Merry (and slightly delayed) Christmas greetings from Kenya! For me, it's halftime here and I look back very happily on the first few months. Time flies. Here's a little (or rather escalating) recap of the road trip with Muli before Christmas. In 7 days, we stopped in 8 different counties and covered around 900km of distance with 10 minibuses called Matatus here (usually for 14 people+overcrowding). It took us about 19 hours of driving time, but we often waited for a very long time in the Matatu until it was full and ready to go.
Stage 1 - Kakuma to Kapenguria
We wait fully loaded at 5 PM for our minibus. I'm already a bit nervous because we're running late. When we arrive at the bus stop, we're told that the bus is lost and we have to travel with another company. We should wait for half an hour. 3 hours later, we're still in Kakuma, but then we're off. I sit next to Muli, next to the driver, and under my seat is the engine, so I have a very hot seat heater for free and very little space. We travel until half past 3 in the morning. Since I sit so close to the driver, I'm afraid of falling asleep and falling on him :D This part of the journey is the most tense because there are sometimes conflicts between ethnic groups at the county border of Turkana and West Pokot. Sometimes as a traveler, you get caught in the crossfire. We've been following another Matatu the whole time, so it's safer and a bit brighter. And in general, if the road becomes dangerous, you can either drive in a convoy or not at all. A Matatu can only drive at 80 km/h, and when the driver approaches 80 km/h, it beeps loudly every half a second. So for 7 and a half hours, I have this exhausting noise in my ear and I'm almost going crazy :)
The driver also got more and more tired and the road became more and more serpentine (I thought we were about to go off the road), the landscape greener, and when we arrived in Kapenguria, it was pouring rain and cold. For the first time in 2 months, I had a hot shower, it was sooo good!
Our Matatu friend in front of us Pink dreams Muli and I never know where we'll sleep in the evening. But everything here is very relaxed and uncomplicated.
Kapenguria is the capital of West Pokot. The freedom fighters for Kenya's independence were imprisoned here.
We visited the museum, where we could see the cells of the freedom fighters and learn about the life of the West Pokot people, transitional rituals, medicinal plants... The Kapenguria 6 were arrested by the whites for joining the Mau Mau, who were supposedly planning to kill all white settlers. Mau Mau is the abbreviation for the Kiswahili phrase: Mzungu aende ulaya mwafrika apate uhuru. It means: The whites should go back to Europe so that Africans can have freedom!
Pokot people are mostly herders or farmers The first wife's hut provided good protection against the unexpected rain
Then we visited beautiful waterfalls. Even after 2 months in Kakuma's dryness, I still can't get enough of this green and fertile landscape.
On the way to the waterfall - with Birkenstock, perfect stairs This is just the beginning
Stage 2 - Kapenguria to Kitale
A fellow passenger in the Matatu hands out bananas to everyone :) View of Kitale from the hotel restaurant window Play of light
Kitale is the capital of Trans-Nzoia County. Almost all the vegetables and fruits imported to Kakuma come from here.
We spend the day in a nature reserve where animals with 3 or 5 legs can find a home and a large Noah's Ark promotes climate awareness. And there are also life-size figures from the Bible with riddles and funny answers, for some reason.
a million branches Twisted trees Muli on a rickety bridge Another wooden bridge On that day, we celebrate Independence Day in Kenya, and the crowned crane reigns freedom-loving on the cage This is Noah's Ark (for all non-Bible-believing people) The Bible is silent! The 11th commandment: You shall not destroy planet Earth He's right :( Discovered Christmas decoration for the first time
Stage 3 - Kitale to Eldoret
Along the way, we pass many places with large markets
Eldoret at night
With about 500,000 inhabitants, Eldoret is the fifth-largest city in Kenya. We spent a day in the city, visiting cafes and a mall.
Eldoret Cathedral Half a cow hanging at the butcher's A new shopping center There it is, the Christmas spirit
Stage 4 - Eldoret to Iten
Iten is globally known as the birthplace of marathon runners. At an altitude of 2400 meters with a mild climate, many runners from around the world come here for altitude training. At night, it was 11 degrees, and I was really cold, I guess I've gotten used to Kakuma's heat. Iten is such a peaceful, relaxed, and beautiful little place, I would have stayed longer.
