Juwarra's Blog

ACTA against the better judgement

2012-02-11T16:12:00.003+02:00

I didn't go to protest action, but I came to the idea that I will write today to my blog and make my fight like that. Even though I'm small time artist and haven't really earned much anything with my art, I have my art up in internet on many sites, and therefore it is vulnerable for theft... but I don't care, I'm still against such laws as ACTA. What ACTA really is? It is yet another control mechanism and a censorship. Ask yourself for whom it should be. Answer is that such thing should protect the interests of authors. Yet you can see that many authors themselves are against that law. It is not for us. To whom it really is, is politicians and especially companies. Authors lose only some money because of piracy, yet the same piracy greatly expands the opportunities for most of the authors to be known in the first place. As long as piracy of creative property has existed, it really has only been useful for artists. Piracy has broadened the field of art and only created more artists. Some copying artists have even made the original artist more famous and selling than he/she ever was before. I would let anyone steal my art from internet rather than have ACTA like laws. The ones who earn from it are companies and maybe few very mainstream artists. And ACTA also creates legal right for more control for those who already have too much control over others. We need freedom. greatest need for artist is a freedom. Therefore you can easily say that such laws are just making world more uniform or limited. Is money really what artist wants. NO! I have only small money now, but what really is my greatest wish all the time, is the opportunity to share my creation and mainly to get something for it in the same form - art against art. Sure, I would want money too, but I have accepted that for getting real money I should do some different kind of work. Right now we still have possibility to get music and movies created by small artists and producers from other sides of the world. I don't mean USA but much more remote places where really cool things are done. How can you get such things when laws close down all unconventional and "illegal" sources. I wouldn't even know half of the artists I know now, if internet would be more controlled.

In Sweden internet piracy was registered as a belief, and I really see why. Some people really believe that nowdays it is only possible solution to have a world where money and power aren't most important, and the lifestyle that saves us from damned global homogenizing of culture and art going under big business. I think all people say that without music and art life would be depressing, but hell, I would be depressed if only music I could reach and/or afford, would be some mainstream pop-things. Already in 80-s and 90-s it was said that tape recording music from radio will be the death blow to music. What actually happened was, that the greater market, greater choice of different creation and soon also easier ways to get anything came to be. MBasically more culture and cheaper culture. You want to know the truth - without pirated or otherways not quite legal music, we would lose very many of good parties. And artists would lose lots of inspirational material to make some of their own good creative material. Probably entire next generation would be much less creative. And still today they say the same. Piracy kills creativity. No, piracy is bad only to big producers and big names. What kills creativity is exactly the opposite of piracy - making laws that allow only big companies and selected few artists to flourish. You know what would be good solution against piracy and intellectual theft? Lots of small producers who take small artists to produce their music, films, games, books, etc; lots of small shops that take things to sell from all kinds of artists and producers with smaller quantities and smaller prices. Maybe profits would be little bit smaller, but actually I believe that twice smaller prices would bring much more clients. And make really all kinds of different things from different parts of the world available in internet shops to be downloaded. But it is pretty impossible - which salesman cares to search for some artists in African slums or Mesoamerican small town. And therefore I believe that nothing replaces piracy as a mode to share from person to person, so that wherever you are in a world, you may get some movie made in Lebanon or Nigerian dancemusic or traditional music from South-China, or painting from some artist of some small town in Brazil. This is simply what people need. So what if 100 people seeing my art in internet just copy it to their hardrive, but when my art travels enough that way, then probably 101st person asks me if he/she can really buy some original work.

And ACTA isn't only just against piracy. It is good ground for all kinds of limits. It is good ground for censorship and internet espionage. Basically when right now I can quote anyone in my blog, then ACTA creates possibility that such use of someone else's text is theft without permission. I understand, for politicians it is good way to control free journalism. Or another possible problem for anyone having their own independent internet site - if right now I don't have to care where some link that has been added to my blog either by myself or someone else, may lead, then after some such harsh laws, I may be criminal if anything from my site leads to illegal internet pages. And actually I can't even do much if someone would put a link to my chatbox. Only way to remove someone else's post from there, would be to delete all entries or even remove the chatbox. I would rather live in "communist" China. And really, as I have already wrote in my earlier blog entries, one reason why I want to leave Europe and go back to Kenya, is our lack of freedom. It is such a lie that we live in most democratic and free areas in the world.

The irresistable force meets unmovable object

2011-12-30T23:45:00.008+02:00

Right now I don’t continue with my European travel entries. I owe You my story about girls, about love and passion, fails and harsh things that people do, etc. Basically it is a backlash to my stay in Kenya and some things that happened after return to Estonia, but still were so much about Kenya.
As I have also wrote here, I went to Kenya with the idea in my mind that I must take every opportunity and adventure that Kenya has to offer (well... my kind of adventure means no safari animal viewing, but some other things). Kind of as a part of that I planned to try out an African girl. Pretty much as soon as I got to Eldoret, I fell in love. Well, I actually didn’t plan to fall in love. My idea was just to try out a beautiful local girl, but you know how are feelings – they just happen. At first I didn’t even admit that I was so far with my feelings. I even didn't know whom I really like... Kate or Sarah or... basically I even had feelings for one girl in Estonia, and before leaving, I kind of promised myself that when I come back I will finally say my feelings out. But over time I understood, that it is as clear as a fact, that I was now suddenly deeply in love with Catherine (Kate), my first girl in Kenya. I just knew that I must break the promise I made to myself in Estonia about this other girl. I started thinking, what now? At that point I already knew that I like Kenya, and I don’t even care about any downsides of this country and society. I didn't care that I will surely miss some things from my home. I started thinking out a plan how to stay or come back to Kenya. For the irony of fate, at the same time Kate started to cool down in relations towards me. These were extremely weird times. I didn’t understand at all what was going on. Kate had lots of secrets. In times she said that she likes me, sometimes even showing it out. At some other times (increasingly often) she simply started avoiding me and behaving weirdly towards me... kind of like someone would have turned her against her own wish away from me. For a long, I tried to find out the problem and fix it, but finally Kate saw that only way was to break up. I was devastated. Then I really started searching other girl just for getting over Kate.

I met Kwamboka in a danceclub and in many ways my story with her was much simpler. We got together, had fun, had sex, and I got closer to real local life than with anyone else. at least in the beginning it was without any complications for me. But I weren't completely happy. First of all, I must say that she didn’t deserve what I did for her, as at first she got to be my rebound girl (she also finally got to know about it), meaning she had surely more serious feelings than I (Although from time to time I have thought that I actually felt more than I let myself to believe... I was still hurt by last loss), and secondly I left her because of another girl, another Kenyan girl, saying everything honestly out to her. This all was so cruel to her, and I appologise for her, but again, I couldn’t have done it differently (I couldn’t had resisted her and I couldn’t have lied to her in the end... and same way as I couldn't had resisted her, I couldn't have resisted this another girl). And still, when perhaps in the beginning she really was just to relieve my pain from last ditching, then after some time I really started feeling differently about her. Even if not love yet, I started liking her and us together, as there was a passion that pretty much was missing from my story with Kate (at least in a way I would have liked it). Yes, there were also some things that I didn’t like about Kwamboka, things that made me unsure, and I guess, these things got fateful in the end, as the girl to whom I really fell again was exactly what I didn’t find in Kwamboka. Or at least so I like to think. But as I said, things were complicated in a different way. For example, our relationship got physical very quickly, but we were already separated by some land in Kenya, as she didn’t live in the same town as I, so basically maybe when we met it was too intensive in some ways. Then again, I still liked what I had with her, and I really started liking her. I liked to go to party with her, I liked when we were camping with her friends, in general I liked her friends and that she included me in things she did with her friends. I adored her beautiful body and how normal she was in the sense what a European man expects from modern girl, I liked to have wild sex with her and I also liked to have just soft caressing moments. Basically first time in my life I felt that I have really good, normal, working relationship with someone. She is even such a girl with whom I can imagine myself living together. But it seems it wasn’t enough. For really pointless small things I felt that she isn’t yet the right one. Things like this same partygoing nature of hers that I also liked. I asked myself why I don’t like when girls in Estonia are going clubs... and finally I felt that I like when girl is joyful, adventurous and likes to have fun, so I wouldn’t be always bored with her at home, but I also wish my girl to take life more seriously than she seemed to. But this was wrong answer. I even can't say what is the difference, but when at first she seemed maybe even too much European like girl, then now I would say that I simply knew her too little time, and actually never saw her so said everyday side. Another thing,... I also just happen to like very dark beauties, and as she was quite light, the dark skin of my third girl just drew me as did her simple warmheartedness. Not that I would say that Kwamboka was not to my liking and cold. No, in contrary... I already said that she was beautiful and nice, but just at one moment I was attracted by another girl more. What can I do?

I never even kissed my third darling (well, only to cheek), because I was in that sense true to some ethics. I wanted to say to Kwamboka first, that it doesn’t work between us, and yet I couldn’t do that before leaving (I was too much of a coward or maybe unsure of myself). It was two days before leaving Kenya, when I understood that my feelings towards that third girl are too strong for not to even say it out. I didn’t say it to her then, but only some time after my return to Estonia, but I think we already understood about eachothers feelings for some time, as we just were together as friends quite a lot in the end... and there were signs. Yeah, I think I weren't sure of many things. Also with Kwamboka I finally broke up when I was already in Estonia... when I came to understand that my heart feels too strong feelings for third girl. But just a little bit later I said to my best friend that I actually have come to love both of these girls, and although in Kenya polygamy is legal, I'm sure, neither of these girls would accept me being with both of them. Actually I think I’m more of a traditionalist (one woman man) myself too... only my feelings are split to two and making it even more difficult for me. How can you choose a love. But I had to choose, and I did. Actually Kwamboka made it easier for me, saying that she removes herself from that triangle. Yet, I know, that feelings of both of us still remain. And, I am sure that I would have made that same choice also myself... I would do that choice if I would get another chance. My love for my last sweetheart was just so great. And that said, it is even sader now.

Anyway, let it be said out now (now when this thing seems to be over), that third girl was Betty, who was a good friend for quite a many from our group there. This was really crazy thing. Those few of my friends whom I still haven’t told about it, would be now pretty shocked (so if any of you read it, then sorry for everything... not telling you and I don’t know what else), as she was engaged to be married. But there was irresistable attraction between us... from both sides. It was already quite the end of our stay there... maybe two weeks before we had to go, or three... anyway, most of our group went to coast for second time, to say goodby to divine Kenyan beaches and good life. Helen who stayed home with me, wasn’t actually home much, but with his Kenyan boyfriend (if I can say so). So I felt lonely and was looking for some company. There wasn’t much choice for me – one friend I had in Eldoret was Betty. So I called her, that perhaps we could meet and do something. Basically it seemed that it took no time at all from her to come up with a plan. She said that lets meet in town, and then she wants to take me somewhere. We had already been in her home with most of our group and she took us also to one nice place with a waterfall, but nothing is more special than her plan then. She took me to her country home, where was her own farm, farm of her grandma and also farm of one other related family. I even didn’t know that we go so far away, meaning we stay over night. Total surprise and such an honour for me. These days I felt like among my own family, and in these days I got a crush for her. As I said, I held it secret until I had left and weren't even sure if I ever should say it out, although I had already seen signs from Betty that maybe she also feels same towards me. Actually on second day at countryside there, she even proposed that we can stay another day at her farm. First night she was at her grandparents place and I at this farm of other relatives. So, you surely see what this means. But how ever tempting this offer was, I had mixed feelings. Well, because in this morning she also said to me that she is not sure anymore about the marriage plans, and because at other waterfalls we visited this day we clearly flirted, so I already was pretty sure that the reason of doubting about marriage plans may be me, but still, I weren’t sure yet if I could take that blame on me, and also thing with Kwamboka. Or maybe I even would have, but additionally, I didn’t had toothbrush and condoms with me (as I already said, I had no clue where are we going or what could happen).

But more I thought about it the more I fell in love with her. For long I wondered what to do and at last, when I was already home and had been away from both girls for some time, came to conclusion that if she anyway has doubts about marriage, if she had got a crush to someone else, then she shouldn’t marry, no matter if it is because of me or not. I also found that I need to know what she feels about me and I need at least to say my feelings out to her... maybe I have just imagined these signs I saw, maybe it was something else and we wouldn't anyway have a chance together. Well, I talked with her and she affirmed what I believed. She said that she had got a crush on me even earlier than I did, and saying that she doesn’t know what to do now. She waited answer from me. What other answer I could have given. Now I didn’t care at all about this other poor man of hers. I said, that if you doubt, you are not probably ready for marriage, but the final decision is only yours and that should come from heart. And against all odds, she chose to hope to get together with me again.

I would say that I have never had better girl, but how much I actually know about her. I know that I like what her mind was, a little bit about her personality. Her honesty and simple nature, and that flirtyness I saw, but I absolutely discarded everything else... things that I can’t find out just with little time together in Kenya when we even weren't yet together as a couple, or later through phonecalls and e-mails over quite long time. I just hoped all best. In that sense Kwamboka would have been absolutely more of a sure deal. But again I must say that sometimes it is hard to fight with your heart... you don’t listen your mind. Actually realistic thinking would have said to me that it is pretty hard chance to get back to Africa anyway. And still, I hope to get back there, now only it seems that I don’t have any of these girls. Although yes, like I wrote in my travel stories during Eurotrip, also Kate started calling me again. She even asked when I’m coming back, showing clearly that she would want to restore our thing, but this time it was me who started avoiding her, and now she ceased her tries. I just wouldn’t be able to trust her anymore. Even if she would tell me all the truth, why she left me in first place, I wouldn't be able to trust that she actually loves me. And moreover, she showed that she can close into herself and hold so many secrets from me, that I think I would never be able to have a normal life with her, where she would trust me in almost anything. No, with this girl I better stay at the safe side now.

Yeah, for a year and a half we hoped for our thing with Betty, but now suddenly and again painfully for me it is over. Actually this time it is painful for both of us, as reason for the end of it, is just unfair and cruel. Almost entire december I have tried to call Betty, but calls were always canceled. I started thinking that maybe she fell for someone else. Africa just is full of feelings and it is hard to control it. And Africans generally are impulsive. But it wasn’t so. I sent a message that at least I want to know the reason and that I keep calling until she is tired of cancelling the calls. I thought that maybe just like Kate she fears to say out what is on her mind. So today, after almost week of trying to call her and many messages, she answered with a message from someone else's phone, and it was even more painful for me than I had believed possible to be. It seems that finally her dad got to know the reason why she cancelled the wedding. Her dad got angry and said that he doesn’t approve me. He took Betty’s phone away, probably hoping that I just give up if I don’t get her to phone for long enough time. For Betty, family is important, that I know, but still I don’t understand how Betty’s feelengs aren’t equally important for them. Anyway, Betty said that she is sorry and this probably is the end of it.

Oh damn... so far, even foresensing something bad, I didn’t shed a tear, but today it hit me hard. How can it be that someone’s family has right of say over feelings of their daughter, knowing it will break the hearts of both her and her loved one. And damn again... when some of Kwamboka’s friends and also her mother showed same reaction towards me, then she chose me over them. She left home, and at least then she left also these few friends who didn't understand her feelings. Well, I don’t blame Betty for not doing same, but it is still hard to believe that she would give up so easily. Now I just think all the time what to do. Should I show more consistency, adressing some messages also to her father. I don’t believe it can work. If I would have my own appartment, I would make Betty a proposal that I would buy her a plain ticket to Estonia. I hope she shows out her loss as hardly as I do, so that finally her dad would see that our love is honest and not some simple affection that goes over, that we are fighting for it, and that he is just hurting her... and me (about that he of course wouldn't care, as I offended him by first destroying wedding plans he had made, and then by keeping this all secret from him). Again I’m so struck by that, that I just can’t accept the loss of her. I really love her too much... and I believe she loves me as much. But traditions in Kenya are strong and such man as him, have lots of pride. If I only would still be in Kenya.

So this is the whole truth about me and my girls in Kenya. I dedicate that to Festus, who writes often about men and women and their relations and how it should be. So basically this is in what sense I would argue against him. He said that women should be careful of men who don’t take them seriously, women should be careful selecting good independent men, and he really categorizes men. I would say that our hearts do things that are almost out of our control, and I would say that neither men nor women should be ashamed of that or condemn such occurences. I have always believed that people should take their life more freely. We should have also simple sex, we should have failures from what we learn, and we must have great passionate love that would fight with hardest reality. Even holy man Dalai Lama says that love and cooking should be approached with foolhardy devotion. That is what I did in all of these three cases, and I don’t think it makes me a bad man who just takes advantage of girls and destroys their to be marriages. Love and enjoyment are basically in my view what people often search the answer for: what is the meaning of life. Even if I get hurt, even if I get deeply burned by desire, I take it and look later back to my life with satisfaction and happiness, as I did everything I could. Even most world’s religions liken passion and love with God. By the way, anyone reading this, tell me what to do... what can I do?

No man should have a power over woman's mind and life - not father, not husband, not priest and not even a king - women should have free will as we all.

Viva la France

2011-11-12T19:02:00.002+02:00

Viva la France – that was said to me by someone already when I tried to hitchhike away from Genova. I guess he was a traveler from France. There I also met two more hitchhikers from France. They asked me if hitchhiking in Italy is ok and where would be best place to catch a ride to Pisa. Well, I didn’t want to say that there isn’t any good place, so I said that I don’t know, hitchhiking in Italy is damn hard anyway. They said to me that in France it is very easy. I really didn’t imagine. Actually, for the night I had to get to small town named Antibes near Nice. It was easy to get to Nice, but as I spent some time there, I got pretty late with hitchhiking to Antibes. I stood in bus stop, trying to catch any car, but yeah, at that time, I didn’t have any luck. Two old women came there and seeing me with a sign where was written Antibes, they tried to explain that there goes bus for only one euro. I tried to explain that it is mission for me to only hitchhike. It was amazing to see their faces, as they really didn’t understand why someone should want to hitchhike when bus ticket is so cheap. They offered me money, but then I showed that I don’t need any, I have lots of money, it is just principle. But finally, as the time when I promised to be in Antibes was getting close, I still took the bus. It was first bus ride outside the cities on this trip. But I didn’t want to leave it that way. I still wanted to hitchhike all the way through Europe. So, next day I hitchhiked back to Nice. So stubborn is my mind. But anyway, after that I was just all the time surprised how easy it is to hitchhike in France, and I was surprised of how French people seems. Don’t get me wrong, I always had believed that I find everything good and to my liking in France, but I still was surprised. How nice it all felt there, how friendly and open was people. Even language that I have learned a little bit, and therefore should be familiar with, felt just so amazing to hear after Italy, that I just felt happy all the time - finally in France. Moreover, I was surprised how many of them speak English. There are these legends about French people not really speaking English... you know, old feud and all this... that most of them even can’t speak English and those who could, they still don’t want to. This is all bullshit. On my time in France I never saw any xenophobia or anything against English speakers. True, some really can’t speak English, but they still try... even these old women in this bus stop, they didn’t speak English, but they understood some things that I spoke, and we successfully communicated anyhow. So myth about when you speak in English, they just don’t talk with you, is busted. Now Italians really started to feel xenophobic, nationalistic and even a bit stupid (of course not all of them).

After few days in Antibes and Nice, I needed to go to Marseille. I pondered for a while if I should go by coast and visit some more famous coastal cities, towns and beaches, or go straight by the highway. Marseille is quite far, so second thought won. I still hadn’t understood really how easy is to get a ride. Therefore this long way for this day took only barely half the day. But never mind, in France highways don’t have these high walls like in Italy or Austria, so you can still see some beauty of surroundings. Forest and hills, lots of forest… another legend that we have, that all the western Europe is pretty much clear of the forest and made into farmlands and plantations. This actually seemed true only in Spain, that there is no forest. Spain was almost entirely like a big desert or wasteland with forgotten roads, shabby or completely abandoned buildings and industrial thingies here and there. But now I got ahead a lot. France is truly amazing. I love the landscapes, the cliffy hills, forests, coast, these old lovely villages, medieval castles, old bridges and even churches. Also big cities, perhaps these were not as beautiful as in Austria or Germany, but they certainly had more life in them.

So, Marseille – I have a friend there to host me and show me around a bit, so it was one of the certain places I had to go on my travel. Honestly, city itself isn’t very pretty, but as I said, just French people make it another good place to travel. Honestly, in cities what really counts, are people. Well, my friend also showed me couple things they value as historic monuments and architectural showpieces, but really, if such kind of things didn’t draw me in Roma or Firenze, then certainly not in Marseille. Even in these lovely, small French towns where everything is so beautiful and old, how much can you admire that architecture. At least I need some more living attractions, something that holds me active. And my friend and Marseille made it possible for me. I got to ride the bicycle, do some free climbing on small cliffs, go to party and to beaches, I did even some parkour in the city. This is what I love. Plus some fine French social life, food in a French way, French wine, etc. And I’m also forever thankful for my friend for one art exhibition he took me. Although sometimes even art exhibitions feel too lifeless to me… to me who I’m artist and feel that without art there wouldn’t be much reason for life and human civilization, but yes, especially this exhibition was amazing. It was orientalism themed, and if you don’t know already, then I’m absolutely fanatic of orient, Asia, Africa and Islamic culture. Moreover, this exhibition was full of super masterful works, from what I could learn forever, or I could just admire the beauty of it endlessly.

My friend in Estonia through whom I got to know this guy from Marseille, wrote me that I should let him to take me to beaches and to reggae bars… that there is lots of dark beauties. Yeah, as I would need it, more enticement! But of course I was in beach most of the time, and really enjoyed watching beautiful girls. My friend there also said: “Tauno, you don’t have to go to Africa, you can get a beautiful girl from here, much closer to your home.” True, probably French girl would also be amazing, and if I would live there long enough, I might be even able to get connection with some black people, but first of all, this is not my mission, and I also said to him, that it is still not Africa, I can’t be happy here, and these black girls are not Africans anymore. I’m not interested of getting just a black girl, I simply love African mentality… and I just love some certain girls. But this doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t be able to let myself free a little bit. After all, when in Kenya I felt ultimate freedom, then closest we can get to that in Europe, would be in France. So, beaches, parties and parkour.

Sadly I didn’t get to go to any reggae bar, but there was a big festival around old port one night. About ten different stages, so everyone can find something they like. Actually, I even felt that there is too much to choose. Luckily there were big screens that showed what is happening on other stages, so I could see also some people doing break dance and at the same time hear some interesting French music. Well, most of my time on this party, I stayed at the salsa-reggeton stage. This was exactly the mood I was looking for. All the people taken to the dance floor together with real professionals. This night I danced like never before on this journey, and I even caught the attention of one of these professional dancers – another beautiful black girl. We just talked few words, I thanked her for fantastic evening, and then I left. That’s how I always do now… this is not my mission; my mission is to get back to Kenya. By the way, I don’t remember if I have already wrote it, but for that time I had already got a strong feeling that I don’t know why I’m going to Spain. I felt that I’m going to wrong way. I should head to south. But of course I always also understand that I need some money to get my life going in Kenya. I can’t just hope to go there and look how I could survive then. There must be some financial security to that enterprise. Ok, but I will write about these things, these thoughts, some other time. Now I write about my time in France. Though, now I started to think what else to write.

My friend in Marseille, he said that I write a lot, and asked if maybe I’m not an artist but writer. At the time when I stayed at his place, also one Kenyan guy wrote to me, asking if I would be his mentor in writing. Well, I accepted, but I would still say, and also said to my friend that I’m not a writer. When I read something that Remarque has wrote, then I always feel that I still miss something. I am not great enough to commit myself to the writing… and that what being a writer means. But it is still nice to exchange ideas with Festus (this Kenyan guy). For example, the idea to write about my ideas about love and my relations to girls, it is going to be pretty different from what Festus has wrote in his blog, but that is what is the meaning of mutual exchange of ideas – not to agree on everything, but to get inspiration and just to write down your own thoughts. Ok, maybe I’m writer, because I write, I find that I need to write, but then again, I still am much more an visual artist, as even more than writing I need to paint, to draw, to do things from clay, and so on. Just doing art needs much more, and so I can’t do it all the time.

In Marseille I stayed about one week. One day we also rode out of Marseille, over the hills to small coastal town. I don’t really remember the name of it. It was beautiful place – would be really worth to paint. Basically we went there to swim, although to such bad swimmer as I am, swimming in a breakers near coastal cliffs, wasn’t easy. But things do not have to be easy to be enjoyable as something different from everyday. There were lots of people sunbathing nude, reminding me that I still had my white stripe under the panties. I had a plan to go to some nude beach when going west from Marseille. In Languedoc-Roussillon were supposed to be best beaches of France, so of course I had to go there. But my leaving from Marseille happened to come to be exactly on a day when in the morning there was a heavy rain. My friend said that he will take me some way out of Marseille and then there rain is going to get over already – weather forecast said so. It was hard to believe, and being used to extremely uncertain forecasting, I was extremely skeptical, but as I finally saw, forecasts in France really are accurate. Soon rain was over. But I started to doubt if it is good idea to go to beaches. Maybe there will be more rains, and actually air went much colder after the rain anyway, and I had only two days to get to Barcelona. I decided to go forward without detours to beaches. Night I stayed near the small city of Beziers that has pretty amazing big castle. It was quite hard to find a good place for tent there. Private lands were everywhere, and I didn’t want to sleep in any place. Finally I still found a small bamboo “forest” on someone’s private property. That was reminded me by about ten signs on the way – PRIVATE PROPERTY; GUARDED; LANDSCAPE PROTECTION AREA, DAMAGING THE NATURE IS PUNISHABLE, etc. But I found out that my camouflaged tent is perfectly invisible among the bamboo. From here a suggestion to backpackers – certainly get yourself a tent that is natural green or even better with army camo. Bamboo forest was perfect for another reason too. Ground under bamboo forest is pretty much clear of any other plants except soft moss. If it wouldn’t had been cold and party noises from city, followed by really big fireworks, then this night would have been best ever I have had in a tent. But yes, it was cold this night. Actually so cold that when I got to Barcelona I started to feel that I get sick. But this entry was about France, so let it end with France, where everything was almost perfect. Actually, I have more to write about France, as of course I also went back through France, but also this will be a separate entry after Spain and Portugal.

But for the end, something more about Marseille. A French joke about how big sardine blocked the port of Marseille.

C'est la sardine qui a bouché le port de Marseille… est une expression populaire française datant du XVIII^e siècle. Elle signifie que l'histoire est estimée comme une galéjade, une exagération, une histoire à dormir debout. En fait, l'expression est basée sur une histoire vraie mais dont une coquille typographique en a fait une farce.

En 1779, le vicomte de Barras, officier commandant le régiment français d'infanterie de Marine de Pondichéry, qui avait été capturé par les Britanniques en 1778, était libéré, en vertu d'un accord d'échanges de prisonniers et rapatrié sur une frégate de la Marine du roi Louis XVI.

Le bateau sur lequel il embarqua avait pour nom le Sartine, avec un « t ». Pour assurer sa sauvegarde et son retour tranquille vers la France, il naviguait sous un pavillon de sauvegarde qui devait le protéger de toute attaque des navires de la marine britannique qui reconnaissaient l'ordre de le laisser passer. Le navire put ainsi arriver sans encombre après dix mois de navigation au large du port de Marseille.

Or, au dernier moment, le navire se présenta le 19 mai 1780 avec une inversion du code et la « Sartine » fut prise en chasse par un navire britannique qui tira contre elle deux salves de canons. La frégate française, navire imposant, finit par couler dans le chenal de l'entrée du Vieux-port de Marseille ce qui empêcha pendant un certain temps l'accès et la sortie du port à tous autres navires. (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/C'est_la_sardine_qui_a_bouch%C3%A9_le_port_de_Marseille)

So, everyone understands it now, right !? Ok… actually even I didn’t completely. Anyway, story goes about like this – British navy was on the sea in front of Marseille. There was a naval battle and after that it was organized that they exchange prisoners, and French also planned to repair one of their frigate. I didn’t quite understand if this frigate or the ship they sent to repair it was named Sartine… with strong “t”. But well, there was some confusion, and British sank the Sartine at the mouth of the port. This port has a narrow way out to the sea, so ship blocked the way out or in. There was a lot of talking about the happening, but from Sartine came sardine (the small fish), and it became an expression that sardine was blocking the port of Marseille. My friend said that basically this expression means the love of people around there to exaggerate and play with the words, and make such kind of jokes.

Genova in photos

2011-11-01T17:05:00.002+02:00

Just click on photos to see them bigger. And don´t forget to read my last writing that was mainly about Genova... you will understand some photos more.

Wonders of the world

2011-10-26T18:44:00.001+03:00

Sorry that I haven’t wrote for a long time. I still want to continue with my travel story, even though I am back in Estonia now. There is just so many things to say. So I continue right where I stopped in last post, and don’t do big cuts like when writing about Kenya.

Allora, last day before Genova in Italia. In this day I advanced forward so little, and otherwise I didn’t do anything special either. Walked through Livorno and then 16 km-s to Pisa. I even didn’t go inside the city. I didn’t see the damned leaning tower. And so what, it is just one tower. Nothing special in it, I’m really sure of it. I went straight to northern roads to catch a next car. It didn’t take long. Two most beautiful Italian girls stopped and said that they are going just a little bit forward. Every way forward is a good way, and especially with these girls. For Italians they were really open to foreigners like me. Usually it seemed that Italians are still somewhat xenophobic. But these girls were talkative and interested about my travel and me. Yeah, one thing was bad about that ride – that it ended so quickly. They just asked my name, but of course I gave them my contacts, also my blog address. I don’t know if they ever watched it. I was even bit disappointed, that they didn’t contact me later.

They actually put me down in a place, where they warned me not to stay the night in a tent... especially at the beach. So even when it got dark and I didn’t get a car, I decided to walk forward. That walk came to be hardest and most unpleasant part of the day. Via Aurelia - it is not highway, but there it is almost like it, and walking on the road in darkness would have been pretty much a suicide. So I walked behind guardrail where flora made moving extremely tough, and in some places even painful by old, familiar thorned plants. I had to go so about five kilometers, but it took pretty much forever. In one place there was even a truck in a stop lane, and later I started to believe that this guy said that he can take me to one nearby town, but he had really bad accent and at that moment it sounded to me that he didn’t want to move anymore. Yeah, I walked away and leaped again behind safety railing, and saw him leaving, and then in my mind his words started to play and clear a bit. Damn how angry I was about myself, for not listening well enough or asking him to repeat what he said.

Even after getting off from the big road, I walked quite a lot in search of suitable place for my tent. I planned to go to the beach, but way was too long. I was totally exhausted and needed to get up quite early if I wanted to get to Genova in a next day. Anyway, who knows if the beach there was safe. As I already said, I walked just about 5 km. I had enough of nerve stress this day. By the way, when trying to walk to beach, one car almost would have hit me, turning too close to corner.

Next day, sky was cloudy; I didn’t have much to eat in the morning and of course no refreshing swim in the sea – so day started with the wrong foot off the bed. Hitching a ride was on the same big road and it took four hours to get a car to half the way to Genova. On the way it started raining... heavily, luckily it also stopped quickly. Another four hours for another car, but at least it took me to Genova.

