Naro Moru – Nairobi – Mombasa. The long transfer

Friday, 8.11.2013

Technical data. The approximate length of the road:
176 km Naro Muru-Nairobi
+
136 km to the turn to Amboseli lake at Emali (but that’s for another day)
+
363 km to Mombasa
TOTAL approx. 675 km

Although this route is doable with a car that does not require special technical strength for rattling over potholes and off-road, it took us a long time, that is we started at 6:30am and arrived in Mombasa around 10:00pm. Mostly to blame are the lorries raging on the road, which we must overtake, and in this country it happens extremely impressive – past various sides of the cars. Because, it turns out, once you have an off-road car, why not overtake along a ditch? Although, dear reader, be assured, it can be done with any car. Don’t believe? Come to Kenya!

Parts of the day and details for stitching the events together:
• There is a craving for tomatoes. Thus we are buying them. With confidence in the face we are going to conquer the lowest prices among the tomato mountains on the roadside. We let ourselves away for 100 shillings in exchange for a good sized bucket full of tempting tomatoes. Part of the day we are over the Moon of the awaited moment only to conclude during the lunch that Kenyans are by far unable to match the tomato growing skill of Latvians. That’s because the tomatoes are wearily sweet rather than delicious as it should have been for Kenyan sun cured knobs. Our driver Karioki gets one more reason to visit Latvia while listening to our stories – to taste normal, delicious tomatoes.

• There is even bigger craving for pineapple. Thus we are buying them. In the tangle of roads of Nairobi suburbs Karioki brings us to heaps of pineapple. The men products grabbed in hands encircle us to find out that Latvians are hagglers, and we buy two large pineapples for 150 shillings. They smell great. They taste even better.

• In a small village not far from Nairobi we stop at a souvenir stall CurioShop. Damn expensive. Later, Agnese will take us to a craftsmen village near Mombasa, where everything is much, much, much cheaper. But that’s another day.

• In the Tsavo village of Voi the driver decides to change the oil. Meanwhile, we are behaving exactly as is required of us – bellies forward emptying a jug of cold beer. As always, a bottle of Tusker is 200 shillings. The attendant, like most of his colleagues in the country, works great, wonderful, brilliant. How can he be transported as a model to Latvia?

• Finally we realize (but actually Karioki advises) that pikipiki (motorcycles) who gather in flocks in many places, are in fact taxis.

• While approaching Mombasa, we are taking shots with baobabs along the roadside. Baobabs are standing, we are clicking.

• At sunset storm clouds are growing in the sky. Both dark blue-black and mud yellow, with the crepuscular rays and with a rainbow. Clouds are raining, we are clicking.

• When it darkens we arrive to a traffic super-jam into Mombasa. It turns out that Kenyans want to weigh every lorry that is departing from Mombasa, and so they also do it. Lorries lined up in tens of kilometers long lines, also are trying to drive on the opposite lane, so we have to take the vacant lane in the ditch. Our driver is trying to get back on the asphalt with a jump which skids and turns our car a lot. Further on we are driving wisely and are afraid.

• However, Mombasa suburbs cease to amaze. A heavy car traffic jam has developed, a tangle, which consists of five lanes in one direction, it swallows us, we get stuck. In resolving the situation the entire crowd living in the next few kilometers is involved. By knocks on the car roof and hood, we get informed in the system of a complex code, and we are driving forward, a little back, then more backwards, a little bit forward, to the side, and otherwise for about an hour.

• We have found our hotel “Josleejim”. It’s a pity the entertainment with cockroaches is absent, but there is a guard, who promises and promises and promises to bring mosquito nets, and finally arrives at midnight to wake us up and say that he does not have them.

• We fall asleep each with our own dream for the next day of entertainment in the city and on the beach. Life outside the window is in full swing throughout the night. It is always “cool” here.

Nairobi to Maasai Mara

Wednesday, 30.10.2013
Last thing I heard the previous evening was that we should meet at breakfast at 8:30 with all the bags already packed so that we could leave Nairobi as early as possible. It was planned to travel by two 4WD. It was agreed that the cars will arrive at 19:00 the previous evening. But when we went to sleep there was no sign of the cars. In the morning only Ināra, Vitolds, Rūdolfs and Anders. Turns out that plans changed at 2am since there was still no sign of the 4WD. In morning our colleagues had gone for groceries shopping by the lodge owner’s car. They returned after 9am with news that instead of two 4WD we will have one 8-seater Toyota Landcruiser with a driver. The owner of the cars, found out where we are planning to go and knowing the quality of roads, was afraid that the promised cars won’t be able to withhold the route.  

