Author Archives: Rūdolfs

The penultimate day in Kenya

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Sunday, 10.11.2013

We wake up and all gather in the hallway of the same floor to make breakfast on the concrete railing. Today for breakfast we have muesli with or without yogurt for each taste. Shortly after having breakfast we start to pack to wait for the driver and move on, but soon we learn that the driver will be delayed due to arisen car problems. After a while the driver is here and were are able leave the most terrible hostel so far. We all rummaged the car to try to find my disappeared mobile phone. It still was not found. I was left for the first time without a phone, probably it fell out at some stopping place. I last used it in a shop. It’s a shame for the pictures that were on the phone. We start to pack everything in the car and soon are ready to leave Voi to go to Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The road is well paved and we can move quickly, so we can make it in a good time to Amboseli National Park. Soon comes the time for lunch and it was agreed with the driver to stop where there are no people around. Soon we turned to a less important road, drove a bit forward and found a good place for lunch. We take out the gas stoves and start to cook lunch. We boil water for tea, coffee and instant soup and for dessert we have a pineapple. No matter how desolate terrain it may seem to you, always some person will appear if you stay for a longer time. Two kids appeared. Me and Agnese went to give them pencils and a little later Anders treated them with some pineapple. We wash the dishes and pack things. Ilgonis meanwhile has found some stone. We get in the car and the next stop is Amboseli National Park.

The road was not paved to the gate and, as usual, was like a washing board, wet, and as normally the driver is looking for a better place to drive, and soon he slid into a ditch, and once again we tilted even though on the whole we have experienced sliding into a ditch in around 45-degree angle for several times. Every time it seemed that now it will be on the side as well. Fortunately the Safari version of Toyota Land Cruiser is not so easy to turn over. At least how it proved to us :D With us being in the car, the driver is trying to get out of the ditch and soon became stuck, and we decided to get out and push the car out. The locals walked past and also hurried to help. The car drove to and fro pretty much in the same place along the ditch, until it began to reverse and we pushed, then finally it began to move smoothly and went well; it drove in the reverse for some time, trying to get out, and where it was smoother there it finally turned out on the road. He drove to us, and we got in and continued way to the gate, which was already quite close.

We drove up to the gate, and there, as usually, merchants surround the car and want you to buy a souvenir from them. While some went to the cashier to pay for the ticket, vendors are trying to sell the goods with all their effort. They did not quite care that you have already shopped, but that you should buy from them. They called from high to lower prices, but when somebody is showing interest, then calling again higher prices.

Finally we have sorted out the ticket issue, then we were let inside the park where the annoying vendors did not go. We raised the roof and were able to begin to look around the last park. We have little time to darkness, and also the park is being closed, but we can also continue to look around tomorrow. Part of the road from Kilimanjaro mountain only the bottom could be seen, because the top was surrounded by clouds, and when we arrived in the park, then finally it was possible to see also the white peak among the white clouds that looked almost merged. While we drove around and looked at the animals, the clouds gradually depart from the mountain, and it was more and more visible, till it could be seen completely. Meanwhile, everyone admired the animals that could be seen around. A lot of zebras, when one arrives, they show their bums, that is, moving further away from us. Lots of elephant families. In short, the park is very versatile thanks to Mount Kilimanjaro, which regularly provides the necessary climate to the park . This park is worth paying a lot for and, more important, seeing :)

In the meantime I more admired the Kilimanjaro mountain. Me and Anders were wondering long ago about which mountain to climb – Mount Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya. Choice fell on Mount Kenya as it came cheaper, although in reality did not work out much cheaper, but very shortly we were able to stay as one needs to pay for each day (that refers to both the mountains). There are certain days for which one needs to pay, then for each following day they are collecting much more and then wondering why many don’t get at all to the top, because there is such a thing as altitude sickness, to which one needs to devote one’s time, which in the Himalayas one can calmly and without hurry do. Yes, Africa’s highest mountains cost a lot.. Those we went to conquer two together before the arrival of the other members, because we wanted to be in Kenya for longer, but unfortunately, many could not afford to devote so much time/money.

