7/31/87 Pate Island

camping on the beach

Last night, Bousi feed us a real Swahili meal, no dishes or utensils. The meal was beans and potatoes in a sauce with chapatis and bread served on a large serving dish. A group of six or seven surrounded the dish sitting on woven mats, using only your right hand to eat. Young girls kept our cups filled with chai. Before and after the meal, a dish was brought around to wash our hands. Dessert was Arabian dates.

This morning after breakfast of fresh, hot mendazis, we set sail for Pate Island. The dhow is great! The crews are a bunch of cards, especially since only two speak English. So far I’ve met Sa'ad, one of the younger crew members and a great soccer player. Then there is Abdula. He’s the one with Fred Flintstone feet. And who could miss Captain Athman. The Fosa is a 35 foot dhow and the Bishara is 37 feet, with crews of about six each.

The Fosa sailing through the channel
with a little poling by the crew.

We camped on the beach near the village of Mtongawanga. We walked inland this afternoon to see the ruins in Pate Town. The people were real different than those in Lamu or Matindoni, the children especially. If we tried to take a picture of them, they scattered like mad. The men never smiled. The women were a little more friendly but the looked a lot different than we were used to. The older women had nose rings and seven or eight earring hoops starting at the top of the ear.

The children did seem mean. While we were touring the ruins, they threw rocks at us. We didn’t stay very long. One burial house had a stone plaque with 1120 AD written in Arabic. We walked to the local primary school to play another soccer game. It was a rough game and the referee had no idea of rules. But we came out with a victory, 2-1.

Ruins of a burial house with attached mosque.

Today I got my first earring. Three of us bought single gold hoops in Lamu. Because of the very real danger of infection in this environment, our instructors would only allow us to get our ears pierced if we cleaned them with alcohol several times a day. Margaret offered to do the piercing. Of the three of us, Dave volunteered me to go first as I was the oldest. So I sat down on the beach, and with a big sewing needle, Margaret just punched a hole through. Dave immediately said "No Way! My girlfriend can have the earring." It took Margaret about twenty minutes to finally get the hoop through the new holes. Harvard was next. Only they had more difficulty getting the curved earring through both the entry and exit holes. Several girls tried and finally after about an hour success.

7/30/87 Matindoni

tenting in Matindoni

Yesterday we said a sad farewell to Lamu and headed to Matindoni, the home of our dhow crews. Matindoni looked more like the poorer parts of Lamu but the people were very friendly.

Matindoni is the home of our dhow crews.

We are staying at Baba Chakula (father food) farm. His real name is Bousi. After settling in, we had a soccer game with the local boys. The field was nothing like I had ever played on, what with no less than seven coconut trees growing scattered about. Our team was helped a lot by the crew, but we didn’t have a bad team at all. We got the first goal and they got a penalty kick in the second half.

7/29/87 Lamu

at the Castle Inn

I spent time just walking around town, writing letters or a little reading. The people are so friendly, some just wanting to use their English. One young man stopped me on the street. He asked where I was from and welcomed me to Lamu. He said "don’t worry about the people here, they are all kind and no one steals." A few of us spent the morning at the museum.

This was a very Muslim town. All the women and older girls wore the full-length black purdas, most covering their faces in town. Every morning we were woken up by loud speakers calling "the faithful" to prayers, about 4:30am.

A mosque under construction.

7/28/87 Lamu

at the Castle Inn

This section is very different from the others at NOLS Kenya. We were given money for hotel and meals at restaurants. I was in the Castle Inn. My room was on the roof with a huge covered patio. The hotel was next door to the old fort. There was always a lot of activity there during the day. The fort is being renovated to house the Lamu Museum and provide educational resources to the local community. Lamu is also building a new hospital.

Lamu is built around the old fort.

I bought a few kongas for my mom and sister-in-law Barb, some leather sandals for me and a gold earring. Besides great hotels, the food is incredible. Last night we ate at the Equator, run by an old salty Englishman. It was very elegant by Lamu standards. Some of the group had huge crab while I had the best peppered steak I’ve ever eaten.

7/27/87 Lamu

at the Castle Inn

What can I say about Lamu? I did a lot of shopping and went to the beach this afternoon. Took pictures of the elaborate carved doors to the shops. Life here was on a very different time schedule. Breakfast was anytime after six. Some shops opened around eight but all were open by ten. But open hours were never posted. The people were active all morning until noon, then the shops closed for lunch and the hot part of the day. Around three, they all opened again and stayed open till about 10pm. Some shop keepers had fixed prices but a few would bargain.

Open vegetable market in front of our hotel

One of my new Kenyan friends, Bob, took me out to buy a kofia, a hat worn by the Muslim men. The teenage boys and younger wear western clothes, long pants and a T-shirts. All the other men were the full-length kikoi. Lamu has a lot of tourists so there is no wrong way to dress. But in all other places we go, it’s the only thing acceptable. The kikoi feels great, very liberating and cool as I’ve been wearing it for a couple of days.

7/26/87 Lamu

at the Castle Inn

We arrived in Mombasa around 8am with another four hours to kill before our flight left for Lamu. I ended up just writing letters. The town was in a great uproar because there were three or four US Navy ships in the port including a helicopter carrier. We got a good look from our small plane.

The Lamu waterfront at low tide

Lamu is on an island with no cars. The plane even lands on another island and it’s a five minute boat ride across to Lamu. We were met by Merle and a friend of NOLS, "Crazy Bob." After checking in we did some exploring. We all got together for a grilled lobster dinner for 60 shillings, about $4 at the Mzuri Kabisa.

7/25/87 Mombasa

on the "night train" to Mombasa

Well I lost another 280 shillings at the blackjack table at the casino. After that, we were off to dancing and "pombe baridi sana!" (very cold beer!). We were an out of control group on the dance floor. Arriving so late, they had to unlock the gate to let us in. The only trouble for me was starting to get sick again. I woke up early this morning with diarrhea so bad and no toilet paper to be found. The night watchman gave me a page of his newspaper.

