Safari through Kenya

I’ve decided to use my time wisely as I’m on a journey right now or rather should I say safari. I’m traveling through Europe back to my little town of Bra. I thought I would reminisce about my days of sunshine and feasting in East Africa.

I did not have a white snow filled Christmas, but rather a warm one with rain. For me both are familiar, although my earliest memories of Christmas are cold winter nights with snow and warm coats, I thought I would be reliving this memory this past Christmas but instead I had the more familiar heat and rain showers that I have been accustomed to.Where I’m from its not Christmas without a downpour of rain. Although I was not at ‘home’ we still had a downpour so it felt like home.

Back to the story. I went on a safari (Kiswhili for trip or journey) to Kenya, spent 2 days in Nairobi and the rest of the time was in Western Kenya, in the Rift Valley , travelling and feasting with friends who have become family. This trip was based on relationships as I earlier alluded to. Back in his day my Dad was a student in Kenya. The holiday was for us to ‘retrace his steps’ in Kenya; meeting old school mates and friends and showing us (my mum and I) some of the places that he called home and people who were family for a time in his life. Without these relationships/friendships I don't think we would have had any reason for our safari.

It was a journey of a lifetime and I have a feeling I’ll be back there in Kenya very soon, there is still so much to see and experience. And anyway I might just accept one of the numerous marriage proposals I had during  our visit there. I may have to learn a bit more Kiswahili or even learn Kalenjin. But I think my Kiswahili is better than my Italian, but that might change in a few weeks.

Let me explain where we were. We were based upcountry in Eldoret , living on the outskirts of town and everyday we would drive out to the country side to visit family and friends- note that the country side was about 20 minute drive from our base station. So after a filling breakfast the ten of us would pack into the two cars and drive off into the day, usually slowed down by the bad roads and long distance trucks on their way to Uganda who were the cause of the deteriorating roads. Our days consisted of visiting relatives, talking, laughing, eating and returning home later in the evening and have one final cup of chai before bedtime.

Since we went to Kenya during the festive season you can imagine we were fed till we popped. Worse still we were usually special guests where ever we went so that meant ‘feed them more’ and generally it not a good thing to leave food on your plate, although the dogs are more than glad when you do. What was on the menu? One of my new sisters explained to me that if you go to any celebration or have a special meal in a Kenyan household its not special if the following are not there: pilau rice,Chapati , meat or chicken, chai, maybe some mandazi and mursik or mala (fresh milk), and sodas (soft drinks: my favourite being Stoney Tangawisi ) there might be ugali , but that’s an everyday thing so it may not feature.

My favourite thing was probably the chapati or commonly referred to as chapo. For my parents I think it could have been the mala and mursik. I think it brought back fond memories of their childhood as we have a similar diet back home of curdled milk- lacto or mukaka wakakora. I don't blame them. I'm not the biggest fan of mursik/lacto/mukaka wakakora but that was some good mursik that we had! 

Oh I just remembered I also enjoyed my chips na kuku- possibly the best I've had in a long time. That was on our journey back to Nairobi through the tea plantations. That being said I need a break for some chai that I brought back to Europe with me. So I'll tell you more after the tea break.