From Nairobi to Lodwar via Naivasha, Nakuru, Eldama Ravine, Torongo, Eldoret, Kitale, Kapenguria, Ortum, Kainuk, Lokichar

When George Murage, my long time friend and associate asked me if I could source a car that is hardy enough to withstand the Lodwar route, I though it was one of his many inquires and did not take it serious. I was in the outskirts of Nairobi attending my friend marriage negotiations and continued enjoying myself. But, the subsequent calls told me he was serious on this one. I called my friend Andrew Chepkonga of Ossen Tours who told me his Pajero was available and would give it out on condition that I drove it all the way. This was not surprising as I had enjoyed good working relationship with him dating back to 2004 when I first hired his vehicle to Masai Mara for eight days. It has been business as usual with him introducing me to his rental clients going on tough terrains telling them that he would release the cars only if I drove. That sow me work with WHO 2006 polio campaign, and Oaker Project during the 2007 national wide school mapping project that took me to Kisumu Rural, Kakamega, Bungoma, Kilifi, Narok, Transmara and the the Lodwar district

In Trans Mara 2007

. The price is what I suppose put Murage off as he told me he would source a cheaper car on condition that I drove it. I confirmed my availability though I could not meet with the clients as I was engaged to the ceremony until about ten pm. when I went home. At home, I told my wife about the abrupt travel. She didn't ask many questions as I believe its something she has put up with for the last ten years. My kids are the problem but since I was leaving early, I knew I did not have to do a lots of explaining.

Day One

I must admit I woke up feeling very sleepy and tired and wondered whether I was the person that was expected to drive all the way to Lodwar. Well, I have time and again taken more wild and dangerous chances so I convinced myself that this was not the exceptional. Secondly I didn't know which type of clients these were or how our chemistry would react considering that the journey ahead required us creating consensus and drawing that map together. Don't be fooled, office paperwork is so different from implementation. In such cases, you convince the guest so that you develop a parallel option B programme that both can implement. But the success of the whole thing depends with the first hours of engagement. I must admit I was taken aback when George told me that they were staying in Eureka Highrise Hotel and the my guess was maybe they were budget travelers or such. Then when George appeared, he told me that it was a young man and his girlfriend who were visiting Lodwar where the young mans parent have a lodge. The last time i checked, Lodwar had just one Lodge that is owned by John Munyes The senator and is known as Lodwar Lodge. With trepidations, I waited for the guest to come so that we could start our journey. Precisely at seven O clock I saw two people a young lady and young man who seemed to have chemistry between themselves though they did not seem to be in honeymoon. After agreeing the modalities about what they had agreed with the company, their roles and my roles plus their tentative itinerary we set off for the Safari. A few minutes to our journey, they introduced themselves as journalist and a photojournalist. They told me they worked for a certain magazine and that they were covering the Kalokol fish company in lodwar but they needed to capture the lifestyle along the way. Their request was that if there was anything that would be interesting along the way, I should not hesitate to tell them. They also requested me to cooperate with them if they saw something along the way and needed to take photographs. According to their local contact, we were supposed to spend the first night in Kainuk then arrive in Lodwar the day that followed. Its at that point that I told them with my experience, if at all we’ll be stopping along the way, we’d have to spend the first night either in Kitale or Kapenguria. After consulting their map, they said that it was okay as long as it didn't affect their third day’s engagement. Also (Jorge), call him George wanted to have a view on Kerio Valley. That tilted my mental road map as deep in my mind, I was to use the Nakuru, Molo, Londiani, Burnt forest, Eldoret, Kitale Kapenguria route but had they insisted on spending the night in Kainuk, then I planned to take the insecure Nakuru, Mogotio, Maringat, Tot, Sigor, Marich pass route. This development meant that I had to warp the first plan so that I use Nakuru, Kabarack, Kampi ya Moto, Eldama Ravine, Torongo, Kapkenda, Eldoret. When we reached Gitaru, it started becoming foggy and I had to alter my mental plan I had of driving to Nakuru hence I developed the story of the second world war,

