African adventure: Kenya & Tanzania

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“The desire to go to Africa seemed to have been an obscure yearning to return, a nostalgic inherited need to migrate back to where our ancestors came from. It was a memory carried in my genes. The urge to fly home, like the swallows.”

Kuki Gallman- I Dreamed of Africa

16/12/1995

Arrived in Kenya! Instantly fell in love with the openness of it all, the Big Sky! Right from the start.

I was very lucky as usual, the family from the plane who I’d got friendly with helped me out with a free lift to the Six Eighty hotel in Nairobi. Very grateful, savored the views en route. Then had the option of either staying in and seeing a hotel room much like any other hotel in the world all night, or exploring Nairobi alone as a young white girl. Naturally went for the latter. Oooh! Went to an African heritage shop with beautiful carved wood and drums and a fantastic band playing. Dey indeed got di rhythm!

The first Kenyan I spoke to proposed marriage to me. Interesting start! Went onto the market, with a trail of African kids behind me. Had a brief flashback to all the fear based words back home ‘you’ll get mugged, or killed over there alone.’ then instantly switched. My brain homed in on a quote from Point Break “Project weakness and you draw aggression.” Cheesy but true, so I walked like I belonged there, with confidence, and suddenly there was no one behind me and all was well again.

Met a wonderful Kenyan man. We talked for ages about some Masai tribesman with a doctorate from Harvard who still chooses to live in the bush with nature. An ’educated’ choice. He made me feel very relaxed being there saying “it’s all in the mind.” As Shakespeare put it “Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

My first sight of the Rift valley was sooooo awe inspiring. It’s amazing to think that it is simply ‘home’ to some people. How lucky to be free of boundaries and surrounded by nature and beauty daily. The first comment I heard from a Kenyan in Swahili at the valley was “Hakuna Matata”! My sentiments exactly. Went to Narok to camp. Really lovely place. I had heard about African night skies but seeing it for yourself is just incredible. So beautiful and endless. It’s as if everything is bigger here: the sun, the sky, the landscape, the stars…… I love it. I wouldn’t be surprised if I spend a lot of my life here in Kenya. I’d love to come and work in or near the Masai Mara one day, living with nature, learning about the culture etc after Uni some day.

We ate by the fireside listening to distant African music, and learning more all the time about the Masai, like that they wear red to keep the animals at a distance. I could hear baboons as I lay reading Kuki Gallman’s ‘African Nights’. I truly understand her love for this country.

“Masai- a people whose iron code of tradition makes them unique among the earth’s beings.”
Robert Varra- A Tent with a view.

18/12/95

“One can make a day of any size, and regulate the rising and setting of his own sun, and the brightness of its shining.” John Muir

To the legendary Masai Mara. A truly magical place with spectacular views all around. It’s all so open and free here. I love it. Saw giraffes running in a slow motion formation, plus zebras and a tortoise today! Then a beautiful leopard close up lazing in the sun with a wounded leg.

The Masai people are soooo lovely and wise. I have huge respect for them and their way of life. Julia, our guide is great; An English girl who came out here, fell in love with Kenya and has been here ever since. She’s been with a Masai man for two years now and is pregnant. She’s very much a part of the life out here, very chilled and natural, we get on brilliantly.

We’re staying at a riverside camp within the Masai Mara national reserve and I love it here so much. Freedom and wilderness! Sat by the fire reading ‘African Nights’ under a beautiful sky full of a palate of colors. “What if this present were the world’s last night.” Jonne Donne…… I wouldn’t mind.

Saw lots of animals including lions, (both male and female,) lazing by bushes; elephant mother and babies (if a baby dies, the mother carries it around until she finds the right spot to bury it.) Also saw water hogs; they make me laugh, and hyena all over the place. There are often vultures cruising around to see if there are any corpses to feed on. I’m so grateful to be here in the cradle of mankind.

Watched a Masai dance which was wonderful with the famous jumping high in the air, and singing; and Toko, the Masai chief for his generation, gave us a talk about Masai life and their beliefs which was fascinating. They have no religion and turned away those who came to convert them. Nice! A warrior has to live in the bush alone for years and kill a lion with his own hands (which explains the missing ear of one of the boys.) They practice circumcision, they eat milk and cow’s blood It’s all very much about survival and living at one with nature. Brilliant.

