Nanyuki, Kenya Travel Blogs

goat truck
Oct 18, 2006

... a mid-sized truck packed with goats, then a wait and a 90-minute ride in a matatu (minivan) ending at dusk at Nanyuki in the shadow of Mount Kenya. We passed some Samburu villages, said to be one of only two Kenyan groups (with the Masai) who still wear ...

A Day in the life
Jan 17, 2002

... the sun go down while simultaniously watching the moon come up over the other side. It's funny the things you notice while your away. In kenya the moon is upside down, like a smile. We all just want to get up there and turn it around. 6:30= Dinner 8pm ...

the blue of distance
Oct 28, 2006

from A Field Guide to Getting Lost, by Rebecca Solnit, this excerpt appeared in the July 2005 Harper's Magazine. (Well, yes, I'm still a little behind in my reading.) For many years, I have been moved by the blue at the far edge of what can be seen, ...

down again
Oct 27, 2006

... days], and it was the main highway hundreds of kilometres long, not a park access track). From Chogoria, two matatus back to Nanyuki, breaking in Meru for lunch and finishing early in the afternoon. I gave Irungu my stick, which pleased him, as few ...

facing Mount Kenya
Oct 19, 2006

... main thing I did today was organize (through the trekking office at the Riverside Hotel) my 7-day Mount Kenya traverse, to go up the Sirimon route from Nanyuki and back down the Chogoria route on the opposite (eastern) side. My guide is Irungu who will ...

Finally I Saw Them ... the Two Giraffes!
Feb 2, 2008

Today (Saturday), was a day off for me from the school. I spent the morning first riding Goy Goy (one of Tiddy's youngsters - I learnt that with youngsters one should ride with a whip so that you do not have to use my legs too much ... especially when my ...

Cycling to Work
Jan 23, 2008

... yesterday came back at lunchtime to chatter. They could not believe that I had cycled to the school today (women do not cycle in Kenya ...instead traditionally they either have to walk or be a passenger on the back of a bike or in a car) and also that I ...

There be Elephants Here ...
Jan 16, 2008 (2 photos)

... night they had put up camp. The following morning they set off with a spring in their step. Chris had explained to their Kenya Wildlife Service guide their route for their day so they set off after the KWS guide had said that he definitely knew the way. ...

The Local Skidpan is Always Just Around the Corner
Jan 14, 2008

Today Martin, Tiddy, Muriel, Cathy and I piled into the Landover (the usual car was still caked in mud from Tiddy's trip yesterday) to head off for a day's game drive in the local reserve, Ol Pejeta (where we had picked up the meet from a few days ago). ...

School Tidy Up Day
Feb 6, 2008

This morning I woke up early so I made the most of the sunshine by heading off for a short ride with Tiddy.  I was riding Tiddy's wonder jumping horse Nickleby (who belongs to Tiddy's friend) who is quite a character (always on the alert and jogging ...

One Last Day at School
Feb 7, 2008

... to return they kept posing cheekily for photos.   I finished the day in the usual lazy fashion with dinner in front of the lounge fire (my favourite dinner here - chipatis and stew) before watching a film on a dodgy Chinese DVD (bought in Nanyuki).

My Last Day on the Farm
Feb 8, 2008

Today is my last whole day at the farm with Martin and Tiddy.  I can't believe it, the time has flown by so fast.  I have had such a wonderful time here with the great hospitality of Martin and Tiddy.   Martin decided that as it was my ...

Hello Southern Hemisphere
Aug 14, 2006 (4 photos)

... . They had children on board, which provided entertainment when we had to stop for a tyre change. At 12.30 we got to Nanyuki and did a little shopping and money exchanging, then as we headed out of town we headed over the equator for the last time on ...

The Rest of the Week at School
Jan 31, 2008

... tribes that have caused so much trouble in Western Kenya) were asked to return to their families/family land in Western Kenya on buses on Wednesday to help prevent any tribal violence occurring here. They have been given guarantees that their property here ...

Exploding the Myths about London
Jan 21, 2008

... that are well paid for people who have not been to university ... that although we are paid a lot in contrast to in Kenya (average monthly wage here is about 2 pounds per month plus accommodation), everything costs A LOT more in London (e.g. a 100 acre ...

