3 days in the Mara

Just back in Nairobi after a three day safari in the Masai Mara. It was great; I saw elephants, wildebeests, gazelles, warthogs, zebras, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, crocodiles, baboons, monkeys, lions, and cheetahs! Getting there was quite an adventure, it was pouring rain and the road was a river. Eventually the engine got too wet and we started stalling. Then we are standing by the side of the road, the driver has part of the insides of the van in his hand, pouring some kind of gunk out of it. Yeah, I finally found a use for which buying a hummer is justified, African roads in the rainy season. Maybe I’ll start an NGO – Hummers for Africa! See the idea would be that folks who have realized that driving a hummer to the video store makes them look like a prat (and besides have decided to buy an overpriced sports car) could donate their hummers to needy Africans!

Anyway, we eventually got there and were rewarded with lions. The campsite wasn’t great, but the game drives were!

While there we also visited a Masai village. I would have to say that the whole village thing was icky. We paid the chiefs son about $8 to be shown around the village and take pictures. The whole thing had an uncomfortable people safari feel to it. The men did a dance to welcome us, which was ok, though unenthusiastic, but when he rounded up the women to dance it was just really clear that they didn’t want to do it. The village was made out of cow dung, and the flies were awful. Children were crusted in them, and not even trying to brush them off. Horrible poverty and they lost half their cows to the drought, so I suppose the money from tourists helps, but it was just really icky and exploitative feeling. Oh, also icky, married women where a brass anklet on each ankle, engaged girls where an anklet on only one ankle. And almost all the girls had them, including a child we were told is 13 months old. She can barely walk or talk, but she is already “booked” to be married. Then the tour ended with the craft market. I would have liked to look around, maybe would have bought something, but it was impossible, as soon as my eyes stopped on an item for more than a second the hard sell would start. So I tried to leave, but my way was blocked by people holding out bracelets, necklaces, shields and carvings. I was feeling pretty claustrophobic by the time I got out.

So that’s what I’ve been up to for the last little bit, I’m back in Nairobi now. Tonight I am catching the train to Mombassa, for some chilling out at the coast. From Mombassa I’ll be heading up the coast to Lamu, but stopping at a couple of beaches and some cool ruins along the way. I’ll try to get to the internet soon.