Yeah yeah, on up Mount Kenya

So we did finally go up Mount Kenya. We left fairly early as you do. The walk is actually quite easy going up to the next hut although that is looking back on it with plenty of perspective. Be prepared to be left breathless by everything, pretty literally.
There are buffalo quite a long way up the mountain so you might see them. What you will also definately get to see are Hiluxes, no not cars, that's the Kenyan way of saying Hiraxes, the whole "r" vs "l" problem. On the same on note Giant Robiria are actually Lobelias

Here are some Lobelias

Here is a Hyrax's bum

And here is its front, a pretty picture from Google images.

We pondered on up to the 2nd hut, arriving at about 3 in the afternoon. There were some other people there and some more arrived, both people on the way up and on the way down. The second hut is just under the mountain although you can't actually see Lenana point. This is probably a good thing as what you can see is a very steep hill which you have to climb.

Having arrived quite early at the hut we were again pleased that we were cooking our own food, except not quite so pleased that we forgot to bring any oil. You see my sister had climbed Kilimanjaro when she was at school (which we didn't get to forget all the way up Mt Kenya) and apparently the secret ingrediant to climbing mountains is popcorn. So we'd carried popcorn all the way so far but without any way of cooking it. We settled down outside in the sun to try to cook it (too cold inside) and promptly burnt it onto the pan. Luckily someone nice found us before we completely distroyed the pan so we had popcorn. It was at this point, yeah I know pretty dumb, that we realised that we didn't have any waterproofs. Well Mark did, but he's a planner so what do you expect. So luckily we had been organised enough to bring bin bags to waterproof our stuff! Having pondered this problem and then having nothing else to do we had supper, a short chat, a wonder about and went to bed.

Making popcorn

If it had rained, I'm pretty sure we'd never have made it. But our luck was in and it was the most fabulous night. It was a full moon, clear sky, it was so light that we didn't need torches (which was lucky since that's something else I'd forgotten). We could see for miles. It really was absolutely freezing, I've spent the winter in Russia but this was the coldest place I'd ever been. I had every piece of clothing on, I was climbing a seriously steep scree face and I was cold! We got to the top first and got to hold the cross thingy that's there. It just is amazing up there.

At the top

It has to be said that the way down is great to start with but gets tiring. It takes a whole lot longer than you expect and we had a car at the hut to drive the last bit done. Ah but the shower... wow! I couldn't really move much for a while after this trip but wow was it worth it.

Wow, and that was a tan that washed off completely.

Mt Kenya. Returned

I think it is time to continue with my Mt Kenya story. But I am going to take a detour and talk about the last time I was there. You see this wasn't my first attempt at Mt Kenya, I'd tried about a year and a half before when I was in Kenya on holiday. Beware, this story contains bitter and unresolved feelings towards a certain Old Bat.

I'd come on holiday to Kenya for 3 weeks and I wanted to do everything including climbing the mountain. This meant we had little time. So we set off in the Range Rover, we were heading for our friend's house who works on a farm at the bottom of the mountain. We were in plenty of time to be there by dark and things were going swimmingly. I was feeling pretty pleased with everything, I'd spent the day before mending the fuel tank of the Range Rover with fiber glass and so I was feeling pretty clever that it was working. (never try to weld a fuel tank-fiber glass is so much better). Well we were nearly there when, quelle surprise, the bitch just stopped. We got under the bonnet, played with what I know know to be the fuel filter and we were off again... till the next hill. Surfice to say that this continued for the next 2 days. We'd go along happily for a little bit, come to a hill and nearly get to the top, I'd jump out and try to push it to the top so we could continue but generally we just stopped.

We had a lovely time in Nanuki eventually buying a hose pipe and fitting that between the fuel tank and the engine and then the damn thing went without problem. 2 days late. We had 1 day left before we had to be back in Nairobi so we decided to have a wee stroll up the mountain. We thought we'd drive to the first hut, have a bit of a climb the next day then go back to Nairobi for tea and medals (or baths). We were at the gate at about 5 in the evening and raring to go. The gate man decided that the Range Rover could get up to the hut despite the fact that the road was so bad. So we set off. We saw an elephant on our way up which was my first ever. We saw where eles had dug away at the banks on either side of the road to eat the salt in the earth. In general it was a fabulous evening, the views were stunning and it was so exciting.

We were going well but slowly the going was getting more difficult. Then we got stuck. This was were I first learned about digging a car out of mud. I've done it so many times in the snow, but that is simple, remove the snow from under and around the car and off you go. Mud doesn't shift like snow and it is far more of a menace. We didn't get the car out that night, it was bloody cold and dark. We cooked our curry in the back of the car, threw everything into the front, put the seats down and slept there.

In the morning it was all a bit simpler. With the aid of the light we were able to find the right branches, stones etc and get out. We left the car slightly further down the hill on a more solid bit and went for our walk taking our sandwiches. It really is a nice stroll, the first bit of the mountain, it's not too steep, the path is good, the air clear, fresh and cool. There are exotic birds and plants, and going up to the first hut you go through jungle type stuff and then on to more rocky terrain so there is plenty to look at
.

