in India...;)

SO!
Yeah... The train is awfully bumpy and loud, but I am loving every minute of it!
Don't know how fast we are going but the cars one the road are faster and it is a 15 hour trip!
We're supposed to arrive around 9.30-10.00am tomorrow.

I'm getting up at 7am though, to watch that sunrise and film the scenery!
Until next time dear friends!

Kwaheri!