Part 1 – Sunrise in Tsavo
So we arrived last night just before sunset after a 6 hour drive from Mombassa. We’re back in Tsavo West National Park where we spent time on Sat Camp back in our first month here. My first time driving off road, after we left the main road from Voi. From the main tarmac road it’s about 100ks to Taveta, the main town near to where we’re based. That 100ks takes about 2 hours. At first we were bumping and rattling along at about 20kph with Tinga (*) shaking and clattering along the road. But then, after been passed by a tin-can Rav4 and a couple of boneshaker matatus we got to thinking, “Hang on a minute, how the hell do they manage that! Perhaps we’d better give it a try.” As we accelerated to 40kph the bumping and shaking got worse, but as we hit 60kph we started to skate over the bumps and potholes quite nicely. Like a 4x4 version of aquaplaning in a boat! The sandier bits can be quite hairy as you slide about but all in all it’s hilarious! A good laugh, but bloody hard work as you have to constantly wrestle the wheel and concentrate hard on the road ahead watching for potholes, rocks and the best route through. If you have read my earlier post when we came out here last time you may remember my account of the white knuckle bus ride. Apart from still being convinced that the bus drivers are insane, I now have a renewed admiration for the way they can handle a bus on these roads, although I don’t think I’ll ever be tempted to emulate their speeds or their bravado.
Our return to Tsavo is something we’ve been really looking forward to for the last few weeks. The people here are amazingly friendly and so welcoming. As we drove down the dirt road we had waves and smiles from so many people, kids and adults alike. We’re here to work on a construction project for the week, building a water pipeline into a village called Kasaani. The villagers currently travel about 3 kms each way to fetch water. By bicycle that takes about an hour and they can carry 60 litres in one go. By foot it takes about 2 hours and they can only carry 20 litres. After talking to Isaac, one of the villagers, by the fire with our morning chai and coffee to warm us, he said 60 litres is enough for 2 days, for a family, unless you have small children in which case you need about 80 litres for 2 days. Isaac has 4 children, his eldest is 17, but after suffering cerebral malaria she has been left mentally handicapped and will have to live with them for the rest of their lives. His other 3 children are healthy and well but 2 of them are very young so his family needs the extra water. On average he spends 1-2 hours a day getting water. That’s assuming he has the 2 shillings (2 pence) it costs per 20 litre jerry can. At times when he hasn’t, he has to travel 5 ks to get free water, but it isn’t as clean as it comes straight from the river. He’s lost 2 children, I didn’t ask how, but this whole tale is recounted in such a matter of fact way that shows these peoples’ stoic acceptance of how hard their life is. The people here are hard to anger and very quick to smile. Laughter easily plays around their eyes and in their voices. It’s humbling to look at our lives and how we deal with things and see how these people cope with their day to day lives with an easy smile that comes right from the heart. It’s something recently though I have known and learnt about my own family as well. Something perhaps that we have in all of us when time and circumstances demand.
Spending time here, is something Kate and I have been really looking forward to for ages, principally because we love the area and the people. But talking to Isaac this morning and listening to his excitement about the new pipeline brought a realisation of how important this project is to the community. The way he describes that with this pipeline everyone in the village and the surrounding community will save 1 to 2 hours of hard labour a day fetching water is an astonishing eye opener. That time saved will give them more time each day to get food or simply rest in these tough conditions with their physically demanding lives.
So we arrived last night just before sunset after a 6 hour drive from Mombassa. We’re back in Tsavo West National Park where we spent time on Sat Camp back in our first month here. My first time driving off road, after we left the main road from Voi. From the main tarmac road it’s about 100ks to Taveta, the main town near to where we’re based. That 100ks takes about 2 hours. At first we were bumping and rattling along at about 20kph with Tinga (*) shaking and clattering along the road. But then, after been passed by a tin-can Rav4 and a couple of boneshaker matatus we got to thinking, “Hang on a minute, how the hell do they manage that! Perhaps we’d better give it a try.” As we accelerated to 40kph the bumping and shaking got worse, but as we hit 60kph we started to skate over the bumps and potholes quite nicely. Like a 4x4 version of aquaplaning in a boat! The sandier bits can be quite hairy as you slide about but all in all it’s hilarious! A good laugh, but bloody hard work as you have to constantly wrestle the wheel and concentrate hard on the road ahead watching for potholes, rocks and the best route through. If you have read my earlier post when we came out here last time you may remember my account of the white knuckle bus ride. Apart from still being convinced that the bus drivers are insane, I now have a renewed admiration for the way they can handle a bus on these roads, although I don’t think I’ll ever be tempted to emulate their speeds or their bravado.
