Saturday, August 27, 2005

Camping Part 1

So camping was incredibly awesome. Once again, getting out of the city is always wonderful and awesome but I now have a cold to match my fun night out. I met up with my crew at about 3 that afternoon, being the only girl ofcourse I had way more than the boys like, oh a jersey, toilet paper and a toothbrush…ok, I had a little more than that but I needed everything in there! I swear! So of we went, the first order of business was to look for "fortifications" a.k.a booze but naturally, this was to be done the difficult way. Right across from us was a Nakumatt (borderline Wal-Mart with extremely high prices) but serves alcohol, which wasn’t good enough for D (our self-appointed tour guide). No siree, we ended up going way down historic River Road. If you ever come to Nairobi, you have to go down this road. It features loads of second hand stores that carry electronics, clothing, etc. Anything you could possibly ever need at a bargain rate is found here. I couldn’t possibly tell you how to get there because we used so many alleys and unmarked streets to find it and there are always many helpful people along the way who’ll give you directions…to their stores. It was amazing though and I’m miffed the boys were rushing along because I passed a spice store, sandwiched in between a hardware store and what I’m pretty sure is a pirated DVD/CD shop. I had a glimpse of the interior and it’s floor to ceiling packed with spice bags. Sigh - farewell saffron. We were finally directed toward a building where we descended into a fairly filthy basement level that was jam packed with stalls. They sold everything under the sun; cell phones and accessories, soaps, pots and pans and yes, our much sought after liquor. The young lady behind the cage looked at us, interest growing in her eyes at the motley crew of urban kids in the middle of River Road approached her. My companion and I settled on some vodka and I immediately started to bargain the heck out of it and wow, it worked – she dropped the price by 20 shillings! Lol, I tried to get her to do the same for the Red Bull but universal truth about that energy booster; it’s expensive everywhere. The rest of the crew bought their poisons of choice and then we stepped through the crowd we’d managed to attract in the process of our haggling.

I had to stop ogling because we already stood out as tourists and this is not a part of town you want to come to on a solo trip…ever! I mean it. I want to go back because there was so much to see but since I was in the company of four fairly burly guys I was safe. I mean, if you have to order your fries from someone behind a cage from all the fast food joints in the area, you have to watch your back, your front, your sides, heck everywhere!

We got to the matatu stand for the vehicles heading to Naivasha. Oh, if you ever want to go to Namanga, I know where you can a cheap ride to Tanzania. Since none of us could come up with a vehicle, we decided to take a matatu to Naivasha, about 60 miles from Nairobi and from there you could grab another matatu that goes to most of the campsites another 8 – 10 miles along the Lake. The fare was incredibly reasonable 200 shillings which is just under $3 and the matatu drives all the way into the town of Naivasha.

So we paid our fare, jumped in and waited for the matatu to fill up. You’d be amazed at how many people travel to Naivasha every day. And there were loads of tourists too who’d decided to see the country the proper way – jammed uncomfortably in a minivan redesigned to accommodate 14 instead of the luxury tourist package same-sized minivans that sit 6 maximum! Soon we were off and my what a gorgeous afternoon to be heading out of town. The weather has been crappy lately, the rainy/cold season dragging on but Saturday was absolutely wonderful. We left town, headed past Westlands and suddenly, our matatu pulled into a gas station – overheating. Lol, the driver explained that he’d just come from Naivasha, loaded us up and was heading straight back and hadn’t had any time to check the vehicle. So we jumped out, much to the joy of a nearby fruit vendor who made loads selling oranges to some of the passengers. The driver poured buckets of water down the radiator and then pronounced the vehicle fit. We clambered back in and headed off.

