LOST IN THE SUB-SAHARA

On nearly this very day in 2016, I found myself lost in Northern Kenya. I had booked a luxury solo safari at Lewa House where I was to spend 6 days living the safari life…scouting the big five, lying awake while lions roar and friendly giraffe dine on your thatched roof, cocktails at my beckoned call, roaring fires in the desert evening…it was FABULOUS.

Anyone who knows me knows I have my own way of doing things. I have an incessant curiosity and a need to better understand people and places different from myself. At Lewa, I requested to forego one of our morning game drives and visit some schools. We traded in the luxury tiered safari vehicle for a reliable landy that could match the formidable terrain. We drove several hours and found the schools pretty easily; it was getting “home” that proved difficult. There were no roads, no GPS connectivity. We drove in circles. A Maasai tending his livestock approached our vehicle and after some awkward communication (different tribal dialects) we understood the Maasai promised to get us back to a “road” though first, he took an opportunity, given the rare access to a vehicle, to stop in his village. We were welcomed by some Maasai ladies adorned in beads, offering tea. Of course, the ladies took a chance to peddle their handmade wares to the traveler. I wanted to buy every single beaded thing I saw but had not planned on a shopping spree in the desert and only had cash for a few things. In true Maasai fashion, the ladies pressed a few more items into my hands and assured me they simply wanted me to have them as a gift. All beaded up, the Maasai led us to a road of sorts. We exchanged hi-fives and asante sanas. I hopped back into the vehicle and reflected on the experience for hours, maybe days.

There are places in the world where people have so very little. Incomprehensible to most of us really. But those same people often have the most generosity of spirit. This experience along with all my travels has led to a much deeper sense of gratitude. You could say it’s led me to kushukuru…kushukuru is a Swahili expression of great gratitude. It’s also the name of my new company. Stay tuned for some product photos in the coming days and our launch in mid-October…