-- Log 7B --

We found Nairobi to be extremely stressful, not being able to sleep at night, due to all the partying and then having stacks of expenses during the day, it put quite a strain on our relationship – nothing that a full blow row could not sort out – we nearly went home. We left after 3.00 pm for Thompson Falls and arrived there after finally crossing the elusive Equator (19h25) where we cracked a bottle of champagne and made friends well after dark!!!!



For the boffs who are hung up on stats :

8180 kms from Jhb to the Equator
Our moving average is 56.1 kph
Overall Average 45.5 kph
1 puncture
1 set of shocks
Together we have lost 25 Kg – Dennis say this is all his!
Both have GREAT tans!

Thompson Falls Lodge – Nyahururu – GPS N00.02.738 E036.22.057 – Ksh300 pppn – 16/05/02

We had arranged to meet Henri and Jenny at either Thompson Falls or Nakuru. We found the Thompson Falls Lodge to be wonderful. It was in the mountains, it was peaceful and the setting was lovely. We decided that we were already late to meet up with the Botha’s so we might as well stay another night. Good news the Botha’s have arrived – they found us! Back together again we went back to the Equator sign and took some pictures.

For those who do not know us, I need to tell you that we are both thorough bred through and through townies. We do not know anything about farming and the likes.
Where we were camping at Thompson Falls they brought the cutest ewe sheep. She really was sweet. We commented on her and watched her eat the grass, we even gave her a name – Larries (Mom, you know the rest of the story). Up went the marquee; out came the tables and flowers – oh oh! Dennis spoke to the guardsman and said they were not to slaughter the lamb by us, they must take it somewhere else. Did that happen NO! Well I can tell those who have ever wondered if it is true that a lamb goes to the slaughter in silence that they do! We did not look; Jenny and Henri took glances – much to their dismay! Well the deed was done and the lamb was cut into chunks and braaied. The party was for 8 men and they managed to eat just about the whole sheep! We could not believe it! Near the end of the evening the one came and asked us if we would like Nyama Choma (braaied meat)! He would not take no for an answer, so we received a plate of fresh braaied meat. It was good eating! Poor Jenny still has nightmares!

 

A word about the temperature at the equator – FREEZING!!! Ignorant Sefafricans like us think that the temperature is always in the upper 30’s. At Thompson Falls the evening temperature was 7 degrees!

I also discovered that I left my hiking boots and lost my takkies in Nairobi. Fortunately we made a phone call to Upperhill and they have my boots, they will keep them for me till I return from Uganda.

Flamingo Camp – Nakuru – GPS S00.26.023 E036.14.985 – 5 893 ft AMSL – Ksh300 pppn – 20/05/02

Having done our washing and got it all dry we left for Nakuru – to have a look at the flamingos. We decided to rather go 20 kms towards Nairobi to Flamingo Camp as the Kenyan Wildlife Camp cost $43 per day and the Flamingo camp was Ksh200 pppn. The only thing that the Kenyan Wildlife Camp has that the Flamingo Camp does not have was baboons and monkeys. Flamingo Camp has been open for 8 months and is run by the most delightful couple we have ever met! They were incredibly welcoming and went out of their way to make us comfortable. The site does need some work done to it, for example the grass needs to be cut, but other than that it was a delightful stay. The masses of flamingos and pelicans are amazing. Flamingo Camp has two camels, which can be hired at Ksh1000 per hour, and they take you for a walk along the shore of the lake. Kenya is a rich country full of wildlife. The rift valley is without a doubt the most beautiful area we have every seen. It is such a joy to travel back and forth across the valley. It is awesome!



Shopping in the local market at Nakuru was an incredible experience they had everything you could possibly want, all at good prices. There was even a tobacco store selling Kenyan tobacco at very good prices. Jenny and I made the shop assistant swear that they did not have dagga in the tobacco before we bought some for Henri and Dennis. Turns out it is quite good stuff!

Time to head towards Uganda .