Longonot

Our daughters are on a two-week school break. It’s more or less the midpoint between "summer" break and Christmas/New Year’s. Growing up it seems that we used to have a week in the fall and it had historically been timed to allow kids to participate in the harvest. No such harvest here, even more so because we’re in the southern hemisphere. Technically that would make this a spring break.

Whatever it's called, we kicked it off with a long weekend (Friday was a holiday) excursion outside of Nairobi. My oldest daughter had a weekend church retreat at a place about an hour north of Nairobi. The plan was leave on Thursday after school, take her to her retreat and then the rest of the family would continue on for another hour to a place where we had a small cottage booked near the base of Mt. Longonot. We were targeting a Friday morning hike, relax for a couple days, return to the retreat on Sunday to retrieve our daughter and then head home. That’s pretty much how it worked out.

Low sun on the countryside, white goats and rain clouds

There were a couple of variables we were concerned about. One was the possibility of rain. Light rain would be manageable but, due to the fact that parts of the proposed trail serve as drainage (some sections quite steep), they would be impassible with loads of water flowing down. The other variable is people. It’s a well-known hike, not too far from Nairobi and it was a three-day weekend. With a high chance of crowds, we figured that there may be a bit fewer people on Friday compared to Saturday, even less if we got an early start.

* * *

Kiran being checked in. Younger sister making sure all will be well.

We dropped off Kiran at her retreat. She hasn’t really spent much time sleeping away from family. She’s had a few overnight stays with friends but that’s about it. Plus, I’m not sure how well she knows this group. Some more than others. Anyway, we left her a phone (not a smart phone) and had the contacts of the people that were overseeing the weekend. Good experience for her to do this sort of thing.

 

By the time we arrived at our cottage, it was dark. We had a couple of take-out pizzas with us that we had for dinner outside by a fire. The air was cool and, with the exception of dogs barking in the distance, it was pleasantly quiet. We went to bed fairly early, looking to get to decent start the next morning.

 

 

* * *

It was a short drive to the entrance. We made it a bit longer given that we had a hard time finding the turnoff. It’s not well marked. One would think it would be more prominent given how many people climb it each year.

We arrived at the gate just before 7am. There was only one other vehicle which is a good sign. I’m obviously not a fan of crowds, particularly on hikes. We were checked in rather quickly and soon we were off. Within the first few minutes we saw a lone gazelle to our right and shortly after that, some zebras in the distance off to the left. We would see some giraffes later in the day. Wildlife on a hike is always a bonus.

* * *

The Kenya National Park Service website mistakenly refers to Longonot as an extinct volcano, one that no longer has a lava supply and is no longer near an active geological hot spot. In fact, the Kenyan Rift Valley sits on a shifting tectonic plate resulting in Africa’s most active geothermal zone. It powers about half of Kenya’s electricity grid and has made the country the 8^th largest geothermal power user in the world (soon to be 4^th). It has more geothermal power capacity under construction than any country in the world. So indeed, this area had a lot going on underground. According to Maasai accounts, Longonot last erupted in the 1860s. But there is more recent evidence of activity. Geodetic monitoring recorded at Longonot between 2004-2006 demonstrated the presence of active magmatic systems beneath the surface. During the hike we saw an active steam vent on the wall of the crater (there are apparently several) and there are massive steam vents just a few kilometers away. Maybe the park service says that it’s extinct to avoid scaring people. I don’t know but it’s certainly not extinct.

* * *

The trail to the crater rim is about 3.1 km. (a bit less than 2 miles). We did come across other hikers on the way but not many. It was a rather peaceful and beautiful morning. Arriving at the rim and peering into the massive crater was a thrill. It’s about 1.8 km. across (a little over a mile) and the crater floor is covered by a forest of small trees. Supposedly it is home to various species of wildlife (zebra, giraffe, Thomson's gazelle, buffaloes and hartebeest), but we didn’t see any of them. I'm assuming they were in the trees someplace. The walls of the crater are rather steep so I’m not sure how they get in our out. We did see scat on the rim trail so there must be paths for them to move up and down.

The crater. Small steam vent on the right, halfway down the edge of the shadowed area.

For many, arriving at the rim is the extent of the hike and they turn around and head back down. Admittedly, it’s a decent amount of hiking just to get to that point, provides a great view and a good sense of accomplishment. However, we had decided that if the weather was good, we would make our way counterclockwise around the rim to the actual summit, and then complete the 7.2 km (4.5 mile) loop encircling the crater. And that's what we did.

Following the trail around the rim was quite enjoyable. You have constant views on both sides of the trail. The day was clear so we could see all the way to the horizon. As we made our way around, we could see Lake Naivasha and the plumes of the geothermal steam nearby. Distant mountain ranges. Incredible views.

The rim trail as it begins to climb to the summit.

As we approached the section of the rim near the summit, the trail grew steep and involved some scrambling. There were sections with loose gravel where you had to be a bit more careful but it was nothing that was treacherous. Kinaya was in high spirits the entire time. As we neared the top, she accelerated her pace and made sure she was the first to the summit. It warmed my heart to see her hike so easily and joyfully.

