Oct 30
Spaceport America Runway Dedication
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Oct 28
A new video from Virgin Galactic!
Uncategorized No Comments »Since so many milestones have occurred recently, Virgin Galactic created a new short video. Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/IRr0GLSAzdw
http://youtu.be/IRr0GLSAzdw
Oct 28
Before we say farewell….
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No catchy title to the blog post for today. My pals, Creative and Clever, took a sabbatical!
Last night we ate dinner in the courtyard of Mt. Kenya Safari Club. As I was dressing for dinner (as in clean clothes in shades of gray, khaki, olive-general camouflage colors), I realized my style might be described as "hip bag lady." I've seen some homeless women who wear layer upon layer of clothes, both I would venture for warmth and ease of transport. I knew we'd be dining "al fresco" and the temperature would be a bit chilly, breezy, brisk, cool, fresh, nippy—okay, forget the flowery words, I'll go with cold. (That's my word choice and I'm sticking with it.). First, I put on my long johns, followed by 3 tee shirts, pants, 2 pair of socks, shoes, fleece jacket and a wool leopard print scarf (the scarf put the "hip" description in front of bag lady). Michael taught me many adventures ago that it is better to dress in layers than to sit and shiver. Last night, while it may sound extreme, I was layered "just right." Oh, I forgot to add I wore 3 necklaces and a pair of earrings. I had two reasons for the accessories: 1) If I shed layers, I'd still look stylish; and 2) I'd win at Strip Poker, should the opportunity arise!
Today Fairmont offered a plethora of activities (I just love trendy words like plethora, myriad, bespoke, and replete—and, yes, I'm guilty of using them). Michael and I signed up for a game drive to a new safari camp, Solio, home of a rhino conservation area. As we drove to the camp and drove and drove and drove, a comment Jane Pinto, Micato's founder, once made about a road in Tanzania came to mind, "I know we're heading to Heaven because I've just been on the road to Hell." The ride was long, uninteresting and very bumpy. The driver was unusually quiet and when he spoke, none of the 5 passengers (Michael, me, Muriel Wilson, Virtuoso's Director of Meetings and Events, Mike McCown, Virtuoso's VP of Finance and Accounting, and the intrepid, wise and helpful Phoebe Weinberg, Greatways Travel) could decipher his dialect. Maybe if he had shared more, we could have gotten used to his speech pattern.
Stay with me because I am about to digress: Why has Micato Safaris been voted #1 Tour Operator in Travel + Leisure's Readers poll 7 times? The reasons are so many I couldn't possibly list them all here and still be ready for dinner 3 hours from now! I'll focus now on just a few items that sets Micato apart from the wannabe's:
- Infrastructure (I should add that to my list of trendy words): Micato is a well-organized team that has thought ahead of every contingency, every guest question, every vehicle maintenance issue (which is rare for Micato), how to bypass the tangled web of passengers arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International
Airport, the clever and practical gifts the Pinto family gives clients, the activity bags for the small plane rides, AND the highly trained, educated and knowledgeable Safari Directors. Had we had a Safari Director with us, we'd have learned the difference between black rhino and white rhino (go ahead, Google it!), we'd learn about the customs of the local people, their history, their culture, and even hear a few corny jokes (like saying the Impala in Kenya is not a Chevrolet). Even though I've experienced safaris with and without a Safari Director, using Micato and their Safari Directors makes for a totally seamless experience. - Family: Micato is a family-owned business founded by Jane and Felix Pinto, Nairobi, Kenya and Dennis, Joy and Anna Pinto in the US. I believe I can safely claim that every Micato guest who has met and dined with the Pintos, whether at Lavington, Jane and Felix's home, or at some delicious restuarant in the increasingly cosmopolitan areas in Nairobi, may have arrived as guests but leave feeling like a member of the family. And the staff at Micato becomes family, too. Many of the staff have been a part of the Micato team/family for double digit years.
- Philanthropy and Environmental Contributions: Micato Safaris and the Pinto family created AmericaShare, www.americashare.org , "a non profit organization dedicated to helping populations in Nairobi, Kenya who have been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Through our education, community outreach and economic empowerment programmes, we seek to provide disadvantaged children and women with access to basic services in order to facilitate sustainable change." (a quote from their website). In fact, tomorrow Michael and I will go to see our two "adopted" children, Jane and Salim, who we haven't seen for 5 years. We're very excited and plan to video them sharing a message, which I will post if I don't jiggle toe Fip Video too much! They've met our children, Lauren and Josh. Now we have photos of our adorable grandsons, Tristan and Jacob, to share with our Kenyan kids! In September, 2010, Micato won 2 prestigious Conde Nast Traveler World Saver Awards, http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/502974 .
