Today we make our way home. We arose early, having mostly packed all our bags last night. We had our last breakfast in Maasai Mara at 8:30 AM. We all charged our devices as we could, brought our bags to the the Bunduz overlander truck. We packed a lunch for the road provided by Bunduz. We bid goodby to Maasai crafts person Diana who taught many of us beading (and from whom we had purchased by souvenirs); Diana  gifted each of either a beaded bracelet (instructors) or necklaces with pendant (students). We also said our goodbyes to our main cook John and the indispensable Kevin and Chenzen. We departed by 11:30 AM. We were stopped by the roadside about a half hour into the trip (by Mukhtar) as one of us had left a bag behind. Chenzen showed up on a motorbike with said bag and we once again set off. We stopped at a curio shop for lunch and a washroom break – incredibly overpriced trinkets and snakcs (1000 shillings for a tube of Pringles, some of which were expired).

Because of intense traffic, we detoured through Naivasha, arriving in Nairobi at dusk. In Nairobi we said goodbye to Carol with hopes of seeing her in Kingston in the autumn, and said goodbye to Jana. As we were running a bit late, we took a toll freeway arriving at Kenyatta Airport at around 7:30 PM. We made our way through security (one checkpoint before the parking, one as one enters the airport, and a final one as one makes one’s way through customs). We had surprising short time to grab some snacks or final Kenyan trinkets before boarding. Steve and Miranda had some interesting challenges  as they sought to be allowed on board (perceived but not real issues with student visa) but did make it on as the doors were closing. The flight left by around 11:00 PM.

The flight was overnight, arriving in Charles de Gaulle Airport by 6 AM. We said goodbye to Suzy who was catching a  flight to Amsterdam. With a 12 hour layover, many of us made our way to Paris to see some of the sights, purchase coffee and souvenir, and have some nice food. Amadahy, Miranda, Holden, Yuxiang and Steve stayed within the airport. YX and Steve tried out an expensive airport lounge which turned out to to have the aesthetic of a poorly designed student lounge with ill-placed carpet tiles, stained chairs, and virtually no food or drink.

We left Paris by late afternoon for the trans-Atlantic flight – arriving in Toronto at around 9:00 PM. We all met at the luggage belt, retried our luggage, made some heartfelt goodbyes and disperses – with intentions of getting together to reminisce.

 

Cletus, Steve, Kevin, Mukhtar, Joseph, Chenzen, John,

Class with Diana and theiur gifts from her

At the luggage belt in Toronto

 

Special Miranda, Holden and Amadahy Terminal 2E Travelogue Gallery