Back to it in Nanyuki

Tyson in the grounds as a 

Well the holidays are over and its back to it again. We had a great couple of weeks at the coast on paddle boards, Kayaks and even the manager trying a sky dive who landed successfully at our feet at the beech bar! The coast area has a lot to offer but there is a distinct lack of tourism here due the various security issues Kenya has had of late which is a shame and people seem a bit more desperate as a result. Even the fishing has become a poor source of income to the locals as the bigger and often foreign fishing firms drag netting the whole sea bed wrecking it for the smaller boats. We even saw people ring net fishing off the beech in small boats having come all the way from Tanzania (which actually isn't that far away). And catching tiny fish which will be of no use to anyone. 

The bus back to the city was much more comfortable this time and I would highly recommend the Simba bus over the chania bus any day especially as you don't get the travelling salesman who get on from time to time and try and sell a product. We had one on the way up which I didn't understand the product but he seemed to be selling two things one was a powder the turned water into orange juice and the other pill which solved everything the sales pitch went on for the best part of two hours which involved a lot of ranting. It also had which was the bit I didn't understand was he would periodically pull up a large poster displaying the female ovaries and tubes etc and then point it at women. He also mentioned some disses which made me think it was a pill to cover all known problems, he made a lot of sales but I was sceptical and not keen to buy the miracle pill from a brown manilla envelope in the back of a public bus. I have done that route a few times now and have become well used to the Voi service stop in Tsavo which delivers an excellent Goat Samosa but unfortunately also the smelliest loos in East Africa. 

Dipesh coming in to land on Diani beech 

 Not a long stop in Nairobi on the way through but a nice stop in Upper Hill camp which is run by Jess which I would say is the best option in Nairobi with a variety of nice accommodation options in the leafy suburbs. The Milimani backpackers which we stayed in on the way down as they where full booked in Upper Hill is not a good option book ahead and stay with Jess is the best option she also knows the city inside out and is more than happy to point you in the right direction. We stayed there during a cycle trip a couple of years and ago and it now feels like the only place to stay.  

Camp is still standing and all are back in work now after the Easter break and we are getting set for the next set of clients who will be here in a couple of days. All sorts of adventure courses kicking off so things are good for RVA unlike many operators. I am planning various staff training courses over the coming weeks and perhaps also a trip to Uganda to risk assess Mount Elgon which should be an interesting trip preceded and followed by 16 hours of speed bumps to Kampala, still not that keen on planes. The rains are here but not to much of an issue at the moment as you can plan round them but its chilly compared to the coast I have been forced to put a jumper on in the evenings! We have had a stunning viewing of Elephants who passed the camp yesterday in a huge herd. We where able to view them right next to the two foot fence. Elephants have terrible eyesight but if you look at them from downwind of them then they wont smell you if you approach from upwind they will smell you a long way off and get nervous which is not a good thing. Their ears and nose are extremely sharp but eyesight is limited to a few metres at best but with smell and noise they will know exactly where to charge which would be a frightening thing and very likely your last ‘safari’! 

Camp is still standing and looking much greener for the rains