Now back to today's activities: we finally reached Solio, a new camp which opened in August, 2010, after driving that long, bumpy road and a game drive during which we saw impalas, rhinos (both black and white—you did Google it, didn't you?), zebra, jackals, buffalo, and giraffes (okay, another pop quiz: we saw reticulated giraffes. Question: how many species of giraffes are in Kenya and what are they? Come on, I just gave you one of the answers…Google it and come back to the blog, please). We saw some important guests of Solio, 2 darling, orphaned baby warthogs, who followed one of the staff like a well trained puppy. The accommodations at this 6 suite camp are stunning and, hopefully, they will add plunge pools or a community pool for their guests. The vehicles and drivers for this activity were from a company contracted by Fairmont at the last minute, due to some unforseen changes, and is not a company Fairmont usually uses—which is a good thing because there were several glitches in the journey and I want to be sure you know this was NOT a Fairmont created activity.
Tonight is our Farewell Dinner (inside, thank God, so I'll dispense with the layers and stick with the jewelry including the necklace created by a renowned bead artist who happens to be my sister, NanC Meinhardt, www.nancmeinhardt.com ), and early tomorrow we fly to Nairobi to go to Harambee House, to our "kids" Jane and Salim. I know tomorrow I will be very emotionally charged and won't be able to blog immediately. Plus, tomorrow night we fly back home, stopping long enough to switch suitcases and fly to Kauai to see our daughter, Lauren, and Jon and our oh so huggable grandson, Jacob, and to also attend Classic Vacations Partners Event. Because we'll be experiencing a 12 hour time change between Kenya and Kauai, I can't promise when I will blog again—soon, though, very soon! If you're reading this on www.lta.com, you may continue to read my musings at www.greatgetaways.travel/blog or on www.travelingking.net. (that is, unless lta.com wants me to stick around??? ).
I can honestly tell you Michael and I've enjoyed the cameraderie, the activities, the experiences, and the orchestration of the Virtuoso Chairman's Safari. A world of thanks to Micato Safaris, Fairmont Hotels, Magical Kenya, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Crystal Cruises!
In Swahili, Asante sana (thank you very much), safari njema (have a good trip), and fika salama (arrive safely)!
(Photos will follow soon)
Oct 27
And for the best shower, the winner is…
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If there were a CNT or T+L rating guide, I'm put Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club as #1 for best hotel shower in Kenya. Folks, we're talking from the ceiling and with great water pressure and lots of hot water (Excuse me, did I just say, "Folks?" Folks reminds me of an infomercial, "Folks, if you call in the next 5 minutes…).
If you've been following along on my blog about the 2010 Virtuoso Chairman's Club Safari (you ARE taking copious notes, aren't you?), you'll know we've been at Fairmont Mara Safari Club for 3 nights. Yesterday was our last full day and I've already chronicled about most of the day. I will add a small footnote and then on to "who, what and where" today:
Yesterday afternoon we were determined to go on the afternoon game drive to hopefully spot the leopard (no pun intended) others saw the other day. During the morning drive, we pressured our guide to find the gorgeous cat who shies away from the bright daylight. Unfortunately, we didn't find him/her so we knew we just had to see him on this drive because it would be the last game drive on the Mara for this safari. Although it rained all afternoon, we veteran safari-goers (help me out with a better word choice, please! Leave your suggestions in the comments) didn't let rain stop us. Two safari vehicles loaded with us die-hards took off for our last drive in the Maasai Mara. With us on this drive were Amy and Stefan Bisciglia, Specialty Cruise & Villas, Kristi Jones, President of Virtuoso, and Albert Herrera, Vice President, Virtuoso Hotels, Destinations, and Tours. By the way, our driver/guide, Sammy, was superb at navigating through the mud—thank you, Sammy! We saw a herd of topi all facing the same way—their rears facing the direction the wind was blowing. Pretty clever way to avoid getting rained at! While those of us in the second row and rear of the vehicle were surrounded by somewhat clear plastic, Albert and Sammy braved the rain with no protection. Is this the same Albert Herrera I know, the impeccably dressed, dapper Virtuoso fashion plate? I think he was taking this dressing down and "roughing it" concept a bit too far! Of course, the designer pashmina wrapped around his neck did add a touch of class to the rain soaked safari shirt he wore. Suddenly lightning struck brilliant on the horizon and immediately we heard thunder. I know there's some formula for counting the time between lightning and thunder to determine the proximity of the strike and Kristi quickly computed that we best head back to Fairmont Mara Safari Club. Alas, no leopard on this safari but I have great leopard shots on Picasaweb.google.com/travelingking1 of some of our past safaris.
