Kenya Virual Holiday



The Kenyan Flag

 

Day 1

On a Plane, somewhere over Chad

Shouldn't really be blogging (Warning: mobile phones can intefere with the plane's controls!). Not much has happened yet, seeing as we are only on the plane, but First Class is comfortable (£1450 though!).

Day 2

Outside Nairobi Airport

It seems the warning for mobile phones was unnecessary (still here). About 1:00 AM, I am outside the airport, worryingly no-one much else is coming out of the airport bar the odd straggler. I've heard about thieves this time of night, waiting for tourists, so I want to get to the hotel as soon as possible (difficult as the wheel on my suitcase broke on the plane).

In the hotel room

A Spitting Cobra

I CANNOT believe it, a SNAKE in the bedding! A spiting cobra according to the hotel lackey. They're common in this part of Kenya. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spitting_cobra

I'm going to try and get a few hours sleep now.

Sarit Centre, Westlands

There's LOADS in this mall, and at the moment I'm in the Orange shop, getting a BlackBerry Z10 :)

Day 3

In a Taxi, on the way to Mombasa

I can just see the slums from the window of the taxi (or Matatus). It really shows the invisible line (almost like the equator) between rich and poor.

In Mombasa

Amboseli National Reserve

I was gonna go to Buger King, but then could only see a McDonald's. I chickened out and went to KFC instead (other brands are available). Then got a Matatu to Amboseli, to go to the Amboseli National Reserve.

Day 4

In Matatu on the way to 'Wild Waters'

The Matatu is playing really rubbish music (Call me maybe). I yelled at them to put the Harlem Shake on (they didn't).

Just before going into 'Wild Waters'

Wild Waters

Can't blog for much longer since water+brand-new-BlackBerryZ10=BAD.

Just after hurriedly geting changed in the changing rooms

I bet I'm being followed by snakes (the park was closed cos of a snake in the water supply).

In Matatu on the way to Nairobi National Park

Definitely going to see the African Elephants, Tiger, Cheetah and the Girraffes :)

Day 5

In the hotel bar

It's Barbecue Night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yowzah :)

Day 6

In the hotel room

I'm going to get some more sleep. 

In Matatu on the way to Siyu Fort

According to http://www.kenya.it/en/famous_places.html:  Siyu Fort is the only fortress built by the natives of Kenya. A local tradition says that was built by a Siyu leader in the nineteenth century as a safeguard for residents from Arab domination. Inside are the remains of a villa of stone built for himself. The fort preserves the remains of the tombs and magnificent mosques of Kenya's history.

In Matatu on the way to Koobi Fora

My friend from uni, a keen archaeologist, virtually begged me to get some fossils from here (the same website says: The site is located on the east of Turkana Lake with an area of 1800 square kilometers and contains fossils of hominids from the Pleistocene and Pliocene period (about 5 million years ago) but also animal and plant fossils . The first Australopitechus skull was found here by the famous paleontologist Dr. Richard Leakey, but it was also founded fossils of Homo habilis and Homo erectus.) Is actually quite interesting, got this:

and:

(could only keep the first one)

Day 7

Summit of Mount Kenya

1 bar signal, 5199 metres, being very quiet because about 15 metres away from me is a white elephant

Lake Victoria

Can see Uganda and Tanzania in the middle distance. Online it says this about Lake Victoria:
The Kenyan part of the lake is located in the north-eastern part of the country. As well as being notable as the second-largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Victoria stands out for its remarkably beautiful scenery and prehistoric remains found around the lake's edges. It is little wonder that a number of health resorts and attractions have sprung up to cater for the many visitors to the area.