Lake Magadi

Another trip with "The Norwegian Compound," this time to Lake Magadi, a soda lake close to the Tanzanian border.

Heading south from Nairobi, we first visited Olorgesailie, a prehistoric site run by the National Museums of Kenya.

After a short guided tour of watching old handtools and excavations, in addition to the beaded goods of the Maasai women, we moved on to the lake and the hot springs.

The scenery was really beautiful, so we stopped the cars several times to immortalize the view of the lake and the pink and pretty flamingoes.

Lunch break in the shade of an acacia tree.

A guard showed us where to find the hot spring pool.

Algaes made the bottom very slippery, but since local people and guards have a medicinal bath every day, there was a narrow path where one could walk safely to the pool.

When the air temperature is 38 degrees Celcius in the shade, a hot water bath isn`t really refreshing, but it sure was relaxing and felt very good!

Paradise Lost

The most popular picnic site in Nairobi a lot less crowded as expected, and we arrived just in time to get the nicest spot :o) The place was surprisingly clean and beautiful. Most of the people from the Norwegian compound had found their way out, and everybody seemed to enjoy just being there, hanging out, chattering, barbequeing, visiting some stone age caves, and fishing.

When we came back to the compound in the afternoon, soccer was followed by sauna and swimming. It was dark by the time I got home, tired in a very good way... What a wonderful Sunday!

AUTUMN

What a beautiful season! And what a privilege to be able to enjoy it! After three months of trying to adjust myself back to living in Norway and six busy weeks of teaching and , it´s time to relax and breathe. Schools are having a break, and we have been blessed with wonderful weather. A three hours´ stroll in the forest today is hopefully good enough preparation for some days of hiking later this week...

Cycling among zebras

"Good idea," said Marianne as we exited the park. I think Bodil agreed. "The idea was old," I answered, not understanding why I haven´t done this until today!! I´ve been talking and thinking about renting bicyles in Hell´s Gate National Park for almost three years now, so it really was about time! No fuss at all, it is just to pack your lunch and set off! Zebras, wilderbeasts, gazelles, giraffes, and baboons - not exactly what I´m used to see when I´m cycling on a beautiful summer day in Norway...

Lake Magadi

A couple of hours` drive from Nairobi is a beautiful soda lake, Lake Magadi, a popular place among flamingoes. You don´t need to worry about being cold here, that´s for sure!

Maasai women were waiting in the shade not far from the hot springs*, and they came out as soon as they saw our car coming, eager to sell their Maasai beaded jewellery.
A self-appointed guide was also very available.
Lunch in the shade of an acacia tree is compulsory on an excursion like this. Audience is hard to avoid, though, even though we went to a different place than where our guide had told us to go, but we were happy to share some water with the young boys in the heat.
*Hei Oddvar og Elin: Vi var bare et par hundre meter ifra i fjor, men bare slapp av - det var ikke store greiene vi gikk glipp av. Var ikke engang verdt et bilde :o)

What´up ? (or maybe down..)

Good question! Isn´t it just reassuring to know that you have an emergency phone number to call in case something would happen on the extremely wet, slippery, and muddy roads? The road standard in the Nairobi park vary a lot, especially after a night of heavy raining. In less than thirty minutes from entering the park we had to dial the number they had given us at the gate. And we dialled, and dialled, and dialled... Probably the office hadn´t opened yet, but the idea was good. Finally we called our regional director Rune, who drove down to the gate and gave them our details, and after one and a half hours of chatting and coffee drinking and no game driving at all, we were pulled out from the mud. And what a relief that not even the rescue guy was able drive our car loose, without using the winch. Anyway, so much for getting up early to be there at opening hours (6 am). But we all agreed that the trip had been good, except maybe cousin Åshild, who unfortunately wasn´t well at all that last day of hers in Kenya...

Another hike...

Mount Longonot this time, an extinct volcano beautifully situated in Rift Valley. It took about an hour and a half to drive from Nairobi, and climbing up to the rim of the crater and all the way around would take from 4-6 hours, depending on whether you worked out really hard the day before or not... Perfect cloudy weather in the morning, and the sun shining from the blue sky in the afternoon. It just couldn´t be better! Pancakes made on a camping stove seems to be a tradition now... this time on the highest peak, which is 2776 metres above sea level. Good company, and I was happy to bring my cousin Åshild, too.

Ngong Hills

Yes, I do like hiking, if you haven´t already noticed... Today´s trip with some of my colleagues from Rosslyn was no exception. Good company, fun driving, perfect weather, fantastic view, excellent food - pancakes cooked on a camping stove (takk til Oddvar og Elin som innførte den tradisjonen!)- no reason to complain! We even had a machine gun guard to protect us.. It is great to have such beautiful mountains so close, where the air is fresh as in Norwegian mountains, and the altitude close to 2500 meters above sea level. Only 20 km from where I live, and you can see all of Nairobi on one side of the hills, and far into Rift Valley on the other. They say it is possible to see both Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro on a clear day. We were happy for the clouds, though, as going uphill was pretty steep. We got warm enough without the sun shining...