Things haven’t got off to the best start here in Nairobi. We stopped at the airport to get some cash (this time it’s Kenyan shillings) and the ATM ate my card. It took about 45 minutes to get it back, and I won’t be using Barclays again! We found another ATM that doesn’t completely suck your card out of sight, and now have some shillings.
But now, we sit in the smog of peak hour in Nairobi. We remain stationery for 10-15minutes at a time, then charge ahead and change lanes a few times in first gear. Been on the road for at least an hour so far. It reminds me of Delhi, although there is barely a horn hoot to hear. There are road side sellers wandering between the cars as we sit still, very still, offering maps (like big ones for the wall), macadamia nuts, jumper leads, soccer balls, tea towels, tennis racquets, Tupperware, tacky souvenirs . Everything you could need in a traffic jam. Passengers randomly get out of cars, realising it is quicker to walk.
The haze of pollution is so thick, it’s hard to see more than 500m ahead. Glad none of us are asthmatic. I think the elevation here is 1400m, so add the pollution to that, and I’ll be sending John out with a Ventolin for his run tomorrow.
And another gem of a name for today’s man who picked us up at the airport….Benson. I love Africa.
We leave in the morning for the Masai Mara area, and then Lake Nakaru. I’m told by others we have met that we will be lucky to have power, let alone Internet. So if you see no new posts for a while, we are still here, just out of range. Just like the old days. I’ll send a postcard.
Been enjoying your trip ,journey- withstampings -, river boat , adventures in early am and sunset and all the fab photos of the animals. Lovely lovely elephants – the picture we like best is the one of you Fergus almost leading the elephant by the trunk- reckon this will win the prize for you at “show and tell” when you get back to boring old school ! Hope this gets thro to you. luv J & B — PS — its v. cold at home so enjoy the sun !
I will join the family approval vote for the elephants! The photos and tales are all just wonderful — I am loving it. You must have put in some serious planning — you seem to move effortlessly from one activity to the next and one country to the next! Even with stamping and teller machines troubles, it seems to be smooth sailing. I have read all the Number One Ladies Detective Agency books and and it is amazing to hear all the names ( people and places) and read all your descriptions (much like the book) — a little boy in the series has a wire truck creation just like the one you photographed.
Keep it coming and safe traveling.
Thanks mum. Glad you’re enjoying it – we certainly are!
Thanks Pug. Wait till you see the pics from our visit to local village here in Masai Mara.