Travelling through Mombasa for the first time was an enlightening and amazing experience. The laid-back feel to the city made it very easy to settle in, and adapt to the way of life. It was the perfect location, which included everything from: white sandy beaches, to wildlife and nature parks, to the poverty struck slums, to the traditional Kenyan culture and way of life. The people were incredibly friendly and welcoming, with everyone saying hello and wanting to shake your hand. I’ve never met a society who make you feel at home quite like the Kenyan’s did. It was hard coming back to England, I just miss the people.

The Swahili course was very, very useful, living in the country when you speak their language makes the experience even better, and you get treated as if you are a Kenyan. Also, my teacher was possibly the best tutor I have ever had, I even met up with him and his family after the lessons.

At the orphanage, I really had the best time of my life. It made you feel so good, just seeing how happy you were making the children. You could play with the kids all day long and you would never get bored. The last day before i went home, was one of the best days of my life. We were having a party, with games, sweats and just having the times of our lives. However, the end was so sad, you had to cry. Some of the children wrote some of the sweetest letters to us, and you don’t realise how attached you had become to everyone, until it was time to say goodbye. I will hold that day with me forever; the project could never be forgotten and the experience it gave me was immeasurable.

The way the project was organised was brilliant because it gave you time and opportunity to travel and see the country you were living in. The representatives were also so helpful, and would organise any trips you wanted to go on for you with no extra cost. While I was out there I went to the Massai Mara safari park, and extended my trip (very easily) to climb mount Kenya. These were both incredible and ‘must do’s’ in Kenya. Even after the cost, there is definitely no regrets, and would definitely recommend anyone setting out to Kenya to take part in these amazing trips.

Overall, my trip to Kenya was an unbelievable experience, and definitely does not compare to anything else i have ever done. Easily the best 6 weeks of my life, without a doubt. Thank you travellers, for giving me that opportunity.

By Alexander Hunter

If you’d like to learn more about Travellers Worldwide projects on offer in Kenya, click HERE

It’s about one o’clock in the afternoon and I’m sitting on hill overlooking this immense geological formation in Kenya called the Great Rift Valley. The sun is beating down through a sparse tree, the closest thing I could find to shade. The temperature must be, oh, around 30 to 35 degrees (or around 100 in Fahrenreit), a crazy time of day to be clambering up mountains. I took one look up the even higher hill that my group were starting to climb and said, “Not on your life! I’ll wait for you here” or words to that effect.

So here I am on this knobbly rock, hot, sweating, puffing and panting, with thorns pricking my back, burrs inside my jeans and I’d kill for a glass of cold water  … and I’m loving every minute of it!

I’m about 30 yards above some acacia trees (wicked thorns!) and looking down on the Game Reserve. The acacia canopies lull you into thinking that you could float down and land on them, much like drifting onto a soft bed. Here and there in the distance I can see movement, not sure if it’s an elephant, I’m just that little bit too far away.

Behind me the escarpment falls down to the valley. It’s an incredible sight. The mountains are covered in green trees and bushes, with waterfalls cutting down through them in silver streaks. Across the valley floor and way across on the other side I can see the distant escarpment running up again. It looks almost shrouded in mist, and in the middle there are a couple of lakes shimmering like diamonds in the sun.

I feel so lucky to be here. I wouldn’t swap places with anyone.

Another movement down below and this time it’s a young Kenyan village boy herding some goats along a non-existent path through the trees. He’s not supposed to be grazing his livestock inside the Reserve, but he probably doesn’t understand that his goats and sheep and cattle are frightening away the game.

The villagers grazing their livestock in the Reserve are poor – and I do mean poor! They live in tiny shanties in the middle of the bush and if the children are very lucky, they may get some schooling in tiny one-roomed school houses. In many cases they have no water.

As I sit here dripping sweat with thorns sticking in my side and flies buzzing around my face, I’m comparing this Game Reserve with the Reserves we work with in South Africa and I can’t help but think of the differences in the depth and quality of conservation being undertaken in Tembe, Hluhluwe and Imfolozi. There our volunteers’ work and the data they collect is used as part of a strategic conservation plan … and it’s working.

I’ve spent time on the Game Reserve projects in South Africa and my favourite time is at the end of the day. Can you imagine what it’s like to sit outside your tent in the evening, sipping a cold drink and watching the game milling around a watering hole below? Sheer bliss.

But to get back to me sitting here covered in dust and sweat, I’m going to find that river I saw on the way up here and I’m going to lie down in it, clothes and all, until I cool down. But didn’t somebody mention something about crocodiles …?

If you’d like to learn more about Travellers Worldwide projects on offer in South Africa, click HERE