If I kiss a female giraffe, does that make me a lesbian? (posting from the road)

Sad news for all of you hoping to see me posing with a glass of Chardonnay in neoprene, it was the green bag that arrived first. This is however good news for those who dined with me tonight as, hard as this is to believe, I do not look stunning in a wet suit. It would have been like sitting across the table from a well behaved harbour seal.

I have had a simply amazing day. We are at giraffe manor, a stupidly expensive but amazingly posh hotel just outside of Nairobi. Hotel is not the right word...it's much smaller and quainter than that...I think there are only 4 rooms. It resembles something out of life styles of the rich and famous, except I am neither and clearly have no business being here.

There are the most fantastic staff members who wait on you constantly, they don't seem to be satisfied unless they are doing something for you. Nicholas and Phillip were the two gentlemen that waited on us most of the day. Always smiling, eager to chat...fantastic people (yes I know they work for tips...but I actually believe they are just great people too). (side note, the slums I referred to last time...they are residents of Kibera...)

Drinks are constantly flowing and the meals are all gourmet. There is also a choice of where to dine; we opted to have our delicious lunch on the patio overlooking the grounds of the giraffe santuary and joined the other guests in the candlelit formal dining room for dinner. Jealous yet...well the best part is not the fantastically comfortable beds (the quilts have built in heating pads), unbelievable service (ranked fourth in the world) or astounding food (Beef Wellington for dinner)...the best part is the giraffes! (The warthogs are pretty cool too...)

The manor is located adjacent to the Kenyan Giraffe Sanctuary. This is an enclosed area where endangered Rothschild giraffes from around the country come to live. They are swapped out after breeding in order to preserve the bloodlines. The giraffes wander freely over an area of more than 120 acres. Leila and I were fortunate enough today to spend time with 4 of the giraffes. In just a few hours we learnt the different personalities of Lynn, Helen, Patrick and Eileen. Feeding them was very cool, but I have done that before...kissing them...now that was something different. Prehensile tongues...that's all I am saying.

Have you ever heard of Kazuri beads - chances are if you have every purchased ceramic beads then you have supported this worthwhile organization. Kazuri, swahili for small and beautiful, is an organization that helps disadvantaged women get jobs. Specifically, making beads. Today Leila and I plus honeymooning couple from New York were able to tour the grounds of this organization and see the beads from the raw clay to finished product before they were shipped off all over the world. Yes, the opportunity to purchase some on site was there...shocking.

Well I am off to bed. I plan to thoroughly enjoy this fantastic bed before my many nights of sleeping bags and pop tents. Lala Salama (good night)

**Giraffe fact - Giraffe sleep the LEAST of all mammals. Babies will sleep up to two hours a day, but adults only sleep a half an hour, in 5 min naps** (Giraffe is twiga in Swahili)