Arrived in Addis and checked into hotel, slumming it at the Hilton.
22/10/11
I couldn't put it off any longer and set off about 9 in the morning.Given the light volume of traffic in Addis it came as a bit of a shock to spend almost three hours to cover 70 kms to Mojo. Not to worry as when I turned off onto route 6 the traffic suddenly was no more and the open road to the back of beyond stretched ahead.I passed through Shashemene, the town famous to Rastas the world over.Surprisingly I didn't see any followers or even ganja growing at the road side.
I had pre-booked accomodation at a Lodge for the first night and arrived about three in the afternoon.What a nice surprise to find simple,clean,comfortable rooms with excellent food.The nerves of heading off alone in the Dark Continent disapeared and I spent a pleasant evening putting all the worlds problems to rights in the company of a group of Dutch tourists who took pity on an old man eating alone.
I have been surprised at the number of people about, even in the deep countryside it seemed there were always plenty of people , and I had come to the conclusion that the roads were not just for vehicular traffic but also as a meeting place for social gatherings, as well as a good place to walk and to herd all types of animals from Donkeys to Cattle and Camels.In fact riding through the villages was like riding through crowds in a theme park.
23/10/11
Heading for Yavello to a Motel recommended by the Dutch tour guide easy progress on decent roads.My arm is starting to get tired from waving to people as I pass by.I wonder what people would make of a traveller waving to everybody in the UK.
Parked the bike at the Motel and then had to move it as wedding preparations were made around my parking place. My transport now has pride of place in some Ethiopian Brides wedding album judging by the number of photographs taken with the bride next to it and some of the bridesmaids sitting on it!!!!.
After two days riding into darkest Africa I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the Sunday afternoon premiership match.
24/10/11
Today's the day.The Kenyan border at Moyale is the target followed by 500 kms of what is considered to be the worst road in Africa both condition wise but also supposedly through bandit country. Surprisingly little traffic on the road and suddenly I was in Moyale. I have a thirty litre tank but was a bit concerned as to whether it would be enough for what was to come. I met an Australian coming the other way and we exchanged information, I learned of the state of the road after the recent rains and how other bikers had got stuck the day before.Is it bad to curse the rain when cattle have been dieing in the drought??
The border crossing was surprisingly easy and after a short wait for the immigration officer on the Kenyan side to come back from lunch the formalities were over. I keep expecting somebody to ask for something but so far in Africa everything has been straight forward and honest. I don't know whether I am getting used to dealing with officialdom at the borders but simply by passing the time of day with the Immigration officer to discuss my trip he gave me his telephone number so that I could call him if I got any problems along the way, must try that at Manchester airport next time.
The Kenyan side of Moyale is more neglected than the Ethiopian side but I was directed to what I was told was the best hotel in town,the Barak. I had to ask the owner who was seated outside if it was in fact an hotel as the clinic sign was a bit confusing. The Burka clad receptionist told me with a twinkle in her eyes that the hotel was in fact the Moyale Hilton and of course the rooms were en-suite. Actually after climbing two flights of stairs to get above the clinic the hotel was not at all bad and was at least clean with hot water and a comfortable bed. Down below the Ghat chewing armed Askari assured me he would keep a good eye on my bike and that he would be there the whole night.
There was one vital piece of information passed to me by Peter, the Australian biker and I made my arrangements through the hotel owner for the hire of a pick up to carry me and the bike for the next 500 kms.
It's difficult to describe Kenyan Moyale but it is similar in feel to a lawless wildwest town in a John Wayne movie. There was a market of sorts set in the mud selling everything from carrots to sacks of tabacco and bunches of Ghat.Now I have never experienced the delights of Ghat but judging by the demeaner of those that partook I can only assume that it is like some sort of aneasthetic that makes lazing about either pleasant or at least acceptable.The hotel owners son came and sat with me as I ate asking about the bike and journey etc, I can't imagine what it must be like to wake up day after day in a town without a decent road out of it, especially a garden spot such as Moyale.Perhaps that explains the need for the copious amounts of Ghat.
25/10/11
Up early and waiting outside for the pick-up at 7am. The driver arrived fairly punctually for Africa and I followed him to a dock for loading the bike onto the back of the land-cruiser.Actually Dock suggests some built for purpose construction when in fact it was just a pile of earth at the side of the road.The next half hour was a little stressful as 8 completely unskilled helpers endeavoured to manhandle my pride and joy onto the back of the truck, miraculously it was done without any damage to the bike and my blood pressure gradually returned to normal.Despite having negotiated with the truck owner for the labour being included in the price I was still treated to the tales of how they all have families and have to eat etc, etc.