Our return to Tsavo is something we’ve been really looking forward to for the last few weeks. The people here are amazingly friendly and so welcoming. As we drove down the dirt road we had waves and smiles from so many people, kids and adults alike. We’re here to work on a construction project for the week, building a water pipeline into a village called Kasaani. The villagers currently travel about 3 kms each way to fetch water. By bicycle that takes about an hour and they can carry 60 litres in one go. By foot it takes about 2 hours and they can only carry 20 litres. After talking to Isaac, one of the villagers, by the fire with our morning chai and coffee to warm us, he said 60 litres is enough for 2 days, for a family, unless you have small children in which case you need about 80 litres for 2 days. Isaac has 4 children, his eldest is 17, but after suffering cerebral malaria she has been left mentally handicapped and will have to live with them for the rest of their lives. His other 3 children are healthy and well but 2 of them are very young so his family needs the extra water. On average he spends 1-2 hours a day getting water. That’s assuming he has the 2 shillings (2 pence) it costs per 20 litre jerry can. At times when he hasn’t, he has to travel 5 ks to get free water, but it isn’t as clean as it comes straight from the river. He’s lost 2 children, I didn’t ask how, but this whole tale is recounted in such a matter of fact way that shows these peoples’ stoic acceptance of how hard their life is. The people here are hard to anger and very quick to smile. Laughter easily plays around their eyes and in their voices. It’s humbling to look at our lives and how we deal with things and see how these people cope with their day to day lives with an easy smile that comes right from the heart. It’s something recently though I have known and learnt about my own family as well. Something perhaps that we have in all of us when time and circumstances demand.
Spending time here, is something Kate and I have been really looking forward to for ages, principally because we love the area and the people. But talking to Isaac this morning and listening to his excitement about the new pipeline brought a realisation of how important this project is to the community. The way he describes that with this pipeline everyone in the village and the surrounding community will save 1 to 2 hours of hard labour a day fetching water is an astonishing eye opener. That time saved will give them more time each day to get food or simply rest in these tough conditions with their physically demanding lives.
Isaac digging deep
Our small part in this is to bring ourselves, some volunteers, planning and some impetus to get the project off the ground and for the next 4 days…backbreaking pain as we dig a 3.5 km trench 2 feet deep and 1 foot wide from the nearest borehole into the village, through thick bush and scrub that has to be pangaed (panga = machete) out of the way. 5 volunteers and 2 staff have already spent a week out here so far and have amazingly dug about 1.5 km already, together with a team of about 10-20 locals each day. The stories we have heard are of blistered hands, aching backs, sore muscles and burning hot sun (it’s currently +32 in the shade). Boy, are we in for a week, but incredibly their spirits are high and they’re enjoying the hell out of it. These volunteers have taken time off work and travelled thousands of miles to spend a holiday living in dust and dirt; sleep in a mud hut, use a long drop toilet with a piece of sack for a door and dig all day long with just a shovel and a hoe. Crazy you say? Only as crazy as us and we don’t do it for the dirt or the blisters that’s for sure, but everyone has spoken of their joy of physical work, of doing something so completely different which has such a tangible result at the end of it and is of a lasting benefit to so many people. Sounds like a pretty good holiday to me after all!
The tools of our trade.
Our small part in this is to bring ourselves, some volunteers, planning and some impetus to get the project off the ground and for the next 4 days…backbreaking pain as we dig a 3.5 km trench 2 feet deep and 1 foot wide from the nearest borehole into the village, through thick bush and scrub that has to be pangaed (panga = machete) out of the way. 5 volunteers and 2 staff have already spent a week out here so far and have amazingly dug about 1.5 km already, together with a team of about 10-20 locals each day. The stories we have heard are of blistered hands, aching backs, sore muscles and burning hot sun (it’s currently +32 in the shade). Boy, are we in for a week, but incredibly their spirits are high and they’re enjoying the hell out of it. These volunteers have taken time off work and travelled thousands of miles to spend a holiday living in dust and dirt; sleep in a mud hut, use a long drop toilet with a piece of sack for a door and dig all day long with just a shovel and a hoe. Crazy you say? Only as crazy as us and we don’t do it for the dirt or the blisters that’s for sure, but everyone has spoken of their joy of physical work, of doing something so completely different which has such a tangible result at the end of it and is of a lasting benefit to so many people. Sounds like a pretty good holiday to me after all!The tools of our trade.
Kate showing us how it's done!
By next weekend, when I actually get to post this, I’ll also hopefully be posting about our success at completing the water pipe, perhaps even a picture of our new tap with water flowing. I really hope so. I also hope that my hands are capable of writing by then and that my back isn’t so sore and bent that I can still sit up to scribble a line or two…wish me luck!