We rode on the highway now, but even there views got to be amazing. Via Aurelia would have taken me to coast again and surely I would have liked the beautiful beach villages and road that follows the coastline on the cliffs, but now highway rose really to the heights. Around us was like a "Lost World" – high and steep hills covered with dense forest and some small villages down in the narrow valleys that seemed more like something made by first settlers in some dense unknown jungles (just a bit exagerated... but that is what came to my mind when seeing these views). Signs showed that Genova is really close, but it was hard to understand how such a big city could hide itself in such terrain. But exactly so it was. We went through last tunnel and suddenly we were in the city. Also Genova lied on the valleys and hillsides. I have never seen a city built like that. Even now after entire journey, it is still most special city I have been. Terraces, bridges, tunnels, roads that go with sharp turns up the hill in most tight areas between high buildings. In some places it would feel that buildings are even higher, because they are just located on the hills behind other buildings that are on much lower ground. You know, when you look down from hilltops, things seem so tiny as they would be just models of real things, but looking upwards to towering houses is absolutely different feeling. And in Genova it wasn't just height of the buildings, but also the height of the hill on what they stood, that played with my mind. Like Manhattan, a concrete jungle,.. or actually, my driver compared it with Hong-Kong that is also jammed between sea and mountains. Later I felt that this comparison is fitting even better – because of lots of small alleys full of people and neon lights, because of thousands, even probably tens of thousands motorollers/scooters going on the streets between the cars like pesky mosquitoes. It was different from everything I had seen in Italy so far, and I liked it. Livelyness of this city was unbelievable. And it seemed beautiful. Even away from historic center, where modern buildings by itself didn’t have anything special, but simply all that composition, it was special. First time on my travel I really regretted that I didn’t had a camera. Of course I would have liked a camera already in awesome Austria, or even earlier, but now it seemed crazy thought to be in such a city, and not to get any photos made by myself. Luckily my host had a cam, and he was willing to lend it to me.

Every day, in morning, I walked around, making photos and exploring different sides of the city. It is so easy to get lost there. Even my host said, that although he has lived in Genova now already years, he could still get lost. Map doesn’t help much, as there weren’t different elevations marked. But it wasn’t a problem for me, as I didn’t have any certain destinations, and just accidentally finding new places, was exactly for my liking. I love that city. It was so full of life and artistic feeling. I didn’t feel lost. For example it wasn’t very unordinary to walk past an open window and hear someone singing there. And there were lots of really artistic graffities, not to mention all the incredibly original shops that also made me feel part of that place. This city talked to me, it didn't make me feel like tourist, it made me feel like artist who just was meant to come there. This city had homely feeling and yet it was so strange, so exotic. It had the spirit of old times, but it wasn't the museum. Finally something that felt like true Italy to me. True Italy - impression I have got from media and hearsays I guess. In this city this impression was true. At one side something mystical, peaceful and lovely, at the other, colourful, crazy and interactive. But greatest experience of Italy was yet to come. No, not the best ice cream I have ate, although also this was in Genova. By the way, you can't just go to any place that sells ice creams and hope that it is the famous good Italian ice cream they talk... you have to know someone who knows exactly the best place to get an ice cream. Best part of Genova isn’t its beaches. Truthfully these are stony like in most of Italy, and not special in any other way either. Not very beautiful places. And when already talking about beauty, then lets talk also about the girls. Italians are quite conservative and even if you happen to see some pretty girls in beach, then usually they are too much covered. No music in the beach, actually no life there at all... nothing much interesting and fun. Best of Genova isn’t the Italian architecture either, although you can find also really amazing examples of that there. In my opinion far better than in most Italian cities. Genovan historic center was full of very varied architecture – some absolute peculiarities and bizarre elements mixed with complex, masterfully made and beautiful facades you may see only there. Although small, Genovan parks I find to be one of nicest, most natural looking in all known world to me. Modern urban rhythms fitting so well together with old; marble plated walkways, sculptures, etc.

But best part of Genova is its lively nightlife. Ok, in streets youth parties like crazy and before morning every day city needs cleaning. This isn’t what I mean. But yes, even on streets and plazas you may find nice concerts and performances. Yet, my best night was in closed doors club. Basically it was a smoking place, so there is no sign outside and you have to knock on the door. A man opens the door and looks if he knows you. Of course he didn’t know me, but he knew my host, and my host said that we are cool. Inside there is like paradise. All kinds of people together – old and young, black, white or whatever what nationality or race, hippy kind of people, funky style looking gamblers, intelligents, artists, etc – everyone interesting types in their own way. All of them socializing like one big family. Even everything that was bought by someone, would it be weed, cigarettes, drinks, snacks, everything went for a round in a table. And then someone else bought something… again to everyone, so it went on. There was both music from cd-s and also played and singed by anyone who could play or sing. Instruments were plenty. One old school man, who especially made me feel like in old Italian movie, was absolutely fabulous comedian, just talking and talking (and that in a really good english), while I was just laughing and laughing. Entire interior of that place gave it the movie-like atmosphere. I knew that this night is going to be best already when I walked in to that place, but in the end I really couldn’t have imagined better finale for my Italian stay (Well, actually getting to France took still few days, but from Genova onwards, I was certainly happy that I came to Italy). Sadly I can’t say where this bar was, and I don’t even say the name of it – just in case,.. so that it would be safe that this place exists also in the future.

Photo collection that I finally got was good and even my host and his friends were surprised about how I showed Genova in ways they themselves have never seen yet. A proposito, I will add some photos either to this post or separately as next entry... soon. By the way, I’m interested of parkour and when I said to my host that Genova is exactly as made for purpose of doing parkour there, then he said that also he is a little bit interested of parkour, but he hasn’t seen anyone actually doing it in Genova, but it took me just two days of wandering around randomly in search of good photoshots, to find a posse of young boys and girls practicing jumps and moves. I saw them from from bridge though and didn’t go to them.

Yes, it was amazing time in Genova. And that thanks to my host. It was very special place, where I would like to go back, but I always had to leave even best places on this trip. It is not my place – that I remember always. Africa, my love, waits me back and wonders where I’m held so long already. Getting away from Genova wasn’t easy. I tried many places for hitchhiking, both to Via Aurelia and also to highway. It took me entire one day just to find a good place. I returned to Giacomo’s place for one more night to get as far as possible in next day. I actually hoped to get to France in one day, but I still had to come to understand again that hitchhiking in Italy isn’t easy thing. After a little way on highway, I got back to coastal Aurelia, and I didn’t care at all that advance forward is again so slow. Most of that time by the way, I was conflicted between wish to go to swimm and wish to get to France. Now there were also beautiful sand beaches, maybe only bit overcrowded. For a long time I hitchhiked forward through beautiful, small coastal towns and villages, past amazing nature and beaches, but in the end, evening still came and I was still in Italy. I decided to stop in a small place called Andora – not the country between France and Spain. Andora with one R was another one of these small beach towns. My last driver said that there is abandoned camping at the beach and I could easly stay there. So I did. In the morning though, I got to know that it wasn’t actually abandoned, but just not working. Some guy woke me up and said that I must pack my things and go. But it was ok, as night was already stayed over and even at first bit angry owner calmed down quickly and just talked with me a little bit about my travel. In this morning of course I did a quick bath in sea and warmed myself under sun, admireing at the same time one black young woman at the beach. This day I had lots of time.

Magic of the coast

2011-07-26T00:28:00.000+03:00

Sorry if this entry is hard to follow as it jumps from one thing to another . It is because I have wrote it in many places and over the quite long time. It is quite unclear even for me, how things actually were, or how I should have categorized anything by themes. But I still believe, it is enjoyable reading material... probably just a little bit more like American movies that jump both in time and space.
Because after Roma I didn´t get any coach places before Genova (or truthfully I even didn´t try much... sent few requests for Pisa and Livornia), it was quite unimportant how fast I move forward or where I will end my day. And Giacomo who accepted to host me in Genova, actually requested me to show up later than the day I wrote in a request, so I had even time to waste. Then again, as I have said, getting rides in Italy isn´t easy, so I still always went forward. But still, it was much more relaxed time there because of slow advancing and of course the sea itself. Yeah, this fact that finally I was on the Mediterranean coast, changed my spirit and feeling a lot: I wouldn´t count brief meeting with the sea in Venice. Now I can camp near the beach and in the morning take a refreshing bathe. Coast was welcoming me much better than rest of the Italia. Even people who gave me ride, raised the standard of how nice the Italians were towards me. BTW, on the west coast Italy, I got my first rides with women... that was surprising, as Italians usually were much more afraid and careful than other people in other countries, yet in other countries it has never happened that any woman would dare to pick me up. Ok, first woman seemed like Gypsy, bit crazy and seemed like he wouldn´t have anything to lose, but already next ride was with two very friendly Roman women going to vacation, who didn´t seem worried at all about any possible danger. They seemed so adventurer types. And finally from Pisa I got some way forward with two extremely beautiful young girls, and even they didn´t worry at all. Maybe all of them saw my traveller´s spirit rather, than thinking that as a man, especially bald man, I might be potential danger. I like people like that... for a better world we must all trust eachother more and have some faith into goodness.
First night I stayed near really beautiful place called Santa Marinella. I placed my tent into high grass on big field in front of some grand villa. Night went peacefully and in the morning I had only ten meters to beach. It is actually undescribable how much I missed sea, especially southern sea where is tropical weather, good vibes and happy music, and beauty all around. Now holding feet in the water is so nice, that I wouldn´t even want to leave. I had walked so much in Italia (especially in Roma), that my feet had blisters, but now in water my feet feel much better.

In beach I made second new hole for my belt. I´m definately losing weight. I rerely feel hunger though. Lots of people I have met on my travel have been so nice that they buy me something to eat – same way these women from second car on the coast, and in one bar where I bought a sandwich and a beer, owner of the place brought me three pies extra for the road. And of course I try to buy myself something more serious to eat once a day. But if I quote one war movie, then reason for the weight loss is „you drink, then you dehydrate, then you drink more and you dehydrate some more“... ok, maybe quote wasn´t absolutely exact as I haven´t watched it for a long time, but idea is same.

There was also one family in the beach. They had little cute daughter to whom I said ciao, causing her to cry from embarrasment. And one more girl, older and very beautiful, but I wonder how would be possible that she would be also the daughter of this woman and man, as girl was quite dark skinned, like it is impossible to tan, but these man and woman were absolutely white. I simply admired her beauty. But yeah, now finally on the beaches I can also get some tan. That is great, as so far I have only got my hands and head brown and also some colour to legs.

For second night I planned to get to Livorno, that was quite a far away. But I still wrote now a sign with only direction, not any place name. And although in Estonia I said to Kudrun, that I will take only two signs with me to this trip... one where´s written south and another one with west, then actually now first sign with direction was to north. And it worked pretty well... especially considering that when Italians see sign with some place where they are not going, they don´t pick you up, even though maybe they go half the way or even further from the place you want to get.
I did get to outskirts of Livorno for that evening. Really beautiful place. Coastal cliffs, beautiful villas and little romantic coastal cityhouses, and there was really magical forest where I stayed a night. First I went to eat some pizza, and as there were some other people in the same table with me, I of course started talking with them. Well, they didn´t speak much English, but somehow we talked. Or well, mostly I talked about my travel. But they seemed really nice and open minded people, and interested to hear my tale. I was even thinking of asking them if I can put my tent in their yard, but finally felt that I would probably ruin perfect conversation. So I went to look for a place for a tent. Actually many kilometers back there I saw some probably pretty good places, but I didn´t want to walk so much. Also down the cliffs on the beach wouldn´t have been such a good idea. Beach is stony and in the morning probably crowded. I decided to go to hills that are really close to the coast. After a little walk I found a way up to the forests on the hills, found fairly flat ground, and put up my tent. I started writing to my notebook and soon heared that there is someone walking around. I turned my lamp to the forest and saw two glowing eyes low to the ground. Black cat, was my first thought, as houses are really nearby. But soon I heared movement all around. Ok... now it was pretty clear that I share my woods with a family of wild boars. In a car to Firenze, these men warned me, that if I will go to hills to camp, then I should be careful to look for any signs for wild boars. I know that wild boars can be dangerous, especially when there is mother with pups... or little biggies... I don´t know how they should be called. I simply didn´t expect that chance for actual encounter would be so high. I guess wild boars are much more numerous there than I believed. Anyway, at first I held my lamp on the forest and even saw few times boars running by my tent, but then I found better idea to kill my light, be silent and let them live in peace. And my respectful behaviour was answered with them. They walked around in an area for a some time, but when I woke up in the night at some time, they had really completely went their own way. Yes I even got sleep when they were still around. But my tent has camouflage and looks kind of like big dense bush probably. By the way, when you go to such trip as I, then what you should take with you: same kind of camouflaged tent, probably also a sleeping mat, as it makes sleeping so much more comfortable, big bottle of water, two if possible (and fill them in every place you can) and buy one small bottle of some isotonic sport drink with that cap that you can easily use without using hands... later you fill also this with water, you definately need needle and a thread, some metal spoon and fork and travel knife, strong sunblock, hat. Everything is pretty much optional. And marker of course if you go by hitchhiking like I.

But anyway, I still have something to write about that same night in this forest. Ok, in Estonian sense, this wasn´t forest... it was small wood, but then again, it was much more. Because yes, also having nice family night with wild animals is quite magical, but real magical thing was something else. When I still burned my lamp looking wild boars, this light called out hundreds of wisps (note... not wasps but wisps, magical fairy creatures of only energy that glows) flying silently and slowly everywhere in this forest. You can probably say that these were fireflies, but I still believe it was fairy forest. What kind of fireflies light up periodically, and what kind of fireflies basically fly hoovering slowly without any sound? At least in Estonia they make noise with their wings like any beetle or flying bug. When I shut my light, they also flew by my tent. I even expected them to fly through the fabric of my tent and prove that these are magical beings, but they didn´t. But still, even if they WERE fireflyies, than this night was so beautiful. Even now, when I´m already in Spain, I still look back to this night and say taht this was best experience in all my Eurotrip. Or maybe magical doesn´t mean that you can fly through materia. Yeah, I still believe that wisps came to guard and see if I respect the life in their wood, and later also guarded my sleep.
In the morning I was very well rest, and going to swimm made me feel even better. Well, it was windy this day and sea had quite strong waves, so I didn´t stay in the water for long. Only people in the water were two surfers, one with wave board and another one with real surfboard... and then me of course. Oh, it would be cool to get surf lessons. On my way there is so nice beaches and in some places there are really good waves, but my money is so low. In that sense I shouldn´t had made that round for Rome. But hey, I don´t regret. Everything is for a reason, and if I wouldn´t had done it I wouldn´t have been also in this magical place. Anyway, on this day I should get to the way, where I should have gone even if not this Roman round. There was only two days to get to Genova. I went through Livorno, that in some way seemed much smaller city than I expected, but then again, walk through that city took some time. Finally some worksmen with small truck took me with them to Pisa. Pisa was really close – only 16 km-s away. I didn´t go inside the city, but maybe I saw the top of the leaning tower from the bridge. I don´t know, and actually I don´t care. I went straight to the other side from south-west to north-west, and pretty quickly two girls picked me up. Just amazing girls in my oppinion. Especially one of them was such a cool and certamente prettiest girl I have seen on this trip. And when I left the car I asked their names, but somehow forgot to say mine first... but I guess this was planned, as then they asked my name and also contact. I hope they really will look up my blog and get also my e-mail from here. But yeah, they also brought me forward just a little way, and to the place that they said to be dangerous. Ok, maybe only on the beach like they said, but I didn´t want to take any chances... I didn´t see any place suitable for tent anyway. But hitchhiking on Via Aurelia didn´t go so well this time. No wonder, as it already got dark. But there Via Aurelia also had metal barriers at the sides and no place to walk. So, finally when I realised the fact that I can´t get any car, my only option was to climb over the barrier and walk about five km-s on a slope filled with all kinds of plantlife, some also with thorns. Not best end for my evening, but another level of shit I could do and tolerate. Actually when I got off the next ramp, and walked some way away from Aurelia, I found another much more hiker friendly road coming from this last place to here too. Well, late wisdom is of course „most useful“. Now I just had to find a place for my tent. As this place was also near the beach, there were lots of camping sites and this time I even considered of going there, but way was too long, and I just happened to find again one vacant lot. Before I got sleep, there was again someone walking by, and this time not wild boars, but most certainly human, but luckily I didn´t have any bad surprises during the night or in the morning. This morning I didn´t have time to walk to the beach, that still was quite a way away. With this day I had to get to Genova, and already last night showed me that getting the ride around here might become a really hard deal. So it was, but I think this is again another theme for new entry.

About Coach Surfing

2011-07-11T22:20:00.002+03:00

http://www.couchsurfing.org/
First I will say thanks to the staff of Coach Surfing, because what you do, makes world a better place. It has also helped me a lot on my travel now. Though, there are things I want to criticize about. First of all, there is lots of people there who have certain expectations from their guests, whereas most of them say that they want to meet different people and/or have open mind. A lot of them want you to send a personalized message to see what kind of person it is they host. Ok, I would understand about security reasons, but actually I haven't heared any stories of any dangerous or any unwanted moments anyone have had. I am pretty sure, that most of them simply select someone with whom they feel some emotional security. But if you want to meet different people, you actually shouldn't select and understand that everyone is not the same as you. Open mind is not when you wish your guests to do some wrestling, like was expected by few guys who answered me in Venice area. Open mind is when you can accept people as they are. I can say without making any secret that my open mindedness is in some cases limited, because I have some certain principles that I want to hold true to. Anyway, if you understand that there are also different ways of travelling, then some people can't plan much forward, and must send lots of requests only few days before arriving their target. That means it is impossible to write personalized message. I make my further travel plans usually just two-three days before. Idea to go to Rome came impulsively. Until now, few days before leaving France, I still hadn't chosen what road I will take after Barcelona... south, north or straight for Madrid. Sometimes hitchhiking goes really badly and I wouldn't get to my host in the expected time. But this is my kind of travelling. Hitchhiking is mission for me.. I really want to make a point with that... send some messages (about that I will write later). Also I understand when host to whom I don't get in right time, can't host me later, but I simply can't write a personalized message about why I chose this person. Actually I don't choose... I let fate choose for me, and then I will see what I can do with that person or what to learn from him/her. If you really want to select, then please, I always send my blog adress in request, so if you want to learn why I maybe could be interested of meeting you, then I think my blog gives enough answers - I am really interested of DIFFERENT people. I don't need to meet someone who is copy of me or my friend or who likes to do same things as me, or even have same principles. I don't mind living few days after some rules I find weird, or even have some easy dispute of things. Don't fear that I would impose my will or beliefs on you. I have feeling of decency and tolerance. Also, reason to send lots of copy-past requests is because as a guy, I don't get answers to every one of my requests, and especially in touristic areas, lots of requests get declined, because they already have someone on the coach. You see, to get one or two positive or even maybe answers, I just have to send dozens of requests. Anyway, if sending copy-paste requests would be something unnormal by the principles of CS, there wouldn't be templates. I understand the request that traveller would read through the profile of their possible host though. I even do it usually just for my own interest. Also for coach requesters absolutely first most important thing to do is to fill their profile, and when you do that, give possibility to really see your person behind it.

Ah yes, I also disagree with the idea of some coach surfers, who say that most important thing about CS is the connection and mutual interest between host and surfer... to meet the people (and usually they even say interesting people to them). No, CS was created so that travellers can mutually help each other, making it easier to travel for all of us. Sure, this doesn't mean exploiting the host by traveller. But anyway, this site should forever, ever retain its prime reason. If you are wise enough, then you see it even written in the name of the site. Meeting nice and interesting people, to have a connection, and/or having some other gain of interest, is secondary... although usually it happens anyway. For example, I have had really different people I meet through the CS and in one or other way I really enjoy meeting them. I always learn something new. Even if I find that I don't fit with some of them at all in a personal level. Like I said, some go even so far, that they write what they expect from their guest. Ok, if it is explanation that guest must leave early with host, or don't contact me if you are allergic or vegetarian or something, but some say for example something like I am partygoing and like to meet some people like me. It is in some way very similar to say that I don't host Jews. Can't you really be together with some conservative, who is fairly tolerant to select your company, or some quite silent bohemian dude, who likes to say something more intelligent than you say yourself. A lot of guys also write that they host only girls... some also explaining that they have had bad experiences with guys. What the hell, how can you have bad experiences hosting all the guys?! It is so transparent that you are just trying to get some girl. I would even understand if girl specifies that she prefers to host women... just for privacy or security reasons, but right now using the option to specify the preference is mostly used by men. Moreover, they just don't prefer, their only certain choice is that they host only women. It is said when you are signing up for CS, that it is not dating or social site, per se! If you are really open minded, then you even don't care about possibility to have somekind of bad experience over some time. You always look something also from these. Well, I wouldn't say that I have had a bad experience, but something not best either. I was hosted by this gay guy as I wrote in the last entry, who tried to talk me to have sex with him: "Why you travel like you travel? - To have an adventure, to experience new things and learn... maybe you just haven't done it... you don't know if you like what you would experience without experiencing it." I explained that I don't want to learn that... this is not what I expect from adventure. I already learned from that conversation something. Something about myself and also about him. And although entire evening I was a little tense, as something like this has never happened to me and I felt weard to be under the interest of the gay, additionally I feared to make any unwanted signals, and therefore I felt that I can't be as free and friendly and close as with some other guys. But if this day would be again and I would know how it goes, I would still go to be hosted by him. Not only because it is free place, as actually one guy in Rome showed me also one hostel he said to be free (it seemed weird place.. and I don't know, maybe it was homeless shelter or something like that, but I could have stayed also there freely).

Ok, I said that it seemed especially weird when these guys in Venice area expected me to take part of some wrestling... otherwise they don't host. Usually I like when my host would offer different possibilities, because I as traveller don't know the place and options. But this wrestlemania is pure harassment. They really aren't normal. If someone would accept to host me, and asks what I like to do, introducing that we can go to swimming, or go out to Judo Dojo where he goes to wrestle, then sure... I even maybe would select that option. Also, there should be some understanding between host and guest. I think if host is tired, it is unthinkable, that guest would seek a way to go to party, and vice versa. Sometimes it is understandable, that host can't introduce you the place, but it would be just stupid then to expect that your guest goes out then to leave you in peace and have a good time alone in a strange city. Usually, when my host wants or has to be at home, I also prefer to rest there. Of course I try not to be disturbance then. Mutual respect and understanding is main thing.

Road to Roma

2011-07-10T19:29:00.000+03:00

After some consideration I decided that I really must go to Rome. Otherwise I would always think that I was in Italy, but not in Rome. You know, once Rome was a synonym for Europe. And when already on this way, I should also visit Venezia/Venice and Firenze/Florence. Just as a remark - I prefer the placenames as they are locally.

So Venezia - what about it? Basically I can't say anything about it. Yes I got there, but as soon as I arrived, I also left. Some ask if I didn't like it, but truth is that I even didn't see enough to make my mind about it. I saw channel full of dirty water, lots of tourists, and over the first houses the towers of famous old Venezia. Truth is, that I don't like sightseeing so much... at least not as most of the people do that, and I already had an image in my mind about Venezia as something where wouldn't be much for me. Without local friends, without connection to local life, I feel that cities are empty, however beautiful they would be. Even true abandoned city would be more interesting for me. And yes, to Venezia or any other place nearby, I failed to find a host through Coach Surfing. Actually I understand, as these places are such a tourist magnets, and people there got so many requests; But this doesn't mean that my feeling would get better from knowing that. I still felt hoplessness and loneliness, adding to the travel stress. My stay in Udine had already stretched from few days to six (by the way I am very thankful for everyone in Udine who helped me - to have a place to sleep, to get over of this loneliness and boredness, for everything). So, my next beacon of light and hope was in Firenze. A guy named LEonardo, who is over fifty years old and accepts lots of coach surfers at the same time, said that he has a place for me for one night. That is actually reason why I hurried away from Venice... to get to Firenze in this day. Anyway I had already lost a lot of precious time, trying to get away from Udine, as there is no good place to hitchhike. Would I had only known how will be the night, I would have still stayed in a campingsite near Venezia and gone to walk there.

I didn't get to Firenze in this day. When a car driver left me in Bologna, I didn't understood, in how bad place to hitchhike for Firenze I was. Next day I saw that there was still entire city to walk through, before getting any chance of stopping anyone going out of Bologna to south. In my oppinion, Bologna is nothing special. And I was so late there, that I even couldn't get any idea where I am or get some food. Only thing I saw, were roadside prostitutes. How much different from them am I? I too try to catch a car... not to earn money, but to get a free ride. I just don't use my body for that, but my traveller's nature.

Finally it was already too late and I gave up hitchhiking, and started looking for a place to put my tent. I planned to get to the hills that were behind the city. Only problem was that I didn't know how to get there. There were highways on my way. I did something crazy. I walked a long way on the highway, crossed it few times, walked even in the highway tunnels (well anyway it was dark, but tunnels, even though they had lights, seemed still darker and more dangerous. I did it to find off ramp somewhere at the other side. But in one tunnel there was an emergency exit, so I used this instead. I was so tired of walking and not knowing how to get to the hills, so I just went up to the roof of the tunnel and placed my tent there. It is definately craziest place I have slept.

Initial agreement with Leonardo of Firenze was only for that night, so next day I still went to Firenze without having a plan. At first I walked around my heavy bag on my shoulders, but finally decided that I should ask from Leo about if he knows any cheap place to camp and also eat. But Leo sent me answer that I can come to dinner at his place and he also knows a place for my tent. that place, as I finally discovered was on his very big balcony (I was thinking that maybe he has a garden, but balcony was good enough for me too... at least not on top of the highway tunnel), and finally I got to know that actually he can even host me for two or even three nights and that in following nights I can even move to bed. Best about that was that during this time I had a lot of company (like I already said, he hosts many people from different places, making international and intercultural contacts). Altogether in the same time as me, there were five Americans (really cool people with whom I didn't have any problem to find a common ground), a couple from UK (they stayed more on their own, but I still had chance to talk with them, and I still liked them), and one guy from Korea, who was more secluded as he didn't speak so good English. And in the last day came one couple from Argentina. This (meeting all these other travellers) finally made my stay in Firenze interesting and good time. At first I walked around a little bit, looking the amazing architecture of the city, but I still wasn't like everyday usual tourist, as I stopped a lot to sit or lay down somewhere next to one of the touristic attractions, drinked beer or ate pizza, watched other people (usually "running" from one place to another to take photos and I wrote... I wrote a lot. On this journey it is clear that most of the pictures I make with words. I was even so unusual, that one older man, who quite clearly was a tourist too, made a photo of me sitting next to the Duomo and writing as there wouldn't be one of the most known symbols of European old architecture beside me. Actually I would say because of that, that this man was a unusual tourist too... he too found something else to capture, than Duomo beside him. Second day Leonardo took some of us to little tour - some churches with mediocre art, a nice park of the palace, and Fiesole town on the hill next to Firenze (that was already on my list of things to visit in Firenze), from where was fantastic view to the entire city. In the evening I went with Americans to look for the party, we didn't find anything very good though. In the third day I went together with Leo outside of Firenze to CS barbeque party. This was really nice - really good company (first time I really felt that I communicate with Italians) and very good food. I got stomach really full. Ah yes, by the way, In last two days we cooked foods of our countries. In second evening Britts cooked together with Korean guy, and in third evening I together with three Americans. In both days we had really great dinner. So I felt that these two last days I ate and drinked all the time. But anyway, about this CS BBQ was also great thing that on the way there, Leo showed me best place to go to ask for a ride to Roma, and thanks to that I got the ride to rome in only few minutes. And when we came back from BBQ, we came another way, where I saw really good different views of absolutely charming Italian villages, small towns that had houses built storey by storey, so they looked like house built on top of another house? and usually they were about four-five floored, creating weird town on the hill side. More... nice farmfields separated by cypress strips, an old castle, beautiful roads with these amazing mediterranean pines on the roadsides, and also one of the nicest industrial zone before Firenze, because buildings were from red bricks, like from the beginning of the industrial era. Anyway... big up for Leonardo.
But then time came to leave... for all of us. I joked, that it feels again like being a soldier - at first we were rookies, having some hard time to get used to some Leo's regulations and life there, but with every day it seemed easier... Leo softened, and in the end we were veterans, welcoming new ones and knowing that it is our time to go forward. It was in one side really hard to leave others (all others went somewhere north but my road to Rome continued south), but I was also waiting to get to Rome and even anxious to see what new adventures life brings me. Somehow I knew, that on the coast I will find something different from what I had experienced so far (but lets not get ahead of things).
I entered Roma,the great city of legends and miracles, from east, and in two days I walked through Roma from one side to another. But Rome didn't welcome me with greatness. Eastern side was industrial park and wasteland and then some ghetto kind of suburbs, one worse than another. Just before getting to centre of the city, was worst part of it - really smelling maze where I even felt insecure, as there was lots of poor black people, Indians, Pakistanians, et cetera. Some homeless people looking even worse than in Estonia. Actually Even Center with great monuments and architecture from both ancient times (or actually mostly ruins from that time) and revival period, didn't seem anything especially amazing. I would prefer even Firenze and deffinitely Wien or Klagenfurt, that really were beautiful places. In my oppinion, Roma is too bad mix of everything.
Of course partly it was also fault of short time stay and nature of how I felt with my host. No, nothing extremely bad... if I would find him in CS, I would still write him a positive refference. It was very hard to find a host in Roma of course, but finally one guy wrote me. He said that if it doesn't bother me that he is gay, then he can help me. I sent him answer saying that if he understands that I am totally straight and I have a girlfriend, then everything would be good. So I got to stay at his place, and actually for a sightseeing people he would be probably best host, as he knows everything about Rome (he works in a hotel), and can tell about even symbolics of things. Well in Rome I really was like a tourist, trying to see as many of these monuments and places as possible with this short time. But problem was, that actually even though what I wrote to him, he thought that maybe he can change my mind. He said, maybe I just don't know what I want. But then after my explanation that I surely know that I simply am attracted by girls and couldn't enjoy having sex with a man... that I know that even without trying it, the same way as he simply feels that he is attracted by men... and when I explained how much I love my girl (I didn't even say to him, but actually even though I have had a lot of enticing girls on my way, I would even feel bad when I would cheat my love with some girl with whom I really would like to have sex), then he understood. He respected my choice totally and was still nice towards me. And he still teached me some things. Like really efficiently washing my cloths. I only hope that he also learned something from me. But yes, as he said that he is too much attracted by me, I can only stay one night and in the morning I'm on my own.
In the next morning I visited some places where we went in the evening, also in the daylight and went inside to few churches. I also planned to go in to the Pantheon, but somehow in the rush, I forgot that. You see what moving and thinking like a tourist does. There was also exhibition of paintings of Tamara de Lempica (one artist by whom I felt influenced a lot for a while... and certainly still one of my favourites), but ticket seemed too much and I didn't go there. Now I'm bit regretting my decision. But in general, Rome seemed dead city for me - of the new parts I don't care and old part is in ruins and lost its glory.
Quite different matter though was Vatican - holy citystate inside Rome. St; Peter's Basilica really was a masterpiece of art. When some old religious art in the churches I had visited, has pretty much sucked, then there was everything perfect and grand. Really appropriate for the centre of the Catholic, even all Christian world. I really even felt something spiritual and because of that feeling I stepped inside the praying room, where I prayed in my own way. First time in a church I didn't care that my beliefe is different from Christianity. But like one Krishnaite guy when he tried to introduce me his beliefs in Tallinn, and then I said that I already have my own beliefs, he said to me, that no problem... God is still the same, we just believe it differently. So I prayed for me and my loved one, so that my journey would take me back to her, and I gave my thanks to the God for everything. By the way, this same evening something weird happened. There was some buzzer flying to my ear and when I weved with a hand, my fingers got behind my rasta necklace and ripped it broken. How is this possible... even with force human can't break this plastic thread (you know, what fishermen use) by bare hands. So I took it as sign that God maybe accepts my kind of belief , but shows that then I also don't need a rasta necklace (as I have always said that for believing, Christians don't need a church or even ceremonies and praying, as God anyway know everything. Also from Vatican I sent postcards to my girl, to my family and to Kudrun, because she likes to collect postcards sent from travels.
And after that started again the road. This time road away from Roma. But about that in a next entry, I give just a hint that my feeling about Italy gets somewhat better and I really start to love Via Aurelia - modern version of ancient road. Just as a reminder for myself I also write here to look about other ancient roads like Via Apia, and what has come of these in modern times. But no more hints, this would just ruin the fairytale. Oh, there is still so much to write about Italy and I'm now already in France and after few days probably already in Spain. Of course I also was in Italy longer than any other country on my travel (over two weeks), but still, I have already same as much text written in my journal about Italy as about all the other countries together; This means that when writing here I have to do some selections and shorten it all the time, and lately I don't hav much possibilities to use internet for long time enough. But I always try. No worries, be happy! Ciao tutti!

