On Mt. Kenya, more specifically; 3 hours north of Nairobi, many miles into the sky. It was surreal, full of contradictions, and the absolute opposite of dusty, red, sweltering Bamako.

It was cold, and foggy, and drizzly, and lush, beautiful, and green. We were lost among the trees, and it was wonderful.

There were horses grazing freely, along with cows, dogs, and elephants…

There were wildflowers blooming through the mist…

And constant conversation between remarkable people at this conference among the clouds.

There was zebra print and muesli, and crackling fires for the chilly evenings.

There was Tusker beer and old stone hideouts waiting for visitors.

There were grand verandas, courgette soup for 40, and elephant skulls guarding doorways.

There were wet treks to meetings, and steaming hot chocolate, and the best breakfast for miles…

And stunning views of mountaintops shrouded in clouds, tucked behind layers upon layers of leaves.

Castle Forest Lodge

Mt. Kenya, Kenya

castleforestlodge.com