Tag Archives: KENYA

November 6, 2010 · 10:24 pm

kiwayu :: island life.


the tiny island of kiwayu, situated off the coast of kenya, in the lamu archipelago.

8 hours northeast of lamu by sail, and situated within the kiunga marine national reserve, kiwayu is a mere wisp of an island — just 12 miles long and half a mile wide. i spent a few days camping, snorkeling, and fishing with friends along the deserted white sand beaches and fell in love with this idyllic island. the main village is very small, with no electricity, one school, and one well for fresh water. everyone i met was wonderful, especially the children who were anxious to have their photographs taken with their siblings + friends. my favorite was one woman who acted camera shy until i showed her the image i had taken on the back of the camera’s LCD screen — she was thrilled! she blushed and smiled in approval, which encouraged her daughter to take a turn in front of the lens. i love being able to show people how beautiful they are, and i was thrilled to hear they loved the prints i sent back to the island when i returned to the states :)

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lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

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November 6, 2010 · 9:47 pm

lamu :: dhow races.


lamu dhow racing, maulidi 2010.

lamu island is renowned for its annual dhow races which occur during major festivals and celebrations throughout the year. earlier this year, during maulidi – the multi-day celebration of the prophet’s birthday – i was fortunate to be on the island during the races and aboard the magnificent dhow felice chasing the racing dhows! it was exhilarating to watch the dhows tack back and forth through the channel, and crazy when one capsized — there are so many men on the boats, it’s amazingly controlled chaos!



* * * * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * * * *

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June 4, 2010 · 12:33 am

nairobi.

a glimpse of kenya’s capital city.


punch buggy blue! nairobi national park :: nairobi, kenya.

in march i traveled to kenya where i celebrated my 30th birthday in nairobi! i only spent a few quick days exploring the capital – a whirlwind tour of the city! with a population of more than 3 million people, nairobi is brimming with diversity and full of wild contrast. sprawling out from a bustling downtown, the city center is surrounded by lush villa suburbs with colonial architecture, british names, and modern shopping centers. yet, nairobi is also home to one of the largest urban slums in africa: kibera is about the size of new york’s central park and has over 1 million residents who live in roughly constructed shanty dwellings without electricity or running water.

nairobi’s national park is less than 5 miles from the city center – a safari crazy close to a metropolis – with skyscrapers providing a surprising backdrop for the roaming wildlife.

i was anxious to get to the coast, but absolutely enjoyed the days i spent roaming nairobi – crisscrossing downtown on foot, dining by candlelight when the power went (a frequent occurrence in the city), skirting the wild rains, taxi-safari-ing through the national park (chasing zebras off road!) and of course fearing for my life on (possibly one too many) wild matatu rides through infamous nairobi traffic at breakneck speeds.

enjoy!

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the nairobi railway station:

the edge of kibera:

nairobi national park:

spring valley, upper parklands estate:

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May 22, 2010 · 11:34 am

kikoy.


lamu town dressmaker stitching a kikoy – lamu island, kenya.

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March 22, 2010 · 12:13 pm

shela on my mind.

when i close my eyes i am still…


…sailing past the mangroves aboard felice.


…approaching the village of shela, lamu island.


….watching the dhows glide through the water.


…looking up at the rooftops in the village.


…watching the sun set on the indian ocean.

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February 28, 2010 · 11:04 am

kenya!

jambo kenya!

in just a few hours i’m headed back to africa!

for the next few weeks i will be traveling throughout kenya — i’m incredibly excited to see the country and learn about the work and lives of some very interesting people. i prefer to travel as spontaneously as possible, so my plans are still tentative and flexible – i haven’t figured out the where/when/how of everything, but i am certain it will be an amazing adventure!

on the agenda: documenting social work in nairobi, education and culture on the island of lamu, and research on the game reserves. some serious sailing and a quick trip to zanzibar are also in the works, as is pretty much anything else that presents itself! i plan to bring back some fantastic stories and great images and can’t wait to share it all with you!

kwaheri!

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