Island in the desert

Quickly I decide to stay two nights on a locally owned campsite. With me two Germans from around Bremen arrive with a Kenyan friend. I get assigned my sandy spot under the trees by Joel, a 13 year old Samburu, the brother of the manager. Joel is still in primary school (they have 8 years) but already a professional. He will not need to visit any tourism academy, he can start as professor directly. I share my dinner with him. He is smart! Asks many questions, sucks in all information. The next day he is my guide around town and I have lunch with him and Peter the manager in their home village. We have rice with milky-sweet tea. Joel's dad has five wives. They own 6 camels, 20 cows and 10 goats. With the cattle they pay the school fees for the children. Later we hike up into one mountain valley to bath in some natural ponds where there are also "slides" in the river. It is Sunday and the locals slide down the mossy-glossy rocks into the ponds. What a fun! :D The whole pack of people freaks out when two innocent, green snakes appear in the nearby bushes. There is a small metal pipe bringing water from the river into town but most of the people get their water from water holes dug into the dry river bed. Pretty much of effort to stay hydrated ... This is also where the cattle gets the precious water.Read more