On to today: after a delicious breakfast, we headed to the landing strip and boarded our flight for the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club. 45 minutes later found us off the plane near Mt. Kenya and on a coach en route to the iconic hotel and then, "Jambo, welcome Virtuoso to the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club." African tribal-dressed men drummed an escort as we drove through the gates. Michael and I were eager to see the face lift performed by Fairmont Hotels Int'l. We had stayed here twice before, and on our last visit in 2004 prior to Fairmont taking over, we panned the property. Grounds were not well kept, the decor was "tired" (don't you love it when I talk "Realtor-ese?"), and the staff surly. Only because I was familiar with the footprint of the property did I believe I was actually at the same place I remember from 2004, the one with the toilet seat that fell off: the grounds are immaculate and flowers are plentiful; the chef has a true chef's garden, replete with everything necessary to prepare gourmet cuisine; the staff is gracious, attentive and friendly; and our suite is just that-sweet!
And that brings me to the title of this post, "And for the best shower, the winner is…" What wonderfully improved accommodations! A true class act! No problems with sliding toilet seats because everything is shiny, new, and functioning. Congratulations, Fairmont, on a job superbly done!
A last comment: Leslie (as in Leslie Dodson, Fairmont Hotels) offered me a snack this noon that looked like dried worms. Silly me—-they weren't worms, they were tiny dried fish who still had their charming little bug-like eyes. Being polite, I ate a few. "Oh, they taste like sardines somewhat," I commented. Now for the truth, Leslie—was this your version of trick or treat?
Photos from today are at: Mt Kenya Safari Club: Virtuoso Chairman's Safari
Oct 27
Virtuoso PREVIEW: The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort
Uncategorized No Comments »Another wonderful property gets the Virtuoso Hotels and Resorts Stamp of Approval. At Great Getaways we are "in the know" on the best new properties! Contact us soon so we can reserve your accommodations AND give you valued added amenities only available through us, your trusted Virtuoso Travel Advisor!
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Oct 26
You snooze, you lose!
Uncategorized No Comments »Yesterday afternoon I opted to stay at Fairmont Mara Safari Club rather than take the afternoon game drive. My bad! While dreaming about lions and leopards, the rest of the Virtuoso crowd actually saw them—and a herd of elephants, too! Grrrrr! The rainy season seems to have begun a little early. Some background: there are 2 rainy seasons–the long rains are in March and April and the short rains are in November. Apparently, elephants aren't into rain showers and migrate uphill when it's soggy outside. So, although we saw several elephants in November, 2004, we were told that was unusual. Can you believe the elephants and the leopard had the gall to wander around when I wasn't there???
Last night it rained but that didn't stop the Virtuoso bunch from having a good time. David Hanson, Terrie Hanson and Keith Waldon, of Virtuoso fame, decided to play a trick on Alex Sharpe, Regent Cruises. They planted a rubber snake in his tent. There was one teeny, weeny problem—they put the snake in the tent of Sharon and Michael Fake, Travel Experts! When Terrie shared the prank with David Lowy, Renshaw Travel, he told Terrie she was a polysyllabic word that meant a person who enjoys teasing others (can't remember the word-it's from a German word, I think). That made her pause while Elaine looked up the definition on her phone.
This morning we went for a morning game drive, hoping to see the leopard and elephants we missed yesterday. Alas, it was not to be; however, we saw a mama lion and her cubs, some mongooses (Google claims "mongooses" is more common than "mongeese"), an elephant, lots of antelope (again, Google opts for no "s"), ostrich, giraffes, zebras, dik dik, gazelles, wildebeests, impalas, hyena and a stork. It's amazing how quickly we become jaded because I and several others were heard to whine, "Oh, another zebra" or "Just some more impalas" as if we see them every day of our lives!
