That's Kenya too... (page 2 of 8)

and @ Solène I noticed the same thing: we went on a Sunday, early no less, and there were way more people!

It’s common knowledge that when Christelle shows up, the locals make way! #humourofcourse

Absolutely, Alain and Bruno, I'd heard about Nairobi's monstrous traffic jams, and I felt like I'd won the lottery that day 😄. The trip back will be a bit more of an adventure! And yes, Muriel, we're next to Lake Oloidien, which is itself next to Lake Naivasha 😊

Unfortunately, not always Bruno 😄

Quick question for those using a computer: are my photos still blurry or is it just me?

are my photos still as blurry or is it okay?

No problem on my end. But in your travel journal about São Tomé, they weren’t all blurry—some were sharp and others less so

Hi Christelle,

I recognized Kiambethu Tea Farm near Limuru right away—we spent the day there with family twelve years ago! It’s such a lovely place, just like you described. Thanks for the memory.

Hey Michel You talking about the restaurant? It’s called Camellia Gardens, not far from Kiabethu Tea Farm. Such a beautiful spot, really surprising so close to the capital! 😊

Thanks Muriel. I think I’ve got the problem now 😉

So, friends, are you ready to dive into an animal "Eden"?



It starts with the dawn light caressing me while Lulu purrs 😊: uh, yeah, the opposite will be for another day 😏.

This is the moment to discover what’s hiding at the end of this 3 km track!

We’re staying in a "cottage," as they say here: kitchen, living room, fireplace, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a big terrace! Too bad we don’t have the whole crew here 😄.



Right next door is Frankie’s house—or rather, Frankie’s castle—in a pure "Anglo-Kenyan" style, the kind we’ve only seen on TV!

The garden is stunning, shaded by huge acacias (I think!) and dotted with floral touches here and there.



But I was surprised—I thought I was right by Lake Oloidien, but it’s actually quite far away.



No, here, we just have a view of a vast plain where a daily fashion show takes place:

It starts with the languid swaying of the heavy giraffes, followed by the trotting of striped zebras, and ends with the hip-swaying of white-rumped antelopes 😆.



Warthogs come to graze at night right under the terrace, Colobus monkeys play leapfrog on the roof of our shack,



and vervet monkeys jump from tree to tree, their babies clinging to their bellies.



And I apologize, but it’s impossible to describe the constant, varied sounds—sometimes impressive—that make us say all the time (especially at night 😱):

"Wait, what *is* that creature???".

Here, the only human noise we don’t hear is our own, and I won’t lie—it’s *so* good 😍.

"We're staying in a 'cottage,' as they say here: kitchen, living room, fireplace, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a huge terrace! It's a shame we don't have the whole crew with us 😅."

Let Bruno know before you leave, and he’ll show up with 10 other partiers😎—it should be fun😛

Otherwise, this place is amazing, and the different monkeys—wow!

Exactly, Marie-Jo, I think the monkeys wouldn’t appreciate that horde of "old" karaoke singers either 😄

It starts with the dawn’s glow caressing me while Lulu purrs 🥰: uh yeah, the reverse will be for another day 🤪.

It’s getting seriously wild out here!

It starts with the languid swaying of the heavy giraffes, followed by the trotting of striped zebras, and ends with the hip-swaying of white-rumped antelopes 💃.

Are giraffes also dealing with obesity here?

Exactly Marie-Jo, I think the monkeys wouldn’t appreciate that horde of "old" karaoke singers either 😄

And there’s no jacuzzi either. 😎

Hi, I'm heading off, and I really like this place I didn't know about!

Hi Christelle, This is a really fascinating start to your travel journal, and it’s even more interesting since we’ve planned to visit in January. I’ll be following the rest of your story very closely. Jacques

Welcome Didier! 😊

Well, Jacques, you’ll be able to take notes now 😄. For the addresses, I’m happy to share them in a PM (because those "forum lurkers" who just scoop up tips without ever contributing—I don’t like that, nah 😜).

Now, it's time to head out for a ride, as usual, wherever the wind takes us.

We find the trail again with antelopes to the right, zebras to the left... and Cricri sitting on the car door, hair in the wind, admiring the show 🤩



Back on the tarmac, lots of 4x4s are heading toward the local attraction, Hells Gate National Park 🤔. We were hesitating about going, but the choice was quickly made: with our beloved but tired Toyota, we figured we’d fit in better somewhere that suits us more (and besides, we have the animals all to ourselves in the mornings and evenings 😜).

So we stop to check out one of the rare public "beaches" on Lake Naivasha (the lake’s shores are mostly taken over by fancy hotels!).

Well, fancy is definitely not the word here 😂.

Not a single fellow tourist in sight, a muddy setting, makeshift stalls, a tiny fish market, and then... beautiful blue and white boats,



pelicans (lots of them), marabous (everywhere), a few fishermen, and plenty of locals responding to our "Jambos."



Well, even if there’s no "beach" to speak of, it still looks promising 😊.

We settle into Sharon’s bistro to figure out what’s next, and Sammy comes to meet us: 32 years old, 3 kids under 10, and a real talent for reeling in tourists—all smiles and jokes 👏🤹.

So off we go, drifting along the water for a tour of Crescent Island and the continuation of the animal "festival": fishing eagles (everywhere),



waterbucks (lots of them)



and hippos in deep sleep (in a pretty surprising setting, I’ll admit 😂).



We’ll wrap up with a friendly drink at Sharon’s bar, who’ll be thrilled to give me a dance lesson 💃🕺. Luckily for me, embarrassment isn’t fatal, and videos don’t make it online 🤹🤸.

1 p.m., time to grab a bite.

The marabous are hustling for customers,



hygiene standards leave a bit to be desired 💃,



but the "inner tube" tablecloth ends up hosting an excellent fish,



surrounded by a truly cheerful atmosphere.



And, truth be told, for us, that’s what matters most 😊

sanitary standards leave a bit to be desired 😅

And no stomach issues afterward either?

For sure, it’s far from those polished tourist spots... but you’re right in the heart of Kenyan life, and that’s awesome! 😉

"We'll wrap up with a friendly drink at Sharon's bar, where she'll be thrilled to give me a dance lesson 🥱🩰. Lucky for me, embarrassment isn't fatal and videos don't go viral here 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♂️"

We could start our own Kenyan and Assamese dance duo 💃👩🏾‍🤝‍👨🏼👩🏽