That day however, the gorgeous view of the Rift Valley and Mt. Longonot was blocked by cloud cover, fog and what looked like rain in the distance so you couldn’t see the beauty of the plains. We were further dismayed when we realized that the rain was hanging over the area where we would be camping but we refused to let that dampen our spirits. The matatu would stop periodically to let passengers off and pick up people who would materialize out of absolutely nowhere in the bush. It was so weird because the nearest house would be maybe 10 miles away but there were loads of people on the road. It’s actually not safe and I wouldn’t recommend getting in any vehicle that picks up a lot of people on the way because that’s how you get robbed very easily. Even the buses, avoid Akamba or any local long distance bus coach because those will stop even in the middle of the night to pick up people. The coaches I recommend are Easy Coach if you’re travelling toward Nakuru, Eldoret or Kitale and Msafiri if you’re heading down to the Coast and Regional if you’re heading to Uganda or Rwanda. They are express with strict laws regarding picking up passengers haphazardly.

We finally arrived in Naivasha exactly an hour and a half after leaving Nairobi to a drizzling late afternoon. We contemplated taking the shuttle matatu that runs between the campsites but opted instead to hire a cab because it was about 5.30 and apparently the road is really REALLY bad and not very safe when it gets dark. So we squeezed into an ancient ToyoHon (car was made up these parts) and proceeded to drive off. Naivasha still has a sort of colonial feel in some of its architecture and it was really neat to see that historical style. Before we got out of town, we had to stop and get some nyama choma (literally translated – burnt meat i.e. barbecue) So we stopped at the Good Eats Butchery where they hacked off the meat hanging from the carcass and threw it on the grill. They also packed a huge slab of ugali (ground corn meal) and some kachumbari (umm, really good salsa) to go with it and then we were off. Ofcourse I wasn’t going to eat any of that!

On the lakeside, it’s quite disheartening and you get a sense of foreboding because it’s nothing but greenhouse after greenhouse after greenhouse. Wow! People are making money and in the process they’re killing the lake, wildlife and the laborers for roses. I’ll explain why in a bit. But that certainly explained the incredibly heavy traffic on that road. HUGE tractor-trailers thundered down with their thorny load and there were loads of tourist vans as well heading out to the various lodges and campgrounds along the way. And the road…my friend described it perfectly. "It’s like some drunk idiot took a jackhammer and went down the road with no discernible plan or pattern." It’s absolutely awful. I was sandwiched in the back with two of my mates and there were two upfront with the driver and I was glad that I was so wedged in and that my butt couldn’t touch the seat because that car was scraping bottom for at least 5 miles.

Ok, the ToyoHond had no shocks to begin with but the further I saw the upcoming sections of road, the more nervous I became. Potholes…no, not potholes more like craters galore right down the middle and deep ditches on the side that threaten to swallow the car up. Ok, I shouldn’t entirely blame the traffic on the road because that region sees quite a bit of volcanic activity. Nothing visible but something is going on down there so the roads have shifted.

Urghh, have to finish this later. I’m going for my first Kenyan wedding in a few hours and I have to rush home, pick and discard everything I own, exclaim loudly that I have no clothes and then finally settle on the first outfit.

Laters.

Friday, August 19, 2005

Always after Labor Day here

So I’m finally getting out of the city this weekend. The bummer is that my funds are super limited because Kenyan banking laws are hmm, stupid. Same day banking does not exist, drive thru…well, actually, not a service I’d really want here. Anyway, when I got my first paycheck, I stupidly thought I could cash it with the host bank and then take the money and open up an account with a bank across the street that I really liked. But oh no, there’s no such animal as cashing a check or same day service. The one good thing though is that ATM fees are actually quite reasonable and there are loads of machines all over the city but sorry if you have to go out of town.

Oh another rant: Don’t ever, EVER wear white in the city. I wore this fabulous off white suit today and by 9 this morning, it looked like I’d been to a game reserve and back…. on top of a bus. I was dusty, dirty and pissed because it’s been raining every day and you’d think that there’d be little or no dust but oh no. I’m looking at my very dirty white cuffs and just glad that when it gets dark and if I do go out, then whatever black light in whichever club I’m in will highlight that the shirt I’m wearing is actually white. Grrr.

