Among the fields and falls

This weekend we had the opportunity to visit a Kenyan friend at her family's home just outside Nairobi. Her home is nestled in the hills that are also host to terraced tea fields, which we drove through to get to her house. After a sunny picnic outside on her lawn, we packed up and ventured to a waterfall near her home. A very steep climb downhill found us at the foot of a charming waterfall; we set up a second picnic at the foot of the waterfall, where we snacked and snoozed for the afternoon hours. The eucalyptus trees surrounding the falls reminded me so much of the parks in San Francisco. 

We didn't see much wildlife besides the ubiquitous farm animals; though, I did spot a chameleon in the grass while we were picnicking. It was smaller than I thought it would be, and it was quite comfortable being picked up and held. I was a huge fan of the Kratt brothers back in the day (stars of Kratts' Creatures and Zaboomafoo) and was thrilled with what my Kenyan hosts regarded as commonplace. I'd probably feel the same about the lizards and banana slugs in California. No, I didn't bring him home as a pet, but don't think I didn't think on it for a minute (after all, I did have banana slug pets at various points in my childhood).The peace and quiet of the day was a stark contrast to the noise and clamor of Nairobi; I was grateful for the respite, even if just for a few hours.