Am busy trying to coax sleep in a lodge, New Kamwara somewhere in Pangani area of Nairobi at the first day of Maseno Media trip to Nairobi. My tonight roommate Samuel Wambugu aka Sam Peace is busy fidgeting with his phone at the background.
The day started with a phone call from Eric Asubwa a buddy informing us that the bus was almost leaving us behind at 6:15, previously we had successfully ignored a 5:30 alarm with Kenneth Korir my school roommate.
We successfully got out of bed showered and were at the university monument promptly at thirty minutes past 6 before proceeding to Siriba campus to book the smaller bus for the ride to capital city.
My financial situation was on a down turn as the Bank was yet to access my new ATM while my father was still hustling money. At about 9:00 we left school to Kisumu to pick Mr. Nyambuga a lecturer who joined his colleague Mr. Katiambo before making a momentary stop over at Kericho for breakfast at 11:00.
I call my father, mother and elder sister Merrice. Dad grunts his journey mercies while mum laughs merrily before informing me should intercede to God for me. Siz only laughs and caution not to get lost in the big city.
I have tea with toasted sandwich at Ksh. 55, which reminds me of my poverty. We move over to Nakuru to meet the other team in another bus before sharing journey stories. The mood is gay and expensive as the heavy paper bags from supermarkets attest.
The pre-scheduled meeting with Zipporah Karani, A KTN senior reporter and an alumnus of Maseno back fires and thus we head to Lake Naivasha to spend the day.
We pass Kikopey a famous nyama choma joint as Ken tells me a story of how they had trekked from Gilgil to Lake Elementataita and back, the funny part is that the lake has no fish!!! I change seats and enjoy a ride with Vivian Amani and Louisa at the back before the bumps make me move over to my place.
At Lake Naivasha area of Cray Fish with many labour lines for flower farmers like Homegrown and Karuturi, Mr. Katiambo tickles us with a story that the line have a birth of 3,000 per day surpassing Nairobi’s 1,900!!
The small rooms, abject poverty coupled with workers away from home is the main cause leading to abortion, rapes, sodomy and multiple sex relations.The last line is “for every woman you see outside the window is either 1-12 months pregnant”
Fisherman’s Camp
After several false leads for a cheap public beach at the shores of Lake Naivasha we reach the Fisherman’s Camp where we retreat for the afternoon. The Acacia groove waves lazily on the lake breeze as black and white colobus monkeys chatter on the canopy.
On the harsh summer sun the golden barks of the trees blend beautifully with the blue sparkling surface of the lake and the thick green underground forming a carpet. All around camps going for Ksh. 700 per night dot the landscape.
We take snaps as other adventurous students go for a boat ride to the lake. Am used to boat riding at Lake Victoria to part with Ksh. 200, so I move around sampling the area and chat with friends.
Ken, my roommate moves to the curio section to buy a gift for his KU girlfriend and orders lunch at the tourist lodge. The HOD moves around with his brother before having a chat with us over relationships and work.
Soon afterwards we move away from Naivasha and avoids the Mahi Mahiu way making us to be slowed at the westlands jam (which is always slow but moving according to FM stations.) through Waiyaki way.
Ken becomes a tour guide pointing for me land marks like Nairobi School, KBC, CCK, Safaricom House and Radio Group Africa.
Tomorrow.
We are informed of a talk on media and entrepreneurship in Nairobi University and a visit at Nation Media Group before we regroup at Kenya Polytechnic to pick other students residing at this lodging. The ones with abode in the city had left earlier.
At the evening twilight the CBD looks different since the last time I check it.
We book into our lodge which are quite affordable – without sockets though- and walk all over Pangani with Sam Peace looking for an MPESA joint unsuccessfully. We at last opt for a grab joint for supper for a tight budget. I call my dad and younger sister in KU for a chat, before calling my home buddy Marvin Odero who resides in Rongai and catch up on women.
Sam order Kienyeji, a mashed mixer of maize, beans, pumpkins leaves and Irish potatoes fried and made into a paste. Find it funny and settle for a heartburn inducing chips and chicken which strangely tastes like fish to me!
We stroll back to sleep and watch the 9 O’clock Citizen TV news as we charge our electronic. I crawl for a warm shower as the rounds of beer has started to make my other mates tipsy.
It’s late hope to sleep and wake up tomorrow good night.
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