Week 18: to Lake Naivasha: Camping near the hippos - Racpat RTW 2015-2017 - CycleBlaze

July 29, 2015

Week 18: to Lake Naivasha: Camping near the hippos

"Good morning Rachel, how was the night for you? Was it cold?" says Zipora, Francis' mother. "How was the night?" John, Francis' father says. "How was the night? Was it cold for you?" Monica, Francis' wife says. And Francis, "how was your night?"

We are remembering what is so special about Africa--the people! Wonderfully friendly, smiling and helpful. As we ride, many people along the way call out "jambo" (hello) or "habari" (How are you?) we answer back "mizuri" (I'm fine).

Zipora and Monica have chores to do, feeding the chickens. John returns from getting fresh water that is poured into a tank. Rachel thinks about how mindlessly at home we turn on the tap and let the water run. Also about how in the Western world, we have a billion dollar industry for recreation in the outdoors, to build a campfire where an open fire is how many people in the world cook. At home, we will turn out the lights, light a candle to create an ambience, where candle light is a necessity in many places.

We are ready to go, say our goodbye's and thanks for the wonderful hospitality.

Francis sets off with us and needs to take a tire pump along, he has a slow leak in the front tire. We ride through back roads and see countryside we would have missed along the main road. He wants to show us where he does the Peace Program on Saturdays. The program has 3 components: play, mentoring life skills, and tutoring. He wants to incorporate a cycling program. We were sorry that we needed to move on and not see the program and meet the children. There is a steep hill that we walk up to get back to the main road.

This road eventually connects with the road to Naivasha. We have seen part of this road before, on the tour to the Maasi Mara. The first part of the downhill that has a shoulder most of the way. Then we reach the viewpoint of the Rift valley along with curio stalls right on the edge. We stop for a coke and peanut butter sandwiche. George, the owner of the shop sits and talks with us, asking us questions. We continue on, this part of the road follows the edge of the ridge and no shoulder. Patrick is clever and stays behind a slow truck so we don't need to watch for oncoming traffic passing.

We reach the junction of the turnoff to the Maasi Mara. We now start a long flat hill climb, yes one of those hills that looks flat but isn't...check out the profile map. Patrick is sure of a shortcut so we wouldn't need to go to the town of Naivasha then cycle back along the lake. This starts out fine on a rocky dirt road until the road is blocked by a fence. We follow some tracks that looks like locals use, until another barbed wire fence on one side and a big gully on the other.

While assessing the situation, across the field we see a cyclist coming over toward us, so we figure there is a way though. We get our bikes through the fence and start cycling toward the cyclist. He is smartly dressed and with a walkie talkie, helps us through another fence and cycles with us to a road that will lead us to the main road we need. We can see the lake in the distance.

Along the lake are many many greenhouses with some entrances flying flags of competing Dutch soccer teams. We had been told about the Dutch farms growing flowers. We cycle past gated and guarded resorts on one side of the road and concrete block housing for the workers on the other. Lots of people walking along the side of the road, a few on old African bikes, most pass by in matatus (minivans).

We reach Camp Carnelley's and find a camping spot. There is an electric fence between the camp ground and the lake and a sign warning of hippos.

Francis's mother gives Rachel's bike a try.
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Francis leads us to the church where he does a weekly Saturday camp for kids.
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Back at the main road we say our goodbye's
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Start of the big downhill into the Rift Valley
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One of the viewpoints overlooking the Rift Valley.
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Shortcut road to Lake Naivasha. Googlemaps shows this road perfectly, and with our GPS we can follow it. Only thing that google doesn't tell us is that there are some large fences blocking off a huge tract of land of a private reserve for the Kenyan president.
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We are helped through the barbed wire fences that have closed-off this road.
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Arrived at Lake Naivasha. There are several nice campgrounds on the south side of the lake.
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Today's ride: 75 km (47 miles)
Total: 4,937 km (3,066 miles)

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