We no speak Americano

2011-06-28T12:35:00.000+03:00

Salve from Roma!

Leaving Austria was almost as hard as leaving Kenya, and that only after one week stay there. Finally on the road to Italy I saw also lots of amazing mountain views. My last stop for hitchhiking was in a fuel station about five km-s from border and this was incredible place. Right behind the fuel station and hotel was a shere wall of rock rising I think at least 800 meters. In front of it formed clouds that then slowly sailed away. I felt that I could watch it entire day. Sometimes I even didn't notice a car coming, just stared at the mountain. But on the way I saw more, and even more beautiful views. I really hope to travel to these areas again in future (although if I move to Kenya, it may become pretty impossible).

Anyway, finally I got the ride to Udine in Italy, my first station. Funny was that this car or actually small bus, carried the taxy sign, so basically it was my first time to hitch a ride with a taxi. But in this car was a Iranian family on a travel. Ok, if I understood right, they were born in Germany and boy actually still studies there. They were very friendly and ride was extremely enjoyable. Especially when we listened some traditional music from Iran. But first time after long time I had a documents check on European border, but it went quickly too.

I was actually on a road outside Udine already before noon, so I had entire day to waste. Although sky was clouded, it was very hot. What if really sun comes out. Actually from my first days in Italy I have contradictional feelings. I pretty much like what I see in the Italian cities, that different architecture and nice gardens in front- or backyard of the houses, and parks. One day when looking the roofs and narrow streets from the castle hill here, I even found some similarities with Kenya (although houses here are prettier, roofs made of stone and everything more systematic and fitting with the naighbourhood). And I certainly would like many trees and bushes and other plants from here to my guesthouse in Kenya. I haven't even seen many of these in any pictures. Variety is so great. I may also take some design examples. And probably it would be good idea to make window casements also in Kenya. Anyway, in this sense I really like Italy, but I still miss Austrian nature and amazing little cities like Klagenfurt.

I also miss Austrians. Italians seem really too cold natured for a southern people. I feel lonely quite often here. I don't get so much contact with locals. Ok, it is not like Czech, where people in city just avoided you when you go to talk, but yeah, even when I was with my host and her friends or in a party with some other coach surfers, I hardly felt as a part of it. I don't know, maybe it is also partly because of me, as now suddenly I got a little travelstress and even maybe some kind of a culture shock, and started to miss my girl and Kenya more than ever... maybe even Estonia a little bit. But then again, when in Austria everyone just started (at least mostly) to talk in English when there were foreigners in the group, then in Italy it doesn't happen. It is hard to go to talk with some people when they talk amongst themselves in Italian. In this party only few people saw that I was lonely and then started talking with me. Moreover, in Italy it actually really seems that people are not so good in English, some even can't speak any English. In Austria you can be fairly sure that any young person can speak English (even if they say "only little bit", then actually they are quite good). I don't know about Austrian TV channels, but here everything is dubbed and probably most people don't have international channels. I think that Estonians speak English so well because we have movies and shows in original language, while at the same time subtitles help us to learn. BTW, most of the Italian TV and radio programme seems really scetchy for me. in TV and radio they pronounce very theatrically, making it all seem like soap series. In reality their language is much better sounding.
Ok.. actually I had now a really great time in Firenze, and also finally got a host in Roma for one night, so I have managed to come here, to one of the great dreamplaces of me. How exacvtly these trips were, I have to write in a next post, but know that although I want to go to France now as fast as possible, I feel quite good right now. And hopefully some West Coast Italy with beaches give even more happiness.
Ciao!

More awesomeness

2011-06-18T16:34:00.000+03:00

Ok... in last post I didn't write much about Klagenfurt. It is really beautiful place surrounded by mountains. Yes, actually there are some really great mountains. And there of course is the Worthersee lake, surrounded by tourist attractions. Even though there is not any great place to dip yourself in, it is actually best place to have a wonderful look on nature around. Lake has light greenish blue colour that so well mixes together with woods and mountains.

And even though I don't like sightseeing, also walks in the old town are nice. Klagenfurt is much smaller than Tallinn in Estonia, but so much grander by look of it. Old town is full of people, amazing old architecture, plazas, parks, fountains and sculptures. Even new parts of town seem well to fit into the whole picture.

Wolfgang, my host there found that Klagenfurt is boring, but I had as good time there as in Vienna. Like I wrote to him in Couch Surfing - friends, beer and ice hockey or pop quiz in Irish pub, this is what's good time for me. Ok, there should be some place to go for real party too, but still it is not overly boring place either. Not places itself, but people make places special. That is why I instead of looking around try to get into normal local life, even if I have only few days for it. And I try to get to know as many local people as possible. I hope for random encounters. It was actually one day when I was sitting in park in Klagenfurt and writing. I hoped that someone comes to talk with me. Even just few words would do. But no one came. Well, there was one girl walking around in the park and taking photos of everything. Probably not a tourist as she took photos of treetops and bushes and many photos of same thing. So probably more of a American Beauty type of artistic photographer. She took also few photos from behind of the fountain, where should also be me. So I started writing of her. She taking photos and I writing about her. Kind of poetical and romantic actually. I noticeably followed her with my eyes, and she came quite close by, but past without neither of us saying anything. Maybe she hoped me to call her, but then I felt that maybe it would be bad idea. Lots of couples here make me wish for a girl to hold around too, but then I always remember my sweetie and think that it wouldn't be right to her.

But of course I still met one very enticing girl. In the last day we went to this pop quiz finally, because of what I actually was in Klagenfurt so long. And Wolfgang invited also two girls from Slovenia. One of them was so charming, sweet and funny, and actually I even gave her possibility to take contact with me. I even don't know if I'm strong because actually I haven't followed desire for now, or weak because I have so many enticements. Probably still weak, because if opportunity really would rise with such a divine girl, then probably I would give in, and that would be a mistake, as I never wouldn't forget my real love. I don't know who would get hurt, but probably someone.

Ah yes, actually I wanted to write about pop quiz. We needed a name for the team. Wolfgang proposed "Kaksteist kuud" (twelve months in Estonian) what he had heared from his friend, but noo... that would be too sick, when they say the names of teams. So I put the name "Archive of Awesomeness" instead. Yeah, we got a awesome name, that suited us, but there was another team with sick name - "Jedi Aholes". So it got a goal for me to won that team, but we didn't. At first we did good, but there were some things on what we got confused. So, when we left the pub, I said with a loud voice: "But you can't win us in awesomeness".

Now I'm actually already in Italia and I haven't missed my girl so much as now. I have also a little stress from traveling and some sort of a culture shock maybe, but Italy is already theme for next post, and hopefully for that time I have already got better feelings too.

Greatest thanks to both of my hosts (Hanna and Wolfgang) and their friends for amazing time in Austria. I will regard you always as good friends and hopefully we'll see again. Love!

Awesome Austria

2011-06-15T14:15:00.001+03:00

Austria... it is really amazing country. Both cities and countryside with beautiful nature. People is so open and social. If you know someone, then you also quite certainly meet his or her friends. You go to parties, you are invited to dinners, to some group events with social games... they buy you beers or cakes. All the time something happens and you never feel alone (even when you actually are alone for some time). I really have started to love how German party feeling, French social commons like two kisses on cheek and Italian expressiveness and freedom are together in this country. And I started to love German language. At first I was surprised that German sounds better than I remember, but it was explained to me, that actually Austrian German is softer than real German. So that´s why. And truthfully I love girls here. They are so special and sweet. It is very hard to resist the temptation. Everyone, whatever is your taste, could find a girl that he likes here. Jürgen could get a chinese chica or for example that gorgeous half Philippino girl we met. And here are lots of black people, Arabians, Turks, Italians, somewhere probably even some Indians or Americans. Or you could fall for some pretty and nice Austrian or Swiss girl. You may find hippies, goth-metal girls, dreadheads or just old sweet vanilla flavour. I still love my girl and actually I don´t want anyone else but her, but here I simply got a crush on many girls. Especially my host Hanna in Vienna. She is such a pretty and special girl. Her energy, her laughter, the way how she takes the life, it just makes me crazy for her. Luckily she didn´t sho any such interest for me. Otherways who knows what could have happened. And Jasmine and her friend Karoline, girls from Switzerland studying music here. They invited me and Patrick (another coach surfer from USA, really awsome dude) to play minigolf and then after that to dinner they prepared. Both of them beautiful and interesting in their own way. Also Patrick has a girlfriend in USA (and as it seemed from the photo I saw, a dark skinned beauty), but sometimes it seemed to me that also he is not far from slipping. I guess that´s why he also looked the photo of himself with his girlfriend so often, to bring himself back to earth. Sometimes it really seemed that this place here is like paradise. Patrick´s favourite was clearly Jasmine, and I totally understand why. Especially when she sings, then you simply forget everything else. She is like divine creature.

But both of us, Patrick and I, we went on with our travels and hopefully it makes things easier. Actually it felt so hard to leave Vienna. Like really some magical song or laughter would chain me there. I left Vienna and I even didn´t had chance to meet Elisabeth (I think it is bad, although who knows, maybe she would have charmed me too). I still feel overpovering wish to go back.

Now I´m in another nice place in Austria. It is a small beautiful town in Alps (although not so massive mountains here as I hoped - I guess I have to go up to north in Italy... or maybe visit Switzerland), named Klagenfurt. Here my host is a guy, but my time with him and his friends is almost as amazing as in Vienna. They are great fans of ice hockey here and one day we were first in a Irish pub having plenty of beers and then two o clock in night his friends came here to watch hockey game. Today will be the same. By the way, I have never been interested of hockey, but it was still interesting to me, as guys look like Dwarves from some fantasy. They have beards (as in the end of the series it is a common not to shave), and in these teams, most of these beards were orange. Also their armor makes them look short but wide. Sport is agressive as I imagine anything to do with Dwarves would have to be. I just started imagining that they would have big axes instead of hockey sticks. Anyway, not much time to rest in Austria. So again, Estonia is a good place for resting and south here for living. Yesterday I actually took a possibility to rest and write... and today a little bit too, but actually I already hope and expect more active eavning.

Ok, I will go and check out the lake here, and maybe make myself wet. When I came to Klagenfurt, it was raining and first time on hitchhiking I got a little bit wet, but really only little, as soon a car picked me up and brought me exactly where I needed. Now it is perfect weather again. What else you can hope from life - beauty around, good weather, nice people! Katrina actually asked from me yesterday if I take my girl now to live in Austria, but I still continue with my plan to go back to Kenya. It is anyway very expensive here and making business would be even more impossible for me than in Estonia. And in winter it still gets cold here.

Ok, tschüss!

Extremities

2011-06-14T16:26:00.000+03:00

Forget the signs with some place name like Czech Republic or Warsaw or even South or West. Take whatever comes at you. Write the sign "Anywhere" or "I just want away". Ok, they all say that Krakow is fantastic, but when a guy picked me up and after asking where I go, said that he goes to place near the Czech border, to Nysa that is away from main road, then I only said: "oh, it is perfect, lets go there". Also Nysa was beautiful. He said that before the WW2 there were 40 churches in this little town, but Russians thinking that German fort is there (although was many kilometers away), made a hard damage. Now there is only 28 churches if I remember correctly. "Only"! I have never seen such a small place with so many so grand churches and cathedrals. But yes, they say that in medieval times it was the big centre for Catholic church.

Anyway, although guy said that also from there many cars go over the border, it was maybe too peaceful. It was already evening and I still hoped to get to Brno, where David (a doctor whom we met in Kenya) could host me. David said, that he can host me only this one night. Did I regret my choice to get away from the mainstream. No - it is so beautiful around here. In Poland´s side there are wheatfields with cornflowers and swallows flying in deep blue sky. Road and houses already feel to have some Mediterranean influence. And over the border in Czech are mountains (or well, high hills). Finally! I really missed highlands.Everything is so beautiful and peaceful. One couple takes me to border. I step over to the Czech side. Otherwise I wouldn´t even realize it, but on the border I try to go to shop with polish coins still left, and I was sent away. No use of that money here anymore. So I´m finally in a totally new country for me. I have never been in Czech Republic.

I walk a bit. First village called Mikulovice seems almost like dead. But then I hear few men having a conversation in front of the local bar. Next thing I see is a small one wagon train that goes only over the border with about two people in it, and then comes back to here. This is all. I walk and car comes in about every 10 to 20 minutes and they still don´t stop. But even though I think that I again have to camp, then this time it doesn´t bother me. Weather is nice, place is silent and beautiful. Hills covered with forest. But suddenly a microbus comes and stops. There are three men and one women. All looking very bohemian. They are actually from last Polish village, but still, they remind me that in old times these areas were called Bohemia, and in Bohemia you should be the bohemian. They ask if I know djembe, and when I say that yes, I have two djembes at home, then they reveal that they are going to some drum workshop in a school nearby and ask if I want to join them. I hesitate for a moment first, but then the bohemian in me wins: "sure, I probably don´t get to my friend in Brno anyway, so lets go." Drumming is cool and additionally my new friends say that I can sleep this night there. It is nice room filled with exotic stuff and lots of tea. Doh... they call it the tea room. After saying that I´m reggae and world music DJ, they want to keep me. They said: "Why do you want to go to west? There is nothing interesting there. Stay here. We have a festival in the beginning of july. You should be there."

Morning in Jesenik. I walk through the town that seems much smaller at first than it actually is. It continues by the side of the river for a long time. It is quite the same traffic situation as was in the evening. Do I ever get to Brno? Do I have to walk over the mountains? These were the questions in my mind at that point, but I still didn´t have any regrets. Finally one car stops and ride over the hills starts with full throttle. By the road that goes up the hill like a snake and same way down again at the other side, this driver makes a real ralley. He really makes an ideal trajectory for himself in the turns, and in some places when cars come from other direction, it really depends on the masterful driving skill. It isn´t like "Need for Speed" I felt on the speedway before Warsaw, it is like craziest mountain tracks in "Colin McRae Rally" only much more crazier. Road is narrow, trees around and where is no trees, there is deep precipice going down at least 500 meters if not more. And as if this wouldn´t have been extreme enough, there was a gas tank rolling freely from one side to other in the back of a car, one tire that seemed as if it could come off if it gets a nudge strong enough, and driver just talking with me or his son, turning his look from road now and then. I of course didn´t had a seatbelt back there, but I think it wouldn´t had made a difference anyway. If driver would had made any mistake or if simply our luck would had turned us down, then probably we all would have died, whether you have a seatbelt or not. Same way as on a mountain, this guy speeded by the narrow road going through villages. He passed some cars with such surgical precision, that Polish drivers didn´t seem foolhardy at all anymore.

Sadly, rest of the Czech isn´t anything special at all. Hills are behind us, landscape mainly like in Southern Estonia, but more barren, without forests and fields just fallow. Only sad Soviet era reminding Cities and towns giving some diversity. Ok, I didn´t go to Prague, but it doesn´t even draw me so much anymore. When I went through Brno, I didn´t see anything special, if only area where poor gypsies or just gypsie looking Turks lived. Even in city centre I felt bad, as for example when I tried to ask for information, some people just ignored me, others were cold and busy... pretty much just: "Ok, ask away then, but be quick." It seems worse than Estonia. Definitely worse. So I just wanted to get as far away from this city as possible. By random coincidence I was picked up by two cool foreigners. One going to Slavakia and inviting me there (I was thinking about it, but I wanted to continue towards Austria. Another one was Polish Italian. He asked where I´m going and I explained that through Austria, Italy and France to Spain. He said that he is driving straight to Rome and was very exited of such coincidence. "So lets go to Rome?" he asked from me, but this time I didn´t want to take from this possibility. Seeing Austria has for a long time been a great dream for me, and now I wouldn´t see any Vienna, and even seeing mountains in the night, would be mood breaker. I also got a host in Vienna and she seems like someone interesting I should meet, and it anyway would feel wrong to searc a place and then just say that I don´t come after all. No, going to Italy straight feels rushing in any way. Was it Marek, my Warsawan host who said that travelling in Europe is like one day - one country, and this is exactly how it has been for me in last days. I think it is time to slow down a bit and enjoy some Austria.

Through tests of elements happily in Warsaw

2011-06-08T22:34:00.001+03:00

Last two days in Lithuania I was on a small journey with Mykolas. At first we visited his homeplace in Kernave - a silent beautiful cultural reserve with small village. And then went to lake Sartai (that is between Utena, the birthplace of best Lithuanian beer, and Ignalina, from where even some of Estonian power comes if I know correctly), where we fished, swimmed (by the way, it was my first swimming in this year), rode with the boat, drinked Jesus brewed home beer and ate śaslikas and fish.

Last two days have been a tough test for me. I didn't get to Warsaw in one day and now it actually seems even crazy idea that I hoped, as in Poland there is lots of smaller and bigger places, where road turns. It is almost impossible to get to Warsaw in a one car. And actually in some places traffic is quite light and most cars just don't stop.

From Vilnius to Kaunas everything went as planned. I got to highway with a free Maxima bus. There I went to Kebab road stop and asked if anyone goes to Kaunas. One guy said that he can take me along if he can get going as his car just doesn't start. Finally he still got it running and I was in Kaunas already before noon. Kaunas was quite a different from Vilnius. Kaunas seemed like an industrial city with everything little bit smaller and rougher, but I liked it... it was special. Especially I liked some graffitis and massive industrial looking steel bridges.

But from there my test of earth and fire started. Test of earth was the distance that I can go by foot my heavy bag on the shoulders plus tent and still Kaubamaja (Estonian supermarket) plastic bag with food stuff in hands. Test of fire was my resistance to sun. I didn't want to spend money there for a bus ride out from Kaunas, or actually I even didn't had enough litas anymore as I had to buy Coca-Cola to get into bathroom (or actually I wanted to buy, as it is better to get a cold refreshing drink and get to WC than just pay for some crappy public toilet). Ah yes, if you wonder, then yes, today's post has quite a lot of something that smells for advertisement, but why not, these companies and shops help me in one or other way to carry through my journey. Anyway, it was quite a way to walk, especially because in one place I made a wrong choice of the road. And then I still didn't know that this day the test of earth is just beginning. Same way I didn't understand how strong is the sun this day. Already last days being on the trip with Mykolas, I got a lot of sun, but it wasn't anything compared to this day. When I had crossed bridge in Kaunas, I felt that my arms are just burning. So I quickly turned my bag upside-down and found the sunblock. The same that I used in Kenya - 50+. This day I put it I think at least four times and I still felt that my hands are getting more and more red. Temperature was close to 40 degrees Celsius and on the way I started worrying about my water amount. Had to start conserving it.

Ok, anyway one guy drove me to the crossroad where he turned to Kaliningrad and my test got even worse. Before the Lithuanian-Polish border and on such roads with quite a few places good enough for stopping, no-one picked me up. I decided to walk. I think I walked about 20-30 km-s until I got to the last fuel station before the border. I already thought about putting my tent there as evening was getting close already, but didn't want to give up yet. Finally I found one truck driver who was heading to Bialystok, and he spoke english well. Ok, Bialystok is little bit away from the ideal route, but that chance I took. I wanted to get over the border in this day.

With the truck I got some way through Augustow, that is really beautiful small town close the border in Poland. After Augustow there was this crossroad where went the "straight" way towards Warsaw, and then other road south to Bialystok. And then truck driver made a stop for 45 minutes. I said to him that I go to try my luck on the other road and if unsuccessful, then I come back there in 45 minutes. I tried, but no cars stopped, but when time got close I decided that it is better to look for a place to raise my tent around there, as when we get to Bialystock it would be really dark, and I would have to walk away from the city, but this place was totally a countryside. Forest was only about four km-s away, but I decided to walk forward on the road to illusionary forest stripe in front. Actually, what at first seemed forest was some trees here and some in some other place, and mostly some houses near these little patches of wood. I walked and walked, it was getting dark. I met some young fellas on the road that still tried to catch a ride to Warsaw (probably locals), but they also had light reflecting sign. I walked still many kilometers, until finally said to myself that it is enough - I just have to find some place however bad it would be. My sleeping place was hidden by hills from two roads and one house. From other house it was fairly hidden by some bushes. I really didn't like this first night in the tent because wind was strong and flapped reeds and bush branches against my tent - test of air, not like I thought, but still. Probably in future I get more stronger wind that makes even walking hard. Ground wasn't flat, as it was on the edge of some farm field, and road was so close that I feared that I don't get any sleep. But I slept. I woke up every few hours, because of paranoia that someone, maybe landowner, is coming, but especially because traffic noises and cold. But then again I survived. I didn't need a sleeping bag or matt. It is my kind of traveling that requires good amount of will power. When I called going to Jesus' place a pilgrimage, then this suddenly started to feel much more like the real thing. Walking, feet in front of feet, next step, do not feel the tiredness or stress or sunburn, just continue and free yourself from everything.

In the morning I didn't feel as powerful as last day. Sunburns weren't a problem like I thought, even feet weren't as bad as I feared (My shoes are really great for walking the long distances - look for advertisement some posts down. Shoes were great also on excavated walkways of Lomza today, as no pebble got into these), but shoulders and my palms that held tent and the food bag were tired and painful. Also because seeing sun in this day was at first quite a rarity I didn't have such (will) power as before.

In a new day, hitching a ride went much better though, and drivers got more and more nicer (I don't write cool anymore, as then someone might confuse it with coldness of personality). So in that sense, that when getting closer to Warsawa it got easier and more pleasant to hitchhike, Poland is very different from Latvia. Yes, in rural areas and also in Lomza I saw some discouraging gestures and some guys who shrug the shoulders as the car would be full of people although they are alone and without any visible stuff taking the room.

I have best experience on this travel and second best on all my hitch-hikings (As when I got the ride to Viru Folk, about what I wrote in the past, was simply unforgetable). First of all, guy who took me to Warsawan speedway, made a little round because of me, and there I didn't have to wait even for ten minutes. But especially last driver was such an amazing guy as I finally found out. At first he seemed some ordinary businessman type, then my paranoid mind started saying to me that probably this guy isn't very happy because when he asked where I want in Warsaw, I said that anywhere is fine, but best would be the Center. You know, when you have a paranoid mind, then any one who talks the language that you don't understand, or times when you don't hear something well - these things start to seem suspicious. Anyway, as I already said he was the greatest. Well, he finally didn't take me to center, but still quite a way from his home to place where I can get to tram. That wasn't all of course. He gave me five żlotish to buy tickets and also gave me one of the best presents - a CD we listened in a car, about what I was curious who is singing as it is great polish music (it is his friend's band). Anyway, I learned a great lesson of not to judge people by their outlook, car, or even the way how they simply feel at first.

Oh, Warsaw is great. First big city on my way, with variety of both racially or philosophically/stylistically different people. Although Marek, my current host here, feels that blocks and houses of Warsaw don't fit together very well, I think it is at least best you can get in a country so lately been in the hands of Soviet Union. Warsaw seems basically what I have seen from plans and schemes about what Soviet Union planned for Tallinn too. For some reason, it happened in Warsaw, but not in Tallinn. And certainly Warsaw is best looking city I have visited so far. Even Stockholm, Berlin and Helsinki seem puny and unstylish in comparison, methinks. When I got to Warsaw, I think I really looked like some half-minded village person pretty much looking it all with an open-mouth. As well I could have written a sign saying "I'm from Estonia and I don't know what to do in such a big city". And in many cases I felt that people are looking me like I would be some hobo because of my dirty Kaubamaja plastic bag. Because of that I went today to find myself some bag made of cloth or cotton. I found really nice one that fits very well my shorts and overall style. It is not the biggest and because I found it at the edge of the old town, it wasn't the cheapest I recon, but I'm happy with that purchase.

Ah, and Warsawan girls are much better looking and nicer than ones in Vilnius or Tallinn. My first encounter was in this first tram. I had my ticket, but didn't see anywhere the place where to put it or what to do with it. So I asked from one girl. Actually at first just because I thought that young people know the english best, and because she was simply the closest one, but later I understood that I actually picked also the person who I liked most. And she really was nice. She smiled, talked very nicely and finally worried if I get to where I want to get. Then, when I went to eat (I chose a Kebab place, as in Italy for example I want to try Italian pasta and pizza, but Warsaw seemed like a good place to eat something Turkish), there was another young and very pretty girl who served me. She already really seemed as she would have fallen for me from the first moment. Sometimes she peeked at me from behind the corner, and she sometimes went to whisper with another waitress girl after coming from me. But, just to make all things clear, I don't have any plan to have closer contacts with girls here. For me there is now only one girl. She is really waiting me in Kenya already for almost a year and I have no plan to make something that would be unfair to her.

And I really like Marek. He is one of these very friendly Warsawians. We met already in city center, to go for a beer with his friends from office. He has bought me many beers and any other way shown the hospitality. His home is cozy and his friends are nice. I only feel sad that I can't meet his wife who is on the travel in Georgia now. We have had conversations with him on many topics and I have never felt as stranger or out of place. I feel that I should have made some present for him and his wife too, but I have such a limited money and even more limited knowledge of the city, so I don't know where to get something invaluable in meaning but cheap by price. But this is the life of hitch-hiking travellers and their hosts I guess.

Ah yes, I was talking about tests of the elements. Then there was also already small hint to the scary water tests coming in the future. Yeah, this time it only tried my psychology,.. made me fear. Already from the morning after this camping, sky was pretty much cloudy, but when I got to the speedway that goes straight to Warsaw, then sky was really dark and it was only question if I get to car before the rain or not. Anyway, as getting the car didn't take any time, I was safe in the car for about 90 km-s... 90 km-s that goes with the speed of 150 km-s per hour. So what after that... going to the rain? No I didn't have to, because just before the Warsaw, my luck smiled on me, or my faith and will payed off. Anyway, sun suddenly started to shine again. That is how it seems to be here. For example in the late evening sudden thunderstorm struck and ended soon and as suddenly as it started. But ride to Warsaw with a speed of 150 km/h in a road that still in large was one row road (for each direction) and surrounded by forests, shooting by the slower cars and dodging the ones that approach from other direction, this was quite scary. By the way, yeah what is interesting about Warsaw is that it is pretty much surrounded by forests (Marek said that three of four sides of the city is surrounded by forest), and when you come from northern Poland that was mostly empty farm land, then this seems surreal. When you are only a little bit away from city, it is hard to believe that there in the middle of this forest is a city housing millions of people, wide areas of very dense population and urban houses, especially that there are some skyscrapers in the middle.

Alright, this is all for this time and about Warsaw... tomorrow I will try to get to Brno in Czech Republic. I'm not going to Prague (what is especially sad, because I couldn't imagine, what is the old town of Prague, when already old town of Warsaw impressed me), because I get to sleep at Brno at the place of our friend David from Kenyan times.

Cześć (See you in Polish)

Out of Estonia

2011-06-03T15:46:00.003+03:00

I'm on the travel again. This time like a old school hippie - hitching the ride, looking for coach places or staying in a tent somewhere in the beautiful nature. On the way I'll start making necklaces to sell, but I also try to find some jobs. At some point I hope to find a proper job and settle down somewhere for a while. So if any European could offer me something even for a short time, then write to my e-mail. Some have said that I'm crazy, leaving home to south that already has problems with employment or immigration, but I say that it is better to live in insecurity than in never ending depression.

Yes, also travelling is hard and tiresome, but when I got to Vilnius, I felt like just coming out from sauna - tired and hungry, but feeling still good and happy. Even if my mission to get a job fails, then at least I see new places and meet new people. I feel alive at least. Additionally I try to stay in south near the Mediterranean Sea to avoid northern winter. I really feel that I can't tolerate another such winter as was last.

Right now I'm at my friend's (brother Justas from our Kenya family) place in Vilnius, and just resting. Yesterday I looked around in the city. Vilnius is like a hybrid of Tallinn and Tartu, but much bigger and more close-packed. Yes, there are differences in details like Vilnius has much better road network, nice prospects, bigger parks and plazas, beautiful cathedrals and churches, bigger but more classical old town with much more Soviet era additions than for example in Tallinn, but feeling and life is really quite the same. It should make me feel like in home, but it doesn't. Actually I feel homesickness, but not for Estonia, but for Kenya. Lithuanian youth though seems very nice. Surely nicer than Estonians. And it seems that they don't try to create some superficial identity or appearance as youth often does in Estonia. They are here who they are - simple and straightforward. And they accept strangers much better. I tell you my people of Estonia, you need to be more open, more friendly and social. Even trying to catch a ride from Tallinn to Tartu was worst part of my trip so far. I waited a car to stop for three hours in a cold seaborne wind. At least guy who took me up at last, was friendly and great to have a conversation.

Road so far! From Tartu to Riga was amazing. First part was with Kudrun's sister and her boyfriend. I had never rode the Elvan way. Amazing - road going up and down the hills, mighty forests surrounding, here and there some farmhouses either made in old country style from wooden logs, or then ones with red clay cover , reminding me a little of south... I mean Africa (really I had never seen such red clay covered houses in Estonia before). There was also old wooden dam and I'm not absolutely sure, but I think it was old watermill there too. Some more old houses and then suddenly high voltage power lines for contrast. There were also some cool place names like Plika or Ruuna. In old country language Plika means a girl. Actually even today it is used as a slang for a little girl. And Ruuna has nothing to do with runes. It means the old and bone-weary horse. There were many other names that I just forgot.

In double town Valga-Valka I just walked over the border to Latvia. It is weird to see all border gates abandoned, windows covered. When you go somewhere by ship or plain you still feel like going over the border, but not by land. Place seems quiet and I thought that Martin's (the boyfriend of Kudrun) warning about waiting for a car there for many hours may come to be true. But actually, in contrary to Martin's belief, getting a car from there wasn't hard at all. It took only about ten to fifteen minutes. Northern Latvia is great. There are even greater forests than in Estonia. Feels like a Nordic jungle, especially now with such a hot sun in the sky. In Northern Latvia I ride with many cars, everyone going forward just a little way. Still, I get close to Riga quite fast. But from there start problems. Cars just shooting by and when I finally get to greater circular road around Riga, then there is roadworks and getting to other side of Riga seems hard. Anyway I have to ride with couple of cars to finally arrive to E67, pretty much straight way to Vilnius. But again I had some problems getting a ride, because on this road, everyone just speeds. A lot of cars with Lithuanian numbers go by and none of them stop for quite a long time, and as sun is showing early signs of approaching evening, I already fear that I don't get to Vilnius this day. But place is nice, weather is best I could want and I have a tent, so it doesn't bother me as much as starting from Tallinn. But I still try for a while. I already sent Justas a message that I probably get to Vilnius next day, but then stops a very cool Turkish guy who lives in a Vilnius. Road is long and when we get close to Vilnius, we both are really tired, but happy to finally arrive. At first he puts me to one bus stop, but after few minutes he returns after picking up one of his friend, as he comes to think that all buses have already gone for this day, so he takes me to city center. Big up for these friendly and funny Turkish guys. They were extremely nice people.

