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As a young boy attending boarding school near Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley, my family's trips from Mombasa to Nairobi often included a special stop at the Giraffe Centre. Dressed in our school uniforms, my brother, parents, and I would spend mornings feeding the majestic giraffes before continuing our journey.

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It was a highlight of our pitstops, and as kids, we were fascinated by the giraffes' long necks and gentle demeanor. One thing that never failed to amaze us was the texture of their tongues — rough like sandpaper with a slimy touch that always made us giggle and exclaim 'EWWW!' Those moments at the Giraffe Centre remain cherished memories of my childhood adventures.