I love Kenya.  In ways I did not love Botswana. Maybe my too short trip prevented real love to the Bots but oh Kenya, we're feeling it.

I really didn't know what to expect.  Dear Kenya is the homeland of so many dear friends (sorry I blanked on you last time Laura!).  I knew Kenya was well missionized and I thought it would be well Westernized as a followup.

Boy was I wrong.  I have been wondering if anyone in Africa still bought their fruit from a stand and not a grocery store.  Yes'm in Kenya some people still do.

There is so much to say.  I have blog post after blog post formulating in my head after my visit and the research we conducted.  Topics like purity, abstinence, responsibility, dusty snot, trash, industriousness, FGM, other cultural practicaes, Swahili, tea, sweet bananas, inventions that changed Africa, condoms, etc.

Any sound particularly interesting that you'd like to hear first?

Let me share the facts: in ten days I was in Nairobi twice plus four other rural communities called Doldol, Daiga, Ololobten, and Kikuyian.  I was there with a team of six people: three Kenyans, two Americans, and one South African.  We were conducting interviews throughout communities with pastors, people living with HIV & AIDS, congregational HIV Hope Teams, etc, etc, etc.  We were trying to see how the Channels of Hope program has been implemented throughout the country and affected the lives of the people there reducing stigma, increasing Voluntary Counseling & Testing (of HIV) rates, decreased infection rates, improved positive living skills, etc.

This is what I will also be doing in Lesotho this week.  And if I can get someone in this office to hire me for another six months this is a bit of what I'd be doing early next year too as they have one more country to interview.  It was fantastic, I learned so much for myself and from others.  I met wonderful people, saw the most beautiful scenery of my life, and was just blessed overall.

Internet will be on and off in Lesotho but I will make some attempts to keep posting somewhat regularly.  I have some 300 plus photos, a few  of which are ridiculously wonderful.  But to start let me just give you a taste of Kenya...

According to Zain's chief executive officer, Saad Al Barrack, the firm's investment in its African operations beats direct aid from United States, China and European Union respectively.According to a report from Malawi's local daily of the Nation, the rebranding of Zain from Celtel is part of bringing together their African and Middle East operations under a single and unique identity.The chief executive officer further said that the mobile firm had injected in US$ 2.5 billion for networks and infrastructure development in its existing markets.

The report quoted Barrack who was in Kenya recently as saying Kenya was one of the countries where Zain has spent more money and that its operations were expected to consume about US$ 1 billion in the next five years.In the Southern African country of Malawi, the mobile firm will pump in US$ 91 million between this year and next year towards upgrading and other services.Zain according to a media report serves up to 50 million customers in 22 countries of Africa and Middle East.In Malawi Zain has faced competition from another mobile firm TNM. The two recently introduced cheaper cell phones.

Deshalb wird heutzutage kaum noch Sinnvolles gedacht, und auch mir kam nur diese sinnleere Frage auf den Schirm, trotz "The National" als Background-Untermalung: Welche Nation auf Erden hat wohl die größte Gesamtmasse? Es sind wahrscheinlich die Chinesen, weil es einfach so viele sind. Der U.S.-Amerikaner ist zwar deutlich fetter, kommt aber nur ein Viertel so häufig vor. Und obwohl es durchaus U.S.-Amerikaner gibt, in deren Fettschwarten deutlich mehr als vier Chinesen untergebracht werden können, gilt das erst ab 2048 für alle. Zudem darf man auch die chinesische Sumo-Fraktion nicht unterschätzen.

Ich denke es ist wichtig, die Gesamtmasse einer Nation so hoch wie möglich zu halten. Denn in einer Vision der Apokalypse, die ich eines Nachmittags nach Verzehr eines Quark-Törtchens mit Aprikose hatte, müssen am letzten aller Tage die verschiedenen Nationen um die wenigen Tickets in die heilbringende Nachwelt (in der es Pay-TV für alle gratis gibt, wie auf Gottes T-Shirt zu lesen war) kämpfen. Dazu verschmelzen alle Bürger einer Nation so power-ranger-mäßig zu einem Super-Chinesen, -Spanier oder -Lesothoaner. Diese treten sich dann so lange in die Eier, bis eine Nation keinen Bock mehr auf Pay-TV hat.

In diesem Sinne würde ich allen Bundesbürgern empfehlen, noch ordentlich zuzulegen, und zu hoffen, dass man am Ende aller Tage nicht in die Genitalregion geschmolzen wird.

