Running across Kenya – Page 2

Day 22- Kiboko

Day 22- Sultan Hammad to Kiboko

I got away early before sunrise as the temperature during the day is now picking up as the altitude drops and I head closer to the Tsavo plains. It’s nice at the moment as the truck drivers who go past, beep their horn and give a wave or a thumbs up. I aimed to have breakfast in Emaili as there was a good supermarket where I could buy bread, nuts and chocolate. When I left, I sat on their lawn to have a picnic much to the amusement of the security guards and the shoppers. The countryside was getting very flat and open now and so no big hills to climb anymore I hope!!

The afternoon was really tough the heat has picked up drastically so I now cover myself with my kikoy, strong look!! What do you think? As I approached Kiboko I caught glimpses of baboons roaming around near the road.

I hobbled up to hunter’s lodge with its dilapidated sign, I was told back in the day this was quite a place, sadly I didn’t have that experience when I arrived the place was a ghost town, I shouted for 5 mins to see if there was anyone around to the point where I was leaving before someone came. They told me it 120 dollars for a single bed for the night they’re joking, right? What would warrant that price, no one was here, there is no game, no beach. I laughed before I cramped up, not laughing now!! After a short discussion, they told me there was a guesthouse next door so I hobbled on for another 1km down a dusty road to what was like a farm with numerous buildings. Where was this guesthouse? I walked around trying to find it, after 30 mins someone finally said follow me and then I was taken into what looked like a terrible science building from a school. He showed me to my room which looked like a prisoner’s cell, I asked about food but he said there wasn’t any !!

Right…… I was too tired to move, there was no electricity, so I had to light a candle. What to do? I had a peanut butter sandwich and went to bed, nothing like going back to basics!!

Day 21 – Sultan Hammad

Day 21 – Malili to Sultan Hammad

I said my goodbyes and my scooter friend took me to the spot I had left. I thought I would try running to start with…. bad idea, a sharp pain rushed up my leg almost to the point where I was sick. Maybe start walking and see how it feels later after 5km it did feel better. The scenery was changing, the flat plains had now been replaced with rolling hills and my word was it frustrating to have an injury so I could enjoy running down them. I reached Salama for lunch, and with meat cut out of my diet at slightly less reputable establishments, I really do have a limited choice. 3 pieces of cheap white bread, avocado and some green vegetables that I swear they sprinkled with sugar. Yummy !!!!

The heat picked up in the afternoon but it was still quite overcast much to my relief. I reached Sultan Hammad in the late afternoon. I went to the nearest hotel that I could find, I didn’t care how grotty it looked I was going straight to sleep after supper. They showed me to my room, I got showered and went down for supper, ordered my food and waited…… and waited some more. It took near 1 1/2 hours for a bowl of rice to come, nothing yet on this trip has reduced me to tears but I was on the verge by the time the food came. I was so hungry, so very hungry!!! When it did finally come, it was good and an enormous relief washed over me.

Day 20 – Malili

Day 20 – Athi River to Malili

I wanted to wake up and get away early. I had breakfast and said goodbye to Neel then grabbed a uber that took me to the spot I left on Saturday. On route, I grabbed the main newspaper they were selling on the side of the road to see if there was anything about yesterday and sure enough page 4 of the daily nation as well as the Star there I was!!!! The taxi driver thought it was hilarious as he was a big Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka fan.

I got running to see how it felt and the two-day rest seemed to have done the trick or so I thought!! It was hurting but it was a manageable pain with the painkillers. I did 25 km before I rested and then the afternoon before lunch was slow going until I met John walking too, we chatted and ran together for about 10km, he was keen to go to college and keen to show his grades off before I stopped for lunch and John went on.

The afternoon was a bit more of a struggle my right leg was seizing up and the painkillers had worn off. I had gone 49km and would have gone further but I was staying in a house in Malili and needed to get there before the girl left. So just before the town, I got a lift with a nice gentleman called David who drove me to the house. In the area I couldn’t understand how anyone would live here, it felt in the middle of nowhere near a busy road but once I arrived in realised why. What a view over the plains, the house was beautifully rustic with no electricity except a generator which is turned off when one leaves or goes to sleep so changing my phone was going to difficult. I took a scooter into town to have some very average food to try and fill me up, before heading back and headed for bed very early.

