Final report from our stay in Kenya

We are back home in Norway. But before we kind of summarize our stay, let us shortly tell you about our last morning in Kenya. We spent the last night at Sharon's aunt Jennifer in Nairobi. After a very early breakfast, we drove to the airport around 4.30am. It was raining cats and dogs. Parts of the highway to the airport was flooded and it was dark. No street lights. It was a challenge to keep track of the road without diving into flooded water. About half way, we passed a car with its wheels up in the air and with major damages. After 30 minutes, we arrived safely in the airport.

It was an interesting stay. The reasons why we went to Kenya at this time, was for Rune to experience Christmas in Kenya, for Rune to meet more of Sharon's relatives, and to enjoy the December sun.

The sun was there and it was warm. But the hours of warm sun was fewer than expected and fewer than what is normal for this time of the year. Toward the last part of our stay, it even rained quite a lot during some of the days. But luckily, we also got good times in the sun. Christmas Eve lunch in the White Highlands Inn was enjoyed while the sun was burning hot. That day is one of many good experiences in the sun.

Christmas in Kenya is quite different from Norway. We have been writing more about this topic in an earlier report. The feeling of Christmas was hardly there, which was also an interesting experience. Rune very much understood why Sharon had been struggling to answer questions from friends in Norway how Christmas is in Kenya.

We managed to meet almost every relative that we were hoping for. Even if we decided not to drive as much as we had planned for because of the bad road standards, we found other solutions how to still meet relatives. We met family members and relatives in Eldoret and the nearby areas, outside Kericho, in Nakuru and in Nairobi.

It was nice for Rune to get to know more of Sharon's family, and it was nice for Sharon to introduce Rune to a much bigger part of her family. We also got feedback that the relatives were happy to meet both of us.

According to our plans, our stay was more or less a success. In spite of less sun and more rain. And in spite of bad experiences at Rosewood Cottage.

Our visit to Kenya has been a learning experience for both Sharon and Rune. Coming back to Kenya on vacation when living in Europe and being married to a white man is quite different from living in Kenya. Despite the fact that Sharon has been growing up and living in Eldoret for most of her life, coming back after having moved to Norway made her see things with different eyes. Having a white husband also attracts quite a different attention.

When it comes to seeing things with different eyes, one of the things that looks different is the roughness of the society. At one point while there, Sharon expressed: "I want to go home!". Meaning back home to Norway.

In addition to meeting and getting to know more of Sharon's relatives, it has been a learning experience for Rune how it is to live in Kenya. In so many ways he has seen and experienced things that a tourist is never close to see or experience. Being part of a Kenyan family in its depth and width is much more of a learning experience than even living in Kenya as a foreigner for someone who does not have a family there. Our travel reports have not covered such things or at the most they have just touched the edge of a few things.

Loaded with experiences and knowledge, we are back in Norway. Some of you will probably ask and get answers that will touch a little bit more of our experiences.

Thank you for following our travel blog. Now, our travel blog will rest until our next travel. Where and when our next travel will take place? Time will show. Until then, feel free to visit our web site www.henjum.net to keep on track with us in Norway.