I've unpacked my bags, scrubbed the dirt from my trail shoes, and did several (incredibly necessary) loads of laundry.
I've picked jewelry to join my engagement ring, cross necklace and FitBit in the "daily wear" pile and I've tucked my passport away safely in the cupboard, with my old boarding passes and expired travel visa sticking out the sides.
I've gone back to work. I've started going back to the gym. I've turned my focus to wedding planning. I'm changed - wilderness inevitably has that effect - but I'm adjusting.
There's one thing I still have to do, though - something I think about often, but put off because...well, it's daunting.
I have to sort through my photos.
All 1,485 of them.
The Great Rift Valley, on the way from Nairobi to Kipsongol
One of the things I knew I wanted before leaving for Kenya was a new camera. My Fuji called it quits a couple years ago (after about six years of consistent use) and while I debated a couple other models over the year, I found myself relying increasingly on my iPhone. I'm not a professional and I've generally had access to better cameras for work, so I didn't have as much of a need to have gear of my own.
I knew an iPhone wasn't going to cut it for this trip, though.
Jenna's epic heel click
They say a photo is worth a thousand words. It's totally cliche, but I've found it's not really all that far from the truth. When I look through the 1,485 photos I took during my trip, it's not just the moment captured in the frame that comes to mind. It's the memories of what happened before and what happened after.
Walking hand-in-hand with village children on the way to the build site. Digging up dirt and clay in the mid-day sun. Open air showers when we returned to camp.
The way the lorry struggled over the rocks every time we turned left at the end of the road leaving camp. The way the wind felt during those drives.
Sitting on the "deck" at Mike's tent at the end of the night, listening to the kids laugh and scream while playing spoons in the mess tent.
And that's just the start.
Phillip, our Maasai guide, playing cheat in the mess tent with the kids
So, if a picture is worth a thousand words, I've got about 1,485,000 words worth of story to sort through. I anticipate that will change - some of the photos are duplicates, some aren't going to be the quality I want. I think that's what makes it daunting. To go through that process is to sort through all those memories, to remember and revisit all the feelings and emotions associated with that time, and make decisions about which of those 1,485 photos come the closest to telling the stories that I can't find the words to relate.
Sunrise, safari morning
So, for those who have been waiting to see photos...I promise I'm working on it. The longer I'm home, the easier it becomes to reflect on the experience and share stories with others. My thoughts are more organized and I'm less tongue-tied. It's getting easier. But it's a work in progress.
And let's face it: 1,485 photos is a freaking lot of photos!
Community celebration, last day in Kipsongol
to be continued...
