JAMBO FOLKS!

We bid farewell to Siena Springs camp and were on our way to Lake Elementaita. For most of the travel, I was on the front seat clicking random pictures and asking many many questions to Moses who enthusiastically answered them.

The scenery was different. The flat topped Acacia and the Mara trees were lesser in number and there were more of the yellow barked Acacia or the fever Acacia or the Naivasha thorns as it's otherwise called. These trees use barks for photosynthesis and also aid in maintaining the water table. The roots are brewed and given to women after childbirth to regain strength. There were the whistling thorn acacia too which are myrmecophyte that live in a symbiotic relationship with ants.

Lake Naivasha is a freshwater lake, highest elevation point of the Kenyan Rift Valley, in Maasai language Nai posha means rough water. The underground water feeds the Olkaria thermal power station, which is situated in the Hells Gate National park. The lake albeit it's name looked serene. The boatman David helped us climb the boat and off we went. There were beautiful huge Pelicans in varied poses. Ducks and Geese were daintily floating. Many barren trees were in the middle of the lake. I have a fetish to click photos of barren trees and the blue skies in the background, my cousin told me that it was a quirk found in the single children and cited examples from the family too. There were many Cormorants in their nests on the trees and the trees were painted with bird droppings, so much so that, from an angle, the tree appeared white and silvery reflecting the sunlight. David asked us to be ready with the camera and he threw a fish into the water and a huge Eagle from a far away tree just circled above us and swooped in the water and went away with the fish..David and the Eagle entertained us a few times.

Then we saw the sight. A "bloat" of Hippos... they were so many just peering at us with the eyes,ears & nostrils above the water. Then a few just came up and posed for a click.  Hippos are herbivores but still to be in close quarters with such a huge number of Hippos was spine chilling.

Boating done, we drove onto Lake Elementaita cottage for our overnight stay. The lake was huge and a breathtaking view of the mountains bordering the lake. Our cottage, overlooking the lake, a mere 20 feet away from the waters edge. 

As we went to have lunch, I was alarmed to see millions of flies similar to mosquitoes swarming all over. It was falling on the food and I had to keep my mouth shut ( Sujith was thankful I guess). The hotel management said it's a harmless fly and nature cannot be controlled. We overheard an uncle shouting at his wife for the flies and immediately sprayed  mosquito repellent all over his body, I caught some too as he sprayed. He looked at me and said "Africa is a dangerous place, I have this fly repellent (watch like thingy) on my wrist and a few metres around me is a safe net".  Actually the thing worked and we could eat in peace.  We tried "Ugali" the staple food of the Kenyans, made of maize flour, it resembled the Raagi moddhe we get in Karnataka, this one was pale white,  anyway we couldn't eat past one small morsel. 

Armed with the camera, binoculars and a broken umbrella(drizzling) we went for a walk along the lake. The shore on the other side was full of pink Flamingos visible only through the binoculars. The Flamingos were expected to fly over this side by morning. So early morning we waited for the break of light and shot pictures of a few Flamingos. The pale pink on the blue waters and the first blush of sunrise, camera couldn't do justice! Grebes were floating in the water in groups. On the cottage roofs there were the blue spotted Doves.

Our itinerary had the Equator line and Thompsons Falls and overnight stay at Nairobi. The drive from Elementaita to the Equator line was through many small towns, winding roads, fields of Barley and Maize and a light drizzle. 
With a song on my lips, waving to the children on the road, clicking pictures on the move we drove through Gilgil town, Ntule town, Kekiyoupe town, Nayandarua town through the busy streets, the markets selling clothes to vegetables to Gas cylinders. Donkey carts were seen in abundance. The roadside vegetable and fruit vendors displayed their produce in a colourful manner. Did I tell you the tomatoes here are very sweet and I was thinking of carrying some home!

I need to tell you my friends, the cacti here are so huge, they grow like trees, I was particularly attracted to one shaped like a candelabra so Moses said it was called the candelabra cactus. I was thinking of a similar one planted in my home in a small pot not giving it enough place to grow immensely!

We reached the Nyahururu town and Nandi county and the spot where the Line of Equator cuts across. We all scrambled to get a view of the Equator water phenomenon experiment . Almost all were taking videos on their mobiles. It was fun to watch the matchstick swirl anticlockwise in the Southern hemisphere and clockwise in the Northern hemisphere and stand still when flowing exactly over the Equator. The curio shop/ tea shop gave us a certificate for crossing the Line of Equator, for a fee. The school going kids were demanding their parents for the certificate.

Sujith and I stood in each hemisphere, holding hands on the line and clicked photos. The other couples were inspired to do the same! We did some more bargaining and bought a few tribal craft work (yes my home is filled with African stuff). After a steaming cup of chai and conversation with the locals, we turned around to Thomson falls for lunch.

To be Contd.....