On an admittedly long bucket list, I have long lusted over the chance to cross Kenya's northern desert on a motorcycle. Undaunted by a relatively long list of challenges and not dissuaded after a failed first attempt on a 650 BMW a few years ago, it was time to try it once more! How difficult can it be?
A few things to consider....
* It's hot enough to cook without a fire
* It's bandit country and considered unsafe
* Big heavy motorcycles struggle with the endless expanses of sand
* The roads are rough and punishing on both machine and rider
* Fuel is hard to come by and purveyors unreliable
* It's hard on tires
* Google is of no use in this remote area and roads are not obvious
* Accommodations are tricky to find so camping gear and protein bars are a "must carry".
* Lastly and most importantly I couldn't think of or imagine anyone crazy enough to join me for the ride.
That's when I thought about asking my good friend and climbing partner Chris who just happened to have a light 200cc Honda that was perfect for the trip! He might just be that crazy!
"Hey buddy!" the conversation began, "let's say you and me ride 1200 Kms up to and across the bandit infested remote reaches of the Chalbi Desert on motorcycles?" "Sounds like a plan" came Chris' always calm and always carefully considered response. "When do we start"? Naturally some planning was in order. Spare tire tubes (more on that later) spare brake - accelerator and clutch cables, spare fuel containers, lots or nuts and bolts bailing wire and of course nylon wrap ties. Now Chris came to riding later in life and has been steadfastly committed to getting the most out of the experience. Over the past few years I've seen him go from amateur to fully capable rider. In addition, he is calm, thoughtful and tough as nails. We've been in a few tough spots over the years and while I sat weeping he just gets on with the task. The perfect guy to have along for a desert crossing I'd say.
PAT - The unlikely and mostly unwilling desert crossing participant
Early in PAT's Metamorphosis
I'd be
riding PAT (an acronym for Pseudo Africa Twin). A long coveted Honda Africa Twin
being among or perhaps the finest Adventure bike ever built. I -- however, of somewhat limited means, have always found the Twin slightly
out of reach financially. Rather, I resurrected this aging cheap
knockoff paying $300 for this 2-wheeled derelict. Maybe some day I'll pay the
$30000 for the Twin though I think it unlikely being the cheap bastard I am😀.
A brief history of PAT -- bought as a wrecked bike I slowly and with very limited skill rebuild the old girl from the basic frame to complete with a few small upgrades. It was in the most generous of terms, "a budget conscious exercise" and with very little encouragement from my loving wife Essie. Once fully disassembled, her comment was "that thing is doomed and unlikely to ever see another stretch of road ."
Despite -- or perhaps in spite of Essie's dire predictions, PAT eventually fired to life and reluctantly moved down the road on her own volition. There were after all a surprising number of parts that didn't seen to fit anywhere, and a whole lot more wires than one would expect!
PAT looking hopeful and starting to show some promise of ever running again.
PAT gets a donated brand new bigger engine!!
PAT, the magnificent bastard --conquers & surveys the land from a perch high in the Taita hills in Africa!
I am really grateful to Cameraman Brad and Teacher Grace for sharing the morning with me at the school know as Malezi in Majengo. Brad jumped out of bed early so that we could beat the traffic and get through the messy byways of Nairobi without accident or police "intervention". Teacher Grace also spent her Saturday morning shepherding the event and making sure her message of appreciation was well shared. Thank you to both!!!
While I've written about the school on numerous occasions previously, the focus of this blog is somewhat different. To bring a more vivid view of the work we have done over the last 10 years, further down the page is a link to a 17 minute video that (while pretty professionally a bit sketchy and unlikely to garner an Oscar nomination) does bring a fairly detailed view of what has been done with donations so generously sent to me.
And below a couple very impressive still shots from the fabulous cameraman.
Again - I have to say thank you for the recent donations. Many thanks to the generosity of Joane, Barry Jag, and Cliff and others for their thoughtful donations. If you'd like to send along $50 --- The kids, Teacher Grace and I
would all be most appreciative. 😊
MPESA -- +254745237248 (Kenya)
Or interact -- Laynemahon@live.com (Canada)
Or PayPal -- Laynemahon@live.com (Global)
Layno at Malezi in the morning...Thanks for reading!!!
