Leaving today

Hey everyone we are leaving africa today. We went to play with little elephants and fed giraffes already today. Our flight doesn't leave until 11 tonight so we are doing last minute shopping and eatting dinner at java house. We get into indianapolis on tuesday at 5. Have a great day!

Fun Fun Fun :)

I know this is a day late, but I thought I would tell you about what we did on Friday/Saturday. On friday morning, we headed out to Sweetwaters Tented Camp, a "camp ground" in the middle of a game park. what it is exactly is a ground where they have a lot of big tents set up. These tents are a bit different than just regular ones. They each have a shower, toilet, sink, 2 regular beds, a closet, and a desk. I got pics, so I will put them up on facebook, and maybe here. It is right on the equator, so you walk from your tent to the dinning hall and you go from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere :)

After driving around all day, we went on a night game drive (7-9pm) on Friday night and we found a pride of 7 lions! We drove right up to them, but they got up and started walking away. So, we followed them ((off the road)) and into the bush. We got pics, don't worry!! Then the next day we went on a morning game drive and found a pride of 8 lions. We drove right up to them. Then, they started getting up one by one and circled our cars. One stoped and just watched us. The way he was standing, he looked as if he was going to pounce on our car. But, he didn't.


I have had so much fun being back in Africa...I don't want to leave. I knew it would come to this, but I didn't want to believe it was real. We are leaving tomorrow night (Monday) and ariving back in Indiana on Tuesday afternoon.

Those of you in Kenya: I love you all!! I will miss you, but you know that God will provide a way for us to meet again if that is what His will is.

Those of you in America: I will see you when I get back!! <3

Those of you in Europe/Asia/Canada etc: I love you all too!! See you sometime...I don't know when though. lol


<3 Ayla

Merry Christmas

Thought I would say Merry Christmas and hope you have an amazing day!

Don't forget that today is not just a holiday, but it's the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today for Christmas, my mom is going to take Shauna and I to New Life Home, an orphanage here in Nairobi that I used to volunteer at all the time!

<3 Ayla

Hello :)

We just got back from the coast today and we are all sunburnt...what a nice feeling!! haha My sister got an email from her teacher saying that it is basically a blizard in Brownsburg...I'm glad I'm not there!!

It doesn't even seem like it's Christmas Eve. But, I knew it wouldn't seem like it.


The number 124 means something...Can you figure out what it means?!


Merry Christmas :)

The Beack :)

Today we spent the day resting (God did say that Sunday was the day of rest)! We layed out on the beach (nice and warm), I got a free lesson on how to wind surf, and had a lot of sawa sawa!!! Sawa sawa is a drink here. It's sooo good!! I think it's a mix of Mango juice and orange juice, but I'm not quite sure. All I know is that it is the BEST drink ever!! :)

Wind surfing was hard...You must be really strong to be able to do it. I could hardly hold the sail up.

Ohhh, and I got a free camel ride today too!! The camel's name is George. Everytime we come here, we always ride him. And, he is still alive :) It was so much fun! Usually it's equivilant to about $10, but since it's close to Christmas, it was free :) He was all dressed up and everything!! haha :)


Anyways, I can't wait til tomorrow. We are going snorkeling and more chillin on the beach!

<3 Ayla

ps...the funniest thing just happened.I am sitting in my parents room and my mom and younger sisters are giving each other foot massages and Erin just popped my moms toe. I looked over and my mom had the funniest face ever!! I was laughing so hard that I was crying.

ahhh good times!!

At the Coast :)

Yay for the beach :) It has been a good day! I got to sleep in, which was really nice!! But, our flight out of Nairobi was delayed about an hour, but that is not a shock. We are in a city called Watamu, which is still in Kenya, but on the coast. There are many different places that we could stay, but we have been coming to this place called Turtle Bay for the longest time...longer than I can remember.

We got checked in and got ready for dinner. (You have to dress a bit nice for dinner's at this place). Then after dinner we were at the disco for 3 hours! It was a lot of fun...Even my parents were dancing :)

Can't wait to actually lay in the sun and try to get a tan :)

<3 Ayla

Update

Here's Africa for you...

1. No Power
2. No Water
3. No water = No shower
4. No water = No Flushing of toilets
5. No water = No Washing dishes
6. No water = Wearing hats all the time
7. No water = Smelling bad
8. No water = Using lots and lots and lots of Deoderant

<3

Safely arrived!!

I wrote this blog out today during a time that my friends were taking a test. It tells about what has happened the past few days, so enjoy :)

<3 Ayla


"Ahh I am finally here! I’m finally home  I have never been more excited to be in Kenya!! Erin and I got in last night (Sunday, December 14) at 8:30pm (12:30 indiana time…around lunch…). When we got to customs, we each had to pay $50 for our visa and they wouldn’t accept one of our $50 bills because it was a 1996 series. So, Erin and I had to find a kind american to trade money with (even the bank wouldn't trade with us). We found a nice lady who understood and graciously traded with us. We got back to customs and was waiting in line when Kathi Ward showed up(The family we are staying with for a few days). They had let her come through to get us because we were uncompianed minors (since Erin is 14, we had to go into the unaccompanied minors rooms at the airports and the one in Amsterdam was way nicer than the one in Detroit.). We got our customs slip, found our luggage and headed out! To my amazement, Kristiana, Bekah and Esther (my 3 best friends) were waiting outside for me!! It was sooo exciting!! We all ran at eachother and exchaned many many many hugs!!

When we got to Krisiana's place, Erin and I were exhausted, but excited at the same time!! We were running on less than an hour of sleep over a 2 day time period. We got to bed around 11:30pm (3:30pm Indy time). I woke up a few minutes til 2 and couldn't get back to sleep...I was wide awake!! After about 15-20 minutes I went into the room that Erin was in to see if she was awake. Not supprisingly, she was awake, so we talked for a few minutes then I went back into Kristiana's room and I thought that I would never get back to sleep! Finally, around 4:15am, I fell asleep!!

When we got to school this morning, I saw so many people! I have had so much fun in school today!! Everyone has grown up and it's cool to see what people are like now a days!! My friend Micah was always my little buddy. He is 2 years younger than me and he has been like a brother to me my whole life....HE IS A SOPHOMORE!!! And, he is taller than me!! YIKES!

Right now I am in Kristiana's science class. They are taking a test right now. Oh my gosh! It's so hot here ((sorry to brag)), but I have been sweating all day!! But, I love it!! I could have gone swimming 2nd period, but I didn't really want to worry about getting my hair wet and having it wet the rest of the day. So, I just talked with people. Anyways, that's all to say."

Wating

Hey all!

I'm just siting here at Mike Berry's place watching 'Zoey 101. The kids are in bed "sleeping". Kids don't go to sleep that fast, but you never know :) haha

I'm so excited about Kenya....only 2 days away..acutally, a little less than that!! More like a day and a half!! I'm so excited about it!! I can't believe that I am going back! I am still trying to let it all sink in!

I'm going to try to blog as much as I can while I'm over there.

Just fyi, I will be at the best for a few days, so I won't get much internet access there, but I will try!! :)

<3 Ayla

5 Days Until Kenya

Kenya is approaching quickly!!! I can't even believe that I am going back to my home!! I can't wait to see everyone again...Esther, Kristiana, Bekah, Micah...and everyone else!!! AAAAHHHH I'm so excited...can you tell?

Here's just a few reasons why I love this place...