In looking back on our trip and its preparation we felt it important to give credit to those items we literally couldn't have done without.
First and foremost is Seattle Sports solar shower. 2.5 gallons of pure hot water bliss. After long, hot and oh so dusty days on the construction site when you are sure every inch of your body is covered in red clay there is nothing like a warm shower. Even if it happens in a corner of a mud house in the moonlight with an African toad spectating. Trust me it is all worth it. We don't have a photo because the bag is safely ensconced in John's home in Magena, Kenya. He is sharing it with the boys...that may not last long. Recommendation: 5 stars
Second on the list is Adaptor's Coolmax insect repellant sleep sac. Light, impregnated with permethrin..it was a foil to the warrior Mosquitos in Thika as well as bed bugs and quite comfortable to sleep in. Only spent one night in an endless battle between the sac and my scrubs. Awoke in an incredible twist! Holly found the sacs at Marmot store on the Eastside. Recommendation: 5 stars
The third all star is the Platypus product line of collapsible bottles and water tank. We carried two one liter bottles and one four liter storage tank into the bush. They are BPA free and the water did not have any added "container " flavor. The 4 liter container refilled water bottles at the construction site and weighs 4 oz empty so not much in the weight department. 5 stars
The fourth is Restoration Hardware's Ultimate Smart Charger. Thank you Masako and Maya. It was the best gift. Charged two iPhones (John's and mine) and we recharged the Smart Charger in the car every four days. A guarantee 5 stars!!
Last but certainly not least of the must haves is Franky and Dom's Mocha Almond Crunch granola. Made in Seattle it is a great combination of espresso beans, chocolate, almonds and oats. A necessary item to prevent caffeine withdrawal symptoms for Seattleites! The only issue we had was one bag was not enough!! 5 stars
The also ran products included the Solio solar charger for recharging iPhones. It would have received high marks except for the fact that we had two and one charged well under the Kenyan sun and the other charged better under the overcast skies of Seattle...go figure. We were able to keep three iPhones up and running with camera functions for the duration of the trip. Wifi and cellular access was inconsistent at best. But that wasn't our fault.
Kudos to Gregory Packs.. Their backpacks are high tech in both form and function. Too bad my packing skills didn't match. I have much improved skills in rummaging in the dark for the elusive item at the bottom of the pack.
OK, I think that is a wrap for this post. Now for the real tale...
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