By the way, so far most people have had hard time speaking English. Some even none. But we managed. I was surprised, that I even can say few words, even few most needed sentences in Russian. Here in Vilnius, it seems that people, at least all the youth speaks pretty good English.

Today we go with Mykolas (my other Lithuanian-Kenyan brother) we go for a little trip in Lithuania. It takes me some way back to north, but for sunday we come back to Vilnius again. And after all, I'm sure that this trip will be nice. I can't just ride through every country on the way, and such a straight shooting is pretty much planned for Poland and maybe even for Czech Republic. I try to spend some time again in Austria I think. I still haven't got contact with Elisabeth, my acquaintance through Deviant Art. Then again, Justas gives me contacts of this Czech guy we met in Kenya, and if he can host me for few days, then it would be nice to rest there too. Today I sent few requests for coach surfing in Warsaw, but I think from Warsaw to Czech it may take two days travel, even though I might not go to Prague at all, but to Brno. And when visiting Kudrun, Martin and lil Kaspar, I met Martin's friend Rene from Marseilles and he is willing to host me for one or two days when I get there. Anyway, no problem. Life on the road is like a paradise compared to the life in Estonia.

To finish the first entry of this travel, I think no-one would guess who tried to call me when I was on the way to Vilnius and again early in the morning next day. Even for Mykolas it took three tries to get it right. It was Kate. I don't understand what she wants, but anyway she was very persistent. When I didn't answer, she tried again and again, until in the second morning I had to shut off my phone. If you think that this was cruel, then you probably haven't read through my old posts and don't know what she has done to me. Anyway, I actually also sent her a message that I'm out of Estonia and calling there would be extremely expensive for her and for me too. I wrote that she should send me message if she wants to say something, but she carried on trying to call. Actually I would like to know what was that now. I would never had guessed that she ever calls me again, but I guess Kenya and it's people have even more surprises for me.

So, when you see some guy similar to what you can see on the photos of mine, to travel somewhere in Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Southern France or Spain, then you could just come to talk with me, or offer me ride, or host me, or offer some food. I would be thankful for everything and anything. And do the same to others too. Let the international friendship and mutual assistance show that world can become better place to live. Love and peace to all!

Good boy, spam detector.. good boy!

2011-05-11T02:09:00.000+03:00

I am happy to see that spam detector here in blogspot does quite a good job. Unlike my mail providor's spam detector it really makes somehow even difference between actual comment writers and just bots that for some reason send comments where isn't even any advertisements. How do I know that it is bot.. because sometimes I get exactly the same comment many times and to the different posts. Some comments doesn't make any sense regarding the post. Well, maybe some people have sent comment many times as it doesn't show up until I moderate it, but I don't care. It is easier for me like that... to let spam detector to do its job and trust it. Occasionally I try to check if there is some comment that may be actually wrote by reader, but I have to say that I don't lose anything if some comments like "I really like your blog, I will follow you" get deleted though it may be real reader. If you don't write more meaningful comments, then it just may happen that it gets deleted. Anyway, I'm happy that this detection system made it very easy for me to get rid of lots of unwanted comments and I don't intend to take spam detector nor comment moderating down. Well, bots do their job and don't care what I say, but if there are some people still trying to get their advertisements in my blog, then I say that you may as well give up or your job goes all in vain. And I really encourage my actual readers to post more constructive comments.

Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll

2011-05-09T14:56:00.003+03:00

I saw from statistics that someone had found his or her way (probably still his) to my blog by searching the answer to question if smoking, chewing miraa and porn can affect sex. I wanted to write an answer to this. I'm no doctor, but I know that it does. Basically everything in the world, not only tobacco, ganja, miraa, alcohol or drugs, can become addictive. For example if you eat sweets a lot, then try to be without them. Or when you watch porn every day, then try to be without it. You can go to absurd with it. When you are really used to having threesomes then try to have only one girl. You find that you are not satisfied. Same way starts at one moment a sex to feel unsatisfying without something that you are used to have either before or during sex. When you hunt your girls in a danceclubs and before ending up in home in bed with her, you drink alcohol in this club, then when you try to have sex without having few drinks before that, you at some point may find that either you don't get orgasm or even just getting erection may be hard. When you watch porn a lot and probably then also masturbate, then it gets much harder to get orgasm without porn. And like with anything addictive, things tend to get worse. Hell, even just having sex too often, people get so used to that, that it finally don't excite anymore (at least without something new... something crazy). Addiction is always ends up with unsatisfying result without getting even more that to what you are addicted. But there are limits to everything. But even when you don't get satisfaction, you still get horny. This may evolve into erotomania. Erotomaniacs are simply put people who are constantly horny but it gets harder and harder to actually get satisfaction from sex and everything connected to that. And without satisfaction we get stressed, stress gets deeper and deeper depression. So anyway... people try not to get used to anything. It doesn't mean that you never can watch porn or drink before sex, etc, but don't do it like that all the time. Hold your sexlife fresh and without associations and routine. Everything can be done without getting addicted. Same applies actually everything in the life. Try to live a life so that every day is different than the other. Hold pauses between everything you do. And still, I have to say that effect of alcohol, tobaco, miraa, ganja and drugs that in common sense are regarded as creating addiction are worse than anything else. These all have substances in them that in one or other way affect nerve system directly and strongly. Most of these create apathy, limpness, emotional unstability and many other things that affect both sex and generally your life in a not good way.

But if you already feel that something has affected your sex life, and you don't get satisfaction without that booster, then don't worry. Only thing you have to do is not to give in to the lure. Take a break from both this booster and sex. Go to vaccation, hike and do something active and something that shows you that there are new days in life. I know that being without these things, especially absent of sex, may create bad feeling at first, but it only shows that you already were adicted. Yesterday I saw a guy in supermarket with a T-shirt where was written: "I quit smoking, drinking alcohol and having sex... It was worst fifteen minutes of my life". Anyway, even when you feel urge to get back to the things that you like so much then gather your strength and still hold a pause. This pause must be at least few months to have refreshing momentum.

Heart far far away land

2011-05-09T04:29:00.003+03:00

Few days ago was my first time of hitchhiking in this year. It was good feeling to be on a road again and feel the nature around and wait for uncertainty of some stranger to pick me up. I'm now very anxious to get to my Eurotrip. Yeah, I'm going away again soon. I don't make many plans. Yes I'm preparing a little, and basically set goal to get to Spain, but only God knows if it goes so. If fate has different plans, then I may also end up in some other place. Anyway, somewhere in west I try to find a job and I know that also Spain has lots of problems with unemployment, but I still hope, as I'm tired of pedantic, serious and cold natured nordic people. I just can't stay in Estonia anymore, even more because I simply don't have anything to do here.

I printed myself a T-shirt where is written "Traveller looking for a job or host" (My sister said that it is good idea and Kudrun agreed by saying that I'm canny). Shirt is very nice and smart - black shining text with a really well chosen good and hip shrift on pure white. I also bought new shoes today. Finally I found exactly what I was looking for. It has been very hard to find something as good as my old Converse Weapons were, as suddenly all shoes have changed into either too flashy or too simple. Also new shoes have weird bottoms made of simple rubber and at least it feels that the way how it's just glued to the shoe, probably these shoes can't perdure for long. Fuck you Vans... these are no good shoes for anything - hiking, skateboarding, parkour... and they simply lack the style. Converse Weapons were the real style and durability in one package and could be weared pretty much everywhere, doing whatever (only need football shoes for stadium), and now I think new ones from Cropp (http://www.cropp.com/), model CroppRXI, are good new quality. Well at least what I already know is that they are comfortable and because they also look pretty much the same as Converse Weapons, at least for me that means they are stylish. But by looking the work quality, I am quite sure they also last. I still have some things to buy before going - a small pillow - exotic looking if possible - Indian for example, headlight, cheap hair cutting machine, as now I'm getting slowly used to my short or pretty much non-existant hair and I just can't let myself to grow into caveman on this trip (I still would like to get my hair back sometime in a future, but for now I will be bold)... same cutter will do also for my beard... small things like notebook, toothpaste, etc, but otherwise I'm ready to go. Even this warm-up hitchhiking gave me good nudge for courage. BTW, it was pretty cool because guy who picked me up was true modern cowboy/hillbilly. Yes he had a big offroad car with satnav system, and he was dressed in checkered flannel shirt, a jacket without sleeves, moustache and almost-cowboy hat. He even had such character that you really feel that this guy is some serious country fella. And he listened old music from radio Elmar (and you can hear quite a lot of country music from there), so at some point an old LADA car turned front of us, then I pretty much was carried to past... to the independence days of Estonia. Not that I would be much of a nostalgy lover, but this was really cool moment. Anyway yes, I'm psychologically already prepared and willing.

This day when I hitchhiked I met my best friend forever (not very my style to say so, but it is true), Kudrun, and she said that she can't believe that I'm going away again. She said that although she has always believed that I belong to the road or far-away lands, but it is still unbelievable that I'm going. But after reading a draft of following text about how much I miss Kenya, Africa, or actually even any southern place where people smile and are not drained by life as we here in Estonia, she also said that she doesn't understand how I survived this winter. I have to say that it was one of the two of the hardest winters in my life and it demanded a lot of willpower and other mental survival strategies to not to give up. Oh, don't worry about me now. Actually I know that I always come through even hardest of hell and when sun shines again, it helps me up again. I have always said that there are two things sure about me... when even I don't know anything else about myself surely, then at least I know that I don't give up on life and I don't turn Christian. Ok, now I ain't sure even the second, as I thought that who knows, if I live rest of my life in Kenya with a Christian woman, then perhaps even I can be turned to this path. But sure is that in past I have actually thought about suicide, but I simply couldn't do that. So I changed my thinking. I changed my belief. Now when everything is shadowed I just turn my face to the sun and go on. I have learned to help myself and know that there is nothing hopeless... if things have been bad for a long time, then I simply have to look for any kind of change... sooner or later comes a success again. Now I believe into holiness of life. Not as most religious people do, but more because giving up needs only strength for one last time, but when you carry on, then you start to see the miraculous, wonderous world and finally you obtain that trait that I admire most about southlanders - optimism and positive attitude towards pretty much everything. I have often heared Africans to say when they are asked what is the secret to their constant smile (and of course not a fake smile like my mum thinks): "We are happy, this is just who we are." Maybe I will never be entirely like them, although I experienced that this positivity and optimism is very much "infectuous", but even if I will be gloomier and more serious than they, I want to live in a society where I'm pretty much only guy like that. Even if there is ten or hundred other people who are serious, tired and bored, it would be improvement, as in Estonia I see only "dead" people. In Estonia, smily faces in everyday life are so rare that when you see them, it is not enough to load my batteries and it is not enough to get a smile onto my face too. I have said that I'm like solar battery - when sun is out, then I have energy, but additionally to sun also people's emotions and general surrounding beauty have great effect on me. This winter was even so hard that when normally reggae music makes me feel happier, in this winter there was a period when all reggae, dancehall, even soca music seemed either sad or annoying false happiness. How could I have felt so. Because I miss something so much that it actually feels I have a hollow place inside me... there is something missing... a lot is missing.

In the beginning of this week was a volunteers trade fair here in Tallinn, and of course I along with other volunteers who had their service outside of Europe, had to talk about this experience. Truthfully, even though I'd like to share my tale, I simply have felt that it is mission impossible. Only one who has understood a little about what it really was, is my grandmother, and to her I have shown pictures and talked about it already over half a year. So now I have felt that I don't want to make people understand our experience (they never will unless they go and live it through by themselves, but what I want is to get back there. Well ok, this was actually what we were supposed to say to these people who listened, but still it felt that they can't hear what we say. Come on, I say that it was such an intense experiense and I want to get back there... for good... how can't you relate to that message, how you don't understand it. But I know, before going, I was also just obsessed of Africa, actually I would never had taken seriously the idea of working to gather the money to move all my life there, to marry an African girl and do whatever there for living. It just sounds so surreal. But now it is only truth I know. And I say to you who think about going to such voluntary service, that sure go, it probably will be amazing experience, but you must also understand that leaving may be hardest part. Before going I was sure that I like this experience, but I couldn't have had idea of how much it changes me.

Have I wrote in my blog that I miss Kenya? I don't remember speciffically any post, but I believe I have done that already many times. Even when I write that I miss my friends there or my sweetheart, then actually it means that I miss Kenya too, as they without Kenya are nothing. Well, this time I wanted to make sure that people would get some idea how much I miss Kenya and what it feels like to be right here now, thousands of kilometers away from that paradiseland. Ok, first of all I must say that I know Kenya has many bad things too and probably when I get there, I have lots of days when there is only routine and maybe even stress from hard time when I try to set up my life there, or feeling of idledness in some days, but as I wrote a comment to the photo of one of my friends, that was named by another commenter to depict a paradise, although it was just a very green street - I wrote that Paradise doesn't have to be some place full of nature (it may be, but doesn't have to), but Paradise is a state of mind, it is feeling and in some cases a connection with certain place or something actual. So everyone has their own Paradise. And even though Kenya has lots of crime because of what especially I, a white guy, is in danger,... and Kenya has lots of corruption, not very great educational system or healthcare, there is lots of slums where people live in shacks and litter the streets around them with garbage, it is still so deeply rooted in my heart. It is so because of many things... much more than bad things, is there things that I like and without what my life seems emptier. I think about Kenya all the time. What ever I do in Estonia, or what ever I see here, everything turns my mind to Kenya. I think how different it was. I know that something being better or worse than something else is very relative, but the different effect comes clear to me when I remember how in Kenya even worst days weren't so bad that I would say that I want to get back to my home and to my people. No I said to myself: "Yes I feel bad right now as this wasn't like I hoped, but don't worry, I'll get over it and I fix things. There is nothing better in Estonia." I have always said that I didn't had a culture shock, as there wasn't anything in their culture that I would condemn for being the reason of my bad feeling and at the same time I always thought how nature of Estonians and our living style, our system, our culture and even our climate has made me feel bad countless of times and then... then I have always judged our world we live in Estonia. I have felt cultural stress for a long time, but in Estonia... In Kenya I was released from that burden. There everything seemed more natural and more homely, than in a country where I have grown and lived my entire life. I have asked myself how is it possible that I grew to fit into another culture, but actually answer is simple. You know that people learn all their life. During their life they start understanding what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad, and usually they grow to think that what is so close to them is right and good, but sometimes some people don't find these good and right things with their exploration of their nearby surroundings. Some understand that things you may see in your life, teached by your parents and in school, things that are carrying our own culture as it is, may not be best, might not be the only truth. Such a person was I. I learned early to not to take things self-evident. I learned to criticize even closest things, even things that I did. And over time I found a lot of problematic things to what I didn't find solution. But I looked from wrong place... solution was accepting what is here as Paradise for others but finding myself another place. In Kenya I understood, that this place is closer to my soul than my fatherland. I'm not a patriot, but patriotism without reason is overrated anyway. And by the way, also in this trade fair I said that Estonia is very good place to rest... no not for vacation, but for resting. Estonia is quiet and boring, fairly tolerant place where most people try not to disturb eachother... would it be even simple talking to you. Here you can be alone and rest from intense socializing, colourful and crazy cultures and from working, as Estonia because due to bad working conditions, arrogant and selfish employers and low payments can't even be called good working environment (even though most Estonians are laborious, hard working and loyal to work ethics), but Estonia isn't place to live. This is not life we do here... it is somehow dealing with inevitable. Living is feeling, expressing, experimenting, being active for enjoyment, etc. Again I understand that maybe some here find it enjoyable and they really can live here, but not me.

Kenya opened a whole new dimension for me. Like in sauna your pores open and you can't do anything but sweat and enjoy it, so was Kenya for me in sense of feelings. Of course I have feelings also in Estonia, but in Kenya these got so strong and conquered me, became the sole reason, became the source of enjoyment no matter what I currently felt. Intense, this is the key word. Compared to that, Estonia is simply boring and pointless. Unlike Mykolas, I have never felt that Kenya was like a dream in sense that it blurrs and seems somewhat unreal and in some parts not understandable. For me that place is Estonia. It is not entirely bad dream, but it is weird and foggy, slowpaced and full of gaps. But even when I'm back now in Estonia, through my mind I imagine many things to be what it used to be in Kenya. It was so in first days after return and even more now, soon a year after the end of my first Kenya adventure. I have constantly dreams and daydreams about Kenya. In my mind it is so close that I can still touch, smell, hear and feel things that I remember and imagine. I remember and dream and then reality in Estonia seems so painful for me... pain from missing something so much. Everyone knows some people who read fantasy tales or play computer games and then hope that they would live in this wonderous world. Well, even I was such guy... a fantasy dork... until I found my dreamworld to be real. Like I think Kudrun would say, it brought me inspiration... it brought me so much creativity what is often very hard to find for me when I'm in Estonia. In Kenya borders between creativity and reality blurred many times. In Kenya I killed a dragon and found my princess, there was a Lucky Mouse People and green jungle giraffes, lonely pink panther, Mountain God, oh and another princess, a sleeping one, soldier ants and much more. Sometimes I think that even robbers were from some cool action game or RPG... partly mystified. The thought of it now and when I directly experienced this fantastical crazy world, turned life so colourful. I would gladly learn through my own mistakes or discoveries fed to me by environment, these hundreds of pieces of wisdom how to protect myself from robbers, if I only could feel some excitement and adventure. Kenya, probably entire Africa is interactive world. There you can't live headphones or blinders on head (fact here.. I had lots of music with me in mp3 player, but I rarely listened it... I think some of the music I maybe even didn't), you can't be individualist and you can't expect things already known to you, happen again the same way. It is not a comfort zone, although even in Africa you can create a little comfort zone where to escape when you need it, this world, it is constant movement to somewhere and never getting used to something. It is moving...where?... who the hell knows that. Constant movement and changes anyway. If you get too used to something and get too comfortable not to hold your mind on it, this world throws you with something... or throws you into something new. True, it is dangerous, but then again you rarely feel routine there and I guess this is what holds also local people there so vigilant and lively. I don't agree with those who say that everything is stopped in Africa. Yes you can't be sure of agreements and people take time with everything, but this is actually much closer to the pace of nature.

Estonia rarely speaks or touches me, and I don't care most of the so called Estonian culture. But in Africa everything has symbolic meaning or reason. Sometimes quite naive, but many things that come straight from the heart, may be naive and cliche. I think I'm also often pretty naive. But sometimes these symbolic meanings and reasons are perhaps even deeper than ones in our "complex" culture. Sometimes it is subconcious and people don't understand it by themselves, sometimes they try to hide the real meanings (But then finding it out can become obsession that gives activity for days or even months.. and everything shouldn't be offered on a silver plate. Researching and discovering is one of the greatest delights offered to humans, why to make it easy for yourself and spoil all the fun, by living in a place where everything is so ordered, simple and self-evident). These mysteries and symbols have lots of character and show that it takes ages to fully understand the models this society uses to work. Knowing this, it only raises my interest to learn more. In Estonia the coherence of self-evidency and this weird non-interacting world and people (if any Estonian have objections to the fact that Estonians generally are not very social, then think about football players who simply don't communicate, how people don't show half their emotions out, how people don't come to streets to protest when they don't like something, how teenager who should be with a boiling blood, goes home without even saying hello or go-to-hell-o to parents, closes the door both literally and symbolically... that we call character of Estonian. It is emptiness and it is barrier), creates only ill feelings and melancholy. And when you try to do something, just to be active, then it seems so artificial and stressful or simply not worthy enough. Yeah, I'm adrenalin junkie. For happiness I need more than superficial social activities or just wasting time, I need not order and security, if then only a little bit. But I need some excitement... no matter if it comes from rock climbing or living in crazy, buzzing environment or something entirely else. I need enjoyment from intensity and emotionality. And I need to do do something that is not important for some greedy businessman, but for myself. This reminded me - through Kudrun's link in Facebook I found some maps that show how people of some certain countries in the world describe other people - like what French think about other Europeans... or what characterizes the women of every country, or what things are we known by when asked from German, or political picture through the eyes of an American. Guess what... Estonians were always either primitive, cold, melancholic or unknown (and why... because we don't show any sign of ourselves) and I'm no way proud of such characteristics. What is peacefulness if you are just a buffer zone between Free World and Communists or Russian Mafia or what ever are the generalizising simple minded views of different peoples about modern Russia? What is beauty of our women when we are dead inside? What good is of ethics when people die because of boredness or being a good lapdog?

Aight, it came out a little bit more criticizing than I wanted, but this often happens when I now talk what I feel about Estonia and why I'm so determined to move away. Actually I still find many things that I find hard to leave when I leave Estonia, and I'm not all so anti-Estonian all the time. Usually when I miss my girl and my life in Kenya little bit less, then I wouldn't go so far to stamp everything in Estonia meaningless and puny, but as I wanted to show the extreme feeling of missing something so much, then I allowed myself that freedom to say everything out that I think from time to time. And I'm actually much more positive. True I want to work my way back to Kenya and when my plans get hit back, then I get angry and sad and desperate, but those who know me personaly, I think they understand why I named myself Jolly Juwarra.

Like my friend Janika said: "But missing can be good too, some day when you get to your girl, you start to miss that feeling you have now". Or something like that. But she also wrote to her blog that longterm determination is one of the greatest mysteries. To believe into yourself and never give up. Going forward. That way, reaching your destination or goal is only matter of time. I would add to that, that if you are so determined, then so strong feelings like I have, are normal, and even when you may be somewhat disturbed by that sadness of so great longing, then actually it helps you to reach this destination... or destiny.

One more example from somewhat weird feelings I have. Today we went to graveyard where my father's parents and one of my sister is buried. Grandparents died 1993 and 94 and I even haven't seen my firstborn sister as she died a little after the birth, but today tears came to my eyes there. Of course I miss my grandparents, but it is long time since their death and I have never got tears when we visit graveyard. But now when I know that I will leave, and who knows maybe I don't ever get to go to their graves, it simply overwhelmed me. I put a candle and clapped my hands together and bowed like Shinto believers do to honour their forefathers at shrine. Graves don't have any special significance to me, nor do I believe that spirits have that kind of connection to material world that they would follow us and look if they are remembered, but somehow I felt that I need to perform that ritual. Just for my own sake.

So so, I hope in my travels I will have also some possibilities to write, but then again from Kenya times I also learned that a lot can happen that delays or entirely takes interest to post news.
What else... feel irie people!

Juwarra's portfolio

2011-04-30T15:04:00.000+03:00

I just opened my new art portfolio site. I added it into "Find me @" listings in sidebar here, but also thought that when I write about it in a separate post, it is more visible. Adress is http://juwarraart.blogspot.com/

What is Rasta

2011-04-21T16:25:00.006+03:00

Just a fact before I continue - Ras was title for leader of province and military in Abyssinia. Heile Selassie was actually named ras Tafari Makonen, from what comes the word rasta or rastafari. When he was coronated to be emperor of Abyssinia (little bit bigger area than current Ethiopia), he took himself a name Heile Selassie I. When Rastafarian religious movement started, ras became widely used for anyone who was to be Rastafarian. So in Africa you may meet a lot of people who say ras in front of their name (similarily to Heile Selassie usually not their birth name, but something they just later take for themselves).

Ok, I was supposed to write why I liked when in Kenya people called me a Rasta. It is actually simple. First of all, in Kenya people basically knew only about four religions - Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Rastafarianism. Well yeah, if you ask about their old Pagan beliefs, then of course they remember this too, but usually they don't imagine that someone would still believe something like that. And yeah, actually although I call myself a Pagan, my beliefs aren't anything like Neopagan's or even less like old Pagan beliefs in Estonia, elsewhere in Europe and surely not something like African peoples had before Christianization. With great reservations I could say that my beliefs are something similar to Shinto that would be mixed with very little of Taoism. Anyway, I would say that out of the four religions widely accepted in Kenya, I am more Rastafarian than any other. Rastafarians have pretty good philosophical and ethical side, but what I don't believe is the religious format of it. First of all, Rastafarians believe into hedonism, living well yourself and making all from your side to make also others irie. And rastafarians believe into making world better through simply understanding good values because of positive, constructive reasons, whereas in Christianity, Islam and many other world religions main thing is restrictive ethical codex, understanding of being the subject of higher entity, therefore condmning him/herself to be lower and less worthy and simply obeying, or one more thing is also the lure of promise for some bliss after death. And Hinduism with all the rebirths, pantheon of Gods and whatever else is completely strange to me. When Christians and Moslems see reason in prayers, then for Rastafarians all is about your actions. Christians and Moslems like to say that it is same in their case, that actions are most important, but then why they need to pray all the time. And why I don't see living like it counts then. Rastafarians live... they live good. Yeah, they often say something like: "Praise the Rastafari" or some other things, but this is not like prayer, it is more like cult of personality of Heile Selassie, who actually was a great example of a man and a leader. I don't believe that he was the incarnation of God... same way I believe that Christ was a mortal man who with his ideas and maybe charisma got lot of followers and enthusiasts... but he wasn't the incarnation of God either. Well, I simply don't believe into incarnation. Only perhaps in a way we all are first the part of this great spirit/God/Tao and then our soul incarnates in our body. But then we all are incarnations of God, and not Christ, nor Heile Selassie, nor Buddha, no-one are more the son of God than us all. Some are have simply more illuminated ideas about right/good ways of living and how to make world a better place. Actually, I should be called a agnostic, because I don't know if God exists. I want to believe that it is so, but probably I don't get to know it in my life. Basically I take from religions all that is about us, humans, and don't think so much about mystical side.

But about the cult of personality, I don't believe that we should make it so important. We can pay our respect to great men like Heile Selassie, Gandhi, whom ever you want, much better by simply following their example. Sure, I too may sometimes praise someone, but I understand that this is how it happens - mortal man is likened with the God. Same way also faith is good, but making it material and ceremonial, is not.

Faith and belief are not the same as religion.

Love and ideology

2011-04-19T22:18:00.005+03:00

Sorry that I haven't posted here for a while. I have been busy with many things. Thinking through my plans of going for Eurotrip, finishing things for exhibitions, creating my portfolio blog and just having some social time.

But today I wanted to write something. At least the poem I wrote last night for my sweetie. Anyway, some time ago I wrote her a message that we finally have more sunlight in a day, but she is my true sunshine through all the good and bad times. Few days ago she sent me quite a similar message where she said that she is watching the stars, that she loves all stars in the sky, but these are nothing compared to the ones in my eyes. I know... quite cliché, but it is still sweet and it created some kind of story in my mind. So this is it:

Sun and other stars

Spacecold land of night,

a spaceboy is alone.

He longs his sunshine girl

and sunshine land, his home.

And sunbrown girl looks

to the stars above,

to the stars with pale light.

They love, they miss

eachothers eyes,

they wish for a kiss.

And wish they aren't

like day and night.

In the end they must get together,

right?!

Few days ago it was birthday of my friend. It was weird. He had like two kinds of guests. Some couples mainly from Tallinn or at least not from Aruküla... he himself included (acting pretty much like already married couples), and then there were guys from Aruküla - all alone. But it was weird this time for me especially because now basically I am in commited relationship, I have someone... but then again, I don't in the sense that she aren't there with me. And although I am now taking this relationship seriously, I defended the idea of free men, when my friend's girl (who by the way is very young... I think she was 25 like my friend... but already has two kids... not with my friend... and still my friend is like a dad to these little girls) said that when guy gets 30 then basically he is late with all the relationship things. I even defended the idea of guys who change girls like their shirt... one day, one girl. I'm still convinced free lover proponent and believe that marriage has lost almost all reason in modern world. Yet, in my soul I wish I could already be back in Kenya, hold my loved girl, build a steady life with her and think about marriage and having a child.

Heh, that all now reminded me one thing. Today Katarina told that there were selfhelp books and other such literature very common in Nigeria. I said that in Kenya there was a book called "How to beat your wife". And then we talked how I and Jürgen-Kristofer, both artists, both mostly pacifists, interested of spiritualism and eastern philosophies and also as somehow our theme also went to Indigos, then Katarina also said that Indigos like us, of course wouldn't understand such ideology. Of course not, we wouldn't want to hit anyone and if it would be possible we even wouldn't want to step on insects. Katarina kind of ironically said that maybe sometimes also wife needs beating. "What would you do when wife won't obey you?" Jürgen answered that he wouldn't beat her and for few minuts didn't know what he would do, but finally said that he would just leave. And then it was my turn. My answer was: "I would love my wife more." Jürgen then changed his thought to the same.

Ok... I guess that's enough for today. It was fun and busy day.. a good day, (maybe because we walked the street down from Harju hill... by one guy this was supposed to be the "happy road"). Tomorrow maybe I'll write some things I said to them today about my beliefs and why I so well accepted when I was called Rastaman in Kenya. I finally cleared it for myself and found good enough words to verbalise it.

Aight.... have fun ya'll... make love, but remember, do it safe.

The real, real close contact with Africa

2011-03-16T03:11:00.011+02:00

Ok, because sex sells, then in this chapter I will write how we got into close quarters with locals in Kenya, what we learned and felt. Mostly about my own things, but in some cases I also know a little what others from our group thought about it. Well, I'm taking it all together as shortly as possible, as there is really a lot to write on that matter.
From the start it was clear that in this half a year a lot will happen and that some of us will also probably have some pretty personal level connections with locals. Ok you know me, usually there is not much that I will leave personal. Like I already wrote in one of my first entries about Kenya, I even kind of set myself a goal to try out a Kenyan girl. Truth to be said, at my primary and highschool times, I always dreamed that in future I would get myself a black woman. Now I simply found this dream in me again. I really fancy black girls and now I also see some things in Estonian girls that I don't like at all.

