Kenya: My first time into the earth of the black Africa

The first journey into the heart of black Africa ... The first meeting with the smiles of children ... Or love at first sight

 

Preparations and departure

It was February 6, 2006 when, departing from Fiumicino airport, me and my wife Stephanie we are going to leave without regret the cold European bring us to meet for the first time the sun's equatorial Kenya.
We had booked online via the agency lets the Village Angel's Bay, near Malindi - cost 750 Euros per person, inclusive of incidental expenses -. After about 8 hours of flight, comfortable, with the Air India we reach the island of Mombasa. Customs formalities immediately appear rough and I suspect that some travelers would give, at the request of police, some mancetta not to be open the luggage. To the undersigned instead asked the value of that hand-held camera and is recorded on the passport with the visa.
After about four hours by bus through streets crowded with vendors and artisans disjointed working outdoors, and a multitude of children who greeted us, shouting "Jambo!" ... Kids crossing the street ... hens who fled in fear, we arrive at our village.

The village

The reception staff, almost exclusively Italian, olfactory and visual impact of a huge flower garden can immediately cancel the hours of stress accumulated during the trip. The rooms are basic rooms with air conditioning - very heavy - solid wood bed protected by mosquito nets.
During the first briefing with the staff of the Italian village deals with the problem of malaria and soon we discover that none of our leaders or assistants followed any type of prophylaxis. Confirming the information that was already in our possession, namely: pharmacological prophylaxis (Lariam, Malarone etc ...) strengthen defenses against possible puncture without providing immunity .... And in many subjects can also cause serious health problems ... So, despite having brought us the Lariam and given the total absence of mosquitoes we opted for the use of repellent odors - Autan -.

The sea in front of the village

The sea in front of the village is not really accessible for swimming because of a disfigured and dead coral reef, the beach is rather fruibilissima, fine sand that in times of low tide, is used by Europeans as a track for auto 4x4 that the transition they raise clouds of flying birds of all species. While the local population uses it in the morning at dawn as a shortcut to reach the village and near the Mnasi barter with some fish (- Mnasi, wine extracted from the coconut palm - carried on the head by women in yellow plastic containers).
The beach of the village, equipped with beds, bars, waiter / masseuse is protected from any encroachment of the beach boys with a stick by an askari.

Malindi

The Village provides customers with a daily shuttle service to go and Malindi, and we are we are served immediately.
Upon arrival in Malindi, just after we come off the bus together with two local boys who offer to guide us. Refuse telling them that we wanted to be alone, and at their insistence, I have to show firm and tell them to go ... Eco then one of them moves away and sits down in a corner with his head in his hands, knocked down and almost crying saying that he is good, not stealing and who just wants to keep us company. Moved to compassion we adapt to our new friends and do not regret it because they have been with us in places that perhaps we would not only found the courage to visit: of the internal streets in the suburbs where there was a very dignified people, poor, kind, a local market where local products are sold or bartered poverty, (eg a woman had only 3 onions and exposes them lying in the ground, exposing another miserable 4 zucchini sitting on the corner). Then we went into what they call the market "brings portese", a 'collection of huts where they sell local crafts almost entirely of wood or soapstone.
My wife who had already discovered that several natives were not above the barter was amused to buy several statues, giving them as well as a few dollars, even trinkets brought from Rome (mirrors, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other).
We were then accompanied by the seashore, where a group of boys Kenyioti bathed. It was the first time we saw the children play and run. Eventually the two improvised escorts took us into an agency that sold packages for excursions and we organized and paid very little, a 2-day safari for the next day (120 euros per head to the Lion Hill's (tented camp) in the park Tsavo Done)

