In March 1994 I celebrated my 50th birthday. My really good friend Tove said to me at that occation:"Now you have acted as guide for me through many years, so I will spend a trip for you after your wish. You get 10.000 dkr and then you make your decision from there." Have you ever had a friend who had such a good giving heart ? I was overwelmed. The worst part was that I had to make the decision. There was a lot of places I wanted to see, but this was so special that I had to think very carefully about where to go. Since I was a small girl I always wanted to go to Africa and be among the wild life. This was the most unachievable dream because I was not born in a rich home. So if I could find a travel agent who could deliver the goodsI could have my old dream come through. Larsen's travel agency had the tour on the program. It was very close to the price I was given, but it sounded good from the description so that was what I picked. Since all was free I thought I could put in a little money from me so I bought 1st class flight from London to Nairobe and a better hotel. And then off we went Tove and I.
Here is Tove in 1st class lounge in London (it was free of charge because of our tickets) - it was exceptional good.
Inga in the 1st class lounge with free drinks
We arrived in Nairobi but we had to go further namely Mombasa
In Denmark you are used to women as hotel cleaners but in Kenya most of these are young men (roomboys). Here is our roomboy. His name is Ernest.
A big tour without a crossword magasin is unthinkable for me. Here relaxing on our terrace.
Tove is counting the money - it is a bit difficult because of all these shillings
Isn't this cosy. This is the view from our hotelroom
This is good service - out own lion on the terrace
The bar right outside the room - it is me Inga sitting in the water
Evening entertainment
This limbo could be tried of all guests
We stayed in Giriama Hotel - the hotel was good but not the beach. Der were a lot of muggings and as you can see no people sunbathing
Well these two ladies were not afraid so we went to the nearest supermarket along the beach. Here we are close to the supermarket having a drink.
I have a lot of friends all over the world and in Kenya too - Here we are with Cosma, who is married to John Hansen one of my very good friends there.
Here is John Hansen and one of his colleagues Ian. Ian is a pilot for African Safari Airways. He would bring us without any payment to Kilimanjaro. We did not accept because we didn't have the vaccination against colera which was required.
This is a trading centre for foreigners living in Mombasa
This is from the same place - Tove in the photo
Mombasa is famous because of Tamarind Restaurant, where you can get all sortes of seafood. It is really delicious. John's boss Mike Allen, who used to work in Basel in Switzerland, is also one of my friends, and he sponsered this dinner. Today he has retired and lives in Thailand where he owns a lot of ricefields. The next two photos show how delicious the food is. At the table:
Inga, Cosma, Tove and John.
John wanted so much to show Kenya to us. Here we are in Watamu Marine Park. We had lunch there. The meaning was to go to Malindi, which is further north.
We didn't manage to go further than Watamu. The next pictures show why.
Watamu beach - the sea is a Marine Park
John's wife Cosma
Of course the girls should have their beers. John doesn't drink at all, but his wife Cosma drinks everything.
Here is the reason for not reaching Malindi - without a spare wheel you do not go futher but return to Mombasa to get it repaired.
Cosiness while John replaces the wheel
Back in Mombasa we were going to a Night show
Almost Rafael's angles with the virtue in the centre
Evening entertainment with obstacles - the power went for this part of Mombase so we had to go to another part of town.
Teapot with the teacups - Fort Jesus in the background
Fort Jesus wall painting
Fort Jesus goes back to the Portuguese invasion and was build in 1593. A young girl was found in the ruins in 1991. There are also canons from the fifteen hundred.
To the right you see the girls with the hair right up in the air - the walls are 2-3 meters wide and the wind is tough here in the peephole.
View from Fort Jesus in Mombasa
View to the other side from Fort Jesus
Market in Mombasa
Of course a woman cannot live without her marketboy
Mombasa's landmark
John brought us to Bamburi Nature Trail
Here with our guide
Giant tortoise - it can carry 90 kilos, but we didn't try
In this photo you see eland, yellow-billed storks, egyptian geese, ducks and one lonely sacred ibis.