Mating habits of Kenyan bound humans.But, surely all is not so black and white. First we had to discover how are these things in Kenya. Cultures are really different and christianity may also set some limits there. We may have to learn new strategies and ways how to behave. Even though I already had kissed Kate, things didn't evolve as I hoped. Already two months had passed, when one night we were in a pub, Sarah, Carlos and I. We started talking about how are social and sexual commons and understandings in both places - Kenya and EU. Cultural exchange. Although she isn't the voice of her entire people, we got to know some things... for starters at least. Later through practical exploring, we found out some more things. But yeah, at first it seemed that Kenyans are pretty conservative and back in time in some things. When we told Sarah about all the things that are quite common in Europe, even if just as sexual adventures... things like threesomes, girl on girl action, fuckbuddies, then Sarah was really baffled. She affirmed that most such things are taboos in Kenya. Later from some other people we learned that for homosexualism you may even get killed there. At the same time in Kenya polygamy is still legal and although most families are nowdays nuclear like in Europe and most of the Kenyan women would be damn angry if they would find out that their man is too liberal and even the number of children in families is finally decreasing. But actually it is widely known secret that many people in Kenya have secret lovers... even women. Kenya is the land of secrets. As Christians or Moslems they also expect marriage, but luckily at least we found out that this doesn't mean that you can't have sex before marriage. I explained to Sarah, that in Europe there is widely accepted philosophy - no marriage before sex - then also Sarah said that that she understands. But when we told that many Europeans even when they find their true love, are not sure if they want or if it even has reason for marriage, then that Kenyans wouldn't understand. Marriage is simply so strongly rooted that when in Europe or America guy in urban music sings: "I want to get jiggy with you", then in Kenya they sing "You are the one, I want to marry you"... something along these lines.
For Carlos and me seemed extremely funny how Sarah described how in Kenya two people who like each other get together. When in Europe it happens mostly by one kissing other... just pretty impulsively by following our instincts, then in Kenya everything seems like business with agreements and scouting etc. Sarah said that when someone is interested of other in Kenya, then they first ask his or her friends about various things and much happens with first asking things and pre-organizing. We laughed with Carlos, that it is kind of like you would have a list where you cross down things - So she likes me, ok... would you be interested of going out, ok, that one down... could I kiss you, down finally... would you like to have a commited relationship, ok score... and so on. It seemed so official and cold, that it seems like writing a notarial document - one copy for me and one for you and one for both's parents.
But actually, as I already said, things are not so black and white. There is lots of different people. For example, bigger the city, the more modern are also the people and how they are interacting. Same thing is with the wealth. Richer people, and therefore usually also more educated people have more modern understandings. There are of course special cases, but generally you can follow these rules to expect how some people are acting and interacting. Yet, it is not very common to do some things publically. Like kissing for example. Some people who see you kissing on the street, may just say yo to get a room. Or when we kissed with Kwamboka at the matatu station in Nakuru, then people cheered us like in American comedy serials. At the same time, when alone or among friends, they act pretty much like we in Europe. Also when having sex, there is not much differences. Ok, again, it is surely so that more modern people have more modern sex, and village girl probably has lots of taboos and traditional ways of doing things.
What I didn't understand even in the end is holding hands and touching people regarded, as in most cases it is taken just as signs of friendship. Even men may hold hands without anyone even thinking about the possibility that they could be gays. It is so ordinary that people have contacts in everyday life. Hugs are as normal part of greeting and saying good by as shaking hands or touching the shoulder or back of someone. Yet, sometimes it seemed that when you hold someone's hand, they do view it as a sign of affection. Maybe it is when single man and single woman about the same age are often seen so. But I can't be sure of it. Anyway, when in Kenya some rumors spread, then believe, you don't have any personal life anymore. But in this case I think Europeans have advantage of not caring much.

Anyway, I also wanted to write final evaluation of my things with my black sweethearts. For statistics I can say that when I was in Kenya, I now consider two girls as my girlfriends, and two girls as kind of stalkers. Finally I fell in love with another one and when I came back we got to know about eachothers feelings. So I can say that she is my third Kenyan girlfriend. I don't know how things will go, but I really hope to get back to Kenya and I really hope that our relationship will survive. Oh, and actually I had few more whom I really liked, but circumstances simply didn't let me to hope for anything. But statistics time is over.
Already in Kenya I started asking myself what I like about Kenyan girls or more specifically my girls? Or what caused the ends of the first things? What I have learned in Kenya and how are my behaviour models changed? Similarily to how I saw my living style and personality to fit very well into the Kenyan culture (maybe not from the viewpoint of Kenyans, but for me it was place to feel comfortably), when in Estonia I always felt out of place, same way it seemed that at least some Kenyan girls are exactly what I'm expecting from women. Although, it also means more problems, the way how Kenyans feel... I simply like it. In comparison, weirdly most Estonians seem conservative about how they fear to live out their feelings and dreams. Or maybe Estonians just have different feelings and dreams... certainly so. Even though Kenyan girl may sometimes show their affection in a weird way for us, at least they do that. Ok, also here we have some girls with hotter temperament and more courage, I have almost always found that then she has something else that I don't like or they already are in relationship. Some girls are too simple, some too difficult natured, many I don't like because of outlook, and here we have so many smoking gyals, some expect things from men that even don't fit with my principles, most can't enjoy small natural things of life, but are poisoning their life with lots of artificial pleasures, some girls curse, some just are not sure enough to have a proper relationship, some are too decked and arrogant, thinking that they are some higher league, some seem from the start as you would be better living in a pile of dynamite, some.. uhh, there is dozens of reasons for not wanting them. But in short time I found many girls who were close enough to my liking in Kenya. Although I came to believe that there wouldn't be future for me and my Kisii girl, I would even include her to this bunch. Second thing is that in Estonia I have really tough competition and therefore best girls just don't want me, then in Kenya, I can get easily pretty much any girl who is still free and maybe even some who aren't. I'm absolutely desired there. In Estonia over same long period (half a year) I can see maybe few looks from what I can read "interested", and then they usually don't make any moves (yeah, yeah, I know... girls want guys to make a move... but I want also girl to show some reason for me to want her). And also, actually I too found more feelings in myself and lived these out more... and I like that. In Estonia, where people are more passive and don't dare to do many things, it also seems weird for me to be such a guy whom I want to be. One day I saw a latino carneval dancers and their music band in Tallinn and I just felt that I would like to dance, but how could I, when others there refuse even when they are invited to join. It is a fucking daytime supermarket entertainment. Estonia is weird place with lots of fear as our cultural thing. We are cold, not showing out our feelings and actually inside suffering because of that. Or maybe I'm unique among my people, as lately I have started to sing wherever I want, to make some dancemoves, just jump with joy or whatever, as I don't care... I want to live like this... emotionally.

Kate and I (first four months of Kenya)

Even after all that happened with Kate, after suffering the sadness because of that story, I still like options in Kenya beter than here. Hell, I would even try again with Kate if I could, rather than have an Estonian girl. Moreover, with other girls things were much better. I still don't know what happened with Kate, but from our local friends and later from my other Kenyan girls I got to know that all Kate said about traditions and politeness was just a putoff. Even my too young stalker was more initiative and giving (I always had to impede and forbid her) than Kate. And my Kisii girl was often so venturous and liberal that in times I alredy felt a bit uncomfortable (but actually I started to like that) and started to doubt if I am a proper match for her after all. Sometimes I still regret my eventual decicion to leave her.
And still I don't say anything about my current girl. Abwatin inye (I miss you in Kalenjin). I leave her into mystery. I think right now only few of my friends deserve to know about her. I don't know, maybe I will write about her only after I have returned to Kenya. Wish me luck for that.

Kwamboka and I (remaining two months)

Anyway, I'm thankful for all the experiences... even for these with Kate. I have got a lot of new understandings about myself and girls. I found out what I desire. I found out much more... many things really universal.

Lets do it like they do on Discovery channel!Parental advisory - you may want to explain your kids about decent use of such words or reasons why some are not very good at all. Some Swahili vocabulary:
He/she is pretty - huyu ni mrembo
Would you like to do something (tomorrow)? - Unataka kupanga pamoja (kwa kesho)?
Will you go out with me?/Would you be my darling? - Utakuwa mpenzi wangu?
Would you like a drink? - Unywe kinywaji?
You are a fantastic dancer - Wewe ni mchezadensi mzuri sana
Can I accompany you to your home? - Nikusindikize kwako?
Can I take you to my place? - Twende kwangu?
I like you very much - nakupenda sana
Do you want to come inside for a while? - Unataka kuingia ndani kidogo?
I think we are good together - Nafikiri tunafaa pamoja
Can I kiss you? - Nikubusu?
Kiss me - Nibusu
I want you - Nakutaka
I want a pussy - Niaje na mikingo
Lets go to bed - Twende kitandani
I won't do it without protection - Sitafanya bila kinga
I like that - Napenda hiyo

Easy Lion! - Tulia simba!
That was like a dream - Ilikuwa kama ndoto
See you later - Tutaonana baadaye
I'll keep in touch - Nitakuwasiliana
I'll miss you - Nitakukosa
Are you seeing someone else? - Umekuwa unatembea na mwengine?
He/she is just a friend - Yeye ni rafiki tu
We'll work it out - Itafanikiwa
I don't think it's working out - Sidhani inafaa
I don't want to see you ever again - Sitaki kukuona tena daima
Prostitute - Malaya
You are a bitch - Wewe ni jahili
Pussy - Mikingo/Kuma
Penis - Mboro
Bollocks - Makende
Asshole - Mukundu
Fuck - Tomba
Suck - Nyonya

Eldoret-Pokot-Turkana

2011-03-13T01:25:00.025+02:00

Locals taking photos of us, white guys playing football.

Here comes one more long entry. I have delayed writing this for a while now. I must say that it is still somewhat hard for me to write it. It was in Turkana when I finally understood that what ever I wouldn’t try, it is all over between Kate and me. We had long prepared for this trip, as it was supposed to be our big rise, after lots of failures and sitting idle. It was supposed to become the greatest project we do in Kenya, although we didn’t know much about Turkana areas and therefore our plans were really only hopeful. Now as we can look back to it, I think it was great change and even if we were very idealistic on this project, it changed lots of things. Next project in Nangili School was finally everything we had hoped. And actually, even in Turkana we had our successes. Additionally we started a project that we gave on to locals to continue. But yes, as I already said also preparing for Pokot and Turkana, was full of uncertainty. Not only because we didn’t know how to relate with the people there or anything else we simply didn’t know. It was possible that weather or problems with money would scrap all our plans. Basically to the end we weren’t sure of who if any of our local colleagues would join us. Additionally state of the things was so between me and Catherine, that I weren’t sure if it would be good or bad if she would come. In a last week I had tried to fix our things and I hoped that if she comes, then maybe away from regular life in Eldoret we can be together and start anew. Then again, if she comes and nothing is changed, then it may ruin my travel and maybe even have effect on others. Oh well, although it went like I feared, I still value this travel and this experience a lot. Although in the end I cried, I took pleasure of even this sadness and anger. It gave me feeling that at least I did what I had to do. One thing though what I didn’t enjoy and still hate, is that I don’t understand why… what changed between Kate and me. It just doesn’t give me peace. Anyway, final crew was all of our guys, Kristi, from locals Dickson, Sarah, Kate and Kate’s friend Sharon and few church officials who travelled with us the first part to the Marich, Pokot and have organized us rooms in the local church guesthouse. Before the travel I was actually also afraid because of this, as I didn’t know how to act in the church territory or how would church people took a bunch of atheists, agnostics and pagans.

Pokot - People of the mountains

West Pokot is land dominated by high and steep hills and even proper mountains. It is pretty much my dreamland - really beautiful area offering possibilities for adventures and exploration. If you like to hike and climb, and find interesting places and people like I do, then this is exactly the right place to go. But also it is the beginning of such part of Kenya that isn’t in great interest of the state. Church does something in their power to hold that place together and lately also police have got their control there on things, as just a little time ago Pokot people were known to have greatest number of weapons in the civilian hands (if you don’t count Maasais with their spears), raiding travellers or nearby Turkanas. Area lacks any infrastructure and people are extremely poor and largely tribal kind of primitive. Well, you don’t have to pay for anything else than for your own survival there - just move there and build yourself a hut, no one cares. But even that is hard, as there is nothing to do for job and also ground is getting dry and sandy, not good for growing anything. For any official business you have to travel to Kitale, but road that connects these places and runs mostly on the sides of mountains by long valley gorge, is in terrible condition. Further away you get from Kitale, the harder it will be to ride anything but offroad car. Much of the road is simply washed away by the floodwaters that come down the mountains in rain season. In one place even bridge was destroyed and car has to go through the river in a valley floor. In a rain season this place is absolutely impassable. Of course country doesn’t care about repairing it, even though it is only road to Sudan unless you want to make a big round through Uganda. Pokot and Turkana are simply so insignificant. Only way to travel there is either in the back of the truck that most of the locals use, or a bus that goes to Lodwar, biggest and actually only town in Turkana region. But you never can be sure on the bus either. Sometimes it is late for three or six hours, sometimes doesn’t come at all for a day or week or who knows for how long. Marich is really small settlement built of random wooden boards, plywood and sheet metal. I’m already going to repeat myself, but land is really dry and most of the vegetation is normal for half-desert. Anyway, with so simple housing and people, village without electricity or water system, for a computer gamer like me, it seemed absolutely like some place in Fallout games… the old, good 2D ones. If I remember correctly, then there were only three places that had electricity. One was church; one was small kiosk that had its own genny that had to run maize grinder, and I don’t remember what was the third. It was amazing place and amazingly strong people who survived all the ordeals life throw at them. By the way, they really trusted strangers like us. I think if Estonians would be so back in time, depending on any and every small thing that may go wrong, we would be distrustful of any new face. Actually many Estonians are even now. This is how it seems from the ground level and among the people, but when you go to mountains, then still all seems green and like a dreamland.

And to the mountains we decided to climb. Already in first day we set our steps to the high hill nearby (about 800 meters from the ground). This day of course we didn’t conquer it. Time was too late and we were really tired. This time we got only to 1/3 of the hill. But view was already so amazing. I always say that it is like from fantasy book or movie and seeing it with your own eye, makes reading Tolkien or even viewing documentaries of such places to seem so pointless. Actually, even when we climbed, Love and I joked and played little theatrical roles of hobbits on their journey. We finished first day climb on a little top of the foothill, where we met half naked old woman who was heading to her hut with some branches for burning wood. It would have been like moment from centuries back when first Europeans met these tribals there just by coincidence walking on each other in a bush, but then this old woman asked in a mixture of Swahili and Pokot if we would give her 500 shillings. This is really a lot. Street kids in Eldoret would be happy already for 5 or 10 shillings... or even 1 or 2. So we argued a lot in a mix of little Swahili we knew and some English that she probably didn’t understand any word. After some time she lowered her demand to two hundred. Forgetaboutit! There was a river between the hill we came from and our guesthouse. At the daytime there were lots of half naked women in this river sifting the sands to search their luck – gold. And yes, when you swim in it, you get your skin covered with fine gold dust. But we were interested, is there really some pieces big enough to sell? We were said that from time to time some lucky ones actually find some. Golden river passing through one of the poorest places I have ever seen. But yes, chances are that you just waste your life in vain searching the gold, and even when they find a piece, then in local market they don’t get much money. Luckily no one have bothered to start mining these mountains, it would be the end of this true marvel of Kenya. I am selfish, but even though tourism would bring much money to this region and would show some to tourists that Africa is not only national parks, honestly I’m happy that this place is so remote. There is always two sides of every thing – two things involved.

On the search of gold. Photographer didn't dare to shoot the half naked ones who were in majority.

Anyway, when going back, we saw that in the evening naked boys have become the rulers of the river, taking a swim in it. Also we decided to cross the river not by the bridge, but straight through, but this river with the rapids where it exits the mountain gorge turned out to be deeper than we believed, or well, truth to be said it was idea from the start to “accidentally” get wet. These local boys guided us through the safest places. Although river was deep and we got wet anyway, you wouldn’t want to go down the rapid anywhere. In certain places it was fun though to let flow to carry you down the small falls. Another fun that you can not have in any river was to make jumps to the water head on. There was one place, where it got deep so suddenly that when you walk until water is to your knees, and then take one more step and you are in to the waist, and next step is just a hole. You can jump even from the rocks nearby; bottom of the river seemed just not to exist at that place.

That is how we make jumps to the river. Kids don't try it at home!

Next day, Saturday: In the morning we told the “Two islands story” (one thing from our project about gender equality) and then we went to swim. Although Kate and Sharon didn’t swim, they came with us. I asked from Kate if we could walk around in the evening. She even kind of agreed, but later it seemed she had another plan. I have been able to be alone with her enough to have couple of really innocent touches, but couldn’t talk with her about us, as there are people everywhere. Tomorrow she may go back to Eldoret, but I hope not… I really want to settle our things and where would be better place or time than on this travel. Even these church guys said today, that I should take Kate as my woman. They don’t know that I’m after her, but I said that I have chosen myself a Kenyan woman and that I have hard time because of the cultural differences.

-Excerpt from my travel journal, 29. May 2010.

If you are regular follower of my blog, then you may already know how this continued… I mean how on a third day, these church guys tried to recommend me one another fine young woman and my answer to them (written in the chapter about Luhyas). Anyway, sometimes it seemed that things with Kate are getting better, but just moments after, she again acted weirdly. It seemed that sometimes she would be back the Kate whom I started to know in the beginning – so free, caring and wanting me, but next moment she was avoiding me and acted totally differently again… as she would wage war with herself. Yet I hoped. I even tried to get help from Dickson, as he and Kate have been neighbours all their life. But actually this is already a story for another entry. I like these church guys. They are really cool, friendly and open-minded. And when I discount all the religious part, then they are like any good activists doing important job. Earlier I even questioned, why would church like to increase gender equality at all. But they have minds in right places and do things where government and local authorities are idle and where they simply see problems. In general, I have found that when most of the church going population are fanatical and pretty much dogmatic about things, then actual church officials are intelligent and open minded and almost every way how all good Christians should be (at least in my understanding). We have even talked about religion and that of my beliefs, or even on such themes that mostly are taboos in Kenyan Christian communities or about what they have dead certainty. Third day in Marich - this day we were supposed to head forward to the Turkana lands, but we had lots of time. As it was Sunday, locals were gathering to church and last evening all of us were also invited. But Love, Justas and I woke up early, little bit before sunrise. We had other plans. We had great will to finally conquer the Kanatol hill. Without any breakfast, only few sweet candies (this gives really good boost of energy) in pockets and our bags all filled with water bottles we head out. It was still dark, misty and cold, but we already knew how hot it gets before we even get to our last marker, and from our last hike to Kaptebei hill near Kipkaren, we also knew how much we need water and what happens if it gets out in the middle of the hike. If people were woken up already, then at least we didn’t see any. When sun rose from the other side of the great flat Rift Valley (as Marich is actually located exactly where mountains end and give way to this great wonder of nature), we were already quite high on the hill, offering us one of many amazing views of that climb. Other great view was at the same time to the exact opposite side, to the long zig-zaging mountain gorge through what a morning mist clouds slowly rolled their way down the river. At such moments would you be religious or not, would you be Christian, Pagan or what ever, you come to think that church is certainly unable to oppose what feelings you get on mountains. I’m sure of that. By the way, nearby there towers a Kou mountain that was personated as spirit or god by Pokot people around there just a little time ago. Maybe even these days some more primitive Pokot hold to old beliefs. Kou mountain is magnificent and looking a little like the famous mountain in Rio de Janeiro where is this big stone Christ. It would be extremely wicked place to make true cliff climbing.

The three guys who finally conquered the Kanatol Hill - from left: Justinas Kilpys, Love Wojnakowski and me viewing the wonders of nature.

After our 1/3 marker started actually a long gentle slope, and you know this is hardest part of the rise, that has to be taken with right technique and pace. You always have to think for ahead and hold your spirit up. Walk so that you always feel you have some power reserves. Stop before you are too tired. If needed, take few steps and then stand at least for few seconds. Then, the last 1/3 was the steepest part ending with true cliffs. Steep rise needs careful and sure movements and if you are too tired from the gentle slopes, then take how ever much time to rest before going forward. There you have to be sure about every foothold and handhold. If you are not sure of something, then don’t do that. Where possible, don’t grab grass or branches of bushes – if it breaks, you are gone. In Africa, you also have to check any suspicious places for snakes. Even small hills may be hard for the mind when climbing, but when you are up, there is no better feeling. The entire world belongs to you. Well… almost, as we had reached the top, we found out that there was someone’s hut almost on top. We started wondering if these people of the mountains are so adapted that they may walk down and up again every day. Ok, most of the people live in the valley, but probably these that live up there would say that valley people are not true Pokot. We were said that Pokot used to live so because their warlike nature. There were basically two ways to live. To herd the cattle on the plain by looking over it from some tree on the hill… with your rifle… and when anyone strays into middle of your flock, then bullet to the head, or other option was to raid the nearby peoples like Luhya, other Kalenjin peoples and especially Turkana yourself and escape to mountains to hide. Pokot were said to be extremely good sharpshooters, and usually shoot first and ask later. Some even said that because of targeting, one of their eyes was supposed to be little bit more closed than other. I don’t know, I didn’t notice, but I don’t have very good eye on such things either. It was such a view up there, which is even hard to describe. Mt Mtilo to the north or northwest was under the hat of clouds (by the way, both Mt Kou and Mt Mtilo are way higher than 1 km from valley floor… and elevation there is anyway around two km-s I think, or even higher), but its foothills and other smaller hills in front of it came together as petiole… or damn, I really don’t know how to describe it. Row of hills after another, each next one higher and longer than last. We stayed on top of the hill’s rocky top for half an hour, watching around, thinking in silence, drinking water and eating candies. We also called to Kristi that she would take a camera and big lens from Carlos to see if she can take a photo of us in top of the hill, but when we got down to others again, we found out that Kristi took photos of another hill – what a disappointment.

Church in front and an old God, Mt. Kou in background

When we got down from the hill, I felt extreme tiredness. It felt that soon I just drop from my feet, but as always I could find some extra power. This time our climbing was exactly to the plan – by time usage and water we took along. Maybe big bow to honour the mountain, Love and I did before climbing, helped us too. When we got back, we of course had a late breakfast and shower, but then I was only one of wazungu, who joined Kenyans in the Sunday sermon. It was mostly because I wanted to see how it is in such small and separated village. It was much nicer there than in the church we visited in Eldoret. They singed and danced and played the drums passionately as I hoped I could see in the church in Africa. Yet I didn’t took part of any dance or singing. I was too tired. And despite that and despite that I said to local pastors last day that I’m not Christian, I was well accepted there. Kristi left us and went back to Eldoret along with these church guys, and we went to road to get to the bus to Lodwar. Kate and Sharon finally still decided to complete the journey with us.

Turkana – The people of the sand

As we may have guessed, bus to Lodwar was hours late. We just lied down by the road like locals, waiting. Bus came when it was already dark. Bus ride was quite uncomfortable. Some of us had to stand, but actually in back of the bus it was better than to sit, as road to Lodwar was hell of a bumpy and bus really speeds, and when you sit it all goes through your stomach, or you could hit your knees to the metal parts of the front seat. At least when you stand your legs work as shocks. When already in Pokot land was sandy, then soon we rode through real desert with only some peaky bushes, cactuses and few acacias here and there. Basically it was rain season, but it seemed that these parts haven’t seen much rainfall this year. On our rides in Turkana region we rode through many dried out riverbeds. It is quite weird to see such kind of Kenya after all this time living in the middle of lush nature, fertile farmlands and mighty populated areas. Emptiness and sand hurling winds reigning vast areas. Actually hot air and scorching sun in desert didn’t seem so terrible as the hot humidity at coast, but when you step with bare feet to the sand then you discover how hot it really is. For us it was totally impossible to walk barefooted – sand just burned and I guess you could even make a fried egg on it.

Ejoka, welcome to Turkana (Ejoka means hello, greetings in Turkana language). Ride to Lodwar was long and as we got to the bus as late as around eight, we arrived four o’clock at night. But we had someone to meet us there and help us to find guesthouse. We slept in very simple Moslem guesthouse, as it was very cheap.

First boy is surely Sudanese. On this picture you can also see proof that Turkanas have face as they would be always angry.

In the morning we had time to explore. Lodwar is like a small oasis in the middle of all this desert. Quite big and fairly green town for such a place. There are lots of Sudanese Moslems and of course Turkanas, some very traditional, but at the same time I wouldn't agree that Turkanas are one of the most primitive peoples in Africa, that I read somewhere already before going to Kenya. Women wear lots of neck rings and real traditional Turkana women’s hair is only three or four red braids over otherwise shaved head. If I remember correctly, then even Turkana men were somewhat adorned. Everyone is wearing a stick and it was said that most of the men have secret round shaped blade. Also you can see some guys walking around with a AK-47. Turkanas are not as trusting and social as Pokot or even Sudanese and most of them have faces, as they would be angry all the time. But at the same time Moslems have simply restrictions by their religion... so, no photographing in the Moslem part of the town. But otherwise Moslems were very nice. We even got some Somali music from one Moslem restaurant owner after we had looked in vain for something like that in music selling kiosks.

At this day there was a children’s singing and dancing contest in one local school - Mostly choral songs, but also traditional songs with dances. Additionally to the local choirs, there were also some from Luhya and Kalenjin areas and maybe even from Luos. It was very nice, but even better in this morning was that Kate seemed to act really normally this morning. She let me close to her and I really thought that this vacation is working for us. Also Sharon certainly knew about Kate and me at this point and she seemed to support me.

In the evening we rode to small place called Kalekol or Kolokol near the Lake Turkana. It is unbelievable that Lodwar and Kalekol are connected with good paved road. It is still the desert all around the lake and people largely surviving thanks to fishing, camel herding or trade. We stayed in the house of local pastor. It was two-floored house, without electricity and water we had to buy in big canisters from nearby water trader. But it was really more than fine for us. Big house with many proper rooms and beds only for us, as pastor actually didn’t live there (house only belonged to him), and yet all us guys, decided to sleep on a flat roof, under the best ceiling in the world – night sky with millions of stars shining above. Actually, suddenly in the middle of the night, I think around four or five o’clock, a strong cold wind rises, because of what Dickson escaped inside. He of course had to wake all others just to say that it is fucking cold and he goes down. We Europeans survived well enough, even though wind truly was really strong and cold. At all, it seems that Europeans are better adjusting to different conditions, as Kate and Sharon all the time had headaches because of heat, and they also didn’t like the sand flying around.

Probably starting to build a new hut, or maybe just a firewood.

Today is Love’s bathday... khmm, I mean birthday. For that Kenyans organized a little washing for him with the bowlful of water. In evening we will prepare food ourselves and some drinks. At least I don’t have to eat in any hotel food here anymore. I didn’t like the taste of it much. Ok, chapatis were quite good, but coat meat in Kalekol... no thanks.

-Excerpt from my travel journal, 1. June 2010.

Second day in Kalekol was for me hard. Best part was playing football with local team. Kalekol Rangers was actually best team we have met so far, but as they are located in Turkana, they don’t have much chance to become anything more than that. We also did our activities about gender equality, but as in last days things got worse and worse for me, it wasn’t very easy to take part of these. I even didn’t have mood to celebrate Love’s birthday much.

And yeah, so it finally happened – the break-up day. On a morning of third day Kate gave her final resolute answer that we are not a couple anymore. This day I cried and cried, and I didn’t care what others think. I was so heartbroken, and I just didn’t understand it. I didn’t feel good when we went to swim in the lake. In a way it was even harder, as when I saw how much Kate enjoyed it, it hurt me terribly. I also was struck by the last view of her beauty from what I can’t get part anymore. That perfect body, how can I forget it?

Turkana Lake gangsta.

Luckily after that swim we had to ride back to Lodwar and after few hours with the bust back to home. Because of my mood even desert seemed more lifeless than it ever was. In Lodwar I bought some beer and ordered Dickson to buy miraa (Miraa are some straws that when you chew them... a lot of them, then you get some weaker effect similar to amphetamine. You can’t sleep for some time and you tend to talk little bit more or then vice versa get really enclosed into your own world, and when its effect wears off, you also get same but weaker feelings as when with amph. Miraa is legal in Kenya.). I wanted to loose that terrible sadness. This time we had seats in the front of the bus. I reserved seat next to me for Dickson, but after a while he changed it with Abdullahi, a Somali descended bus conductor. He was really nice guy. He gave me one earphone to listen Somali music from his phone and finally he trusted me his phone altogether... even when he left the bus when we stopped in some places. He also showed me some video clips in his phone, including some porn, that considering circumstances was refreshing. And Abdullahi was at that time more talkative, and quite interesting to talk with. He also offered me Tambo, some sort of lip tobacco that is mixed with spices and gives a really good kick, and bought me a soda. Maybe he saw or heard from someone of us, about my sad day. Anyway, all this was exactly what I needed on this final bus ride. When we got back to Pokot highlands and finally to Eldoret, then I understood how much hotter was Turkana. It felt so damn cold there suddenly, and because of sudden climate change I also got little bit sick for next days. About my things with girls in Kenya, maybe I will write a specific entry, but right now I will say that few days after I just understood that only thing that relieves my bad feeling is when I get another girl. So we started going to clubs with Carlos, and that is how I met my Kisii girl.For conclusion, Pokot and Turkana trip was still great adventure and surely also important experience. When we talk what I guess people expect from Africa, what they believe it to be... at least most of the people, then this is exactly what you will find in Turkana, where usual tourists doesn’t go. Tribals, colourful houses in a row in towns, really primitive huts scattered around the towns in a barren arid lands, lots of sand, acacia trees, straw tuffs, coats, camels, Moslems, people who don’t worry about anything much, motorcycle drivers doing almost proper sand rally, lots of meat for food and of course chapatis, these sticks that tribals use as toothbrush, amazing sunsets and moonlighted nights, lots of stars, etc. Only thing missing from the picture was a drum music and tribal dance. I really loved Pokot and Turkana, but still I was happy to get back to Eldoret. It is great to travel to Pokot to climb, and sometimes just travel around anywhere, but Eldoret is home.

My blog, my rules!

2011-03-06T14:23:00.005+02:00

Please don't post any advertisements or simply unrelated comments. Simply saying that my post is good, doesn't justify the advertising links. There is no need to ask me if I have copyreader or copywriter. All my writings are only written and edited by me. I believe that I'm good enough to write good text and I have also studied advertisment design to promote myself as I see fit. So, this blog is and will remain uncommercialized independent publication. This is not democracy here, it is Juwarra's dictate how things are. If I want to advertise something, then it is for really good reason and principle and certainly not for money or popularity of me or anyone else.
I forgot to moderate comments for few years, and now I found lots of irrelevant comments. But I will look into that more from now on, that all these will be deleted. Yesterday I deleted nearly hundred comments that clearly had nothing to do with my blog. Today there is two hundred more comments in japanese. So, I'm quite pissed off right now. If this doesn't cease, then I may need to make limits to who can comment. This would mean that many real readers under the anonymous flag would suffer. I wouldn't want that, but.. I will tolerate cruel critics towards me, I may even tolerate incontinent swearing, but one thing that I don't tolerate is that some people are blind to the two rules I have wrote in red to the sidebar of my blog.

Juwarra, art and Africa

2011-03-05T23:57:00.005+02:00

Life, art and peace - this was written on a T-shirt of one guy in airplain from Nairobi to London

When I first came to visit my university after return to Estonia, one of my drawing teachers asked if my art will get some African patterns to it now. She asked it because my bachelor degree graduation thesis was on theme of Estonian artists who have visited exotic cultures, asking if and how it changed them. Under exotic cultures I basically considered anything different from Euro-American culture. And although you can say that globalization has taken its toll and that even life and cultures in Africa has lost a lot when compared with our general dreams about exotics. But then again, there is still a lot of originality. This part of the world, if not dancing after its own drum, is still dancing differently than we here. We find a lot that colonialism and globalism has pushed into their culture and living style, but it is still not the same world as this here. It still is exotica.
Anyway yeah, so I asked in my thesis how such travels affect the art of our artists. What ideas and values artist (artist as mostly person open for such new things) may find in that way. So, my teacher wanted to know how I see it now about myself. I said to her that we’ll wait and see. Actually I never talked anything about patterns, although yes, you can understand word patterns in many ways and basically might find patterns everywhere – not only on local garments, but also in nature, as in living rhythm, etc. Two things I can say. First is that now I would probably write much better thesis and second, that my art certainly is/will be different. Maybe even not so much in form and style, but much more in ideology and essence. It has to be, as I feel that I’m different after such mighty experiences.
Yes, I have plans for new art. I have more certain thoughts about what I seek with my art than ever before. And as I plan also to portray something that I have found to be Africa or at least Kenya, I imply that I got something from Kenya that is different from what I felt and knew before.

