A Journey of Remembrance.

I set out from lower station.  The sun was waning into the late afternoon haze.  Longonot sat in the valley, proud and reticent.  A slight wind pulled at the white undershirt I was wearing.  Already, I was reminded of the meaning coupled with this place....Kijabe...."Place of Wind"  The air temperature was pleasantly tepid.  Walking up to the rugged tarmac, I encountered only a handful of people.  The Yuletide celebrations left the surounding area covered in a sureal blanket of calm.  I stepped onto the tarmac and made my way up the steep hill to the front gate.  Several cars speedily passed me by, the drivers struggling to negotiate the precipitous  grade... a remnant of citiznes rushing home to celebrate what was left of the holiday.  I appoached the massive steel entrance to the great Rift Valley Academy, knocked twice and waited...  there was no answer.  I noticed the top of a police-like cap in the window of the guard house.

"Hodi!"

"eh?! Karibu!" the guard responded in a startled tone.

"Nashukuru, Bwana."

"Wel'cahm."

And so I passed throught the pedestrian door and immediately veered right to trek up the notorious "Guard's Trail".  At my left stood a forbodding chainlink fence garnished with barbed wire... the evidence of a changed time.  no longer can one roam the hills freely without worry of encountering an impasse.  I followed the fence along its northern perimetre and I noticed many things new.  Water tanks, a retaining wall, flower beds, even a new house.  The Outside of the enlcosure appeared unchanged save for a few tree stumps where large pines once grew  I reached the northwestern peak of campus in a state of hyperventilation.  My lungs, blacked by smoke and shrivled by sloth were not what they used to be.  I rested a bit and drank some water.  As I gazed around, I was surprised to find that not one, but now two fences stood between me and the forest.  I scaled both of them with little difficulty. The fences did not really provide actual security... but more of a 'sense' of security; and for the ignorant masses, that is enough.  Having exited the confines of the mission station, I now began my hike.....

to be continued...