~ During previous safaris Anthony had stopped along the winding highway near Karatina in Nyeri County for photography of the tea plantations. The scenic tea agriculture is in a hilly area with tall trees. He stopped this time, allowing us to watch tea pickers at work amongst the verdant tea bushes. They carry large woven baskets into which they place the hand-picked fresh tea leaves. The labor-intensive process takes place in a beautiful area, yet one wonders if walking up and down steep hillsides carrying a heavy load of fresh tea leaves might likely be exhausting, especially when done day after day, week after week. I admired their stamina and apparent good cheer.