Day 19 – Nairobi

Day 19 – Nairobi

So today has to be up there with one of the most surreal days ever. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, former vice president of Kenya invited me to his office in Karen so I headed over there late morning. Stephen had randomly caught wind of my story in its first week and said that he would like to meet me. I wasn’t sure what to expect, maybe a handshake and someone from the local radio station but no!! He warmly greeted me and asked me about my experiences and why I am doing it, then he said we will go and meet the media. We entered into the outside area of a restaurant where there must have been 40 odd journalists, five cameras. They were all from national TV news and newspapers. This was crazy!!! Then he told me to fire away, there I was cameras pointing at me, microphones below me giving a talk on what I am doing and why, to Kenyan national TV !! Stephan had very kindly donated 100,000 Kenyan shillings to the Lewa Children’s Home. After we had finished we had a picture together before I went to grab some lunch. Did that just happen?
I headed back to Runda and exhausted from earlier relaxed for the rest of the day with Neel and his flatmates. It had been amazing been in Nairobi but tomorrow I start my journey again to the coast, Six 45km marathons on the trot with shin splints…. can’t wait

Day 18 – Nairobi

Day 18 – Nairobi

Day off, I’m not going to lie, it has been tough since Naivasha, there was a time when I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to go on because the pains in my leg were too great however I know after yesterday’s run I can complete it.
I went to get a sports massage to see if that could ease the pain in my leg, it was very relaxing but not sure if it did much. I headed back to the house for some lunch before I got a call from Sam who I had met in Kitale, she was down in Nairobi with her family, and asked if I wanted to go for a coffee with them, of course! They very kindly came and picked me up and took me into the centre of Nairobi somewhere near Westgate where we sat and had a smoothie and some cake and then turned into some supper too. I had been planning to head off down to the coast tomorrow but when you get a call from Kenya’s former Vice President asking you to come and meet him, you don’t turn that down, so tomorrow I am going to meet him in Karen. After supper, we said our goodbyes and they very kindly drove me back to my place. It has been amazing seeing them all over the past three weeks and hope to see them all very soon.

Day 17 – Athi River

Day 17 – Runda, Nairobi to Athi River

I tried to give a timeline to the changing scenery on my run today with the pictures above. I woke stiff but thought it would be better to try and run down to Athi River and out of Nairobi over the weekend when the traffic might be okay, I didn’t need my backpack, my objective was to get as far out as possible and avoid the traffic and people. I took some painkillers, strapped my leg up as tight as possible and got going, it started ok, very hilly but manageable and then I started to move into the centre where it was slow going because I was trying to avoid the traffic and people. I was running through some varying scenes of Nairobi from the green forest of Karura to the highway out of Nairobi so not all that pleasant at times!! I made it to just before Athi River by lunch and felt pleased to of got out in one piece and a decent starting place on Monday.

I jumped on a bus to get back to Nairobi from the highway, I now had 36 hours to rest and get my leg seen to. I then jumped on a motorbike to head back to Runda. I tell you don’t need ski diving or bull-running in Spain to be pumped full of adrenaline, try going on one of these in Nairobi centre, you literally are asking for an early death!!! Weaving in and out of buses and cars, at one point a bus stopped less than an inch away from crushing my right leg and while I was bracing for the end on that side, another motorcycle crashed into the other side banging my left leg. Good to add another injury to the already growing list!!! Check out the video to get a small flavour of what it’s like…..when I was back in Runda I did a bit of shopping and headed back to the house, where we chilled out for the rest of the day watching Narcos and ordering pizzas. The dream !!

Day 16 – Runda

Day 16 – Limuru to Runda, Nairobi

I woke early, packed everything and strapped my leg up before heading down to have breakfast. Rory had very kindly offered to get someone to drive me back to my spot from yesterday. I had 42 km to get to Runda. I was going to try and run a bit to see how the leg feels. I got going and started with the walking poles before I got to the top of the escarpment in the uplands and could see out over the valley. It was quite a view, I stretched and then carried on breaking into runs when I saw a down hill, it was still agony. As I was heading through a very kind aspiring actor called David walked with me for a bit telling me of his new play, ‘Jesus in the 21st Century’ I smell a sitcom!! He had to run to class, don’t think the trip to Nairobi was his cup of tea. I stopped under a tree after Limuru town for lunch, head in my hands exhausted and completely demoralised. How was I going to the coast like this?