We had the whole day to ourselves before we left on the night train. Besides last minute shopping, we went to the cinema where a James Bond film was playing. It was really scratched and at one point, got stuck and went up in flames. It was spliced every few minutes during the action. At intermission, we decided to catch a cab for the train station.

We loaded up in the very first train car behind the engine. It was great. The car was very old, the only one on the train, with really old woodwork. I really enjoyed it even though I was sick. While most of my cabin drank and played cards, I slept. Hopefully when we return on the train, I can do some exploring.

The 'Night Train' ready to leave Nairobi

7/24/87 Nairobi

Nairobi Youth Hostel

We left for the long trip back to Nairobi through Narok. There we checked into the Nairobi Youth Hostel. After a very satisfying meal of pizza, we head out to the casino with plans to sample some of Nairobi’s night life.

7/23/87 Nguruman Escarpment

end of the Nguruman Section

The Nguruman section is over. We all strolled into camp singing our group song. Last night, my sleep was pretty restless. That was the consensus of the whole group. We broke camp early and were on our way by 7am. We were greeted by cinnamon rolls as we walked into camp, but the first thing on my mind was pasta. Some of the people who fasted even had trouble keeping down their dinner.

A 'lean' hiking machine.

I bathed, put on a fresh pair of clothes, washed all my others and generally hung out. All week I’ve been wondering if my sister-in-law Barb had her baby. I keep hoping there’s a telegram or letter waiting for me in Nairobi with the news.

The fast wasn’t that bad. We did have fruit crystals which did have sugar. Lisa said it probably helped but it couldn’t supply all of our calorie needs. I was hungry but not like I’d expect after three days. I have lost a lot of weight though. I made my watch smaller on my wrist, and I’ve dropped down two notches on my belt. I tried to measure my waist, somewhere around 26", a drastic reduction from 31".

As far as the next section, I’m both excited and scared. This was the main reason I came to Kenya. I want so bad to learn more about the Arab or Muslim culture. I’m scared because I have such high hopes for the next couple of weeks. From now on we’re a group of tourists. I would love to travel a little bit on my own. I know I won’t fit in with the group as a whole. Individually, most of them are great people. But in a large group, the return to a group mentality. Just a bunch of college kids who don’t want to do anything but party.

7/22/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near the Ntuka River

Today was another normal hiking day. When we got to the river, we asked a Maasai and his two boys if there was a spring near by. So at least we had clean water. The heat wasn’t too bad, but the flies were terrible. We were all pretty bored. Food was the hot topic of the day. I read, I studied kiswahili but I just couldn’t keep busy.

7/21/87 Nguruman Escarpment

second camp on the Ewaso Nigro River

Today’s hike was pretty uneventful except for the beginning. We had to climb up and over two ridges. It was a pretty steep incline with a lot of thorns. Several people got puncture wounds from a large plant that looked like a mother-in-law tongue. They were about two inches in diameter and a very sharp point. Once we reached the top, we had plenty of good trails the whole way.

My fast is so-so. I’ve broken down and added fruit crystals to some of my water, chewing gum and even having hard candy and cocoa. I was a little upset today because as a hiking group, we were very lethargic. We’d hike for an hour, and then rest for an hour. One group decided to go ahead. They arrived at camp over an hour before us. I just wanted to get to camp. I’d much rather rest with my boots off, maybe on my sleeping bag, writing in my journal or studying kiswahili.

We had planned on camping at a spring about a half a kilometer from here but some local Maasai said a lion had been attacking cattle and they thought it had moved up around the spring.

Fording the stream was a little difficult. Instead of like yesterday, we all took off our boots. Almost in the middle I thought I was going in. Today it was about two feet deep while yesterday it probably was closer to twelve inches. Well only 36 hours and we’re as good as on the coast.

7/20/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near the Ewaso Nigro River

This morning we had a discussion with a local missionary named Phil. He tried to explain to us the governments position with regards to the Maasai. Kenyan government services completely ignore the area of the country where the Maasai live. Officials in Nairobi refuse to meet with any Maasai who is in traditional dress. "Sheets!" they say.

The government is also interfering with their social structure by dictating that there can not be any more morani. The Eunoto we saw was performed about five years early because of government pressure to reduce the number of warriors. He also shed a little more light on the violent ending of the graduation.

Phil said because so many Maasai boys are going to school while they are also morani, many of the traditional taboos are being ignored. Out of about 500 morani at the ceremony, only about a dozen could say they didn’t break any of the morani taboos. But those outside the special boma had decided that the taboos are meaningless now and that all of the morani should be allowed in. That’s when the elders stepped up and refused. The battle between the old and traditional and the new and modern.

After thanking Phil for talking to us, we prepared to leave. We had hiked about an hour when we came out onto an open field. Just to our right were about ten giraffe. They watched us but never ran. About this time, we saw two of the other groups come out into the open. We decided to all hike together but camp a little separated. Because we found well used footpaths, we ended up going to far north instead of north-east.

We stopped at a few manyatas and asked them how to get to the river. They walked with us a while until the trail became obvious. They laughed and smiled, talking a lot between themselves. We came to the edge of the escarpment and had a great view. You could see for miles a hot dry plain with our river making its way down.

The climb down was rocky and steep. But apparently, the women of the boma that gave us directions, must come down this same path to get water. About four older Maasai women passed us carrying water jugs as we started down.

View of the Ewaso Nigro from far above

Our camp was in a good spot. We could hear some very vocal hippos close to where we crossed the river. The fast is OK. I did have Tang in my water but I think I’ll try to keep it down to a minimum.

7/19/87 Nguruman Escarpment

resupply camp near Lenkototo River

Today we slept in late. We didn’t leave camp at least until noon. All morning we just sat around while Mike made a coffee cake. A local Maasai came to visit and this time he brought his spear. It was exactly like Robert’s but smaller. He wanted us to try and throw it. Dave, Mike and I gave both spears a try. Because Robert is used to throwing his heavy spear, he smiled when he threw the lighter one. My first throw was by far the best of any of the wazungu.

That's me, Dave, Maria and Aimee with Maasai Robert.

Our hike today probably only lasted an hour and a half. We made camp at our food drop point. I was surprised to see Steve’s (Mrefu) group walking down the road. I thought we were way ahead of the other groups. I later found out that all the groups had arrived and were camping near by. Before dinner, we used our walking sticks and a tennis ball to play a little game of golf. A few young Maasai boys stopped to watch. I think they were amused.

As I write, I am at the beginning of a four day fast. The school used to incorporate it in their programs to give it’s students the experience of hiking longer distances and time with no food. A scenario might be what would happen in an evacuation out of a remote area and food supplies ran out. Steve doesn’t even recommend it, but he says he can’t stop us from trying it. Looks like everyone except two people are going to try the fast. We will take soup and fruit crystals for those who will be on a liquid fast. Plus, we’re taking an emergency ration of food in case anyone gets sick or can’t continue the fast. I’m sort of looking forward to the challenge. I know I can do it, just for the satisfaction of stretching my limits. Maybe I can transfer some physical self-control to more mental and emotional aspects when dealing with other people.

7/18/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near Lenkototo River

We got an early start for the hike today. About two hours into the hike, we came across some more bomas. The people were a little unfriendly because we wouldn’t buy anything. The later part of the hike was entirely on trails worn smooth by the Maasai and their cattle. We could see a lot of sandal foot prints. When I was leading, I almost stepped on a huge jack rabbit. At the spring near the bomas, we came upon a blue monkey.

We finally decided to look for a camp by the river. It seemed like Grand Central Station. Maasai elders coming by every few minutes, wanting to sell things like Maasai arrows or another goat. To our surprise, the price for the goat was only 250 shillings.

Two elders greatly admired Robert’s spear. Its the best looking spear I’ve seen in Kenya, but Robert says it was made in Tanzania. They were comparing its weight and balance. They grabbed it at the very end and tried to see how long they could hold it out horizontal. It became a contest they wanted us all to try. Their next game of strength was to hold it extended by the end straight armed and lift it off the ground. Dave tried and could raise it about four times before his arm got tired. Robert did it about ten times without effort and then stopped. He looked like he could have done a lot more. The spear was very heavy.

I wasn’t that strong, so I tried to balance it straight up on my hand. They all cleared our as if I might drop it. I then balanced it on my finger. They seemed impressed because they couldn’t even do it for more than a second or two. Mike even tried to teach them to juggle.

After dinner, we made a birthday cake. Robert didn’t know when he was born so we decided to celebrate it today (any excuse to make a cake). We had him blow out a candle and make a wish. He tried teaching us a Maasai song but all we could get was the chorus. We asked him to teach us to dance tomorrow.

Robert told us a story of how he killed a lion as a warrior. A German came and asked to see Maasai morani kill a lion. Robert and about twenty other morani went with him to hunt. The found two lions. The German shot one and the other ran up into a tree. All the morani circled the tree. The lion was angry he thought. It kept jumping out of the tree, circle around it and then climb back up. Finally it attacked. It clawed the arms and chest of one morani and bit his shoulder. As the lion went for another morani, two others hit him with spears. Robert then cut off its hind legs with his sword. Then all the morani hacked it with their swords. It took two minutes to die. The German took pictures and paid each of the morani 1000 shillings.

My goat hair bracelet is drying nicely. No clouds tonight, so the stars are great. Most of the morning was cloudy but by afternoon it was very hot and dry.

7/17/87 Nguruman Escarpment

camp on Ol Keju Lenjutoto River

Today’s hike was pretty uneventful. We more or less followed the river north, passing a lot of high grass or thick brush closer to the river. Half of the time, you could feel the trail more than see it. We found leopard and lion tracks near some of the streams. Camp again was in a pretty good spot although the water was a little dirtier. While Aimee stayed in camp, the rest of us went to buy a goat for dinner.

Earlier in the day, Robert had said he saw some bomas but none of us could find them with our binoculars. We must have walked up an incline for about an hour, maybe three kilometers, before we finally came upon the bomas. We approached a group of elders and as custom, entered into small talk. The seemed curious about Maria’s blond hair, and about me. They called me "mzee" which is a sort of title for an elder. Sort of made me feel old. "I was only 29" I said. Guess my bald head elevated me in their minds.

We finally set off to find the goat herd. NOLS had provided us with some money if we wanted to buy a goat from the Maasai. In this kind of transaction, the seller picks the goat and gives a price. It must have taken them another 20 minutes of walking to find where the younger boys had taken the herd. We kept stopping and listening.

The afternoon walk was very hot. Even without our packs, we were all sweating profusely. The herd numbered at least a hundred with three boys in attendance. One of the older boys had a metal spear while the others only had wood. The smallest boy with only a small cloth draped over his shoulders and only one sandal handed Maria a very young lamb. The noisy little bugger had only been born today the elders had told her.

Robert was our spokesman. He said a medium size goat should only cost about 300 shillings. The goat they wanted to sell us was small and the elders wanted 430 shillings. Mike was short 10 shillings, but they held firm their price. No haggling. Finally, I came up with the other 10 shillings when they refused to lower the price.

We used Dave’s belt as a leash and started walking the reluctant goat back towards camp. Two of the Maasai came with us. Maria decided that the goat’s name should be Sammy. While hiking, we saw a group of a dozen giraffe. The amazing thing was that the Maasai led us straight back to our camp using different trails than we had used to get to the bomas.

At camp, Robert took the brown and white goat across the stream. He laid it on its side and clamped a hand around its mouth. I was surprised at how fast the goad died, a couple of minutes at the most. The other Maasai jumped in to help with the butchering while Robert prepared a roasting fire.

They made a cut along the length of the neck and pulled the hide away to make a sort of bowl shape. Then they punctured the jugular and filled the bowl shaped hide with blood. The Maasai then proceeded to drink the blood. I think that he would have loved to drink it all except Mike stopped him. As the say, "when in Rome..." We all ended up drinking some out of the neck except Aimee.

Then they continued to prepare the goat for cooking. The used just about everything. I was somewhat disappointed in my own reaction to butchering a goat that had lived just minutes before, which was none at all. I felt nothing, just a distance. One of the first things the Maasai ate were it’s testicals. I must tell you that I didn’t find the meat all that appetizing, very chewy.

During the meal in which we shared with the two Maasai, they sang just as they had done on the way to camp. One would sing a verse and then they both sang the chorus. One of the Maasai started to sing a song to Maria. When Robert laughed, Maria wanted to know what the song was about. He said it was a song for a Maasai lady.

Finally, before bed, Robert made a few of us goat hair bracelets. Our two friends left our camp and walked into the night without a good bye. They just seemed to disappear.

7/16/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite on Entosapia River

We did finally get out of the forest today. A few nettles but not as bad as the previous day. The walking was just as bad. We had better trails but more rocky terrain and a lot of it downhill. But you could see that the valley opened up onto a flat plain when looking through the trees. We were a bunch of happy campers when we stumbled out onto the grass. Just kilometers of knee-high grass dotted with acacia trees.

In the forest our biggest fear was buffalo. Now, here in the grass it was the cobra and black mamba, two very deadly snakes. The only wildlife we saw was a harem of impala that trotted off behind us. Our campsite couldn’t have been better. The river was large enough that we could have a bath, which we all needed badly. We had plenty of firewood and a clearing for the tents. Yesterday we had been short of our destination by a kilometer or two. Our route wasn’t really supposed to be down a cliff but down a gradual descent farther west. We were happy because today we camped just about where we had planned.

7/15/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite on Orkerii River

Last night we had a hard rain, the worst of the summer. It didn’t take long for us to realize that this old tent just wasn’t going to work. We had leaks everywhere, especially on the sides where I was sleeping. But to our surprise, we were all pretty dry in the morning. After a quick breakfast, we hit the trail.

Today was going to be real tough as we were entering the forest. Because of the trees, it was very difficult to see enough terrain to figure out where we were on the map. After a short time, Robert took us off the trail to see where he had lived as a morani. That was over four years ago and part of the lean-to was still standing. There was a sleeping area and a place to store meat. Even after the heavy rainfall the night before, that meat area was still dry. Robert told us he lived there for two months with seven other morani and two girls. The hunted elephant, buffalo and lion.

Back on the trail, we had what was thought to be our toughest section, up and over a ridge to get to a trail on the next ridge. It was incredible what we had to go through, thick dense underbrush, mostly stinging nettles and what they called a ngoja plant (from the word "wait!"). We were grateful we had walking sticks to hack through the brush and try to knock any nettles or ngoja down. The girls were at a disadvantage because they were hiking in skirts, this being Maasai country. I had nettle stings and thorn cuts on my arms while they also had them on their legs. The cuts only sting for a minute but from the nettles it can last an hour or longer.

We were greatly relieved when we found the trail on the next ridge. The trails we use in Africa are all made by animals and used by humans once in a great while. Sometimes they can be as wide as a car and then suddenly vanish. They branch off constantly, creating a maze in the forest. At one point, Maria and I were following closely just behind Robert when he stopped. He started to take off his backpack, I thought he might be stuck on a branch. Then he quickly got into a crouch, ran down the trail a few yards and heaved his spear. It was amazing watching it arc through the air.

The only thing we heard next was an incredible pounding on the ground. What ever it was, it was very heavy and running extremely fast. Robert came back to get his pack and we all set out to look for his spear. "A buffalo" he said. You could see the deep hoof marks in the ground as it made it’s getaway. The whole incident gave everyone a buzz.

All day on the trail, we had seen troops of baboons on the ground and more columbus monkeys in the trees. The black and white coloring makes them hard to see when they don’t move, but very easy to spot when flying through the treetops. It doesn’t seem that they favor their arms like other monkeys. The almost move through the branches like a dog running on all fours.

From the ridge we could see the river we were supposed to camp by. It just didn’t look easy to get to. The valley sides were very steep, some places pretty damn vertical. The problem was that we needed water and it was getting dark. Frustration levels peaked as we mostly slid down into the valley. A closer look at the map showed this hillside was a cliff. The grade was so steep, the contour lines couldn’t all be shown because they were to close together.

The only way to the river was to slide down this hill.

We made the river just at sunset, very tired and sore. The flat spot we found was barely big enough for two tents side-by-side. That didn’t leave much space to make a fire and cook. You had to very careful. Not two feet straight out from the tent was a drop-off into the river. Not ideal but the only way to put the tents. I think we were all glad to leave that campsite as early as possible in the morning.

7/14/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near Oloilokitok River

This morning we started on our hike through the Loita Hills, Maasai country. The course divided into four smaller groups, all hiking separate ways. My group is Dave, our leader, Amy, and Maria. Our instructor for the first six days will be Mike and Robert is also coming along. We moved very fast covering eleven kilometers in about three hours. With Robert as a sort of guide, we traveled on trails used by the Maasai.

The compound of a labonne, one of the tribal chiefs,
who has 29 wives and at last count, 110 children.

Camp was in a clearing just outside the forest. Our water supply was little more than a trickle. We dug out a few of the rocks so it would be easier to get water. We found ourselves sitting in camp with all this free time. Robert took us all into the woods to cut walking sticks. He told us to char the outside in the fire. Robert took one of the sticks, bent it to crack the bark. It all came off so easy, just peeling off. After that he made Dave and Mike a throwing stick. They’re really psyched about getting a guinea fowl. During dinner, we could see a large group of buffalo from our campsite.

7/13/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near Entesekera

Last night after getting to camp, we set off following Daniel to his boma. I was very comfortable since I’d already been in several bomas. But it was a new experience for Mike and Maria. As with all of our Maasai hosts, we were offered chai. At first it was only Daniel and his wife holding their youngest infant, then the grandmother came in. After she got comfortable and taking a pinch of snuff, she started to talk about the evenings events of the morani with the rest of the family. During the high point, she seemed to indicate that is was the responsibility of the older women and other warriors to protect the "possessed" morani from hurting themselves. She was describing the events in kimaa, but with her gestures and sound effects, it was entrancing. There was a lot of laughter which was in contrast with what we experienced. After her long conversation, she left for her boma.

Daniel

Daniel was curious to know how many children I had. I told him I wasn’t married, so I didn’t have any offspring. He suggested I get a Maasai wife and everyone laughed. I admit I wasn’t sure he was joking at first. Several of Daniel’s brothers, including Robert, also came for a little late night small talk. Daniel told us that if we had to get up and pee during the night, to please not step on him. His wife had pulled one of the cowhides off the bed and put it on the floor.

He told us that one of his four labonnes, tribal chiefs, had 29 wives and at last count, 110 children. We asked more about his home. He said they had lived in it for five years and would stay another five. The wood was a special wood that could last more than twenty years. It took about a month for a Kikuyu carpenter to build, while a traditional Maasai home would take only about a week.

We said our good night’s and piled into bed. Basically it was a raised floor, with wooden slats and a cowhide cover. I slept on the end closest to the calf holding room. I could hear them breathing, and occasionally pissing, all night long. I would swear that I heard a mouse in the walls. They were made about six inches thick with leaves and such used for insulation. Maria said she could hear the baby nursing all night. He was a loud sucker!

But besides being a little cramped, I slept very well. Because they don’t have windows, it was well after sunrise before we got up. Again, Daniel’s brothers came by for a few minutes to chat while the cows were being milked by the women. Grandmother came by to watch the baby. The one small opening in the kitchen wall let in a sliver of light. It was mesmerizing, the swirls of smoke in the light and dust appeared like meteors and died just as quickly. Grandmother did just as grandmothers do all over the world, singing to her grandchild and bounced him on her knee.

The Maasai don’t use diapers on their infants. And when I heard the infant’s sigh of relief, I knew what the pile on grandmothers lap was. Grandmother calmly asked one of the other children to get her a cloth and waited patiently. We soon said our good bye’s and many thank you’s to our hosts, setting off to join our classmates at the campsite.

A few moran stop by for some chai

Daniel laughed when we asked him about the events with the morani. It seemed much more upsetting to the junior elders. Daniel even laughed up a storm when he described how he whacked the morani with a switch stick.

7/12/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near Entesekera

We left camp early this morning so we wouldn’t miss anything. We arrived as before but this time the girls were left alone. The morani were dressed in short togas, their hair braided and red ocher painted on everything. They all had some beaded jewelry and wooden spears. Everyone was dressed in red except one very energetic little boy dressed in black. It was as if he was the court jester of the tribe. Something about his eyes said he was sick, but the Maasai avoided him as if he was "unclean." There were a lot of morani dancing. They would jump in pairs or alone while the group chanted and bounced along. Then they would stop for a second and one moran would sing a verse.

Two girls watch the festivities

At first I just didn’t feel right about taking pictures. We were told that some people, especially the old, might be offended. Some thought of cameras as "soul stealers" just like the American Indian. But as others took started to take photographs, it was the morani and children who mobbed us. Not to have us take their picture but to take the pictures themselves. After awhile, one of the chiefs started the morani on a procession around the inside of the ceremonial boma circle. In front were about ten morani who had killed lions with spear and sword. You could tell them by their lion mane headdress. Then came about forty morani with shields. These were the most respected and they were their leaders. The procession moved both inside and outside the circle of bomas.

Warriors with lion mane headdress

The bravest forty-nine had their heads shaved the previous night. The procession of some four hundred warriors began the trek down to the river near our camp. There, they were going to paint chalk on their bodies.

Three friends

Maasai travel from all over the border between Kenya and Tanzania. This event happens only once ever nine or ten years, so we were very lucky to witness it at all. The Maasai have even said that because of pressure from the government, this could be the last big eunoto. Because of the "civilizing" of the Kenya, many of the duties of a warrior would cease to be allowed. Lions were to be protected. Cattle stealing and war on neighboring tribes would be illegal. And no matter what, it will loose some of it’s significance.

400 strong leave for their last meal together as warriors

I just don’t think I can convey the intensity of this evening. The morani spent the afternoon down by the river getting painted with white chalk. A cow was slaughtered and cooked. It was to be their last meal together as morani. In the late afternoon the morani started a procession back up to the celebration. They were impressive! Each had different designs painted all over their bodies. They wore only the smallest toga as to expose all the paint. Atop their wooden spears, they had a piece of red cloth, almost like a flag. In the setting red sun, the four hundred strong, flags waving in the breeze, shouted and screamed as they marched.

All watch the morani join the procession

The procession moved inside the ring of bomas and continued in a circle. They stopped and knelt down. As the kudu horn continued to sound, the morani chanted and bobbed their heads. Then, they stood up in unison, spears held horizontal, as if they were lifting a giant ring. During the procession, I saw one moran with red stripe painted on his chest. Duritu explained that told everyone that the warrior had killed a man as a moran.

A few of us had moved toward the center of the circle to get a better view. Then the morani started to run toward a special boma built in the center of the compound. Inside this boma, reserved for the morani who hadn’t broken any of the warrior taboos, were supposed to be gifts, beer, rewards, and even rumored, women. A death curse kept any from entering except the few. They ran around it faster and faster. Then all hell broke loose. The elders started to beat the morani with sticks to chase them away from the boma. Several went into seizures, others walked as if zombies, it was crazy. One moran near me started swinging his spear wildly. Other morani fell to the ground, going into spasms and making wild, scary noises. Somehow my classmates started to regroup and head for the outside of the ceremonial ring of bomas.

Elders took all the spears away from the morani. There was a long and intense discussion between our leaders and the elders. The warriors had asked that the death curse be lifted off of the special boma. Many of the morani taboos do not fit well in "modern" Kenya life for a teenager, especially those attending school. The morani felt they were being punished wrongly because they said that the breaking of the taboos were not their fault. That’s when all the chaos started. We were advised by some of the elders to leave and head for our camp before dark. The morani were being sent out to spend the night in the forest as a punishment. Because our truck wouldn’t hold everyone, several of us had to walk the three kilometers back to camp.

After the bizarre happenings, our adrenaline and imaginations were at a fever high. We weren’t even half way back to camp when it got dark. Even though it was a night of the full moon, it hadn’t risen yet. We walked in pitch dark. Daniel’s brother, Robert, a junior elder, was our guide and some of us felt, our protector. We passed what sounded like a large group of Maasai women and young girls. I kept hearing "wazungu." They laughed a lot and I had the feeling it was at us.

All of a sudden I was walking alongside a moran. It was so dark I couldn’t even see the white shirt of my classmate in front of me. So you could imagine how I felt when the moran appeared. He tried to talk to me but I didn’t understand kimaa. Then he held my hand for a few minutes and then let go. I can’t say I was scared, but pretty nervous. Later when I told the story, the classmate that walked behind me said he never saw a thing.

The trail splint off the main road and we walked along for awhile. As we neared a boma and Robert directed toward it. We climbed over the brush fence and were invited in for chai. The only light inside was provided by the cooking fire. It was very hot inside a somewhat smokey. The Maasai don’t put chimney’s in the roof. Our hosts were a husband and wife, with several children and an infant.

I think because of the culture shock of the celebration, most of the group were apprehensive about accepting our hosts hospitality. Somehow I was one of the few to actually be thankful for a cup of chai. The tea with a little added milk and sugar was hot and sweet. Very relaxing after our exciting evening.

Leaving was another jolt of culture shock. It was still pitch black so I didn’t see the cow I stepped on. The cattle are collected at night within the boma fence to protect against lions. They were packed in so tight, we had to climb over several to get to the fence. All I could think about was getting a horn in the groin. Camp wasn’t very far from here.

I thought the chai at the boma was a good ending to an already packed day. But once we arrived back at camp, we were asked if any of us would be interested in spending the night at Daniel’s boma. Despite everything that had happened tonight, Maria, Mike and I thought it would be great to spend more time in a boma, icing on the cake of our day.

7/11/87 Nguruman Escarpment

campsite near Entesekera

This morning we started the long drive through Maasai country to a place called Entesekera. Once, when we stopped along the road to rest, two Maasai women and two more morani (warriors) came over to talk to us. Duritu speaks kimaa. Some of our guys gave the mother some snuff. All along the way we saw morani herding cattle and small boys with the goats. Our camp puts us within fifteen kilometers of Tanzania. Tomorrow we split up into four groups and the following day we start hiking again.

Old reliable, our Toyota

This afternoon while the girls were bathing near the river, a few of the guys went with our host, Daniel, to his home. His wives and children greeted us. Daniel asked us if we would like to go inside. As you entered, you found yourself in a large entry room. From there, you had access to a holding pen for the very young calves, protection from preying animals. Then we proceeded farther inside to the kitchen-dining area. We sat on short benches looking at the two beds that were only covered with cowhide. The stove looked like a homemade hibachi. Daniel told us it wasn’t a Maasai-style boma (home) but one built by Kikuyu. Instead of a flat roof, it had a steep thatched on.

When we came back, Steve had a great surprise for us. We had just arrived at the same time as a Maasai celebration called a Eunoto. This is when the morani warriors are elevated to lesser elders. We were being allowed to go to a special place where the event was taking place.

Groups of warriors dancing to a chant.

A large ring of bomas were built about a month ago, numbering 93, a special number to the Maasai. Most of the day’s celebrating had already taken place, so we turned out to be the big attraction. I had what seemed like hundreds of morani and children rub my beard, the white skin on my arms, touch my bald forehead and pull at my chest hair sticking out of my shirt. They seemed most interested in the girls with long blond hair. But probably most disturbing to the girls was the grabbing of their breasts by the older women. I asked Steve and Duritu about this and they said the women were just amazed at girls having larger breasts and not have a baby.

These kids thought us curious

Most of the morani were very thin but still strong. They kept trying to get the guys into tests of strength. Others wanted to use their english, which was very good. When we got back to camp, we were told we might be able to come back tomorrow and take pictures of the eunoto.

7/10/87 Masai Mara

campsite near Keekorrok

Today was the last of the game drives, but it was by far the best. Almost immediately this morning we came upon a small group of lions, two males and one female, stalking cape buffalo. Later we drove up on a whole pride of lions. It was hard to count them all, several females and a lot of cubs. The closer our driver tried to get, the deeper in the grass the cubs would go.

Giraffe (twiga)

After a week of game drives, many animals seem as common place as cattle on the range. In a single day you see thousands of zebra and wildebeest, hopi, gazelle and water buffalo. On the evening drive we saw two hyenas trying to get at an injured wildebeest in a group of about a dozen huddled together. Tomorrow we leave the research station near Keekorrok and head east for the Nguruman.

Zebra as far as the eye can see

7/9/87 Masai Mara

campsite near Keekorrok

Last night we had a couple of hyenas and a lion stroll through camp. Today we headed out for lunch at the Mara Serena Lodge, a posh resort overlooking the savanna. This was where the Europeans definitely went, Germans, French, and English. From camp, we could see small planes arrive and depart the lodge almost hourly. Lunch was a choice of liver or ox-tail.

Maria, Katy, Marshall and Harvard
enjoy the hospitality of the Mara Serena Lodge.

Before leaving, we had a little stick-ball game using a tennis ball we bought in Nakuru. A lot of Kenyans sat and watched. Even Duritu and Mbugua gave it a try. At the lodge I was able to use my first ‘real’ bathroom in three weeks. A real white toilet to sit on and toilet paper to use instead of leaves or grass.

A vervet monkey in the trees

On the drive to the next camp, we came across a cobra laying in the road. Mike drove around it but a truck was coming fast. The snake quickly moved to directly behind us and reared up with it’s hood flared looking towards the passing truck. It then slithered off into the grass.

7/8/87 Masai Mara

Crocodile Camp

This place is amazing! A baboon tried to join us for breakfast and an elephant walked right in front of me, about a hundred yards, while I was taking a crap.

Our fresh produce tempted a few fearless males from a passing baboon troop

This baboon got too close to our campsite and is barking back a reply to our driver who is reloading his slingshot with another ball bearing

As with the other game drives, we were up and moving before sunrise. We were able to follow a herd of elephants for a long stretch, getting real close a couple of times. After breakfast, we had a few more classes. Maria gave one on the Rift Valley. Steve gave his on the predator-prey relationships and Duritu gave us a history of the political history of Kenya including a little information on the current political situation.

