Karibuni Kenya

Isaac’s safari was running longer than expected and he had been delayed, so after some time for washing and admin in Namanga, I decided to return to Arusha for a day or two for a little explore and to go to the national park.  This time I had the vehicle for the safari as it was cheaper than renting, obviously, since I only had to pay for fuel.  I started out along the road and was going well until about 30kms outside arusha the car started to slow suddenly and I pulled over.  One of the wheels was as flat as a pancake, having got a 5inch nail through it.  I got out the jack to try and change it, at which point I found I didn’t know how to use them – I had seem them being used and it had seemed easy so I hadn’t really thought about it. A quick call to Isaac and I realised what I was doing wrong and then started to lift the car. There were some chaps that had seen me stop and came to offer their help as well, which was good.  So after a little while we managed to get the car high enough to remove the tyre and put on the spare.

All was hunky doory until I set off a few metres and realised the spare tyre we had put on was also flat, so I stopped again to look at the other spare.  This too was flat, so I was a in a little bit of bother.  I was told there was a market nearby where they could fix it, so one of them took a the wheel and got on a bike to fix it.  Bearing in mind these wheels are worth at least fifty quid each, I wasn’t overly sure about doing it, but had no choice so just had to trust him.  Two hours later, when he still hadn’t returned I was a bit concerned and thought he must just have gone off with it.  But we kept getting reports from passing matatus and cyclists that he was coming, so I just lay down by the road getting burnt in the sun (my suncream had run out so I needed to get a new bottle in arusha. This was midday, too, so the sun was right above me and blooming hot).  AFter three hours and at when I was on my last breath of hope and faith in this chap, he returned with a fully inflated wheel.  A quick change and a small payment to all those that had helped me and I was off to Arusha.

ALong the way some army guys, dressed in their camouflaged kit were wanting a lift so I pulled over for them.  I got talking to them, telling them I was in british army and asked them about their training and everything, and had quite a nice chat, which was good.  Having dropped them off I went to the shoprite supermarket and nearby group of shops to park the car and then got some food since I was starving.

It was too late to go to the park then, too, and I had no spares so too risky so I looked for somewhere to stay for the night.  I ended looking around for a while and not finding anywhere before I saw the backpackers hotel, which looked quite posh from the street.  I remebered Kelly had talked about it, so decided to take a look and ended up checking in, which was 10 dollars for a single room and breakfast.  The room is literally a bed with a tiny table, but is more than adequate and the shared toilets are very clean and everything, so again my recommended place to stay in Arusha, and the cheapest I could find.  The breakfast is just jam on bread and a cup of tea, but there’s plenty of other places to get something more substantial nearby.

That evening I went to Kahn’s chicken, a place that again had come recommended from Kelly.  It’s quite well know and easy to find, but again a wonderful place.  During the day its an autospares shop, but at night it becomes a bbq. They do a range of meets on these bbqs and then have bowls of different indian salady bits, naans and chips.  Its not too expensive either –  a few quid for some chicken and all the salad with chips or a naan or about 5 quid for a mixed grill and all the saldy bits with chips or a naan.  Definitely worth a visit for dinner if you’re in Arusha.

The next day i got the car fixed, which took longer than expected because the engine decided it ddn’t want to start, so again I missed out on the park.  Instead I had a waddle around Arusha, and went ot eh declaration museum.  This was quite like the musuem in dar and only small, but was still enjoyable to walk around and only cost a quid to get in as a student.  There was also a really nice art gallery as part of the museum, where there were two artists actually painting while I was there.  Some of the paintings they’d done were really really good as well, and of a whole range of different things, although Kilimanjaro was probably the most common theme.  Most enjoyable though, and agin highly recommended if you’ve got some time in Arusha.

Once the car was fixed I headed back to Namanga and then drove back to Naivasha the next day, after fixing yet another puncture which I’d got overnight.