I knew I just had to get to Nairobi then I could plan how I was going to approach the next stage. Nairobi was my half way point and psychologically a huge benchmark. I reached Runda by the late evening. I walked in and Neel’s flatmate who I had met 3 weeks earlier didn’t even recognise me, with my beard and slightly more skinny frame!! I got showered and made the mistake of stepping onto the scales in the bathroom, didn’t make good reading, I had lost 5 kg in the last 4 days, no wonder I was tired and down. We went out for supper at a Japanese restaurant and my word was it good, ate till I couldn’t eat anymore and I felt so much better after that. I was falling asleep in the car so went straight to bed when we got back.

Day 15 – Limuru

Day 15 – Lake Naivasha to Limuru

Finally a decent night sleep. I packed up and although slightly weak was determined to get going. The problem with my Calf muscle and ankle had been shin splints so I taped up my entire left leg to stop the pain and movement for that matter. I knew running would end quickly in my state so made the early decision to walk the entire way. Walking for 9 hours was going to challenging, frustrating and quite boring. Although when I was up from Naivasha around lunchtime there was a bit of excitement, to say the least. As I was walking on the side of the road a pickup truck pull up out of the blue right in front of me with 8 army dressed people in masks carrying what looked like AK47s, they can’t be for me, right? As I walked passed them pretending I didn’t see them they started shouting something. Of course, at this point, I was bracing myself for something to happen to me, luckily in the corner of my I eye I saw a guy fall to ground pleading and a few others running off. So just carried on before stopping for lunch.

I knew I was at the top of the escarpment but there were few opportunities to see the view down out over the valley as you can see from the picture, it was only when after 40 odd km I decided to call it a day and catch a bus to Limuru where I was staying with the Green’s. It didn’t quite go to plan when the bus did an early turning to somewhere I hadn’t planned for and then I had to jump out and run back onto the road towards where I had just been. Eventually, after a bit of trouble, I met David who took me back to his for some homegrown tea and toast. It was amazing after the struggle I had.

After a bit he took me down to his son’s house Rory where I hobbled in for a warm bath, we were at 2500m so it is quite nippy outside. We sat around for supper of domino’s pizza and chatted about Kenya and my trip before laying down on Tuesday sofa in front of the fire. I was dozing off and Rory had been up early for a flight so we packed it in early.

Day 14 – Lake Naivasha

Day 14 – Lake Naivasha

Another terrible night in the bathroom, so waking up to do 55km to Limuru up the escarpment on an empty stomach for the second day running was never going to happen, hard enough on a full stomach. I spent most of the day in bed recovering until about 4.00 pm when I finally got up.

In the evening Sybilla wanted to go for drinks with the neighbours and I was keen to feel like I had done something during the day! We went over for an hour, though I felt so boring as I could only really drink water but coming back later I had a near-miss with a hippo !! As I was getting out to open the gate, Sybilla shouted at me to stop, I had casually opened the car door and no more than 5 metres away was a giant hippo sleeping near the gate, however, after the commotion, the thing ran off but dreaded to think what could have happened if I had just jumped out. After a late supper, I headed to bed hoping for an easy night so I can get going tomorrow towards Limuru.

Day 13 – Lake Naivasha

Day 13 – Gilgil to Lake Naivasha

Unlucky 13!! The plan had been to get to Naivasha and then climb the escarpment towards Limuru then come back on me, but that was blown out of the water at about 3.30 am when I woke in a cold sweat and then was sick till morning. When I rose to meet Francesca, I didn’t want to tell her about my night but as soon as I opened my mouth to say good morning I was running for the bathroom again. I was determined to get to Naivasha but for anyone who has had food poisoning the last thing you want to do is run or walk 30 km in the blistering heat. Francesca tried to persuade me to stay but I felt I could do it. After 2 km I felt like turning back but I thought just try 5km more after that I fell asleep under a tree for an hour. It was really tough, I was going on nothing and when I am meant to be getting 6000 odd calories then it is never a good idea to go on. I wasn’t hungry though and when lunch came a piece of bread was all I had. Heading to Naivasha was good though I was right next to the conservancy so I was seeing wild animals most of the way down to keep me entertained.

