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Provided By: Muslim Harji
E-MAIL:  
harji@videotron.ca     
 

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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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Last updated January 2008 Copyright © Mahmood Fazal 2005 - All Rights Reserved Created By Husain Fazal