First a few days in the Georgian capital -- Tbilisi
In an effort to be both informative and entertaining, below is a Motown Classic video worthy of a listen. Gladys effortlessly takes us through a truly marvelous performance of this rhythmic masterpiece. It helps that I'm a HUGE Motown fan - so much so that when my kids (Jake and Stevie) were too little to protest, I made them learn Motown background singer routines for after dinner dance party. I doubt they enjoyed - but I appreciated the backup! Also this piece works well with the tittle of my blog. WAIT a minute. .. did Gladys say train?
I'll share with you -- not one -- but two -- rookie travel mistakes. One of which had me on the midnight plane to Georgia rather than the noon flight as planned. Always a good idea to make sure 12:00 is not 24:00. This I did not do. And in turn I arrived into Tbilisi airport at 3am-- which was a very quiet Tbilisi rather than traveling with my good friend Barry at a more reasonable time. Second and even more concerning, was that my return flight was to the wrong airport for my connecting flight to Nairobi. To make the connection I had a 2 hour window where I would go through security 2x, hope that I could carry on my bag as cabin luggage and travel 65 kms to the connecting airport. = Dumb Ass! Tight - but made it!
Tbilisi was a complete surprise for me. I didn't expect such a beautiful modern and friendly city. I managed to get a bus from the airport to town (after a 4 hour less than pleasant snooze on the floor of the airport) arriving at freedom square. Naturally there was nothing open, but it was an excellent opportunity to walk around and see the downtown without a bunch of people jockeying for space. The city is a beautiful marriage of old and new with the Kura river running through the center on it's way to the Caspian sea. On one side of the city, a hillside or maybe cliff, was pockmarked with old brick buildings and paths. The stairways reminded me of the game snakes and ladders. One of these pathways lead me near the top with a park bench in the sun. Time for another snooze!! I awoke to 2 people who had also discovered the park bench, and with a bit of drool running down my face wished them a pleasant good morning. They were cool folks and once I got the drool off my face, had a nice chat with them. He turned out to be a famous Rugby player - and by his own admission - quite famous. I was glad to make such a fine first impression.
The view from my comfy park bench in the sun
Mother of Georgians, on the hilltop watching while I napped & drooled
The main downtown area was bustling clean and interesting.
Trouble at Freedom Square
Georgia Parliament buildings
With my early arrival I had noticed a lot of police on the street corners looking a bit uptight. And no wonder, Barry and I had arrived at a fairly intense and conflicted political point in time for this lovely country. My sense, having chatted with local people I met, was that Russian interference in Georgian politics had reached a breaking point and a GenZ type protest was underway. The parliament buildings pictured above saw an encampment on the steps and graffiti like that on the right, left little doubt regarding Georgian sentiment. Freedom square was ground zero for the protest, which is where Barry and I decided we would have dinner. While dinner pictured below was fabulous, only a block away, megaphones and associated protest stuff raged on. I heard later there was teargas but it didn't drift in our direction. A veteran (if I may say) of numerous violent protests in Kenya, I felt sure that I would see the signs that our safety was in a precarious state. Besides, that hummus was way too good to leave behind. I sincerely hope the people of Georgia find their way to a peaceful democracy free from the nefarious manipulation of other countries.
Barry loving the Hummus though strangely - in my view - without garlic.
A smoked eggplant/ Tahini dish similar to Baba Ganoush
Wine was very good and affordable - perfect with anything!
Breakfast when I first arrived in Tbilisi. Delish and caused more drooling.
On to the Caucasus
Th rental car was a Chery - a Chinese built luxury SUV rather than the sub-compact Renault we had reserved. I have to admit that I was very impressed with the unit. Comfy, powerful and more bell and whistles than an amusement arcade at a fair ground.
And we picked the right time of year to drive to the Caucuses and see if the mountains "measured up" to the magnificent Rockies back home in Canada. The leaves were turning gracing the valleys with a beautiful yellow in the fall sunlight. As we rose higher into the mountains, the scenery just got better and better. Our destination was a church perched on the rocks well North and East of Tbilisi - close to the Russian border. In fact, it's the Caucasus mountains that divide the two countries. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves - but lamented the limited time we had there and wished we could have done some hiking through this magnificent range
The air was cool - very cool and there was a quietness that I really enjoyed. That feeling of both remoteness and privilege combine for an unforgettable and peaceful moment.
The church on the rocks.
