KENYA - again an interesting travel destination by Klaus Metzger (sneezy the snowman read aloud .TXT) 📖

KENYA after the civilwar 2077/2008

After our Nile cruise and beach holiday on the Red Sea in Egypt, Kenya was the second country on the African continent, which we visited . The preparation of this exciting journey, however, was marred by the bad news that arrived over the country of Kenya with us . As a travel reading gave me my wife JUTTA for Christmas the book " KENYA - Reports from inside a torn country " given by Thilo Thielke (Brandes & Apsel , 1st edition 2008 , 229 pp.). Since January 2008, Kenya was on the brink of civil war. Trigger for these riots were the presidential elections on 27 December 2007, were contested by the opposition as election fraud.

 

 

Problems on arrival to Kenya

This was during our stay in October 2009 nothing more to feel . The country had calmed down and the people - even on the go - we met with a exceptional friendliness. As we flew from Hannover via Frankfurt to Mombasa, the check-in in Frankfurt, designed to be particularly troublesome. The tour operator TUI weighed on a very primitive type (with a spring balance !) hand luggage of each passenger, which caused an incredible delay and annoyance (surcharge for overweight). Since I was wearing my backpack on my back, I escaped unscathed by the control (what me a " mischievous " afforded pleasure) . Also on the return flight , this tactic was successful.

 

A vexed issue of air travel are also the water bottles. Big bottles must not take it - smaller bottles that are almost empty, might have a chance. This then can be in the transit area on the toilet refill with water (as in Hannover or Frankfurt). This of course was not in the Mombasa airport makes sense - there was " expensive " bottled water available in the respective shops in the transit area . After about 8.5 hours flight from Frankfurt to Mombasa we first had to go through us the VISA procedure. This was complicated insofar as the VISA could also be requested on arrival desk at the airport . We had this worried us already at the Kenyan Embassy in Berlin and could pass the corresponding switch (without VISA issue) for an uncomplicated way (unfortunately we noticed this too late - so important for the next visit).

 

 

The strenuous LEISURE LODGE RESORT way to

And then we made the special experience that Mombasa is located on an island. Our transfer bus from the airport to the hotel on Diani Beach (South Beach) had to use the Likoni ferry to get there. Now the first stage from the airport was already a shock experience by an accumulation of misery and chambers huts 's masses going about the some activities on the streets in the early morning . And then the many people trying to get a place on the ferry. Many carried their belongings on their heads or pushed decrepit bicycles next to her.

 

 

Passengers for the Likoni ferry

 

 

 

Passengers on the Likoni ferry

 

 

Passengers on the Likoni ferry

 

I would like to be on the ferry from our bus got out (for security reasons , this was probably not possible) . For my image of Kenya has been very strong, " The White Massai" coined by the film. The excellent presentation based on the facts - novel with the same title of the Swiss Corinne Hofmann , resulting in the Samburu warrior     (he was not a Massai ) has Lketinga love. She moved in with him in the Kenyan bush to marry him there. Now back to the ferry : there is a scene in the film where she stands on the upper deck with her friend and holiday companion and on the opposite side of the impressive Samburu warriors (in the tribal clothing) discovered in the irrevocably in love. This motif (perspective) I would like to have photographed - unfortunately it did not work.

 

After another exhausting 1.5 hours, we arrived exhausted in the LEISURE LODGE RESORT on Diani Beach on (total duration was our almost 25 hours - calculated from Hildesheim off). To some extent sleep, we enjoyed on our balcony (with a beautiful view of the hotel beach) a bottle of " expensive " red wine. After a few hours of sleep we had acclimatized us and were then of tropical plant (with numerous capuchin monkeys ) and the very friendly staff pleasantly surprised.

 

 

 

Gorgeous view from our balcony

The particular style in RESORT

Very good we liked the tea ceremony, against 16 clock at the bar in front of the pool Bahari was celebrated every day. This was the first opportunity to meet the other hotel guests. It was noticeable immediately the lack of children and the overhang of older gentlemen who enjoy this resort for years. It is one of the first experiences that due to the climatic conditions (with a pleasant breeze muggy) is not a place for hectic action. The "polling , polling" .. ( slowly, slowly ... ) of the service staff recalled that the clocks go much slower in this African country (for us a very " wholesome " and estimated experience).

 

 

 

Pure relexation

 

 

The friendly gardener

 

The two-day safari in the TSAVO EAST NATIONAL PARK

Jutta had already organized the two-day safari to Tsavo East NATIONAL PARK for the next morning . For this we were given by the German organizer Denis Moser (DM Tours, Diani Beach) in hotel a call that we would be picked up the next morning around 5 clock 30. So it was the backpack with the parts to switch to grab the sleeping stuff and the toilet bag. We organized the breakfast (4 clock 30) and set the alarm clock at 4 clock in the morning. Accordingly, the surprise was in the early morning because the alarm clock rang for German time by 4 clock - but that was after Kenyan time as 5 clock . So it was a bit hectic and the breakfast was precipitated. Exciting was the adoption at the hotel front desk, because our key was (probably for security reasons) deposited with an envelope described in a hotel safe. And then there was a starting point, were recorded in the name, destination and duration of travel. The return was registered according to the book.

 

At the entrance, waiting patiently with his spacious Safari Jeep (for 4 people plus driver) our colored chauffeur and tour guide, who introduced himself as NICOLAS . He was a stroke of luck, for he was a very safe driver, patiently answered our questions and was on safari in an incredible way animals that we would not have discovered alone . As with our other long-distance travel this time JUTTA 's birthday fell back into the holidays - at the start of the safari. Accordingly, Nicolas also involved in the birthday song "Happy birthday to you ... " that rang out on the road on the way to the Likoni ferry.

 

 

                 

NICOLAS in front of our safari jeep

 

 

We came to the northern part of Mombasa via a bridge. There was already waiting for a nice couple from Frankfurt to us and the crew of the safari jeeps was now complete. It seemed a long time until we left on a wide arterial road with a lot of traffic Mombasa to approach us on the road to Nairobi to Tsavo East National Park. At about 9 clock was the first break and for us the opportunity for a small breakfast (biscuits and coffee). We came here for the first time in contact with locals who wanted a friendly but firm " turn on " us their souvenirs.

 

On the way I noticed larger bags with black charcoal, which were stacked for sale at the roadside. I was thinking, like here in Africa, the " charcoal burners " is going on, because corresponding hill I could see anywhere. Also striking was the significant truck traffic, are transported to the goods from the port of Mombasa to Nairobi or in transit to Uganda. From our driver Nicolas, I learned that his family lives in Nairobi and he commutes between Mombasa and Nairobi. The travel time in the car takes about 5 hours. The train needs for 10 hours. What he earns a month, he did not tell us. In any case, he has several colleagues as drivers and guides that are used when required by Denis Moser .

 

At 10 clock and a relaxed ride, we arrived at our destination of our dreams : the south-east gate of Tsavo East located Buchuma National Park. We were probably the only two visitors and immediately there came many colored people, the entangled intensively this week. One spoke of the necessary sunglasses (antidust) and a head covering because of the sunlight. For