The team all said Day 4 would be the hardest, but they meant for me and because of my crash. Turns out it was the hardest for all of us, but because of heavy head winds. We were only shooting for Mtito Andei and the mouth of the National Park, around 45 Kilmoters, but it felt like 80! The hardest day also had one of the sweetest endings though.
We kicked off Day 4 with a solid breakfast of eggs, toast, tea and fruit at our little guest house with the biggest beds, all of us well rested and fed. My day got rough early. As I changed bandages on my stitches the top rope came undone and I had to tie it back up again before putting the fresh ones on. NOT FUN! I’ve smashed myself up good plenty of times before, but this was a little much.
Kibwezi was about 2 Kilometers off the main Mombasa highway and on a very un-skateable dirt/broken pavement/gravel road. Fred took Rob and I out to the highway, while Martina and Val headed to the store for more water and snacks. Amazingly, Rob and I got a send off from a pack of Baboons 100 yards outside town on our first hill climb of the day. We knew we had to watch out as we got to the park, but we expexted it at the end of the day, not right away. Seems they were more afraid of us than cars, but what a way to start! Despite the solid sleep, it was hot early, the wind was blowing right at us and my muscles were sore. Rob on the other hand was pumping and pulled away early, wind and all.
The road to Mtito Andei itself was not terrible. More tar and gravel, but overall we could roll, avoiding the usual broken windows, tire chunks, roadkill, and loose gravel/dirt on the shoulder. Even though we were dropping elevation to get the ocean, the hills kept rolling in, only today, they seemed to be more our friend than enemy. The wind was so strong, that we had to push through the downhills and valleys and the uphills seemed to offer some windbreak. I’ve never imagined I would have to push so hard DOWNHILL! The traffic we hated so much yesterday was a welcomed windbreak as well and even a boost from behind, giving us an extra step when we couldn’t seem to get a break otherwise.
Overall we still made the 10 Km/Hr we’ve been averaging. I lucked out and caught a ride holding onto the back of a farm tracktor up the final hill into town (every town seems to be at the top of a hill! Ha). When we reached Mtito Andei we really were disappointed. It had been a long hard, hot, windy day and we were spent, but the town seemed like Makindu or Salama – a truck stop! We didn’t want to spend the night in squalor and I needed to clean my road rash. This was supposed to be the mouth of the Park, which means Mzungu Safari goers and should mean some nicer accomodations.
We finally lucked out and found a sweet little ‘resort’ like hotel just at the edge of town. It was pricey compared to the places we found the last two nights, but we’d really been lucking out. What it gained in price, we also gained in amenities. This place was off the road to make it nice and quiet, came with breakfast, had a swimming pool, huge comfortable beds, and the best bathrooms yet – Martina even got a bathtub! We really felt spoiled.
Fred, Val and I headed to the pool. I only hung my aching feet in, afraid to get my stitches wet and have to retie again, but Val dove right in. Most hilarious for the journey so far was finding out Fred’s a beginner swimmer and Val and I forced him in and taught him how to hold his breath and kick – sorry Fred, but good work! After some nap time we headed across the street to what we all would agree was the BEST roadside chicken BBQ shack – maybe some of the best BBQ I’ve ever had. The cook had an awesome attitude and made us huge plates at local prices, FINALLY not Mzungu’ed!
So like I said, tough day on the road, sweet ending overall. Tomorrow it’s time to get into the Park and head 60ish Kilometers to Tsavo for Day 5.
Hey guys Nice to hear from you all….A new Kenya has been born today….as you hit the road to mtito andei..remember you are all on the right side of history…out of 100% of all business which start, 2% succeed and 98% fail…we shall push harder to ensure the failure rate coz down….as you guys are pushing it hard thats how we gonna do it down the ground…
once again we are with you all the way…….xoxo
We were driving back yesterday 26th Aug from a short holiday on the Kenyan coast, playing a game of ‘Identify the make of the next truck (before you can see it’s badge)!’ when instead of a huge Mercedes or Scania or even a Mack bearing down on us, we were faced with the almost unbeliveble spectacle of several white people skateboarding yes SKATEBOARDING down the Mombasa highway! Well, we were going at a fair pace and it was a momentary thing but after checking the rear-view mirror to make sure it wasn’t just a trick of the light (or an ERF in disguise) it was confirmed – a bunch of loony Mzungus on some kind of loony mission! Well yes, Mzungus are well known for their crazy undertakings, riding motorbikes round the world, driving a tractor from Holland to the South Pole…. and many of them seem to pass through Kenya but this one….. ! Getting home to Nairobi travel weary we decided that a loony mission like that had to be a mission with a purpose and so we Googled ‘Skateboard Kenya’ and waddya know… the mission is explained! And what a great mission… We read your blog and your ‘Mission Statement’ so to speak and can only so ‘well done’. If more people had the drive that you have shown in undertaking your completly BONKERS enterprise then perhaps your 2 per cent would rise and keep rising. Maybe on this dawning day of Kenya’s new constitution, a few politicians in this country might take note and ask themselves what THEY could do about the disparity between the ‘Haves’ and the ‘Have Nots’ in Kenya. Congratulations, good luck and enjoy the beach when you get there! Next time we play that travel game we will also have to learn to spot the identifying features of a ‘Rayne Demonseed’ (whatever that is) !!!