P.s. You may have noticed reference to ‘Tinga’ (tinga tinga means tractor in Kiswahili) and here’s a picture of our little tinga tinga, loaded up with pipe sections ready to be laid. She’s a 2.5 litre behemoth that’s integral to our plans for the next few months. More details will be revealed in due course but suffice to say we won’t be using her as a ‘Chelsea Tractor’ around the streets of London that’s for sure. She’s a bit dusty and needs a bit of TLC and a good service which she’ll get when we’re back in Mombasa, but she bashes over the bumps and potholes as if they were nothing more than pebbles and puddles in our path. So we’re pretty pleased with her all in all.
Well until next week “Kwaheri ya kuonana”
By next weekend, when I actually get to post this, I’ll also hopefully be posting about our success at completing the water pipe, perhaps even a picture of our new tap with water flowing. I really hope so. I also hope that my hands are capable of writing by then and that my back isn’t so sore and bent that I can still sit up to scribble a line or two…wish me luck!P.s. You may have noticed reference to ‘Tinga’ (tinga tinga means tractor in Kiswahili) and here’s a picture of our little tinga tinga, loaded up with pipe sections ready to be laid. She’s a 2.5 litre behemoth that’s integral to our plans for the next few months. More details will be revealed in due course but suffice to say we won’t be using her as a ‘Chelsea Tractor’ around the streets of London that’s for sure. She’s a bit dusty and needs a bit of TLC and a good service which she’ll get when we’re back in Mombasa, but she bashes over the bumps and potholes as if they were nothing more than pebbles and puddles in our path. So we’re pretty pleased with her all in all.
Well until next week “Kwaheri ya kuonana”
Tinga playing her part with a full load of pipes.
Part 2 – It’s all about the pain!
We’ve reached the end of the week and, as anticipated, we can both count our blisters in double figures. We’re covered in scratches and scrapes and everything we have including ourselves is covered a thick layer of red dust that is everywhere here. I’m tired, even after a night’s sleep, tired quite literally to my bones which ache all over adding to the symphony of groans, pains and twinges that my body is currently suffering. But we’ve only been here 1 week. For Sara, the staff member who’s orchestrated the whole project, and the 5 volunteers this is the end of this 2 week bootcamp. As testament to these guys, no one has ever taken a day off, there’ve been no sullen strops and albeit some quiet times when people are tired, the sun is hot and there is still more work to do, they have all kept going and at most times managed the energy to joke and laugh together and keep their spirits high.
I don’t often write about individuals but Sara does deserve a special mention here. Prior to her involvement with this project it was nothing more than a vague notion by the district council to get water out to the village at some point. From a borehole on Salita Hill, she has personally been responsible for hassling and haranging the people that matter to run a pipeline from the borehole to Kasaani. She has raised money, has fought for 100m sections of pipe when the proposed 5m sections just weren’t good enough and found money to pay for them. When the pump in the borehole was discovered to be too small for the job it was installed for (!), the fault of the dodgy contractor who’d originally installed it, Sara managed to convince the local council to cough up for a brand new one. And then the generator that runs it broke down…of course…and Sara got it fixed in less than 24 hours. All of these are just some of the issues that have arisen just in the last 2 weeks since the volunteers arrived 2 weeks ago and started digging. In the land of TIA, not only to resolve these issues, get them paid for and get the equipment delivered, but to do so within 2 weeks is quite simply unbelievable. I’ve seen the pump being fitted, I’ve laid the pipes myself and I still can’t quite believe it’s still happened. So the question you’ll be asking is, have we got water from our tap? Well, it was never going to be a straightforward yes was it! The pump is pumping this morning as I write (but it’s the old one as the new one still needs a part welding to it). Unfortunately there are a few connections leaking. Thankfully we only have 30 or so to worry about rather than the 600 there would have been on the 5m pipe sections. Also, unfortunately, the leaking water from the uncovered joins has attracted some of the local wildlife who’ve sniffed it out…elephants!!! A herd of about 100 bloody elephants are right now stomping and sniffing around the very spots we need to get to to fix the leaks. Only in bloody Africa! In the UK, it’d be some muppet cutting through the pipe…here it’s ELEPHANTS FFS!
Since writing the above, we finally got water to within 300 metres of the end of the pipeline. The use of the old pump meant it wouldn’t reach the last section uphill, but once the new pump is installed (this weekend) it’ll be all go and the tap will be running. We had to leave to take the volunteers back to Mombasa in the end which was a real shame that the symbolic tap turning on didn’t happen. But knowing that the job is done, the pipe is laid and it’ll be running this weekend has really made it all worthwhile.
