Day 172
Sleeping location: Todonyang Mission, Todonyang, Kenya
Distance (km today/total): 52 / 12336
Estimated climb (m today/total): 0 / 91200
Introduction to Kenyan food: goat head and “Army Biscuits”
Distance (km today/total): 52 / 12336
Estimated climb (m today/total): 0 / 91200
Introduction to Kenyan food: goat head and “Army Biscuits”
Day in three words: Border or bunker
After leaving the hotel we had to head into Omorate to officially stamp out of Ethiopia and pick up some supplies. This was all pretty straightforward and we were on the way by 9am. The road ran across a flat floodplain but there was a nagging headwind, which kept it cool at least but also made the 30km to the border post boring and long when it felt like we had already left Ethiopia. As we went on the land became steadily less marshy and more sandy, which was ominous for the upcoming non-tarmac sections. The road abruptly ended at a very sleepy border post where we had a half hearted bag search and passport check. We were through in 5 minutes and followed a sandy track, still in Ethiopia, then briefly in South Sudan according to Komoot, then back in Ethiopia, then finally in Kenya. The 10km of track alternated OK bits with really tough bits where we had to push through deep sand, but I was driven on by manic energy as I had been told by the Dutch motorcyclists in Woito that this was the only really tough bit*.
At a small junction I took the obvious straight on route towards a collection of buildings marked as “Police” on the map, figuring Rebecca would do the same, but was quickly shouted and waved over to a nearby camp which turned out to be a small army base. They checked passport and bags and then informed me that this was a dangerous area, something which both the Ethiopian border guards and some Kenyan police who’d passed us had neglected to mention. Thankfully Rebecca then showed up and went the obvious, incorrect route and was also waved over to the army camp, where we sat and chatted with the soldiers for a bit, all of whom were friendly and spoke good English. This bodes well for actually being able to communicate with people here. When we left we had a short cycle to the police buildings, where they did a passport check and recorded us in a book. Actual border formalities will have to wait until Eldoret which is over a week away. Whilst waiting we chatted with the police, who were again very friendly and gave us some goat head (tasty), goat head soup (VERY tasty) and “army biscuits” (not tasty).
We set off back onto a sandy track which was mostly rideable but still tough and slow. Halfway we stopped under a tree for a rest in the company of hundreds of dragonflies. The first place we arrived at was Todoyang, which turned out not to be a town but a large mission (Christian gated community). We asked about camping inside and they were very friendly and welcoming, giving us a place to pitch the tent and use of a good shower/toilet room. I had a chat with the guy who first met us, Matthew, who told me a series of alarming stories about tribal warfare and killings in the area. They formed the mission in 2006 because there had been too many attacks on local villages and many people had had to move away. He also casually informed me that cyclists and motorcyclists are shot at “all the time” but I am pretty sure he was being sensationalist as nobody else, including the police and the army, seemed to think we needed looking after (or perhaps they are just really lazy). It was amazing to use a proper shower and, even though we are in the middle of nowhere, Kenya already seems more developed than Ethiopia.
We had dinner with Father Andrew, head of the mission, plus a young guy called Cosmo and another young guy who didn’t say anything in 90 minutes. They were all very nice and we had some good and interesting conversations about the Turkana area and Kenya in general. Some bad news though: Father Andrew said that we have another 200km of sandy track to look forward to, when we had thought it was only 20 or so. Curse the lying Dutch motorcyclist. On the plus side, I did get to drink milk just taken from one of the mission’s cows, which was delicious, and Father Andrew said they could change money for us since the first ATM is at the other end of the sandy track.
*Ahahaha NOPE
After leaving the hotel we had to head into Omorate to officially stamp out of Ethiopia and pick up some supplies. This was all pretty straightforward and we were on the way by 9am. The road ran across a flat floodplain but there was a nagging headwind, which kept it cool at least but also made the 30km to the border post boring and long when it felt like we had already left Ethiopia. As we went on the land became steadily less marshy and more sandy, which was ominous for the upcoming non-tarmac sections. The road abruptly ended at a very sleepy border post where we had a half hearted bag search and passport check. We were through in 5 minutes and followed a sandy track, still in Ethiopia, then briefly in South Sudan according to Komoot, then back in Ethiopia, then finally in Kenya. The 10km of track alternated OK bits with really tough bits where we had to push through deep sand, but I was driven on by manic energy as I had been told by the Dutch motorcyclists in Woito that this was the only really tough bit*.
At a small junction I took the obvious straight on route towards a collection of buildings marked as “Police” on the map, figuring Rebecca would do the same, but was quickly shouted and waved over to a nearby camp which turned out to be a small army base. They checked passport and bags and then informed me that this was a dangerous area, something which both the Ethiopian border guards and some Kenyan police who’d passed us had neglected to mention. Thankfully Rebecca then showed up and went the obvious, incorrect route and was also waved over to the army camp, where we sat and chatted with the soldiers for a bit, all of whom were friendly and spoke good English. This bodes well for actually being able to communicate with people here. When we left we had a short cycle to the police buildings, where they did a passport check and recorded us in a book. Actual border formalities will have to wait until Eldoret which is over a week away. Whilst waiting we chatted with the police, who were again very friendly and gave us some goat head (tasty), goat head soup (VERY tasty) and “army biscuits” (not tasty).
We set off back onto a sandy track which was mostly rideable but still tough and slow. Halfway we stopped under a tree for a rest in the company of hundreds of dragonflies. The first place we arrived at was Todoyang, which turned out not to be a town but a large mission (Christian gated community). We asked about camping inside and they were very friendly and welcoming, giving us a place to pitch the tent and use of a good shower/toilet room. I had a chat with the guy who first met us, Matthew, who told me a series of alarming stories about tribal warfare and killings in the area. They formed the mission in 2006 because there had been too many attacks on local villages and many people had had to move away. He also casually informed me that cyclists and motorcyclists are shot at “all the time” but I am pretty sure he was being sensationalist as nobody else, including the police and the army, seemed to think we needed looking after (or perhaps they are just really lazy). It was amazing to use a proper shower and, even though we are in the middle of nowhere, Kenya already seems more developed than Ethiopia.
We had dinner with Father Andrew, head of the mission, plus a young guy called Cosmo and another young guy who didn’t say anything in 90 minutes. They were all very nice and we had some good and interesting conversations about the Turkana area and Kenya in general. Some bad news though: Father Andrew said that we have another 200km of sandy track to look forward to, when we had thought it was only 20 or so. Curse the lying Dutch motorcyclist. On the plus side, I did get to drink milk just taken from one of the mission’s cows, which was delicious, and Father Andrew said they could change money for us since the first ATM is at the other end of the sandy track.
*Ahahaha NOPE
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