Update from Kenya + Zanzibar!
July 4, 2024
What’s up everybody! Hope you all are having a great time back in the states. The group has had an outstanding past four nights staying at the Maasai Mara Camp. It’s been so awesome to see how much closer the group becomes day by day. From shooting bow and arrows to hiking up a small mountain, the group has been through a lot since we last updated you so, as Strobe and Ryder would say “Lock in, Twin!”
The day before our arrival at the Maasai Mara camp, we had an over night travel break at Camp Carnelley’s. Camp Carnelley’s is a hotel/camp located on Lake Naivasha. We would have love to let the kids swim in the lake but water activities have to wait until Zanzibar due to the hippos :). At Ol Pejeta, the conservancy we had just left from, the food was great, however, it was always chosen for us. We had told the kids that lunch would be similar and we would most likely be eating “soup and beans”. Little did they know that Camp Carnelley’s has a full restaurant where they would be able to order anything from spicy lamb curry to an pepperoni pizza. Georgia and Cole were especially excited to find out they would be ordering off a menu. Georgia went as far to say that she “could cry” and even said a quick prayer thanking God for the menu. It was hilarious. The whole group bonded over a much needed, non-rice based, meal. Henry might have been a little too excited and accidentally broke the mustard bottle, squirting, I kid you not, half of the mustard bottle onto his plate. After lunch, the boys decided to throw some frisbee by the water. Rowan had the whole group laughing after throwing the frisbee over the electric fence surrounding the lake twice. The group had a memorable game night of ‘Family’. Family is played where each person puts the name of a celebrity in a hat and everyone tries to guess which celebrity everyone wrote. Joe was Kanye West, Will was Jesus, Caroline was Snoopy, and Cole, the winner, won because nobody could even remember that Jeff Besos was a name written down in the hat.
After a nice front porch Moonup and great night sleep, we surprised the kids with a morning boat safari! We took the boats out to an island across the channel where the kids could see wildebeests, zebras, hippos, and birds of all sorts. Strobe, to everyone’s surprise, was actually allowed to drive the boat despite everyone chuckling when he initially proposed the idea. It was the perfect way to jolt some energy into some half awake teenagers.
Our first day at Maasai Mara, we woke up and set out on a hike. We climbed up a mountain located behind our camp, and stopped at a couple of lookout points in the way. We saw some giraffes in the distance, and had fun talking about everything from movies to childhood memories. Eventually we reached the peak of our hike, which was a famous golf hole off a cliff down to a small green in the shape of Africa. The cliff overlooks a valley of trees and animals, and the group loved getting a good photo opportunity. Jackson, Baba, and Sopia, members of the Maasai tribe and our leaders on the hike, got in quite a few pictures with Strobe and Cole, who were quick to make friends with them, along either Georgia and Ryder. We then hiked back down the mountain and on our way, Henry managed to catch a massive grasshopper, which gave the group a laugh. We returned to camp for lunch and after we ate, everyone was pretty worn out so we had a little siesta before playing soccer against the guys in the Maasai tribe! This was super fun and the Maasai guys definitely gave us a run for our money. Rowan impressed the group with his skills, and held the team on his back. Joe, Henry, and Cole also helped out the team and each had some awesome play moments. Georgia, Ann, Alara, Caroline and Natalie did a great job cheering on the team and keeping the energy up, despite their lack of play. In the end, although the Maasai team beat us, it was a blast to get to play all together. We had a great dinner that evening, played some cards and then had Moonup before heading to bed!
The next morning, we had the opportunity to visit and attend a Maasai church service. This is such a unique and awesome experience and we feel so lucky we got to be so fully immersed in their culture for a morning. First, we met a group of children and their morher who lived in a house behind the church, and got to see where they lived and each of their bedrooms. Our Moondance kids had a ton of fun here, especially getting to meet Moses, an adorable 4-month-old baby who fell asleep on Natalie’s shoulder the second she picked him up. We then headed over to the church, where the service was beginning. They were playing upbeat, loud African music, and each song had a different group of people, usually sorted by age, performing a dance to it. Strobe and Cole joined in on the Sunday School kids’ performance, following along with their dance in front of all of the churchgoers, which was super awesome to see. In the back of the room, Will, Georgia, and Ann were dancing with the younger kids. We kind of went in and out, sitting in the service for a little and then playing with the kids outside before coming back to the service. Eventually, the preacher called our whole group up, had us introduce ourselves, and then had us do our own dance for everyone in the church! This had us and all of the locals laughing as we (poorly) attempted to do the dance that they so effortlessly had been doing all morning. After a few hours, we said our goodbyes and went back to camp for lunch! That afternoon we didn’t have a planned activity, so we decided to conduct Moondance Olympics. The LODs of the day, Natalie and Will, were the team captains and drafted their teams before we began. The group played a ton of different games ranging from ultimate frisbee to the final, tie breaking game, finally solving a riddle that the whole group had been stumped on since the first day. The losing team was not allowed to have Nutella at breakfast the next morning. To say that made the kids really get into it is an understatement. Some highlights included Ryder and Cole sliding into each other during the final round of Baby, Backpack, Bunkbed, Georgia successfully catching a frisbee (we were so surprised), Natalie killing it in Ultimate, Will winning his round of Speed (a fast paced card game), and Caroline winning her team Nutella by screaming the answer of the riddle first. It was a great great afternoon and one that we think the group will remember for a while.