1. Madagascar
Cheapest Accomodations*: Less than $2.73
Cheapest Meals: Less than $0.66
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day**: $4.71

2. Guinea
Cheapest Accomodations: $1.00 - $3.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.25 - $1.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $3.88

3. Tunisia
Cheapest Accomodations: $1.48 - $3.17
Cheapest Meals: $0.63 - $1.48
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $7.61

4. Sudan
Cheapest Accomodations: $0.50 - $3.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $2.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $5.50

5. Botswana
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.64 - $7.74
Cheapest Meals: $0.15 - $0.77
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $7.57

6. Benin
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.00 - $8.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.40 - $0.80
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $7.80

7. Ethiopia
Cheapest Accomodations: $2.00 - $5.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $2.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $8.00

8. Rwanda
Cheapest Accomodations: $2.00 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $6.39

9. Burkina Faso
Cheapest Accomodations: $2.29 - $12.20
Cheapest Meals: $0.76 - $1.52
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $10.67

10. Central African Republic
Cheapest Accomodations: $3.00 - $10.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $11.75

11. Mali
Cheapest Accomodations: $2.00 - $10.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $12.00

12. Somalia
Cheapest Accomodations: $3.00 - $10.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $12.50

13. Republic of Congo
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.00 - $10.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $13.50

14. Niger
Cheapest Accomodations: $7.00 - $12.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $2.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $14.00

15. Mauritania
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.00 - $20.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $1.50
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $15.00

16. Nigeria
Cheapest Accomodations: $2.00 - $10.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.00 - $4.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $15.00

17. Togo
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.00 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $15.25

18. Lesotho
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.00 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.60 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $15.40

19. Chad
Cheapest Accomodations: $9.00 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.35 - $2.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $15.35

20. Equatorial Guinea
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.65 - $12.40
Cheapest Meals: $1.16 - $4.10
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $16.42

21. Eritea
Cheapest Accomodations: $6.00 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $16.50

22. Zambia and Sierra Leone
Cheapest Accomodations: $3.00 - $15.00 (Zambia), $4.00 - $20.00 (Sierra Leone)
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00 (Zambia), $1.00 - $3.00 (Sierra Leone)
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $18.00

23. Ghana
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.00 - $20.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $18.50

24. Eqypt
Cheapest Accomodations: $2.81 - $9.38
Cheapest Meals: $2.30 - $4.69
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $20.17

25. Sao Tome and Principe
Cheapest Accomodations: $8.00 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $20.50

26. Cote d'Ivorie
Cheapest Accomodations: $9.00 - $18.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $4.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $21.00

27. Zimbabwe
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.00 - $20.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $21.50

28. Kenya
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.37 - $15.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.17 - $7.29
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $22.38

29. Swaziland
Cheapest Accomodations: $6.00 - $18.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $22.50

30. Gabon
Cheapest Accomodations: $10.00 -$20.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $24.00

31. Malawai
Cheapest Accomodations: $1.00 - $30.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $24.50

32. Tanzania
Cheapest Accomodations: $10.00 - $30.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $25.25

33. Guinea - Bissau
Cheapest Accomodations: $10.00 - $25.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.00 - $4.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $26.50

34. Dijbouti
Cheapest Accomodations: $10.00 - $20.00
Cheapest Meals: $3.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $27.00

35. Algeria
Cheapest Accomodations: $1.60 - $24.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.66 - $7.99
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $27.19

36. Uganda
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.00 - $20.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.00 - $8.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodations and 3 meals/day: $27.50

37. South Africa
Cheapest Accomodations: $5.52 - $21.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.76 - $6.90
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $27.75

38. Cameroon
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.65 - $30.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.33 - $4.65
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $27.80

39. Namibia
Cheapest Accomodations: $10.00 - $25.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $28.00

40. Mozambique
Cheapest Accomodations: Less than $40.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $29.00

41. Senegal
Cheapest Accomodations: $10.00 - $30.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $29.00

42. Democratic Republic of Congo
Cheapest Accomodations: $20.00 - $30.00
Cheapest Meals: $0.50 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $30.25

43. Seychelles
Cheapest Accomodations: Less than $12.00
Cheapest Meals: $6.22 - $10.50
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $30.66

44. Morocco
Cheapest Accomodations: $4.03 - $40.00
Cheapest Meals: $3.36 - $6.05
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $36.13

45. Liberia
Cheapest Accomodations: $20.00 - $50.00
Cheapest Meals: $1.00 - $3.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $41.00

46. Cape Verde
Cheapest Accomodations: $15.00 - $34.00
Cheapest Meals: $3.00 - $8.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $41.00

47. Mauritius
Cheapest Accomodations: Less than $72.00
Cheapest Meals: Less than $5.41
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $44.12

48. Gambia
Cheapest Accomodations: $23.15 - $39.00
Cheapest Meals: $2.32 - $6.95
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $44.98

50. Burundi
Cheapest Accomodations: $40.00 - $85.00
Cheapest Meals: $3.00 - $5.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $74.50

51. Reunion
Cheapest Accomodations: $31.00 - $62.00
Cheapest Meals: Less than $15.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $90.50

52. Angola
Cheapest Accomodations: $50.00 - $100.00
Cheapest Meals: $8.00 - $13.00
Average Daily Cost for Accommodation and 3 meals/day: $106.50

Want to know the cheapest countries in the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Central America, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Asia, Africa?

*When conversions were necessary they were made with the exchange rate of the respective country's currency and the U.S. dollar over a few days in the beginning of August 2008.

**This is assuming you stay in one of the cheapest accommodations and eat three meals a day within the the least expensive price range.

