Images of a Kenyan Countryside

Last two weekends were long weekends for us, when we drove down the Kenyan Countryside for the first time. As you travel towards Naivasha, you encounter the most breath-taking sight of your life.... the vast expanse of the Rift Valley.

For as long as you can see there are plains, lined on both sides by the hills. Somebody said the Masai Land lay in those plains, which I doubt, since that ought to be on the South towards the Tanzania Border, isn't it?

The lake of Niavasha itself is a sight to behold. A couple of other known families were camping on the lake side since the night before. They seemed to be happy to be close to nature. And then the skies opened. Rain, as you would not have expected an hour back, lashed us from all sides of the tent. We found that the tent was not really on flat ground and wanter gushed from below, sides and everywhere. Very soon, our mattresses and stuff was drenched wet. And unlike the rains in India, the water was numbing cold!!!!

Next week was Mount Kenya, where we stayed in a mountain lodge overlooking a water-hole. Splendid view and the sounds of nature were relaxing, whenever our young kid let us listen to them. Night-fall we saw leopards prowling and their effect on hereds of deer, antelopes, and even buffaloes. Overall fun though!

Along the way to Mount Kenya are farms...Big large farms... on hills and on the plains. Unlike Indian subcontinent, there are no small farmers toiling away with manual archaic tools. These are either corporations, or really big farmers, I thought. Mostly cash crops too.

The Kenyan Countryside, unlike perceptions of outsiders, is quite prosperous. The man on the street is more often than not immaculately dressed in a suit. And people are well read. Can't forget the demonstrations that illustrate the magnetic forces on either side of the equator, which is marked by a road-side board near the Mount Kenya. well-rehearsed, and well-read, the demos are worth a one-time watch!

Anyways, the road back was good, until Thika, where you see start seeing the Chinese funded infrastructure development all the way back to Nairobi, which has made the roads a virtual construction site, all over Nairobi.