Our
journey to Kora
in August
2013 … Nanyuki … Kenya …
My friend Ann and I were keen on joining the
24th Memorial of George Adamson in Kora
National Park. We did our
planning and packing and so far so good, until transportation needed to be
reorganized as the person who offered a good 4WD vehicle cancelled on us on
very short notice. Oops!
Since we were really eager and determined to
visit Kora National we saw no need to burry our heads in the sand – we decided
to take a public bus to Murera Gate of Meru National Park where a friend Doris would
pick us up. So that very morning the Taxi dropped us at the Main Bus station in
Nanyuki. The place was already heavily bustling as usual, and after a short
showing off and competing by the drivers for our favour we easily made a
decision for a shuttle-bus and travel started quite comfortably. Shuttle-busses
take less passengers and one does have more space and is not squeezed like a
sardine in a tin. Travel was nice, all along Mt Kenya to Meru on the other side of
the mountain. Your eyes get caught by the changing landscape, different
vegetation and agriculture always supervised by his majesty ‘Mt Kenya’.
Mt. Kenya from a far
Mt. Kenya
In Meru town we had to change into another bus
that would take us to the Murera gate of Meru National Park. The Central Bus
station here was even busier than in Nanyuki.
Meru town is an important marketplace and the station was fully packed
with people, Matatus and all kind of goods. From my former visits in Kenya it
was not a new experience for me - but as the average European don’t travel with
Matatus, it always seems that we are a kind of an experience for some local
people. Traveling as a single Mzungu-woman in Africa, you get used to being a
kind of an “eye-catcher” for lots of people; especially kids often watch you as
though you are a ghost wrapped in a white bed-sheet.
Anyway there was no time for socializing with
the lovely kids as being on such busy Bus stations it is always important for
every traveller to be cautious and attentive in order to ensure that the your luggage
is in the same bus with you - otherwise
it just might travel in the opposite
direction.
This time I was happy being with my friend Ann;
as a Kenyan she managed all the negotiating and quickly found a Matatu going to
Maua. Ann supervised everything and as small she is in size as powerful she is
as a woman, making sure she will get what she is intends to get. Some hours
later this was very helpful and needed. And so it happened that a guy got a
lesson from a combined woman-power - that was us! But that is coming up later.
For now we squeezed in the Matatu. Ann sat
right behind the driver, I was next to her. The seats narrow as usual – our chins
pressed against a metal pole crossing the bus from left to right stabilising
the whole bus. The travel had not started yet our chins were already hurting.
The Matatu step by step filled with people. A
man, holding a well fed Baby asked around: someone like a baby? Ann and I were
like: “nope – thanks”. The man tried to hand the baby from one person to
another entering the bus – but he often watched me… Ummm … There was a kind of
silent language between him and me. He: “Take it?“ - Me: “No way!”
I was not willing to take a strange baby on my
lap and no mum in sight! I didn’t like the idea of ending up in Maua with a
strange baby in my arms and everybody thinking I adopted one … NOPE. Finally a
woman sat next to me – she took the baby and pushed it without asking - like a
piece of luggage - on my lap, while someone handed another baby on her lap. So
she was the mom to both babies!!!
I was like “Ooops” - hoping that cute baby was
wearing nappies – Ann chuckled and watched the babies butt – she was just
thinking the same thing! We both giggled. That little girl was nice and easy
going – suckling mostly a sticky lolly pop holding it with her sticky little
hands. And while she was falling asleep I supervised her lolly pop and ended up
with the same sticky fingers like hers.
Overloaded
So we were transported like sardines in a tin
box to Maua all along the Miraa (Khat) plantations and we passed green and lush landscapes of what seemed to
be very fertile with all kinds of different crops and vegetable and busy people
along the roads. At the junction that
leads to Murera Gate of Meru National park Ann told the driver that we would
need to alight there but he nodded and said it’s easier to find a Taxi in Maua,
so we stayed in the Bus unaware of our forth coming experience.
Somewhere along the road
In Maua I was already alighted out of the bus
when the driver said he will be willing to take us to the gate and Ann started
discussing with him about the price. As it was all in Swahili I sat back and
waited. But I saw Ann was getting angry and I asked her what all the fuss was
about. She told me he likes to charge us 4000 KSh but she is only willing to
pay 1500 for the distance. I raised my eyebrows as I already knew why he tried
to overcharge us: hey - I cannot hide my white skin – and being white you are
always a target for people trying to over-charge the hell out of you. But I
felt a little pity for Ann she was now experiencing how it is when travelling with
a ‘Whitey’. But she was still discussing with him, until I heard the word I was
waiting for … ‘Mzungu’. So now it was 100% clear and I was about to leave the
bus, as the day was long and I was just exhausted and pissed. But the answer of
the guy put Ann completely in fighting mood. Suddenly she was even more furious
and not at all willing to give in. Her index finger started moving in front of
the guys face like she was conducting a concert underlining her words. Not
understanding anything I watched this “concert” with open mouth. Jeeeezzzzz…….
Finally he gave in and he agreed to bring us to
the Gate for 2000 KSh - Thanks to Ann. But the story was not over yet.
Four or five kilometres before we reached the
gate there was a road block. The driver went out to the policemen who was
manning the road block and came back … but the road block was not removed.
Instead the driver again started another long discussion with Ann. While I was
again watching astound, her index finger insistently ‘conducting that concert’
– but this time she seemed a bit desperate. So I asked what the problem is.
First she said: “He said this is the gate and we need to leave the bus here –
but clearly this is not the Murera gate!!.”
I said – “You are right - the gate is some
kilometres further down. He is taking us for fools.”
So now it was getting interesting as the guy didn’t
seem to be in agreement with Ann and finally Ann translated that we would have
to pay another KSh 2000 if we like to get further or the travel would end here.
So this little fraud was just trying to get his KSh 4000 he was asking for in
the beginning. So now that to me was the final straw and he would get his
lesson!
He thought he was very clever threatening 2 ‘innocent’, ‘weak’
and ‘lonely’ women - one of them even a stranger - to leave them all alone on
the road if they don’t pay HIS price … But guys should never mess up with 2
independent and adult ladies. I checked quickly the location around us - actually
there were some houses, some people and a tractor was just going to pass the
roadblock headed towards the Murera Gate! YUP - the plan was made!
So I told our driver: “You know what: 1. this
not the gate! 2. We had a deal and you agreed to drive us to that gate for KSh 2000.
Sooo - if you don’t take us there as agreed, we will happily leave this bus
without paying anything!!!! And guess what! I am sure the tractor driver over
there will be happy taking us the last few kilometres to the gate for KSh 2000. But YOU will get nothing. End of story!”
He watched the tractor, he watched
our faces, saw my hand already at the door handle and he went pale under his
skin. Ann translated, making sure he understood 100 % what I had just said. There
was no doubt in his mind of what we would do reading from the expression on his
face . he succumbed to the women power J
So finally we ended up exhausted but happy at
Murera Gate without being overcharged and our friend Doris was already waiting
for us.
We had a great time in Kora, made a lot of new
friends and were taken back to Nanyuki in a private car – what a comfort.
Maike
Bieber
P.S. on
second thought ……it would have been fun taking the tractor though!
We made it and this guy gave us a "giant welcome" in Meru NP on the way down to Kora
