Some things in life are free. Mother Nature is one of them. There is something in nature that does wonders to our souls, minds, and bodies. It is our responsibility to take advantage of the beauty around us for the greater good. And watch the magical power of nature unfold before you as you experience life day by day. Take a much-deserved break and make a trip to Hell’s Gate National Park. Why is Hell’s Gate National Park a highly recommended place for an occasional visit? It is because of the natural beauty. Why is nature important? Here is why.

In 1962, Karen Blixen died of malnutrition at the age of 77 in Rungsted, her family estate. Many languages still publish her books even after her death. But the world best knows her as the author of Out of Africa. In one of the former homes in Karen, the suburb where she lived in Nairobi, Kenya, is a Karen Blixen Coffeehouse as well as a Museum. Karen Blixen Museum in Karen is the site of the original farmhouse of Karen Blixen. The Museum is half a mile from the Karen Country Club where guests can enjoy squash, tennis, and golfing.

The building that today houses Nairobi Gallery was constructed in 1913. The location was Point Zero. The colonial government measured the distances to all areas of the country from this point. Point Zero is an octagonal atrium in the center of the gallery. A Clay Vessel by Lady Magdalene Odundo graces the entrance of the building. Lady Odundo was a renowned Kenyan ceramist. For her works, she received from the Queen of England the distinction of OBE and the only Kenyan to have received it. Today a gourmet café by the same name is an exciting item of the Gallery.

In 1910, some naturalists and colonial settlers instigated Nairobi National Museum to keep their collections of various specimens. The first site soon became too small. Hence a bigger building was constructed in 1922 which is today the Serena Hotel. In 1929, the then government set aside land for the construction of a museum at Museum Hill. The 22nd of September 1930 saw the opening of the museum. In honor of the former Governor of Kenya, Sir Robert Coryndon, they named it Coryndon Museum. But they renamed it on the attainment of independence in 1963 as the National Museum of Kenya.

The first railway was in the port of Mombasa. Track recovered from the Central African Railway supplemented the original route. After leaving Mombasa, the rail had to go through a painfully slow job because two man-eating lions held up the construction. Eventually Lt. Colonel, Patterson hunted and shot them down. He describes his experiences in his book Man-Eaters of Tsavo, dramatized in the movie The Ghost and the Darkness in 1996. Their stuffed carcasses of are now on display at the Field Museum Chicago. And a box in the Railway Museum contains three claws clipped from one of the lions.

In the 1970s Nani Croze, owner of Kitengela Glass, visited the Athi-Kapiti Masailand for a picnic. The natural beauty so captivated her that she decided to move there, and in 1979 Nani started the stained-glass studio. Today, Kitengela is known for Kitengela Glass founded by Nani Croze in 1981 and Kitengela Hot Glass owned by Anselm Croze, her son. They have different galleries, furnaces, and workshops, but share the grounds. In addition, there is also the Kintengela Glass Research and Training Center. Anyone who wants to learn to make glass sculptures can take a course offered at the Training Center.