We dandered slowly up past the hut on to the weather station where we thought we'd have our picnic then ponder down again. The weather hut had a nice bit where we could sit and admire the view and so we took it easy for a while.

Now, we'd come for a nice day stroll, bringing only what we needed so we were a little unprepared for the hail storm that greeted us as we started down. We'd gone down a little way, the weather station was above us and the hut beneath and after trying unsucessfully to shelter under a knee-high bush, we legged it down. We'd of course come in shorts and tee shirts with no other clothes. It was a fairly long sprint down but we made it to the hut, drenched, shivering and laughing. There were some angels in the hut who were very surprised to see us but who handed out chocolate.

The problem was that the weather seemed to be settling in and we were in a good state to get hyperthermia really very quickly. So we set off again. I don't know but I seem to have sprinted down nearly as many mountains as I have climbed. It was again a long, slippery chilly sprint, I don't think my trainers were ever the same again. We did make it to the car though and the Old Bat took us down the mountain and back to Nairobi without mishap. I do have one word of praise for the Old Bissom, the gear box has no covering and so you've got your own little aga, not great on a hot day but occasionally perfect.

Shambani Cottages & Safari - Kenya Africa safaris cottage

Hey now this is a useful site. It seems to have cottages on Diani beach. Perhaps this will spark me into finding other sites and cottages where you can stay. If you are going to diani it is probably best to stay in cottages as the hotels are either quite package tour or quite backpacker. They are also slightly prone to beach boys and prostitutes. The beach is fabulous though and as I've siad before Ali Barbars is just stunning. (the Forty Thieves is also a fun bar)

Climbing Mt Kenya (what not to forget)

Now, if you've bothered to read the first installment of "Climbing Mt Kenya" you'll already have some handy hints about what to bring. I think so far we've got
1 really really really warm sleeping bag
1 skiing jacket
1 hat
1 pair boots (people do say that you can do this in trainers but I wouldn't chance my ancles on the skee faces thank you very much)
1 camera (I know I didn't mention it but you've seen the photos)

Now we move into the territory of what one should have brought, but didn't as am very disorganised.
1 pair gloves (hmm, should have thought of that)
1 pair waterproofs (again fairly obvious)
Big water bottles that don't leak (don't use kids' ones from Nakumat)

Well there we go. Just some ideas, guide books can go on and on about it so why are you reading this.

Climbing Mt Kenya ultra vast (not for the altitude sick)

Some time around Paddy's day my sister and her boyfriend came out to Kenya and so we all decided to go up Mt Kenya. We got back from the Masai Mara on the sunday evening and set off again for the mountain on the monday. Not obviously ideal planning but we were meeting up with friends that Thursday to go to Samburu and then to Laikipia so it was all a bit of a rush.

I realised on the sunday night that I had no warm clothes with me in Kenya, except my skiing jacket and my walking boots, so I had to start fishing around for things. I dug out my friend's tracksuit bottoms (he's over 6 ft and I'm very short) and a load of jerseys and borrowed a hat. Having done some lightning shopping for quiches, ready-made curries and stews etc (try Gail's kitchen on the Ngong road) we set off on Monday at about lunchtime. Unfortunately we had to take my friend's 30 year old Range Rover which is a goer, but only when it goes!
We realised at this point that we were really very late and so it was a hair raising drive up the dual-carriageway. I'd only ever been driven up there but this time I had to do it myself. We decided the best way was to drive by commitee, if everyone agreed that we'd be in the left lane then that would be where we went. Only the discussions happened at a much more frenetic pace than in most democracies. We swooped in to the Mountain Rock Lodge and collared a guide, the trusty Joseph, then set off for the mountain. We realised at this point that we were going to have to drice up to the first hut as it was too late in the day to walk. It hadn't been in the program before but, well we had very little choice. So we thought that we'd better sort out at this point the awful clonking noise that was going on with the car.
I am not a mechanic, I knew nothing about cars until I met this one and we've been firm enemies ever since. At this point it was just a case of putting the shock absorber back on properly but here is a picture of us putting the drive shaft back on on our way back from Amboseli

Now the car did actually get us up to the hut, which was no mean feat. It did conk out on a particularly steep slope but once I'd fiddled with the distributer cap it seemed to work again. So for once... 3 cheers for that damn car! So in the end we made it to the first hut.

Now to interupt the story slightly to give you more factual info.

We went up by the Sirimon Route. To get there, go up the road to Nanyuki, go straight through it and carry on towards Isiolo. Take a Right turn about 17k up a dirt track past a whole load of little houses, vegetable patches and chickens. Go for ages over rough ground, until you find the gate. You can buy all the tickets you need there. You'll need park fees for as long as you are there (don't get extra ones just in case, you can always buy more when you get back down, you can't get a refund) .You'll also need to pay for staying in the huts and for your guides/porters too if you have any. There are huts at the gate where you can stay. It's a good long way up to Old Moses camp. If you are going to walk up from the gate, make sure you are at the gate good and early.