Skiving
Jan 28, 2008

Last Thursday I had already told the teachers from the school that I would not be back til Tuesday as originally the plan was to stay longer at Meru NP. This left me with another free day ... WOO HOO! In the morning Martin, Tiddy, Kibet and I went for ...

Solio in the Sunshine
Jan 18, 2008

Today all of us, bar Martin, set out for a day of game driving in Solio. Solio is the other game conservancy very close to Martin and Tiddy's farm. It consists of 23,000 acres of grass plains, bush lands and a marsh. Solio is famous for its relatively ...

I Can See Clearly Now the Rain Has Stopped!
Jan 22, 2008

... and sunshine and then today it has been beautifully sunny all day. This has meant that there has been an amazingly clear view of Mount Kenya all day. Today was my second day at the school. Tiddy, Kibet and I rode over to the school (with Tiddy & ...

The Hunt for the Two Giraffe
Jan 12, 2008

... hours scouting around the area and completely failed to find them!!! So, a word or two about riding in this area of Kenya ... ... most of Tiddy and Martin's horses are around 15.2 and are thoroughbreds. They are all well mannered and fun to ride. ...

Driving up the Rift Valley with Elvis
Jan 8, 2008 (4 photos)

... on our way to Nakuru for the inspection (finally - the car passed with no faults what so ever as expected) and then on to Nanyuki and Martin and Tiddy's home. Along the way, we could all feel each other tensing up each time we had to over take a cyclist ...

Brave (!) Sam
Jan 25, 2008

... (a big Rottweiller cross, who looks fierce but is a complete softy) was by his side! Mid-morning we headed off to Nanyuki to meet up with Martin and Tiddy's friends Ken and Marion and their children Liz and Thali. After some last minute shopping we ...

Life on the Farm
Jan 11, 2008

... great and took a big detour on the way there and back so that I could see more game. ... the second was from Nanyuki (the local town).  The drive there is along dirt roads (some of which are seriously rutty) and through tiny villages (mainly ...

The Task Ahead
Jan 15, 2008

This morning Martin, Cathy, Muriel and I visited the school that Martin and Tiddy (and their safari guests) support. This is a school about 20km from the farm in a very poor arid area. The school educates children from the nursery all the way up to the ...

The Lazy Day
Feb 4, 2008

After a beautiful sun rise with the sun coming up over the rock formations and valley in front of the house, the sun was roastingly hot all day.  We spent most of the day chatting, reading and playing card games on the veranda.   As the sun ...

The 50mph Game Drive
Feb 5, 2008

... in his mouth   Once in Nanyuki we met up with Martin and Tiddy who were there for the first meeting for organising the Nanyuki show (which is at the end of August).  I meant to spend the time during the meeting doing all of my chores in town, ...

How Bad Can a Hollywood Star's Life Be?
Jan 24, 2008

Today I woke up to the sad news that after Owen Wilson's attempt to kill himself, Heath Ledger succeeded in his own suicide attempt. After my bike ride to the school (with a sore bottom from all of the bounces along the road), I found myself thinking ...

The Three Ladies
Feb 3, 2008

... were expected and I joined them as Ken and Marion had invited me the weekend before!) Jean and I then drove an hour out of Nanyuki to pick up Minty on route (she had been staying at another friend of Jean's for the night to watch the England rugby game). ...

Back to School
Jan 29, 2008

... a typical family with labels), much to the interest of the kids who came in to watch. In the afternoon Tiddy and I headed off to Nanyuki to collect the last paint pot (red is hard to come by here) and a few other things. I am really enjoying going into ...

The news the BBC may not be reporting!
Jan 20, 2008

... before the dogs chased them off). The talk not surprisingly focused a lot on the political situation (and associated troubles) in Kenya. From this I learnt a few interesting points that I did not know before (and I suspect the BBC may not have reported ...

The Naughty Red Finger Prints
Jan 29, 2008

Today I spent the whole day at the school painting the murals in the first classroom. It is a lot of fun with a lot of spectators (teachers and pupils). The only problem with that is at one stage when my back was turned some little boy dipped his fingers ...