Love Letter #29: Kenya

I never knew ochre had a smell.  I only knew it as a color and an obscure one at that.   Ochre is a very light scent. It's a bit sweet and not at all like mud, which one would expect considering it is ‘kind of’ mud. It doesn't smell like how you think it would smell-- It's a sweet, earthy, and barely-there, almost-perfumey scent.  But once you smell it, you know it's there. You'll likely not smell anything else exactly like it, and you probably won't smell it anywhere else in the world other than here.

I first knew this scent during my recent trip to Northern Kenya in March.  I had hopped in the Landcruiser to head out to the evening's festivities.  After grabbing a seat in the middle row I was descended upon by about a dozen beautiful, colorfully adorned Samburu Warriors who took up all the leftover seats while the rest were hanging off of the sides.  We were heading off to the warrior games where the Samburu warriors from our camp would compete in feats of strength and swiftness against the warriors from the neighboring communities.  The Samburu games were all about friendly competition… and a little bit of money.  There was also a surprise fashion component which I found particularly riveting… 

As we cracked on they started chanting their ‘war songs’, pumping themselves up as well as warning the opposing teams that they were coming for them.  Badger, one of the resident pups and Kalepo Camp ambassadors, also hopped in the vehicle and quickly fell asleep in the center console to the dozen or so baritone voices humming all around us.

There were about 2-3 dozen Samburu warriors at the competition, all at peak fitness.  They were tall and lanky, skin as smooth as a polished obsidian and dark as night.  They were adorned from head to toe- their traditionally beaded legs now covered with the modern version: striped soccer socks à la Where’s Waldo- a recent fashion addition to the Samburu community I was told.  Many warriors had ochre-covered plaits; some free-flowing and others tied up neatly almost like in a bun.  Many had ochre painted on their bodies and faces in beautiful, intricate designs. Samburu are winning at the fashion game. Samburu are often called ‘the butterfly people’ and now I understand why. Their colorful, ornate beadwork often covers them from head to toe.

Then, there were the three wazungus- I, myself, being one of them.  I spoke to them in grammatically correct Swahili --one could call it the ‘Queen’s Swahili' (the original Swahili from the East African coast).  I arrived at camp solo having driven myself in a small little Suzuki Jimny across the Samburu plains into the Matthew's Range- about 1200km in total.  I don't think they knew quite what to make of me and honestly, I don't know what to make of myself either sometimes.

We began with and participated in the opening prayers and met the elders.  I had a brief demonstration and lesson with a ‘spear’ (the only kind they would let a fair-skinned lady throw— which was a stick with a semi-sharp pointy end) and then it was game-on.  

We, of course, had no chance.  The warriors competed like there was money involved.  Because there was.  Not a whole lot, but enough to get them there along with some fun and friendly competition.  Our team was the most victorious, bringing home the most well-dressed, fastest, and the most agile spear-throwing.  The other team didn’t have a chance. They gracefully allowed us, the wazungu, to participate, and had a few laughs at our measly attempts at spear-throwing and foot-racing. And much faster than it had started, and with much less pomp and circumstance, it was over.  Everyone piled back into the vehicles and were dropped back at their villages- the sun had started to descend and that meant the predators were waking up for the evening. 

Kalepo Camp, easily one of the most beautiful spots I’ve ever stayed, was one of the last stops on my whirlwind tour of Northern Kenya. I’d been to Kenya before, obviously, but never to Samburu County, which was the main focus of my last ‘familiarization trip’ in East Africa. Prior to coming to Kalepo, I had ventured all over Laikipia and Samburu County driving my little 4X4 Suzuki Jimny. I had visited several lodges I had been wanting to see including doing a 2-night Camel Safari with a wonderful outfitter that I met a few years ago in Nairobi. Ask me about the camel safari, I love to talk about it! I feel like I did everything and went everywhere my little 4X4 would take me (which was pretty much everywhere). When I’d arrive at a new place, everyone would ask me how the hell I got there. I called my little car Bahati Ndogo- ‘a little luck’ in Swahili because sometimes I needed a little luck to get where I was going.

Most of this trip was nature, adventure, and culture-focused, and slightly less focused on game-viewing. That’s not to say that there isn’t excellent game viewing here— there is —and honestly I prefer doing safaris here than in the Mara with the masses of tourists. BUT, this beautiful wild northern region has so much MORE to offer than just game and I was ‘game’ to try every single adventure on offer. And there was lots and lots of them.

I love Kenya. I particularly love Northern Kenya most of all. When I am asked ‘where should I take my whole family on safari?” — the answer is Kenya. ‘Where should I go to have an active vacation and see some wildlife?’— Kenya, again. ‘Where should I go to have some adventures?’ — yep. It’s Kenya. Whatever the (travel) question, I’ll probably find a way to make the answer be Kenya.

This part of Kenya is wild. It’s free. You are unchained by technology and you are untethered to the rest of the world when you are here. You can climb a mountain (Mount Kenya or Mount Meru). You can go rock climbing (I did!). You can jump off of a waterfall into a clean river and not get eaten by crocodiles or hippos (I did that too!). You can go horseback riding in the safety of a paddock or through the bush (yep, did that too). You can go on a camel/walking safari and wild camp out in the bush (course I did that). You can help to feed baby elephants and baby ostriches at the elephant sanctuary (you know I did that). OR you can laze by a beautiful pool overlooking the river bed, watch elephants all day, and drink mimosas— I did that too.

Ask me about Kenya. Go to Kenya. Put your feet in the ochre. Be wild.