Excerpts from My Kenya Journals: Mombasa and Old Friends

October 13, 1995

"Yesterday was a great day. Dropped off laundry, then wandered towards Biashara Street with a few people from our group. I just peeked around the corner at the Sahara Curio Shop and there sat Mohammed,sitting in the same place as always, looking just the same. He knew me immediately, as if it were 7 weeks or 7 days, not 7 years since we had enjoyed each other's company. A beautiful smile came over his face. It was so very good to see him still there. We sat and talked while he sent for sodas, just as he had done for me when I was living in Takaungu back in the Peace Corps days. He gave our friends wonderful deals on the curios in his shop. In the afternoon we returned with more people, and Mustafa was there instead, and he also knew us. He gave the group very good deals. When Mohammed returned we took sodas again. Kent gave Mohammed a copy of his book, and we gave him a few photos from our wedding. He was very happy, which made me very happy!

Gave the group the gift of a visit to Fort Jesus. It remains one of my favorite spot. A beautiful view of the Indian Ocean, and the best lime juice to be had anywhere...still! Later we strolled the streets of old town. Discovered that Athman Omar has just moved to Mombasa with his family. I hope we can connect. He was the curator of the magical Lamu Museum when I was leading trips with high school students. He assisted us with arranging special visits to local villages on the islands, and a great more. A lovely man.

View from Fort Jesus, Mombasa, Kenya

Mutua, one of the men who runs the desk here is helping me with my Kiswahili. Wish I had more time to study!

We ate samosas and bajia for a light lunch at the little place near the P.O. 

Kent can send his job application via Federal Express for around $30, and it will arrive in a couple of days-in plenty of time. Hooray for modern communications!"

"Modern communication". Who could have imagined at that time how the world would have changed today? I was discussing this with my nephew from Kenya recently, and explaining to him what the Peace Corps was like in 1982. We had to learn to make our own way, largely cut off from our friends and family, other than mail which arrived from the US once a week. I had to travel to Mombasa and book a phone call to the US at the Post Office. Sometimes I had to wait awhile. Sometimes the connection was poor. Sometimes the call was cut off. Today most people have cell phones, and coverage is very good, service is very inexpensive.

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Excerpts from My Kenya Journals: Mzima Springs to Mombasa!

October 11, 1995

"Pre-breakfast game drive to Mzima Springs. Along the way were a striped hyena, red elephants, and much more. At Mzima Springs I hung out on my own for awhile with a baboon troop enjoying a leisurely morning in a sunny glen. Midst youthful tumbling and sleepy grooming was a presentation by a female in estrus to a large male who obliged by mounting her.

Baboons

A very young, very little male who had been most curious and forward towards me had his own little erection and a couple of females allowed him to mount them, though he had to stand on a boulder or on the backs of their hind legs to accomplish the deed. I practiced my best primate behavior and was well accepted. A lovely, peaceful morning.

Red Elephants in Tsavo

Off to Mombasa!!! Hot, humid, sultry, exotic Mombasa. We went to Recoda House on Nyeri Street for the famous sidewalk dinner. What a dinner! The mzee (elder man) brought out a huge array of Swahili dishes, all wonderful! Unfortunately a German couple sitting at the table with us shared a terrible experience at a private wazungu (white) ranch in Kilifi. They were robbed and hit over the head. They were most traumatized and regaled us with other horror stories they had heard. They certainly convinced everyone that they should fear for their lives. My poor group was very down when we returned to the New Palm hotel. We talked a little and had drinks. A big dose of culture shock arriving in old town Mombasa at night, right off safari, and then this tale of woe. I feel bad, but what do I say? I think in the morning things will seem a bit better, but I think the group will probably hang together after we leave. May be for the best. (at this point the group's safari with us was over, and we helped everyone figure out what to do with their last week)

Kent, R, and I sharing a room with a great fan at the New Palm!!!"

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Excerpts from My Kenya Journals: From Amboseli to Tsavo

October 9, 1995

Saw the African Wildcat with her kittens in the tree next to our kitchen. Then game drives in Amboseli, showers at the lodge. 

October 10, 1995

Broke Camp and headed to Tsavo via Taveta. Beautiful country. Lots of Kikuyu buying farmland from Masai. James, our guide/driver took the wrong road and we ended up at a Tsavo gate only 17 kilometers from Taita Hills. Nowhere to go for lunch. A nearby hoteli brought us a table and sodas and bread. Sylvester broke out the Blue Band (canned margarine/shortening), tomatoes and pineapple. Hakuna tabu! (No problem!)

Finally got close to camp so we stopped at Mzima Springs, a favorite spot of mine. Saw the obligatory hippo and crocs, fish, eels, vervets and baboons. Also saw a darter, a giant kingfisher, so very beautiful. Watched him dive.

A magical night of amazing stars with the milky way sweeping across the sky. They faded as a big yellow moon topped the horizon. Late in the night...lions! They reminded us of their nearness several times, right up til morning. I am home.