Generally my art is characterized by love of details, from time to time you may say even that there is so much details that it is hard to grasp it as a one piece. Also, usually it is self-evident and definitive (showing that I clearly don’t carry the ideologies of post modernists). Shapes are concrete, but often distorted from realistic view or simplified – it haven’t been my goal to achieve realism, and then sometimes in contrary I make things weird. I really like to play with colours and shapes. If colours are present, then these are vivid and mostly painted in that way that brushstrokes couldn’t be seen. I have held art noveau, art deco, surrealism (especially pop surrealism) and even sometimes naivism as my ideals. So my intent was to do something clear by colours and shapes but complexed by details or lot of content. My art has also become more and more conceptual. Well, I will never do something that we know as pure conceptual art, but still, idea and even text have great role in my art. This all together has likened my art with decorative artistic posters or comics art. So has also been said to me by others, and I even like this idea. But still, I have never tried to become pure styled decorative painter or wanted to make just comics drawings. I like to mix styles and try new things. I like the medium of paintings, but I also like when it carries the simplicity and joy of comics art. I like big ideas, but don’t want to get my audience too serious.
Yet, lately I have felt that I should make my art, especially paintings, maybe even sculptures more serious. Also it is possible that I will do little bit more realistic things in near future, but again, I won’t go into classical realism. More likely I’m heading for realistic romantism or pop art.

But still, how living in Africa had an effect on what I’m trying to do in art now? Actually I would say that I just got more courage and now more than ever I feel that for doing good art, I need freedom – freedom from everything that people expect from me. Also, I have found even more cause to paint very colourful and vivid pictures and at the same time use text even more as a main part of artwork. I think conditions in Estonia are not good for my creativity. Life and even surroundings are so uniform here. Too much thinking about everything. And too few sensations and movement. Even abundance of flowers just made my mind go wild in Kenya. This world there is crazy and that is exactly what I need for my art. For now I have some inspiration and ideas that I took with me from Kenya, but basically I feel that I simply need to return there. It is just so amazing, what you feel there every day. Africa is the world of feelings, and when you feel a lot, then you never have problem finding will to do something, neither have you problem finding themes for painting, writing, singing, whatever else, if you always do something.
One thing that I must say, is that in Kenya, there is not much to talk about art. Yes, Kenya has probably had greatest artists that have gained fame in Africa, but their art is not very diverse. Moreover, you can not find much on streets and among simple people. Yes, they make some handycraft, most of what is meant to be sold to tourists. But you can’t find that people would decorate their home with something ownmade. You can’t find houses that have such art on the walls as I saw from the photos of my friend who visited Nigeria. Basically I can say that there is no folk art in Kenya. Maybe you can find something noteworthy somewhere, but even then it is highly possible, that it has not been created with even nearly that kind of intent as you would hope. Generally people don’t know anything about art. Children in school are raised in such way that doesn’t support creativity. So, life in kenya is very good for expressivnes and creativity, but they are already from the childhood raised so that they simply don’t have it in them to start doing some art. But then again, when some locals see what you can make, what is possible, something really artistic, then they are so interested and exalted. Even in my stay I met one guy who really wanted to learn about art from me. It would be really great to help people there to become more creative and more self expressing through art in their every day life.

Eldoret

2011-01-16T19:47:00.057+02:00

Beware, here comes the largest post I have ever done. I promised to put up some photos about Eldoret and accompany these with some comments. It was long time ago and since I haven't posted anything in my blog. Basically the delay was because one day I started thinking that as we soon make a real photo exhibition, I shouldn't publish any photos before that. Well, now it is so that in our exhibition there are only about 20 photos per country (Kenya and Nigeria), meaning most of the photos you anyway don't see at the exhibition. Therefore I now finally publish this post about Eldoret.

Most of the text is my own and credit for most of the photos goes also to people from our Wazungu Africani family, but I took also some from Skyscraper City forums posted by guy who calls himself Kisumu Ndogo. His photos though are many years old and much has built in the town centre since, probably also in outlying slums/estates. I also take some information from Wikipedia. I still lack some information and would like if anyone can assist me in places where I ask something, but also if some Kenyans read this blog and find mistakes or old information, then comment and I will update the post.

Eldoret town centre from top of the KVDA plaza

Eldoret is a town in western Kenya and the administrative centre of Uasin Gishu District of Rift Valley Province. Lying south of the Cherangani Hills, the local elevation varies from about 2100 metres above sea level at the airport to more than 2700 metres in nearby areas (7000–9000 feet). The population was 193,830 in 1999 (census), and it is currently the fastest growing town in Kenya, and currently the 5th largest in Kenya. (wiki)

The name "Eldoret" is based on the Maasai word "eldore" meaning "stony river" because the bed of the nearby Sosiani River is very stony. The white settlers decided to call it Eldoret to make it easier for them to pronounce it. At start of the colonial era, the area was occupied by the Nandi, before that by the Maasai and before that the Sirikwa. (wiki) Ok, tell me people, how the hell is eldore harder to say than Eldoret. I have seen that a lot in Kenya that when writing etymology of some names they say that in original tribal language it was so and so, but then came white people and made it easier by changing one or two letters, adding or losing.. really minor change and weird especially as at least for me the original names doesn't seem any way more harder to pronounce. Sometimes I think that locals just wanted to give some reason for the changes colonists made, even though there were none than maybe just hearing it wrong and then writing it up as they believed it to be.

You could basically consider the area before 20th century into prehistoric era, as then really privitive tribes there didn't hold any written records. In 1908, fifty eight families of Africaans-speaking South-African settlers (aka. Dutch -comment by Juwarra) "trekked" to the Uashin Gishu plateau from Nakuru after a journey from South Africa by sea and by rail from Mombasa. They were followed by sixty more families in 1911 and more later. Eldoret was established in the midst of the farms they created.
The official town site of Eldoret itself started in 1910 with a Post Office on what was known to the white settlers as "Farm 64", "64" or "Sisibo" to the locals because, at that time it was 64 miles from the newly built Uganda Railway railhead at Kibigori. Willy van Aardt owned the farm. The Central Lounge in Eldoret is all that remains of Willy's farm.
When the governor decided to establish an administrative centre, the Post Office was renamed from "64" with the official town name as "Eldoret" in 1912. Becoming an administrative centre caused an enormous increase in trade within the prospective city. A bank and several shops were built.
The Uganda Railway extension, from Kibigori toward Uganda, reached Eldoret in 1924, starting a new era of prosperity and growth. In 1928, a piped water supply from the Sosiani River was installed. In 1933, the East African Power and Lighting Company installed an electricity generator plant. By that time, Eldoret had a small airport, and low-rental housing had been constructed.
Daniel arap Moi (Full name Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, arap meaning mister in Kalenjin language; comment by Juwarra), was born in the neighbouring Baringo District, and under his presidency, the town was developed further.
In 1984, Moi University was established by the government, and named after the country's 2nd president Daniel Arap Moi. (First was mzee Jomo Kenyatta where mzee means old man in Swahili, but unlike old man in English, it holds much more respectful and very similar meaning to bwana - mister in Swahili. Third and current is Emilio Mwai Kibaki; comments from Juwarra) (wiki)

Eldoret has become the centre of Kalenjin tribes, but town also holds great number of Kikuyus and Indians, who hold many businesses there. Although Eldoret is recovering from it, most notorious event in the recent history of Eldoret was the 2008 post election violence. Eldoret was hit by it worst, exactly because it holds both Kalenjin and Kikuyu populations who at these elections were the greatest rivals. On January 1, 2008 a mob attacked and set fire to a church in the town, where hundreds of people had taken refuge during Kenyan massacres. As a result, up to 40 people, mostly Kikuyus, were burned to death. Violence spread around the town and even to the outer estates. Many houses were burned and some ruins are still to be seen especially in Eldoret East Constituency. Also mainly because of 2008 violence, Eldoret has greatest number of street children who lost then everything - home, parents, possibility for education and normal future. Many of them sniff glue to forget the horrors they had to see then and horrors they have to live through now. Many of them still would like to be educated and get work, but there's not much opportunity for that. Without any help they deffinately will be lost to the hardships of life and carelessness and unfair treatment of town authorities. Many of these children say that they are suffering even today under the daily beating by bigger streetboy gangs (chokora) or by police. Girls are treated even worse.

Elgon View was the home for us and therefore I present it before the town centre. Actually I don't hold any special feelings for Elgon View. There are some other places in Eldoret where you can find similar or perhaps even better clean, green suburbs. Or even better, my own favourite place is away from town near the airport, where you actually can already see rural life. There would I like to buy the land and build myself a home and guesthouse. Near there are few amazing places, one place more special for me than other.
But Elgon View. It houses richest folk in Eldoret, there are some elite schools of Eldoret (that I fear still wouldn't be good for me to send my children there, unfortunately, as I really don't like the mandatory "christian religious subject" or really propaganda), there is Eldoret Sports Club, Golf Club, home of the bishop, house of the Red Cross, or was it only USAid. And I don't know what else. Pretty boring place, but yes, it is fine living place. Close to the centre, fairly safe, as already said, pretty much clean and green, quiet, and good for sporting youth or playing kids.

Unlike me (as I made a little research) our living accommodations were good surprise for most of our group. It was fine for me too, but just not a surprise for me.

Usual housing in Elgon View, some being more modest, some even greater and richer with many houses in the compound.

But peculiar is that even in Elgon View there are places where by general standards poor people live and/or have set up their small businesses, small "farmfield" or having farm animals. And of course there is some garbage still laying around.

And without protective "mean" walls and personal nightguards and maybe electronical security systems, these rich people wouldn't have security either.

You see on this picture the beautiful garden as much as you can see over the wall, but yes, this high wall with barbed wire..

Plus there is no bus or matatu (mikrobusses) transport from Elgon View, only motorbikes and those dreadful tuk-tuks. And after dark even not these.. so you have to go to danceclubs or pubs with taxi or kwa miguu (by foot).

As I have understood, this crossroad down from the "Indiana House" (have got its name because it accommodates or have accommodated many students from USA, University of Indianapolis.. at least that was what I heared), crossroad that I named as a maize corner, isn't anymore part of Elgon View, but whatever rout you take you still see higher wealth residentials. If you turn to the town centre, then there are lots of residentials for hindu families. The road that takes you away from town, seemed to have even greater manors than Elgon View. I don't know if this name is right, but that is the name I found now in internet - Hospital(s) estate or ward, and yes, as three great hospitals - Moi teaching and referral, Eldoret Hospital and one another hospital that I don't even name anymore as I got the worst experience there, border the area, it seemes also logical.

Eldoret Town Centre is almost completely economical zone with shops, central market for both groceries and clothes and other things, offices, services, banks, many matatustations, busstations (last ones are pretty hard to find for newcomers unless you come with bus), operahouse (I actually don't know if it really have operas or other theatrical plays), hotels, restaurants (that as already said in earlier posts, also often carry the name hotel), pubs, danceclubs, townhall - the place for town and municipal goverment, central policestation that you really should avoid, dairy factory.. and forgive me if I have forgot anything else worth mentioning.

main road/Uganda Road, view from east, approximately from the front of Eldoret Hospital. It is the road that to the east goes to Nairobi and Mombasa and to the west into Uganda, basically connecting East-Africa with Central- and North-Africa. Only way that is said to be in enough good for journying and big cargo transport. Roads to Sudan and Ethiopia through Northern Kenya, as we also saw by ourselves when travelling to Turkana and Marsabit, are desert roads that in some places at the times of rain periode will be unpassable. Also roads in Pokot before Turkana that pass through the mountain valleys, are terribly washed away and very risky for travelling. Then again, Pokot and Turkana are areas worth visiting, whatever the risks. Ok, now but now I wandered off from subject..

Eldoret Hospital at the east end of Eld. Town Centre. Probably best hospital, if things are serious, but there are some private clinics and dentists in town that may be even better. I think, wherever you go, ask for some American or European doctor. One European said that they purposely come to dentist in Eldoret, European dentist, but it is still cheaper than in EU. Just recommending, take care of your health, but then again, if you want to see real Africa, if you want to advanture and live like locals, then probably you will need medical assistance.

On the corner of Uganda Road and Ronald Ngala Street with the view to the last (there are no street names marked for that street anywhere and therefore even locals don't know that name unless their business is registered there - so if you for example take a motorbike ride there, then use some building or business name or simply ask somewhere close. And basically it is first of the streets from east past the Eldoret Hospital). Anyway, this business complex on this photo had quite hard name to remember, but I went there many times.

I think this is the church that was on Uganda road opposite the Eldoret Hospital. Thanks to Kipkosgei I can now say that this is Eldoret Fellowship Church, biggest church in Eldoret. Thanks for information!

KVDA plaza, highest building and highest valued commercial ground in Eldoret.

On Uganda Road, view to the new Nakumatt supermarket that was finished when we were there. Now instead of old Nakumatt, only day and night shopping opportunity in Eldoret. Behind Nakumatt is I think second highest building of Eld, that belonged to some bank. And sorry, I don't remember the pub/eating place that we were visiting, where we took this photo. Didn't seem like best place of the town.. nor the cheapest.

Photographed from the same place as the last one. This is Eldoret Post Office, right next to the new Nakumatt.. to the east I mean.

And next building to the east from Post Office. It has great wallpainting of Ukwala on the end, but I don't know if it ever has held a Ukwala shop or is it just a commercial. Anyway, it seemed one of the few buildings that had appartments in town centre, as most buildings have even third and fourth floors captured by offices and in some cases, by shops or restaurants.

Oginga Odinga Street in front of the old Nakumatt and Equity bank (it is in Western Union chain, but pank itself and ATMs are usually crowded. When I remember the names of better banks, then I edit this).

As you already can read from my drawing, such a view is from KESOFO office on Oginga Odinga right next to old Nakumatt. Over the street Zul Arcade with few cybers where you can check your e-mails and few shops where you can buy computers, computer stuff (DVDs for example) and some other electronics (probably best places too.. seemed trustworthy), but cybers are more or less all the same.. meaning with slow internet. We often prefered Lucky Mouse on next street, but why, about that later. And also over the street ABC (African Banking Corporation) bank. We never went there, so I can't say if it is good or not.

Same view, just a little bit wider. BTW.. Bata that we all know by footware selling shops, means duck in Swahili. So, buy shoes and walk like a duck!

Oginga Odinga street again. Mariann at her blog wrote (and now also I), that it is quite good moment in traffic captured, as usually there is also lots of pedestrians walking or if they really have to, running between the cars. If you haven't been to Eldoret, then try not to plan your rides through the town between four o'clock and six or even maybe seven. Especially Uganda Road is just a big traffic jam. There is no traffic lights in Eld and if jams happen, then policemen don't help much, as every driver tries to fit wherever they can. No Euro-American order of right hand (or as in Kenya traffic is left sided, then no left side order). No any other traffic politeness. And if you really need to get through the town at that time, then take motorbike or even bicycle or just walk.

I just know that I took this photo on Oginga Odinga.. otherwise it is pretty much "whatever" shot of meat transporting car that curiously reminds the ambulance van for some reason. I really didn't mean to ruin anyon's appetite.

Eldoret roofs on Oginga Odinga. View to the corner of Oginga Odinga Street and Uganda Road. Under these roofs was also the small pub where really none of the whites go, but this pub was the first one some brave of us visited in Eldoret. If some of my mates remind me the name, then I will write it here. At first it seems cool kind of crazy place, but after a while not so enjoyable anymore. Anyway, something to remember. As Love said, something like that pub in Star Wars movie - all kinds of creatures there, drunk very obtrusive yet friendly fellas, some who look at you and then just do their own business, some prostitutes or truthfully said ugly mums with their also ugly daughter whom they want to couple with you, some pool players, some cripple who really seem more like an alien, all of them surprised for such guests. But they are not offensive, yes, your wallet may be in danger, but if you guard it well, then not as dangerous as some streets we walked at the dusk time. There was local live band whose music also in some way reminded the music played by the aliens band in Star Wars.

On Oginga Odinga, Mykolas playing guitar after buying it, and streetkids taking all the pleasure from it. There is a small music shop (Well, shop for musical instruments and technology, not music, nothing very good, but enough to buy a guitar to play for yourself) at the lower end of the street

I'm not really sure if this is on Oginga Odinga, but I believe so. Anyway, it is good as any opportunity to write about the places you can find on Oginga Odinga Street. Additionally to old Nakumatt, these few banks, Zul Arcade, there is also dance club/big posh pub called Grill in Safaricom house. Of course there is also the Eldoret Safaricom (possibly best phone service provider, and Zain perhaps best for internet.. but I'm not sure completely) Headquarters with a big shop and service area. But if you want to buy a phone then probably you can get cheaper from small shops. On Oginga Odinga there is also pretty fine hotel - Hotel Klicque (I think this is how it was written) - with good pub if you want highly priced drinks in comfort and high society company. There is also good shop to buy alcohol next to that hotel, some good pharmacies and many quite good eating places (Delicious for example. Don't fear checking out the small eating places, some have good surprises).

View to the north, to KVDA by Oloo street from front of one of Ukwala shops. On this road are danceclubs named Spree and Signature, otherwise quite nice party places, but foreigners, watch your wallets. In both sides of the street there was also place called Black Ball, at least the one next to danceclub was a pretty nice pub where to take a Tusker (really good local beer) and watch a football game from TV. Past the KVDA plaza is Shirikwa Hotell (about that soon), small tourist kiosks and immigration agency or how it was called, I don't remember, anyway place where you have to go if you want to extend your visa.

This picture is also on Oloo street, and if I remember correctly it is in front of another Ukwala. Right over the street crosses Market street, where naturally is the central market, but by that street you also get to the central matatu station. And on Market Street is also Tuskys - basically four floored shop/supermarket, but about that later.

View from the front of KVDA to the crossroad of Oloo Street and Uganda Road. Pretty much on that crossroad with the facing to the Uganda Road, is Will's Pub. Big place with nicer restaurant room, where I think also live band plays sometimes, smaller backroom as mainly pub for drinkers, outer inner yard and open to the yard, but with roof, a place where to play pool. On this crossroad is also Eldoret Police Headquarters.

North from KVDA is big, white Shirikwa Hotell, that is often visited even by some wealthier locals to relax, have a swimm in the pool or take a really good quality lunch for example. It is nice place. Don't know how are the rooms or their prices. Over the street to the north from Shirikwa, is really cool oldschool partyplace called Wagonwheel.

Shirikwa swimmingpool. I think for those who don't stay in hotel was only hundred shillings to swimm there, but I may also be mistaken here.

Between the Oginga Odinga Street and Oloo Street is Kenyatta Street, where on lower end are Transmatt shop, one pretty good shop where you can buy school stuff or paper to draw or office materials. Then there is cyber named Lucky Mouse that wasn't with signifficantly faster internet connection or better computers or cheaper prices (perhaps only little bit better computers), but there was possible to use headset and I think also webcam. Possible was also to be behind a computer in a private room. And little secret, there is also backroom with small sound studio for beginner DJ's. Pretty nice, eeh? Upper part of the street has few banks, one most used by us. There was also one partyplace, quite hidden one where we went for one reggae party, but it didn't seem like very popular place. But anyway name was Woodhouse I think. It simply was only place where we knew a reggae party was held. At the upper end of Kenyatta Street, over the Uganda Road is Town Hall.

Extension from Kenyatta Street over the Nandi Road to the riverside held a little industrial zone (probably as it is comfortable to dump to the river). Only industry worth mentioning is Dairy Factory where you can buy cheap cheese and icecream. It is right beside the river. How things are organized is pretty weird and actually there's really no good cheese in whole Eldoret, maybe even whole Kenya. Same way, although there are bakeries, you can't find real good cakes and although some imported sweets are fine, you still probably don't find your favourites. Most sweets are imported from Egypt, some Arabic country or India. And possible is to find Polish chocolate. But Kenyans have some fancy for yoghurts and sometimes even cocoa.

Ahh yes, when you walk around the streets of Eldoret, then in many places you see some guy with scale in front of them and clinging coins in the hand. Everywhere you may measure your weight for only few coins. But why? In the Dairy Factory there is really big scale (on what Kristi and Mykolas are standing on this photo) and men there are friendly and happy to tell how many kilos you have gained by eating ugali so often.

Nandi Road, parallel to Uganda Road. This is the east end. East from that point is Anglican Church and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and further east the entrance to the Eldoret Club and finally Nandi Road runs into Uganda Road. On the Corner of these two, there is little animal park, childrens playground and place where you can see traditional homesteads of many tribes in Kenya - Place is known as Poaplace (Poa means something like cool or nice.. so cool place/nice place)

But west from this place on Nandi road.. well, is the whole town.. Kittmatt Centre, Nandi Park (a small triangle of greenery where lots of locals lay down for a little rest.. well, me too), behind some kiosks a local buss stop, etc.

By the way, Nandi is one of the tribes of Kalenjin. Could be said that the main one, as once Kalenjin Language was called as Nandi Languages, but at some point was formed Kalenjin tribal union and also language was reformed and renamed as Kalenjin.

View to east by Nandi Road. Back there you see Anglikan Church and if you aren't completely blind then you see where's Kitmatt Centre, where you can buy some household goods, but I actually would recommend Tuskys on Market Street or new Nakumatt.

Anglican church on Nandi Road. Church probably has also proper name, but maybe not.. anyway, I don't know it. That church we even visited once, as our house aid Caroline wanted us to come at least once.

On market street (or actually I'm little bit questioning which one of two parallels is Market Street. Actually by looking the map, it seems that the one where's Tuskys may be Sosiani Street. Anyway, market is taking part of both streets) there is pretty good shop/supermarket to buy anything from razors to furniture, from bicycles to home technology, even food.. everything except what you simply can't get anywhere and that you at some point kind of miss badly from your home country's supermarkets.

This is the Grand Vedgie Section of Central Market. There, if you find a friendly lady and promise to buy all your vedgies always from her, then you may get really good prices or quantities.

And this is the section for clothing and acessories. Most clothing here is absolutely terrible, better look at the shops and Westmarket.

To the west from Central Market, is Muliro Street (I think, but it doesn't matter as this is again the street unknown by name even to the locals. This street is absolutely creepy and together with Market Street, Sosiani Street and other streets around there, they form the worst part in Eldoret. It is quite possible to get robbed there if you move around there too much and with too few friends or completely alone. And absolutely never go there after half past six.. or if you come to town after dark with matatu or bus that stops in this area, then move straight to Uganda road - it is probably safest way to home or hotel. Or if you have lots of cash or stuff then take taxi. Even locals get frequently robbed there. It is chokora area.

Cave hidden with the entrance from Dhanna Road. Cave was one interesting place in Eldoret. There was very small eating place built in old hairsaloon (Extremely cheap food. All around was row of mirrors and same way under the mirrors was long circle of tables fixed to the wall. So you sit...... facing the wall and watching your own face instead regular cafe where you see your friends over the table), there was a little pub with pool table that wasn't exactly standing straight (place where we learned new interesting game - Killer), and there was also fundi (tailor) workshop with women always watching us, white guys, when we went to play pool and take a beer there.

New house rising on the Ronald Ngala Street.

View from street that doesn't have name even on the map to the houses on Ronald Ngala Street. In this house with little red, is restaurant named Silver Power. There's really good food. On the Ronald Ngala Street there was also restaurant named Storm or was there some word before Storm also.. can't remember anymore.

Between the main streets, there are small and even smaller nameless ways. At first these seemed too creepy to explore, but afterwards we found many good eatingplaces, many kiosks where you can buy cheap leatherjacket or shoes that tend to get broken at the rain season or some music, etc. On one of such alleyways, was also Magna, eating place many of us visited probably most, as sometimes it happened that we were offered extra chapati or chai, and it basically just had good feeling there.

When you look the town from some higher building, you see as some houses would be completely surrounded. How do people get to these, but actually these smallest ways are hidden under the roofs. Narrowest pass I saw and went through, was really such, that two people just wouldn't fit past eachother and some bigger guy wouldn't fit through either. But people used such passes.

Eldoret South

Kisumu Road that leads the town centre to the south, got a new pavement. At least the beginning of it. And it really needed that. It is very important road and yet was in a terrible condition. By that road you can get to Eldoret Polytechnic, Eldoret Sports Club, Eldoret Showground, Eldoret Airport, to Elgon View, to Kipkaren and Langas and of course to Kisumu City.

Sosiani river that you cross when going south from town centre, is nowdays extremely terribly littered and yet in places little bit away from town, little boys swimm in that river, women take water to do laundry and probably also wash the dishes, I only hope that nobody drinks that dirty water.

I don't know how this low wealth area south from town centre and Sosiani River, but before lower Elgon View is called.

Washing cloths in dirty water.

Yes, slumms ain't pretty, but people there may be very nice, and people really is what counts.

Baraka Shop in Kipkaren. Many probably know word Baraka as title for a movie. I don't know if they gave the name to movie from Swahili word, but anyway, in Swahili baraka means blessing.

Main road through Kipkaren.

Some rural homesteads at Kipkaren estate.

One of the classhouses in Kipkaren Primary School.

Principal's office in Kipkaren Primary.

Showground - Eldoret greeted president Kibaki on agricultural fair. I saw some fantastic tribal dances and it was rare opportunity to see old native clothing for ceremonial dances.

Eldoret West

Eldoret town ends in the west with Westmarket area and Stadium 64 that got name after the old Farm 64. Eldoret's western area also seemed to hold many moslem and hindu properties - shops, temples, who knows what more. But driving ahead to the west by Uganda Road, soon slum areas start at the side of the road. First Mwanzo (meaning beginning in Swahili) at the right side and then Huruma at the left. Betwwen them are big plywood industry "Raiply" and Huruma football field. Both, but especially Huruma, are the dirtiest slums in Eldoret and Huruma has also quite bad reputation for being dangerous place.

Wall painting we did in co-op with a local "Youth Art Research Centre". They are group that tries to resolve the youth unemployment problem through arts and environmental activities.

Pipeline Company. Oil pipelines come from Uganda to Eldoret.

Eldoret East

Actually, road to most of the Eldoret East Constituency's estates leaves the town pretty much straight to the north, but it turns soon. The road is called Sergoit Road. After crossing the railway, there's Kipchoge Stadium one of two main places for Eldoret's sport events (other is Eldoret Sports Club aka. Pioneer Club to the south). Very often you may see people drying their maize in front of it. Behind the Stadium, goes a small road to the right that leads to Eldoret Prison. But Sergoit Road goes still to the north, but after a little, there is small airstrip and piloting school, and there road finally takes a hard turn to east and eastern estates start.

Kapsoya was a estate with many faces. There is area with middle to high wealth residentials, there is also pretty clean slum area where some Sudanese people live and greater Kapsoya slum area that is like any slum. And in some places there are also some households exactly like in rural areas.

Jesus Power and Glory Church in Kapsoya.

Sudanese residentials in Kapsoya.

School children having physical education at Kapsoya.

Basically this place was called Jerusalem.. I think, but into what estate it belongs, I don't know.

Again, I don't know what estate this is. At the background over this field is Kapsoya and to the left would be Munyaka.

Scars of year 2008. But if you think about if it is safe to go for a vacation to Kenya, then don't worry, people now try to avoid old mistakes. Also, if you look my pictures of Eldoret and think that this place is not worth as vacation destination, then it ain't so. First of all, Eldoret town is not the prettiest place, beautiful destinations are coast with Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu, and of course Kenyan nature is just a wonder. But even Eldoret has it's own place. First of all, in Eldoret or also Nakuru, you can see some real African life and one of these towns can be very cheap centre for amazing trips around.

Businesses - manufacturing rooms are so small that completed products are outside. Works like a display case.

Munyaka Environmental Group organized a cleanup and donkey-powered garbage truck to take the trash away.

At the Junction.. I painted quickly a sign for my friend's just opened hairsalon. When I go back I will paint also a painting showing a nice hairstyle for her, if she still has her hairsalon open then.

Maize selling woman at Junction. Junction, as name already sais, is place where road divides in two - continuing to drive eastwards you get to the Ainaptich after what comes one more slum area, but I don't remember the name, and if you want to go to Iten, Kabarnet or Baringo Lake, or see one of the best views of the Rift Valley at Kerio Valley viewpoint, this is the road to choose; but continuing north from Junction you get to Chepkoilel and Moi University.

I think this is not actually in Ainaptich, but it is close.

I really don't remember anymore, where this photo was taken, but I quess it was somewhere in Eldoret East.

Problems of Africa

2010-12-29T14:30:00.004+02:00

I wrote about how I found the paradises in Kenya, but for the sake of balance I should also write about what scares white people from staying in this paradise, the things that make it backwards third world country. I'm pretty sure that at least most of it applies to entire Africa. Oh yeah, and I want to say, that I understand why some people doesn't understand my wish to go to live there, but I also want to explain how little this bad side disturbs me. When you go to Africa, you find lots of things that are different, annoying, dangerous and weird. Same time you are also most exited of everything beautiful and exotic. But then, after a little you get used to things.. kind of. This is the moment of truth, you either fall in love with this world and life there or you understand that your home is much better. I just fell into the first category. I can even pretty much say that I'm disappointed of how things are in my home country and I'm disappointed of the great western civilization. It is too cold, too calculated, organized.. and in my oppinion also unstable. Ok, you can ask me after reading this chapter about how I find more stability in Africa, but what I can already say, is that I will be more happy there.
But yes, I admit that Africa has its own set of problems. And actually we went there to do some voluntary work and change something. We were invited by them, that alone shows that even locals understand that everything isn't exactly the best. We also asked, why to call white people, why not to do it by themselves, because if they understand the problem, then it shouldn't be too hard to fix it. We got answer that if local would call people up to do something, they usually don't come, but whites are always great role models to follow. Probably also funds that they get together with our arrival, play important role. Certainly everyone understands that we can't change much.. we could plant some ideas, change maybe some individuals, but what happens when we leave. It is possible that instead of spreading like a chainreaction, these ideas are more like a campfire. They burn for a little more time, but then lose gradually the power until nothing much is left. So basically first problem is the attitude of the locals. They don't believe into themselves enough. Yet, even if they have the will and belief, then for them it is often much harder to start. Often they don't have corresponding infrastructure to make the change work. No one listens them, no one takes them seriously and no one gives them needed money. Municipalities don't have enough money to give to anyone who goes and tells that he wants to start a great program. Yeah, they often don't trust locals either. If there is white people with locals, then municipality seems to be more certain that the funding goes where it is supposed to. Why money can vanish in the hands of the locals - quick answer is corruption and all kinds of shady movements of that money. They don't have so much bureucracy like we. They don't have to hold the proper accounting, etc. So it is easy just to lose the money. Also, locals often don't have clear plans in their heads. They have some idea, but when they start implementing it, then it is quite probable that they use more resources than needed.
Yes, locals have good ideas and intentions, but so often it gets damn messy in just a little time. Good, critically thought out, detailed and practical plans from what maximum gain would rise, are so hard to find. And even if you think that ok, now we got some kind of plan that may work, then for some reason everyone seem to simply forget about it. Everything goes into zero again and then they start protecting themselves, why they didn't implement that plan. "Plans can be made by man and plans can be unmade by man" (Wesley Chirchir). So it is.. plans are made and made again.. and again.. and again, and real action starts to seem like a unreachable dream.
Our project didn’t get its start for a long time, only “environmental leaders” Josiah and Justinas were so much activists that they simply took everything into their hands. They made plans, went to municipal council to get their approval and some things like garbage trucks for cleanups, they discussed with Green Eldoret Initiative and got them interested too, and real action took place. Still, how useful was that - this is arguable. Truth is, what we together with some local kids cleaned up, as much or even more garbage had soon replaced that. And I saw from the start the need to raise the awareness of the people not just make some cleanup days. Problem is, population is greatly forced into this situation. Even if we could tell people how much pollution, how great hazard for the health of people and animals garbage creates, both when burned or when just thrown into the piles at some street side, then what, they actually don't have any other good options. They have nowhere to put all this garbage. We were told that in the past municipality organized garbage trucks to pick up the garbage from outer districts, but people there is so poor that they simply couldn’t pay for that service. So they cancelled it. Only town centre has bins and garbage trucks making circles. We could tell people how not to create so much pollution. They shouldn’t take plastic bags from shops and markets, they should re-use whatever they could. But yeah, we had really little opportunity to reach to these people. We had chances to teach some children, but how much will they use that knowledge in actual life. Also I think it would be in vain to talk with chiefs of the localities or with people in town hall. They surely say: “Yes, that is very big problem, I think we come up with some plan,” but actually this is where it ends. Surely they know about the problems, but they don't care enough. They have low budget, other problems, and of course.. corruption.
Similar situations are with education, human rights, gender equality, public health, poverty, tolerance, traffic and accidents and I don’t know what else. In this country there are the lucky ones who can have a really happy life, but in slums surrounding the cities and towns where is most of the population living, people are left alone with all these prroblems. Ok, some problems are not the business of authorities, but some problems critically need someone’s attention and assistance. Maybe this large mass of population should put some more pressure on officials, but surely in some cases they should also think if Jesus really sets their life as it is and has to be, or perhaps they could do something also by themselves and create a change. Ok, there are great problems in this country and surely you wouldn’t want to fall under the great hand of corruption, but still, I would say that when compared with all the good you can get there, it is worth everything. And you can always protect yourself from these problems. For example I plan to build my home and guesthouse as independent as possible – just a little bit away from town I hope, with wind generator or solar panels, maybe also have my own water pump, so far the problem with such location would be the lack of sewer system what I certainly need. I plan to find myself European or American doctor who can give good professional help. I already know many things about crime and how to avoid it and surely will learn more about it. I have many friends and some people who can assist me with different problems I can have in the beginning. Maybe in future I can even help some unlucky locals myself by teaching them art and some other things, or by offering employment. One thing I say, when you go to Kenya, don’t give money to street kids. They probably only use it to buy glue to breath. If you really want to help these kids, then buy them some food or something else useful, or donate to some official aid organization.