Just Food Africa
Again - I have to say thank you for the recent donations. I'll be bringing food and some sweets in early January, so if you'd like to make a small contribution to that event - the kids, Teacher Grace and I would all be most appreciative. I promise not to spend the money on fancy trips 😊
MPESA -- +254745237248 (Kenya)
Or interact -- Laynemahon@live.com (Canada)
Or PayPal -- Laynemahon@live.com (Global)
Thanks for reading ....Layno somewhere in Georgia!
This destination would mark the 5th where my good friend Barry has shared a travel experience with me in some far off land. To do so, I had traveled to Istanbul from Croatia briefly stopping in Sarajevo/ Bosnia ( ps - it's much cheaper to bus from Croatia and then fly out of Sarajevo) before meeting up at an Air BnB he had thoughtfully arranged. Most importantly, he had the necessary/critical provisions already purchased. Those being coffee and Single Malt Scotch.
In the months prior, I had taken a couple diploma courses. First the Byzantine Empire and just after -- the Ottoman Empire. And some time ago - I had completed a diploma on Middle East history (Arabic Islamic History: From tribes to Empires) so armed now with just enough information to be dangerous, Barry and I set upon the city to explore Religious sites, Museums and of course great food.
Given my previous travels in places like Tunisia and Saudi Arabia - Constantinople (Istanbul) is a fantastic collision of cultures on which much of our modern world is premised. Like a collision between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini, it is both tragic and beautiful all at once.
Istanbul is a swirling and twirling tornado of unusual smells sounds and of course people. We were amazed to see the streets filled with people late into the evening. The picture alongside is not Istanbul but taken later at a "must see" salty landscape. I'd recommend giving this "must see" $30 attraction a hard pass. Not exactly the Red Carpet but Barry looks fetching modeling his modern tourist ensemble.
Now onto the juicy bits of Istanbul. There were 5 days of exploring but for posterity and the hope of others continuing to read my drivel, I'll focus on just three highlights;
A quick review of the where the cradle of civilization began lands us smack dab in the middle of this region. Not surprisingly the museum was cooler than the flip side of the pillow on a hot summer night. I'll share a few snaps but I marveled at the audacity of Tabnit, priest of Astarte and King of Sidon who cleverly wrote on his Sarcophagus that there was no point in breaking in as there was nothing to steal. That and the clearly articulated threat of eternal damnation likely did the trick. I'm going to post the same on my front door. Good thinking Tabnit. Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
The Sarcophagus below was my favorite piece. The level of detail of mourning woman was amazing. The other side depicts men. Not surprisingly they were looking even more mournful as they prepare to go to war.
Barry
stood at this drinking fountain for an hour before security explained
that it was part of the exhibition. There would be no water for Barry on
this day.
Amazing detail - and the Museum did an exceptional job with lighting to add a sense of drama and intrigue.
The Blue Mosque
Looking across the mighty Bosphoruis river, the Blue mosque is certainly a thing of beauty from all directions.... though I couldn't help being equally fascinated by all the fishing poles above on the bridge. There are hundreds of them. Barry and I had to have a look at that and saw no one was catchin' nothin'!! Maybe the fish were all at the mosque I thought. I have a joke about that but given what happened to Salman Rushdie - I'll keep that to myself.
We were blessed on the day we visited the Blue Mosque and later Hagia Sophia as it raining heavily. Why would that be a good thing? The line up normally measured in "kms of tourists waiting (KTW's)" was down to about 50 meters and while I almost lost an eye due to unskilled umbrella operators in tight proximity, it was a very small wait for both attractions.
Hagia Sofia
Hagia Sophia was originally built as a Byzantine Christian cathedral, later converted
into an Ottoman mosque, and is now a mosque again after being a museum.
Constructed between 532 and 537 AD, it is a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture,
famous for its massive dome, intricate mosaics, and unique structural
design that blended the circular dome with a rectangular base.
What really got me was the sheer size of the cathedral and how that must have appeared to the peoples of that time. It must have been absolutely awe inspiring. Now - if you look at the photo above you'll note a black square just off center to the left. Looking closely you can see two maintenance workers having a smoke break on the steps. That gives a great idea of the size of the place!