The next day was our village visit day!! The village visit is the main event of the Maasai section of the trip. After walking a mile or so to the village, the group was first greeted by one of the warriors who had a hat made out of a real lion mane. In the Maasai culture, killing a lion is a right of passage and a great honor. The kids all got to try on the ‘hat’ and loved snagging a quick picture. The group was then greeted with a welcoming song, dance, and prayer. The welcoming song was a beautiful mix between the bass like grunts of the men and the beautiful singing of the women. Henry was the first one to be dragged out in the circle and killed the dancing. After the song, we got to witness the men compete in a jumping contest. Everyone joined in with the warriors to see who could jump the highest. Joe definitely gave them a run for their money. Will and Rowen also got in there, jumping more with the thought of ‘quantity over quality’. After entering into the village, the group got a chance to go into one of the houses to make some food. All of the girls could have cared less about the food or the fire making class, they just wanted to hang out and play with the kids! Every single of one of the girls spent any second of free time with the kids, tossing them up in the air, or just simply running around to make them laugh. The kids all had an unexpected surprise when the warriors explained that in order to repair the houses at the village, they use a mixture of cow dung and mud. It was an awesome moment to see everyone internally dreading putting their hands in the mixture but putting on a face of excitement just to enjoy the rare and bizarre moment. Caroline and Strobe definitely hyped up the crowd, acting like it was totally normal to be doing this. The kids were then able to go shopping, which Ann and Georgia were very excited about. After the kids got some gifts for all of you at home, we returned to the camp for lunch. Alara said the village was her high of the trip so far and truly enjoyed every aspect of it. We capped off the day with the Maasai’s ‘just dig it’ project and helped dig some tree plots. Similar to his performance at the rhino exhibit, Henry put nose to grindstone and worked hard. Georgia, Ann, and Natalie all also worked hard capturing the good ‘end of day’ lighting and were definitely more focused on getting some funny selfies than doing any manual labor. We are just glad the whole group could show off different skill sets :D.
The next morning we all got ready to leave the Camp and said goodbye to all our friends. I will personally say, this group’s ability to constantly joke around and make fun out of anything made all the guides and Maasai people LOVE them. I mean by the end of the section, some of these guides were raving about how much fun this group is.
We have had so much fun with this group and are so grateful to get some beach time with them. We can’t wait for them to elaborate on all these stories from Kenya and give their own perspectives. We also are currently lying to the kids and told them we are staying in tents on a soccer field at a local Zanzibarian school. They are definitely going to flip out when we pull up to our beach front hotel and greeted with a four course meal. Happy early fourth of July!! We hope you all are having a great family gathering and we promise you we’ll make it special for all!
All the best,
Spencer and Gretchen
Jambo from Kenya!
June 27, 2024
Jambo from Kenya! We are already having the best time ever. The kids all arrived safely on Sunday night, and we headed back to our accommodation where dinner was waiting for us. The next morning, we had a quick breakfast before hitting the road to our first destination, Ol Pejeta Conservancy! This vast area covers over 100,000 acres and is home to almost every animal you can imagine. During the drive, Alara entertained the group by asking questions and getting to know everyone. We arrived around 2 PM, had lunch, and then went on our first game drive! The safari did not disappoint; we saw four out of the Big Five! We spotted elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and rhinos, which especially excited Ryder. We also saw zebras, antelopes, warthogs, and a massive male lion with his lioness. After a couple of hours, we headed back to camp for dinner and our first Moonup of the trip. We then went to bed to rest up for a busy day ahead.
The next morning, we visited a local community on the perimeter of Ol Pejeta. We went to Gilbert’s house, where he taught us about his process of making clay stoves that eliminate smoke pollution and make heat stoves more accessible for locals. The group began by sifting dirt to make the clay. Strobe and Ryder quickly perfected the sifting method as a team, and then it was time to turn the dirt into clay! We did so by combining the dirt with water and mixing it with our feet. This got the group out of their comfort zone fast, and some enjoyed it more than others. Georgia was in the mud for no longer than two minutes, but we loved her effort and all got a laugh out of it! Ann and Joe had a blast in the mud, dancing around and covering their feet in it. Once the clay was made, we headed into Gilbert’s studio to see how he builds the stoves. Before he started, we had a quick sculpture competition to see who could make the best animal out of the clay. Henry won by a landslide with his clay giraffe towering over the other sculptures! Gilbert then showed us how he makes the stoves, which impressed everyone. Before leaving, we had a quick snack with Gilbert, who asked for a picture with his favorites, Ann and Cole, before we said our goodbyes.