I arrived in Naivasha mid-afternoon it had been a real struggle especially and the infuriatingly slow pace. I had very kindly been offered a place to stay in sanctuary farm, I was originally meant to be staying with a family friend there but due to tragic circumstances, I had to rearrange. I met someone in Naivasha town who then took me to the farm and to Sybilla. As we drove through avoiding the giraffes and zebra in the road we pull up to the house to find one of the giraffes peeking through the window and in the garden !! So this is very normal here. I was feeling better but thought I should remain on very plain foods. Sybilla was great and took me round to the neighbours to pick up some electronic machine that is supposed to make my leg better and to meet them, and then cooked me rice and lentils for supper. I felt really bad, I was so tired and was in bed before 9!! Quite a boring guest…..

Day 12 – Gilgil

Day 12 – Lake Elementaita to Gilgil

With the trouble of my leg, I wanted to get a few kilometres off on my way to Naivasha, so I rose early to run 14 km to Gilgil before taking a bus back to the lodge. Francesca made some cracking pancakes before I shower and got myself ready for an interview with a journalist @logocreativescom who had heard about my story!!!! It was relaxed and I explained about some of the stories I encountered along the way through Kenya to Elementaita. After that we went for lunch at this bbq shack in Gilgil and ate more meat then one could possibly handle as you can see!! You know it’s fresh when you see chickens running around!

After lunch, we drove into Soy Sambu as I said I would walk some friends dogs after seeing them and realising that they have already been walked that day we headed to the conservation area briefly to see what game was about. A few here and there but watching the sun go down over the lake was stunning. Francesca was so great because they have supper so late she very kindly made me an early supper before I said my goodbyes to everyone. Wasn’t going to make them get up at 6.30 just to say bye!!! Plan for tomorrow is to get to Naivasha and climb the hills till the late afternoon as the day after is 55km to Limuru town.

Day 11 – Lake Elementaita

Day 11 – Lake Nakuru to Lake Elementaita

I was up early to pack and get ready for the day. The ankle was still not good so the painkillers were there at the ready now. I had breakfast and said my goodbyes to everyone before Tristan drove me down to catch a bus to Lake Nakuru where I had finished the day before. I was so sad to leave, it had been an amazing few days there and Tristan, Megan and Imogen could not have been more welcoming @offbeatsafaris. I followed the highway around Nakuru before turning off onto a dirt road that runs parallel, you do meet some interesting characters on the side of the road!! The one day I was really struggling to run was the day I wanted to get away fast!! Once I got into the dirt road it was quiet and I stopped under a tree for lunch after 25km for lunch before passing out for an hour, to be woken by a group of four coming towards me, after earlier I was mentally preparing myself to get up and leave but they can over to shake my hand and say welcome to our country of Kenya and have an amazing time during your stay and then left. Just incredible how hospitable Kenyans are to people and welcoming.

My objective was to get to Elementaita with the least amount of damage to my ankle as possible and got there mid afternoon. I met Francesca who very kindly took me to Eagles point on the edge of Lake Elementaita and what a view they have. They showed me to my house and there I got showered and relax before heading up to meet everyone for supper. The issue was that they have supper a little later than I do and I was struggling to keep my eyes open after getting up at 5.30. They very kindly made me some food quickly before telling to go to bed!! I was out like a light.

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Day 22- Kiboko

Day 21 – Sultan Hammad

Day 21 – Malili to Sultan Hammad

Day 20 – Malili

Day 20 – Athi River to Malili

Day 19 – Nairobi

Day 19 – Nairobi

Day 18 – Nairobi

Day 18 – Nairobi

Day 17 – Athi River

Day 17 – Runda, Nairobi to Athi River

Day 16 – Runda

Day 16 – Limuru to Runda, Nairobi

Day 15 – Limuru

Day 15 – Lake Naivasha to Limuru

Day 14 – Lake Naivasha

Day 14 – Lake Naivasha

Day 13 – Lake Naivasha

Day 13 – Gilgil to Lake Naivasha

Day 12 – Gilgil

Day 12 – Lake Elementaita to Gilgil

Day 11 – Lake Elementaita

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