zebra butts and birthday cake

my internet's been down for the past week, so i haven't been able to upload pics until now.

so i've told most of you guys this, but i calculated the time it took me to get from nairobi to la, and it took over 30 hours...and i won't share on this blog how long it had been since i had taken a shower. all i'll say is that when my bro and my mom picked me up from lax, my bro said my smell made him feel sick. ok, so not in those words...he was actually trying to reassure me in saying that i didn't smell bad, i just smelled like airplane, which is a smell that makes him sick to his stomach. seriously. it's some psychosomatic thing where the smell of airplane, or recycled air, makes him nauseous.

so anyways, i was in la last weekend for s and h's wedding, and to meet my new niece, sophie kim, born feb 1. she looks exactly like her sister...unfortunately, i only got to hang out with her for about an hour (and i didn't get a pic...stinkin!), but that's about all the time i got to spend with anyone that weekend. busy, busy, busy...but glad that i got a chance to go. got into atlanta tuesday morning, and have been trying to settle down somewhat before i head to new york next week for a meeting.

but enough rambling...here are some pics from nairobi, la, and atl...

my hotel was right next to uhuru park, which is where a bunch of the post-election rallies were supposed to take place. instead, the whole time i was there, the park was occupied by policemen. they did, however, allow some things...including this one where kenyan women brought flowers and called for peace...
zebra butt! we went to nairobi national park, which is right next to the city, and they have tons of wildlife there...lots and lotsa zebras, and they hang out right next to the roads.
this is at an animal orphanage where they rescue baby elephants orphaned by poaching. these elephants are about 1 year old, and they were soo cute and playful.
met a great group of ladies in nairobi...this is the karen blixen museum garden. i have to admit that i have yet to see the movie...
went to the giraffe center...they give you these pellets to feed the giraffes, and they go crazy for 'em. the pic should give you an idea...i call it giraffe crack.
across the road from the giraffe crack addicts, they keep the bull in this bit of land and let it roam free. a guide took us to see him, and i took this picture up close and personal even after the guide told me to run away cuz, um, his kick could kill me. but he looked so gentle and curious...
spent most of my actual birthday on the plane, but got to celebrate a belated birthday with some great friends at home...so cute, because it was supposed to be a surprise, but mel's 3-year old son couldn't keep it a secret...
this is my roommate! she got a cake for my bday and had it waiting for me when i got back...such a sweetie!

i'm famous...

i'm staying at the same hotel as kofi annan, and they're holding the negotiation talks here. apparently, there are a lot of kenyan dignitaries hanging out, but i don't recognize anyone. so there's always a lot of reporters and cameramen hanging out outside the hotel...i like to pretend they're there for me. the whole situation makes for some interesting encounters.

- i got a call from reception asking if i knew someone from channel 4, if i had had dinner with this person, if i had ordered skewers and billed it to my room....needless to say, i'm going to look over my bill veeery carefully when i check out.

- one reporter approached me asking if i was from the chinese embassy.

- there are always a bunch of people hanging out in the lobby during the day...i think they're drivers, assistants, bodyguards...one time i was waiting for my co-worker in the lobby, and they kept on eyeing me suspiciously. it reminded me of when i was in tanzania, and all of the local staff thought that i was some martial arts expert. of course, i'm asian, after all. so i wonder if some of these bodyguards think that i'm some sort of assassin. i've already been asked how good i am at karate.

- there are rumors that kofi's room here was bugged...whoa, espionage...