This morning's treat was a gourmet buffet breakfast in the bush. Only Fairmont and Micato would know that we Virtuoso members are inveterate shoppers—they invited some Maasai to join us and set up a gift boutique on a traditional red and blue plaid Maasai blanket! We spent time visiting with Sean Walwyn, Fairmont Hotels. He's lived in some amazing places. He was born in Jamaica, moved to Barbados, schooled in the UK, worked in Kuwait, Istanbul, Japan, and Canada (to name just a few of his posts).
This afternoon is another game drive and we have one more chance to spot some wildlife tomorrow before we wing our way to Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club for two nights. Chris Cahill, COO of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International will join us there along with Sean, Serge and Leslie, who have escorted us so far.
Okay, enough jabber! It's time for lunch and, God knows, I haven't eaten in at least 3 hours!
Photos from today are at: Mara Safari Club Day 2-Virtuoso Chairman's Safari. I just checked and I'm having difficulty uploading photos to the Internet. While I'm trying to upload 36 photos, only 6 have uploaded so far and I've been waiting 2 1/2 hours! My laptop's battery is low, so if you don't see all 36, I'll try again tomorrow from Mt. Kenya Safari Club. I can't complain because I'm sitting in the middle of Kenya away from any city and I'm still able to communicate with you. I think I'm beginning to sound like an "Ugly American". Oy!
Oct 25
“Mara” means “spotted”…who knew? Virtuoso’s Chairman’s Safari in the Maasai Mara
Uncategorized No Comments »Yesterday at 0 dark hundred we dutifully placed our Micato rolling dufflebags outside our door at Fairmont The Norfolk. They left before we did for our safari in the Maasai Mara. At 7:45 AM we arrived at Wilson Airport and boarded our planes to join our luggage which was waiting patiently in our tent at Fairmont Mara Safari Club. Landing in the Mara, a throng of Masai warriors greeted us in song, dance and jumping. They love to jump and every time I've watched the Maasai celebrate life in song, I'm amazed how high they reach into the air after a strong leap from the dusty ground. We immediately began our first game drive with our driver/guide, Jeremiah. Joining our safari vehicle were David & Terrie Hansen and Elaine Srnka, all wizards of Virtuoso. Jeremiah has worked for Mara Safari Club for 12 years, who moved from a traditional Maasai village to a more contemporary Maasai community. The traditional village is a series of dung, mud, and grass huts set in a circle. The Maasai are an inspiring culture (although I warned Michael not to get any ideas about the polygamous part, and we both politely declined the tradtional Maasai drink, a mixture of cow's blood and milk). They are herdsmen, pasturalists, and consider the Serengeti and it's northern area, called the Mara, their home.
I love new fun facts and on this safari I learned that "mara" means "spotted, an apt description for the circles of trees, scrub, savannah and cloud shadows that mark the area." (reference:
So far we've seen lions, buffalo, hippos, giraffes, hyenas, jackals, a host of different species of antelope (eland, water buck, impala, Gran'ts gazelle, Thompson gazelle, warthogs, wildebeests, zebras, giraffes, and only 1 elephant–we've seen evidence of elephants, as in droppings they've left, but only 1 young male so far. We watched a hyena, known as a scavenger, feast on a recent lion kill of a wildebeest while keeping the vultures, jackals and eagles at bay. The wildebeests that are here probably won't continue the annual migration of zebras and wildebeests from Kenya to Tanzania because it is mostly completed by now. Jeremiah joked that either they didn't have their passports to go to Tanzania or the lions needed them to stay behind to become a meal for the hungry big cats.
Last night's dinner was held in the Boma; formerly styled as a livestock enclosure or a fort, today they are found at most safari lodges and are a community area. After a buffet dinner, some Maasai teens serenaded us. This morning, after our game drive, some of us toured a traditional Maasai village while others went on a guided walking safari. This afternoon will be another safari ending in a sundowner, an event where the safari vehicles rendezvous to watching a gorgeous Kenyan sunset while sipping their favorite beverage and enjoying some delicious appetizers.