Italians Prisoners of wolrd war II Church

the prisoners of war thing plus the great rift valley view point that allowed m e to use the Maai Mahiu route. Apart from those people at the view point wanting to sell everything to Louisa and George at exaggerated price plus finding the chapel closed, all the other things happened as prescribed. When we arrived in Naivasha town, George needed some water to drink and I advice him to buy enough stock to last the whole journey as the further we went, the more expensive they become. George entered Naivas supermarket as Louisa took her camera and went along the street. I feared for our vehicle security and their luggage but Louisa became my bigger concern. What would happen if some goons took her expensive camera and took of with it? What if they think she had money and took her handbag? What if they charged her exorbitantly for the photos she took? Those questions prompted me to assign myself the role of her security guard. Her fascination were so much on shoe shiner plus donkey carts. Some people were camera shy while others jokingly asked for money and it was a big relief when we went back to car without any incident. We found Jorge with a twenty liters can of water plus smaller bottles and snack and when I looked at my watch, we were two hour behind our schedule. I had to scheme how top speed things without hurting my clients. From Naivasha driving by Gilgil, showed them the smokey Emburu hill, Kekopy Nyama Choma trading centre, Diatomite mine and entry to Kariadusi pre historic site, we made a brief stop over at the Lake Elementeita where a group of Chinese with their huge intimidating cameras were also having a good time. After a few photos we proceeded on towards Nakuru passing through Soysambu ranch- thr biggest pelican breeding site in East Africa and when we aproached Nakuru town, louisa developed an appetite of the church going people. She made a number of attempts which were not succesifull as the vehicle wan in motion maybe doing about 90 kms/h. When we stared tentering the main town , that is past Lanet she suggested that we stop in one church where she could take photographs. We toyed with that ideal untill we found one Christian Harvesters church in free area where I packed the car by the roadside. She stated off with taking photos of church going people, moved to the perimeter fence, entered the churh compound took more photos and eventually found herself inside the church where sermon was going on. They must have be exited by the presence of some wazungu (white people) worshipers or just being accomodative as they called on an interpreter who could interpret the sermon in English. According to Jorge's account, they had to give an explanation that they were passerby and just wanted the photographs of worshipers worshiping. that said and done, we left the church but not without a bonus of an old engine with wagons maybe moving from Nairobi to western Kenya. They did not believe that that is what we have for trains.

Goods train in Kenya

I showed them Nakuru section 58, statehouse, railway station through Mburu Gichua road and at the KFA roundabout, we found a truck that had driven and crushed inside the roundabout. I had to break my own testament and allow Jorge and Louisa out but not without reminding them that we were behind our schedule. The truck confirmed Louisa's fears that driving in Kenya is quite dangerous. According to her, the eyewitness said the driver dozed off hence did not see the round about. I told myself that those were not signs of things to come though behind the confidence in my eyes, I was somehow worried. Apart from Bell's whet farm, retired president Moi's Kabarak Schools complex and palatial home, the drive was uneventful apart from honey vendors at the Eldama/ Mogotio junction and a brief stop at the equator, a few photo shots taken as we drive on and eventually stopped at the Kerio Valley view point.Though we could not take clear photos as it was quite foggy, the sight is breathtaking with green potions of land looking so good. Well, there are industrious young men and ladies who are selling carrots, fruits, potatoes and green vegetable. They were very exited of the prospect of having someone in white skin taking their photographs. They posed with their wares and revenged by taking our photos too with their phones cameras. But , they wanted to sell some of their products to us, and, we settled on carrots and tree tomato fruits.

