The penultimate day in Kenya

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!

Part 2: The Eclipse

Sunday, 3.11.2013, continued:
On the way to the eclipse place of course there were quite many local villages, but less than in regions to the south. The quality of life also was significantly lower than elsewhere, mostly just small cottages with tin roofs or their traditional clay huts with thatched roofs. For us as tourists it is an interesting view, but it is understandable why people are so happy that oil has been found in this region. This is one of the least developed regions of Kenya, with a low standard of living and a high degree of uncertainty caused by the nearby Sudan. At the same time, because of the relatively small industrial impact here it is possible to observe the local tribal culture and traditions more pronounced.

For the solar eclipse observation already a sizeable group of watchers had arrived at the moment we turned up. Approximate arrival time – a bit past three in the afternoon. Partial eclipse phase started only at four and seventeen minutes, so before it there was some time during which Ilgonis set up a telescope to project a solar image on a sheet of white paper, and all of us had a lunch. Nothing grand, just a couple of sandwiches with cheese and cabbage leaves, but at that point nobody really needed anything more than that.

Everyone was waiting for the solar eclipse, the great goal of this trip. During this time we also became acquainted with our neighbors – the other eclipse watchers who had come here. There were both local Kenyan and nearest African countries’ representatives as well as distant travelers like us, for example some eclipse hunters from Russia. It quickly emerged that everyone has the same problem, namely the lack of glasses that would be suitable for observing the eclipse, as well as our joint team t-shirts caused genuine interest. In general, this is an idea for people who want to profit to make a stall in the eclipse observation sites, where to sell T-shirts, glasses and other souvenirs. I think that many would be willing to pay much more than usually in this situation.

At the start of the partial eclipse phase all gathered around the telescope, and soon we were joined by a number of locals, including our driver, who somehow somewhere managed to get the eclipse glasses. Telescope projected an upside-down image of the sun; gradually a dark notch could be seen appearing in the sun, which with time grew even bigger and bigger. Of course, everyone photographed, as well as they knew to do it. Given that I did not know how, I got a short lecture on eclipse photography from Ilgonis. The whole main trick lies in a minimum short exposure. Vitolds worked as the team’s main photographer, who also got pretty good pictures. Turned out that American scientists’ tent s close by, where with the use of powerful hardware they carry out a study of the sun, which is only possible during the eclipse. However, I no longer remember what exactly. Of course such events are accompanied by journalists; they would not miss anything, not even an eclipse the middle of nowhere in Africa. So Ilgonis as a real astronomer was also interviewed for some Chinese television channel.

As we approached the moment of total phase, which was to start around 5:20 PM, the clouds began to gather. Ilgonis had warned that during the eclipse the sky will dim and the wind will rise, but this time with the wind came clouds that began to threaten the opportunity to see the total phase of the eclipse. About five minutes before the total phase clouds went in front of the sun and covered it. Such a situation remained until about five minutes after the total phase, which was about 15 seconds long. In other words, we did not see the total solar eclipse. Admittedly sky darkened for a moment, but the total phase was too short, so the night did not fall as it happened during the solar eclipse in China, at least as claimed by Agnese. We observed the partial phase of the eclipse for a while and went back to the accommodation in Lodwar. Much of the eclipse viewers began to leave already shortly after the total phase. The partial phase would end only around six thirty , it is after sunset , so I think it was wise to not wait for the end, but to go back, because the road was not brilliant and ride in the dark would be daunting. However, still a certain part of the road had to be driven during the darkness.

The solar eclipse did not leave any special impression on me, maybe because I did not see it, or simply because it is not my field of interest. I do not know about the other members of the group, it seemed, however, that everyone is disappointed with the failure to observe the magical moment when the day shifts to night and the solar corona is visible.

First thing that was done after arriving in the accommodation was making dinner, because, of course, everyone was starving abominably. The exception, as always, was Vilks, because he has his own schedule, which states that nothing after 7pm. At the end of the dinner, we were joined by Russian eclipse hunters who stayed at the same property as we did. They hoped to find someone who had been able to observe the eclipse, as even though they had tried to get out of the cloud area, they had not managed, and the moment of the totality was absent. Everyone was tired from the long day and soon went to bed. Agnese and Anders still exchanged travel stories with the Russian group, united together by a common characteristic, that is, traveling to countries where the eclipse occurs.