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From bad to worse, or how I do not imagine a runway

Addis is behind us. Again we are on the way south to the Omo Valley. But this time I finally sit on my bike. We take the route to Yabello quite rapidly under the wheels. But it is always given the utmost caution, it seems that both, the locals and the donkeys, of this wonderful country has still not adjusted to modern road transport - even on main roads -. Constantly people or animals are crossing the road and this without paying attention to all traffic. If a donkey but then noticed that a vehicle is approaching, it preferres to remain standing in the middle of the road. It will be really close when suddenly a truck just turns from the bush on the road and it also needs the full width of the roadway. I stop only inches in front of him, Loudly hammering with my fists against his cab. But he seems not to understand why I'm upset, because he has the larger vehicle. But he gets on his receipt only 100 feet later, where he is stopped by a policeman and gets first-lashing about the right of way. The shock runs deep with me, especially since I did not have in the ditch to avoid, since it consists only of a deep mud landscape.

Behind Yabello we leave the asphalt. From here on we will over the next 10 days will be only on slopes of the road. In Konso I purchase 4 cans of gasoline and fill my tank and a total of 67 liters of gasoline. From now on I will try in every village to fill up because we were told at Lake Turkana will not be fuel available. On Sunday the 7th March 2010 around 19.00 clock we get the exit stamp Ethiopia - before dated 8.3. - in our passports, and refused to stay even on the grounds of the border post. From here we will travel the next day, in addition to Hugh and Isabella - my traveling companion from Sudan - and their Land Cruiser.

Kenya here we come! Illegal! For the Kenyan side is mentioned on the cards, although a place called Banyafort, the place is not really existent. Far and wide no border posts. That meens, we have to wait until Nairobi with the official entry. Even my visa I will be able to apply the first place. Well, that's something: 1 Week illegal in Kenya.

The difference from Kenya to Ethiopia is easy to spot. We hardly see people. The distances between the villages are getting bigger. But the mud holes on the slopes greater. The vehicles get stuck in mud three times on the first day in Kenya. Uncomfortable it is, when both cars go at once. Fortunately, some residents of a nearby mission help us.

The next few days will be the most difficult of the trip so far. The eastern shore of Lake Turkana is a large areas of stone deserts. A lot of lava rocks and boulders. The runway is that someone has removed the very large chunks to the side. What is relative easy to master for a 4x4 vehicle, the pure hell on the bike. It is like when you drive all day on tennis balls. The rear wheel has certainly traveled more than twice the distance of the front wheel. Time and again the machine glides away to the side. To pick up the bike 10 times a day is normal here. Hill start? Impossible! No traction! But it's worth it. The scenery is breathtaking. Large parts are made of stone desert. Each set-up and departure is a new challenge in rock and stone. But there are also large smooth plains. We sweep with over 100 km / h over this. Pull large loops. Let the vehicles run. And then comes the sand. I rush. Again! The guys confirm that I may speak with the stunt in any action film. A perfect flying over the handlebars. Head first into the sand. Several times roll over. Shortly lie, bone count. Then jump up, laughing. We go on!

Such things naturally calls for toll. My fellow passengers are complaining that I consum vast amounts of food. And my license plate falls off. The plastic carrier has dissolved normal. From now on, the license plate is mounted on top of the rear rack with wire. You can not read. But here no one does.

In North Horr, the first real village, then there's even a small restaurant. And the first Kenyan Tusker beer. It takes infinitely long until we get our food. I talk with the "manager". It looks like 4 to 5 passengers in his village, in the month. When I asked how many riders he has seen, he must consider it a bit longer. It notes with surprise that I am apparently the third in which he can remember.

From here on, the "street" is named C77, what its condition but also not help. Takes us back to the shore of the lake will only be determined once from the sand. Again and again Isabella and Hugo go faster then us, but somehow we get them back in the evening ;-) A truck is stuckes in a dry riverbed. We recognize that we do not pull out because it meens risking serious damage to the drive train of the Land Cruisers. So we start to dig, while others unload the cargo. The truck was loaded food from USAID. We often ask ourselves whether it makes any sense whar all the aid agencies do here. They bring food for the population, which is certainly a good approach. But they give them food for free, which in turn undermines the local market and the population rises into a kind of long-term expectations. After a while another truck arrives and we can make our way, again.