Kerio Valley

We left albeit feeling the breaking of a bond that had developed so fast destination Eldoret. We had not covered many kilometers before I notice a breaks warning light on my dash board and Louisa noticed too but when I applied emergency breaks, to me it was fine fine I needed to confirm so i engineered our second view point stop just to be sure. My assessment showed that though the break pads were not new, they were ok, the break pressure fluid to was at the right level, and after confirming everything was ok, we moved on though i drove with caution finally arriving in Eldoret at around three pm. My favorite eating place when I am in a hurry is that cafe at the ground floor of Barngetny plaza and they didn't disappointing. I took Chicken wings ugali, Jorge chicken rice while Louisa took rice and a cocktail of vegetables. Louisa had showed a teamwork gesture when we shared water from her bottles. Yes and snacks too. When the bill came, Jorges asked them to consolidate them and he footed it. For sure, a team was bonding and that was the beginning of a brotherhood team that faced the coming seven days as a block.
We left Eldoret after i bought spare brake pads for the car and convinced myself that I would make sure we changed earl the folloeing morning. I was almost certain that we were going to spend the first night either in Kitale or Kapenguria.
driving out of town wasnt much to talk about apart from the ussual heavy traffic all the way to weigh bridge upto to Kitale/ Turbo juction commonly known as Mile Tisa. I expected the road to be somehow rough but it turned out that there were some recarpetting work going on though they dont last they made out travel more easy all the way to soy untill Matunda when it started raining heavily. That made navigating my way to Mois bridge all the way to kitale quite taxing which I realised when I missed my right turn towards kapenguria. As my principle, i dont get loos my way, so i had to drive towards Laini Moja mosque and allow Louisa a few moments of photo shots as we emtied our blandders by the road side. It was still drizzling and was getting dark late so we had to gently tell her that was enough for the day.

After we left Kapenguria, I made it clear that if we were to arrive Lodwar in time, we needed to minimize our stops along the way. In a way, telling Louisa indirectly that she needed less photos for that day. Well it was not easy for at first she needed the services of a cyber café which we could not easily trace then off we left up to the Pokot hills. The scenery up the Cherang’any hills, Keiyo on our east and the Marakwet hills were breath taking. Thank God for Luisa was interested with lifestyles more that landscape. All did not escape thou as she said that she needed a clear photo of a Pokot homestead as they are part of the journey we were undertaking. A deal was stuck that we would stop once to allow that. So, as were descending the ………………… hills I was keen to keep my side of bargain hoping Louis would keep hers of not taking more that five minutes. We did not have to wait for long as we found a homestead at the end of the sharp decent and though that was fair enough for our mission. I deliberately stayed in the car so as to put some gentle pressure on the two to speed up the exercise. Once they were off my sight as I thought they venture further to the farm, I started counting. It was not five minutes for sure but about thirty when I say Jorge come running at an amazingly high speed. At first I thought Louisa attacked by the locals? No Jorge would not leave her. A snake bit? No we did not have anti venom in the car. Maybe a serious communication barrier? Lets wait for Jorge. He came to the car panting and as I waited for the worst, he told me that after Louisa taking photographs, they needed a tokes and they decided not to give them money. What a relief? So he needed the fruits that we had bought the prevous day at the Kerio Valley View point to give to that kind family. It was a big relieve when he went and came with Louisa who was so happy with the receiption she got, though at first sight, they had fled to the farm on seeing a whit person entre their homestead. Ther was not so much acrivites to talk about as we passed Chepareira, crossing Ortum river towards Tor. Louisa saw the orange the orange river and could not resist the temptation. We gave in and again Jorge walked her out.  In a minute, they were down a ravine. I was not very comfortable but I maintained my cool.

From there on I warned them that were getting to the insecure zones and we needed to be a bit vigilant. And its at that point the headache began. How were we going to hide Louisa’s priceless camera and her data? The car we were using didn’t have secret compartments. A dismantled camera was still big to fit the spare wheels section. Assumming it fitted, how would we insulate it from shocks and dust as we drove on?WE only managed to hde the memory cards and phones but for the camera, we didn’t have a choice. Jorgre seemed to have figured it out well in advance as he had come with some old phones and a camera which would act as decoys in case of an attack. And a small good quality camera that would do the work in case we lost the big. I had thought I was dealing with an amateur but these proved that he was a veteran.  In no time and with no incidence, we were in Marich Pass and without stopping we drove on. After a few minutes, my team felt they needed to answer natural calls plus stretching their feet. I did not think it as much dangerous as today so I looked for a place with good clearance ad off we stopped for a few minutes taking a few photos of baboons plus taking some refreshments. That was when a truck passed by and rhe driver told me that place was too dangerous even to stop leave alone walking out of the car. I did not want to raise alarm, so I just advised them to board the car where we drove to Kainuk the presumed place were supposed to spend the nigh the previous day. We took lunch – pilau and Louisa some green grams. I must admit that they foods they served were not Louisa friendly. It was while out there that the track that had warned me about stopping arrived and after some greetings that driver told me he was once stopped by bandits at the very place I had stopped and robbed of money and valuable. He stiffened to find my car stopped there. Another funny upcoming trend in Kainuk is everyone is becoming either a security escort or a security broker. Its becoming a lucrative business as everyone wanted to know whether we had prior security arrangement otherwise, they provide on for us. I cannot rule out some liaisons between those said brokers and the bandits way.

