[Egypt] The Family

About time I introduce the family, especially because I start getting more involved with the other brothers besides Hussein.

So, Hatem. The dad. A really great guy and pure respect for him. I also think he's a great father as well. All the boys look up to him. Everyday the family waits to eat until he comes home, and when he does, they all go up to him and exchange hugs and kisses. I know it's also a cultural thing as well, but its amazing that Ahmed whose same age as me still does it. He calls me "Suzuki" for some reason. It's probably because there are so many Suzuki automobiles in Egypt. I have to thank the company because Hatem really enjoys it when I respond to "Hey Suzuki!", and thats part of why I'm able to stay at his house.

Ahmed
The oldest of the 4 and the same age as me. He's studying mechanical engineering at an university in Cairo. Really patient and mature. He's really busy during the time I'm here because it's his finals week so he can't really come along to places I go to with the other boys, but we talk everyday and he even made me coffee! 5 points for Ahmed. He makes me eat alot though.. But yesterday we did go see the Man U v. Barcelona match together at a cafe in the city. It was a Hookah Cafe (aka Shisha aka water cigs) and it was surprising to see how many Egyptians do that stuff because I know its frowned upon in their religion. Shows how the younger generation is changing. Obviously we didn't do it. I just enjoyed Kasop once again.

Hussein
The second oldest. Can't believe he's only 17. Tall, smart, and mature. He tries to pay for my drinks, food, and transportation. He opens doors for me. He comes to the pyramids with me. He negotiates prices for me so I don't get ripped off. He comes to Luxor with me for 3 days. He takes me to the Egyptian museum. He takes me to play soccer. He constantly asks "Do you need help?" "It's up to you" and "Are you happy?". I don't know, but this kid makes me feel retarded (because I wasn't like that 3 years ago). I feel that him and Ahmed will become very success in the future.

Yussef
Unlike the older two, Yussef doesn't speak English that well yet so it's hard to communicate with him. I really wish I had a arabic pocket dictionary. So far I only know the simpliest out of simpliest words.. Despite the language barrier, I feel really comfortable with him after spending time with him at the club and a whole day at the museum. He even gave me a sticker as a gift (which he bought at the museum gift shop). Really an honest and good kid. I would imagine it to be difficult to be the middle child (him and Hussein), but for some reason it seems to have made both of them mature (perhaps Ahmed is a good role model). Along with Hatem, Ahmed, and Hussein, this kid makes me eat too. And it's worse at times because its hard to say "no thanks" to a 12 year old kid who puts a huge chicken on your plate. You just can't..

Zizu
The fourth is 3 years old. Wow. I can't describe him. But if one thing I can take home with me from Egypt, it'll be him. He never stops talking. He's non-stop doing something. Running. Climbing. Drumming. Kicking. Eating. Chasing cats. This family doesn't need a TV because he's the center of attention.

Salin
Hatem's wife. A really kind woman. Doesn't speak English so I can only say certain words to her..(mainly simple ones like "hello" and "thank you"). I know that she's welcoming to me because she makes me eat. A LOT. Heres a list of what I ate in one day here.
9am: 5 pieces of Maandazi (bread) and coke..by myself! because no one else was up
1pm: Curry fried rice, and coke
7pm: Lasagna and chicken, and coke
1am: 3 pieces of bread, and huge portion of watermelon

Victoria and Frankie
The cats. Never had cats before but always thought they're cool, and would prefer it over dogs as pets. I mean c'mon, look at the photo and say something else.

I thing didn't let me use the delete button for about 20 min.


The Bread
I don't know if its a cultural thing, which it probably is, but the family has a meal everyday at 1 or 2am, depending on when they're father is back. And its always bread with different types of cheese..and this is where I struggled the most because I'm not used to eating at the time and I'm still usually full from the huge meal I've have earlier..and more than anything, its...bread. You'd be surprise too when you see a huge bag of bread being placed on the table everyday and everyone around you starts munching on it.

[Egypt] The Giza Pyramids and "Clubbing"

I realized that part of the reason why I have difficulties updating this blog is because every time I do, I get into too much details. But this isn't a diary but more of a "thinking" note, so I need details. Whatevs.

Giza
So for the first day, me and Hussein, the second oldest of the 4, went to go see the pyramids in Giza. Okay so the pyramids was nice. The Sphinx was beautiful. Camels were cool. Duh. You can read that in any backpacker's blog. Here's what I experienced.

