A drive through Kenya

[preacherman]

So as many of you know I have been going to Kenya now about once a year to work with some orphanages our church has established. I am finally getting around to putting up a trip report from my last trip in Oct.

So 2 visits ago I drove across Tanzania in a prado LC with a buddy who is a missionary. This time we spent the whole time in Kenya and took a Hilux 4x4 van from Nairobi deep into western provinces. Each day was spent on the road visiting one of our 8 orphanages. Overall we spent 13 days traveling across most of the western part of the country.

So enough with the words...he are the pics we all love so much.

Here is a google earth pic of the exact locations of the orphanages. We visited every one and basically made a big loop.

The first day we spent in Nairobi buying supplies. Downtown Nairobi

After buying our supplies we went out to a friends mission work in Kamulu about 30 miles outside of Nairobi. The mission is called "Made in the streets" and takes 13-14 year old orphans from the slums and puts them through school as well as a teaches them a trade.

A school room at "Made in the streets"

We spent the rest of the day at the mission, packing, teaching and getting ready for the big road trip. Here is our trusty steed for the trip a 4x4 hilux van.

More to come

 

[preacherman]

part 2

So after a good nights sleep we hit the road early. It took us almost 2 hours to get out of Nairobi. As one of the larger cities in the world traffic was INSANE! Anyone who has driven in Africa knows what I mean.

About 2 hours outside of town we made or first stop.

After another 3 or 4 hours we arrived at our first orphanage. Each orphanage greeted us like visiting kings.

After greetings we ate lunch with the orphens and enjoyed a good lunch.

After spending the day at the 1st orphanages we hit the road again to make it to the hotel in Nakuru before dark.

On the road again.

 

[preacherman]

more

After a good nights sleep we hit the road again (do you see a theme here). Over the next few days we drove 5-6 hours a day and visited a different orphanage each day. Here are some of the pics from the next few days.

One day we visited a proposed site where we are considering building a new orphanage. When we pulled up we where once again greeted with a special greeting.

A waterfall near the proposed site.

After hitting the road again we found ourselves in the tea country of Kenya. 70% of all the worlds tea is taken from this area.

We stayed the night at the Kericho Tea Hotel. A old hotel in the middle of a tea plantation.

Which brings us to a sidebar. Each night we would stay in a different hotel. Some hotels like the tea hotel, are nice (by Africa standards) others where really bad (one had really bad bed bugs). Each hotel had something I found quite perplexing. The hot water was a small electric heater on the end of the shower head. So every time you took a shower you where showering with an electric appliance plugged into a 220V outlet. Talk about pucker factor.

 

[preacherman]

After being on the road for a few days we started to get more brave and used to being in East Africa. Sometimes we would stop at road side cafe's to eat. I grew to love some of the food. Here is a rather sketchy beef kabob from a road side vendor.

By far the worst hotel we stayed in was called the Mash Park Hotel in Kisi. Not only did it have bed bugs but the misquote nets smelled so much like B.O. it would sometimes wake me up.
The Mash Park Hotel

One the road.....again

One day we crossed the equator and just had to stop. If you have seen The long way down DVD we stopped at the same place they did and had the same guy do the water trick.

Once we got to western Kenya my buddy from Tanzania drove up to hang out a few days. You may recognize this LC from my lost visit.

 

[preacherman]

Many days we would eat lunch with the locals. Each meal would be a feast of local foods like chipotie (a flat bread) kale (very similar to greens) and ugalie (a corn based food like nothing I have ever had but good)

Being at the orphanages gave us a great chance to meet locals and visit with the workers. Many people in Kenya speak great English so conversations came easy.

Even the adults would gather around with amazement when we showed them their picture on the digital camera. They would laugh and giggle for hours after we showed them the pics.

After 10 days of traveling we decided to hit the Lake Nakuru Game Park. The lake is famous for the millions of pink flamingos that live there year around. Upon entering the part we where bombarded with animals.

The lake looked pink from far away but a closer look showed what was up.

 

[preacherman]

By far the best treat was the many white rhino we came across. This group was about 20 yards from our van.

Watching giraffes never gets old. This one was eating these thorns like it was ice cream. Some of the thorns are a big as a number 2 pencil.

After the game park we headed back to Nairobi. Nairobi is a great city with many cool things to see and do. This place is called the City Market and is a chic shopping center and plaza near the embassy. I heard 7 different languages spoken by the different people there.

All good things must come to an end so after a few days teaching in Nairobi we headed back to the airport and home. The trip home was uneventful but I did snap this pic in Amsterdam. You don't see this everyday.

Overall this trip was very different than my last. We drove so much over such bad roads I actually developed saddle sores. Western Kenya is very different than some parts of Africa. Everywhere we went we found English speakers and most of the hotels where nice and could be had for around $20 a night. The food was incredible and the people where wonderful. If you ever get a chance to travel in Kenya I highly recommend it. It truly is a wonderful place.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

What a fantastic trip. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Hltoppr]

Very cool! I love the rhino w/flamingo background! Absolutely amazing!

-H-

 

[Steel_City_X]

Hey Mazungu,

Wonderful pictures. My father has been working in Arusha Tanzania on and off for the last few years. We spent a month there 2005-2006 and paid a visit to a couple orphanages. Your pictures bring back many many memories. We spent the the month driving his babu Pajero. Highway speeds were always a challenge. Got to meet a few missionaries who have been there since the 1950's. Very glad to see dedication continues for the orphanages.

 

[UK4X4]

"Muzungu give me money"

some how all the children know that line

nice pics

What engine dos your friend have in his RJ ?

 

[DiploStrat]

Not just the nests!

" ... mosquito nets smelled so much like B.O. it would sometimes wake me up."

The nets and the sheets, etc. Ah yes, I know that feeling, or smell.

But what wonderful, wonderful roads! Sigh. Sat at one of those tables at the Village Market many times. Nice place for lunch.

Seriously, great photos, good work, and it sounds like you had a great trip.

 

[preacherman]

"Muzungu give me money"

some how all the children know that line

nice pics

What engine dos your friend have in his RJ ?

It had the smaller turbo 4cy but he replaced it with the bigger one. It pulls a lot better. The 4 was good in Tanzania because the roads where so bad you could not go over 35. In kenya it was a turd. The bigger one does alot better.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: Yo preacherman, did you get a chance to meet Gregory Yost, while you were in Kenya ????

:coffeedrink::safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO

 

[preacherman]

No I did not. I will be back in July, what part of Kenya is he in?

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: He is in Turcana/Nairobi and works for "Pioneers" as a missionary

No I did not. I will be back in July, what part of Kenya is he in?

He just recently translated the known Bible into the Turcana native language

He's my nephew and we spent Thanksiving in Pasadena last year

Be careful, kenya can be very dangerous, even for Gods servants

Cheers

:victory::bike_rider::safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO