Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
3.12.06
The Rest of Kenya
Over the 10 days we were in Kenya we visited an orphanage near Nairobi, camped in Lake Nukuru national park and spent the day in the park, went to Lake Bagoria to see the geysers, camped at Lake Baringo and had a boat trip as well as visiting a local school, visited Nukuru town, camped at Lake Naivasha , climbed the nearbye Longonot volcano and had a cream tea on the lawn at Elsamere (Joy Adamson's house), we visited the Masai Mara and also a Masai village, we drove across rivers, got stuck loads of times and had one hell of an adventure.
I didn't take many photos, most of my time I was videoing the trip - to be edited later. We both enjoyed it more than last year - we had a great atmosphere on the truck, perhaps because of the conditions, perhaps the kids were just a good mix - I don't know. I finally have students who can embarass me thanks to Isabelle telling them a little too much about the occasional romantic gesture I might make. The older students made it so easy for everyone to become a big gang and it was quite sad to split up at the end. There's almost a shared feeling when you walk round school and see the other members of 'TRUCK A'
I didn't take many photos, most of my time I was videoing the trip - to be edited later. We both enjoyed it more than last year - we had a great atmosphere on the truck, perhaps because of the conditions, perhaps the kids were just a good mix - I don't know. I finally have students who can embarass me thanks to Isabelle telling them a little too much about the occasional romantic gesture I might make. The older students made it so easy for everyone to become a big gang and it was quite sad to split up at the end. There's almost a shared feeling when you walk round school and see the other members of 'TRUCK A'
Masai Village
We visited a Masai village on the way back to Nairobi from the Masai Mara. We were already in the rainy season and the roads were getting worse.
The village experience was superb for the students, a big village with maybe 20 huts and about 100 people living there. The warriors had been dragged in from the surrounding area and danced for everyone. The kids didn't even notice the cow dung everywhere, they were gradually becoming relaxed in this environment.
The village experience was superb for the students, a big village with maybe 20 huts and about 100 people living there. The warriors had been dragged in from the surrounding area and danced for everyone. The kids didn't even notice the cow dung everywhere, they were gradually becoming relaxed in this environment.
Orphanage singing
In an orphanage just outside Nairobi we were greeted with some amazing singing by the 80 girl residents and 19 boys. We had been the year before and seen the foundations of the building being laid....now it was a room!!
They sang for us for about half an hour and the WIS students and staff were just stunned by it all - the atmosphere was electric.
They sang for us for about half an hour and the WIS students and staff were just stunned by it all - the atmosphere was electric.
24.10.06
23.10.06
8.12.05
7.12.05
Callum on Longonot rim
Callum: "I've got blisters"
Me: "Shut up Callum, you've been walking for 30 seconds"
Me: "No you haven't, stop being pathetic, if you've got any blisters I will eat my head"
Callum: "I really have, can I take my socks off please"
Me: "Grrrr...yes you can" (angrily)
Callum: "See!!!!!" (gesturing at his feet)
Me: "There is not even a hint of a blister Callum, stop giving up before you've started"
Callum: "But I can't do it"
For the next two hours we did one step, one breath.
I have the patience of a saint.
Callum was very proud when he got to the rim of the volcano and wanted to carry on.
"I think you've walked enough today Callum" as I raced off round the rim to reach the summit leaving Callum to the care of a nice Upper School student.
"That is good!!!"
We finally arrived in Kenya after weeks of planning and a fair bit of stress and had a wonderful morning at an orphanage just outside Nairobi, singing songs, playing games and watching all the kids interact in a really relaxed way. Everyone was on a high and some of the singing by the girls living there was brilliant. Brian, a little Korean boy recorded one of them singing and this photo shows her listening to herself on his headphones.
20.11.05
Kenya
In November 2005 we took 61 students from our school to Kenya, we flew into Nairobi, visited Nukuru NP, Naivasha, Lake Baringo, Lake Bunyoni and the Masai Mara.
11.6.03
Trans Africa - Dover to Nairobi
We left Dover in November 2002 and travelled in an overland truck via France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritani, Mali, Burkino Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, Ethipia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and eventually back to Kenya. We travelled just over 30,000km and we arrived in May 2003
10.5.03
Morocco & Western Sahara
We spent about 3 weeks in Morocco, mainly getting visas in Casablanca. We managed to visit Rabat, Fes, Marakesh,Volubilis and also crossed the Atlas to Todra gorge and some of the old mud towns, wild camping everywhere apart from the cities.
