Preserved Parking

---

Kisumu rests on the shore of Lake Victoria, the largest fresh-water lake in Africa. Once called Port Florence, after the wife of the chief engineer that completed the railway from the coast, it is now a bustling, friendly town.

Men or women, locals or foreigners, can walk in perfect safety, day or night here. The only hazard is the potholes, mostly in the pavements, where surface slabs have collapsed into the subterranean drainage systems. I saw one partcularly huge gash today that plunged over ten feet down and was more than twice that in length! I'm not sure I'd want to work in the stall that is balanced on the surviving section above. The streets are mostly lit, but on those lacking illumination I found I could only proceed when the headlamps from passing cars were playing over the walkways - between cars I had to pause and wait. For all that though, I am really enjoying my time here and wish I could stay longer.

Public transport is amazing here, especially in it's variety. When I first arrived on the coach from Nairobi (a five and a half hour journey that took nine!), I took a taxi to my hotel. Several drivers had a friendly argument over who should take me - I settled it by picking the closest. It cost 100ksh, expensive for the distance, but still only 74p

Two days later I moved to a cheaper hotel, and travelled by tuk-tuk. These three-wheeled, three-seated motor vehicles are more familiar to travellers in India and the far east, but for the past two years have been making giant strides in this corner of Western Kenya. Also 100ksh, albeit for a slightly longer journey.

New this year are the motorbikes. They take one passenger on the back (sans helmet) and zip around all over the place. For 50ksh I got a ride 3km out of town (the journey back later on was 60ksh). Very efficient, although currently in quite small numbers.

There are also a great many bicycles. The same principle as the motorbikes, with a cushion on the back and a pair of small handlebars mounted low down in front of it. My one ride, about 2km, cost 50ksh, so not really worth it except on the environmental front.

There are also the usual collection of buses and matatus (mini-buses), a train service to Nairobi (two trains a week), and an intermittant ferry across the lake (currently in dry-dock).

All in all, an excellent collection, leaving no excuse to get hot and bothered in this rather humid climate. Oh, and the preserved parking? That was on a sign in the carpark of an official looking building near the lake. Compared the the roads around it, it was indeed in a remarkably good state of preservation.

---