In Iten, there are special tar paths everywhere for the runners Viewpoint Took out my fleece jacket for the first time. I was annoyed that I brought it halfway around the world for nothing! Fortunately, it was cold enough Graduates from the university wanted to take about 138 pictures with me / EMC = Elgeyo-Marakwet CountyWE RUN THE WORLD! Eliud Kipchoge - the legend with a time of 2:01:09 at this year's Berlin Marathon
Stage 5 - Iten to Marigat
We descend for at least an hour in the Matatu. The Matatu brakes smoke and steam heavily, but the driver doesn't care.
A fruit-laden truck is surrounded by fruit sellers - a funny scene
Mostly women sell fruits and vegetables to passing cars. As soon as a Matatu stops, they crowd around the windows.
A bit crowded in the Matatu. The man in the background is singing Swahili worship songs and translating them to me
Marigat is near Lake Baringo. Similar to Lake Turkana, it has risen several meters in recent years, destroying houses and tourism. And similar to Turkana, it's hot here again. We saw a hippo and crocodiles, which was a bit exciting. Moreover, the lake is home to hundreds of different bird species.
The dead trees in the lake become bird homes House ruins in the water Food for the eagles - lightly stuffed with wood so it can float on the water Awe of hippos, but he says he's not afraid, says the man in his boat There's the hippo The fish eagle catches the fish Franzi also catches a fish While waiting for our next Matatu for 2 hours, I became friends with the girl and the few hundred chicks that are supposed to ride with us on the bus.
Stage 6 - Marigat to Nakuru
This is where the equator passes - from now on, back to the southern hemisphere View of Matatus in Nakuru
In Nakuru, we hiked to Mount Menengai, the sixth-largest crater in the world. One of the souvenir shop owners took the time to explain everything to us about volcanoes, rocks, and herbs that grow here.
MenengaiA class of nurses didn't want to stop taking pictures with me. Muli thought only children would get so excited about meeting a Mzungu (white person).
Stage 7 - Nakuru to Naivasha
RELAX - God is in control :D
Yes, hopefully God is in control because the 2-lane road from Nakuru to Nairobi is heavily trafficked and oncoming traffic always hopes that you slow down or swerve. Not good for my nerves!
Black Forest cake is available everywhere - but no cherry filling. Instead, there's also a White Forest Cake :D
We spend one night camping to cycle through the Hell's Gate National Park the next day. Hell's Gate was the inspiration for the film "The Lion King," and I really felt it. There were no lions though. We wake up at 6 AM for the sunrise, and it was too cold in the tent to keep sleeping.
Our camping spot for the night right by the lake in Naivasha The hippos are separated from the campsite by a small electric fenceHippos graze on the shore of the lake at night Sunrise by the lake Morning atmosphere by the lake - and the hippos have dived Cold and tired Heating up water for a shower - not ideal when you shower before the fire is lit :D The park is also popular with climbers
Being able to bike in the national park was one of the best things. I satisfied my longing for Freiburg again. And besides, you feel even closer to the animals when you're not sitting in a 4x4 all day.
Caution, zebra crossing Baby monkey clinging to mom There's a huge geothermal power plant
After the park, we cycled uphill to hot springs for a very long time, only to realize that it's an expensive bathing experience for non-Kenyans with water from the hot springs. But going downhill compensated for the unnecessary effort. Only the speed bumps (there are many in Kenya) without traffic signs and markings almost threw me over the handlebars.
Stage 8 - Naivasha to Nairobi
I am very happy to have made this trip with Muli. His goal is to travel to all 47 counties in Kenya before traveling abroad. With Muli, I could confidently leave the tourist paths behind and travel from place to place without a destination or plan. He was a great negotiator for prices, a translator for me, and simply a good friend.
We arrive in Nairobi on Saturday night. I had a very joyful reunion with Maggy, with whom I spent my very first days in Kenya.
Soccer festival - almost everyone supports France because there are so many black players on the team. They call the team 'African Union'. But whenever Messi scores, everyone celebrates him too. There was a really good atmosphere, even though Les Bleus didn't make it.
Everyone caught up in soccer fever - secretly rooting for Argentina :p
After 3 days in Nairobi with spontaneous birthday celebrations (birthdays don't have such a high value here for most people, and even your own birthday can be forgotten), Christmas movies with Maggy, and visits to the mall, I then traveled with Bryan to his family towards Lake Victoria for the Christmas holidays. I had a very different, but wonderful Christmas. I hope you had a nice one too. And that your facial muscles hurt from all the grinning and laughing, just like mine.