Due to the unreasonableness of the Mauritanian embassy in Rabat one of us had to take all the passports back to London and get the visas there as they refused to give group visas to people entering from the disputed territory of Western Sahara. We were lucky that the Morocooan army had recently stopped the convoy system for travelling through Western Sahara and once we had the visas we were free to drive down the coast in our own time.
The border between Western Sahara and Mauritania was only recently opened and the road was just sand, we needed a guide to avoid all the landmines dotted around the border and spent load of time sand matting wherever the sand got too deep. It was hard work.
Due to the unreasonableness of the Mauritanian embassy in Rabat one of us had to take all the passports back to London and get the visas there as they refused to give group visas to people entering from the disputed territory of Western Sahara. We were lucky that the Morocooan army had recently stopped the convoy system for travelling through Western Sahara and once we had the visas we were free to drive down the coast in our own time.
The border between Western Sahara and Mauritania was only recently opened and the road was just sand, we needed a guide to avoid all the landmines dotted around the border and spent load of time sand matting wherever the sand got too deep. It was hard work.
9.5.03
Mauritania
After crossing into Mauritania we stopped in Nouadhibou where we visited a peninsula armed with our video camera - after playing around we were arrested and (having hidden all our money in our underwear) payed a small bribe to a slimey officer to get back to the truck. We then found a guide and travelled for 5 days throught the Sahara, crossing 60 miles of it on a beach at low tide (the only route through). Eventually we reached Nouakchott, relaxed on the beach watching the fishing boats and then drove inland down an amazing Japanese built road towards Nema. We planned to cross the border into Mali but some more dodgy customs officers decided to try and charge us $50 each for the pleasure of leaving Mauritania, on route to the border post we grabbed our passports off one of the soldiers ran back to the trucks and drove off into the desert towards Mali knowing full well that the border guards had no radio, no vehicle and no chance of catching us. Eventually we stopped at a village and realised we were in Mali.
8.5.03
Mali
Mali was wonderful - we headed for Bamako, saw Alpha Blondy play in the National Football Stadium, wandered around, and then drove up to Mopti. From there we got a boat down the Niger river to the amazing Mosque at Djenne and then headed North West to Dogon country. Here we trekked for 4 days along the Dogon escarpment staying on the roof of the chief's hut in each village. The Dogon people have lived on the edge of the Sahara since they fled the Muslims in the 9th century and are absolutely amazing. In the far North they're all Animist, and as you head South they become more Christian and Muslim. There are still human sacrifices in some of the villages (we avoided one, walking with some very scared villagers) and their lifestyle is fascinating, managing to exist in a small patch of land on top, in, and below the cliffs of the escarpment. They keep crocodiles, build amazing huts and still wear traditional costume when they can. The Mali government just leave them alone. Brilliant!!
Burkino Faso and Ghana
We travelled quickly through Burkino Faso staying in the capital Ouagadougou for one night camping in the grounds of a rather posh hotel.
We then travelled across the border into Ghana and visited Mole National park where we saw elephants close up on a game walk. After this we left the truck to stay at Boabeng Fiema monkey sanctuary before hitching South to Cape Coast and the slave forts. We stayed a few days in a deserted Tourist resort and then headed to Accra to meet up with the truck again. After a few days on the beach at Big Millies we crossed the border in to Togo.
We then travelled across the border into Ghana and visited Mole National park where we saw elephants close up on a game walk. After this we left the truck to stay at Boabeng Fiema monkey sanctuary before hitching South to Cape Coast and the slave forts. We stayed a few days in a deserted Tourist resort and then headed to Accra to meet up with the truck again. After a few days on the beach at Big Millies we crossed the border in to Togo.
Togo, Benin & Nigeria
We stayed in Lome the capital of Togo, before crossing the border into Benin. Here we visited one of the floating villages in the delta and then drove to Cotonou to see the point where millions of slaves were taken to the Caribean by the slave traders.
