Today we joined a new Dragoman group for a one-month tour of Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Our group is half English, the other half American. Two English drivers, Kathy and James, and one Kenyan cook, Mike, lead us. To meet our group we must find a camp ground that is miles out of Nairobi in the pitch-blackness of a moonless night, no lights illuminate the streets beyond the city center. And Kenyan cab rides always provide adventure. The cab driver we find speaks unintelligible English, has no idea of our destination, and drives a rusty and dilapidated cab that a mule could easily out-run. By headlights no stronger than firefly light, we leave Nairobi and chug down a dark road. If we’re persistent, we can make our cabby understand left, right, and straight ahead. It’s enough to find our camp ground after an hour of missed turns, engine maintenance, and a few gas station visits for petrol and directions. |