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Provided By: Muslim Harji
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Travel Log - From Cairo to Cape Town
Update #5 - March 14, 2006
Dear friends and family, Jambo from
Nairobi, our half-way point on this trip! It's incredible to think that we are
already half way through this experience because although some moments have felt
never-ending, time is really flying by. We have taken a short amount of time off
from the Tour D'Afrique to spend some time with family in Kenya and Tanzania,
and I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is just to be able to relax,
decompress and de-stress. Nairobi has been wonderful so far, not only because I
get to finally see and spend time with my cousins and niece and nephews, but
also because the city is exciting, busy and lively and we get REAL beds, showers
and delicious home-cooked food, plus the added sense of comfort not afforded by
hotels and campgrounds. Kenya itself has been an experience to bike in from the
first moment we crossed into this country. Our border crossing into Kenya from
Ethiopia at Moyale was the first of many interesting experiences. In Canada,
when you immigrate or emigrate, the entire process of going through customs and
immigration can take about 15 minutes, maybe more if they go through your bags.
It took us more than 6 HOURS to enter Kenya, and what an exercise in patience it
was! We first had to exit Ethiopia, which involved the officers asking us the
most mundane and useless questions. I don't know why they really care what our
occupation is now that we're on our way out of the country, but you just have to
humor them I guess. They called us in one by one, asked us our birthdates (and
then did the mental math to figure out our ages instead of just asking us) and
professions, and then hand wrote out all this information in a big log book.
With a group for 55 people, this process was incredibly tedious. The Kenyan side
was a little bit quicker but I see just how much all these experiences have been
sped up in the “West” thanks to computerization. It was really a test of
fortitude (and resignation!) to cross the border and our organizers had luckily
set aside the whole day for us to be able to go through the motions. If we
thought the road conditions in the Sudan were trying, we had really no idea
about just how bad it could get until we got to Northern Kenya. I think the road
(and calling it a “road” is really a stretch, let me tell you!) here is one of
the worst in the world. The rocks, gravel and sand were more than painful to
ride over and not being suckers for pain, we rode the bus over the really tough
stuff. We came from Moyale through Marsabit to Nairobi, passing also Isiolo and
Nanyuki. Luckily, after Isiolo, the road turned to pavement and became much more
bearable and beautiful. This route had us circumvent and scale part of Mount
Kenya and crossing the Equator! It was absolutely amazing and it's incredible
how much this section reminded me of Canada – with the sprawling fields
reminiscent of the Prairies and Mount Kenya resembling the Rockies, it almost
felt like we were at home. Mount Kenya's snow-peaked summit was just so
beautiful to see and we gained nearly 2500 feet of altitude above sea level. One
day, we had 38 kilometers straight of uphill to get to the lunch stop. The day
was especially difficult because although the road looked flat, it was climbing
the whole way, a phenomenon known as a “false flat” because it looks flat but
you can feel that you're really having a tougher time gaining ground. The best
part of that day was really after lunch because, thank god, it was all down
hill. It was the payoff for all the pain of the first part and the section of
riding after lunch just flew by. Another exhilarating moment was crossing the
Equator. I think we almost would have missed it if we hadn't been made aware of
the fact that we were at the 0 degree mark. It was nice to realize exactly where
we were and just how far we have come. So far, in the northern part of this
country, we have come across a tribe of people known as the Samburus, physically
very similar to the Masai people, that most people associate with Kenya. These
people are so elegant, so beautiful and so proud. For me, seeing these Samburus,
and hopefully real Masai's in the next couple of days, is a sign of the fact
that I'm REALLY in Africa. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to realize that I'm
really here. I'm so lucky to be able to experience and take in Africa in such a
unique manner, a fact I become more and more aware of every passing day. In the
coming days, the group will be crossing into Tanzania and heading to Arusha to
take safaris of the Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti. Before leaving Kenya,
however, my father and I will have the special opportunity to meet with the
Chairman and members of the regional committee of the Aga Khan Foundation and
Chairman and members of the Aga Khan Council for Kenya. I hope to be able to
learn more about the projects that the Aga Khan Foundation undertakes and also
meet with leaders of the community here and share our experiences with them. I
believe that this meeting will allow me to personally evaluate this trip,
something important for me to do at the half way point. Thinking back to when we
started, especially looking at the photos, I see that not only have I changed
physically (I've lost 20 pounds already, wohoo!), but also mentally. The
attitude and mentality that I arrived here with, the outlook I had on the world,
especially Africa, before coming, and just my general perspective of those
around me have all shifted dramatically. I can already see just how much things
have changed and I look forward to just how much more change still lies ahead of
me. Sorry if this email has gotten too long for some or if it is too short for
some others, but I'll bring it to a close right here. Hope things are going well
for all of you, please keep the emails and messages of support coming, we really
LOVE getting them! Take care, Ayesha
Thanks
Muslim & Ayesha Harji
If we thought the road conditions in the Sudan were
trying, we had really no idea about just how bad it could get until we got to
Northern Kenya. I think the road (and calling it a “road” is really a stretch,
let me tell you!) here is one of the worst in the world. The rocks, gravel and
sand were more than painful to ride over
So far, in the northern part of this country, we have come
across a tribe of people known as the Samburus, physically very similar to the
Masai people, that most people associate with Kenya. These people are so
elegant, so beautiful and so proud.
A Togo Bash in Nanyuki. Halfway mark in our Expedition.
A picture is worth a thousand words
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