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- 11 déc. 2019 à 06:48
- ☁️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 3 730 p
- TanzanieMara RegionKamunyongeMusomaMusoma Airport1°29’18” S 33°48’18” E
Journey from Musoma to Kisii
11 décembre 2019, Tanzanie ⋅ ☁️ 19 °CWeariness had gathered around me like yesterday's storm clouds as I rose for another 6am start. In contrast, the weather outside had calmed and the Lake surface was still as pale blue glass, gently lapping and nudging the red sands. A small, pure white egret stalked along the shoreline and pied kingfishers hovered and dived into the milky, reflective waters. The distant, weather wipped, clouds glowed shades of pastel yellows, salmon pinks, and buff blues as the sun began to rise behind their tumolt. We had a quick breakfast of cereals and toast and then set off, without further ado, for our next destination, Kisii in Kenya. We passed bulbous rock formations that guard the lake perimeter, and rose up steadily into dense layers of yellowing mists, dividing the distances between the trees into different shades of green. We passed into rocky mountainous valleys with rounded domes growing all around. Wispy mists descended the slopes and the rising sun cast long shadows across the escarpments. Great rounded boulders balanced impossibly on high peaks. We descended into a vast open plain skirted by more mountains sunk in airy lakes of white clouds. The morning sun gained in strength and sparkled the passing trees, fields of corn and sunflowers with white reflected fire. Round, thatched, earthen huts sat in the landscape as if they had grown out of the dusty soil like termite mounds. Their doorways were often occupied by mother's cooking breakfast for their children who were running and playing in the front yards delineated by rough stick fences. We began to pass through small Tanzanian towns with the usual morning hustle and bustle. We reached the Kenyan border and had a relatively easy transit with friendly border officials asking me if I had enjoyed my safaris, and welcoming me back to Kenya. As we approached Kisii the road deteriorated badly where it was being resurfaced and we were all bounced around mercilessly which, along with breathing the dust thrown up from the mud surface, was very tiring. Cars and bikes overtook on all sides, and any rules of the road that exist in Kenya (of which there are few discernable, save driving on the left hand side of the road) seem to go out of the window. Eventually, and to everyone's relief, the road returned to tarmac, our purgatory was temporarily suspended, and we could make quicker progress towards our destination again. We stopped in a soapstone carving factory near Kisii where they showed us how local people make decorated soapstone carvings using stone from a nearby quarry. The local children asked for sweets and were given some. We reached the campsite/hotel, Itibo Resort, and the moment the truck engine stopped a torrential thunderstorm struck and we were all forced to upgrade to rooms. The daily rainstorms just as we are about to camp is definitely affecting my morale and my bank balance - it has been relentless since my arrival in Africa. There are reports of serious flooding throughout East Africa with landslides and many people killed. It seems that unheard of levels of rain are falling due to disrupted weather patterns over the Indian Ocean. It seems that climate change and extreme weather events are affecting Africa as well as every other continent in this world.En savoir plus
Hi Scott, just catching up on your travels... what an adventure! Beautiful photos and great writing. Glad to hear/see you are having an amazing time. Love these photos around Lake Victoria, that sky! Take care, Beth xx