Gik and I took a hike to Karura forest today. We left home pretty late cause we were enjoying the leftover of last night's dinner, chicken soup, which I had converted to porridge. Karura forest had a few different trails leading to their waterfalls and caves, but since we have already been there before and just wanted a casual walk, we took the 3.5km family trail which led us down to a canopy of trees and seemingly never-ending path of fallen leaves and dirt track.
We took about 1.5 hours and had walked about 7km. Unfortunately did not get to spot any of Gik's favorite reptile, the chameleon while we were walking but we did get a few glimpse of slugs and monkeys.
We proceeded to River Cafe for lunch where we shared a chicken al funghi cream pasta topped with artichokes and a Thai beef chilli and mint salad. It was really picturesque lounging at the cafe by the river, sipping lemonade and tea and enjoying the outdoor cool breeze of Nairobi weather. Behind us, a cacophony of voices and laughter from expats based in Nairobi and similarly enjoying their lunch too. This is really... Nairobi and I absolutely love it. The freedom to relax like this, to experience a different day everyday and just have the opportunity to go walk around a forest if we want and then end up somewhere near a river for lunch. Where can you get that! :)
During the walk, I shared with Gik what my mum said when she met my date in Singapore. She had basically described my date as (besides being handsome and smart) being able to control me since I have a naughty side. I asked Gik if he agreed that I needed someone to control me too. He replied that since the time he has met me, he doesnt think I need to be controlled because all I do is just an act. I just act naughty and I just act rebellious but deep down I know whats right and wrong. He literally stopped me in my tracks when I heard it. He never fails to amaze me sometimes how perceptive he can be.
He needed to head off to the embassy in the afternoon for some work so I was left in charge of the house again! :) yay! I settled down and immediately utilized his new Bose Bluetooth sound system blasting a mix of clubbing and disney songs. Songs that I would otherwise, be too embarrassed to sing out loud in Singapore or in front of people but here, I can just play them over and over again, exactly how I like my songs to be played. Repetitively. :P
At night, Kook invited us to go eat chinese food at a new restaurant, Beijing restaurant. We ordered a massive seafood hotpot soup mix which was awesome and accompanied that with rice, vegetables and steam fish. It was a very clean meal, nothing spicy or too salty so it was good. Kook asked us to go to his house to watch the olympics where Thailand was participating in boxing aiming for a medal. Unfortunately, the cable TV in Africa did not allow us to view it but fortunately, we were able to share and finish a bottle of red wine. By 10.30p.m, everyone was starting to doze off and fall asleep at kook's sofa so we knew it was time to call it a night.
I felt truly woozy cause I drank quite a bit so it ended up an early night for me again. Gik fell asleep on the couch again until morning. I think he should just use that as his bed since he sleeps there most of the time.
An interesting event that happened today was my skype conversation with my friend from Singapore. He pushed me to think of my situation and the truth of why I had come to Nairobi and what I needed to do when I'm here. Maybe I have always, out of self defense, wrapped myself around a bubble of activities and excuses until I myself was clouded on my motives and thinking. Maybe all I need is just exactly this, time away from everyone so I can experience myself and find myself. So, I really need to thank this guy for shoving the light in my face and putting it out so explicitly, otherwise I may still be trapped in the present and not see the big picture. Interesting. :)
So whats the next step? No idea. But at least knowing is the beginning of something.
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| Karura Forest Family Trail |
We proceeded to River Cafe for lunch where we shared a chicken al funghi cream pasta topped with artichokes and a Thai beef chilli and mint salad. It was really picturesque lounging at the cafe by the river, sipping lemonade and tea and enjoying the outdoor cool breeze of Nairobi weather. Behind us, a cacophony of voices and laughter from expats based in Nairobi and similarly enjoying their lunch too. This is really... Nairobi and I absolutely love it. The freedom to relax like this, to experience a different day everyday and just have the opportunity to go walk around a forest if we want and then end up somewhere near a river for lunch. Where can you get that! :)
He needed to head off to the embassy in the afternoon for some work so I was left in charge of the house again! :) yay! I settled down and immediately utilized his new Bose Bluetooth sound system blasting a mix of clubbing and disney songs. Songs that I would otherwise, be too embarrassed to sing out loud in Singapore or in front of people but here, I can just play them over and over again, exactly how I like my songs to be played. Repetitively. :P
At night, Kook invited us to go eat chinese food at a new restaurant, Beijing restaurant. We ordered a massive seafood hotpot soup mix which was awesome and accompanied that with rice, vegetables and steam fish. It was a very clean meal, nothing spicy or too salty so it was good. Kook asked us to go to his house to watch the olympics where Thailand was participating in boxing aiming for a medal. Unfortunately, the cable TV in Africa did not allow us to view it but fortunately, we were able to share and finish a bottle of red wine. By 10.30p.m, everyone was starting to doze off and fall asleep at kook's sofa so we knew it was time to call it a night.
I felt truly woozy cause I drank quite a bit so it ended up an early night for me again. Gik fell asleep on the couch again until morning. I think he should just use that as his bed since he sleeps there most of the time.
An interesting event that happened today was my skype conversation with my friend from Singapore. He pushed me to think of my situation and the truth of why I had come to Nairobi and what I needed to do when I'm here. Maybe I have always, out of self defense, wrapped myself around a bubble of activities and excuses until I myself was clouded on my motives and thinking. Maybe all I need is just exactly this, time away from everyone so I can experience myself and find myself. So, I really need to thank this guy for shoving the light in my face and putting it out so explicitly, otherwise I may still be trapped in the present and not see the big picture. Interesting. :)
So whats the next step? No idea. But at least knowing is the beginning of something.
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