On the Move

Day 15 – Saturday, February 13, 2010

Today the plan was to move to the next site in Mwengi with a stop at the Nakumatt (Walmart). This was very exciting as the town we had been in didn’t have stores with supplies at the ready, i.e. toothpaste, diet coke, pillows, whatever. So we had a bit of a delay getting in the vehicles as it was complicated packing all the supplies we needed and fitting the amount of people we had, but I ended up in the fourth row in the middle (there were only 4 rows and ours was the only one with the middle seat). That was fine as I had been lucky enough to get a window seat on the way up. The funny part was, there were so many organizer and planner type personalities that it took everything I had not to offer my two cents. There were too many chiefs (and no Indians necessary).

Anyway we got to the store after ½ an hour and I grabbed my few necessary supplies: chips, soda, rum, and a power adapter as mine had blown the day before. Then we were told there was a 2-1/2 hour drive to lunch. What they left out was that after lunch, there was a 3 hour drive to the next hotel. When we were contemplating stopping for lunch, everyone decided to skip it and go on (once they found out about the three hours) and we’d grab fruit at a stand. This was also a good plan because we had so much junk food from the nakematt, no one was really hungry. So: our combie driver pulls over to a fruit stand on the side of the road, and goes out to buy bananas as they don’t have to be cleaned. All of a sudden, our combie starts rolling down the hill. He had forgot to put the parking break on! It was hilarious! We were all so packed in with suitcases and bags no one could get to the break or front seat, and luckily someone jumped in and stopped us from rolling right into the stand! As we were about to leave, we saw that one of the other combies had a flat tire. So, we all waited as they unloaded the combie, changed the tire and reloaded. Quite a humorous day, with a 3 hour drive ahead! Plus it was a million degrees (okay, maybe 95 F), and no air conditioning!

The Kenyan roads are quite interesting. From what I can tell, there are no speed limits, but every so often, especially before towns, there is a speed bump. In a car I’m sure this is fine, but sitting in the back of the combie, my head was very close to touching the ceiling more than once! They were fun though, and it was always as you were in the middle of a nice nap that one would come up. I did get good reading time though on my Kindle (medium 4 for reading methods if you’re wondering: Computer, audio, paper, and kindle).

Another neat thing about the roads are that the building are all giant advertisements. The most common cell phone here is ‘safari’ (which means journey or trip, fyi). As you’d pass by a building, it could be anything: butcher, barber, convenience store, it would be painted exactly like a billboard. Really neat use of space and very effective. If I needed a Kenyan cell phone, I would certainly use Safari.

Now that we were moving to the Congo area of Africa, it finally looks like you expect. Previously, in Mikinduri and Nairobi, it seems so lush with thousands of trees and green everywhere. Hills and mountains all around, definitely not like the Lion King or Madagascar 2. Here in Mwengi though, I could see Simba hanging out. The plains stretch on for miles, and there are not many elevation changes. The grass looks more straw-like and yellow, and the few trees are more desert trees. I would not call this area lush, but there are still green parts to it. As you’d expect, the temperature increased as well, and the nice breeze seems to have disappeared.

Anyway we got to a very nice hotel. Mwengi is a bigger city than Mikinduri. All of the rooms have toilets and a shower with a hot water tap (yes my standards are quite high now). Plus the rooms are about the same size but these are now considered singles. I won’t argue. I love my mom, but after she blew my converter trying to plug in airplane headphones, I was definitely ready for just a little space. (Oh and I did buy my own pillow at the Nakumatt so life has been good). Additionally, my mom has had problems with migraines based on the bumpiness of transport and I have been staying out later than her, and I feel guilty coming in and waking her. This will alleviate that. Oh – I left out the best part – there’s a pool! It’s not encouraged to drink the water, but apparently it’s clear (enough) and a nice 85 degrees! I could hear my mom’s sighs all the way from my room! Also some of the couples got the honeymoon suites with a bath tub and king size bed. It’s such a cool group, I don’t think people are really jealous, just astounded that it’s available!

We were supposed to have dinner at 715 so we got a few hours to ourselves, but of course in Kenyan time, we didn’t eat until 830. No one cared too much. We played cards and I taught the teenagers black jack. I’m not sure their parents will let them hang out with me much longer…. Anyway, off to my own comfortable bed with clean soft sheets (not the sandpaper ones from the other place).

Summary: We moved locations and are now in what you think Africa should look like!