But for us to conquer Mount Kenya also was not easy. I reached the tip of the easy-to-reach third highest mountain when we started to go at night, in time to see the sunrise, which was on the other side of the mountain, but unfortunately Anders’s state of health did not allow it and he really did not want to risk it. I with difficulty at that time got to the top by running behind a guide. This is an adventure, for which, looking at Kilimanjaro, I basked in the nostalgia, although it was almost 3-4 weeks ago. What for myself could have not end so well, but in collaboration with Anders, we jointly got back.
Looking at the Kilimanjaro mountain and thinking that it could be managed within 10 days is quite foolish, unless you are in a perfect health and can overcome the altitude sickness, or you have recently climbed as high a mountain, or eat pills, which is not the best option. For the joy, as a minimum, you pay $500. So taught settlers the locals about monetary system … But it does not deter me to conquer it in the future :)

While continuing to watch Kilimanjaro and wallowing in memories of mountain climbing, the sun begins to set and also the time is approaching six. Time to go to the exit and to find an accommodation. Leaving through the gate the planned accommodation is rather nearby in order to be able to continue viewing the park in the morning. While searching for the previously selected night accommodation we do not quite find any signs to it, but instead decide to find out how much actually costs the one close by. Talking to the guard, we found out the price and maybe also bargained a bit. We decided to stay here. He pointed us a parking space and showed what is located where. There are toilets, a shower – with hot water, which is heated with firewood, tents, tent houses, houses and a pool! Ināra and Vitolds went to find out how much a tent house actually costs and concluded that they will take it. Others decided to sleep in tents.

We pack out the car because bags already must be packed so that tomorrow we can go to the airport; and the driver will go to visit a friend. Camp arranging, raising a tent, cooking dinner, shower, everything that everybody wants to do, takes place. Of course we did not do without star and Moon watching, as the weather is favorable. Ilgonis used the field glass and a tripod and we looked at the Moon and the stars. Later Ilgonis with a camera and a tripod went around to take pictures of stars. At night Kilimanjaro mountain also looked majestic and perfectly cloudless.

While Ilgonis took pictures with a slow shutter speed, I remembered, how I with friends a long time ago wrote words with lights and mentioned that we need to make a caption. We decided that we will be making a group photo with caption and the camp in the background. Initially, we tested in all ways how long is required and how I succeed with mirror writing and light brightness. When this was ready, everyone came together and are having a rehearsal and looking how I do with the writing and the others – how with still standing. I decided to illuminate myself to be seen in the picture, and as a result I look like a ghost :D Errors happen with letters. Let’s make the last picture and I write Afika! Well let’s do the last one again and all is the way it should be :)

We can eat dinner, act in parallel and chatter. The driver also returns from visiting and we give him dinner as well. Later the majority went to Ināra and Vitolds to see how the tent house looks like. It was quite wide with two beds and with its own toilet and maybe also shower. Ilgonis already went to sleep because it was late. We ate chocolate, fruits at their place and chatted. Later we start to go to sleep ourselves or whatever everyone was doing. I chatted with Anders at the tent and we went to bed. The day was great.
Goodnight!

To Lodwar

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Saturday, 2.11.2013
Early morning, we are waking up and starting to bustle around. Some are preparing breakfast, others taking shower or organizing belongings. As normally we are trying to get everything done faster, to get earlier to the other end with almost a snail’s speed. Then morning jobs are finished, we pack the car and leave for the trip.

The trip is long, especially with such a speed. Road conditions do not become better. I do not know how to describe the road – rather a bumpy one with pieces of asphalt. Shaking continues and Karioki is trying to find a less shaky part, especially avoiding the big washboard parts and potholes which there is no shortage. We go out of the hilly terrain, and later will enter a plain, which has mountains on both sides. We go near the side of the left side hill and see several waterfalls in the mountains, at least for us they looked like ones. Around there are many rather green trees.

We stopped at a bridge and got out to stretch and take photos of the river. Behind the bridge there was a village with a traditional shop / store/ market view. Children came and we gave them some notebooks and colored pencil sets, and they were happy for that.

We continue along the road, and as commonly, there have been speed humps built in the villages. There is a variety of formations and materials for them based on asphalt or soil. Holes are not enough to deter the racers :D Here and there a long asphalt strip in the middle of the road can be seen, which is about a meter wide and can be used for one side of the car, but then we must face a tilt. Trucks drive so that the asphalt is between the wheels. Looks like the road itself has been made much wider than the original. Potholes unfortunately don’t get reduced and the speed also does not rise.

Around there are scrubs with yellowish lawns which are greener closer to the roots. We are moving away from the mountains, closer to the middle of the plain. Along the way animals and birds can be observed, mostly small animals or livestock. Of large animals, a camel can be occasionally seen. In the car it is sometimes quiet (or hard for me to hear in a rattling car), and sometimes conversations as the trip is long.

At one moment Karioki decided to increase the speed, because we often complained that we are maundering slowly and others are traveling much faster than us. It did not last long as when the speed was increased, the car rattled even more and the front panel was shaking so much that everything fell out of it. At one moment I thought that soon the whole panel will be in my lap since I sat in the front.

