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| Day 42, 2011/06/12 |
After a week of not riding bike, my ass is itching to get back on the bike and on the road. David is going back to Zanzibar, to spend a couple of days with Heather. I am going to head North to Kenya, and Nairobi. I have heard some scary stories of how the Kenyans drive, and not looking forward to encountering it. At least it is Sunday so, we hep the traffic to be less and hens have less hassles with it. After a lovely breakfast with David and Heather it is off. Riding alone, for the first time, gives the ride a whole new dimension. However, I am looking forward to the challenge. The road North from Arusha is stunning. It looks like it has just been completed, and except for some small detours for road works it is lovely riding. Arrive at the border post at Namanga and things are pretty smooth. Except for the 3rd party insurance. I know the guys are trying to rip me off but, I have to get some. So eventually after been shown the "official" price list, I settle on $60. Which, it turns out is a rip off, but I am none the wiser!
After the formalities are done, it is back on the bike and towards Nairobi we go. The road is also stunning this side of the border to and, whether because it is Sunday or not I am not sure, there is almost no traffic to speak of. About 60 km from Nairobi, i start to encounter the insane driving that I have been warned about. Oncoming traffic appears to believe that it has the right of way when overtaking slower traffic and hence, you are required to move over for them, even if that means going onto the shoulder/verge of the road, or even off it. It is extremely nurse racking when you come around a corner,and there is someone on your side of the road coming towards you! Never mind the fact you are on a bike, and a second class citizen! It is also of no help that, my hooter has stopped working for the umpteenth time, so once again I can only resort to rude hand gestures. In my frustration, I figure out what the problem is, these beautiful roads, do not have any centre lines or lane lines. So in theory, there is no my side or your side of the road really. And when I eventually get to the main freeway through town, I discover there are no lanes either. So everyone just drives all over what would normally have been a two laned road. What a nightmare. Once again thank god it is Sunday. Would hate to see this during week, or in peak hour!
Eventually, I make it to the Jungle Junction campsite in one piece, without being killed or killing anyone. There, parked in the driveway, are the five south African bikers bikes. I had met them the previous evening in Arusha, and they had left at the crake of dawn. They invite me to join them for dinner at a place called Carnivores. Yes, the same kind of Carnivores as the one in Mildersdrift in Johannesburg. Always keen on a new experience, I join them in their taxi. All six of us in a hatchback. The food was really good however, i was disappointed to discover that, they are no longer allowed to server game meat. The Kenyan government has out lawed the sale of it, so the only exotic things on the menu were ostrich an crocodile. None the less it was a lovely evening.
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