Excerpts From My Kenya Journals: From Elsamere to Mt. Kilimanjaro

October 8, 1995

Left Naivasha after dropping E at Elsamere - much developed now. Lunched at Wimpy's in Nairobi, just packed with Kenyan families. It was fun! The drive to Amboseli was not as bad as I expected. Very picturesque. Namanga (a border town with Tanzania) was wild and interesting. From there on a dirt washboard. Evening light. Gerenuk, fringe-eared oryx, ground squirrels, tall red termite mounds. To camp by the brightness of a full moon, with Mt. Kilimanjaro clear to us - a magical arrival. S. is an incredible cook. The tents are finally up. A night of exotic sounds. Hyenas all night, an african wildcat chattered affectionately to us as she rubbed along the outside of our tent.

The ever present warthog!

Excerpts From My Kenya Journals: Crescent Island

October 6, 1995

We left Masai Mara for a long drive to Lake Naivasha. We arrived at Fishermen's Camp, upper level with the wonderful little bandas (huts). Critters galore: big spiders, tarantula, walking stick, scorpions, and so many birds! We had a slow morning (after a night of drums and singing nearby), then went to the Country Club to take a boat to Crescent Island (a peninsula actually which juts out into the lake). I bought cards and stamps at the lodge while we waited.

On the island Kent and I went for a walk on our own. We went directly across the island to hang out with a herd of giraffe we knew were frequently in that area. There were 3 little ones, several adults and a huge old male. They let us approach slowly, though made clear they preferred us to stay at the tree line, so we did. At one point a pair of shrikes and a pair of Superb starlings repeatedly attacked the large old male while he ate at their nesting tree. The giraffe was totally unconcerned. Later we walked toward the point, past sheep, horses, waterbuck, Thonmpson's gazelle, zebra, Grant's gazelles, flamingos, fish eagles, osprey, lilac-breasted rollers. A pair of bat eared foxes tried to melt flat onto the ground as we passed so as to go unnoticed, with their ears flat out parallel to the ground. A dung beetle had just finished making its dung ball, a couple inches in diameter, and hurried off pushing its prize. A pair of plovers dive-bombed us several times as we must have passed near their nest. A wonderful morning!

After lunch a Swedish couple on holiday from their solar project at Amboseli came over to give us their speech about what we and everyone else should do to correct the ills of the world. Foreign wazungu (white people) who know all the answers for Kenya. He in particular of the very worst ilk in my humble opinion. Good for the group to get a chance to hear that, material for discussion.

Thompson's Gazelle

Later to Lake Naivasha Country Club again for gin and tonics in the hot afternoon (barely more than the beer). Rude comments by some of the resident Club guests about American tourists.

A Morning Break with Masai Cowboys!

October 5, 1995

"A tree frog in our shower last night. It was reddish brown, about 4" long. Exited out shower drain just as Kent was ready to take its picture.

Kent told the young Masai men a cowboy poem around the campfire. They loved it. One of them is reading the poetry in Kent's book.

Kent and I stayed in camp today instead of going on the game drive. I had so many mixed emotions yesterday as we drove off-road across the plains. We ended by joining several vans around one lioness.

We followed some vultures to see others in a tree, and then realized they were swarming on the ground. Over the plains we drove until we began to smell a strong musty scent. The vultures were swarming on a partially eaten eland. A jackal ran off as we approached. The vultures were in a feeding frenzy, pushing and biting and hissing and complaining in a most strange ritual. One lone Marabou stork hung around the outside and darted in every once in awhile. Suddenly all the vultures turned and looked left, then moved off the kill. Looking in the same direction, I saw a beautiful lioness with full belly and an angry demeanor approaching her kill. She moved to the eland carcass, and glared with her amber eyes at the vultures that dared remain close. She grabbed the still huge carcass with her sturdy jaws, tucked her huge head in and down, leaned into the weight and began dragging the carcass towards some brush and trees. It was a long way.She stopped a few times to pant and glare at us. We let her go. Suddenly I felt depressed watching the vans follow her, though we agreed in ours to leave her be. I wish there were a way to control this somewhat. Today I wished the lioness a peaceful afternoon, hidden in the brush during the heat of the day.

So this morning we let the others go, and we stayed behind to shower, do laundry, and relax away from the group. Leading a group is exhausting. I need a break once in awhile, even though the group is great. Later we went with 3 Masai young men, Sumare, Kiu, and Siranka, to walk up the little valley out of our camp. We visited different cattle herds and Sumari talked about Masai traditions. In greeting the elders you say "mama (baba), sopa." You extend your hand slowly to take theirs, and you do not shake. The whole morning was very peaceful and relaxing. Just what I needed!"

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Excerpts from my Kenya Journals: Return to the Mara

October 3, 1995

Today went smoothly. Kenya Coffee Board Coffee House was open - hooray! Then hit the road. Narok as wild as ever. The drive to the Mara was magical. A stormy sky, rays of sunlight beaming down on the plains. My eyes filled with tears as the plains opened up before us. Something pulled me inside out from the center. I felt an enormous release. Home!

A whole family of Ground Hornbills strutted through the grass. One juvenile begged for food, and then was fed. Giraffe, Topi, Grant's, Impala, Thompson's, Wildebeest, Zebra scattered across the plains. Three jackal pups were lying outside their den as we drove into camp. A wonderful camp with baboons and monkeys in the trees behind our tents. Young Masai men danced at the evening campfire, spoke of their traditions and answered questions. As we prepared for bed a hyena whooped in the little canyon right behind us. I am back.

Ground Hornbill