Interesting trail.

The altitude at the summit is 2,776 m. (9,018 ft.). Except for a couple Filipino hikers that came through, we had the place to ourselves. We took our time, hydrated and had some snacks before continuing on.

High point of the hike.

The crater.

Up to that point, we had come across very few hikers, but this was about to change. The rest of the way around the rim we saw an increasing number of people. At narrow sections, we frequently had to stop to allow people to pass. Later we came across school groups, some in school uniforms and most without water. One important piece of advice we received before embarking on our hike was to take lots of water. I would have anyway, but we put extra bottles in our backpacks just in case. To see so many people hiking without any water at all was painful to watch. I would think that would be beyond uncomfortable to the point of dangerous. The trail is very exposed and on a sunny day like this, I can imagine a lot of people suffered. Bear in mind, the mountain’s latitude is 0°55 south. In other words, sitting just slightly below the equator.

When we arrived at the point on the rim where the trail begins its descent towards the park entrance, it was unrecognizable. When we were there in the morning, we were alone. Now, there were hundreds of people, many of them students, talking loudly, taking selfies, and scrolling through their social media accounts, most with no intention of taking on the crater loop. I was happy that we began the hike when we did but I almost wish we would have begun even earlier. I suppose the upside was that we noticed that most of the people were Kenyan. Years ago in Tanzania, doing something like this (and I did a lot) you would mostly encounter foreigners. It’s wonderful to see Kenyans embracing this sort of thing.

Interesting view of Longonot from the west. Shows the rim from the outside,
the peak in the sun as well as two smaller craters on the left.

The last stretch wasn’t as enjoyable as it could have been. The trail was packed with people heading in both directions. As the ground leveled off, the park entrance came into view. The entire hike (gate-around the rim-gate) of 13.5 km (almost 8.5 miles) took us a little over five hours allowing for a few rest breaks. We bought some cold drinks at the gate, spent a few minutes resting and enjoying the moment before making our way back to our cottage.

* * *

Having a soak after the hike.

There were a few sunburn patches where the sunscreen application was faulty or rubbed off. Our legs were tired and we were all a bit too dehydrated, but overall we fared pretty well. The plan for the remainder of the day was to relax. It was nice to frontload the hike and have two full days to chill before returning to pick up Kiran and make our way back to Nairobi.

The next day we took it easy in the morning. It was nice to take our time, have breakfast and not rush anywhere. Eventually we loaded up and headed to the town of Naivasha.

Naivasha was about 15 minutes from where we were staying. We’ve been there several times and every time we’re there, we feel that we should go more often. It’s only about an hour from Nairobi and there’s so much to see and do. It also has an interesting history. The area was primarily Maasai for several centuries before the arrival of the European settlers in the 1800’s. The area was one of the first parts of Kenya to be settled by Brits (after the coastal areas) and became popular for big game hunting and hedonistic behavior of the rich between the 1920s and 1940s. Though many of their descendants are still around, for the most part, WWII more or less put an end to this rather seamy phase of the area’s history.

Interestingly, the lake began serving as the country’s first international airport in 1932. Passenger planes known as “flying boats” transported people and mail back and forth to England, eventually also serving as a stopover for flights continuing on to South Africa. It wasn’t until 1958, when Mau Mau prisoners finished the construction of Embakasi Airport (predecessor to the current international airport), that the center of gravity for the colonialists shifted towards Nairobi.

Kinaya bonding with zebras.

We've been to several places on the lake. There is this one location that was quite nice, had a good restaurant and was an enjoyable place to hang out and camp. Flooding a few years ago killed many of the trees and the restaurant closed. There are still animals around and a few tourist activities, but it’s a shadow of its former self. I would rather there be nothing at all than a few things that are run down. In any case, we had brought some sandwiches and had a picnic while we were hanging out with the animals. There’s something magical about being in a place where zebras, impalas, wildebeest, waterbucks and giraffes are roaming on all sides of you. They were relaxed too since they don’t have any predators around.

Giraffe with Longonot as a backdrop.

* * *

Alas, on Sunday it was time to return to our noisy urban home. I tolerate life in the city. Weekends like this help to preserve my sanity. Already planning the next one. In the meantime, work beckons.

Diani for Work

Every year, except during the pandemic, we have regional meetings somewhere in East Africa. Many years ago, when my regional director was based in NY, and the region I was in stretched from Haiti to the Horn of Africa, it actually made sense (sort of) to have the meetings in NY. As such, there were a few years where I was making a couple of trips there per year. Other than the time away from family and the extra travel time, it was fun to get to know NY and have a break from my day-to-day duties.

Now that the current region is all based in the Horn and East Africa, we always have our meetings in the region. We’ve had them in Uganda, Zimbabwe and Tanzania (Zanzibar), but most frequently they are held in Kenya. It’s the most convenient for the regional team organizers who are almost entirely based in Nairobi and it’s full of venue options for hosting (in the city, at a lake, on the coast). This year we returned to the coast.

I should say that I didn’t protest much when it was suggested that we would be relegated to an Indian Ocean venue. There are lots of pluses. Other than the obvious proximity to a beach, it’s a one-hour flight from home. I’m so tired of travel that the idea of going anywhere farther away was a painful thought.