Hussein, me, and the old man
On the train ride there, we met an old man who was sitting next to us. Hussein and him starting (Egyptians ALWAYS talk to each other, NO ONE is a stranger), and for some reason, he got off at the same station we did (El Giza station) and started walking with us. "Is he coming with us" I asked Hussein. Then he said "No, he's just showing us the way there". I thought it was like India where he was going to ask for tip at the end, and I told that to Hussein, but he laughed and said Egyptians aren't like that. And like he said, when we got to the pyramids, the old man didn't ask for anything in return and just disappeared. Come to think of it, we should of tipped him..sorry old man.

The Tour
There isn't much to say about the tour. I expected there to be much more explanations and writings about the past like museums, but it was actually just a walk in the park (but in the desert). Our tour guide didn't really say anything throughout the tour, so I only tipped him 10 Egyptian pounds (which I read on the tour guide book that was the right amount) but he started demanding for more. So we got in a small argument. I told him I'll be more than happy to take back the offering, then he walked away. It's probably a technique they use to get more out of tourists. I mean, may as well try right. So regarding the tour, it was a good experience riding the camel and getting to see inside pyramids, but the service itself wasn't the too great.

It was also interesting because the pyramids are located right next to the city. So when you approach the pyramids and the sphinx, you can really hear the demonstration that is going on in Cairo right now. So I was on the camel, in Giza, enjoying the pyramids, with the historical protest in the BGM. What an experience.

The Little Driver
Something interesting was the bus ride from the train station back home. In Egypt many people use the Microbus, which is the same as the Matutu in Kenya. Basically there's a van that sits about 10-12 people and follows a certain route. You choose whichever van (bus) that passes by your destination. So anywhere, since Hussein is 17 and can't drive yet, we used this quite alot the past couple days. Getting on the bus, I doubted my eyes when I saw the driver.

He's like 8.
But he was still yelling at people to pay up the money, honking at other cars to move out the way, and speeded through the streets well over the speed limit. The (legal) driving age in Egypt: 18 years old.

Drinks
There are several drinks sold on the streets that I've enjoyed in Egypt. I think I tried the major 3, but I see other ones I'll try it. My favorite I think is the kasab, which is a sugar cane juice. I've seen in India and Kenya as well, but it was my first time having it, and it was so good that I've been having it everyday.

Second is erk soos, which is licorice. Its difficult to explain what it is..but I think the Egyptians prefer this over Kasab because I see it more on the streets.

The third is Sobiia. If anyone's ever had the white Sobe (I think it was the coconut flavor), it's very similar to it. It was good, but I'd prefer Kasab.

"Clubbing" in Egypt
After getting back from the pyramids and having lunch, we rested for a while (Hussein slept and I was looking up places to go in Cairo). Around 6pm, Hussein woke up and asked me if I wanted to go to the club.

...the what? First of all there's clubs in Egypt? Second, Egyptians don't drink alcohol. Third, you're 17 years old. All confused, I made him explain to me throughly what he meant by this "club". Turns out the neighborhood/community the family lives in has a large club-house style place where kids can go to play (aka the "club"). Easy to say in words, but this club is HUGE. I mean, if someone told me it was a medium size amusement park, I would believe it. It has food

courts and all kinds of restaurants inside, shops and malls, pools, basketball courts, soccer fields, tennis courts, tracks, and even arcades. The only thing missing was a mascot (kids were even walking around with balloons and popcorns). So anyway, Hussein took me there because I said yes when he asked if I wanted to play soccer there. So yes, I played football in Egypt! I was also able to make some friends there.

[Egypt] From Kenya to Egypt

Leaving Kenya
Some serious catching up to do with this blog. So on the 26th, I officially left Kenya and left for Egypt. Brian offered to get a taxi for me..but I refused because I knew taxi charges foreigners 30 times more (seriouslly) than Kenyans. On the first day I paid 3000ksh, which is ridiculous now to think about it. I took the bus to the airport. 100ksh and COMPLETELY fine.

But overall, my experience in Kenya is something very close to perfection. The people especially. I also like the fact that unlike India, people are very much involved in politics. By that I don't mean that each person makes an influence on the government's agenda (which they should..), but everyday I see people on the streets and cafes reading the newspaper and talking about the coming up by-election. There's tension on the street when something big appears on that day's front page. I've never seen so many newspaper stands and "newspaper boys" selling daily papers and magazines. Papers that they sell, also, are mostly domestic or within AU scope. Rarely are international issues appear on the front page headline, which is the case in many other countries (in California, for instance). This simply shows how much national pride Kenyans have and eagerness to drive their country forward. Not like they don't pay attention to global disputes, but they make sure that the status quo economical/political position of their own country is robust. I think other countries (for instance Japan, where generations of all levels are becoming more indifferent towards politics) have alot to learn from this.

