The difference between vacation and traveling…

I have been thinking a bit recently about the difference between traveling with a purpose, and taking a vacation. I realized that I haven’t been on vacation since I was a teen ager, and never as a ‘real live adult.’ While I have seen many places as I either visited friends, went shopping, or attended various family function, there is always that sense of purpose that keeps it from being a true vacation. Vacation is going to a place just to see and enjoy it, and that is what I did for 10 days in August. Yes, I did end up visiting some friends, but my main purpose of going was just to experience the unique flavor of Africa that is Kenya. Beth and I had no concrete plans, no more agenda than ‘have fun’ and ‘don’t be at work.’ The trip was a rousing success, and over the next few days I’m going to do an entry for each of the major stops I made complete with pictures. First up—Nairobi pre-Beth.

Before Beth arrived, I visited the Karen Blixen house. I had heard vaugely about her book, Out of Africa, but I had never read it. Angie and I got the history of Karen and the house from a very earnest young man who is studying to be a tour guide, and then we went thorugh the house.

No photography inside of course, but I could take pictures outside. Here are the famous Ngong hills as seen from her back porch.

Here are the French doors from the dining room and the back porch with the mill stone tables from which you can soak up the beauty of the garden and the hills.

A little later in the trip I was able to download a copy of Out of Africa, and found it a gripping read. Lots of people write about Africa, but not everyone who does knows Africa. To read the beautiful writing just after visiting the house made it easy to live the story and enjoy the little episodes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Africa, and loves beautiful descriptions.

Parting Shot: The covered walkway that once lead to the nursing school next door to the Blixen house.