It is 4:18 am 52 KM north of Nairobi. My first day was like one persons 7 day adventure. Once the planes door opened my heart started to beat. Let me step back for a moment. The flight to Amsterdam was uneventful and for the first time I was in a seat with one empty seat beside me.
On the flight from Amsterdam I was beside James, a Winnipeg professor of geology from the university. To his left was Sara who has been working with aids and communal deceases in africa since the late 70s. James and Sara together had been to pretty much every country in africa. They had so many stories. I was surprised they had not bumped into each other before. We all talked politics current events and about the people of this amazing continent.
Now for the gates. After clearing customs grabbed my bags and headed to arrivals. Agnes is a young woman that was part of an exchange and was billeted with my mother about 1.5 years ago. My mother was quite fond of her and said if I was going to Kenya I should contact her. Well facebook is everywhere and we became friends. Agnes invited me to stay with her family and to pick me up from the airport.
So at the gate with the biggest sign "jay smith" there she was with her father Peter and her youngest brother elvis. All the years of travel I have never been greeted abroad by anyone.
They had hired a cab from there village and he was waiting right out front. The moment I left the airport the air was slightly damp but the surroundings were bone dry. A red terra-cotta dust covers everything. I immediately reached into my goody bag and gave Elvis a hot wheels 1971 camero Well I could
see this was a hit. On there way here Elvis told Peter we would like to by a Prado. This is elvis class.
Now for my friends that have complained about Vancouver traffic, London or even New York. You have never been to Nairobi. Do not get me wrong it was amazing. The road starts as a 2 lane and then becomes a 3 lane. The thing is no one had told anyone that there were lanes. It was 3 then 5 lanes and the odd 6 th lane if you included the ditch. Cars seem be in a slow motion game of hit to pass. By the look of many of the cars and vans they had played this game many times. Everyone in Kenya has a job. As we creeped along the the highway there were people everywhere sugar cane news papers, wallets water and coke. Now if you engage them or even look them the sale was on. So staring straight ahead was best.
My neck was sore from looking around. I think donkeys were some sort of road marker because I think there was one every KM grazing on the grass. Peter pointed out different highlights as we made it to the centre of the city heading north. The traffic opened up and we started to coast faster and faster with our drives having his hand on the horn the entire time like it was the button for an ejection seat in a air battle. 20 KM short of our destination the car rolls to a stop.
The driver gets out and pops the hood. Us men get out and hmmm and haa. The first thing I have learned about Kenya is help and skills are never far away. Within minutes of stopping out of know where a man in a mechanics coat and a dented paint pail full of random tools comes up. They talk for a moment. Within what felt like moments had the valve cover off and noticed the belt had gone. We push the car off to one of the many small businesses checkers aside the road. This one was a funeral home with large metal doors wide open and inside was three of four caskets displayed.
After out driver headed back to Nairobi for parts we waited for a while and peter flagged us down a mini van AKA hit to pass van :).
Agnes , Elvis and myself piled in. The bus is a 14 seater but no one had told the driver. To be clear not at one moment was I frustrated or annoyed due to the traffic or any of the days adventures. This is Kenya. Before we hopped on the bus their were now 3 men working on the car. Peter stayed behind to make sure the driver would be ok and told me before they were done. Their were 5 mechanics working on the car. The total cost was 500 ksh I ask you to look this up. You may choose to bring your car Nairobi for repairs next time..
We left the airport at 730 am and arrived in their village at 1125am a total of 52 KM. When we got off the bus we were greeted by Anne, one of agnes older sisters. She arranged motorbike taxis for us and off we went. Now to let you know this village I think has over 40 thousand people.
The bikes arrive to this little road and we drive up to this tin roofed home with smoke coming from the chimney chickens running around and cows feeding in the front. Is is their home. The main house has a bright blue metal door. Inside was a warm and inviting living space with seating for 16. Elvis played with his new cars and Agnes went to find her mother Teresa. Her mother cam out to greet me with a warm hug and a big beautiful smile. She did not look a day over 30.
Agnes then showed me to my room. It was the original home the floors are packet dirt two beds nicely made and I have to say quite inviting. On a side note. I am writing this it is now 5 am and I just heard someone walk by. In the background i can hear them milking the cow. They had told me earlier that the one cow could produce 10 liters a day.
Once we returned lunch was already placed out. sandwiches and purple sweet potatos and yams. One the side we're fresh eggs and to drink hot tea with fresh milk.
I asked Agnes that when I arrived I wanted to feel what it was like to be a Kenyan. everyone should share this experience truly. I feel like family and I had been on the country for only 6 hours.
After breakfast I got a tour of the house the kitchen is best described by a picture but has one fireplace and it is used to cook everything. The walls are black from many years of use. Teresa uses wood not coal to cook. The farm is at least 6 acres and has lots of access to wood.
Lunch came only two hours later and it was rice with beef onions carrots and this wonderful homemade call it salsa
I excused myself after lunch to sleep. At about 430 I was woken and went to meet the rest of the family excluding mike and minnieh who are studying in Nairobi. Judy is the youngest daughter and was shy for the first hour.
We all relaxed and chatted till Teresiah shows up with an amazing kikuyu traditional meal of pork with potatoes with a spice I cannot describe. It was heaped on the plate and I ate every bit.
Not even knowing what time it was Peter was off to sleep and it was 1016 pm. I headed off to my room and the moment my head hit the pillow I was out. Now it is 523 am and the rooster that is outside my door has informed me it is time to wake up.
Not all the posts with be this large but I wanted you to feel what one day can be like a new world. Today is a new day and I am sure a great adventure. Will have to find a Internet cafe so I can post this.
