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Published: December 17th 2010
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The thought of cycling past safari wildlife was too intriguing for me. I wondered what a zebra would do whilst I cycled towards it? An hour and a half away from Nairobi, Lake Naivasha provides that opportunity to find out.
I only visited Kenya briefly in fact just two places Nairobi and Lake Naivasha. The lake is part of the east African rift valley and there is an ‘international viewpoint’ that is really good. In the morning it captures the scope of the series of green valleys and a giant lake.
The National Park next to it is Hells Gate and this is where you go to put your body on the line. I managed to get a bike where its seat didn’t hold up so the 8km ride to the canyon was a bit difficult on the legs.
There is a canyon at the end of the 8kms. On the way to the canyon you cycle through the valley with lush greenery and dramatic orange cliff face on both sides. The cycle is more a crawl as you try and creep up to the zebra, Masai giraffe (smaller than the normal giraffe) and warthog. They seemed very
shy and would always walk off at the same pace as you ride. This place is not a highlight of Africa its just nice to do something active after being oppressed in the medieval torture technique buses of Africa.
The canyon was the surprise highlight. If you are a geologist or studied it in high school than you would love this place. I didn’t do either but still was interested for a period. There were underground thermal pools that heated the water. Weaving canyons, which were photogenic. Apparently Tomb Raider II was made there - Shame I haven’t seen it - It’s a nice day to spend.
I sadly went back to Nairobi that night so I could watch the opening days play of the Ashes Cricket series at the hostel. 3am start till 1030am. It was interesting trying to explain to the other guests during breakfast that I have been up since 3am to see a game where the result is not known for 4 more days. I saw the same people throughout the next week at different destinations. When they saw me they’d go “Oh how did your game go?” I’d reply “Yeah draw.” With a
big grin on my face “What a sport! Can’t beat it!”
Nairobi as a city was the first real city I have been to for a while - There aren’t many in Africa. It has a lot of cars and parks. I walked around on a Sunday and there were a lot of religious concerts on. Religion in Africa is fascinating; the men use their pelvis in a thrusting rhythm method whilst singing. Whilst the women shake their booty like they are on MTV. As long as you stick to the main roads, Nairobi seemed safer than the reputation. It’s clean enough.
What is interesting travelling Africa is meeting different volunteers? Most are teachers (or trying to) generally with orphaned children. There seems to be no curriculum when they teach. But that’s another issue. Malawi was a whole bunch of medical students (mostly Dutch), whilst Kenya had a whole bunch of people volunteering in Agriculture.
They are trying to teach the locals how to better utilise their land. Not go with the sugarcane because it takes 18 months to get your money. So how are you going to support your family in the mean time?
Another good story
was trying to get them to sell a goat or cow. Instead of keeping them so they can look good in front of their peers. Apparently the more cows you have the better farmer you are. But when a drought happens or some disease comes and kills your livelihood what are you going to do?
This for the first time I was fascinated with someone who says “Yeah I am a volunteer.” I know they all mean well but if people can teach about real stuff that can help their future towards progression than perhaps one day they don’t have to rely on western funds. I have to admit on my weak observation it doesn’t look likely. I never hear anyone say “Yeah I am volunteering to help street teenagers get a sustainable job.”
It gets tiresome being called “Muzungo” (foreigner or white man) the entire time with the expectation that you will give money. One of the real highlights of Africa’s political idea about creating a sustainable economy without Western help was in Swaziland when I was invited to a school opening day.
These Irish ladies volunteered two years earlier and managed to get enough funds
to come back and build a small school for orphans. There were a lot of locals, the Swazi TV crew and the minister for tourism. He comes up to speak and goes “…We are nice people. Swaziland is known around the world for being nice to our visitors. So it is important for us to be nice to whoever comes and visits our country. Because if we do than people like will come back from Europe and bring back money so we can build a place like this…” Now maybe his English wasn’t good and couldn’t articulate exactly what he meant. But I was dumbfounded. Did he just say that? Did he just say that they have to be nice to westerners so they can give them a lot of money? What about sustaining your economy so one day you won’t have people of your country in poverty and relying on outside help?
And another thing that’s bugging me is that these volunteers come over to help out with work to do projects like building toilets. How about giving that job to a local?
At the school they set aside an area for
a vegetable patch. Close by was a water tap. They created a drainage system so the water can flow to the vegetable patch. But the drainage wasn’t done properly and there were two puddles of water along the path giving water no chance of reaching the vegetable patch. I know it sounds petty here since I haven’t volunteered ‘yet’. But wouldn’t it be better to employ a local and teach him/her how to be a handy person, another for the plumbing and what that person can do is pass that trade down the family over the generations? I suppose easier said than done.
I’ve got off on tangent there! Sorry. Just been bugging me for 3 months or more. So Nairobi, nice enough for a day or two. If you’ve got a few days to spare than Lake Naivasha is nice too. The City Market in Nairobi has some nice bookmarks of the safari animals. I liked the old lady bartering with me so I added a bowl that will be useless to me forever.
She wanted me to pay 300, I 250 (60c difference) She says “You are a strong man you can pay 300.” I reply,
“Yes I am a strong man! That is why I stick to my word. 250 and we have a deal. I actually don’t want this I am only buying it because you are a nice happy person. Look at that smile on your face. I think you are happy with 250.” We shake hands and agree on 250.
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