For us it’s an extra sweet result as we used £1000 of the money we raised with the help of all of you to part fund this project. That money gave Sara the leverage she needed to get things moving when the project almost fell apart this week over the pump and the better pipe. So not only did the money help buy stuff but it also gave one final push at the end to ensure the project got done…on time and in full. So THANK YOU, thank you everyone who came to the things we organised and who stumped up some money. We really have been able to use it on something very close to our hearts and which has left us with some wonderful memories and some memorable scars (ouch). We only have 3 weeks left on the expedition then we’ll be flying back on the 12th. We are really really looking forward to catching up with you all and sharing a few beers ETC!
So until next week, stay happy, have fun and enjoy your worthwhile buzz of do-goodedness for your important contribution in helping change people’s lives…see easy wasn’t it.
Part 2 – It’s all about the pain!We’ve reached the end of the week and, as anticipated, we can both count our blisters in double figures. We’re covered in scratches and scrapes and everything we have including ourselves is covered a thick layer of red dust that is everywhere here. I’m tired, even after a night’s sleep, tired quite literally to my bones which ache all over adding to the symphony of groans, pains and twinges that my body is currently suffering. But we’ve only been here 1 week. For Sara, the staff member who’s orchestrated the whole project, and the 5 volunteers this is the end of this 2 week bootcamp. As testament to these guys, no one has ever taken a day off, there’ve been no sullen strops and albeit some quiet times when people are tired, the sun is hot and there is still more work to do, they have all kept going and at most times managed the energy to joke and laugh together and keep their spirits high.
I don’t often write about individuals but Sara does deserve a special mention here. Prior to her involvement with this project it was nothing more than a vague notion by the district council to get water out to the village at some point. From a borehole on Salita Hill, she has personally been responsible for hassling and haranging the people that matter to run a pipeline from the borehole to Kasaani. She has raised money, has fought for 100m sections of pipe when the proposed 5m sections just weren’t good enough and found money to pay for them. When the pump in the borehole was discovered to be too small for the job it was installed for (!), the fault of the dodgy contractor who’d originally installed it, Sara managed to convince the local council to cough up for a brand new one. And then the generator that runs it broke down…of course…and Sara got it fixed in less than 24 hours. All of these are just some of the issues that have arisen just in the last 2 weeks since the volunteers arrived 2 weeks ago and started digging. In the land of TIA, not only to resolve these issues, get them paid for and get the equipment delivered, but to do so within 2 weeks is quite simply unbelievable. I’ve seen the pump being fitted, I’ve laid the pipes myself and I still can’t quite believe it’s still happened. So the question you’ll be asking is, have we got water from our tap? Well, it was never going to be a straightforward yes was it! The pump is pumping this morning as I write (but it’s the old one as the new one still needs a part welding to it). Unfortunately there are a few connections leaking. Thankfully we only have 30 or so to worry about rather than the 600 there would have been on the 5m pipe sections. Also, unfortunately, the leaking water from the uncovered joins has attracted some of the local wildlife who’ve sniffed it out…elephants!!! A herd of about 100 bloody elephants are right now stomping and sniffing around the very spots we need to get to to fix the leaks. Only in bloody Africa! In the UK, it’d be some muppet cutting through the pipe…here it’s ELEPHANTS FFS!
Since writing the above, we finally got water to within 300 metres of the end of the pipeline. The use of the old pump meant it wouldn’t reach the last section uphill, but once the new pump is installed (this weekend) it’ll be all go and the tap will be running. We had to leave to take the volunteers back to Mombasa in the end which was a real shame that the symbolic tap turning on didn’t happen. But knowing that the job is done, the pipe is laid and it’ll be running this weekend has really made it all worthwhile.
For us it’s an extra sweet result as we used £1000 of the money we raised with the help of all of you to part fund this project. That money gave Sara the leverage she needed to get things moving when the project almost fell apart this week over the pump and the better pipe. So not only did the money help buy stuff but it also gave one final push at the end to ensure the project got done…on time and in full. So THANK YOU, thank you everyone who came to the things we organised and who stumped up some money. We really have been able to use it on something very close to our hearts and which has left us with some wonderful memories and some memorable scars (ouch). We only have 3 weeks left on the expedition then we’ll be flying back on the 12th. We are really really looking forward to catching up with you all and sharing a few beers ETC!
So until next week, stay happy, have fun and enjoy your worthwhile buzz of do-goodedness for your important contribution in helping change people’s lives…see easy wasn’t it.
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