We arrived at Old Moses at about 6.30. Just in time really as it gets dark at about that time. There is a magnificent view from there. The huts are basic. I'm afraid that if you can't do rodents then this is not the place for you. There is a good deal of scuffling as you sleep. The altitude tends to keep you awake and it is essential to have a seriously warm sleeping bag. A seriously warm one. If you couldn't sleep in a freezer in it then I don't fancy your chances up the mountain. If you have porters then they will cook for you. We didn't so here's us cooking. We actually found that cooking for ourselves was best as there is nothing at all else to do up there. We met a few other mad people tackling the mountain too. There was an old chap from near where we lived even. You have to chat to the other people there as it's the only entertainment. There is a fireplace but no wood so it's definately not cosy.

Well that's the end of the first installment. More another day

More: Mt Kenya Returned

What Not To Forget

On Up Mt Kenya

From Mt Kenya to Samburu

How not to drive off-road

Now, this is an area where I am an expert. I've never owned a car, though I can and do drive (when someone is daft enough to lend me one). So although I can give you great tips on how not to drive off-road, unfortunately I'd be rather poor at handing out more useful advice.

Now my first rule would be to test out obstacles before attempting them

Then, if it gets too deep/fast/cold/ squidgey... Send a boy to do it

Actually, that seems to have been my only tip, ah well, perhaps I'll find another one, but I did think it was good. I do have some more photos which show pretty clearly how not to drive off-road so maybe I'll put them up some day

Loisaba, Heaven in the north of Kenya

Life is hard now, isn't it.

Now then, I know that I start every post by saying how amazing places are. Well, I mean it. But here is a post about the bestest place of all. I’m afraid that it doesn’t come cheap, but for a holiday of a lifetime (or if happily you are stinking rich) then Loisaba is the most fantastic place I have ever been. Unhappily, I am not stinking rich, friends of mine manage this lodge and I went to stay with them a couple of times.
Loisaba is up in the North of Kenya, in Laikipia, on the Ewaso Nyiro on the Colcheccio Plain. Laikipia is a vast area of Kenya where there is, pretty much, nothing. Or perhaps I should say that there is everything, because everything that you imagine as being “African” happens in incredible, uninterrupted horizons.
Loisaba boasts some of the more exciting wildlife. So if Rhinos and lions aren’t exciting enough then Loisaba has what you are looking for. They have some really very rare animals. Wild Dogs (no, not strays, a proper rare wild animal), are seen in Loisaba (much to the chagrin of the wild dog research facility on the next ranch where there are none). Greater Kudu, a really rare species which are normally extremely shy, graze the lawn of the lodge. Gerenuks are also common and dick dicks fight with the Kudu for grazing space around the lodge. Elephants have been a bit of a pain recently, digging up the prettiest plants in the borders. On an early morning stroll about the lodge, with a careful eye, you can tell the leopard tracks from the cheetah tracks.
The lodge has several different aspects to it. There is the lodge itself, with rooms for about 12 people, I think. Then there are various houses nearby where a party can stay, fully catered by the lodge. Then there are the star beds! The star beds are simply amazing. But I’ll have to explain fully. Loisaba, like many lodges and ranches in Kenya is run for the benefit of tourists, but more importantly, also for the benefit of the local tribes, and, of course, the animals. The local tribe we are talking about at Loisaba is the Samburu tribe. The Samburu are close cousins of the Masai (if you don’t know what a Masai looks like then think of the BBC’s interludes where there are tribesmen jumping up and down, that’s them).Alternatively, thanks to Google images, I can show you a picture

They are cattle people, they live for and from their cattle. Cattle are wealth. Unfortunately their life styles and the lifestyles of other Kenyans is causing conflict as cattle need space and the Masai and Samburu are migratory tribes, they recognise no claims to land. The population of Kenya has boomed in the recent years and space and good land is now under demand. I’m sure you can imagine what happens. So anyway, schemes have been set up to try to bring some of the wealth from the tourists straight to the local tribesman, this means that wild animals will become important (as they bring tourists) the tribesmen will be able to continue their lifestyle without coming into conflict with other people, the land can be better looked after and everybody sees the benefits. Loisaba is one of these schemes. The star beds are part of this. The star beds are outposts of the lodge, where tree-houses have been made with a bed in each. Each tree-house has part of it covered by a thatch roof and part of it is a balcony. Now here is the clever bit. Each bed is on wheels so in the day time you can be in the cool shade of the hut but in the evening your bed is wheeled out under the stars (and your mosquito net) onto the balcony. So what about the Samburu… well hang on a tick, I’m getting there.

My friends, although they manage the whole of Loisaba, have very little to do with the Star beds. They are run by the Samburu. The food comes from the lodge but is cooked on the fire by the Samburu, they are the hosts and the guides. The local village gets, I think, 50% of each booking made. It is a very happy arrangement.
All of this is made so great by the fact that it is run by my friends. Well, of course I like them, but the fact is that they are the greatest hosts you could possibly ask for. Loisaba has everything, you can go for helicopter rides, balloon rides, quadbiking, camel safaris, walking safaris, horse-riding, they have picnic breakfasts behind waterfalls, sundowners…everything!

Here's how you get to the star beds, and look... beds on wheels. See I told you it rocks!

The view you wake up to in the star beds