Photos of this part of the adventure can be found at:
Oct 25
SPACEPORT RUNWAY DEDICATION INCLUDES SIR RICHARD BRANSON AND NM GOVERNOR RICHARDSON
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PRESS RELEASE • FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE • October 22, 2010 •
UPHAM, NM – The New Mexico Spaceport Authority (NMSA) today dedicated the nearly two-mile long “Governor Bill RIchardson Spaceway” at Spaceport America, representing significant progress toward launching commercial customers into space from the desert of New Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson, Sir Richard Branson and approximately 30 of more than 380 Virgin Galactic future astronauts attended the event along with guests from around the world and watched a flyover and landing by Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo, in a captive carry with SpaceShipTwo.
“We are celebrating the world’s first spaceway at the world’s first purpose-built, commercial spaceport,” said Governor Richardson. “New Mexico is not only helping to launch the commercial spaceflight industry, but we are launching new jobs and opportunities for the people of southern New Mexico. Today marks a significant milestone on our historic and exciting journey.”
The nearly two-mile long runway was officially named the “Governor Bill Richardson Spaceway” at the event, and Governor Richardson joined Sir Richard in placing their handprints in clay as a permanent commemoration of the historic day. NMSA Chairman Ben Woods said the board of the NMSA had met early today to formally and unanimously approve the name of the spaceway.
Sir Richard Branson commented, “It is incredible to be here today with Governor Richardson and be part of the runway dedication at Spaceport America. To see for myself how far the construction has come from when I last visited New Mexico is truly inspiring – I for one can’t wait for the grand opening – today has brought it one step closer to reality for me. The last few weeks have been some of the most exciting in Virgin Galactic’s development. Our spaceship is flying beautifully and will soon be making powered flights, propelled by our new hybrid rocket motor, which is also making excellent progress in its own test program. The investment deal with our new partners Aabar has successfully closed, securing funding for the remainder of the development program and we are seeing unprecedented numbers of people coming forward to secure their own reservations for this incredible experience. To be here in New Mexico to witness this historic moment is the perfect end to a great month.”
Governor Richardson, Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Galactic future astronauts and the guests were all invited to tour the terminal hangar facility, which is nearing completion. The iconic building, meeting Gold LEED standards, will serve as the operating hub for Virgin Galactic and is expected to house up to two WhiteKnightTwos and five SpaceShipTwos, in addition to all of Virgin’s astronaut preparation facilities and mission control.
Held immediately following the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS), the Spaceport America Runway Dedication marked the culmination of “Space Week” in New Mexico, and was made possible in part thanks to premier event sponsors Summit West Construction, Gerald Martin Construction Management, AECOM, Molzen-Corbin, Dekker/Perich/Sabatini, of Albuquerque, NM, and the New Mexico Tourism Department. Other speakers at the event included: Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator of NASA; George Whitesides, CEO of Virgin Galactic; Patricia Hynes, Executive Director of the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium; and Rick Homans, Executive Director of the NMSA.
Lori Garver, Deputy Administrator of NASA, said, "With the recent signing of the NASA Authorization Act of 2010 by President Obama, it is clear that our nation's future space efforts will be working even more closely than with the growing commercial space transportation industry,“ She added, ”Innovative approaches that foster this new commercial industry will bring more competition and opportunities that will lower the costs of spaceflight and payload services for America’s aerospace programs, and introduce new human space transportation systems.”
The 42-inch thick spaceway is designed to support nearly every type of aircraft in the world today. It is made up of 24 inches of prepared sub-grade, followed by four inches of asphalt, and finished with a 14-inch layer of concrete. The spaceway will accommodate returning launch vehicles, fly-back rocket boosters and other space launch and training vehicles.
Spaceport America has been providing commercial launch services since 2006. The state-of-the-art launch facility is under construction near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and is expected to become fully operational in 2011. Officials at Spaceport America have been working closely with their anchor tenant Virgin Galactic and other leading aerospace firms such as Lockheed Martin, Moog-FTS, Armadillo Aerospace, and UP Aerospace to develop commercial spaceflight at the new facility. The economic impact of launches, tourism and new construction at Spaceport America are already delivering on its promise to the people of New Mexico.
Oct 23
I could have danced all night!
Uncategorized No Comments »Be grateful for small things, as in you can't hear me sing! Actually, I couldn't have danced all night; however, I enjoyed watching the native African dancers at the Chairman's Safari dinner at Lavington, home of Felix and Jane Pinto, founders of Micato Safaris. What a memorable evening!
