Meeting the Maasai on the way to Lake Magadi

Clouds in Nairobi on the morning of the 27th of September. I was very happy with that, since the shopping trip the day before had been so hot. However, not far from Nairobi the sun began to shine. 120 km to Lake Magadi and almost 120 km of dryness, almost desert at places. The further we came, the more Masaai we saw, beautifully dressed and quite shy on the side of the road. When we would say hi from the car – the driver in Masaai language – especially the girls and women would run away or keep a safe distance.

We stopped for a photo and two girls with a herd of goats came down the hill, asking us if we had water for them. Seeing the dry landscape, knowing that there had been no rains yet and that there are severe drought problems, we gave them a bottle of our water. We drove further, seeing a barren landscape, sometimes people walking, sometimes herds of goats, a few baboons (and at the beginning four camels), and many huge termite mounts. The roads were almost empty, on a Sunday. At points there were quite some holes in the road; it would take us about two hours to drive the 120km.

When seeing large sacks of charcoal, the driver –whom we have known since the first time in Kenya in February- stopped to ask the price. 600 KEH was too much for him, but since we had stopped, the Masaai women came to the car, shook our hands, and asked us if we could fill their water tanks for them at Magadi: it was more than a 25km walk and they had no water left. So, we drove off with the trunk of the car filled with water tanks. Not much further, a Masaai woman stopped us asking where we were going and if she could join to Magadi – she spoke Swahili and could thus communicate with the driver. Apparently he said yes and the next thing we knew was that three Masaai women joined my colleague in the back of the car. Giggling, chatting, sometimes also with the driver, but impossible to understand for us. It would have been a wonderful photo: my colleague surrounded by beautifully dressed Masaai women. I was very tempted, but wasn’t sure whether I could: they were also just some women trying to get to where they needed to be. That they have been given an exotic status by us may not be something I should use. Now, afterwards, I kind of regret not having taken a photo or asked them whether I could. However, even despite not taking a photo, it was quite a new and hilarious situation for us. We continued our way with the water tanks and the Masaai women.

We dropped them off at a tiny shop at the market place of Magadi, a place that seems to live only off the large soda factory. They promised to fill the water tanks for us and we continued our way (about 12 km) to the hot springs. On the way, we saw a bit of the lake –with a very dry shore and part of the lake evaporated – with lots of flamingos. A very nice view. We stopped for a moment and two Masaai boys came walking to us. They’d show us the way. They did and of course wanted to sell us something or get something for showing us the way. We didn’t give them anything.

We drove further and got out of the car thinking we had lost the road: we were driving on sand and there was some water. From two sides, Masaai women appeared from underneath small trees and came walking towards us down the hot and sandy place – it was over 35 degrees and they had been sitting in the very tiny bit of shade all day waiting for a car to come. When another car came, it appeared that we had actually arrived at the springs. While we were taking off our shoes and socks and walked into the (slippery) water which was very hot, but more bearable than standing on the sand, the Masaai women were setting up their market. Surprisingly they left us in piece –previous trips had shown Kenyans to be quite persistent and not easy to get rid off when they wanted to sell something. Since the other car had left, we felt that we should at least buy something small: they had been waiting in the burning sun. All three of us, my colleague, the driver, and I bought some bracelets and it was quite a good price. Whereas another Kenyan might get one for 30 KEH, we paid 50. Try to buy it in Nairobi and you easily pay 200 if not more. When we tried to leave they got a bit more persistent, bracelets, rings, necklaces were put around me; but by now I have also learned to be quite persistent. Saying that they don’t have change means that I will have to return some items rather than more and suddenly change appears.

On the way back, we met the two Masaai boys once again and gave them our last bottle of water. We stopped at the Masaai shop and one of the women brought us to the factory canteen where we had lunch and invited her to stay with us. The place was a little cool and although I had been boiling all water I drank so far, I was so hot and thirsty that I drank at least three glasses of tap water (and I am still fine a day later). We picked up the water tanks and went on our way back. The Masaai where we dropped off the water, still wanted 500 (rather than 600) KEH for the charcoal, and the driver declined. Again, I wished I would have made a photo of the women: so beautiful and an experience we may never have again: many lost photo moments there, but taking a photo also changes the situation: suddenly they become the object of the photo, you (even) more of a tourist, rather than people helping each other out. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to spoil the experience of treating each other as normal people, by becoming the tourist. Of course, afterwards, it would have been very nice to have some photos, also the share the experience a little with others who were not present.

Driving back on the road with on both sides respectively grey, white, and red soil and similar coloured termite mounts, we encountered some small tornados. And, as a bonus, some giraffes: not in a national park, just walking on the side of the road, in front of some small houses with roofs made of corrugated iron and the Ngong hills. Beautiful. Back in Nairobi some rain had fallen.

For a few photos, please go to: http://picasaweb.google.nl/ragnazeiss/KenyaSeptember2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCLLp7en6qOzhbQ&feat=directlink