The night safari was fantastic! Bright stars up above, saw two shooting stars on the trip. We saw a funny jumping mouse type creature, like a mini kangaroo, a giraffe with four babies, hyena and impalas. Had great fun with Simon and Mark sitting on top of the Land Rover. Then we were taken to a tent in the middle of nowhere with a fire outside and a laid table for a champagne dinner under the stars! Unbelievable! African music filled the air, “Jambo, jambo buana, hapari gani, mzuri sana, wapinga, mea karibishwa, Kenya jingo, hakuna matata……”the food was fabulous and it was a perfect evening all round.

Back at the camp, while everyone else went to sleep, I stayed up all night talking to the Masai man, Toko (or Jackson) about breaking rules, nature, life (it’s fascinating that if you ask a Masai when their birthday is, the reply is “in the rainy season” our obsession with time and age means nothing to them, love that)…. Occasionally I would hear a distant noise in the night, and he instantly would say ‘Hyena’ or ‘Lion, close by’ or ‘buffalo’. I was inspired and felt very safe with these people. Their natural instincts are remarkable. It’s amazing how far we in the ‘developed’ world have strayed from living with nature, we are really quite inept whereas the Masai have done everything to maintain their way of life and traditions despite the supposed ‘progress‘ of the world.. Sadly the main noise we would recognize from a distance would probably be a siren. How depressing. These are very special people in my opinion. I’m so grateful to be here having this experience.

“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.”

19/12/95

Hot air ballooning!!! (on no sleep, since we left at 5am after my night of Masai wisdom and fun, but felt great.) Met another person who touched my heart today, inspired me…. Andrew, the balloon pilot. He’s from Zimbabwe, learnt to fly in England and now spends his days over the Serengeti and the Mara, relaxing, enjoying nature and partaking in the odd drink! Also happens to be very good looking!

The balloons were beautiful, multi colored and enormous. The sky here is simply stunning at dawn, there’s something so special and primordial about African skies and scenery. I love Kenya!

As Thoreau would say “I wish to speak a word for nature, for absolute freedom and wildness.”

We floated over the Masai Mara at sunrise, following the river most of the time. Glimpsed a beautiful sight: a proud large male lion lying in his ‘home’ of immense land, looking around contentedly. (The life of a lion is pretty desirable: sleeping, eating and making love, not really in danger from any other animals, and beautiful. Can’t be bad!) Also saw Servel cats which are really pretty. It was so peaceful and beautiful up there. We saw elephants, hyenas, deer, and a buzzard going for a rabbit and missing. This is the life.

The most wonderful thing we witnessed was lots of hippos, adults and babies playing in the mud banks and running in convoy through the river, then plodding along on land. It was really cute and exciting to see from above, and so close. It’s hard to believe more humans are killed by them than any other wildlife in Africa (except for mosquitoes of course.)

We had a perfect landing, and drove back by where the hippos were (where we promptly stalled) the above statistic suddenly became even more meaningful! All was well though, and we soon came to a perfect spot to stop for breakfast. It was a breathtakingly awe inspiring setting in the middle of nowhere. A table was set up with fruits and champagne! Wild animals roamed around us as we ate in a state of total gratitude. I felt so privileged, free and content. The pilots were great and so kind. I even met an American woman there from Sarasota who knows a friend of mine in Florida!

On the way back we saw an ostrich, and water buck babies. There was a Kenyan man whose wife had died last night of malaria, very sad indeed, and not uncommon here. After saying goodbye to my Masai friend Jackson, we headed to a Masai village. Had a laugh on the truck with Simon, singing, wiggling etc. (My nickname here has become Wiggy.) The trip was very long and ended at lake Naivasha where we slept at a fisherman’s camp. Had a tent to myself, and a shower, luxury. Slept like a baby.

* The idea of being a medium through nature to inspire the world is exactly what I want from my life. My purpose. Born free indeed, and stay free.

21/12/95

At Nakuru national park, after a game drive, we were singing around the fire, drumming on pots whilst cooking when Nigel suddenly held a finger to his lips to silence us. We heard a quiet purring sound very close by, and then suddenly a huge threatening roar came from behind the tents! It was an incredible, spine tingling sound, very real and very close. We jumped onto the truck and saw it… A huge male lion walking by, hunting right by us! Everyone stayed in the truck for some time, and I was betting that no one would sleep that soundly in their tents tonight! This was the only night we didn’t have a guard for the camp.

Great having a tent to myself but tonight I lay right in the centre of it as I listened to the purring of a lion close by. It instilled both a respectful fear and an excitement in me. I could also hear the singing and drumming from a circumcision celebration all night in a village nearby. Always up for a celebration, but in two minds about the reason for it...