Next destination is Loyangalani. There is a Lodge, of which we have already heard several times. Should be quite nice, and what it makes so special is having swimming pools with hot spring water. Since our last shower is a few days ago, this would be a welcome opportunity. Of course, we meet here Isabella and Hugo. Hugo has been sitting at the bar already and gave us first a cold Tusker. Previously, we have putted our head under the first faucet the first we could find. Wow! Unfortunately, the pools are empty and a room would cost 3000 Kenyan shillings - which are about 30 euros. Too much for us. So once again local restaurants and then camping outside. We have wonderful fish and ugali, and Coke or Chay. Once again properly fed for 2 euros. Back to camp we drive on a spit of land that reaches far into the lake. It is very windy, almost stormy. Yippee. Then it will be cold at night in the tent and you can sleep well.

The morning brings unfortunately work. I had my first flat tire. After now about 22,000 kilometers. The front tire is flat. But that should not be a problem. If we could then increase the front axle. After I had noticed already in Hungary, I had no suitable tool for the development of the axis, I got myself there one. Unfortunately, only in the absence of alternatives, in poor quality. The tool is twisted in itself, but the axis is fixed. Why is there nothing in Yamaha's board tools. Is it so unusual that you would like to expand the front wheel. It's only a 14 mm allen key. With matching screws and nuts, we finally can unscrew the axle. The rest is done quickly. For refreshment, the work is followed quickly by a dip in the lake. Many have warned of the crocodiles here, but unfortunately we have not seen any. Only a mighty big fish, the fishermen have pulled from the water.

Lets continue. The track is no better. I probably would not even hike in Europe on such roads, and here I have to ride a bike on them. Our route continues over Maralall, where we camp 2 nights in the Yare Camel Club, to Nanyuki. We pass the Mugie Wildlife Conservancy. It is one of the many animal parks in Kenya. Directly from the main runway even large animals can be seen. We drive past a waterhole, where is just a small herd of zebras drinking. And giraffes. Majestically they walk through the bush. Their movements seem so calm and relaxed, but they are still as fast. Simply sublime.

We camp again in the wilderness. Go on a huge rock which is of course climbed. From its summit one has a magnificent view over the surrounding countryside. To the horizon lies the green bush. In the distance I can see a bush runway for small aircraft. But it is currently populated only by antelopes. Large birds of prey circling over the scene, but have we become so used to it because, since Ethiopia had actually birds of prey in sight forever. To cook, we rekindle a fire, which then as a pleasant side effect keeps some insects at bay. Suddenly we heard an approaching jeep. We remove our lamps and behave calmly. The fire has burned for luck at the moment very far down. Then there are 3 men in our camp. One carries a gun. But they welcomed us kindly. They ask us for our camping permit. A permit? In the bush? It turns out that we are on the territory of a ranch - which also includes the runway. But we are allowed to stay for the night, even without permission. We should only watch, as happens sometimes in the morning, for elephants in that area. Well that would be something.

Unfortunately, we do not see any elephants, and can pull off quite unmolested. The gravelroad to Nanyuki will be much better. We can go up to  90 km / h. Here and there a little jump! Wonderfull.

After about 1600 miles, it is again so far. We have tar under the wheels. It has been 8 days since we left the tar in Yabello / Ethiopia. From here on we drive on paved roads to Nairobi. But we also quickly acquainted with the notorious Kenyan "Pottholes. After a week in Kenya, we are now driving in the capital Nairobi - my 11th Capital on this trip.

We will stay here for almost a week. Geoffray takes us warmly into his home, we met on Couchsurfing. The entry procedure for my Visa and for the Carnet de Passage are completed in a morning. I find a Yamaha workshop and instruct them to put my motorcycle in state and lead to an inspection. A new rim is not, unfortunately, raise, so I must order it from Germany.

For St. Patrick's Day we go to an Irish pub. Since we left europe we have not seen so many white people. Gwyn said it would be even more as in clubs in London. Nairobi shows itself to us as a very complex city. We see slums, white area, national park within sight of the city center, local markets and large shopping malls. On every corner one can get fast food, but we prefer to look for the small local kitchens. It appears that meat seems to be very important for the kenyan diet.

During we wait for my spare parts from home we will go to see the coast.