View from my room. Could be worse...

So Diani it was. I’m not sure how many times I’ve been to this particular town over the years but it’s probably around ten. Very cool to have a direct flight to such a small town, albeit loaded with resorts.

* * *

The meetings were kept to three days, for the most part, Tuesday through Thursday. There was some overlapping into a fourth day but, generally speaking, three full days of intense meetings is about the extent of which a brain, or at least MY brain, can handle. I have a hard time focusing on any one thing for very long. The nature of my job is incredibly diverse, bouncing throughout the day from HR, to nutrition, to supply chain, to water and sanitation, finance, to media, and on and on. It suits me since I have the attention span of a four-year-old. Three days is about all I can handle.

Evening out at an Italian restaurant.
One way to show off your wine cellar.

Several of us were on the same flight from Nairobi. I would guess that we made up about a third of the forty or so passengers on the plane. It was nice to be on the coast again though I am at the coast a lot, just a bit more to the northwest in Mogadishu. Though there is a similar tropical feel in Diani, it considerably more humid than in Somalia.

I downed my complimentary fresh juice as I checked in, and then proceeded to my room. I have to say, this was, by far, the nicest room I’ve ever had while staying on the coast. In fact, I assumed it was a mistake. When I arrived at the door, it was propped open by the lock latch so I hadn’t tried my key card. To confirm I was in the right room, I stepped back out, closed the door and tried the key card. Indeed, it was my room. Nice.

Nice room, but didn't spend much time there

The hotel had some good attributes. A nice beach, cleaned of seaweed every morning. A gym (always a plus for me). Clean pools. Decent food. The downside was the loud music each night until 11 or 12pm and the fact that the pools were closed by 6pm. It’s not uncommon in these hotels but it’s annoying, particularly for people who are in meetings all day. 

After a night swim in the ocean under the moon, dinner on the beach.
The moon always looks small in photos compared to what it looks like in real life.

One evening we opted on taking a dip in the ocean after the sun set. The hotel security guys even tried to keep us from doing that but gave up after passive resistance on our part. Something very cool about swimming in the warm ocean under a full moon. Colleagues are great but they’re not as much fun as my family would have been.

From the flight back to Nairobi, Mt. Kilimanjaro with Mt. Meru on the horizon to the left

 * * *

Mogadishu

I’m sitting in the Mogadishu airport lounge getting ready to head back to Nairobi. As is our security protocol, I don’t post anything while in country. I know people who work in the “green zone” that don’t have any such restrictions, but for those of us on the outside, this, and many other things, is different.

* * *

An observation that I have made over several decades of travel is that there seems to be a correlation between the size and quantity of peoples’ luggage and their inability to carry it. Younger, fitter people tend to travel light. Frail and/or unfit people tend to have suitcases the size of studio apartments. Nowhere is this truer than in Somalia. Maybe it’s because they travel less so they need to carry everything in one go? I don’t know (I’ll avoid unpacking that here). I do end up volunteering my services quite regularly to hoist bags on conveyor belts and stuffing massive bags in overhead compartments.

* * *

Over the years I’ve been mistaken for a few different nationalities, but I’m told I generally look American. Today, as I was walking towards the airport between the first two security checks, a guy looked at me and said, “Bosnian?” He said it two or three times. Anyway, that’s a first.

* * *

Across from me, a couple of Somali guys, dressed as if they stepped off a tacky hip-hop video set, sauntered up to some chairs near the window where a Somali woman was sitting. With no words exchanged, she looked up at them, grabbed her phone, got up and moved to an adjacent table farther from the window. Without ordering anything (you need to pay for food/drink in this lounge), they proceeded to take a series of selfies. Me with my shades. Me with airplanes as a backdrop. Me looking serious. Me smiling. Me looking back over my shoulder. Now both of us. And on it went. When they had uploaded it all to the outside world, seemingly satisfied that their peers would be duly impressed by their barrage of pics, they slowly sauntered off. The women then got up and proceeded to return to her seat near the window.

Interestingly, these were all people in their twenties and not people reflecting behavior from days gone by. In some parts of the world, this sort of thing is perfectly normal, including this country obviously. What I also find interesting, and somewhat bewildering, is that there is also a courtesy towards women (and the elderly) that exceeds what you find in most Western countries. In about an hour, we will be boarding the flight and invariably, women and elderly will always board first. But that courtesy didn’t apply to that woman sitting alone in the lounge. A Somali colleague of mine, when we were discussing this subject, confirmed to me that there is a definitely a hierarchy, as you find in any country, but the one in this country is particularly complex. After more than seven years working in Somalia, I have a pretty good idea what it looks like. But I’m not sure I could explain it.

* * *

I haven’t spent a full week in Nairobi since the first half of July. There has been a lot to do in Somalia connecting with staff, government officials, international community counterparts, etc. With some much turnover in this context, building and maintaining relationships is a never-ending task. But it’s critical in this context more than anywhere else I’ve worked. It tires me though. And then there was the week in regional meetings. I’m quite ready to spend a few days without travel.