Ana included in our day, a trip to what she said was an "authentic" Bush Doctor. To get there we traveled off the main paved road, down a very remote, extremely bumpy dirt road for a number of miles. At one point we reached a place where our PSV (Personal Sports Vehicle) had to climb over a very large pile of rocks. Now think of some of the commercials you see in the US where Toyota trucks are climbing over huge boulders and then think of us trying to do this in an over glorified van filled with 8 people. At first we ground to a halt near the top of the pile, wheels spinning, bottom scraping, all holding on for dear life. Ana then backed up and made a faster run at it, at which point it felt like the entire bottom of the van had been taken off. We managed to bounce down the other side and when we expressed concern that the PSV might have been damaged and we could hear some strange noises Ana shrugged us off and said everything was okay. A few minutes later we stopped at a small path, got out in the baking sun and started hiking into the bush. After about a 1/2 mile hike we came upon a giant hole in the ground, at which point Ana explained we were going to climb down into the hole (about 100 feet) to the cave below which was the Bush Doctor's "office". He would meet us there. She then turned to me (the oldest of the group) and said, "Brigid you don't have to climb down if you want to just stay here." I can stay with you." Now there was no way I was going to be shown up by everyone else and immediately said I had no problem climbing down the cliff into the cave (silly me).
The Hole
Yours truly trying to get down the hole
I made it to the bottom to discover we were in a large cave with a small pool of water in one part. As for the Bush Doctor I guess I was expecting someone more flashy and the cave to be more special since Ana called it a "shrine", instead we found a few small bottles of what he called medicine and a rather non descript man. I thought to myself "I risked life and limb for this?" However I was the daring one since when he offered for us to taste his "black medicine", a black powder like substance, I was the only one willing to do so. It tasted like charcoal, and must not have been poisonous since I am still here to tell!
Brigid about to eat "black medicine" standing next to Ana with the Bush Doctor's brother in the foreground
Brigid, Olivia, Ana's assistant for the trip and the "Bush Doctor"
Tyler and Olivia in the cave with Ana in background still climbing down
Stina (Danish intern) washing in the underground pool
Brigid resting to get up the strength to climb back out!
Starting the climb up about 1/3 of the way
Light at the end of the tunnel!!!
We made it back to the PSV and realized we had to go BACK over the rockpile again to get back to the main road. This time Ana tried a different tactic and tried making a run at it, and like before, the PSV ground to a halt, the undercarriage caught on the rocks. At this point we all got out and pushed the vehicle until the wheels got traction and we were able to get it tipped going down the other side. However on the way back to the road we could hear a rather loud noise and again asked Ana if everything was okay. No problem was the reply. However there was a BIG PROBLEM!!!!
About 30 miles up the road, traveling at approximately 50 miles per hour on a two lane highway, our back left wheel flew off and we careened along driving only on our axle for a good 500 feet before Ana could get the vehicle off the road and to a stop!
The groove the axle made in the road
Our boo boo!
All of us standing around wondering how long we would be stranded and thanking our stars we were still alive. So much for "no problem".
Note they used tree branches as flares to try to keep us from being hit on the side of the road
Brigid sitting back in the VERY HOT PSV waiting to find out what our plan for rescue was going to be. Note the "we are not amused face."
Ana decide the best course of action was for us to get on a matatu (the public van transportation) and continue on to the Gede Ruins (about 20 miles ahead). She promised she'd have a rescue PSV waiting for us once we finished our tour of the ruins. Sounded like a reasonable plan to save the day's adventure. However in the more rural areas the matatu drivers don't follow the rule of one seat, one person. Our matatu technically held 15 people (even then quite cramped) but for this ride there were 23 piled in. At one stop someone got in carry a bag of rotting fish adding to the lovely aroma. Nothing like rotting fish, combined with lots of b.o.!
You can just see me behind Olivia (in glasses).
Note people hanging OUTSIDE the van while we drove along
We traveled in the matatu for about 45 minutes (seemed like a day) finally reaching our destination, the Gede Ruins. Though oppressively hot outside, the tour of the ruins was well worth the trip. It was interesting to see how advanced the Muslim Swahili culture was 900 years ago.
Part of the outer wall of the city where over the last 200 years a very large fig tree grew around the ruin
Our group in front of ruins
Welcome to my new house!
After the ruin tour patiently waiting to be rescued.
Our little friend wandered by
True to Ana's word she got another PSV to rescue us after the Gede Ruin tour. Next stop, lunch at a posh resort in Malindi. We were to be treated to a delicious Italian buffet and boy were we ready. After lunch we had the chance to swim in the resort's lovely pool but I was so pooped I crashed in a lounge chair and took an afternoon siesta.
Out like a light!
So dignified!
Our final stop before returning from Malindi was to a small animal sanctuary. I think it was the best part of the day for me. The sanctuary mainly had rare birds which they were breading in captivity, but over the years other animals came to live there.
Mzee Kobe the 118 year old tortoise
He weighs over 330 lbs and can live to be 350 years old
He was donated to the sanctuary 28 years ago by an Englishman who owned him as a pet but couldn't take him back to the UK when he returned
Isn't he cute? I just wanted to avoid being stepped on.
I thought this owl was gorgeous though for you bird lovers I cannot remember the type.
I was allowed to hold this falcon on my arm.
Pauline the owl was so tame and sweet.
And that ends another weekend adventure here in Africa. This weekend I am headed to Nairobi.