We were waiting for the driver and the 4WD for a very long time. Finally we left Nairobi shortly before 12pm. We should go for around 230km. In Nairobi suburbs apparently is a criminogenic situation as the houses are as small forts – windows with grills, a fence around territory with strong metal gate. At first we were going along a highway of not the best quality, but still a highway. Along the route  we saw tea plantations. Later something like a semi-desert. When Suswa mount appeared in sight, we stopped at a sightseeing place. It was interesting for me to see the sand whirlpools in the semi-desert scenery.  

At Suswa mount started the Maasai lands. Our destination was Maasai Mara. To get there, soon we turned left on the highway. That was a shame since soon the tarmac road finished, but we still had more than 100km till our destination. We made them almost offroad. There was a gravel road, but so bumpy that the drivers had made new paths on the sandy ground. From time to time we met some Masai person who was grazing goats, in some places also sheep and cows. In the bushes we also noticed their miserable homes – clay huts.  

At 17:30 we reached our campsite “Acacia camp”. We were shown places for tents with a fireplace nearby. Since there was no firewood and we had prepared to make dinner on gas stoves, fireplace didn’t interest us that much. There were toilets and showers in the camp. When we started to prepare the dinner, two Maasai people visited us and brought firewood for the fireplace. That was a friendly gesture for free. After the dinner Ilgonis and Agnese introduced us  to the stars of southern hemisphere. The Maasai people offered to guard us in the night – a friendly gesture again.

Nairobi and the first changes in the plans

Tuesday, 29.10.2013
Getting up at 8am. Our hostess has prepared us a nice breakfast with the African tea which was a big favourite yesterday. After breakfast all of us except Rūdolfs leave for the city. Once we are out of the gate, a matatu (Kenyan minibus) is there. The conductor asks us to come, but it doesn’t look like there are enough spaces – I end up squeezed next to Ināra as the 4th person on the 3 seats in the back, Ilva is sitting on my lap and Ilgonis on hers. Thankfully soon enough other passengers leave and by the time we reach the city, we each have our own seat.

We exchange the money to Kenyan shillings in a place close to the matatu station and then start our excursion around the city. Or closest object worth seeing is Jamia mosque. Nice and white, but we cannot see it from inside since one of the several prayers in the day is about to happen. The manager asks us to come back after 2:30pm.

We continue to Uhuru park. I had read in some places that it is nothing exceptional at all, but it turns out to be a rather nice place for a walk. There are several trees, which give at least some shade from the hot sun. Some bushes and trees are blooming in yellow and purple. At a pond it is possible to rent out a rowing boat, but we walk further.

There’s a mausoleum of Jomo Kenyatta – the founding father of Kenya. It is behind a gate, guarded by 2 guards. We are not allowed to take any photos, but otherwise the guards are kind and give us some background of Mr. Kenyatta and the flag of Kenya. The black means the colour of the people, the green – the land and nature, the white – the peace and the red – the blood given for that peace.The coat of arms is in the center.

We pass the parliament where the guard asks us to not take any photos as well, the houses of president and deputies and arrive at Kenyatta international conference centre. It is one of the tallest buildings in Nairobi and we really enjoy the view from the helipad on the top. The entrance fee of 400 shillings is worth it.

Drop in the local pharmacy for a local mosquito repellent spray and then we finally can go to the mosque. Some long wait there since the main guy is still busy with other business and then some more wait till they find out what to do with us as the visitor hours are normally in the morning. There are many prayers happening every day and Fridays are the most important days. The people in the prayer hall surprise us – some pray, but most of them sleep or poke their mobile phones. Ladies in a separate hall have gathered in small groups and chat.

After a small lunch trying out the local ugali, samosas, kebab and soups we go for an equally quick shopping and buy the cheapest good sized pots and pans we can find and that is at least twice as cheap as our car rental company was going to charge us for renting them for 2 weeks. We also get a spare petrol can.

Matatu to home is a bit more expensive. They are asking for 70 shillings/person saying that’s because of the rush hour. Previous day’s rush hour for Anders and Rūdolfs were 60 (as opposite to this day’s morning’s 50), so I argue a bit and pay 60 in the end.

