Out of Africa - life in Kenya

A few random photographs of Kenya generally, to give a flavour of the culture there.

On the way to a market in Kisumu,
the half-completed roadworks are a typical scene

The afore mentioned market

These rudely made carcasses will become quite presentable armchairs

A funeral procession, horns blaring, outside our church in Mudete

The same, with a Boda Boda passing by. Crash helmets are rare.

A hardware shop in Mudete. Note the bars and the spelling!

Click to enlarge and check out the writing on the bus

Passing a crowd going to a bull-fight, on the way to Kakamega Forest

Boda Boda delivery man

The main road deteriorates whilst a bridge is being build

Scary scaffolding abounds

Market in Kakamega town

We purchased some mangoes

A pretentious dwelling outside Kisumu 

Out of Africa - Kakamega forest

Kakamega forest is Kenya's only tropical rainforest and, we were told, used to be much larger than it now is. We visited a government run tourist station and paid for a 2 hour guided tour along the Mama Mutere trail.

Whole forest relative to Mudete

detail showing the Forest Station and Rondo Retreat

Our guide Nancy beside tea plantation bordering the forest

R gazing at...

...a monkey - we saw many

H climbing the void in a strangler fig tree

The strangler fig tree grows around its host which eventually gives up the unequal struggle and dies, leaving a chimney within the fig, which our crew climbed up.

Atop the observation tower, strictly unsafe to climb

The tower overlooks a clearing north of the station (see map)

one of many

Having done the forest we checked out nearby Rondo Retreat hoping to have lunch there, but reckoned it was too expensive. A really nice place though, so very well kept and so very colonial in style.

Hot water system at Rondo Retreat