Manderatings

So the other day as I was looking for honey in the supermarket I was reminded about this time when in rural Mandera checking out the work of some young and inspiring beehive farmers. One of them invited us to his 'simba' and proceeded to pull out a bucket that was full of honey combs....then with his bare (not-so-clean) hands, he tore for us pieces of the comb and, following what others were doing, we munched it like sugarcane!! I didn't even know that people do that!!! Cant really say no when someone offers you a meal, now can you?? Then, while chatting away enthusiatically, he squeezed the rest of the combs out and filled small containers for us to carry fresh honey to Nairobi....we took to our eager colleagues and carefully didn't mention the process that it had undergone ....LOL...knowing some of them, they would not have dared taken the honey!!

Flashback to the first time I went to Mandera...must have been 2005...waaaaaaa.......we drove for 2 days in brand new double cabin pickups that were blaring Somali music. Those days the flights from Nairobi were miraa flights and the miraa fetched more money than people...so ...road it was...We boarded the cars in Eastleigh and headed out after the boots were packed to the brim with supplies...makes the car more stable am told. The road ended in Garissa but we still made it to the next stop...spent the night in Wajir and next day drove to Mandera.....I was sandwiched between two hefty men...and they spoke above the loud music, I was new in the organisation so was as timid as they come...now of course, am not about to do that!!!!! + I have added 'a bit' of weight so cant fit anyways :)

Anyways, the ride was pretty uneventful....... but tiring ..waaaaaaaaaaaa.....mercifully...we reached in one piece...for some reason in my mind i assumed Mandera would look like Eastleigh....well...it didnt!!

Our host was gracious and treated us to meaty dishes from morning to evening...I commented, that I have taken enough meat to last me a lifetime...then i fell sick....ehhh...he said that i spoke mbaya about the meat so thats why i fell sick....(the extension of that story is a story for another day).

I have never been so happy that my colleague had to get back to Nairobi quickly so we both got bundled into the next miraa flight from Mandera (now that its empty, passengers are allowed) and sat opposite each other like in those matatu za kitambo and reached Nairobi safely!! I didnt even care for the discomfort....all I wanted was my Nairobi :) #citygal

Fast forward to more recent times and my other visits to Mandera is nothing compared to my initiation ride - what with using the comfortable ECHO flight...that takes about 2 hours and you  have landed.....immediately....heading off to Rhamu in an air conditioned 4x4 comfortable car....and being invited to very nice accommodation....not falling SICK...(I have never commented 'badly' on food ever again)...pity that insecuity and dengue fever made me not go back for a couple of years...

Our colleagues during the last visit insisted that we must visit the Governors offices....ehhh...you cant even imagine you are in Mandera!! See the luscious green grass in pic below....thats in Mandera!!

Mandera.....the place is interesting.....different, thats for sure!

#tembeaKenya

Elephant in the area...

I saw an elephant for the first time in Marsabit

This was just outside my room at the Marsabit lodge....early 2005!! thats a long time ago...but the sight was one to behold...my mouth was just open...I couldnt even move....the elephant was so close...it was a young one and soon the older ones came closer as well...you see there was a salt pit (i think that's what its called) and it attracts them closer to the rooms and you can then marvel at them, up close and ...well, up close!!...and i took a picture of the two of them!!

After that, I have seen several of them, several times.....mostly on the way to Maralal...that park seems to have many walking around. There was one time we met a lone elephant...that thing was massive!! and right in the middle of the road....my colleagues told the driver, flash lights at it...am like....nooooooooooo.....i think i read somewhere that a lone elephant is not a happy elephant!! i was so scared....and luckily the elephant calmly walked away before the lights were flashed!!...and i took a picture of it as it sauntered away...

I have touched one in Tsavo East ama West, i forget which one....but for that one we had to wake up early in the morning so that we can get to the place where they are taken care of!! took a photo too (looking shocked at the proximity)!!

And the one that crowns it is David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, right here in Nairobi. Everytime we had colleagues come into Kenya, this was a must stop for them, but I had never been. So one morning we trooped there, my sisters and kids, even the neighbours kids!! That was mad fun! and i loved the way the kids marvelled at the baby elephants being given milk in massive bottles....loved that visit!!

#whyiloveKenya #worthmorealive #tembekenya