Kogelo Village

This past weekend I went to my home town of Kogelo in Siaya a district in Nyanza province of Kenya and I could not believe my eyes. Our little sleepy village has been turned into a tourist site! For those not in the know, the US President Mr. Barack Obama has roots in Kenya, Kogelo village specifically. I’m sure there are a billion blogs dedicated to this great man so I will move along swiftly and talk about my village instead.

Kogelo is like my ancestral land since my father and his father and his father’s father all come from there. We are from the Luo community, a Nilotic community that is said to have migrated from southern Sudan many centuries ago. I digress we were talking about Kogelo village. So since my father comes from that village it makes it my homeland. For as long as I can remember we have been going to Kogelo to visit grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and numerous other relatives. Life in the village is awesome, fresh milk straight from the cows, lunch is chicken chased down and prepared in minutes and supper is fish straight from Lake Victoria. Life is easy, the air fresh and the people friendly.

Some of the fond memories I have are of going to the river with cousins to fetch water. They would balance the pots of water on their heads, a task I could never muster being from the city. I also remember sitting down by the fire while my grandmother told us interesting folk tales.

I’m glad tourists are flocking our village to experience the amazing culture, the people, the food and the history. The main tourist attraction is Mama Sarah Obama’s homestead, here the visitors have a chance to have a talk with the US president’s grandmother and get a glimpse at Obama’s roots. For those interested in being more than a tourist and experiencing more of the Luo culture, Siaya town is about 45 minutes away where you can walk to the market and buy some African artifacts or enjoy local delicacies such as osuga, ojuri, aliyah... Maybe one day I’ll tell you more about these :)

Lake Nakuru

Lake Nakuru is an alkaline lake located along the Rift Valley. Lake Nakuru was first gazetted as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968. The national park is known as a bird sanctuary for the vast birdlife that resides there with over 400 species available on the lake and in the surrounding park. The most common birds have to be the flamingoes.

There are two types of flamingo species: the Lesser flamingo can be distinguished by its deep red carmine bill and pink plumage unlike the greater, which has a bill with a black tip. Lake Nakuru is an ornithologists' paradise offering the spectacular view of up to 2 million flamingos at one time during season. Usually, the lake recedes during the dry season and floods during the wet season.

Flamingoes are not the only avian attraction, also present are two large fish eating birds, pelicans and cormorants. Thousands of both little grebes and white winged black terns are frequently seen as are stilts, avocets, ducks, and in the European winter the migrant waders. The park hosts several picnic areas and some hides have been erected nearby the lake for bird observation.

Lake Nakuru National Park, apart from being a bird paradise, is also a black rhino sanctuary. The park is home for a large number of mammals such as zebras, giraffes and carnivores such as lions and leopards.

Nyeri

My father comes from the Western part of Kenya, my mother from Eastern Uganda and I was born and raised in Central Kenya. It's not that confusing just means I have many places to call home and go to when city life gets too much. There is a saying that only a fool forgets where he came from and I do not intend to forget my heritage.

Of all these places my favourite and the place I identify with most is Central Kenya. That's why whenever I get the chance, I go back to visit. My latest visit was in Nyeri, a very pleasant town that's about 2 and a half hour drive from Nairobi.
Don't be fooled to think that the drive is somewhat drab; it is the opposite infact, with scenic landscapes just begging for a kodak moment and I believe if you are not focused you will find yourself making unplanned-for stops to take photos of the countryside.

While in Nyeri I stayed at the brilliant Outspan Hotel with its veiws of Mt. Kenya and the Chania River flowing nearby. It is near the Karua Falls in the Aberdares. Outspan is also known for having accomodated famous visitors such as Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell and his wife Olave Baden-Powell from 1938 until Baden-Powell's death in 1941.

From the Outspan one can book a night at the Treetops lodge which is nearby to view wildlife from close proximity. If camping is your drink of choice there are various campsites in Nyeri specifically the Aberedares where one can camp and bond with nature.