Random Namanga Drive

Randomness, the best thing I have going for me right now. You know that feeling when time left for class to end is like 10 minutes and you keep checking your phone, well there is two types of students. Those who think time is moving too slow and just wish they would get to whatever it is they call fun and then there is that type that type who think time is moving too fast and have nothing else they would rather do, so they will just start arranging for what their next class has to offer and whatever assignments the lecturer gives.

Well I am none of the above. I have nothing to rush to and I already know all the things this lecture has to offer, class is my piece of mind from that bully called Life and his friend the Internet. Class is where I can look at a guy talk and keep my phone on silent. Anyway, as I was busy thinking blank my phone rings or rather vibrates. My good pal is calling, he is under that setting in my phone where his calls never adhere to the silent status of the phone. Anyway, this Nigga suggests out of the blues, let’s go to Namanga! I ask when, and he says now.. and I go like “am in class but it ends in like 15 minutes” he says cool, take a motorbike once you done I will meet at some Shell station along Mombasa Road. I Agree, because I am that idiot. The one who is now dating randomness and hate my ex (planning)

My friend knows this, and that is why he is finding me for this “escapade”. I am not interested in knowing even why we are going to Namanga, provided I am back to sleep in Nairobi. Mind you the time my class ends is 7pm. By 7:20pm, I am the destination we were to meet, wind stricken thanks to the motor bike I got on and all that 100km/h.

We met immediately and tried to step on it through Mombasa road traffic jam that extends apparently to Kitengela. Its also at this time I realized, my other friend in the car was going to pick his wife from Namanga and apparently “we had left Nairobi at 5pm”. I am not one for lies, but what the heck provided I am not asked, its their own relationship. 9pm and we were slightly past Kajiado. 

This is that place where one says man for himself and God for us all. The land is dark, except for those disappearing breaklight of the car infront of us. Squirrels are now dashing across the road. We all find the cowardice with in, you know, like what if something goes wrong now coz am sure that it will take more than a buckled seatbelt to guarantee safety. We joke about it and soon we talking about ex girlfriends and those girls we couldn’t get, u know, to shrug of the cowardice within.

Bisil and Ngatataek and we know we are close. None of us has ever been this far and we only checking this on google maps, or atleast what was left of google maps, since there was no network.

Namanga arrival time

Back to Nairobi arrival time      

10:20pm and we arrived Namanga. The only sad thing is I thought Namanga would be a new county for me to add in my ‘47 counties in one year’ thing that I have going and I got a shocker when I arrived home to search and find its under Kajiado county. We arrived Nairobi at 1:18am or atleast that is the time I arrived home.

KITENGELA HOT GLASS.

KITENGELA HOT GLASS.

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you rich.”

Situated in Rongai a few kilometers from the city is Kitengela Hot Glass.(Assuming not everyone drives, you can take a bike or a tuktuk from the main road in Rongai to this place.)

Kitengela hot glass is a trust that lives up to its name. it deals mainly in glass items made from recycled glass. The trust sells unique glassware, lamp shades and vases that are handmade by professionals. You you may even want to just pop in for a little shopping for your house’s interior decor.

The main reason why I will always keep going back to this beautiful place is the bridge. Being on the bridge gives one perspective, you can brand anyone who crosses the river on this bridge a risk taker as it’s made from wire mesh and glass decorations on the side. It is suspended over a river and a gorge. For anyone who fears height, I promise you a thrill and fear and probably screams.

This bridge experience is pocket friendly as one only parts with Ksh.150 which also allows you access to the curio shop from where one can watch the amazing scenery of the vast grassland, it’s breathtaking especially in the evenings when the sun is low. You can get to enjoy ice-cream as you have a chatty laugh with your friends and swing. Be wary of the monkeys though.

Besides the bridge they have a pool which also stole my heart *blush. I would have a hundred reasons (okay that’s a lie, probably 5) why I loved the pool but my favorite has to be the view. It has a heavenly view and an infinity feel. It has a feel of swimming in the wild and it is never crowded and has an ambiguous shape. For the pool you only part with ksh.500. 

The beauty of this place is that, you can choose to carry your own lunch and have a picnic with your friends or your lover. However, if you feel like having a heavy meal there are a few hotels nearby. There is Rolf’s place and Maasai lodge a few meters of each other.

. Are you free this weekend? Yes? Why not pay the place a visit?

Maasai Lodge

KARURA VISIT

NAME: KARURA FOREST
CHARGES: 100ksh

HOW TO GET THERE: If driving, use map above, else, use matatu number 100 for kiambu road entrance or matatu number 114 for limuru road entrance

WORKING HOURS: 0600hrs-1900hrs

NB:- parking is free
         you can choose to rent bikes 500ksh for 2 hours
         you can carry your own snacks, dont litter.

Why fancy dates, worries about bills and nervously trying to the hold knife and fork or the chopsticks. Ask me, no reason. Over the course of my short-lived life, everywhere I see, the best things in life are free and so is Karura forest or atleast I think so. With an estimated hundreds of species of trees (not that it matter to many), a water fall, a combined nature trails almost 50km for just 100ksh entry price, with the perfect companion sounds like the perfect date to me.

Eat your lunch at Mama Pima or Nyagaa and just head for destination Karura. Alone or not, you will realize how good it feels to just pay 100 shillings and have a 1000 hectors of land to your imagination. Whether bored, trying to loose weight, depressed or at the height of your relationship, its good place to unwind. I personally go there and just socialize, it wont harm no one, considering we both speak the same language and I am back to my home country. Just be friendly to any oncoming people or people passing you or you passing them.

You can track your steps walked, kilometres covered on your phone, and I promise you that you will have a good night sleep and probably a better week.

*** See attached INSTAGRAM for more pictures