Once in Nigeria we drove to Lagos - the scariest place I have ever been and then headed North to Abuja the new capital city of Nigeria. Here we camped in the backyard of the Sheraton hotel, used their facilities and a splendid time relaxing. Wild camping in Nigeria is seriously difficult as it's so highly populated and we spent a lot of time avoiding scary soldiers demanding bribes at road blocks and searching for secluded places to camp. Once away from the cities Nigeria was superb, but we were glad to leave for Cameroon from Calabar down one of the worst border roads I have ever seen.
Once in Nigeria we drove to Lagos - the scariest place I have ever been and then headed North to Abuja the new capital city of Nigeria. Here we camped in the backyard of the Sheraton hotel, used their facilities and a splendid time relaxing. Wild camping in Nigeria is seriously difficult as it's so highly populated and we spent a lot of time avoiding scary soldiers demanding bribes at road blocks and searching for secluded places to camp. Once away from the cities Nigeria was superb, but we were glad to leave for Cameroon from Calabar down one of the worst border roads I have ever seen.
Cameroon
Cameroon was brilliant, friendly, diverse and easy to travel through independently. After climbing Mount Cameroon (4095m) we left the truck and travelled North on the train up to Garoua and Maroua. From here we headed into the Mandara Mountaind to do a trek. We stayed in the chief's hut in each village, were invited to a wedding, entertained a market with our white skin and long hair and had a superb time. We then headed to Waza national park up near the Chad border and saw a huge herd of elephants before meeting the truck and driving into Chad.
6.5.03
Chad & Sudan
We stayed in Ndjamena the capital of Chad for a while, rescued a dog who now lives in Uganda, scared ourselves about the security situation in Sudan listening to World Service and then spent several days driving towards the Sudan border. On the way we broke one of the trucks so we all had to get in one truck and as our visas for entering Sudan were about to run out raced overnight to the border.
Once at the border we discovered that the fighting in Darfur was a few miles North so we hurriedly followed the train tracks east across the desert (there is no road). On the way Garon was bitten by a saw-headed carpet viper and nearly lost his arm. With temperatures regularly above 40 degrees we left water out over night to cool and then kept it in our sleeping bags all day so that we could drink cool water. Our expected 3 day drive (we had no idea!!) took 10 days and we eventually discovered a pristine tarmac road built by Osama Bin Laden that took us directly to Khartoum. We had travelled about 300 miles in 10 days and it had been really hard, Garon was hospitalised and had some serious antibiotics to stop him dying and then some rather lovely skin grafts (which didn't take) on his finger. Khartoum was brilliant, wide streets, litter bins, automatic public squat toilets, and super friendly people who were all scared of the Americans invading. We got ourselves camera permits and spent several days filming around the city , catching the whirling dervishes at a Christian church in the middle of a wasteland and visiting the fair at the junction of the White and Blue Niles. From Khartoum we headed North to the pyramids at Meroe and then east into Ethiopia.
Once at the border we discovered that the fighting in Darfur was a few miles North so we hurriedly followed the train tracks east across the desert (there is no road). On the way Garon was bitten by a saw-headed carpet viper and nearly lost his arm. With temperatures regularly above 40 degrees we left water out over night to cool and then kept it in our sleeping bags all day so that we could drink cool water. Our expected 3 day drive (we had no idea!!) took 10 days and we eventually discovered a pristine tarmac road built by Osama Bin Laden that took us directly to Khartoum. We had travelled about 300 miles in 10 days and it had been really hard, Garon was hospitalised and had some serious antibiotics to stop him dying and then some rather lovely skin grafts (which didn't take) on his finger. Khartoum was brilliant, wide streets, litter bins, automatic public squat toilets, and super friendly people who were all scared of the Americans invading. We got ourselves camera permits and spent several days filming around the city , catching the whirling dervishes at a Christian church in the middle of a wasteland and visiting the fair at the junction of the White and Blue Niles. From Khartoum we headed North to the pyramids at Meroe and then east into Ethiopia.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is an amazing country, never colonised (the Italians tried) with appalling roads. We headed to Gondar, visited the castles there, and then drove North to the Simien mountains. Once there we trekked for 3 days seeing huge troups of Simien 'baboons', lamagayer eagles, simien foxes and struggled in the 3000m+ air. From there we drove for days to Addis Abbaba - a beautiful city - where we spent a few days relaxing, shaving and getting clean. Wherever we camped loads of people would appear from nowhere and surround our tents each morning making truck security a bit of a problem. The country is full of people - 60 million of them - and after a couple of weeks we drove south towards Kenya.
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