Page 86 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 1

TIGONI
TURED PL
A
FEA
CES
ISSUE ONE | JULY/AUG
“ The table of green tea

SAMUEL PHILLIPS

Sometimes,

path
to
the
where we are

going is only the

sound we hear

from the other

side.” early morning walk, in the farm

lands around, with my camera
hanging on my shoulder. It was
very cold that early morning, but I
Prior to my first visit to Kenya in always get my heart excited. I loved it anyway. I walked into the
2016, I was never one that loved mean hundreds and hundreds dew laden tea farm with barely
drinking tea, either black, green or of acres of tea farm, which enough light to see ahead of me,
whatever color variant it comes creates this beautiful landscape heading towards where the sun
in. My closest go to would be or if you want to say “teascape” would rise in a few minutes. The
chocolate and coffee. I could do of greeness. I was fascinated sky was bluish-grey prior to sunrise
these easily but with much milk, during my first visit to a place and the air rich with the smell of
but tea was not my thing prior to called Kericho, known for its large dark earth and as usual, the always
visiting Kenya, and wouldn’t shy numbers of tea farms. But never singing voices of happy birds was
away from turning down tea offers. did I know that right in Tigoni in all around. But while I waited for
You can imagine my surprise upon Limuru area of Kiambu which is the sun to break through the early
realizing that tea for Kenyans is very close to Nairobi where I live, morning skies, I decided to go
like butter on bread. And I mean are various tea plantations. further down the sloppy side of
for real, these guys drink tea and My wife and I visited a family in the farm to see if I could get more
a whole lot of it. Initially, because Tigoni and I couldn’t help but ask camera angles. I took a short walk
my first visit was during the very myself if what I was seeing was down the slopes and in that early
cold season, I had thought that real. I mean, the vast plantations morning silence and right in the
the culture of drinking tea was of tea, the fresh unpolluted air, the midst of so much green, I started
because of the cold weather. I later silence, free from the man-made hearing the sound of running water
realized that tea drinking and tea noise of the city life, the tweeting just a little distance ahead of me.
planting is a major thing in Kenya. sounds of happy birds, the I was very curious to know where
In fact, tea is one of Kenya’s most buzzing insects and the general the sound of water was coming
important export commodities atmosphere of peace and serenity. from, so I followed the sound
and Kenya’s tea is quite popular, Tigoni is beautiful and I love the down the slope on a path that
globally. cold air too. seems to lead to a valley of forests
I walked around taking pictures of of trees and bushes. I realized that
Touring Tigoni Tea Farm sunsets on our very first evening, the sound was actually coming
I have had a few road trips around savoring the beauty of nature and from within the forest itself.
the various regions of Kenya, the bliss it offers. You really cant Apparently, there was a stream of
especially to places that happen get enough of the love of God in clean water running in the valley (I
to have lots of tea farms. The vast nature. The very next morning, I was later told). I was really excited
and endless sea of greenness went out very early for my usual to go down to the stream, but
86 HEALING - RESTORING - REBIRTHING - AFRICA