We have now reached the country called Kenya. Here is a map…
The capital city is called Nairobi.
This is the flag of Kenya. It is black, red and green with a shield in the middle.
Underneath is the flag of the ‘Kenyan Wildlife Service’. It has an elephant on it. Kenya is very famous for it’s wildlife. Did you read our blog about our ‘friends in Kenya’? Have a look to see what animals are found in Kenya. When we were in Nairobi we visited a sanctuary that looks after orphaned elephants and giraffes. We got to feed the animals.
They were very nice but said that they were sad that they didn’t have a mummy or daddy any more. They were all rescued. Some poachers had killed their mums and dads to collect the huge tusks. Dino was scared the poachers might come to take his horn! Some of the babies had fallen down holes, the people had rescued them and brought them to this centre. They feed the baby elephants and giraffe and when they are stronger and older they are released back into the wild.
In Kenya we met lots of people and there are lots of different tribes that people belong to.
One of the most famous tribes is called the ‘Masai’.
They wear red clothing and have a large hole in their ear. They also have lots of other traditions and celebrations that are special to them. Dino liked how they tried to jump as high as they could.
The tribes in the north, near Marsabit, keep having arguments and so it was too dangerous for us to cycle by ourselves. We had to get a truck and a bus so we could stay safe.
On the bus we met a man from a tribe called the Samburu tribe. They wear lots of beads and colour their hair. We felt very honoured to meet such an amazing man and his family.
Each tribe speaks a slightly different language, but the main language of Kenya is called Swahili.
Would you like to learn some Swahili? We went to a Kenyan school to learn Swahili. Lion also learnt some more Maths!
Hello: Jambo
Goodbye. Kwaheri
Welcome: Karibu
Thank you: Asante Sana
learn to count in swahili by clicking here
Kenya also has a coastline and some of the most beautiful beaches we have seen. Dino was chasing fish in the sea and he couldn’t believe how warm the water was! The sea is called the ‘Indian Ocean’. Lion didn’t go in the water as there was lots of seaweed and he didn’t want to get tangled up!
Cycling was quite difficult as we had to cycle around Mount Kenya. This is Africa’s second tallest mountain. Can you see the snow and ice on the top? Lower down it was much warmer and they were growing corn in the fields.
We also cycled past the Equator. This is the line that goes round the centre of the Earth. Can you see it on the map?
Kenya is very famous for growing tea. This is a tea plant. Dino picked the tea leaves ready to be made into tea bags.
Kenya also grows lots of fruit. Lots are made into juices. Dino loved tasting all the yummy fruit juice!
To buy the juice we had to change our money into Kenyan shillings.
The country is hot and dry and while we were cycling through there was no rain at all, not even a dark cloud in the sky. But twice a year Kenya has rainy seasons. In the rainy season, it rains every day: a huge downpour! This fills up the rivers and lakes and the dry yellow grass turns green once again.
Time for us to go. We need to cycle out of Kenya before the rainy season starts…Dino doesn’t want to get his fur wet!
Big roars and see you next week…
Dino and Lion
xx
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