Boxing day:

To Serengeti national park via the Ngorongoro crater (via delays, land rovers blowing up, stalling in a river etc.) Very funny stuff.

Nothing can prepare you for the first sight of the crater, it is utterly breathtaking, endless and almost of another world. I learnt some fascinating information about the earliest humanoid remains 3,600,000 years ago, here. It is indeed the very cradle of our civilization where the story of our evolution as mammals begins.

Saw lots of lions up close today, about eight of them in one go, all lying down. Then we headed to a brilliant lodge called Seronera, for a buffet dinner. Spectacular views all round. (These views never cease to amaze me and just seem to keep getting better.)

Another land rover had a ‘Weston super night mare’ all day long. It broke down, their guide pointed out a giraffe which was a tree! The water was leaking, they had petrol problems etc…. We all listened to this with slight amusement (since they were all fine and it made a funny story.) They were slightly less amused.

Mark had put my tent up for me when I arrived, a very pleasant surprise. Bloody luxury!

We headed to a campsite on the edge of the Ngorongoro crater, it’s truly an indescribably incredible place. It’s so revitalizing to be here. We camped at ‘simba campsite’ and I started walking down into the crater, within five minutes I’d seen a lion footprint and some elephant shit! Enough detection work to make me think I should probably return to base since dusk was falling!

I was in the ‘shower’ with shampoo in my hair and soap all over when the water ran out! Very amusing situation.

Had such a fun night under the stars watching the whispy clouds go by, chatting to Tim and Louise all night. I’m soooo grateful to be here! It’s all so pleasing, natural, and real. I love it.

30.12.95

Truly wonderful day! Had breakfast watching sunrise over Mt Kilimanjaro. We dropped Jane and David off in Arusha. Now there’s loads of space with only eleven of us! In a really good mood. Played silly games with Mark all day including a full on water fight, he’s lovely. Also got nifty with my merembe playing Lion King music. Passed the hours sleeping, reading and laughing a lot. I sat up in the front with Joseph and Quibet learning lots more Swahili. “Nina furaha sana” = I’m very happy!
Did lots of thinking up there in the front whilst turning progressively darker and blonder, and saw my first proper African deep red sunset. Very, very beautiful.

We had a wonderful view of Kilimanjaro (apparently very unusually lucky-again!)

Once we got to Voi, we decided (thank god) to continue on to Mombasa! I was so pleased, lucky again, I’m ready for the sea. I celebrated by boogying up front under the stars. So much open space, I LOVE KENYA! I’m sooooo pleased to be here and that I sorted this trip out. It just feels perfectly fated.

Arrived in Malindi, a really beautiful spot on the beach. Put up our tents 10m away from the sea! ‘A tent with a view’ and a lovely sea breeze. Really happy. I’d rather be here than anywhere else at the moment. Love it. Love hearing the sea as I drift off to sleep. This is the life.

NYE, 31.12.95 Mombasa

Had the best New Year of my life so far. Had piggy back fights in the sea in the morning, then went to a marine park where we went snorkeling, I was trying to teach Julia how to use a mask and snorkel with varying success. Spent most of the day by the pool at Driftwood, a tropical paradise of a place, drinking fruit cocktails and swimming with Julia.

Dressed up, all looking good and headed to an Italian restaurant where I spoke to them in Spanish?! It was a really family orientated place, we were made to feel really at home, and we ate loads. This was followed by various bars by the sea and practical jokes along the way, ending up at Coconut village for a NYE party. We managed to get in free, the others arrived at 11.59! There was such a good atmosphere and everyone was on a complete high, dancing, and singing old lang sine, having a fantastic night. Alf and I got Mark in the pool fully clothed, then they got me, then everyone else just joined in. We Kumeka lot took over but in a great way, upping the antics, dancing in the pool, drumming on the water with insane grins on our faces all night with other guests happily mingling us. Had an absolutely brilliant time, swimming under the stars to see in 1996! (And celebrated four different countries midnights.) Mark and I stayed until 4am.

05.01.96

Headed to the infamous ‘Mathaiga club’ in Nairobi with my friend Piers Vellacott from Exeter Uni. It was the only real culture shock I had in Africa (or rather reverse culture shock) to discover that such places exist! It’s incredibly elitist (the screening to become a member provides that you are not black (unless a VIP), not Asian, and includes classes in the etiquette of eating well etc… It’s a stunning place despite that, where ‘Out of Africa’ scenes were filmed (of course no women were allowed then but Karen Blixen just about got away with it.)

