It is so lovely waking up each morning to birdsong! Its an
easy ride from the lake back to town– the matatu spots me walking up the
driveway and turns in to pick me up – now that is great service! Back to Navaisha
where there is another waiting matatu heading to Nyahururu, this one is complete
with flat screen tv playing non stop gospel music videos. APPALLING stuff
really BUT we arrive safely and I check in at the Safari Lodge, a hop, skip and
a jump from the taxi station. It has been raining here tis morning, judging by
the puddles, but again I didn’t see any rain driving here. Nyahururu is one of
the highest cities in Kenya at 2360m and on the western edge of the Aberdares region.
My room at The Safari Lodge is $5, complete with couch, tv and is self
contained – how good does it get! I walk through town towards the Thomson Falls
– the reason I’m here. The Thomson’s Falls gets its name from Joseph Thomson, a
naturalist and geologist from Dumfries, Scotland who named the falls in 1887 as
he was walking all the way from Mombasa to Lake Victoria (five years after
Fischer!). But first things first and that is a cuppa at the Thompson Falls
Lodge cause I always love all things colonial. Great view of the falls from the
lodge lawns and I’d like to walk to the bottom of the cascade so entering the
path, I’m immediately caught by a woman in bright yellow coat – ‘There are
charges, madam.” But of course, so Ksh200 later I start to head down the path
towards a large sign warning single walkers not to venture any further! What is
this?
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I think this is the only camel in Kenya
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I head back to the woman who took my Ksh200 and ask her what it all
means. “There are sometimes bad people down there and you are a woman alone –
you should not walk there”. Now up here there are crowds of school groups,
tourists, a couple of blokes dressed up ‘traditionally’ earning money posing
for pics and another bloke leading a camel that takes small kiddies for short
rides. It does seem a little unlikely that there would be any problem, but
taking her at her word I decide to give it all a miss. “Can I have my money
back, please if I cannot walk there?” “But the entry fee is to see the falls.”
“I could see the falls eating my lunch. I entered here to walk to the bottom
and now I cannot do that. I would like my money back.”
She is soon persuaded
that I should have a guide and perhaps my Ksh200 would cover the cost of a
guide. We wait.
Another school group comes through – “Can I walk with them?”
YES but unfortunately they are not going any further than the fence to take
pics and then sit to eat lunch – lazy school kids!! Back to my friend in the
yellow coat who then telephones someone else and tells me “One minute.” Hakuna
Matata, as they are so keen on saying. I really think that The Lion King has a
lot to answer for!! Eventually Moses from the lodge appears – he will escort
me, but not before he disappears back to the hotel to return suitably booted
and carrying a very hard stick! Feeling well protected now we venture down the
rocky steps and slippery mud – I know, I know a recipe for disaster for me – but
with Moses leading the way I am confident. I think these rock steps must have
been put there back in the colonial days and Moses tells me that they had very
heavy rains yesterday and if I had come then it would not have been possible to
be going down – so today I am lucky! Eventually we make it to the bottom of the
72m falls and there is plenty of water happening here along with mist and
slippery rocks.
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Suitably booted up to ward off undesirables
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Not quite as impressive as Victoria or Sipi falls but very nice
just the same. Clambering back up I head back to my friend in the yellow coat
to thank her and she is very happy that I am happy – isn’t that nice! LOL I
tell her that for the charges, that they should do something about the path as
it is very difficult – she says “See those people there, they are the council –
tell them” I ask if she really wants me to, and she is all for it. So off I go
to introduce myself to these folk, compliment them on their lovely waterfalls
and then advise them that if they are planning to walk done the path to be very
careful because it is very difficult, there is no signage, there is rubbish all
about and even up here at the top the fence is broken in places and unsafe for
the children, let alone the slippery muddy path here. They take it all in good
grace and tell me that is why they are here – do these people not have lackeys
to write them professional reports? We
part on good terms, my friend in the yellow coat is doubly happy and I walk over
to see the source of the falls at the top of the Ewaso Narok river before the
rain comes. Big hassles from the local souvenir sellers at the falls here who
obviously are experiencing a distinct lack of tourists, but they are all
selling the same crap! And then comes the rain but with my trusty poncho I make
it slowly back via the Genesis Café for a cuppa and fruit salad to let the rain
ease off.
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You'll have to squint to read this commerative sign
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Calling in at Marleen Crafts - a shop supported by the local Catholic
church with loads of unique suede bags and purses so I’m happy to make a few
‘unique’ purchases. Then through the very muddy streets back to Safari Lodge to
shower, dry off and relax for an hour or so before heading across the road for
some dinner. It’s a local place so the usual ugali, vegies and beef. The ugali
has been mixed with beans and looks to have the texture of dog food which is
slightly off putting, the vegies are great but the beef is a stew of lots of
‘bits’ and I use the word ‘bits’ very loosely. My bill is 70c because ‘you
didn’t have the beef’, how nice are they? Head off looking for a bar for a beer
but the roads are so muddy I only walk for few blocks and give up to return and
tuck up for the evening to watch Kenyan TV!!
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