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Roadtrip Africa (6) | Equator (Mogotio) and Nakuru National Park

In this blog continued in my scooter roadtrip by Africa and stay near the equator for a few days MogotioKenya. I then continue my way towards Nakuru National park and arrive soaking wet in Nakuru. But that's not all… Where did the Chinese donkey slaughterhouse go? What is a Smokey? Where does the best honey come from? These are all questions that will be answered in this blog.

A white man (Mzungu) on a scooter

Nothing beats riding a scooter Kenya. Why actually? First of all, there is of course the amazement of the local population. Scooters are very rare in Kenya. Since about twenty years, the import of cheap motorcycles has been out India en China banned the scooter as a means of transport. Everywhere I stop, I attract a lot of attention. And along the way I am regularly applauded: 'Mzungu!!!'

You also find out that most Kenyans (outside the national parks) never actually come into contact with a mzungu. Tourists drive in cars and actually just hunt (usually with a guide/driver) from nature park to nature park. There are hardly any white people outside the standard tourist paths. And with the little ones I'm quite a sensation. No matter how afraid they are of that tall white man on his scooter… Fortunately, the tam-tams (lollipops) I hand out always break the ice.

Time for a smokey

From Lake Bogoria I head in direction Mogotio. In a village on the way I stop to score a smokey. Smokeys are bratwursts that are driven around the villages in a cart by local sellers. Just as tasty are the boiled eggs (with a delicious spicy sauce of tomato, onion and salt). Are the costs manageable? (a Smokey costs 30 and an egg 20 KES or 0,3 and 0,2 euros).

Remark: In Kenya, the Kenyan Shilling is called 'Bop'. So the sausage costs 30 bop…

Smokies saleswoman near Mogotio
Smokies saleswoman near Mogotio

And despite the fact that the large Shell and Total filling stations are increasingly dominating the street scene in Kenya, there are still enough single-cylinders in the sparsely populated regions. Sometimes with such a pendulum and sometimes without…

Refueling near Mogotio
Refueling near Mogotio

World famous Baringo honey

Ask any of the 50 million Kenyans which honey is the best and the answer is: Baringo honey. Just before me Baringo County I buy a jar of honey from one of the many roadside stalls. A short taste test later and the conclusion is: Nothing beats pure nature BARINGO HONEY!

The world famous honey from Baringo County
The world famous honey from Baringo County
The world famous honey from Baringo County
Roadside honey sales in Baringo County
Thank you for visiting Baringo County
Thank you for visiting Baringo County

tortoises

This is déjà vu. In 2017 I drove on the same road and remember taking three tortoises off the road. Today I have to work again. The turtle isn't too happy when I pick it up. He tries to bite me, but I can't resist. I simply don't want it on my conscience that a car or minibus runs over him with an emergency corridor.

A tortoise rescued from the road near Mogotio
A tortoise rescued from the road near Mogotio

On the equator in Mogotio

Yes I'm back. Jambo, Kenya! 'You are now crossing the equator.' I have to explain to the melon and mango sellers at the equator how to take a photo with an iPhone.

Melons and mango sales near Mogotio
Melons and mango sales near Mogotio
Equator near Mogotio
Equator near Mogotio

Then I stop at a car wash. Time to give my scooter a cleaning.

Mogotio Car Wash (also for scooters)
Mogotio Car Wash (also for scooters)

Donkeys, slaughterhouses and Chinese

In 2017, I drove north from Nakuru in the early morning. Near Mogotio the whole road was infested with donkeys. The reason for this became clear to me a little later. Chinese had opened a donkey slaughterhouse. I was not allowed to take pictures and was taken away by some Chinese security guards.

Now I'm back. "Where are the donkeys?" I ask. 'It's gotten completely out of hand. We didn't understand that the Chinese eat donkey meat. But, that wasn't the main problem. In this area there are many tribes that depend on donkeys. The Turkana en Pocket just to name two. And they are not friends. So soon everyone started stealing donkeys. The Chinese paid for each donkey, but never asked who owned it… In addition, they simply threw a lot of offal over the fence of their slaughterhouse. And that created another problem with hyenas. The Kenyan government has intervened this year. The Chinese are gone again and the slaughterhouses are closed, see the news item below.

Read here: https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/ban-on-donkey-slaughtering-slows-business-in-mogotio/

Pouring rain from Baringo to Nakuru

In less than half an hour the weather has completely changed. After a clear blue sky, the first cheerful clouds came. In the meantime the sky is almost dark and I drive through puddles of rain towards disaster. Baringo County wish me a pleasant journey. Nakuru County welcomes me to their land of unlimited possibilities. 30 km ahead Nakuru I shelter at a farm for more than two hours. Then I suddenly drive on a highway with huge billboards (alcohol, gambling and Coca Cola) into the metropolis of Nakuru.

Entrance to Nakuru County
Entrance to Nakuru County
Nairobi Road in Nakuru
Nairobi Road in Nakuru

By Kenyan standards, Nakuru is a real metropolis with over a million inhabitants. Only Nairobi (5 million) and Mombasa (2 million) are larger. The city is also growing accordingly. A real three-lane highway has been built. Yet Nakuru still feels like a very big village. In a new shopping center I warm up after the heavy rain.

Nakuru Mall, Nairobi Road, Nakuru
Nakuru Mall, Nairobi Road, Nakuru

Java's coffee chain is always good. Delicious coffee, fresh smoothies and excellent Mexican burritos. Another phenomenon is the supermarket chain natives. A mega Albert Heijn can lick its fingers in terms of assortment. Just the fruit department. Wow. Go see and experience it when you are in Kenya (only in the larger cities).

Nakuru National Park

I continue my way to Nakuru National Park. Nakuru NP is popular and visited by many tourists in Kenya. From Nairobi the vans drive on the amazing panorama route of the Great Rift Valley via Lake Naivasha to Nakuru. To get from Nakuru to the Maasai Mara to drive.

Nakuru NP is one of the few parks in Kenya where the white rhino can still be admired in the wild. You will also find buffaloes in large numbers.

White rhinoceros in Nakuru National Park
White rhinoceros in Nakuru National Park
Lounging buffaloes in Lake Nakuru
Lounging buffaloes in Lake Nakuru, Nakuru National Park

After my visit to Nakuru National Park I continue my way. In the next blog I meet zebras on the highway, I take a walk on Crescent Island in Lake Naivasha, I meet Feyenoord fans and I stay in a five-star hotel on Lake Naivasha.

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Eric

What is it like to drive more than 10.000 kilometers in Madagascar on a locally bought scooter? Or on a pikipiki (scooter in Swahili) through East Africa? In more than 20 years I have visited more than 100 countries. This has resulted in a lot of priceless travel experiences, which I would like to share with you.

ERIC – OVER 100 COUNTRIES
– Likes to travel on scooters
– Share unique travel experiences.
– Favorite destinations: Madagascar, Uganda, Japan, India and Colombia.

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