Ok, so whats been happening? It was my first weekend which finally meant that I could sleep in!!! I slept until about 10am which was AMAZING!! I really needed the sleep but I felt so lazy afterwards. Had a nice lazy saturday morning, then decided to go into Nairobi city as we had yet to visit. Me and 2 of the girls Iv met here met at Junction Nakomatte which is the nearest supermarket/shopping complex to us, 15 minuets walk away. We wernt sure how to get there but we just asked 'Nairobi Centre?' to the busses which frequently go past and quickly found one. The journey in was ok, only about 30 mins. Nairobi city isnt what I expected. Its a mish mash between modern and undeveloped. A very odd combination. And very very bussy with busses and people all husteling and busteling. We decided to have a wander and try t find a market. En route with many attempts to read the map, a little lady stopped us and asked where we were looking for. She said that she would take us to the market, even though I noticed that she had to turn around and go back the way she had just came. Ok, so i thought of the last thing that grandma had said to me 'If someone says come on follow me I'll show you, say NO and run away" but once she dropped off her bag -which cntained her bibles, and told us that she could take us but she couldnt buy beacuse she was a woman of the church and it was her sabbath day - I decided that grandma might not mind so much :) The market was crazy!!!! As soon as we walked through the entrance gates we were surrounded by men asking us to take our time, look, pick u and buy but dont pay as they would give us a good price for everything! I was polite at first as they followed us, showing us everything and asking questions. But then after a while it got too much and I nicely but firmly asked them to leave us to look on our own for a while. It seemed to work after a few tries!! the colours and the goods being sold at the market were beautiful! I could have bought everything! But i settled for a beautiful patchwork bag which I managed to barter down to 800ks - about 6pounds. After finding a little reastaurant to have some icecream and pop to get away from the sun we headed back. Its soooooo hot! and I had stupidly walked around Kibera the day before without sunscreen so i had REALLY bad sunburn! I know, stupid Sarah!

On the Sunday me and some of the other volunteers decided that we wanted to go to the giraffe and crocodile sanctuaries. So we met on the morning and walked to junction for 10am. Called a taxi that Fadhili had recomended, however when i had talked to him the night before he said his taxi could only take 5. Thinking that this meant five passangers we thought it was good. What he actually meant was that it took 5 people!!! So with lots of squshing of 4 people into the back we sett off. We started at the elephant sanctuary first as it was only open for one hour so that the elephants dont get too stressed. It was soooo cool. they were babies that had been orphaned and they were all rolling in the mud pit in the middle! They also brought out some older ones who were still small. They got their bottles from the men that looked after them, and then got so close that we could touch them!! There was just a rope seperating them and us. It was great! There was also a Rhino that they kept on site, but it was blind. It was really sad, but I sopose they were saving it from dying in the wild. We went to the Giraffe park next. It was fab! Id read about it before I came so I was glad that we got to g. There was high platform that you could go up t, so that you were on eye level with the Giraffe. There was only one Giraffe that seemed to want any food. All the rest were chilling in the background in amongst the trees looking on. Giraffes are so beautiful! It was really busy, and I hated all the pushing and shoving, but it was great to get to feed the Giraffe! Its tongue was really grey and rough, and only a bit slimy! It was great to just get to see it up close. After the girraffes we went to the croc park where I got to see lots of big Crocodiles, and see another lovely giraffe, but I also got to HOLD a baby croc! And yes I have the pictures as proof!! It was really smooth I was really suprised, but you could feel how think and strong it was!

So that was my first weekend! I had a really good time! Felt like a real tourist for the first time since arriving in Nairobi. Its amazing here. So different, but I feel so comfortable here now.

Next time: My first week at School!