Preparing for our Kenya trip/passport adventures
It's interesting how sometimes you put something out into the universe, the ether, the..whatever, and things start to happen.
In August I started some definitive travel planning - for Scotland and England. We've had plans to go there for the past few years, but summers have been jam packed with visiting family or John's camps. So, I decided 2017 would be different and we would get this trip off the ground. I put together an itinerary, a rough budget, and then, three days later, we got this message from Jeff's aunt:
....and because we really want to share our lives here with you, we would like to invite you to come to Kenya this year for Christmas. We would hope that Carolyn would come at the same time. If it is possible for you to come, it would be best if you could plan at least a two week trip including travel days. That would leave you about 10 days in country. The time would be short, but possibly all that you could manage with school for John and work schedules for yourselves. It is not the cheapest time to plan safaris, but if we could begin early, we could probably get some good deals. Without a doubt you would want to go to a Kenya Game Reserve. Maasai Mara is always a good bet for a comprehensive experience. Jeff, you remember Samburu and that is also a good spot. There are mountain spots that could be day trips from our house as well as time here at “pa Amani” where we can hike and use our boat on the lake. Think about it.
It was a pretty easy decision, and apparently the universe felt that this trip needed to happen before going to Scotland.
Since we confirmed this new adventure, we're now deep into things like getting travel vaccinations (who knew that Yellow Fever vaccine is experiencing a global shortage?), investing in new hiking boots and travel pants and tops, which I now wonder why I never had them in the first place. They are so light, comfortable and stretchy. I love my new REI travel shirts, although Jeff commented I should be chopping wood in my cute red plaid one I have on today. I responded that wearing it with my fashionable boots made it stylish and not suitable for any lumberjack type of work.
The most nerve-wracking thing about this trip planning so far was getting John's passport renewed. We got one for him when he was around 9, and since child passports expire earlier, it was time. I arranged for the VERY SPECIFIC time at one of our suburban post offices (think: only one day a week in a limited time range and a specific time for an appointment); and in making that appointment I was given a big governmental form with instructions.
For background, let's say that I have had many conversations about looking at the front AND back of a homework sheet and reading ALL the directions so you do the assignment correctly. Now I know that I do not practice what I preach. I opened the form, reviewed it, thought "hmm..I thought there was something I was supposed to fill out" but there seemed to be nothing other than rules and more rules. Well, okay then. That was easy.
So, we pull the boy out of school at lunch time, all three of us met up at the Post Office, walked up with all the birth certificates, old passport, etc. They ask if we have John's passport photos. I forgot about doing those, but knew they could do them at the Post Office, so the whisked him away for his mug shot. The other attendant started processing all the documents, and then asked for the filled out application form. Gulp. It turned out that the 'rules' form hid 2 giant pages of fill in the squares for all sorts of things about all three of us. Where we were born. All our SS#'s. Emergency contacts. Addresses. And this needed to be done in 20 minutes. I was so embarrassed and frazzled.
The one saving grace is that I have a life cheat sheet of sorts with data that I needed for this form. Jeff was dispatched outside to try and get enough of connection to access my internet document. I frantically filled out the form at the only writing spot available with a mother trying to keep her baby in a carrier from crying by SHAKING HER KEYS. CONSTANTLY. One foot away from my filling out the form. And the form had rules on it like no mistakes allowed or the application would be rejected. Well, dammit, I did make a mistake (my full name on one line instead of split First on one line and Last on the next one). I decided to take our chances. Jeff filled in all his information as it was more likely to be correct that way. We rushed back up to our person with five minutes to spare. After that, we had to raise our hands and swear John was our child and a citizen of the US.
We got his new passport in just a couple of weeks, and the identifying documentation a little later. I admit I was impressed with the speed of it on the back end.
Ironically, we ended up also needing his birth certificate while it was gone for passport duty in order to get John's learner's permit. Never needed the document for years and suddenly we needed it in the span of two weeks. Go figure!
All of this to say is that I keep reading about how staying flexible and having a sense of humor is vital to travel (and life in general). I think I'm going to get my fair share of testing opportunities coming up!
In August I started some definitive travel planning - for Scotland and England. We've had plans to go there for the past few years, but summers have been jam packed with visiting family or John's camps. So, I decided 2017 would be different and we would get this trip off the ground. I put together an itinerary, a rough budget, and then, three days later, we got this message from Jeff's aunt:
....and because we really want to share our lives here with you, we would like to invite you to come to Kenya this year for Christmas. We would hope that Carolyn would come at the same time. If it is possible for you to come, it would be best if you could plan at least a two week trip including travel days. That would leave you about 10 days in country. The time would be short, but possibly all that you could manage with school for John and work schedules for yourselves. It is not the cheapest time to plan safaris, but if we could begin early, we could probably get some good deals. Without a doubt you would want to go to a Kenya Game Reserve. Maasai Mara is always a good bet for a comprehensive experience. Jeff, you remember Samburu and that is also a good spot. There are mountain spots that could be day trips from our house as well as time here at “pa Amani” where we can hike and use our boat on the lake. Think about it.
It would be delightful to have you in our home.
Love,
Aunt Cherry and Uncle VanceIt was a pretty easy decision, and apparently the universe felt that this trip needed to happen before going to Scotland.
Since we confirmed this new adventure, we're now deep into things like getting travel vaccinations (who knew that Yellow Fever vaccine is experiencing a global shortage?), investing in new hiking boots and travel pants and tops, which I now wonder why I never had them in the first place. They are so light, comfortable and stretchy. I love my new REI travel shirts, although Jeff commented I should be chopping wood in my cute red plaid one I have on today. I responded that wearing it with my fashionable boots made it stylish and not suitable for any lumberjack type of work.
 |
| Ready to chop..something. |
The most nerve-wracking thing about this trip planning so far was getting John's passport renewed. We got one for him when he was around 9, and since child passports expire earlier, it was time. I arranged for the VERY SPECIFIC time at one of our suburban post offices (think: only one day a week in a limited time range and a specific time for an appointment); and in making that appointment I was given a big governmental form with instructions.
For background, let's say that I have had many conversations about looking at the front AND back of a homework sheet and reading ALL the directions so you do the assignment correctly. Now I know that I do not practice what I preach. I opened the form, reviewed it, thought "hmm..I thought there was something I was supposed to fill out" but there seemed to be nothing other than rules and more rules. Well, okay then. That was easy.
 |
| You may enter.... |
The one saving grace is that I have a life cheat sheet of sorts with data that I needed for this form. Jeff was dispatched outside to try and get enough of connection to access my internet document. I frantically filled out the form at the only writing spot available with a mother trying to keep her baby in a carrier from crying by SHAKING HER KEYS. CONSTANTLY. One foot away from my filling out the form. And the form had rules on it like no mistakes allowed or the application would be rejected. Well, dammit, I did make a mistake (my full name on one line instead of split First on one line and Last on the next one). I decided to take our chances. Jeff filled in all his information as it was more likely to be correct that way. We rushed back up to our person with five minutes to spare. After that, we had to raise our hands and swear John was our child and a citizen of the US.
We got his new passport in just a couple of weeks, and the identifying documentation a little later. I admit I was impressed with the speed of it on the back end.
Ironically, we ended up also needing his birth certificate while it was gone for passport duty in order to get John's learner's permit. Never needed the document for years and suddenly we needed it in the span of two weeks. Go figure!
All of this to say is that I keep reading about how staying flexible and having a sense of humor is vital to travel (and life in general). I think I'm going to get my fair share of testing opportunities coming up!
 |
| Zebras are my favorite animal! |
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