For the second part of our community visit, we went to a church and helped with their gardening efforts. The group spent about an hour filling bags with soil and seeds to restore the wildlife around the church. Nearby, a group of locals practiced choir songs. The kids naturally joined them, dancing and singing along. Strobe was the star, showing off his moves with an older woman in the choir, which got a laugh from everyone. We bid the choir farewell and headed back to camp for lunch. That afternoon, we went on another safari and saw various animals, including our first hyena of the trip! During the safari, Ann, Natalie, Joe, and Strobe needed to use the restroom and couldn’t hold it. The driver assured them it was safe to hop out of the vans briefly, and they did so. Everything went smoothly until we drove about 300 yards and found a lion in the same grass. Alara started dozing off on the way back to camp but was abruptly woken up by Spencer’s signature scare-cam. After dinner, we went on a night safari, a highlight of the trip. We saw four huge male lions, all brothers, enjoying a fresh impala dinner. Witnessing this up close, hearing the growls and bones breaking, seeing the blood, and watching the lions fight over food was incredible. Caroline and Natalie were especially close to the action due to their seats in the van. They got nervous when they made direct eye contact with a lion, it growled, and their window wouldn’t roll up. It was scary at the time but definitely a once-in-a-lifetime moment! On the way back to camp, we saw an elephant on the road, ending the night on an awesome note.
The next morning, we visited the rhino enclosure at Ol Pejeta and met Baraka, a blind rhino. Strobe and Ryder were the first to pet and feed Baraka. We then cleaned out the rhinos’ drinking water tank, filled with algae, bugs, plants, and grime. Some, like Caroline, Natalie, and Will, took a more laissez-faire approach, cheering from a distance. Others, like Cole, Joe, Rowan, and Henry, eagerly got to work. Joe even said it was the highlight of his day! After cleaning the tank, we saw the last two remaining Northern white rhinos in the world, an amazing opportunity. The group enjoyed watching the guide see how close he could get to the rhinos without getting charged.
After lunch, we went lion tracking using a satellite device. We found a mother lion napping with her daughter and son, a nice contrast to the previous night’s experience. We then headed back to camp and played cards before dinner. Henry has been winning against Gretchen in James Bond despite her teaching him the game just the day before. Rowan, Joe, and Will have become fans of Egyptian Rat Slap and have given Spencer a challenge. We ended the night with a Moonup to conclude our time at Ol Pejeta.
The next morning, we visited the cattle livestock region of Ol Pejeta and saw how the staff manages over 7,000 cattle. Strobe, Cole, Ryder, and Will enjoyed hopping the gates and attempting to pet the cows. This was a fun way to end our time at Ol Pejeta. We then drove to Camp Carnelley’s, where we are staying for the night before heading to the Maasai Mara tribe tomorrow. This group is already so great, and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the trip has in store! Yay!
Shoutouts
Cole W – Hey Mom and Dad I’m having so much fun here. I have gotten so close with my group and have seen so many amazing things. I hope y’all are having a good time at the beach. I miss and love y’all so much and please tell Gus I miss him so much. Cant wait to see you all and tell y’all about my trip. Hope you guys have a great 4th. See everyone soon❤️❤️
Georgia – Hey fam I love y’all and I miss y’all. I’m having a lot of fun here in africa!! I’ve met so many fun people and done lots of cool things. I hope Palm Beach and Oxford were a lot of fun. I’ll see y’all soon and loveeeeee yallllllll😚😚😚😚😚
Ann – Hey Mom and Dad I’m having so much with all my new friends and seeing all the animals on the safaris! I hope the beach has been fun, and I cant wait to tell y’all all about it soon! love y’all!!<3
Strobe – Im having a great time so far and I’ve gotten really close with my group. I didn’t expect it to be this fun. Tell Lizzie to tell McCall I say hello and that I miss her. Love you all ❤️
Ryder- Im having a awesome time so far. My group is really cool and I’ve grown really close with the guys on the trip. Hope to see y’all soon. Tell Amelie I miss her. Love y’all!
Rowan- I’m having a great time. I miss you all hope you are having a fun time in europe and good luck on your bike/hikes. Love you.
Joe- I’ve seen some crazy amazing things. Hope you guys are having a great time in europe. This place is so cool 🙂
Henry- i’ve been having an amazing time in Kenya and i’m so excited for zanzibar. Thank you so much for paying for this trip. Love you guys.
Natalie D – Hey guys! I’ve been missing you guys so much! Cant wait to tell you all the crazy stuff I’ve been experiencing and all the animals I saw. Hope you guys are having a blast and I’m having the best time. Love you guys! See you when u get home 😊❤️
Caroline D- Hi Mom and Dad! Thanks for sending me on this trip! Im having so much fun. Ive loved seeing the animals and making new friends. Cant wait to tell you everything! I love you and miss you so much! See you so soon!!! Love, Caroline ❤️❤️
Alara- Hi mom and dad! Im having such an amazing time in Africa! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I miss you all so so much and send all my love to Selin and Alp. I love you all and will see you soon ❤️☺️
Will- Hey Mom and Dad. I’m really missing you guys here and cant wait to see you guys soon. Love, Will
Safe Arrival in Kenya!
June 24, 2024
Hello Kenya + Zanzibar Families!
All students have landed safely in Nairobi and the group is headed to their first activity! The trip is off to a great start and we can’t wait to share more updates from their adventure.
-Moondance HQ
