Kenya, country of masais, lions and elephants. Unfortunately some violences, especially ethnic, during my crossing

After all the psychological tests in Ethiopia, I am passing the kenyan border with a new challenge in front of me. 700 km of track through an arid region, a part is bush, the other part is desert. This road is considered as the most dangerous road of Africa (of course one does not take into account the countries in war like Congo or Sierra Leone for example). I am asking the customs officer if in this moment the situation is calm or if I am running a great danger to go by bicycle to Isiolo: "- Baaaaah, the situation is not so bad. But to my opinion, I do not think that they should kill you, but only steal you... " I really did not expect this kind of answer, but good, welcome in Africa! I am meeting some people who are in 4x4 including 2 Swiss people who are proposing "to push me a little further" where the area is safe but I am deciding after all to try it by bicycle. The first 2 days, I am driving with the fear in my belly. I am in the bush, it's full with savage animals and a large risk to be attacked by gangsters. Each time I see somebody in the distance, I hope that it is not the end of the way for me. I am meeting ambushed soldiers in the bush who are greeting me and making me jump, but I am not meeting any gangster fortunately. My first night in African in the bush will remain unforgettable, everywhere noises, locusts, birds, odd shouts but finally no nasty surprise from the animals. I am arriving in a village and I am talking - as it should be - to the person who seems to me to be the oldest one. He is telling me that he is the chief of the tribe, here is a small extract of our conversation a little surrealist:
- From which tribe you come?
- Well, I come from the swiss tribe
- Is it a good tribe, are you in war with other tribes?
- Uhhh, no, the swiss tribe is very peaceful and even neutral since many years....
- Then in the name of my tribe, you are welcome here.
-... Thank you very much!
Undoubtedly I am in Africa!

I am arriving in Turbi, a small village of 300 inhabitants and I am spending the afternoon in great company of nice people who are making me discover the kenyan culture, of course while chewing miraha, a hallucinogen plant which one finds everywhere in Ethiopia, Somalia and in a great part of Kenya. A man is saying that starting now I am in safety, it is the last village where I am running a risk but as soon as I will leave this village, I will be able to breathe and pedal the light spirit. He was not unfortunately wrong... 4 days after my departure, an opposing tribe killed almost 100 people, women and children included, with machetes and rifles. They will steal more than 5000 animals and will bring them on the other side of the border, in Ethiopia. A bloody massacre which is starting again the tribal wars and sowing a wind of hatred in all Kenya but fortunately the situation will calm itself a little later. I feel extremely sad each time I think of this village, people were so nice and generous with me, it is the village where I spent my best kenyan moment. Life is sometimes cruel, but it particularly seems to be the case in Africa.
After a crossing on more than 150 kilometers in a desert with a catastrophic road, where I'm even finding myself to push the bicycle rather than making me shake in all the directions while being on it. The road is very bad but it's bringing beautiful surprises to me, much of ostriches, gazelles and camels live there. After Marsabit, it is my exceptional meeting with wandering tribes which had never seen White people yet, in any case so near. They are dressed with a piece of cloth which is used as loincloth and have multiple bracelets and collars of thousand colors, ends of bone or wood bore their ears or sometimes their mouth. For me, it's now normal that somebody comes towards me and without asking, starts touching the hairs of my legs or my arms.

What amuses me more, it is then to show them the hairs of my chest and that surprises them and especially amuses them much more... They are proposing to give me women or they want to exchange objects with me, but all things considered I do not think that a tool for bicycle will be to them of an unspecified help and I do not have especially the place and even less the utility to have a spear with me... Later, after having eaten and made a small nap in the bush, a man of a tribe which I had met before is awaking me and is making me understand by sign that I am crazy to sleep without rifle and especially that I must always be ready to shoot if somebody tries to steal my bicycle. Undoubtedly I am in another world. After these unforgettable meetings, I am finding myself again in the desert and starting a long and painful crossing on this track, but I'm starting in a way to accustom myself to it and learn to be patient. One night, I am hearing howlings, probably a lion but it will not make me the honor of a visit. After the desert, I am reaching a village, and especially the bush, and there is everywhere people of various tribes dressed with sparkling colors. I am approaching civilization as these people are asking me for money in exchange of a photo, although I had not the intention to take them in picture! Let's leave this subject, because the tourism cause problems in Kenya and in the other hand, also helps the development of the country. I will rather speak about my magic nights in the bush, the music of the lions howlings, the fresh trace of steps of elephants, my meeting with my first giraffe in the middle of the road (I rub 3 times my eyes before saying myself: no Herve, the heat is not making you hallucinate, it's really a giraffe). On the road, small marsupials standing on their back legs to look at to me when I'm passing, the gazelles fleeing, the birds sometimes giving me some adrenaline when they take-off just when I pass close to them whereas I haden't seen them before. Magic, unforgettable, pure, it is the wild nature, the one I like! I am arriving in Isiolo after 9 days far from the civilisation, crossing villages which have neither electricity nor water. Until now, the kenyan gouvernement has not invest any money for their development. In Isiolo, it's an another world, new Kenya. I am just remaining only one night there and during this night, some people killed an Italian bishop. When I am arriving in Nanyuki, the next day, the bank just get robbed and the gangsters are shooting in the streets with the police. Kenya is for me a violent and criminal country. Some poeple find that's is very safe but after what I have lived, I just want one thing, ride as quick as possible to Uganda.

In Nanyuki, I am climbing the Mount Kenya. It remains for me one of the strong time of my journey. Splendid sight at the top even if the 2 first days a shower is coming from the sky, a tropical rain as you only find on the equator. All my stuff is completly wet but thanks to the sun on the third day, it's fortunately dry quickly before starting the last ascension to the top. It's getting very very cold and I am realizing that I forgot how cold can be cold... (it was a shock for me to pass below zero, after having all these heat waves...). I am having a really great time and that probably thanks to Nick, a scottish guy who helped me to come in the national parc. He's assisting a few groups who want to pass the top, a little technical. The peak Lenana culminates at 4978 meters. In fact this is the third peaks (the others are around the 5200 meters), the only one accessible without high mountains equipment and a special guide (which costs a real fortune). The last day, between the last climb and all the downhill, I am walking a few 35 km to leave the park on the same evening to avoid to pay an another night in the camp-site or a new day in the park. I am arriving to my hotel dead tired but still completly illuminated by this mount Kenya... After that this is a beautiful and quiet road, except the traffic and these insane drivers of matatus (local transport, minibuses for 14 people). I am arriving in Nairobi where I am meeting, Enrico, an italian guy who I met on my road and who is inviting me and giving me a room to sleep in his house. I have to wait that my camera get repared so I am spending a few days in this city and I am using the time to have a look in several embassies for visas or informations. I will never forget the Malawi ambassy where I had a photo session with all the people, they are amazed that I'm travelling by bicycle to Malawi... I'm sure I'll like this country if the people are so nice. Enrico works for WFP (World Food Program) and he is making me discover his project which for one time, I think, is very useful. Finally a humanitary programm which makes sense! He goes to villages and offers them to plant accacia trees for the arabic gum which we use for perfumes or the food industry. It grows only in arid areas (so perfect for all the north Africa), helps to the reforestation and gives a source of income to the local people. In Nairobi, I often hear gun shots in the street (I am really starting to be accustomed to this kind of things) and every night I really try to not be in the streets anymore.