The previous pictures are all Bamburi Nature Trail or like they say in 2006 "Haller Park" - it is a former gravel pit and a swiss constructor offered to make an animal park and a lake for the hippo.
Not a good omen for a safari - a turist van has tipped over -none of the passengers were seriously hurt
We were on our way to this place - Ngulia Lodge - here we should stay over night and go on a game drive the next morning.
Lots of places have mosquito nets - if they are there - USE THEM
Our local agame - this is a male
They put up food for the leopards - there was one there that night but it was impossible to take pictures.
View from the balcony
Couple of jackals
Who said elephants are grey ?
Impalas
Worthogs and among the small trees are waterbucks
Burchell's zebras
Ostriches - who removed the head of the male ?
The text is true
Hippoes in the water. These springs (Mzima Springs) give water for Mombasa. The water is very clean because it is filtered through lava almost all the way.
Our driver is discussing with the guard, it is mandatory you have a guard in the van when you travel between Amboseli and Tsavo West. Our driver's name is Omar Sharif - vi thought it was a joke, but actually it was true
Here is Amboseli Lodge where we spent the night. Amboseli Park was a disappointment. The Park was flooded so the only animals we saw were hippoes, waterbirds and buffaloes.
Kilimanjaro from The Lodge
Vervet monkeys - they are all over the lodge
Saddlebilled stork. It is huge.
To the left you see Sven (our swedish companion in the van) here with a vervet monkey, which is begging. Don't give them anything. They can get quite aggresive and give you a nasty bite.
Toilet in 1st calss stile - inside a hole in the ground and outside a watertap put on half a barrel - nice?
We visited a maasai village on our tour to Tsavo East. Here is the chief and all his wives.
See his big rubber boots
Here are the wives and children who were not allowed to participate
Tove is trading. She had a digital watch from a Magasin (it didn'r show correct time), but the chief was very proud to get it. Tove in return got a neckless and some other stuff his wives had made.
We were invited to visit the huts (they are made from cowdung and mud) and they smell terrible. Inside one of these huts I discovered these children who were impossible to see without the flashlight from the camera.
Watch the elephants under the trees
Cape buffaloes - they are quite stupid. If you don't talk and don't move in a few minutes they think you are part of the landscape and they will continue whatever they were doing.
Tsavo East Voi Lodge. Very good swimmingpool, except for the baboons, who all the time steal your towel, when you are in the pool.
Rock hyrax - closest relative is the elephant
Mudanda Rock - good view point
One has to mark one's territory !
Sven had his birthday ( 50 years) - we gave him gifts and we made a party for him.
Sven was celebrated in style. Our driver is muslim, but he drinks beer ?? May be not quite correct according to the Koran, but he was such a good fellow. From the left - Lars (supermarket owner), Omar (driver), The Guide (I don't remember his name), Marianne (Lars's girlfriend at that time), The birthday person Sven and Tove
The last lunch in the bush. Picnic brought from Voi Lodge. We had a good time eating. Some of the turists are really a pain in the ass, but we tried to tease them. What the fuck did they expect ?
Tove & Britt-Marie
Here are the grumpy ones. We don't know what was wrong. But they were so unbelievable boring, that I don't remember their names. They were complaining more than once, that their driver was in a bad mood. We then swapped one day. But this didn't help either. Who do they think is supposed to entertain them ? We always had fun in our car but this was not because of the driver.
Our driver taught us a kenyan song - we performed when we were back at the lodge. It was so good we had to do it twice.
The text to Jambo:
Jambo, jambo Bwana .............. Hello, hello Mister.
Habari gani ? .............................How are you?
Nzuri sana .................................. Very well
Wageni mwakaribishwa ........... Guests, You are welcome
Kenya yetu .................................. In our Kenya
Hakuna matata .......................... There are no problems
Last supper in Kenya. John picked us up together with his brother in law. But there is something with us and power. That night the power disappeared again. But that was not a problem in the restaurant Sea Heaven. They cooked on charcoal, and they had put out candles all the way to the table.