On a warm, not so muggy early evening, I boarded a train to The Mall: the only mall I voluntarily seek out. Although most museums were already closed for the day, and I did not plan ahead to find out which ones were actually open, I still enjoyed the stroll by architecturally stunning built structures. I walked around the particularly curvaceous, new (to me) National Museum of the American Indian: the sandstone, water, and landscaping created a sense of tranquility and quiet (even though traffic flowed steadily nearby).

(Written Monday)

I might cry. To do so would be a bit excessive, actually. Yes, crying would be over the top. My head, though, is about to crash into this rather hard hotel desk; and that might make me cry.

We all knew she would exercise her right to independent bipedal locomotion in a matter of days. The evidence, climbing up any object possible, communicating her desire to walk while holding the hands of a parent, and cruising along (and across) furniture, was mounting daily. I did not have days; only hours. So it was, hours after flying (not walking) out of town for more than a week, she took her first independent steps.

Nairobi Travel Journey
2009-08-16

The day, Sunday the 16th, began for me quite early with a taxi ride to SEA-TAC for the first of three flight legs to Nairobi. Frugality with ticket purchases necessitated selecting the multi-stop trip instead of the single-stop itinerary. As always on trips such as these, I packed light in order to avoid checking a bag. Standing in long lines with all my gear on my shoulders can tire, however. The risk of a lost bag is too great to gain some potential shoulder comfort.

This morning I start the journey to Nairobi. A work meeting takes place Wednesday thru Friday. The itinerary to is not so bad: SEA to PDX to AMS to NBO. The lay over in PDX is about three hours, during which time I intended to finish a work project and purchase an adapter fit for the UK/Kenya (and many other countries).

The return stops add up: NBO to KRT to CAI (change planes) to AMS to SEA. At least I will (sort of) see other parts of Africa. I say "sort of" because the flights are at night.

My carry on bag is filled with issues of The Economist, Time, and Backpacker.