On the Uhuroo Highway Kenya
I spent a summer in Kenya while I was in college. My sister was
stationed there with the U.N., so I saved up my pennies and went to
see her. We did all those wonderful safaris...yet the best part of
the my time there was tooling around Nairobi on my own in the land
rover while my sister was at work. I would drive in all directions
exploring.
After one jaunt into a tea plantation, I was driving back to Gigiri
coming home when I saw a hitchhiker about 30 minutes outside of
town. I pulled over and told the guy to jump in. I had not noticed
but sitting next to him were 4 Kenyans. So when the hiker got in
every one else jumped in as well. I was a bit afraid at first. But
after the doors slammed shut and the packages were piled into the
back, I turned around and found four of the widest smiles i have ever
seen. They were accompanied buy a hearty round of "jambo sanas!" and
"habare!" I took them all to the round-about where I got off to
pick up my sister and let them out. I never noticed the practice but
it appeared to be a common habit. I was a Kenyan for a day. I guess
cramming into a land rover is a lot better than those awful matatu
busses the locals take. Roger was the hitchhiker; he was from
Australia. I never got the other guys names. It was an everyday
occurrence but I won't ever forget it.
Peace
Danny
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