Hagia Sofia is not "gussied up" for tourists. It's really old!! and seemingly original (changes in religious building adornments aside) Apparently, the circles around the heads in the photo above were due to a failure on the part of the Byzantine Emperor(ess) to secure political power through marriage - meaning the heads had to be changed with each unsuccessful attempt. I can just imagine the artists just after completing the mosaic work of art. "Hey Brutus did you hear? "What" again! That damned Jezabel!
As you move around the Cathedral/ Mosque you note all the attempts to cover but not eliminate the Christian accouterments. This gave me a lot of pause for thought and perhaps a glimpse into a leading world where world regions can share rather than compete for shelf space. Looking at the photo beside, you can see (I think it's the VM with JC) obscured from view by the strategically placed drapery. Not destroyed or painted over, but simply obscured. How easy would have been to just plaster over this and so many other Christian bits. Rather - it is saved for posterity and out of respect for our shared world history.
It seemed and was good idea to rent a car and do a bit of driving. With Barry navigating exceptionally well all that was left for me to do is steer and hit either the brake or accelerator.
A quick note on highways in Turkey. Phenomenal!! I believe the speed limit was 140 but cars seeming to be going much faster. That was a bit much for me coming from Kenya where traffic only hits 100 kms in the middle of the night when most people are sleeping. But then - of course - the risk of getting car jacked makes that idea a dumb one.
With Greek Island of Chios shouting distance from our seaside accommodations, the trip took on the trappings of a Mediterranean cruise than an Indiana Jones inspired quest for undiscovered ruins. I think it's safe to say that we were both surprised at the holiday-ness of the area and definitely the sheer number of cruise ships coming and going. 2 or 3 ships arrived each day - with tourists (of which I am admittedly one) filling restaurants and clambering over secret hard to find ancient ruins. At Ephesus (see below) there were so many people crowed around I thought we were at a Taylor Swift concert. Maybe the combination of the heat or just a case of the bitch-ies, I found the site to be contrived and "adjusted" to accommodate large numbers of tourists rather than evoking a sense of traveling back in time and bearing witness to our history. Maybe those expectations are unreasonable and in fairness - the original reconstruction of the site was done prior to rigorous scientific methods being employed. That does however set me up nicely for my next point.
Regardless of the number of tourists competing for picture views - it's impressive!!
I have always believed that fortune favors the brave and so when Barry said "let's drive 3 hours to the middle of nowhere to see if these non-de script ruins are any good or not" "why not was my answer".
What follows is a series if pictures of the temple of Aphrodite along with the surrounding ancient city. Best - in my view is that we shared the experience with a half dozen other adventurous souls that we saw occasionally in the distance. Next best - the level of preservation and authenticity was second to none. Before the Romans before the Ottomans - this goes waaaay back in time.
This is the actual temple of Aphroditethe ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation. How many statues have I seen throughout the world of her image. So enamored was I with the place that I took a small piece of marble (about the size of a pinkie nail) from this very spot as a reminder of this day.
Now - Like Rocky in the original movie, it js kept getting better and better. Each short walk brought us to impressive ruins in remarkable good condition. Check the detail on the footings of each seat (a combination of the detailed photo and the amphitheater)
The stadium at 170 meters in length was spectacular. You can almost imagine the Olympic games underway with thew crowds cheering madly!
Here at the baths we get a sense of leisure and social time for the cities citizens. There were many baths of different temperatures and size - and I suspect class. The walls and floors were all double layered and hot air pumped throughout to heat the water and the interior space. Must have been cozy!
A large swimming pool sits just in from of the "city hall" whee you can
imagine grass and palm trees and people sitting around on lunch break.
One more shot of the swimming pool that blew my mind. It's condition and authenticity is undeniable.
Another couple impressive Amphitheater and it was back in the car for the long 6 hour drive back to Istanbul. Fortune may favor the brave but it sure is exhausting being favored. Once again I pointed the car and headed to an airport that would take us to Georgia and the topic of my next blog
My last blog brought donations and I am grateful again very thankful for the
generosity. I will deliver food to the kiddies in the first week of January - though it's never too soon to send a few shekels if you have extra. Again $50 or equivalent is super helpful. Thanks again to Cliff for another donation - I can't thank you enough!
MPESA -- +254745237248 (Kenya)
Or interact -- Laynemahon@live.com (Canada)
Or PayPal -- Laynemahon@live.com (Global)
Thanks for reading....Layno in ruins somewhere in southern Turkey!!!
