Kenya Behind Wheel

The following is my last country-specific Behind the Wheel post and I will keep it brief because I plan to post a comprehensive Africa Behind the Wheel right after this post and want to avoid too much redundancy. So, here goes just a few of the most glaring observations of travelling in Kenya.

#1. Those damn speed bumps and police checkstations. Every country I have driven through has had their share of speed bumps and “police” check stops along the highways, but Kenya brought it to a whole new level. I couldn’t drive more than several kilometers on any tarmack road without hitting rumble tracks, speed bumps and “police” check stops of questionable legitimacy. The worse part of it was that while 90% of the speed bumps ware marked, there were those unmarked ones that drove me crazy, literally. And the check stops along the roads were ridiculous. Every settlement, and then some, had one or more check stops, and then there were some in the middle of nowhere. Most of the time they were attended by semi-official looking “officers” but often they were attended by plain clothes unofficial-looking people that I can only assume were attempting to extort money from the willing. Fortunately, I was almost always waved on through, so these stops were primarily targeting the Kenyans. Worst of all were the spiked strips laid halfway across the road without any warning signs or attendants. If I was’t focused on the road all the time I could have easily driven over one of these strips and blew out all four of my tires.

#2. Safari guides/drivers. I’m sorry, but the safari guide/drivers in Kenya were the most unfriendly, unaccommodating and at times unethical in their conduct within the Parks and Reserves of all the southern and eastern African countries I visited. The drivers/guides almost never waved and smiled unless I did so first and even then they often didn’t return the courtesy. I got the feeling that many of them resent the self-drivers and pay them (i.e., me) no respect. I got the feeling that the Kenyan safari industry has a very protectionist attitude. This was in stark contrast to the other countries I visited. And outside the Parks and Reserves, the drivers of all types of vehicles (e.g., semi-trucks, matatus, etc.) were ruthless and often careless in overtaking and passing. I suppose once you get accustomed to the chaotic driving patterns, it isn’t so alarming (this, according to Mark), but for a new-comer to the country it was maddening.

#3. Modern Kenya. I’ll finish on a positive note. Kenya is clearly a more modern country than all of the others I visited with the exception of South Africa. The landscape outside the Parks and Reserves is carved up into farms and pastures that look relatively modern and the housing for the vast majority of the people is a huge step up from that in the other countries, again with the exception of South Africa outside of the shanty townships. I saw relatively little poverty-striken areas or people on my travels. Granted, I only experienced a small part of the country, but what I did see generally impressed me relative to the other countries, excepting South Africa. Note, however, the Nairobi is said to have Africa’s largest single slum, housing over a million people. I also spoke with many workers in the Parks and Reserves, ranging from maintenance staff to gun-carrying rangers, and many camplained about their low salaries and lack of job advancement opportunities. Of course, this was often an attempt to earn my sympathy and a few dollars, which I often obliged, so it is hard to say how universal this is. Nevertheless, the Kenyans clearly have a much higher standard of living than then other countries visited, excepting South Africa outside the shanty townships.

OK, I said I would keep this one brief, so that’s it.