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Published: August 30th 2007
So after the seclusion and peaceful quietude of Kakamega forest reserve, we find ourselves at Kisumu bus station. Kisumu is a fairly big towm in Western Kenya, on Lake Victoria. For us it was a stop off en route to the Ugandan border, somewhere to dry out our stuff after Kakamega. Once we had wrestled our bags from another drunk Mr. Grabalot who liked to touch our sacks, fnarr. We plumped for "Kisumu Beach Resort". Sounded good to us.
Lonely Planet describes the 'beach resort' as 'a bit scruffy', no really Lonely Planet, thanks. The staff seem to be permanently ON another planet, merely asking for something produces a reaction somewhere between confusion and alarm, resulting in much repetition ("two Cokes please", "Cola?", "Yes please", uncomfortable pause...... "So two cokes then".... "Yes"...Pause... "So we would like two coca Colas" ... "Yes Coke" etc) A statue 'executed' by a local artiste and the childrens play area can only have been inspired by the Blair Witch Project with something hallucinogenic thrown in. The bandas look like hurricane Katrina came, went, then popped back and had a few too many Caipirihnas, and I have only seen more insects in that scene from Indiana
Jones and the Temple of Doom when Indy sticks his arm in the hole in the wall to stop them all getting squashed. (Cockroach. Check. Mosquitos. Check. Preying Mantis on toilet wall. Check)
Otherwise quite nice.
Popping out for a swift one in Kisumu is a rather bizarre affair because there aren't any street lights to negotiate your way around by and everyone seems to disappear at the same time when it gets dark. The lights would be particularly helpful as Kisumu lays claim to the biggest storm drains in the world (well it could do). Which I'm sure people have disappeared into.
Eventually we plump for another Lonely Planet gem (we couldn't be arsed to find anywhere else), the Octopus Bottoms Up Club! Oh Yes! You get a warm feeling about a place when your first impression is really memorable, the place goes quiet, the welcoming sound of glasses simultaneously being put down, cutlery clanging onto the plate. The sight of 12 mossies on the TV screen... Ah me...
It wasn't really that bad honest. The night really got started when Adam challenged someone to a game of pool. Winner stays on and all that.
It was going well, getting cheered by the girlfriends of my first victim was cool and Marianne was soon playing table footy with them. It soon became obvious that noone was going to challenge me for the table for fear of losing face, and the table wasn't being used. It was then they brought out the big guns. A 20 (?) year old girl. Who kicked my ass.
I (Adam) consider myself to be a reasonably good pool player and I was well and truly schooled. Half the time she wasn't even looking at the table. Oh well.
Next stop in Jinja, home of the Ginger Ninja. Or so Adam is hoping. He hasn't had a chance to try out his Ninja skills to the fullest yet.
From there rafting on the Victoria Nile and then North to Mount Elgon to do some trekking, get some views of stuff and hopefully not die.
More soon.
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Alie
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Great Travel Blog!
Hi there, I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your travel blog. Great work, keep it up! Cheers, Alie http://hobosinlovemedia.com