Counting Sheep…

So one thing I will not miss when I leave Kakamega is the variety of night sounds that can tend to make sleeping through the night here a challenge.

The two most common are barking dogs--and if it’s between the hours of 5 or 5:30 a.m.--the call to prayer from the local mosques.  Now those of you who know me know that I used to always wake up between 5 and 5:30 on weekdays, so you may think, what’s the big deal? But part of the beauty of having no commute to the office and a workday that starts at 9 a.m. is supposed to be the ability to sleep in…  

I actually like hearing the sounds of the call to prayer, but just not that early. In fact, one morning it was so loud I literally thought it was taking place right outside the compound gate. I even texted our night security guard to see if he knew what the deal was. Although that also took place during the first few days of the news about the Muslim movie protests, so I think I was just a bit on edge…

I’ve also about decided I’m not a big fan of African dogs.  And that’s saying a lot since I really love dogs. I rarely see them here, but I hear them barking every single night. I think they’re nocturnal. You are way more likely to see goats wandering around during the day than dogs. I think I can count on one hand the number of dogs I’ve ever seen during the day here. Usually it’s just a flash of one running through our back yard.  And there are also dog fights that you hear at least once or twice a week in the wee hours. Last night in particular, the local dog pack was not happy about something and it sounded like at least 6 to 8 were having a serious smack down at 2 a.m.

Finally, there is also the almost nightly honking horn or person talking outside, which I suppose you will experience in any city.  

But, what’s truly impressive about the nightly cacophony is how well I can hear it through the earplugs I wear every night.