Some photos of reality in Kenyan town in the next post. Town centre, slums, schools, street kids, everything that can be shown on photos. Ok, you simply will see visually how it is, but still, reality is more.. it is how people socialize, their thoughts, culture, it is the smell, sound, feelings. Therefore I think that maybe I will write few comments between the photos in the next post too.

DJ is a Lion.. Lion of Zion

2010-12-22T14:40:00.007+02:00

Ok.. I promised to write about party. Actually there were two, as next day after Maailmamustrid, was the 30th birthday of my old friend. I must say that first time I have felt completely fine in Tartu. That even though it is fucking cold here. But like I wrote in facebook when advertising the party, we will heat up the place.

So yes, now I have finally performed as an professional DJ. It was really good and I should have had that courage already earlier. I got lots of experience. Certainly, first set was not very good, but every next one was better. People seemed to like. Although I with two other DJ's were playing in downstairs smaller room, when main party hall was in second floor, then Martin, my friend who is resident DJ there, said that sometimes down there seemed to be even better party feeling. Well, our room was smaller, so it felt sometimes full. Yes, I wouldn't complain, it was really great.

As vanity is my favourite sin, I have to say that hopefully I got little bit more fame now. Well, as an attention freak I certainly got a needed dose again. BTW, it is interesting how DJ profession has an effect on social life. Like Kudrun said, DJ is for everyone, everyone feels some connection with the performer. Like with famous actors, everyone wants to get to know the DJ. When some random guy goes to talk with a hot girl having good time in the party or with some group of people who already know eachother, then it is quite likely that they think: "what this guy wants", but as a DJ I can go to talk with anyone and get accepted. Some girls really seemed interested of getting to know me personally, it was seen from their eyes, smiles and actions, and in these two parties I think two, certainly one showed her interest of me. I too liked that last girl, she is so pretty and seems cool. I didn't do anything stupid.. at least not yet. But it was first time when I needed to put all my strength together to resist. I shouldn't do that to my gyal.. even though she is so far. Or.. I don't know, three years is a long time to wait and she doesn't have to know everything. I really love her, but still, I would like some closeness with girls until I get back to Kenya. Ah, better not to think about that right now. If I don't think, then I don't have to think twice. Well, now is this point where all my readers can comment and advise what should I do, what would be healthier. Then again, I think everything goes just as it goes.. either I have righteousness in my mind or desire.. and my mind fights between these two.

Ok, back to parties. I think I and Ma'Irie, one another DJ with whom I played together, made a good team. I really would like to play with her again in the future. We were about same good at the profession and our music selection fit really well together. Other DJ was little bit different and well, not so experienced, as he really put together music from side to side with really different speeds. But even he got people to dancefloor, so why not, it also gives more experience to him. I'm not perfect yet either. For example I still can't mix really into the rhythm like Dave does. Or well sometimes, when I really know the music and with little bit of luck, I can do it, and actually I have few times done it. Anyway, when so far just practicing or in these private parties, I have felt a little bit insecure and felt that things are bit over my head as I might forget things and track ends too quickly and hundred other things worrying me, then at this party I really felt good. I didn't worry at all. I went with the flow and that was what made that party good (exactly like Simmo said).

Also other party rocked. Yeah, it was rock party.. but this also means that it was very different from the Maailmamustrid. And true, at first it was harder for me to get myself going and connect with others. I'm not so much of a rock guy as I was. Of course this virus is still somewhere in me and I know how to enjoy harder music, but somehow especially after Africa, I have found that reggae and other exotic music makes people more natural, and I like it. I like myself more in that kind of mood and also all the people, they are just like a one living organism to whom DJ pumps music as blood. So I felt in Maailmamustrid, it was almost like going back to Africa for these few hours. I wonder if people from parties like Maailmamustrid; do their personality choose their musical interest, or does the music they listen create their personality. They really are more free than most Estonians. Ok, still I see some reservations in all Estonians, for some reason people are holding guard over how freely they move/dance/interact, and they tend to hold some personal space or mingle among the group, but hold some distance with others. Even when people get drunk and they start talking with you and basically let you into their group, it rarely happens that next morning you can call to them, or they call you. This is what happens so easily in Africa. Ok, even Kenyans are not absolutely open to socialize with anyone, but it still happens much easier there. In parties you really can find friends over night. Hell, you can find friends everywhere, just visiting post office or shop.. or even on the street. Africa really is hot and ice melts quickly there. This is why people who stay in Africa are changed. They find what humanity really should be, what meaning the brother and friend may have. At least for me it was so.

Also I wanted to say that I tagged this post also as work, because performing as a DJ was in one side work. I got paid, not much, but still. From the other hand, this is best profession. When playing music and seeing people to have fun, it just gives me such a power. Money at this point doesn't even matter.

Patterns of the World

2010-12-13T03:06:00.003+02:00

These are posters/commercials for Maailmamustrid (Patterns of the World) party where I perform as DJ this time. As you can see I felt a little need to edit the original. About the party itself I will write after it has been. Well ok, to people who are in Estonia, but don't understand Estonian, party is at Genialistide club @ Tartu city on 17.december. It costs only 50 EEK/about 3,30 EUR and starts at 22.00. It will be a helluva irie time.

Little secret paradises

2010-12-03T20:44:00.003+02:00

My mum wrote to my aunt in USA and also mentioned that I have determined to go back to Kenya. Aunt responded to that quite unexpectedly. She has visited Kenya once some time ago, I don’t know when. Well, it seems our experiences are very different. I don’t know exactly about her travel, but one is sure she doesn’t think that Kenya is a good place to live. First of all, I go because Kenya right now offers me life I can’t have in Estonia, but I also believe that my half year stay showed me more than she saw and understood in her travels. Thing is, Kenya isn’t only big cities where people see white people mostly as money source. Kenya isn’t only dirty streets with crime and it isn't half-desert-like nature, it is much more. Actually there are countless little hidden paradises where tourists never go. Even most of the locals don’t wander to these places even if these are only few km-s away from towns or major roads. Even better held secrets are away from these populated places. Kenya is a true wonder if you only know where to look and when you have time to find real friends among locals.
Yes, first thing is to live among ordinary people and to get used with the urban environment. Or you go to live in some rural area and there it is even easier to find the true Kenya. You got to learn local commons and reality. But I prefer getting to know some trustworthy people from towns/cities first. Then you can let yourself free. Your local friends give you good insight into everything – best places to visit, real prices, places to avoid, they help and protect you every way, and of course they show you these marvellous hidden secrets of Kenya. Such good friends like I found, never expected anything from white people. They want your friendship.
You already know that I had many girls in Kenya. Justas at the same time said that he would never trust the Kenyan girl. He said that only thing Kenyan girl wants from white guy is either his money or way to EU or USA. Now imagine that there are millions of girls in Kenya – can they really be all the same. Of course there are such oportunistic girls and maybe, just maybe Kate was such. But there are surely also girls who really can unconditionally fall in love with white guy. Same way there are lots of locals who just like you and with whom you can really be friends (again unconditionally).
Already such a friendship is a treasure, as if you have got through to the peoples real being, then hearts of Kenyans are even better than they looked at first when you saw the general hospitality. Until I met my Kisii girl, I can actually say that I felt like a tourist, but she really integrated me into the real Kenya. Being only white guy among her friends circle, I felt like I would have always been their friend. And also other locals, I really felt first time that colour of the skin doesn’t matter. Everyone were acting towards me as to other locals. Local girl in your hands, dreadhead and a little knowledge of local languages, that was basically everything that diferentiated me from the white guy who was yelled wazungu, come buy this shit, really good price. Or maybe this four months, all the experience with previous girl and other closer people that had already passed, had changed me. I can’t say it, and Sarah said that I’m still European, but still people acted differently towards me. For this time there was no street children asking me money. At this time I could even walk around alone in dark time and in such places I never could have gone in first month. Perhaps not absolutely safely, but mostly people even didn’t turn their heads to look much anymore. Mzungu Africani (white in Africa) had more or less turned into Mzungu wa Africa (local white).
But this chapter actually was intended to be about the well hidden treasures of the Kenyan culture and nature. With true local friends come also privileges to see these. In right time they not only invite you to their home for lunch and meet their family, you get the full package. Their friends are your friends and their family is your family. Their country is your country. And for example when Betty (one of these very special friends of all of us) first time took our entire group to her home and also to one secret waterfall, then later I alone could go to meet her other relatives, grandma and feel really like a part of the family. She also took me to one another waterfall (tripple waterfall actually) that is for me now absolutely one of the most special places I have ever been. Such a wonder. And also with Caroline (our house aid) we also went to her rural home. You know, in rural areas you see the real worth of this country. When also towns and cities and more traveled places have their worth, then rural areas with amazing nature and best people ever, are priceless.
But even without local help, you may find similar places. Don’t think that National Parks are only places you can see something. Yes, maybe you don’t see all the animals, but most of the best views, most of the amazing nature is outside of the parks and away from tourist routes and major populations. Hills in Pokotland, Northern Great Rift Valley, Deserts in Turkana, Eastern and North-Eastern, even Lodwar town in the middle of nowhere, some little pieces of rainforest here and there. One of these although really small area of almost untouched nature was in many ways better than Kakamega Rainforest National Reserve. Well, in Kakamega, we got some glimpse of real depth of rainforest, how you could get lost, The amazing look how the light comes through the thick cover of trees to the even thicker undergrowth. Everything filled with sounds of monkies and birds and colourful butterflies. But then again, at this other place, we climbed the amazing cliffs in look for yet another waterfalls and got the bonus of really similar forest to Kakamega only even more untouched. No one tells you that when you go offroad, when you go to hike to places that are away from everyday life and often in hard to reach locations, you can get to the fantasyland. The amazing play of colours and forms, the moss like plantlife on the ground where no one ever had stepped, if not by monkies or other animals. Already in Kakamega I could forget sometimes that only about ten km-s away there are roads leading to crappy towns, then this place was like another planet. It was real past - many centuries ago.Another place about what I always write (and about what I write more when I get to the Turkana story), place that I remember forever and where I surely want to go again was in Pokot. Why should I ever read Tolkien, why should I ever watch fantasy movies when there are such places in the world. In such places you really start to believe into all kinds of mystical stuff. And when you get back from there to civilization, you have no words, you only want to get back. Such are the little secret paradises of the world.

Ah yeah.. I almost forgot, I probably do some illustration for this chapter, but it takes time.

Mchawi & Mrogi

2010-10-31T19:25:00.003+02:00

I don't remember if I already wrote, but we met with few Estonians who were in Nigeria. It seemed that in Nigeria traditional beliefs and superstitions have much greater role than in Kenya. In Nigeria these beliefs seem to exist side by side with christianity and islam or even in some way rule over these. In Kenya this would be impossible. Yet, Kenya has little taste of this. They don't believe into witchcraft so much as Nigerians, but there are some stories. Today I will write about Mchawi and Mrogi. I remember only little.. probably I know only little of all the stories about them. I just give some insight of whom they are. Mchawi and Mrogi are basically mytholgical characters in Kenya.. people with certain supernatural abilities and as I understood, also need to do bad for others.

MCHAWI - a nightrunner. When we were told about nightrunners I thought at first that they are talking about something like vampires. But no, nightrunner is kind of like gremlin or some special kind of witch. They seem like normal humans, walk around like normal humans, but actually are not that. First off they have some magical abilities like going through locked gates or being invisible (There was something that their woman had to do at home for them to be invisible though). They could do other illusions too. They run around naked in the night and go to houses of other people or just to their yards and do shenanigans and troubles to these people. When I asked why they do this, I was said that because if not then they would die.

MROGI - is yet another witch. In Africa they have lots of different witches. Mrogi isn't the good kind who may heal you with herbs or ceremonies. He or she doesn't create spells to give you and your loved ones good luck. It is completely other way around. They have "bad eyes" (macho mbaya) aka. they can hex you basically just looking into your eyes. When you look into Mrogi's eyes, you get sick without any hope for recovery without doing exactly the right kind of rituals - very simply, rubbing the stomach with the fat until there comes sugar, salt and hair through the skin. But I understood, that it is still done by traditional healer.. so ritual. And again, also Mrogi has to do that to stay alive.

When I thought at first that nightrunners are kind of African version of vampires, then I actually asked if they have any stories or beliefs about vampires. At first they didn't understand, but when I explained that people who also move around at night, but to drink a blood of other people, then I was told that isn't completely story anymore (or who knows, maybe there really are some witches who know things that to others seem supernatural. Anyway, everything concerning vampirism in Kenya is bound with some cults there that at least by christians are believed to be Satanic cults. Although drinking blood of the coat is quite normal by traditional view of many people there and often blood is mixed into sour milk (I too drunk coat blood there once), but these cults were supposed to be real and big, and they were supposed to make sacrifices and also drink the blood of humans. It was said that many of country's elite are in such cults.. they do ceremonies that were supposed to have brought them power and money, but turned them mean and/or selfish. They only hold each other. Well, this belief is probably mixed with lots of myths, but I imagine that there may also be some truth in it.. some cults or groups that help eachother to gain power over the lives and happiness of other people with such methods that are not exactly normal.. why not?

Thoughts from the Moon

2010-10-30T19:10:00.004+03:00

Another, short post today. So, today was the day when my Kisii girl or actually my ex-Kisii-girl wrote me again. I must say that I really hoped that happens. Many times I wanted to write to her, but thinking that if her wounds have not yet healed then my mail could hurt her again, made me wait. It had to be her who writes, and maybe if she wouldn't have wrote, I wouldn't have either. She asked how is winter, has it been harsh on me? Winter? Well, we had one or two days of snow here and now it is again raining every day. But yes it is cold and dark. I wrote that I feel like on the moon. Like one Luhya guy, with whom Helen was for some time, said: "I never would like to live in Europe again - it is cold, dark and lonely place". He studied in England once. I agree with his saying. Even though I'm surrounded with people, even though I have electricity and heating and all other modern comforts, I don't feel good - I feel that I'm in cold, dark and lonely place. And connection with Earth from here (Moon) is not especially good. I really miss Africa. I did even Ugali today. It came out pretty good, although not so thick as ones in Kenya, but at least I can say that I haven't had stomach so full since coming back to Estonia. Mom also made good meat stew where I added some paprika. Absolutely right match for Ugali. That was today.

cosmonaut705, over.

Luhya

2010-10-30T17:54:00.003+03:00

Here I say before anything else, that I again don't know much about Luhyas and probably my friend Janika (who is in Kenya among Luhya people already second time), who here in blogspot is represented under the name smily6, could tell much more. But anyway, I still met few Luhyas and some of them I consider as friends. About Luhyas I really admire their energy and crazy personality (about what I'll write soon), but I didn't like how Luhya women when in party, seemed bit slutty, because when they are dancing then everything you see is their ass.

I couldn't get much about Luhyas from Caroline either. At first, only thing she said when I asked about them, was that she don't like Luhyas much. Well, finally I squeezed few words out of her, but most of that is again very generalizing (but hey, as I have already started to generalizing then let's get more into it) or relative from the mind of the viewer. Anyway, also Caroline said that Luhyas are bit or bit more than bit crazy. But they really are. So often they make you feel like you would be some conservative and well behaving oldman. But it is not bad.. I mean their craziness. It makes them interesting. And sometimes it even makes us to loosen ourselves a little. And like I said it is anyway a wild generalization.

Caro also again said that Luhyas are supposed to be good witches and do that witchcraft and traditional belief thing more often than others. I don't know.. actually they seemed pretty modern to me, not stuck in the past times, but yes, maybe they are not so fanatical about christianity in the true Luhya lands. And yet most of them are christians not pagan witches.

What I think about them. They really seemed to have good view of themselves (big ego), but it is actually a good trait. Moreover, their energy mixed with this egocentrism and amazingly high self-esteem, makes them most positive people in Kenya (I think) and simply seems sometimes funny, not like the personality of Kikuyu's that surely annoyed me many times. Luhyas are good at socializing (when you can say it generally about most of the people in Kenya, then Luhyas take it to yet higher level). I would suggest that when you live in Kenya for some time, then you surely have to get at least one friend among Luhyas. Or when already friend, why not a lover. You know, Luhyas seem quite openminded.

I try to explain. It happened on our trip to Turkana when we stopped in Marich, Pokotland for three days. As our trip to Turkana was somewhat organized by church officials, then we traveled with some church guys and in Marich we stayed in the church guesthouse. But this is already theme for another time. There was also one Luhya woman (Rachel) traveling with us from Kitale to Marich. I think she was teacher in some school and sister to one of these church guys. She was extremely energetic and cheerful.. like them all. Also, when she spoke then everything suggested to some inner strength.

But actually I have to start from things not concerning her. It was first evening; these church guys and some Kenyan girls sat outside, talking. I joined them and somehow talk went to us, whiteguys and black girls. At one point, one of these church guys said that I should choose myself one Kenyan girl and little bit later they suggested me Kate. They didn't know anything about me and Kate and because our thing was almost at the endline, I didn't say anything. Ok, this was one day. Next day we sat outside, these church guys, I and maybe some other white guys too.. but only men.. no I think it was only black guys and me. But Rachel was close and her brother called her to us. He said that Rachel wants a white man and basically then he offered her to me. It was halfway joking, yet Rachel seemed really to want a white guy and seemed to take most of this talking more or less seriously. Well, her brother also said that of course before making my mind If I want I could even try her out and it really seemed that if I would have said ok, then also Rachel would have been ok with it. But I rejected, saying pretty clearly that I liked last evening's offer more and then suggested Justas as he has free heart and he is taller than me (because Rachel was quite tall.. taller than me.. and actually growth of the woman does matter.. at least for me). Then they of course called Justas and started negotiating with Justas. Justas although could have even got her phone number, took it also absolutely as a joke. Poor Rachel! I would actually say that she would have been good deal - beautiful, intelligent, strong personality, was supposed to cook well, funny, optimistic, and bit crazy.. like a true Luhya character.

I don't remember if this was after that or before, but anyway I also came to know about some cultural features and even something about sexual commons of Luhyas. I don't know how much is there a truth, but at least Luhyas were supposed to do or like to do some things that mostly are taboos for other Kenyan peoples (and certainly taboos to the people away from big cities.. Luhya land's greatest town is Kitale and although little bit bigger than Eldoret, it is still pretty small town where should be more or less "back in days" beliefs and commons). But, for example, Luhya women were supposed to like fingering. Thing is, I actually like to do that. Other such normally taboo thing was, that Luhyas were supposed to believe that having sex when pregnant is good. Anyway, also I think that when they are so energetic and crazy in their everyday life, then this may also apply in bed. And if this is not enough for men, then knowing how much Europeans and Americans would like a good chicken for dinner in Kenya, then know also that Luhya traditional foods are everything with chicken.. and they usually do it well. So, white men; go to Kenya and take yourselves a Luhya woman. ;) I'm not very good chicken eater, so I prefered Kalenjin and Kisii.

Kikuyu

2010-10-23T00:55:00.007+03:00

Wikipedia about Kikuyu:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_people

Lets continue with the tribes. In addition to Kalenjin, Kikuyu is another tribe who have been visible in practically everything that happens in Kenya. I think we could say that even more than Kalenjin, they have shaped the politics of the country. Even in colonial times Kikuyu were said to be willing to work together with English, although they were also the ones to start organized anti-colonial movement. Usually it is said that Kikuyu adapt very well with new times, conditions and took from every opportunity. Kikuyu are usually very ambitious and more modern than most of the people in Kenya. But this doesn’t mean that they would be my favourite of all. In contrary I have to say, that from the start I didn’t like them much. I still say that it isn’t racist ideology. That even though as I said in post about Kalenjin, that I have come to identify myself almost as Kalenjin.. and Kalenjin and Kikuyu have constantly had quarrels and don’t think very well of each other. Main fighting in 2008 unrest was also between Kalenjin and Kikuyu because of different political ideas. But I don’t care about that. It is just that usual Kikuyu represent many traits of personality I don’t like. For example, they are the most immodest and intrusive people I have had contact with.
Kikuyu are most often traders, and I have to say pretty good ones with these traits they are. But when they are good traders, then you often leave the shop or marketplace not with best feelings. There are even sayings and jokes in Kenya about their greed. I had one situation at the market. I think I was just passing by when one Kikuyu tradesman came to offer me pants to buy. From the start I said that I’m not interested, but then he grabbed my hand and basically just took me to show his wares. He was actually very good at sales tactics and talking his commodities up, but I continued to hold my resistance. When he started talking of very good prices, then I told that I don’t need pants, perhaps some other time, and I said that I was actually going somewhere and I don’t have much money anyway. But they always have something to say to you, some new arguments. It took me a while to make him understand that really, I’m not planning to buy anything. But this wasn’t all. Then he started asking just money. What? No way, I don’t have any intent to give any money just like that to anyone. But still it took few minutes to break also these dreams of this guy. And still, then he tried to get me to buy him a soda. No luck for you, as you found a good match, I’m persistent as hell. But they really can bargain and argue. And when you really buy something, then never think that from a Kikuyu you get a good price (at least in case if you don’t know the guy personally). Even if you know the right price then it is extremely hard to get the price down to that level – they may bring out every reason why they just need to sell it with higher price. But my advice, never give up.
Even if they don’t try to sell you anything.. or get money just without any reason, then in general they talk a lot. Plus they often have quite weird ideas and sometimes they may be quite sure of things they believe even if you certainly know more about it (life in Europe for example). Oh, I talked with few traders in market once again. This time these traders just had some garments on sale, nothing that man would buy, so they didn’t even try, but they didn’t let me pass without lengthy conversation on various themes – politics, terrorism, religion, gays, and of course Kalenjin. Really, usually they are extremely troublesome, and although they always call you their friend, then it is most probable that there can’t be any trustworthy relations between you and them. Of course when you live where main population is Kikuyus, then you probably come to know well some of them and probably there is lots of good Kikuyus too, and those whom you can trust, but at least for me even their talkative and too energetic and their egomaniacal nature was too much.
And still, I met one Kikuyu girl, who seemed different and whom I even liked. For soon following excerpt, I just mention that Rasta Sarah, whom is mentioned there, is this girl. Well, I didn’t know her much and I actually even didn’t want so much to get close with her. There is longer story, but I think I’m not writing it all right now, maybe when I’m going to write a complete story on me and Kenyan girls.. if it ever happens. Anyway, there was little time when I thought to leave Kate by myself and at least have sex with this Kikuyu girl and who knows perhaps even trying something more serious. Well, things didn’t go so far and I started to hope to fix things with Kate again. But meeting this Kikuyu girl two times already showed me that there might also be more simple and silent Kikuyus.

Today we had mokimo for dinner and Kristi gave half of her portion to me.. and I even took more, after what Caroline said: “ You don’t like Kikuyus, but you like mokimo,” and after little pause gave me explanation to the thing what I anyway knew, “mokimo is a Kikuyu food.” We have a joke here – Kenzie sometimes randomly says: “I like Kikuyu” (Her father whom she never knew was supposedly Kikuyu). So I answered to Caro: “ I like Kikuyu… food.” And then Love said: “But?!” And I: “No butts, I hold myself away from Kikuyu butts.”

Excerpt from my travel journal from 16.05.2010

I don’t know, maybe it is too much of an inside joke, but to us it anyway seemed funny and just my relations with Kate and Kikuyu got weird mix there. These events were so much in my mind that I even made kind of graffiti design on this Kikuyu butts.

Ah yes, before writing about politics and such, I just wanted to mention that mokimo is Kikuyu national food and is basically potato porridge with some maize grain in it, and it is made green by cutting some very thin slices of some green salad like thing in before mashing. Yes, it was one of my favourite foods in Kenya.
But now then about Kikuyus and politics. I don’t even know how many parliament members and ministers are Kikuyus, but president and many other high-ranking politicians certainly are Kikuyu. Kikuyus actually are power-hungry and some Kenyans even call their parliament a Kikuyu mafia. And although in Kenya most people with power are corrupt, it is said that Kikuyu are the worst. If you are regular visitor of my blog then perhaps you remember my post pack in April with the title “Darkness on safari through Kenya, Africa infested with lots of poverty, hunger, AIDS and greedy elephant killing Kikuyus.” In this post I gave a link to someone’s ironical and hilarious tutorial “How to write about Africa”. Otherwise check it out if you haven’t read yet, but I wanted to bring out one part. There was written that never show African tribes from bad light, as they are old and deserve respect.. or something like that. But there were few exceptions. Few tribes about whom you may write everything bad, it seemed that it was even encouraged. One of these tribes was Kikuyu in Kenya – greedy elephant killing Kikuyu. Yes, it was written as a joke, but as it is said, every joke has some truth in it. Usually jokes also come from life.

But I must say that I’m really interested of Kikuyu history and culture, both their present day culture like very good pop songs and also cultural heritage. Also, more I see photos of Kikuyus in traditional dresses, their warriors, witchdoctors, etc, the more I become interested of everything about them. I add here some photos I have found, but for clarity I add, that although Kikuyu warrior with their painted face seems one of the scariest things I have seen about Africa (at least when photos from horrible wars uncounted), it was written in wikipedia, that Kikuyus actually weren’t very warlike but more defensive people. They had perfect defensive locations and they knew very well how to disguise their structures and themselves and as they weren't pastoralists nor hunter-gatherers but more farmers, then they didn't need huge territory either. And although from someone with such a scary look, I would expect more aggressive lifestyle, but actually it is even more interesting that way.

It seems that this is all; I don’t remember anything else important. But as you see, this came right now I guess the best writing about the tribes so far. For conclusion I would just say that don’t make now any prejudices about Kikuyus on my writing, if you make your way to Kenya, then create your own mind, but I just warn that many people feel that they may disturb them more than it would be normal in case of even the strange culture. Just don’t let everyone to keep you too long against your will, whatever business or interest they have. And don’t let your ideas of someone’s probable poverty to make you get soft and just share out money (how ever small sums) just like that. But if possible then have closer contact with Kikuyus than I did. Maybe you find out much better features of them than I. Ah yes, I also wanted to write a little bit about real Kikuyu mafia, or cult what it maybe seems to be even more, but let it be then separate theme for another time. Just wait for headline “Mungiki”.

Yes we can!

2010-10-21T02:07:00.015+03:00

Yes we can! - Barack Hussein Obama, 2009

Edit: I was explaining here why I didn't upload the photos with the story. Well, only thing I had to say, was: kesho. Kesho is tomorrow in swahili.. very common expression in Kenya and doesn't have to mean exactly tomorrow, but just some other time.. maybe even never. Anyway, I got the photos up and kesho something new already. And as always click on the photos to see bigger versions. Certainly click the drawing, as not seeing the full version it's not the same.

from 15.03.2010

It was second time to go to Kipkaren river agricultural training centre. This place was to be the beginning of our long hike to Kaptebei hill. Last time when we were at this training centre we felt amazingly welcomed and we were said that if we come again, then we get cheap food and place to stay. Well, this time everything was different. Director of this place was present this time and he really tried to get lots of money from stupid white guys. Tenting place had a price, wood to make fire too and more than anything else breakfast, that this time wasn’t anything special, had ridiculous price (cost for lousy omelette was heavier than price in Eldoret for a really good meal). Of course we argued and got a price down somewhat, but still, this time they certainly ruined our view of their hospitality.
Anyway, we got there late and our night was still on the territory of this training centre under a little eucalypt wood. For dinner we cooked the food on ourselves, and although we were said that people here is very Christian and we should obey some rules, as soon as people from training centre left our camping site, we started drinking rum, making jokes on Christianity and finally went to swim naked in the river. Also Helen and Josiah who had decided to sleep in a small guesthouse of the training centre and again had to pay amazing big money for it, had troubles. Someone asked from Love if Helen and Josiah are married and getting no for an answer, then some committee was called to decide if Helen and Josiah could sleep in one room after all. Of course they decided that no they can’t. Therefore Josiah had to take two rooms, even though at some time they still were in one room. I really haven’t seen such bullshit before. Christians and their ethics.
So, next morning little disappointed, we left to our great hike (Girls decided that they are not up to this hike and take a matatu to the finish site of our trip), accompanied by a dog from that training centre. As we didn’t know his name, we named him Rover, or with terrible hunger and under the scorching sun we later also gave him a nickname hot dog. Over time we found out that Rover was amazingly loyal and tough dog. Moreover, in the finish we got to know that he had never left the territory of that centre in over ten years. There have been lots of visitors (maybe not white people but still) and now with some crazy strangers just came to a hike maybe about 20 km long including really heavy climbing, tolerating terrible thirst and so on. It was, as he would have recognized the kindred adventurous soul in us and found a new calling for himself. So actually Mykolas would have liked to take this dog to our home, but talking about it in house with everyone, majority still decided that this would be too much trouble. Ok, I too liked this dog, but I thought that I couldn’t live together with him. And after all, when we go away from Kenya then we have to take him back again.