Safari at Tsavo East - The Lion Hills tented camp

We will pick you up at 5.30 am at the Village, before us asking us to settle up the bill (in the agency had only given a little advance). At Malindi are various stages in Italian villages to pick up the other participants in the Safari-Safari simply means journey. " After about two hours to track leads close to the entrance of the park (the park ... there are several entrances to pay and, as the car access is only possible along certain roads to toll there is no escape! Animals Instead they are free, they can enter or leave because there is no fence)
We stop at 20 meters from the entrance to stretch our legs, someone to smoke and others to take advantage of "toilets" ... My wife and I saw a river on which stood a pair of Marabou we are moving closer to capture some images for our movie, we immediately approached by Rangers who inform us that, due to the presence of crocodiles, was dangerous.
It finally enters the park and begins to film the animals in freedom, there are plenty ... Land in some places is completely red, the fine powder can be slipped between the clothes and in every corner of the camera. The driver / guide (Sammy) is in constant contact through the booth with the other guides and exchange information about the sighting of the "big five" that are the most desirable prey for our cameras. Elephants are truly many, giraffes somewhat 'less (by the way they say twig giraffe, lion Simba, sir ..... Buana Hakuna matata means all right ... but, the local language, Swahili is the language cartoon !!!).
Inside the park, which is great as an Italian region, are placed at every intersection of the stones indicating the various distances and directions of future releases. On our car we had, besides myself and my wife, a middle-aged couple of Bergamo and three friends in Latin America.
When it was time for lunch we are separated, the driver accompanies the pair of Bergamo Ndololo tented camp, those of Latin America to us at the Voi Safari Lodge and Lion Hills, the driver Sammy stays with us, so we invite you to our table and we offer you to drink (The price of accommodation beverages are excluded).
The tent is located on the ground on a concrete base, inside there are two separate areas, one with two beds protected by mosquito nets and two bedside tables, the other, separated from the night but inside the tent is constructed cement and tiles, with three divisions, one for the Water, one for the shower, and finally the sink. Always built on a concrete base there is a veranda with table and two chairs.
After lunch and made a brief stop Sammy us to make a new trip to "catch" a few more brilliant images. But the Lion King has not yet seen, in return we filmed ostrich, buffalo (thousands) and cheetah ..
We return to the field and, after a dinner made almost entirely vegetable, the owner is a reminder that electricity is a luxury and usually after dinner every tribe is customary to gather around a brazier to spend the night, telling local legends or stories of tradition, so guests (we were seven people in that field, I and my wife, three Dutch and two Polish) whether we like it could be listening to a Masai warrior who would have explained the local traditions. The whole course in English.
The next morning, after re-knit group, our guide informs us that through the booth the other guides had seen some lions to attack a herd of buffalo. Following the directions of the other guides Sammy manages to take us to the place of hunting, but before us there were already six or seven sedans. The lions devour their prey were now dead, but our view was not the best, only through the zoom of the camera was able to get a fair view of the meal.
Friends of Latin America were equipped with digital cameras that allowed a maximum magnification of 4x, then complained of bad luck. Our guide then tells us not to worry and continue the trip by saying that we would return later when the other tourists have left the station, so after about an hour and a half Sammy us back there, there were no other tourists and then decided to leave the runway (FORBIDDEN!) and enter directly in the savannah stopped our bus at about 6 feet by two lionesses who continued to devour the carcass remaining. He stands only a few seconds to a few photos, then immediately falls into the dirt track.
The afternoon is no more powerful emotions and having lunch together in the city you decide to give Sammy a tip of 5 euros per couple.

Excursion at Watamu

He leaves for a trip to Watamu, a small fishing village famous because it also housed E. Emmingway, (but now houses villas owned by Briatore, Vecchioni, Ventura and a very large colony of Italians) Just arrived on the beach of white sand between high lush coconut palms we approached from a very nice Kenyan named "Five hundred, for friends Five "which offers us a ride on his dow typical boat obtained by digging in an absolutely primitive a trunk. We do accompany with his daw until the end of the reef and then swim together, and he fell into the water to show quanche puffer fish. Our driver named "Giuseppe little man" is expressed in a near-perfect Italian and tells cdi it is adopted by an Italian woman in Bologna called Susy Blady of accidental tourists, who paid him his studies in Bologna.
Every so often we see local boys leaving the beach after a grouper, one with a lobster, with a basket full of fish fry or a dozen octopuses. We prepare food grilled grouper and lobster, then climb up a palm tree top just to give us a coconut harvest.

The Sea Park in Malindi

We are to take to the Village at approximately 9 am with the tuk tuk (three-wheel or a bee where they added two rear seats for passengers). The vehicle is extremely distinctive, was fitted with a radio with speakers attached with adhesive tape. With the music "ball" for the first time we come into contact with the police corruption that a roadblock is "domesticated" from our driver with the passage of "something" into the outstretched hands of the policeman.
We arrived in Malindi and parked the tuk tuk we boarded with other tourists, all Italians, on the boat that will take us to visit the marine park. The sea that day, albeit quiet, did not seem clean. We make the first stop for a quick swim. The visibility in the water did not exceed 7 / 8 meters I have seen many fish sergeant, others said they saw more fortunate lobsters.
After the short break, we resume along some fishing villages ... palm trees, huts and many people always cheerful ... beautiful images ... postcards!
We arrive at a point approximately one mile from the coast, the water is now crystal clear with at least 30 meters of visibility on a sandy seabed, almost exclusively, the depth varies between 50 cm and one meter.
The boat made a second stop and begin to prepare the meal of lobster and King Fish.
While all the tourists went swimming the water level began to fall more and more and some sellers were coming from the coast on a couple of local boats (Dow) with their freight hand-crafted souvenirs.
Inevitable at this point to avoid bargaining and buying some trinkets. The tide continued to discover this atoll of white sand and finally, to the satisfaction of all we need much desired meal.

Last note before closing on corruption. Completed formalitàdi shipment is handed me the ticket where it says to go to Gate 8, I can just find the Gate 1 and Gate 2, both packed with a queue of at least 20 minutes.
Request information from a policeman, who tells me to follow him ... we enter a back door and go out just as the first row of Gate 1. He asked me 2 euro tip, but I was ashamed as a dog ... I do not usually use subterfuge to move forward with the row ... I apologize to all passengers that I have misjudged.

Stefania Canestrari and Luciano