Met lots of Arian, ex-pat Kenyans there; all very interesting and very privileged, (and most very good looking too,) from England. We all swam and frolicked about, then we went to the most beautiful house I’ve ever been to in my life. The British High Commissioner’s house. It had huge, lush gardens, a croquet lawn, a tennis court, an endless pool. The people who lived there were absolutely lovely. The sons Antony and Oliver (one white, one dark) were especially nice, and James, a friend of theirs, particularly gorgeous! (His parents live in Spain and sell boats, he’s totally fallen for Kenya, like me.)

We spent the afternoon swimming a lot and generally having great fun. Of course I was homeless because of troubles at Pier’s house with malaria, and unbelievably, instead of staying at a YMCA as I’d expected, I ended up staying at this spectacular home instead…..in the Queen’s bedroom no less!!! (She stayed here once.) Absolutely, incredible, ridiculously fantastic! This is life; a tent one night, the Queen’s bed the next! Can’t believe my jamminess sometimes. I just always seem to land on my feet. (They’d heard I needed a place to stay and just came up to me and insisted I stay with them.) The light is indeed shining brightly. Sooooo grateful.

Most amazing day of my life. Antony and the family are just so kind and generous! I was left with the house to myself, with ‘groundhog day’ and drinks and instructions to make myself at home. It’s like a dream. Had a mad, fun night out with the boys, laughing at the unrhythmic whites next to the local's girating hip movements.

Slept in the Queen’s room. Love life….. New word: Uhuru= freedom!

06.01.96

“I had a farm in Africa…. At the foot of the Ngong hills…..” Karen Blixen.

Had breakfast with Oli and Ant, then drove (in their Jag which has a bullet hole in it!) to Karen Blixen’s house (where I’d secretly really wanted to go but hadn’t mentioned it.) I was so glad to see it, recognized the outside (another connection- Maryam Dabo the actress in it, was also in a film directed by Gary Sinyor, who I just worked for.) Beautiful scenery. Wondered through the house; very inspiring for me (nature, acting, films, inspiring woman etc.) Some original belongings still there. Sat on the veranda pondering. Very pleased to have come.

From there we went to a Giraffe sanctuary and fed the giraffes which was good fun. Simon (the High Commissioner) paid for everything.

Sat by the pool all afternoon, so completely content. Had a BBQ lunch by the pool on ‘ER’ Royal plates! Had a long talk to the father about traveling, cultures, corruption etc. He said “it’s days like this when I think… ‘I’m paid for this!’” with a big smile on his face. This is such a lovely, kind and worldly family, they’re really special. Then I got back in the pool and ‘swam around the world’ (an inflatable variety.)

Antony and I fed bones to the Kites; about 20 of them flying around and swooping down for the feed. (He invited me to go skiing with them in France over Easter.) Their mother is Swiss so they speak French.

Quick dinner. They’ve really made me feel so at home here. Sad to be leaving Kenya and the beautiful night sky, and sounds and smells, but know beyond any doubt that I will be back here, and will quite possibly live out here someday.

To the airport. The Kenyan minister was there with bodyguards. The family left me there and gave me some money as we parted. They are the most lovely and kind people I’ve met (a bit like Duke’s mum in Thailand and Venezuelans.) Saw some Exeter people. Samson sat with me. Talked about the Masai and Kikoui problems etc.

Saw the family who helped me out on the first day! Also Bob and Matt again from the train. Spent ages in Nairobi airport, content, reading and chatting to a guy from Newcastle. He said “If you want to make money, invent a religion and get 50 fools to follow you. Thank God I’m going back to Devon, not London. Really looking forward to being at Woodley farm again, and having the lead role in ‘Marat Sade’ this term.

Listened to Led Zep on my way home via Khartoum and Paris. The song ‘All of my love’ will always remind me of the African bush and vast open landscapes, and good times. Kenya has a place in my heart forever now. Its inspired me, I love it. Has also taught me anything is possible. If I can happily travel to Africa alone at 19, I can do anything. Before leaving, everyone had told me “you’ll get mugged or ill or raped going to Africa alone.” I didn’t even get a mosquito bite! And loved every second of it. So there, I don’t want to life someone else’s idea of life, but my own, or, as Dennis Finch Hatten put it: "I want what doesn't matter, not to matter."

“Live every day as though it were your last.”

Sooooooo grateful for everything. This has been the best holiday of my life, and all paid for by my job at Elstree film studios, which was jammy in itself. Life is good.

Nina furaha, asante sana.

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