Another crazy day in Kenya…

February 20
As we were driving into Kisii, a mid-sized town where we planned to go to an internet café and do some grocery shopping, our host Caleb told us how dangerous it is there. Frequent muggings, and Americans are the targets of violence more so than English people – somehow the Kenyans can tell the difference, he told us. As we left town we saw a car accident – a matatu had run into a car. He then explained how frequent car accidents were on the narrow roads, so frequent that you get used to seeing them, he said. Then he told us we were driving on Death Road, known by that name because it is the regular route of truckers, and researchers documenting the spread of AIDS in Africa have shown that the disease was first spread by truck-drivers along this route that runs from South Africa to Egypt, also known as the Great North Road. Then he pointed to the back of our driver’s head, which is badly scarred, and explained that his car had been hijacked once a few years ago when he was driving alone at night. He had been attacked and thrown into sugarcane fields, left to die, but fortunately was found and his life was saved. Later we drove through a run-down looking area, and Travis and I instinctively rolled up our windows and locked our doors. But Caleb invited us to get out of the car because he wanted to buy us a gift of sandals made from recycled tires. I am sure he knew the area and that we were safe, but we weren’t feeling all that confident at this point. Then a little ways further he got out of the car to buy some groceries. While we waited we witnessed a motorcycle that ran over two little boys. Fortunately it was going pretty slowly, so they did not look badly hurt, but it shook us up a bit. A crowd started to gather around them yelling and raising their hands towards the mother of the boys, and then our driver got out of the car to see what was happening. As we didn’t know where Caleb was, we felt a bit nervous, and just then a large number of motorcycles drove by in a procession, carrying a flag (turned out it was a funeral procession for a motorcycle taxi-driver). At this point I was freaking out a bit, not feeling safe. But Caleb showed up quickly, and the driver returned and we left. I think Caleb could tell we were a bit strung out, as he promised us we would go home and relax. A few minutes later a couple of large cows passed in front of us on the road as we were driving quite fast. I’ve never been so glad to get out of a car in my life, and be somewhere I felt safe.