The road to Nakuru

Yesterday we traveled from Nairobi along the perimeter of the Rift Valley. Seeing it for the first time was a huge surprise and delight. It runs from the Middle East to southern Africa, from the Dead Sea all the way south to Mozambique. Africa did not split despite nature's best efforts, and only the Red Sea remains as a sign of that split. There are volcanos in various stages of life in part of the rift bed.

We drove slowly down to the base of the Rift Valley, passing flower farms (produce destined for Europe) and safari parks. It was a favorite of the expatriate community. Young Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II here. She heard of her father George VI's death while staying in the area, and Joy Adamson, author of Born Free, lived here. There was no time to pause to check out the lakes and national parks on the way, but we did see a few zebras strolling beside the highway and pink dots surrounding a lake (all flamingoes.)

Kabarak University has a small campus in Nakuru, but the main campus is about 12 miles north of the city, on farmland donated by former President Daniel arap Moi, who lives next door. It is a delightful site. Much cooler than we expected. Although we are near the equator, we are high enough to experience breezes, though the sun is very strong. Today's picture shows the view from my window, overlooking the farmland.