We came to a part which reminds of rather a desert with thinning trees. The road goes through it, and on both sides of the road there are other paths created, as they are much smoother than the main one! Also, the speed could be increased slightly. Road has been rutted narrower or wider, sometimes it splits into a number of bands bypassing obstacles or passing other cars depending on what is more convenient. It does not matter to which side of the main road one descends, one should follow the same principles as on the main road.

At one point we stopped for a lunch break to eat instant noodle soup and to stretch. We go further and at one moment we arrive in the village with a barrier, which is not uncommon, but this time it does not get risen and we are not let further. Karioki greets and talks with a police officer who came up in the local language. Then we were told that a bandit attack zone starts here and that it is dangerous without a policeman in the car. Knowing that this is unlikely going to be for free and asked how much we need to pay, and those were 2000 KES. Splitting among all of us, it actually is not that much, and we should take him. He must sit next to me in the front as two can squeeze and sit there. I gave my bag to the rear, as there’s not that much room, then he sat down beside me with a gun, the AK-47, if I remember correctly. He put a gun between his legs and we went further.

The stretch of the road is so horrible that the bandits can reach the car with such a speed. There are only bushes around where they are said to be hiding. They are supposedly coming from the neighbouring country. Ilgoni’s question arrives from the back on how many bullets does he have after all. I looked at him and noticed only one magazine. He himself is thin ad the most of the local people. He didn’t speak English, so with the help of Karioki we found ot that he has 30 bullets. Should be enough. The dangerous area stretches 88km ahead. We started a discussion whether he is a member of police or army – turns out that he’s a policeman. Also we were trying to find out whether the army here is mandatory or not, and it sounded like it is voluntary. Karioki himself had not served.

We go a while and stop, and the policeman also gets out and moves on
of the car in order to better see us and the surrounding area. Soon we continued our way.
Neighborhoods are still bushy and the road is probably one of the worst
roads. Along the following roads riding at high speed is not sensible, unless you are very sure of your car’s reliability, including tires.
We are driving for a long time. Rather tedious road, one can just rattle along. We
stopped at the control which was the end of the danger zone. We paid and I again could sit in front in the sun and heat.

Lodwar was not far anymore and we soon arrived. We start to look for our
accommodation. We were inquiring locals and navigating, but it did not work well. We criss-crossed the area and only later finally found the place.
As it turns out, we were close, but not that close.

We parked the car and Agnese went to talk about places to sleep and Ilgonis also joined. A campsite was planned, but when they found out that there are free houses with three beds in each, Ilgonis convinced that it’s better to stay in the rooms as we’re staying 2 nights and leaving bags. So we do. We found out about the biggest shops to buy some groceries. The driver also needs to check the car.

Some of us stayed and the rest came along. It was agreed that the driver throws us out at the shop and drives to the workshop, and if he manages to check everything then he picks us up, otherwise we are walking. We got to the shop, but one couldn’t tell from the outside that it was a supermarket. From inside it looked like a wild west store, all dusty and organized as someone had managed to. Not all we need is available. Therefore we have to do with what we can buy. There was frozen mince meat, but the ice cream was not worth it since it had been melted and incompletely frozen again. At least e had such an impression.

We found out that the driver won’t get out of the workshop soon enough, so we walked. The people are kind, greet us. We were walking on the street’s empty side and people walked on the other side. Only later we understood that we need to go on that side as well as the one we were walking along is used by cars. So we had people around and some of them started a conversation with us. We chatted and walked. The children, however, mostly have one saying “How are you?”. We reply that we are good and how are they themselves, but they are usually not answering that.

Agnese talked to one student and the conversation topics were diverse. So we got to our lodge together with him and invited for dinner. While they were chatting, others were preparing dinner. There is the frozen mince meat for the dinner tonight, we thaw it on a frying pan and clean the unfrozen part off. Pasta goes with it. When everything is ready, it is time for dinner and everyone is coming at the table under a roof. Vitolds came, didn’t bend enough, hit his head at the edge and moaned. We come around, start to flash the light how does it look. It is bleeding, all the forehead in blood. He goes to the sink, I run to fetch my first aid bag. I start to nurse him as well as I can and as a result there is only one small wound for which a plaster was enough.

In a moment all gathered at the table and we started to eat dinner and there was even a toast. We discussed several topics with the student. The conversation lasted long. Then gradually everyone started to scatter and go to sleep or do something else before going to bed. At last we all went to sleep so we could wake up for the main event of the trip – the solar eclipse!

*Agnese’s note- we had the policeman in car between the towns Kainuk and Lokichar.