Think differently? Had a different experience? Know of somewhere else that has more accurate / detailed data? Send me feedback and let me know.

Also, note LonelyPlanet.com did not have any costs for Comoros and Mayette.

Timotea was abandoned by his mother, who was HIV positive. If memory serves me, he was found by a police officer under a tree, and eventually brought to the orphanage just outside of the capital city. When he came, he was taken to the hospital for an HIV test, where it was found he was positive. Since his mother couldn't be found, he was drinking formula and receiving medicines and good, loving care. I know many people prayed he would eventually test negative. I arrived in Lesotho and meet Timotea shortly before he was18 months old. I had only known him for a few weeks when I accompanied two other volunteers, a local worker, and four babies to the hospital for some tests and check-ups -- it was time for Timotea's 18-month HIV re-test. For those of you who may not know, if a baby is born to an HIV positive mother, if they are not breast fed, and have a good diet and good care, they can actually become negative.

I ended up holding Timotea as we sat in the hallway waiting for each child to be called back for their tests. I didn't expect to go back with him, since I was a new volunteer, but he was called while the long-term workers were with other children, and so I back I went into one of the smallest exam rooms I have ever been in. The nurse, thankfully, spoke English, but I still had a difficult time understanding her. She asked me questions about Timotea's development, like if he was talking. As far as I had heard, he hadn't said any words I could understand, but he babbled, and I figured a good bit of what I heard as "babbling" could probably be baby talk in Sesotho. I answered yes. She had me hold Timotea tight with one arm, and hold his hand steady with the other while she pricked his finger for the blood test. She squeezed a tiny amount of blood onto a small strip, and stuck it into a small, plastic thing. It reminded me of a very small pregnancy test. Then, she left the room. I sat there, holding a cotton ball to Timotea's finger, cradling him tight, as I watched a band of pink appear at the end of the strip. We sat there, wedged between the desk and the wall, watching the pink seep up the strip, revealing an answer I could not understand. I wished desperately I could read the test, wished the nurse had not left the room, and I prayed a short prayer that Timotea would not be positive. I prayed the wonderful, smart, curious child I held in my arms would not find out he would live a short life, one where he would be ostracized from society, one that condemned him to a painful death. I didn't want that for him, for anyone. I couldn't imagine it.

After what seemed like an eternity, the nurse returned, glanced at the test and said, "Timotea, he is negative." My heart leaped. Negative! I wanted to rejoice. I wanted her to rejoice with me! Instead, she bent down, scribbled something on a piece of paper, and told me to take him somewhere else so he could have a blood test. I didn't understand, and she didn't explain. I walked out and told the volunteer, who had been their nearly two years, and told her Timotea had tested negative, but that he needed to get another blood test. He explained that if a child originally tested positive, and later tested negative in the finger prick test, they had to have another blood test (done with a larger amount of blood) to confirm that they were indeed negative. We took poor little Timotea to yet another room to have more blood drawn, this time from a giant stab in the groin (ouch!). Then, we waited. And waited. And waited some more. In reality, we probably waited about a week for the results, but it felt like an eternity. Finally, we received the news that he was, truly, negative!

It's been four years since that day, and I have no idea where Timotea is now. I do know though, that wherever he is, he is no doubt happy and healthy. He was 18 months old when I met him, and today he would be over five and a half. Nearly six. He's in the first grade, going to school, playing with friends, with siblings. Someday, he'll fall in love with a girl, get married, and start a family. Someday, he'll do things that might never have happened. I don't know under what circumstances his mother left him, what she thought or hoped the outcome might be. If it was a difficult decision. If she loved him. If she had cared for him until she simply couldn't anymore. If she was unmarried and her family would not support her if she had a child. I don't know. I do know, that in abandoning him, whether she meant to or not, she helped save his life.

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DSCF0581, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

The official sign.

DSCF0586, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

Traffic ascending the pass has the right of way.

DSCF0571, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

Another view of Sani Lodge on the border of South Africa and Lesotho. You can see a small rock wall that is the physical border between the 2 countries.

DSCF0570, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

Looking into the Drakensberg area of South Africa. The Sani Pass road in snaking down the mountain in the foreground.

CIMG1508, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

The mountain ranges in Lesotho with CIDA built latrines on the right behind the round huts.

DSCF0568, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

Myself and the bartender of the highest pub in Africa.

DSCF0546, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

I love the color of that door. CIDA (The Canadian Development Agency)had given money to build latrines as the locals were just going outside. The latrines are quite nice, but they have had the effect of killing the dogs....

DSCF0538, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

A small hamlet at the Lesotho border, notice the desolation. We were quite lucky as it was a clear day and not very windy.

DSCF0534, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

Yes, that water fall is frozen........

DSCF0502, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

A picture of me and YY with the country of Lesotho behind us at the top!

DSCF0483, originally uploaded by silverwinnipegboy.

I took a trip with YY via the SANI Pass to Lesotho. The Sani Pass is at 2865m above sea level and is the only road link between KwaZulu-Natal and Lesotho.