With the bike secured off we went, we being me, the driver and a passenger scrunched up on the bed of the pick up.I don't know how much he paid but 10 hours being thrown about on one of the worst roads known to man meant that it certainly wasn't a bargain.To describe the route as a track is a bit wrong, it would be difficult to even walk over it in parts and where there was no mud there was loose shale or volcanic rock.I felt that in a way I was cheating but having calculated the cost of replacing suspensions or tyres I satisfied myself that it was the right thing to do.
The driver was a good guy and the time past quickly enough.He knew all the police at the road-blocks along the way and there were only minimal hold-ups.
There were villages along the route that made me wonder why they were there.The driver enlightened me that they had set up so that it was easier for the food to be delivered every-month. It seems that this is a social model that has been exported from the UK.
This is the real Africa that we imagine, tribes people in colourful tribal costume, baboons along the road as well as the odd Zebra and God knows what else lurking in the bushes. for the most part the land was flat and on one occasion when we stopped to check the bike a young boy complete with spear came loping from what seemed miles away to ask if we had any water.It was an incredible experience to see people living and dressing as they must have done for hundreds of years just going about their business and tending their livestock.
This route from Moyale to Isiolo is known to have the occasional bandit and the driver told me that yes there were bandits but they generally only bothered the lorries and that anyway the pick up was the same colour as the police pickups so the bandits ( if they were about) would run away. That just left the tribal fighting to worry about .Being inquisitive and given that we were to pass through the area of the fighting I asked if the two factions were shooting at each other.The driver thought this quite amusing and when we reached the area around Archers Post he showed me the piles of rocks that were used as ammunition for throwing at each other.
The Chinese built blacktop started well before Isiolo and the whole feel of the country changed. The dirt track didn't seem to intrude and split communities the way that the tarmac road did. I spent the night at The Northern Galaxy executive hotel in Isiolo, 15 Dollars with breakfast and very good value for a clean en-suite bedroom. Granted the top floor hadn,t yet been added but I slept well.
26/10/11
Set off bright and early for a short run for the day to Nanyuki.
I have to admit to being a bit confused at this point.Discussing the route with the driver the day before he had told me it was a long way to Eldoret from Isiolo but my GPS told me different so I figured that I knew better that the Kenyan professional and arriving at Nanyuki well before lunch-time I decided to carry on to Nyahururu. I think it is absolutely wonderful that my free download from Open -Street dot org has 75 km long dirt track short-cuts. I did see the odd person and there is evidently a problem with elephants as I rode under numerous devices for dissuading elephants from passing but eventually I came out the other end in one piece much more experienced at off road riding!!!!
At Thomsons Lodge I discovered that tourists are treated as targets.The lodge had seen better days to put it mildly and the price quoted was astronomical especially for the sub-standard room I was given. They did reduce the price slightly when I squeeled for long enough and I accepted only because I was tired after the exertions from my GPS induced adventure ride.For less than half the price I had had better food and accomodation in the local " Executive " style hotels. Things were not all bad however as I got a proposal of marriage from one of the femaleTribes people that posed for photos at the nearby Thompson falls.
27/10/11
Reached todays Target of Eldoret and having passed many Hotels on the way into town decided to stop on the far side to facilitate the getaway in the morning.I have discovered a new Murphies law stating that having passed numerous hotels and deciding to stop at the next one, there is no next one. Falling back on the old strategy of asking at a Petrol station I was given directions to a nearby Lakeside Resort.I found the building with the car on the roof , figured out which track led to the resort and eventually worked out a way to get across the roadworks.I found the resort. It wasn't exactly what my mind had imagined and I am sure when it is finished it will be nice but it was cheap and clean. The owner, Timothy, went out of his way to make sure all was ok for me and he assured me that there would be Jerry cans of hot water any time I wanted a shower. Seriously, even though there was no running water for the shower and the building was not finished, the rooms were spotless and the owner more than made up for the shortfalls.
28/10/11
The road to the Ugandan border at Malaba was pretty bad.There was a lot of new costruction and I developed a method of riding on the new parts while they where being constructed.Surpisingly nobody said anything as I rode in and out of the machinery, they just waved back . The Chinese roads were full of wheel ruts and the going was pretty hairy at times. I discovered that a motorcycle won't win a game of chicken with an on coming tanker.
Malaba was a bit like a huge lorry park with at least 2 kms of lorries waiting to cross the border.When I edged my way to the front a barrier was quickly removed and I was waved through like visiting royalty.Apart from fighting back the hordes of money changers and other assorted hawkers the whole crossing out of Kenya and into Uganda took less than an hour and I was on my way. A very pleasant night in Jinja at an extremely nice guest house at an extremely high price was spent in the company of the family.