Rover

Our hike took us through really amazing nature – river and small creeks surrounded by tropical thicket, rocks, stair-like hillsides that we climbed and finally of course also Kaptebei hill with its cliffs in the top. And of course we passed through rural areas. Children were often running to meet us, just to see us or in some cases also to give us greeting hand. Old people who didn’t even talk Swahili, but only Kalenjin, but who still were extremely enthusiastic to talk with us and find out who we are, where we come and what we do here, where we are going. First time we saw real rural life in Kenya, first time we communicated with people who didn’t know even one word of English. From some people we asked where to go, where to find the bridge, where to get to the rock we saw on the road, where is right path to Kaptebei, with one family we talked quite a lot and asked if we can buy some bananas from them and finally Mykolas talked with one old man who talked only Kalenjin. Often we didn’t understand much of each other, yet we talked and even got needed answers. We were offered a guide from training centre, but we declined. Who knows how much we would have needed to pay for this and anyway we knew that alone we get much more genuine contact with this place and get probably to go to places where otherwise we wouldn’t be taken (like some shortcuts through wildernesses).

Kipkaren river

Over-river naighbours looking

Dinner time!

Far view to the Kaptebei hills

Tunaenda kilima Kabtebei

First contact with white people

Village houshold

By the way, bridge we were looking for, was most interesting “architectural monument” I had seen so far. It was “built” of four big trees just hewed down over the river. Ahh, just look the photos.
We zigzagged through villages and even went through some yards and over the maize fields. People had nothing against letting us pass their land, but this meant we had to use our little Swahili to explain where we come and to where we are heading. Like I already said there were some “little” rocks around too, and on about half the way to our “holy mountain” there was one of these rocks and we decided to climb to it. Kids of course followed us. On top of the rock Carlos was surprised how in just few seconds when he looked to the other way the number of children at least tippled. And these children were simply sitting there and watching us. We of course just made a first stop on our journey to drink, eat few tomatoes and rest a little. Even from this rock that maybe was only around 30 or 40 meters high, we had a great look to the villages around and the blue silhouette of mt. Elgon at the north-western horizon. Also from this rock we saw the short way over the fields and through the thickets to the hill. So we decided that we don’t go by road that took a pretty big round around. Before the hill though we got back to the road and there were these places where we wanted to buy some food from villagers. We already understood, that we took too little food. What we didn’t think yet, was that worst would be the shortage of water after the climbing. Sadly these bananas we wanted to buy weren’t ripe yet. But anyway it was so cool to talk with them and also they were extremely happy to meet us, even though man of the family said that we are not wazungu as we are brown not white. Like Mykolas said, best possible compliment here.
Sawa, after some more walking we found out that we have another follower – a boy who at first followed us on the hills from secure distance, but later on the hill approached us, and as we finally saw, also he was very loyal companion, helping us find the way and coming with us to the finish of our hike. Couple more people to greet, asking permission to cross the property of one family, going straight over the last field and under many barbed wire fences, and we finally started our ascent to the hill. With our big bags, it was harder than we thought. It was really, really hard. In Kenya most of the hills start with slight slope and end with cliffs that actually would need gear to climb. Also Kaptebei was that kind of hill. Not very high, about 200 to 300 meters, but with pretty tricky cliffs.

The bridge

Our fan club

Group picture with lots of kids

View from the "small" rock

Over the fields of gold into the jungle

And now the hard part

Climbing the wall

Such view makes everyone want to fly

Like some computer game: pick up the villagers and...

Of course there was a dolmen on top of the hill

Back there you see hills that were our conquest for next time

We got to the top and although it didn’t mean that all our struggles were over, we again could have a break there, eat our last tomatoes and carrots and also drink the little water that was left (thanks to this hike and climbing, next time we knew exactly how much more water we needed. Basically smart is to leave everything else that you can leave, take only as much water as you can and some sweeties). Also Rover finally found a place where to drink some water finally. So far he had escaped all our tries to give him some water from our bottle. He was very proud dog, absolute tough guy character with such reserves of strength to surprise us. It was amazing that he managed this entire walk and climbing without water.
I took a nude sunbath there (as I had burned my body stupidly full of transitions from snow-white butt to almost the same brown hands as locals) and made a sketch of surroundings. It was just amazing there. You see the small houses down and blinding, hot sun above, making you think all kinds of philosophical thoughts. At the same time for such a Civilization games fan as me, it all seemed like from some god-like view – I can just take control, pop some buildings there, take these villagers and send them to the farm fields to bring some food for the kingdom, etc. My kingdom seemed happy in all of this peacefulness, simplicity and seclusion.

And then we suddenly got call from Helen. They were wondering where we are. As we finally found out, they thought we going for another hill. Anyway, she said that we should come down and find the Maryland school where we were already awaited with food. It certainly sounded good, but of course we didn’t had much idea where it is. Our human follower helped us in that matter, but road was long. Much longer than we would have thought. I guess about same much as the way from training centre to hill. If we could have known the exact place then we could have gone again straight over the fields and made it half shorter, but now, without water and ever hotter sun it felt like some scene from movies where someone is trying to find his way out of the desert. Just walking and walking the endless path, feeling that weakness is coming to crush you soon.
When we got down from the hill, from one of the households ran out old lady holding a little handmade bottle. She of course wanted to sell it and first price she proposed was 500 shillings – always too high prices for wazungu. But as was said, we were not wazungu anymore. So I said: “No way, maybe hundred.” At first they didn’t want to accept it, but when I walked away, she sent her son after me. “Hundred it is then,” but when I searched money and he gave me the bottle, he asked, “Perhaps you can still give fifty more.” So I came to good Idea. I still had one of our plastic bottles. We never left garbage anywhere lying from us. So I said: “Ok, you get fifty more, but fill this bottle and the small bottle also with water. Guy took the bottles and ran home. So was my water deal with Kaptebei farmers that basically saved us. At the same time others had walked a little bit ahead and Mykolas had already filmed kind of last words, saying that hopefully we survive somehow, but if not then at least we leave this video from us. We drunk this one more litre and water from the small bottle we poured onto our head, but it was midday and sun was too hot and soon we again felt that this journey may have been too much. Soon though one guy who was also from the training centre, but also was someone in this Maryland school, finally found us on the way and leaded us to the right place. He said that we have only one more km to walk, but still reality was about five or six. Now we also saw that dog was really tired, and some of us said that legs are not holding for long anymore. Yeah, actually it was so; we weren’t far from falling from our feet. And our minds weren’t working right anymore. But we gathered all our strength and came to the glorious finish. People from Maryland school welcomed us with singing, hugs and necklace.. and of course proper hot meal and as much water as we could drink. It was so beautiful. It felt like we would have been some heroes. Well, we were heroes of ourselves for sure. Also our guide and dog got food and water. Rover was so tired that he didn’t respond to the talking of other dogs there. He just went to the shadow and fell down for a while. It was certainly hardest tryout of our time in Kenya.We left the same evening to Eldoret and next morning we had to wake up already early to go to Chepn’goror Secondary School. If last evening someone would have asked, then I really wouldn’t have believed that any of us would be able to go anywhere next day. But I woke up when our matatu was already at our home. Really quick cold shower, even faster breakfast, and 40 klicks from what about a half was rough rural road, started. Amazingly we all were going. But yeah, promise is a promise, and after all it was important project planned there. Actually something that changed our view on entire project and caused us to re-plan everything. Chepn’goror was the highest place we had visited. When last days conquest of Kaptebei hill was 2729 meters above sea level, then this place was more than 3000. At least we didn’t have to climb there.

A Snowwhite with brown hands

Long road under the African sun

And some more views from climbing

Wouldn't want to slip there

Life on the road

2010-10-17T21:35:00.006+03:00

I dedicate this chapter to Carina.. Carina whose blog link I have on my sidebar under the golden awards, a girl who has almost travelled around the world by hitchhiking and surviving who knows how, a girl whose will has got her living her dream, and always got her forward. I hope some day I also get so far. Well, my road these days was short, but still..

Many desire immortality, but don't know what to do in rainy sunday afternoon.

-Susan Ertz-

I visited Tartu last weekend. Do you understand, last weekend?! And I'm writing about it now, week later. Of course I went by hitchhiking. It seems that at the time when I have been away, Estonians have got a bit less friendly and in some cases even arrogant. Ok, fact that I had to use four cars (seven if also my dad, oncle and Kudrun's boyfriend would be counted in.. but four on Tallinn-Tartu highway) to get to Tartu doesn't show anything, but that it took altogether six hours, often waiting a next car to pick me up about an hour, I think this already shows something. Plus I saw some middle fingers - this has never before happened to me on Estonian roads. Luckily it was nice day and life on the road was even quite enjoyable, but when I got to Tartu, I was already pretty tired.

First of course I went to visit Kudrun, Martin and Kaspar. I had my own made cake with me, half of what came with me also to the next place. Anyway, we ate cake and then I played a little bit music there and then Martin asked me to come to play at Maailmamustrid party in december. I would like to go. It would be my first public performance and basically then I could also finally say that I'm professional DJ. Martin himself went few days later in some DJ business or something to Greece and from there after ten days to Tunesia. Damn, I'm so jealous. Kudrun said that we send him and Martin then asked where,.. and then I said: "To Tunesia". Oh, I only wish that I could. From Tunesia it would be only few thousands of km-s to Kenya.. through desert of course, but who cares.

Anyway, first night I had to go to Mariann's place, as Gerli had exactly gone to Tallinn. But first I met some Mariann's friends and her boyfriend, and when everyone had some drinks for warmup, then we went to the punk-party birthday of some girl whom no one knew. Or maybe Erik, but I'm not sure. After some time people started to move ahead and we also went to some tidy and decent new place, where I and Mariann took one more beer. Erik who at the punk party drinked vodka with sparkling wine was tired and went home before us. We didn't expect to fear anything, but when we also got there, we got a bad surprise. Erik had forgot to leave doors unlocked. We made lots of noise and angered naighbours, but Erik was wasted and slept like dead. Finally one naighbour at least let us to staircase, otherwise we would have freezed. So there we had to spend our night. Although tiredness was kicking, it was impossible to sleep. It still was cold and damn uncomfortable. But hey, even worse things could happen. I certainly weren't as much disturbed as Mariann.

Day after this night was almost lost. When we finally woke up around four, we just sat, looked at eachother, waiting until hangover or what ever that weird feeling was, passes. And Mariann had got fever. At least it started to rain. I wouldn't be very happy about rain usually, but it is much better to be idle in the house and feel bad when it rains. Later I went to visit Helen. I already felt better and probably wine also helped. Anyway it was nice to talk with her. Actually it even felt best time in Tartu. In Kenya we argued a lot with her and often I felt that we are so different. But now it was even hard to leave. Ok, actually as Helen said, from Estonians we probably were also closest in Kenya.

But this late evening Gerli came back from Tallinn and so I went to meet her. We hadn't seen eachother over year already. But little bit I still felt weird with her. Not so much as before though. It is her peculiar silent nature, her too deep talks and I guess also our past, that makes me feel uncomfortable. And still, although at least one night I could have stayed at Kudrun's place, I stayed both at Gerli's. No we didn't sleep together. These times are past. And in some way I guess even this makes me feel weird.

I visited Helen and Kudrun once more. With Helen we came to talk about relations we left to Kenya. Of course my thoughts went to Kate and although I promised not to shed a tear, I must say I weren't far from breaking. I think she saw it too. I didn't believe that I still have her so deep in my mind. I see I still pity myself for losing her.

Overall four still pretty good days in Tartu. I even got ride straight back to Tallinn with nice and smart man with whom it was interesting to talk. Anyway, what I wanted to say is that, this whole trip made me feel better.

Kisii

2010-10-15T00:54:00.010+03:00

Actually this headline should be Kisii girl. All I know about Kisii is because of one girl (well, two if I count in one of her friends too). I have to say, that I don't know almost anything about Kisii, but I want to believe I came to know this girl. I weren't together with her much, as she lived in another town, but she was basically like an open book. She was honest and she practically didn't have any secrets to hide from me. Quite a my type of girl actually - with a good heart and soul full of special feelings. We got close, but for some reason I still always felt that something was missing. If you have read my previous chapters, then you know that I was madly in love before her and got badly burned when this last girl left me. Kisii girl had some medical degree, but sure is that when I was with her, then she couldn't heal my wounds. So you see,.. something was missing, and because of this I finally left her. Now I'm heartbreaker myself. I think it was even worse than what Kate did to me. It did really hurt her. Now I hate myself for doing this to such a special girl, doing the same for what I cried for month or even more.

Kisii - true story, first thing what I heared about them was that Kisii girls were supposed to be better in bed than other Kenyan women. And yes she was amazing, but I don't have any other experiences from Kenya to compare with, and after all it is such a wild generalization to say that one tribe is so and others are like wooden logs only spreading the legs. Other thing what was said about Kisii, was that their women are also more powerful - they have personality and they don't let men to rule them. I even believe this, although it could be said that when yes, she was like that, it may also be just because she lived in bigger city where people was generally more modern.

She was more modern than most other people I met in Kenya, she was more modern and liberal in every way. We did crazy things, she was a party girl, she doesn't care what others say or think. Maybe she was perfect, but I needed love and that I didn't feel.. and in the end I didn't see it coming from anywhere either. Other guys from our group said that I'm crazy, I get best girls, but none are good enough for me. But if I can't trust my own feelings then what else? I really feel bad about it, but I guess I deserve it. I just hope that she will get ok soon and won't ignore me forever. I hope I can win back her trust and that in the future we can be friends. It was actually her who once said that what ever happens between us, we should be at least friends. Maybe she didn't think what I may come to think or feel. But I still hope I will be forgiven.

Like I said, I don't know much about Kisiis. Their national foods are matoke (vedgies, cooked banana and some meat if I remember correctly) and sweet potatos, both that I really didn't like. And Kisiis were supposed to be best witches, that actually would be cool. So, not much, eh?!

And one painting done by me; with the same name, Kisii girl. Click on it to see bigger version.

Footprints

2010-10-14T20:08:00.001+03:00

So this chapter will be about our project – what I think how it went, about leadership and work/service relations, etc. I also had searched some excerpts from my travel journal describing how our view of the project changed, but finally I decided not to copy these here. Anyway it would be mostly repeating myself.
-
First and foremost I have to say that actually we were already warned in the training in Estonia, that probably things will not be as they were proposed and written in project description. I guess we all also knew that at some point we would be disappointed because we are not doing enough. It always happens so, and yes; we had to go through such crises. Some of us even left before the right time because of that reason. Even many local colleagues. But still, I find that project was in the end successful. Sure we had some problems until the end, and we could have done more, but no one can expect that we had to save the world or even turn suddenly ideology and traditions of entire people. Kenya is still in many ways backwards country, but they have freedom to choose their own path and pace for development. We can only hope to share some ideas. If they use it, is absolutely their own choice. We also shouldn’t be propaganda makers but more like good parent who has raised up the child in his/her guard, but at some point introduces different possibilities in the world and lets the child go on its own.
For EVS, important is not only the impact on local target group, but also what we, volunteers, learn in that time. Certainly they can’t hope that these projects are intensively packed with activities from the beginning to the end. In other cultures, it is simply not common to be so busy as we are in Europe. And basically as this organization that hosted us, did it first time, then in my opinion it is quite acceptable that things tend to fail from time to time. Yet then they also should learn from failures. Sometimes they did learn, but some bad things happened again and again. But before going to certain failures and successes, I think it would be in right place to write again some facts about our initial mission and arrangements. Just to make things clear and offer knowledge to people who are also thinking about going as a volunteer to other countries.

-
To make also all involved organizations happy, I also repeat all their names. Our project was funded by European Commission Youth In Action Doors program, coordinated by Estonian non-profit organization Continuous Action and hosted by Kenya Community Sports Foundation (KESOFO), last of these are trying to make some social changes in Kenya through sports. Project name was “Let the girls play”. So our main interest was raising gender equality and promoting women activeness in society, or well, realistically just to inform people, both men and women, about gender issues and different views to it. Other objectives included HIV/AIDS prevention awareness work and also some environmental awareness educating. Also KESOFO visibility project that meant creating of web page for them. And basically on the way my art workshops and wall painting with local group known as Youth Art Research Centre who tried to reduce unemployment among local youth through art and environmental work; and break dance lessons from Love and some sport projects of Mykolas and Carlos were added. Informal part was then of course all the cultural exchange/learning and actually all other experiences and knowledge we got throughout this service.
It was very unique project as KESOFO invited altogether ten young boys and girls from age 18-30, with very different backgrounds, skills and ideas to work with them. All the activities, all spendings for our living place, our transport, food, very good health insurance from company named AXA, and also little pocket money was from EU, European Commission. Most of that was given to KESOFO. At first only our pocket money came straight to our bank accounts. But over time, when problems of managing the money by KESOFO started occurring, also our food money was given straight to us. Before going we though had to pay small amount of guarantee money that later was given back to us. It was needed to ensure that we wouldn’t change our mind after the plane tickets will be bought.

European Commission Youth In Action programme:
http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/doc82_en.htm
Continuous Action web page: http://www.continuousaction.ee/?mid=1
Doors program information: http://www.continuousaction.ee/?mid=116
KESOFO in Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KESOFO/105672582801594
KESOFO web page: http://www.kesofo.org/

From the minus side I can say that KESOFO was very badly prepared for such kind of project and actually it seems that African people quite generally are too ambitious, creating plans they really can’t fulfil. Second thing as already said was about managing money and accounting by KESOFO. These problems were the mother and father of all other, smaller problems. If I’m really honest then I would suggest that if you are doing something with Africans, then never trust them, but hold your own eye on things. Learn how things are organized; ask about spendings and details for plans. Of course there may also be other kind of problems and when locals think that you are too nosy or taking too many things under your control, then they may also lose trust on you or even feel assaulted, but limited control over things is necessary. If you don’t hold your eye on monetary things then it is possible that they try to exploit the situation. Usually when you show that you are strong at managing things and interested of mutual business, then they grow to respect you. And even when conflicts arise then every such thing teaches you limits and how to avoid offending them next time. It is nothing weird in Africa that ambitious men try to use every opportunity and try to escape problems simply with charisma and skill of persuasion. But they do such bag of tricks when you are weak.
That is how things were with our project. Local leader was bad organizer. We also had quite good proof that he often lied to us. He didn’t have proper accounting and so it was that project money mysteriously disappeared until we started bombarding him with questions and writing down all the plans and spendings on our own.
Neither was better the second man in hierarchy. Actually this man I liked even less, as he had some personal traits and ideology that didn’t fit at all into the project. He wasn’t only liar and bad organizer, but also greatest chauvinist I have ever seen. As I took our main aim to dwarf such behaviours towards women as this man often did, very seriously, then clash between me and him was quite personal and much more clear than any other conflict. And when I tried to explain that I don’t hate him just without reason, but because he is basically making our message null and void by stepping on gender equality, basic human rights and dignity of other people, then he just started protecting himself and it came quite clear that even if he understood what I meant, then he didn’t want to change his actions. Truth to be said, inside KESOFO I saw much more opposition, greatest bafflement about what we tried to do there and greatest lack of interest to learn, develop and work with us, than anywhere else. General population was very interested about everything connected to us, and of course also about learning from us then. Most of the people was much more understanding about our message. Anyway, there were two causes for this problem. Most KESOFO so called volunteers were gathered only little time before the start of our project and as we finally found out, they had little or none understanding of our greater goals. Secondly, as money ran thin, all the governing of the organization and project started to seem ridiculous and these so called KESOFO volunteers didn’t get paid what was promised to them, then they simply lost all the motivation. Their motivation was destroyed even worse than ours. And worst thing is that even those of them who were very close to us in the beginning and helping in every way they could, turned also serious and were rarely seen.
Ok, but not all was bad. I still saw that our actions had some desired effect. I met some people who were very enthusiastic and happy to work with us or listen what we have to say even when we told that we have no means to support them with money or footballs or whatever materials. I saw some women who finally found a place where to say out what they think about their situation in Kenya, eyes filled with security that they often don’t have. Some schoolgirls with whom I talked about gender equality, the reality in Kenya and possibilities to fight for better future, showed their intelligence and will to talk along in questions concerning their whole society. Actually it seemed that changes in their society towards more righteous and liberal living standards are anyway happening. It may take many generations, but finally Kenyan women will learn how to protect themselves, how to be more powerful and acquire their equal part in the family beside men. Probably over time also corruption and poverty will diminish, giving way to balanced society.
Our second goal, HIV/AIDS education, although as important as the first goal, was harder to work on and harder was to see impact we did. It actually seems that people in Kenya know quite a lot about HIV and about protecting themselves from it, yet at the same time HIV still spreads with alarming rate. So here must be some hidden factor. We can’t underemphasize culturally unique situations and common legends that sometimes make people to look past all the knowledge and simply set themselves into the risk. It is hard to make people to abandon the regular ways of life and doing things with what people are used to (for example that because of bad economical situation and fact that there is much more women than men in society, many men have mistresses or as locals say, spare wheels). But over time also came to me that their sexual education and family/life planning is if not absolutely taboo, then very primitive. No one usually speaks about different life decisions concerning sexual life and various possible results – not family, not in school, not in wider channels by community and institutions. That is what we can do. With straightforward talk and setting them to face the serious facts, we can show that such things cannot be taboos. They simply have to choose proper methods to educate youth about such things. But still, our program about HIV/AIDS prevention changed surely much more than other things. Problem wasn’t that we wouldn’t have known what to teach. We had a lot of knowledge about the matter. Carlos was practically an expert and also I knew a lot about it. Also as many of us were professional social workers or had a grade in education, then problem wasn’t that we wouldn’t have known methods. Simply it was hard to get close to people, to open them. At first it was even hard to find out how much they actually know, next problem was to talk about things that in this culture often still cause uncomfortable feelings. In the beginning surely great deal of local reality, the true nature of the problems, simply escaped our attention or understanding, but I think that in the end we did even better job than we believed to be able. In the end we had quite powerful program that didn’t cause cultural conflict and really made young people to be interested of that. Of course we also talked on these matters with our personal contacts – friends, co-workers, other acquaintances and in some cases even with more close people than just friends – in what case it was certainly much easier to reach them, and it was much more personal and effective. Even if we did impact on these few, then I believe it was already enough reason for us to be there.
About ecological work I will write separately. KESOFO visibility project manifests itself in Internet and I already added links above. I think our art and dance projects acted as something that generates interest to these arts that basically are absent in Africa, but would be very important for cultural development; also call young people to be engaged more in things that are mostly for themselves, creating therefore more active and self understanding generation. I hope we were a little bit as role models to these young people. By the way, I believe that arts are the key factor for creating a society where people are not out only for profit, competing each other, but who will find a way to good values, diverse personality, good education and honest relations with others and whole world.
-

But like I already said, we didn’t go to Kenya to do service only to the world and humanity. We also were sent there to develop ourselves and then perhaps teach others what we learned. I’m quite sure that none of us would argue if I say that actually impact of our stay there was greatest on ourselves. In this chapter I’m not writing specifically what we learned about Kenya, people and culture, I even plan to dedicate a separate chapter for my personal relations and another one just comes about me. But anyway, I just say now, that for us, being half a year in Kenya was like intensive course about human nature, life and crazy, crazy world. Course; or sometimes it also seemed like social experiment bringing out all sides of us, setting us to different tryouts and looking what comes out of all this. It was pretty extreme.

Aliens invade

2010-10-07T20:10:00.005+03:00

Täielik ulme noh

One more post today. Yesterday night I watched a movie about one town in Alaska where it seemed that all the townspeople were visited and abducted by aliens. I have to say that like other documentaries about aliens, also this movie itself pretty much sucked. Though before going to sleep it created quite creepy feeling. I actually believe that aliens exist and visit our planet and for some reason abduct great numbers of humans, and also for certain reasons I believe that when I was kid they also may have abducted me, therefore even this crappy movie had some impact on me.

How do you know if you are abducted? Like usual, they remove the memory and make it all seem just like a dream (if you think a little, then it is so easy to make us believe that something that happened in the middle of the night was just a dream.. some hypnosis or something like this, and everything seems logic). Usually abduction experiences seem like dreams with certain memory lapses. But some things raise the questions. When some kid who have not known much about all of this alien theme at all, haven't watched sci-fi movies, but have been more interested of medieval knights and heroes like William Tell for example, how does that kid suddenly see amazingly detailed and realistic dream about UFO? Or when you see some place you never have been, but many years later you get there and find out that it is exactly as it was in dream, then what to think about that? Maybe you have even wrote about it before visiting the place. What if after this experience suddenly your physical condition starts to change, you get weird medical problems to what doctors don't find any explanation? And after all, this experience is really weird for dream. Well, dreams are usually weird, but it is weird that it was not weird but very logical. Most stories like this have very common features that are not very dreamlike. You ask why would aliens abduct people? Who knows? There may be reasons we can't even think about. In the world there are lots of people who say they have seen UFO's, many people who have come to realize they were abducted, even some statements from people with backgrounds that simply make them feel credible. Just few days ago there was talk about this theme in radio here in Estonia, and one guy who investigates these things said that such statements come from highranking statesmen, scientists, army officers, pilots, astronauts, psychologists, from big groups, from people who see the same sighting from different places, there are although not very good photos and videos, still some material that are by experts been acknowledged not to be fake.

I'm not some conspiratory theory fanatic, more like simply a guy who from time to time just questions some things that not many people even think, and lately some things have started to seem weird again. Actually what brought this theme into my attention again, is that it has actually come up again lately everywhere. And not just sightings (these happen anyway quite often), not even some highly credible statements, although also these are made more often nowdays (Maybe these people have until now been afraid, maybe they have signed non-disclosure agreements, maybe they believed that no-one would believe and his/her statements would mark him/her as crazy, but lately anyway people have come to be more ready to tell things out.. again who knows why). But anyway, right now it is that theme of extra-terrestrial beings has come into the interest of different institutions and appeared in very serious talks and seminars. International organization like UN is discussing about space aliens matters and seems to prepare paragraph changes that would expand some rights and laws so far applying only to humans, also to ET; British Science Academy and other conservative areas hold seminars that in one side are serious, but from other side seem kind of like some fantasy fan gatherings; Russian leaders have organised enquiries about how people would react if they would come to know that aliens exist, and even Catholic church is suddenly stating that they are ready to introduce the true God and creator of entire universe also to our brothers and sisters from other worlds. All this makes at least me to wonder if there is something that elite of the world and specialists of certain areas know something that they haven't shared with general population, yet what now seems to need disclosure in near future. I can't believe that all this crap is just hypothetical or even random. I guess if there is some secret they know, then at least in this decade it will be revealed to everyone. We'll see.

Kalenjin

2010-10-07T17:01:00.006+03:00

Here you can read what wikipedia writes about Kalenjin people. I will not repeat it.. at least not much. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalenjin_people

I came to an idea to introduce some tribes with whom we had some contacts in Kenya. I also have idea to make paintings about every same tribe, but this is for the future. I am sure that in these writings I will have a lot of stereotypes and generalization (that is not the whole truth), but together with my own observations it will have some truth in it. And after all to people who want to know how is people in Kenya, how are they different from Europeans and Americans, then I guess these chapters will have justification as the only way to give at least some idea without visiting the place yourself. Just bear in mind that in many ways people are like people everywhere. There are lots of different personalities, etc, but some things I just felt that can be told about groups of people who are living in different parts of Kenya.

Ah yeah, tribes in Kenya, mostly these are just to count the descendancy and know the local languages, maybe some surviving traditions too. Most of the people are modernized, pretty much united Kenyan people. But there are also some tribes that more or less try to hold their traditional living styles and some even can be really called tribal people.

Kalenjin is actually fairly new name for tribal union or tribes with similar languages and traditional background. There is about ten or so tribes that are said to be Kalenjin. They inhabit most of the highlands area in western Kenya. As Eldoret, where we were most of our time, is in center of that area, then we naturally had mostly to do with Kalenjin people.

Ok, these tribes still have some differences in their languages. Mostly differences in pronounciacion, but sometimes also some different words. And Pokot seemed to have actually very different language and they also called it Pokot language, yet they are still called Kalenjin too. At the same time it was rare that someone would say that they are speaking Keiyo.. they spoke Kalenjin. Only time when I heared people saying anything about speaking Nandi, was when elders were surprised that I know some Kalenjin words (btw. they said that I pronounce very well). But as wikipedia says, before 50-s these all were called Nandi languages, therefore it is understandable why elderly people say so. Young always called it Kalenjin language.

Kalenjin are Nilotes (look from wikipedia what it means) like much more known and more traditional tribes of Maasai, Turkana and Samburu, and like most other Nilotic people, also Kalenjin are traditionally pastoralists. Well, this of course you can also read from wiki, but it doesn't actually say anything about contemporary reality. Even these days cattle is important to them both culturally and for main source of food. It is so even though many Kalenjin have settled from rural areas to more dense areas - towns and slums around these, where living style and ways of economics are already much different from village life. Many Kalenjin would still like to live in countryside, they would prefer simple life there (when compared to modern complexity and bureucracy), but they just don't manage with this life. Times have changed and most of them understand that they can't stay the same forever either.

Ok, they are slowly modernizing, but still many of them try to hold their traditions. Not only songs and dances, also commons, how they relate to others, etc. Initiation ceremony is still widespread and one of the initiation traditions is circumcision. It was said to us that Kalenjin still do more circumcisions to both boys and girls than most other people there. Cattle for dowery is perhaps not so big and not anymore so important as for example in Maasai communities, but this tradition is still held and taking a wife without negotiating with her family and giving them dowery may offend or even anger them. Many of them still have one missing frontal teeth - also knocking out one tooth was one of the common initiation tradition in many tribes in this part of the world, although yes, it seems this tradition is now disappearing. Some elders also have big earholes where they once wore small wooden sticks (at first I thought that these were earplates, but finally I saw a picture some Kalenjin having short but about 5cm diameter wooden sticks through these earholes.. if I can find a picture from internet, then I add here), but this tradition is now for some reason abandoned. And I was said that many Kalenjin men don't want to give up their supremacy over women (actually I even noticed myself.. sometimes it seems that woman are more slaves to them than anything else) and there were supposed to be more men among Kalenjin who beat their women than in other tribes. It is too bad that well surviving are especially that kind of unhumane traditions, but national dresses and really old songs and dances, even these earsticks, are disappearing. They lose basically everything that was special about them and are turning to modern society with lots of problems.

But for some reason I somehow started liking Kalenjin right away, when to many other tribes I had lots of reservations and some I didn't like very much even to the end. I even came to identify myself almost as half Kalenjin. Even when I had some problems with some of them, even if I didn't like how some of them acted towards us (volunteers from Europe) or towards women, or just acted weird, even then in general I liked this people. Their past was fascinating, their old traditions amazing (too bad that I can't show you photos or videos of traditional Kalenjin dancers or even proper videos of more contemporary Kalenjin folk songs.. these are really something special), their language is so beautiful (I loved it much more than Swahili, their official national language). I liked the beauty of their people (of course there is much diversity, but over all I find that Kalenjin have prettiest girls) - their slim body that often finds proper application in sports, their bronze-like dark skin, their interesting facial features and sweet, little bit modest personality, I truelly fancy these. And when I say that they are modest, then at the same time they are very much social. They are cheerful (most other people seemed also bit reserved toward us, then Kalenjin basically embraced us from the first moments.. sometimes it even felt that we would require more peace and more privacy, but this is their way of culture, their way of hospitality. And when we are finding something in their culture disturbing or when we found us exploited (you know, practically everyone there thinks that white people are powerful and rich), then basically it is not their fault. They have been grown up in this culture. It is us who have to grow a tougher skin and learn the local ways. But yes, generally Kalenjin are very hospitable and good people.. especially in countryside.

Nge tuye goi! See you later!