Friday 16 July, 2010: Nakuru to Voi

Note Bene: For all those who have tried to post comments in the past, I believe I’ve fixed the problem—so please do post your comments!

Baobob

Today was another slog of driving, from Nakuru to Voi, a town much closer to Mombasa and also where Adrian and Beatrice’s son, Paul, goes to college.  The drive was long, but completely rewarding.  We went away from the green climes of western and central Kenya and were moving into the eastern part, which is much dryer and hotter.  The grassy plains, with waves of tall brown grass hiding, no doubt, many a lion and lesser quangle-wangle, are dotted with gorgeous acacia trees which soon gave way to baobobs.  I realize now that the trees that I’ve been drawing all my life have actually been baobob trees, even though I’ve never met one. 

Baobill

Baoscott

Massive, sectioned trunks that narrow dramatically into branches twisted fantastically.  After a long drive, with Adrian bravely taking on the endless random speed bumps and bribe-baiting police, and overtaking the black-cloud-spewing overloaded trucks moving 20 miles per hour, we arrived in Voi, where we immediately met with Paul, who introduced me to a young man and two elders from a local tribe, from the hills nearby.  We went to our hotel balcony where our guests recited nursery rhymes, game rhymes, and my favorite (even if not nonsense), the “beer blessing,” a ceremony performed by the father to the son when the son is to have his first beer.  It involves the father spitting/spraying beer on the son’s forehead and rubbing the beer into the scalp in long massaging motions, all the while warning him of the dangers of drinking.  We found one interesting nonsense piece that seems to be in many versions throughout Kenya, a rhyme recited when the children are going through the crops with sticks to kill the locusts (locusts which, by the way, I saw today… apparently quite a delicacy, as well).  Many thanks to all participants, especially those who came from the hills…

After the session, we had dinner, only to encounter these pizzas:

 If anyone can explain the naming of any of these, I would be most appreciative.  I know you have all missed the menus from last summer in Eastern Europe, so I hope this begins to satisfy you…  Suggestions in the comments, below??