Keen on Keens

You can almost always spot a Peace Corps Volunteer by their footwear. Keens or some other type of sturdy sandal are a dead giveaway and it almost seems as if it is an unwritten requirement. After countless adventures, my Keens have kicked their final bucket, walked their final steps , and trekked their final trail. They had carried me up mountains, across rivers, over bridges, and to remote locations all over the African continent:

-The Riruta slums of Nairobi
-The relaxing beaches of Zanzibar
-The narrow twisting alleyways of Lamu
-The ancient ruins of Gedi
-The mosques in Mombasa
-The traditional bomas in a Maasai village
-The salty mudflats of Lake Natron
-The caldera in the Ngorongoro Crater
-The grasslands of the Serenghetti
-The safaris in Tarangire National Park
-The hunting trails of the Hadza people
-The tropical reefs of Pemba island
-The base of Mount Kilimanjaro (unfortunately the cold was too much for my trusty Keens and I had to revert to hiking boots for the summit)
-The misty torrents of Ruacana Falls
-The 85 rugged kilometers of Fish River Canyon
-The massive dunes of Sossusvlei
-The peaceful village paths in rural Namibia, where they will be laid to rest

After all that, it was time for them to retire and bring in the new friends for my feet. I am very thankful that my mom brought me a brand new pair so I can continue right where I left off.





Here are some pictures which serve as a testament to their longevity:

Two years of wear and tear

Reinforcements arrive

The contrast between veterans and tyros