January 3, 1966

We landed in Nairobi at about 6 in the morning. At the Airport we were met by a delegation from the American Embassy and the Kenya government led by the Minister of Agriculture. We would later fly on to Kampala the next day. I did not think much about flying Ethiopian Airlines. What surprised me was the fact that the Kenya Minister of Agriculture was a man named MacKenzie, he was obviously Scottish and he was British rather African. Kenyan had been only independent two years I thought. (Bruce R. Mackenzie was later said to have been I British Intelligence Officer who served in President Jomo Kenyatta’s first cabinet. He was apparently assassinated in 1978 when I bomb exploded in his plane). More

Two things surprised me. The light and the brightness of Kenya and East Africa, unfiltered in a way that I had never experienced before. That remains with me today. Secondly the sound of the birds in the morning as the sun came up. Part of me wanted to stay in Kenya; it seemed interesting to me especially the presence of the Indian settlers and the British community and the powerful presence of President Jomo Kenyatta.

The British influence was the first thing that I noticed because I had never truly comprehended the presence of the Indians and British in Africa. I wanted to stay in Kenya for this reason because I was intrigued by this and remember that I did not want to continue onto Uganda. I knew very little about Uganda and for some reason seemed less interesting than Kenya, though in the end it was the opposite.

January 4, 1966

(My sister’s 19th birthday). We are in Nairobi. The flight from Frankfurt to Athens was uneventful. Once we got on the ground however things livened up. It was a balmy 60 degrees in Athens and we enjoyed wandering around outside. It started to rain and we ran back to the plane with Pris and Joy. Once on the plane we heard a rumor that five people were missing. Finally about 30 seconds before the scheduled take off, two of them came in. The twins and Mary Anne Fullerton were missing. The pilot refused to wait. We left Mike Fullerton waiting alone in the rain clutching his flight bag.

We could see the coast of Africa and then the Sahara. It seemed to go on forever, looking like coffee with cream-colored snow drifts. Later we flew over LakeRudolph and we were in Kenya. We saw Mount Kenya and the great rift. [LAP]

January 4, 1966

We are in Nairobi, the flight from Frankfurt to Athens was uneventful. Once we got on the ground, however, things livened up. It was a balming 60° and we enjoyed sunning around. It started to rain and we ran back to the plane with pride and joy. Once on the plane we heard a rumor that five people were missing. Finally about 30 seconds before the scheduled takeoff, two of them came in the twins and Mary Anne Fullerton were missing. The pilot refused to wait. We left him standing along in the rain, clutching his light bag.

We could see the coast of Africa and then the Sahara. It seemed to go on forever looking like coffee with cream colored snow drifts. Lastly we flew over Lake Rudolph and we were in Kenya. We saw Mt. Kenya and the great rift.

At the airport we got lots of attention and speeches. Then we were bussed to the Brunns Hotel. We bathed and went out, walking around the city with Pris. Later we walked up to the YWCA on a hill across the park at the end of Kenyatta Blvd. to bid joy good-bye . It was sad but hopeful. We then ate good food and rested (Roast Chicken and hot potato salad) at Dr. Gadsden’s who was in Nairobi. [1] In bed. (FMP).