The Moniker is Finally True!

It has taken awhile, but the name of the blog is now officially true.  The Dinkins are indeed in Africa, and we have enjoyed our first week and half.  It has been a bit of a blur but there have been so many blessings.  We arrived last Tuesday evening after three long flights.  We were met at the airport by good friends and found 12 of our 13 bags (our 13th showed up a couple days later).  We also could account for all 4 kids, although Benny tried a disappearing act in the Zurich airport that would have made David Copperfield proud.  He definitely had our blood pressure up.  It was bad enough that we had to signal for help from security.  We found him after a few more minutes just ten or twenty feet from a secure door that led to the customs area for Switzerland.  Had he gone through that door we would have probably had to get the U.S. Ambassador to help us get him back.

   

We spent a few days in Nairobi with some basic orientation and were able to get a vehicle.  We drove around a few hours with a friend to make sure I could remember to stay on the right (LEFT) side of the road.  There are a few other tricks to driving in Nairobi, like knowing and understanding that everyone else in the country with a car  is certifiably crazy.  The only rule is there are no rules.  Stoplights, signs, and lines are apparently merely suggestions.  I feel like I have been waiting all my life to drive in Africa!
     On Sunday we drove about 8 hours down to the coast and saw some amazing animals in the wilds of Kenya.  We were fortunate enough to see wild elephants, giraffes, a kudu, baboons, dikdik (a really small deer), and some other type of antelope.  We were able to snap a few pictures of them and they made the trip go by fast.

After meeting some more friends along the coast, we visited a couple schools that Rainy and Asa might attend.  We also were able to see a doctor for Rainey's back and we had a good checkup.  After some of those meetings we had the chance to drive down the coast a couple of hours to some beautiful beaches and enjoy a little down time for a day or two.
     We are now back from the beach and packing (again) for a trip back to Nairobi for a few meetings before we head on a three day drive into Tanzania where we will complete language school.  We should be there for around six months, but that depends on how quickly we learn the Swahili language.  Because Sarah and I are lifelong learners and intense students, we have been watching The Lion King to get a head start on the language.

We look forward to checking in again once we make it down to TZ with more information and pictures.  Thanks for remembering us and we look forward to reporting what happens on this great journey we are on!

Blessings,

The Dinkins (In Africa!)