An impala male with his female herd

Today’s game drive was the best ever, just incredible! We came upon two female lions about a half a kilometer from camp. One sat high on a termite mound looking out over the savanna. We just sat there a watched for a while.

A few Thompson’s gazelle were grazing upwind. One lion started to move out toward them. When she appeared in position, the other started to move in a wide circle around the gazelle. The gazelle suddenly saw the one circling and took off. The two lions were definitely working together it seemed to drive the gazelle into the jaws of the lion that waited upwind. But the circling lion hadn’t moved around far enough and the gazelle took off to the left of the waiting lion. We must have watched them hunt for an hour.

We then headed out to a more remote area away from our camp. Our driver had seen the rangers truck heading out for their daily check of the few rhinos in the reserve. There we were able to see a lone female white rhino.

A rare white rhino (kifaru)

7/7/87 Masai Mara

Masai Mara Game Reserve

After some breakfast and last minute shopping in Nakuru, we headed out for the long drive to Masai Mara. All along the highway, we could see giraffe, zebra, gazelle and ostrich. But we also started to see a lot of Masai herders, distinct with their red clothing, spear and ear decorations. Our new word for the day is "Soba", kimaa (language of the Masai) for hello. I couldn’t get over the feeling that every town we passed through reminded me of the American Old West.

In Narok, we stopped for lunch of mendazi and samosa. Mendazi is a fried sweet dough and samosa is a deep fried dough wrap covering meat, sausage or potatoes. Narok was a real tourist hangout outside of the Masai Mara. You could buy jewelry, spears, shields and throwing clubs.

We saw a herd of elephants as soon as we went in the gate of the Masai Mara Game Reserve. We’re not camped more than a hundred feet from the Mara River in which a group of hippos gave us a noisy welcome. The ranger warned us that elephants and lions had come through this camp in the past and that if we needed to use the choo (toilet) during the night, to stay very close to the tents.

Elephants just passing by

Be careful when you're near the river

7/6/87 Lake Nakuru

staying near Lake Nakuru

This morning we set out to watch the sunrise from a cliff overlooking the lake. Then came our morning game run. We saw warthog, fish eagle, Rothchild giraffe, Thompson’s gazelle, impala and many more birds.

Lake Nakuru is a shallow salt lake with an alot of brine shrimp.
Flamingos could be seen to almost ring the entire lake.
That's Becky trying to get a good photo.

Camp life for me isn’t that great because I’ve been sick the last two days. It’s probably a combination of a change of diet, riding in the back of a bouncing truck and just dumb luck. After going to the market in Nakuru, we went to a Kenyan restaurant inside the Thiriku Hotel. We ate ngombe and chapati for about 16 shillings per person, plus a coke. Then we ordered the ndizi special, which we thought was a dessert. Wrong! It was a banana, potato and meat stew.

During the game drives I’ve felt a little down. Partly because I’m not feeling well, but mostly because everything goes by so fast. We drive around in safari vans, stopping just long enough to photograph the animal and quickly move on. I’d just love to stop and watch for a while, maybe draw a picture or two. Maybe I’ll just have to wait until we’re on foot again.

The easy camp life inside the Lake Nakuru Game Reserve
while on on photo safari.

This afternoon after a kiswahili lesson given by Duritu, we headed out to the Lake Nakuru Safari Club hostel. There, we were given a slide show and discussed what was being done to make the park an educational tool in the schools, especially in Nakuru. The hostel was an old colonial farm house with a lot of character. Then it was off for another game drive.

We saw a bunch of different types of eagles and one eland. The eland is very smart but very shy. I could barely see him off in the distance with my binoculars. I think everyone is ready to move on to other things. But we are adjusting to the comforts of truck camping with it’s fresh food, lanterns, an occasional beer after dinner and some even are trying a little snuff.

Sunset over Lake Nakuru.

7/5/87 Lake Nakuru

The high point of the 4th of July, besides group B coming back from the mountain, was the hamburgers and fireworks. Bena’s children were there and had a lot of fun with the sparklers. I think we all enjoyed the fireworks.

After getting gas here in Kiganjo, we headed west
across Aberdare National Park to Nakuru.

We loaded up the vehicles this morning and headed for Nakuru, Kenya’s fourth largest city. We were given money to buy enough food for the next eight days. The market wasn’t very big but it didn’t lack any exotic flavor. We tried out our kiswahili, haggling over prices and generally stuck out like a sore thumb. Our shopping list included onions, cabbage, mangoes, pineapple, potatoes, bananas, carrots, beans, peas and okra.

Even in small towns with dirt streets,
stores put up Coca-Cola signs just for free paint.

Lake Nakuru and our campsite were only ten minutes out of the city. We certainly didn’t have to wait long for our first exposure to wildlife. Baboons came strolling through our campsite shortly after setting up our tents. This evening we set out for our first game drive in which we saw monkeys, water buffalo, water buck, and flamingos.

7/4/87 Naru Moru

staying at NOLS Headquarters

I have to admit that my first night off the mountain was miserable. They issued us very thin sleeping bags for the next section. As it got colder when we went to bed, my tent-mate Annie suddenly realized she didn’t have a sleeping bag. She’d been so busy with other stuff today that she somehow didn’t one when she picked up her issued gear. I opened up mine and we both used it as a blanket. It was cold and drafty but the only warm clothes I had were still wet and hanging on the line. I really didn’t mind. This morning we had a great breakfast of banana pancakes.

7/3/87 Naru Moru

back at NOLS near Naru Moru

We slept a little late but by 10am we were all excited to hike the final four kilometers to the house. It wasn’t too long before we passed a school and all the students came out to see us. By the time we reached the NOLS gate, we probably had a hundred teenagers walking with us. The were trying out their english and we were doing a terrible job speaking kiswahili. A few of the girls exchanged addresses. Just before lunch, we all walked into the NOLS compound together, with Maria there to open the gate and greet us. I was so happy to see her and be back at the house.

