On the Road Again

We had a slight delay leaving Nanyuki. In northern Kenya Ben’s tire started developing some tears along the side. It turns out this was another rookie mistake to add to the list; not having the tire pressure within the range specified. Live and learn.

Lorenz and Nicole were gracious enough to let us hang around for a couple more nights since their next guests were able to bring a replacement from Bern (thanks Marcel). So only a few days late, we left Nanyuki (hopefully for the last time) to strike out west towards Uganda.

Our first stop was Sandai farm a few kilometres off the beaten track. After arriving to find a very nice café and some beautiful mud walled buildings we knew we’d chosen well. Thankfully there was a shelter for us to hide in and cook dinner whilst we waited for the heavy rain to pass. Just after we finished eating and were contemplating getting into the tent to read and sleep (at 6pm), Petra (the owner) came by to welcome us. After some chit chat she invited us back to her house for a beer where we whiled away the evening talking of home building, Kenya and appreciating where you live.

In the morning when we went to pay (a paltry 7€) she had fruits and coffee brought out, and then gave us a tour of the weavers workshop where (together with a group of local employees) they work the clattering looms in a mesmerising rhythm. We hugged goodbye and thanked her for the over-and-above hospitality and rattled our way back to the main road.

Heading west everything feels so green and lush, and we enjoy the cheap roadside fruits, though fresh juice still remains elusive for the most part. Over the next few days we dropped in and then out of the rift valley, crossed back and forth over the equator seemingly in every village and stayed in a series of nice campsites and bandas (small huts). We’re often hoping to meet other campers or travellers but everywhere we go, we are the only guests.

Although there is the occasional downpour, it doesn’t feel like the real rainy season has properly started yet, but we’re braced for it. We’re slowly establishing some routines like rinsing our clothes as soon as we arrive at our stop for the night so they have time to dry. We usually also have a water filtering party and try and check the nuts and bolts on the bikes every day. This last one is not quite a habit yet but we’re more conscious about maintaining the bikes now, since one screw on Ben’s back rack already disappeared.

We’ve been on the road for a month now, still not really feeling fit (maybe this is only something you notice in hindsight). Currently we’re doing pretty short days (about 50km on average with not much elevation gain). Even so, the Ugandan border is probably only a week away.

and more photos…