So tomorrow afternoon, I’m off camping and it will actually be a good thing that I won’t need a credit card with me. I’m heading out with some friends and there is a special someone in the group so it will be really awesome. (insert silly giggle). I honestly can’t wait and are sooo looking forward to saying adios, even if it’s just for less than 24 hours but I’ll be in the wilderness….ok, not really since the campsite we are going to was specifically chosen because it one of their features is free all weekend XBOX and PlayStation games. I’m actually going for the wilderness and to check out what was once a quiet town but is now a sprawling base for the increasing flower industry; particularly because of the vicinity to Lake Naivasha and the climate. Yes my darling friends, next time you plonk down a month’s salary on flowers to send to your sweetheart, just think they may/most likely will have come from Kenya, grown, plucked and packaged by folks who’s own salaries would cover a super-sized Happy meal.

Ok, salary can’t be that bad but you get what I’m implying.

Oh, National Geographic is doing an interesting feature on Africa in the coming issue. The whole point to having a cover without a photo for the first time in a while was because the continent is more than just that – it’s different countries with different issues and is more than civil warfare, disease and corruption (I falter on the last bit though). So check it out – and if you’ve never read this magazine before, shame!

Monday, August 15, 2005

Donkeys and food

In Blog world I’m sadly the lamest writer ever. Three weeks! Well, it’s a testament as to how incredibly busy I’ve been. Alas, no vacation yet. I actually found myself photocopying an extraordinary amount of work because the heated paper smelled like a sandy beach. Weirdo. I had planned on taking a holiday last week but due to circumstances beyond my control (a.k.a. LIFE) I had to postpone and I was fairly gutted. I desperately need to get out of the city for even just one night. The rains are finally here and what was once dusty (everything) is now muddy and since the roads are a nightmare to begin with in the dry season, imagine what they are when the crater-sized potholes are now mini swimming pools. On the other hand, I’m grateful that I’m not choking on the smog that has enveloped Malaysia. Wow, we really treat our planet like crap. Did you know that they are predicting the snows on Mt. Kilimanjaro will actually have melted away in ten years, that 2/3 of the Great Wall is damaged and/or disappearing and that the Maldives will actually drown if the ocean levels rise by just 1 meter!

My distraction from reality has finally arrived in the form of the English Premier League. I am a die hard Man U lass but will root for even Arsenal when they play next Sunday. My venue of choice to watch the games has become the sports bar that doubles as a strip club on Saturday nights – quite sad but the beer is cheap and they have loads of sports on multi tellys and it’s in a very safe area, quite touristy actually. Anyway, you’ll find loads of serious fans, so not a place to bring a date which is what I observed when I saw a few gals in there looking quite lost and mildly pissed (the drunk and angry variety).

I had no idea Prince William was in Kenya this past weekend. Oh darn, oh well, I'd have probably been the one to lose my big toe as I tried to sneak into his tent.

Oh, my place of the week. Seriously overpriced but has a nice menu. A very Italian coffeehouse called Lavazza on Wabera Street, right opposite Tratorria’s (overpriced but so worth it Italian restaurant – order anything fish and you won’t be disappointed). Anyway, Lavazza’s has a really cool atmosphere, cappuccinos are wonderfully frothy, great coffee choices and they have Italian sodas! But the prices are a bit ridiculous but it’s worth it if you want to avoid the pretentious crowds at Java’s and Dorman’s.

This weekend the newspaper ran the funniest yet cutest article about folks who lose a close family friend – the family donkey and the tragedy that is that loss. It was hilarious and cute at the same time. I lost the link but it detailed how a certain sub tribe is so dedicated to these hardworking creatures that some even host funerals for their dearly departed Asses. The article mentioned one man who upon saying many a teary-eyed word for his loss then threw money into the grave along with samples of items that his dedicated loyal servant had hauled over the years - potatoes, carrots, charcoal etc. Cute story, must find it.

Back to the grind that is work. Laters.