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Diary - Kenya - Nairobi to Uganda (14th Aug to 20th Aug)
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You will all be pleased to hear that for the first time in ages we can give you a description of our activities that does not include a visit to a garage. With increased confidence we finally had chance to immerse ourselves into Kenya, rather than constantly worrying about Gweneveer and the prospect of another garage tour.
With Steve’s birthday approaching, we decided Nairobi was not the place to be and needed to find somewhere nice to celebrate, especially as Katie had no presents! Before we left the capital we spent the morning at David Sheldrake Trust, which is a baby elephant and rhino sanctuary. Seeing twenty six baby elephants and a baby black rhino feeding was a mix of excitement and mayhem, as the slightly older elephants come charging along almost knocking over the guides in their mad dash for milk. Even when they have a bottle in their mouth they are still pushing the guides back trying to drink as much as they can before the next elephant pushes them out of the way. Watching them playing in the mud and rolling in the dust reminded Katie when she was small and made the boys in her rugby team eat mud when they annoyed her for being the only girl in the team.
With the orphanage as a taster for animals we headed off in eager anticipation to explore the Masai Mara. You would think that with the amount of money the park generates and the quantity of tourist visiting that the road there would be could. However much with many things in Kenya, attention to detail is not one of them and it soon ends up being a useless stretch of corrugations and potholes. A lot of the time you can normally use a side track that runs in the dirt, but we always end up taking one too many and eventually end up miles from the road surrounded by shrubs blocking our path. Sometimes it is easier to just suffer along with what’s in front of you, however tempting another route looks.
For once we seemed to be getting some luck and the delays spent in garages has meant that by the time we arrived in the Masai Mara even greater numbers of Wildebeest had arrived to form part of the Great Migration. After Steve had opened his dozen cards and couple of presents, some being hidden since we left, along with a hearty birthday breakie we entered the park. You can easily understand how some people don’t see a lot of animals as the park is huge, with a multitude of tracks in all directions surrounded by fields of tall grass. By the time lunch had arrived though we had already added Elephants, Lion and Hippos to the list of many others spotted.
The afternoon was spent in the Masai Mara Triangle, surrounded by thousands and thousands of wildebeest and zebra. With nothing around but dots of animals as far as you can see gives you a fantastic, tingly feeling knowing that you are in the middle of one of Mother Natures spectacles. We were also completely honoured to witness two wildebeest crossings of the Mara river, making the hairs stand up on the back of your neck as the noise, power and spectacle surges metres from your eyes. Luckily they were both different, the first being a herd cascading off the steep dusty bank the opposite side to where we were parked The wildebeest standing at the top of the river bank seem to go into some trance and just start charging down the river bank, almost like they are being pulled by some unknown force. Once one has gone the rest just seem to follow. With hoofs kicking and tails flying they charge down the bank with no sense of safety or thought, causing dust to fly into the air creating a mesmerising sight. |
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The evening of Steve’s Birthday was not what was intended as a storm came across the plains, bringing slippery muddy roads and a wonderful damp smell in the air. This meant we had to abandon any attempts to leave the park and found a campsite that was high above the plains, littered with animals in a 360 degree panoramic view. Of course the camping spot, although official had no fence and no guard, which when drink some hot coco and seeing a large male lion walk between the bushes within 30 metres of the car, your heart easily starts a gallop. Unfortunately the weather spoilt any night of celebration and we were tucked up in bed by 8pm, making it sound like Steve was grumpy, rather than just almost asleep when he got a call from his best mate.
If seeing the migration was not a good enough present, the following day started quickly with a sighting of Hyenas munching on a kill, surrounded by vultures and various other carnivores all wanting a morning snack. As our time progressed we continued to be dumb struck and in ore of the entire place, especially as we managed to see all three types of cat, including a leopard. Admittedly this was not the greatest view as it was lying down in the middle of some brushes but the distinctive markings were clear as day.
On our final day we had started early so parked up near some gazelles and had some Weetabix, only to see a line of wildebeest walking away from the river. Scoffing the rest we shot towards the river only to come across our second full on crossing. With only one other car there meant we grabbed a spot near the exit, giving us a feeling of being involved. This time we could clearly see both Wildebeest and Zebra leaping into the neck deep water and bounding across the river. Typically not everything was perfect and it was only after the herds stopped crossing did a handful of crocodiles float down the river. After a long days safari there was nothing nicer than to simply relax, encourage future travellers and shelter from the rain. The camp was next to a river with the Masai Mara just the other side. Katie even got in trouble because she snuck across the river, armed with a big stick for protection, simply so she could chat to a couple of local sheep herding children.
We do have a confession to make though as like a lot of other overlanders the costs to enter the park impact on tight budgets ($60 each, per day!). So we made use of some sneaky was into the park for free, making the whole experience that much better. This back door adds to the many other highlights of the park, as you continually have to cross dry river beds of varying difficulty, giving a great off road adventure to the rest of the wonders of the Masai Mara.
Whilst travelling through Kenya, like a lot of Africa, you can’t help trying to think of how you would change and improve things. Especially when you look at the state of some of the villages, buildings, businesses and even the slogans that are painted upon them (Please look at the pictures!). However when many countries, especially Kenya are in a bit of a crisis, you wonder if they will ever turn it around. Currently they get food supplies from Uganda due to starvation, along with a lack of water and power as forests are continually being destroyed. The truth is that no one seems to know what is best and just because we think it is important to have running water, electricity and flushing toilets that is our standard of living not theirs. The biggest problem seems to be motivation and pride, getting the people to want to force the change, not simply sit and wait for others to improve it for them. You drive through villages that are just covered in litter, with bushes that no longer look like bushes, but are modern day litter catching devices as the winds spreads it across the countryside.
As we headed towards the border, along yet more rubbish roads, the scenery became more and more stunning. We entered the tea crowing region and the vibrancy of the green rolling hills and forests was simply breathtaking, if not a little reminder of home. Unfortunately this area is currently having there wet season so everything was a little damp and depressing, not more so than the Tea Hotel that was our destination one night. This old colonial style building and gardens were beautiful, set overlooking a valley of tea plantations. The sad side of it was when you ventured inside and realised that since independence 50 years ago, nothing has been touched to improve it and bring it into the modern era. Apart from the addition of TV’s blaring out their cartoons or dodgy Australian day time movies! Why everywhere needs a TV we don’t know but it is certainly an easy way to ruin a nice environment, the money would be much better spent replacing the torn, falling apart wall paper.
The next nights place was no better, from the outside and the location it looked really nice, but again when we entered the bar it just feels tired and un loved. When most places have excess staff because ‘labour is cheap’ it is amazing that they don’t make them do a little manual labour to sort things out, especially as it would not take much.
Many people visiting probably don’t get the same impression, as they go from expensive lodge to expensive hotel, but outside of these exclusive Mzungu (White Man) places the country is struggling. These last few places of Kenya sum up our opinion of the country, one that could be fantastic but has a lack of willingness and want from the local people, who are only interested in themselves and not protecting what they have around them. |
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| For more photos please see the Gallery. |
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| Elephant Orphan |
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| Masai Gweneveer |
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| Katie @ Mara River |
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| River Crossing |
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| Masai Camp |
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| The Migration Qty |
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| Leopard Hiding |
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| Water Crossing |
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| Croc River Camp |
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| Troublesome Katie |
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| Tea Hotel |
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| Read the Sign! |
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| Saves Riding |
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| Would You Stay? |
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| Chicken Ride |
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