To avoid being stuck in a traffic jam, we were escorted by Nairobi police to Lavington. On arrival we were greeted by a host of people dressed in various traditional African costumes. As Michael and I entered the Pinto's home, we reflected on our previous visits there: the family photos of Dennis and Anna as children; photos of Jane winning the ping pong championship in Kenya; the gorgeous statues; the urns everywhere one looked filled with dozens and dozens of roses; and the meals we've shared with the Pinto family on previous safaris to Kenya.
I'm at a loss for words (don't be shocked!) to describe this treasured evening. After cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres we paraded through a hallway lined with the famous African Children's Choir singing a song of welcome and we stepped into a tent filled with crisp white linen covered tables, chairs covered in various animal prints, and centerpieces of intertwined animal horns filled with birds of paradise and other flowers. Food was plentiful and oh so delicious. Some of the many offerings were: Roasted Kenya vegetables, Medallions of beef tenderloin, Grilled Rock Lobster, and Giant Prawns. If that wasn't enough we each received a dessert of assorted sweets such as flourless chocolate cake, vanilla bean creme brulee, and meringue with fruit coulis. During the meal we enjoyed a multimedia event of traditional African dancers, modeling of African fashion, and music. The finale of the evening was an incredible performance by the African Children's Choir, who also performed at Virtuoso's Travel Mart in Vegas last August. They will be returning to the US to do a series of concerts to raise money to help the children of East Africa. If I find a schedule of their venues, I'll post it here. Trust me, attending one of their performances will envelop your soul with delight and hope.
Tomorrow we're off very early for the Fairmont Mara Safari Club for 3 days. We look forward to returning there and enjoying sitting on the deck overlooking the Mara River and its perennial crowd of hippos!
As soon as I can, I will upload photos from this evening's extravaganza. Now the angels of Africa are inviting me to go to sleep! May angels visit you in your dreams!
Oct 23
Jambo, Jambo bwana (Swahili for Hello, hello, sir): Virtuoso Chairman’s Safari Day 2
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Another glorious day in Nairobi! We began the day with breakfast and a visit from a cheetah, one that Jane Pinto rescued as an orphan! Next came the good luck wooden animal necklace and complementary safari hat followed by a series of welcomes. First, we heard from Jake Grieves-Smith, Chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board, followed by Serge Simard, Fairmont Hotels Regional VP, Africa and Asia. Serge presented a check for $3500 to AmericaShare in honor of Virtuoso's Chairman's Safari to Micato Safari's Dennis Pinto. The Pintos established this charity and 100% of donations reach the recipients! Check out www.americashare.org. Alex Sharpe,of Regent Seven Seas and another of our hosts, commented that he never has looked forward to a business trip as much as this one! Bill Smith, of Crystal Cruises and also our host, crystallized (no pun intended, honest!) my feelings about Kenya, "Kenya is so much more than the magnificent animals. Look into the eyes of the people and they'll touch your soul!"We met all the Micato staff that help create that special magic that is Micato's hallmark and had a briefing for the days ahead in the Masai Mara. After that, Virtuoso members and staff brainstormed about our strengths and opportunites, something I look forward to because I get to interact with the best advisors in the industry!
At noon we boarded coaches, and with a police escort (not for security, but to help navigate through the traffic!) we arrived at the home of Ambassador Michael E. Ranneberger, US Ambassador to Kenya, for a gourmet luncheon in a tranquil garden setting.
Some random thoughts:
- The sense of optimism is palpable in Kenya
I'm off to change for dinner at Lavington, the home of Jane and Felix Pinto, founders of Micato. I thought you might enjoy listening to Jambo, Jambo bwana and reading the English translation:
Translation of Jambo bwana lyrics
Jambo – Hi
Jambo bwana – Hi sir
Habari gani? – How are you?
Mzuri sana – Very fine
Wageni mwakaribishwa – Visitors are welcome
Kenya yetu – Our (country) Kenya
Hakuna matata – (there are) no worries
Verse
Kenya nchi nzuri – Kenya is a nice country
Nchi ya maajabu – A beautiful country
Nchi yenye amani – A peaceful country
Kenya yetu – Our country
Kenya wote – All Kenyans
Photos from today's events are at: Ambassador's Luncheon