After much needed showers, we had quiche for lunch. Most of the afternoon we read letters from home, turned in gear and washed clothes. Cleaning the clothes seemed to take forever and the rinse water still came out brown. Dinner was sliced beef and gravy. After three weeks of powdered, instant everything, the meat was very welcome. After dinner, it was all beer and dancing. I started out to cut a mean rug dancing but after a while I felt isolated. Not by any of the group, but my friends back home. My peers back in Kansas City just don’t do the things that I do. It makes you feel very alone.

Dear Family, Well, I'm sitting in the dinning area. Foods on in fifteen minutes. My clothes from the mountain are all washed. So now I'm writing letters and drinking "Tusker". We have a three beer limit so I bought all three. We walked with 60-70 pound packs an average of 8 kilometers a day also with an elevation gain of 1500'. We climbed Point Lanana, the 3rd highest point on Mount Kenya. Tell grandma I learned to play pinnacle and had the highest game in all of Africa. One of my best friends is Peter "Mbugua". He was one of my first tent mates. He's Kikuyu and is always telling me about his culture. Sorry Dad, Boy Scouts never hiked this far, this high or with packs so heavy. We carried all gear, stoves, kerosene and food for eight days. We did a lot of rock climbing, classes in first aid, kiswahili, geology, natural history and map reading. I was group leader one day and we sort of got lost. Cooking was very creative. We had pizza, cake and I baked a great coffee cake. We all lost a lot of weight. We have a big 4th of July party tomorrow, complete with hamburgers and fireworks. A bit more about my fellow students. They're all young and in college. I'm even older than my three instructors. I've made some real good friends, Dave from Atlanta, Harvard and Marshal from Virginia, Bo from Pennsylvania, Becky from Hanover, Annie from Delaware, and Mbugua from Naro Moru. Yesterday I was greeting a lot of farmers in the fields. Their smiles told me how well they appreciated my speaking kiswahili. I hope everything is going great. Send a telegram when Mike and Barb's baby comes. Be happy. Love, Jim WRITE

7/2/87 Mt Kenya

campsite along Southern Naru Moru River

What a great day! At 1pm, Dave yelled "Homeboy!" The other group were all sitting at the intersection of the Naru Moru Park Road and the Link Road. Harvard, Marshal, Annie, Jack and Amy were a little dirty but overjoyed to see us. The had been lost in the bamboo for two solid days. We exchanged stories, although ours weren’t as good as the hardship you see on their faces.

What a great day!
We found Harvard, Marshal, Annie, Jack & Amy
a little dirty but overjoyed to see us.
They had been lost in the bamboo forest for two solid days.

In the morning, we slept in and then fixed up a wonderful batch of pancakes. We finally broke camp about 9am. We passed many farmers today. They were very happy when we greeted them in kiswahili. And their children laughed. It was about then that we saw the other group.

We all took off for the Southern Naru Moru River. After we made camp, Harvard and his group took to the river to wash up while the rest of us got food and drinks prepared. After an afternoon rain shower, we went up to the road to greet a family at the river for water. Most of his children had never seen a white person. Mbugua gave the children pieces of candy and they shook our hands goodbye. The father came back later with a big bag of potatoes. We gave him hot soup and some sugar and rice as thanks. We proceeded to fry up potatoes.

Mbugua told us that the people around the forest farmed their plots of land for about three years and then planted trees. They were then moved or "shifted" to other plots. Most planted potatoes, maize and peas. A farmer could make a lot of money by selling a lorry of potatoes. I feel like an intruder here. Today I kept telling Mbugua all the great things we could send him from America. I was doing just the thing I swore I’d never do. I must start learning to see what’s around me and learn more about Kenya and it’s people instead of thinking how America can ‘fix’ things here.

The great shocker tonight was when the last group strolled into our camp. The whole class together a day early. We cranked up a bunch more stoves and just kept the food coming. The third group had stories about like Harvard’s group - impenetrable bamboo and rain, mud and dung. Dave and I felt out of sorts. Almost like we missed something the others had found, a test of our own personal strength of will power. But we were glad we didn’t get ‘tested.’ We were lucky.

I go to sleep tonight with all my friends together, a little ragged but all well and happy. And, just hopefully, a little seed of self awareness, a beginning of human understanding has started to grow inside of me.

7/1/87 Mt Kenya

campsite near Gathiuru

We had hoped that this morning we would have clear skies but we were wrong. We left about 8am. Dave and Mbugua were at odds over how to go. I must admit I had a blind faith in Mbugua because he had been on the Burguret Track (our trail) about a year ago. I knew we were close so I didn’t want to side with either of them. About an hour later we found a trail marker but lost the trail almost immediately. We found a second marker an hour later. Soon after that, we found the track and never lost it again.

No one uses the trail anymore except elephants and buffalo. There was elephant sign everywhere. Some of the trail was completely blocked by bamboo destroyed by the elephants. We moved as fast as we could. We had little trail food left and very little water. No matter how tired we felt, how hungry we were or how bad the blisters were on our feet, we were bound and determined to get out of the bamboo forest before the afternoon rains would come for sure.

Our starting point this morning near Highland Castle was at the beginning of a giant heath zone. A stark contrast later when we tried to hike through the very dense bamboo forest. The day was hot and always threatening rain. In the late afternoon I could see the bamboo start to thin out and give way to large wood trees. The bamboo grew in clumps here and was shorter. The track got more and more like a dirt road. Finally, we were in planted forest. We got off the road and headed southwest. It had been a tough day of hiking and our patience was at a breaking point.

Finally our path opens into a small clearing.
The bamboo seemed to take every opportunity
to catch on our packs and trip our feet.

Our speed and spirits soared after finding the dirt logging road
that would lead us out of the park and onto Naro Moru.

We had been moving fast. We were tired, hungry, sore and to top it off, we kept hiking through stinging nettles. It was a god send when we hit the road. But we couldn’t stop because we still badly needed water. The Burguret River was only a couple of kilometers ahead. As the forest thinned out, we began to see some small farm plots with people working the fields. We made camp about 4pm, eight hours and sixteen kilometers later. In celebration, we decided to have a feast of deep dish pizza and strawberry cake. It rained during dinner but we were content because we had made it to the road and dry under our rain fly.