On my advice, we declined many offers from those bystanders as I considered a police barrier and a police base with Kainuk trading Centre.  We consulted the policemen manning the barrier, who called one of them asked him to put on his uniform and carry his gun as he had a job to do. An old man came well-armed with a gun and after paying the money and agreeing that he was to take us all the way to Lokichar, we left. We tried engaging him with some talks but the guy was not the talking type. Then as he had occupied the front  passenger’s seat of the car, he rolled down the window, pointed out with his gun then cocked it. It made such a noise that we thought we were under attack!!!. I swerved the car, Louisa’s heart almost left her and here the guy stated laughing. He said we were entering the battle zone and he needed to be set just in case the bandits attacked. Its either they shoot at us or he shoots them. That echoed some sentiments directed to me back in 2007 while in Lodwar. If I heard the gun shot, I should panic but rather keep driving on as you can hear a gunshot if you’ve been shot already.  My friend Jorgre  took that chance to ask him from which police unit he came from and we were shocked when he told us he was a Kenya Wildlife service’s Warden from Katilu. Now this were not adding up!! Could we have been duped at the barrier? Could police be sub-contracting other people to do police work? Well from the onset this guy did not look like anyone with any formal training. I strongly believed that even KWS was a pipe dream but I did not want to raise alarm as were already in the mix. Jorgre also registered his displeasure but we could not correct it, time was of essence if we were to reach Lodwar on time. We passed Kaakong then Kalimorock as a slower pace though at the times  he could tell me to speed the motor vehicle and not dare sto even when challenged to as with his old eyes he seemed to scan the bushes and tree tops for a possible bandit. Thank God  there was nothing worth reporting apart from an incident when Louisa wanted to answer a short natural call.

When she said she wanted us to stop, I consulted our security man who pointed to a relatively open space with an ant hill and said it was safe. I always advice my guests and passengers to answer those call right behind then car but Louisa thought a bush would be better. Or, maybe, she sympathized with the dry shrubs and wanted to give them some irrigation. I did not want to peek so I stayed inside the car plus my security (looking right ahead) but Jorgre opened his door though he never left the car. In a minute we had a sharp shriek from Louisa and when I looked she was squatting, her pants lowered bur screaming. I didn’t want to see further details as joegre rushed to the scene of crime. After a short while they came back though she looked calm and shaken. When she was safely in the car and we started the car is when she told me since she was not used to doing it in the bush, she did not take much precaution when she squatted to pee. It was only when she was down that she realized that she sat on a thorny shrub and one thorn pricked her sitting allowance. S he didn’t want to move so as to aggravate the injury that’s when she called for help.  After ascertaining that the injury was not much her next phase of fear was whether she could get some infections and whether acacia thorns are poisonous. I arrayed all her fears and life crept back to the car as we zoomed to Lokichar where we dropped security guy.  However, I have never understood where he advised me to avoid the police barrier and drove off road and drop him quite some a distance from police check.

 We didn’t digress much or did a postmortem of what had happened so we drove on as I had advised my comrades that the time was not on our side. It was a fast bumpy ride all through until we arrived at thr South Sudan Radio station where again we stopped ro stretch our legs before embarking on our final leg. We watered the nature, stretched abit, breathed some fresh air and made call to the pastrol centre telling them that we would be late as it was approaching six. From a distance, I showed them the hills that neighbor Lodwars town and their spirits were lifted. Loiusa offered to drive the car for the remaider off the distance. I am not the jack that trades in everything though I declined that offer. One, the car breaking system was not perfect, then the road was full of potholes and at times open gullies. For someone (as I guessed) used to conventional road, this one would pose a challenge.  Too we could not take chance maybe having a breakdown in Lodwar where spare parts would have to be sent from Nairobi. I am not sure the xplanation I gave to her or whether she was convinced but she took it with the dtride keeping me busy with stories as she had come back to occupy her front seat from Lokichar onwards.