And then the most tiring part of the day starts. I had arranged our cars to be at the house around 7pm, but they don’t appear. When I want to check with the owner whose house we are living in as part of the car deal, he’s out in a meeting and appear only around 11 at which point we move the planned food shopping to the next morning. Then it turns out that Maasai Mara has had some rains and Kapenguri (a town on our route to Lodwar, north from Kitale) is a place where the danger starts and 2 phone calls are necessary to make sure it is fine to let us go up to Marich Pass. I had thought 4WD are enough to go on A-level roads anytime and also on existing roads within animal parks and there was nothing both on contract and terms&conditions saying the cars cannot go somewhere. After much consideration when observing all this I tell him that we are not only going to MarichPass, but all the way up to Lodwar at which point he says that the cars cannot go there. But instead we could get a very strong 9 seater car with a driver. There are many reasons why I don’t like the idea of only 1 car and having a driver with us, so he would try to arrange a car with no driver. Also he’d try to get us a car fridge since the company I was going to rent it from is only renting them out with their cars. After all the discussion which finishes at around 2am, the plan is set to go shopping for food at 7:30am, be back at 8:30am and leave for the trip at 9am.

To Nairobi

Monday, 28.10.2013
Our way to Africa begins in Zurich. Ilgonis, Ilva, Vitolds, Ināra and Artis are worried about Agnese being late but when the boarding begins, she arrives. Her day has not started luckily, Agnese lost her ID card and some other documents. But these problems cannot interrupt our journey.

6000 km long flight to Nairobi takes 8 hours. Some people are watching movies, others are reading. Food provided by Swiss Airlines is nice, drinks are plenty. But this is not so important comparing with excellent views through plane’s windows. Grey color Swiss Alpes are followed by brown Greek mountains. Then comes refreshingly blue Mediterranean sea with inclusion of Crete island. Vivid yellow color of Egyptian desert comes as a surprise. Over this vast area white clouds are chasing their shadows. Then come high tropical clouds When they clear out, we see unnumerous fields of green plants in Sudan. While approaching Kenya, the sun sets down, but we still can see Turkana lake where we will watch the solar eclipse.

Formalities at Nairobi airport are short but we must leave our fingerprints. We are met but two guys in suits. They deliver us to car rental company owner’s house. We are warmly welcomed by hostess Helena and her beautiful daughter Diany, try Kenyan food and drink tea with milk. We meet Rūdolfs and Anders, now all our group is together. We sleep in twin rooms.

Contemplation before the trip

Autumn in Latvia

Autumn in Latvia

Latvian Autumn this year is particularly colorful. Autumn has dyed the trees, there are ​​a lot of explicitly sunny days and then also blue sky, makes up a nice range of colors. Latvia is nice with the fact, that here there are four distinctive seasons. Every season is special and can be truly enjoyed.

But there in the distant Kenya? Ilgonis recommended to thumb through Hemingway’s “Green hills of Africa”. I did as he said. The old boy Ernest speaks there only about beasts, shooting them and drinking whiskey. He does not tell anything in particular on the nature or the solar eclipse. Well maybe about walking through the bushes and hills to find the beasts to shoot. Walking can be expected also for us. Also the book stimulated an idea that a small bottle should be taken for medical purposes.

Much larger impression is left by a film of 1985 – “Out of Africa”, which is taken by references of Karen Blixen. Karen Blixen was fascinated by the vivid African colors and charming landscapes. It think the film might show the locations where we will go as well. So, I have a positive mood and a desire to make good pictures of the African landscapes.

I thumbed through a book Kenyan Safari by a Russian author Sergei Kuiskis, issued in 1983. Kuiskis who lived in Kenya for 6 years, provides interesting information about this country and people. He claims that the Swahili word – safari – means any kind of a trip. I thought it represents only hunting. Here’s what an obscurant I’ve been. So we will have a real safari. The book tells also about the Kenyan people. We will probably meet Maasai people on our way. It is just one of the so-called nilotic (Nile population) nationalities. They are said to be proud, tall, wearing spears and standing on one foot. At that time they did not like to be photographed. Maybe something has changed nowadays. Of course, since 1985 a lot might have changed.

Events in the Nairobi supermarket raised concerns about the safety in this country. But then I remembered the saying that a bomb doesn’t hit the same pit twice. Pondering further, I realized that such a terrorist act could probably take place also in London and New York, anywhere really. Looking from the point of view of global terrorism, we are going there in a safe time. Only the small bandits left then. I am concerned about my cork hat, colonial style, won’t the locals misinterpret.

About the comfort. The last time I slept in a tent was some 20 years ago. Therefore, I can call this safari for myself “A return to the youth”. We also have bought 2.5 cm thick mats.

It will be fine, interesting and joyful.
Nzuri safari marafiki.