[Egypt] Airport and the plane ride
Every part of it I enjoy. The plane. The airport. The waiting lounge. The food. The magazine stand. The ride to the airport. The lining up for immigration. The moment you receive a visa. The airplane wine. The coffee. The list can go on forever...I should really consider working at an airport.

[Egypt] Tahem and the Nori-guy
This post is pretty important..well important enough that it changed my entire Egypt trip. So, my flight to Egypt had a connection at Sudan. 3 hours from Kenya to Sudan, and another 3 from Sudan to Egypt. On the first flight to Sudan, I was sitting next to a man named Hatem (there was an open seat between us so technically, he was 2 seats away). From Sudan to Cairo, a man sat between us. His name was Nori. So here's an episode I'll never forget...

Hatem
Mr. Hatem is probably in his early 50's. Tall, bald, Egyptian man, who was in Mombasa, Kenya for a business trip. We started chatting during the first meal on the plane after leaving Nairobi. Turns out to a really nice guy. He runs his own trading business, handling timber with China, and other commodities such as sugar with Kenya. Talking a bit about his business, I later found out that due to the earthquake crisis in Japan, there's a growing demand in his timber business, and he's considering expanding his exports to Japan. So with that connection (me being Japanese and him exporting timer..) we ended up chatting for about an hour about random topics, including about his family. So that's Hatem, but before getting further into that part, I'll introduce "the Nori".

"the Nori"
So while waiting in Sudan for 45 minutes, people flying Sudan-Cairo started to fill up the plane. Hatem is 8D, I'm 8F, and the new comer in 8E, was of course, "the Nori". Serious, his name is Nori. He's an Egyptian. A bit older than Hatem, probably close to 60. For the first while on the plane we didn't talk at all, but that all ended when "the Nori" finished his white wine and started moving on to the red. It was normal at first. "Where you from?" "What's your name". Then the alcohol started kicking in and plus the airplane movement that prbly increased the alcohol circulation..cus after that for over 2 hours, he talked all about himself and made me do sudoku for over an hour.

"I'm THE Nori from Nori.com" "This is so exciting for you, you met the Nori" is all he kept saying throughout the ride. First of all, who the f are you really, and second, I've never seen, looked up, or cared about the website nori.com. For him, though, it's what keeps the universe going because supposedly all the Japanese seaweed companies (I guess Yamamotoyama, for example) are just waiting for him to agree on a price to sell the website name. I mean I guess it is pretty cool that he made a website that seaweed companies are offering thousands of dollars for, but in the end, you're still just an old man. If I made a website called www.CheeseSocks.com and
50 years down the road someone invents socks made of cheese, then I'll be as "great" as him (probably even more with "cheesesocks"). So yeh, that's that one part of him. After that, he said he has an IQ higher than anyone he knows, and made me do a test. The test was sudoku. Basically he made me do sudoku for of an hour on the plane. And he made me do a "difficult" level one. I felt nervous doing it because it was almost my first time in my life and he was just...staring at the chart (which was on my lap so it feft like he was staring at my crotch). But yeh whatever..he was just a weird guy and he said he liked how I think (I guess how I solve sudoku) so he gave me a business card and told me to email him. Not happening. But with all that confidence, I'm guessing he's someone with really high income/authority.

Back to Hatem
So while all that was happening with the Nori, Hatem was pretty much worried about me and kept looking over once in a while to see if I needed major help (which I kinda did..). After all that and getting off the plane, I was going to go to the city and find a hostel. In India and Kenya I had someone's place to stay, but Egypt was my first for looking for a hostel. Anyway, I was in immigration waiting to get my visa when Hatem came from behind and..pretty much offered to stay at his house. SERIOUS? I almost said yes instantly, but I managed to think if I could trust the guy. Considering that he showed me every single family photo on his computer I figured that it's easier to trust a "family man". Considering his job explanation he is fairly success and wouldn't face a huge financial burden by hosting a guest (by prediction). So for these two reasons, I happily accepted the offer.

The Family
Good thing I listened to Hatem describe his family members, because I was now going to meet them. Ahmed, his oldest whose the same age as me, was already at the airport to pick him (now us) up. We then headed to their home and when we got there I realized that my guess was right. The Hussein family (Hatem's family name) was definitely not poor.

I met the family, who turns out to be the most welcoming people. Inside they probably don't know who the heck I was and why their father brought him home, but, they were still nice about it. Hatem's wife, Saliin, made us dinner so we enjoyed it..at 11:45pm.

I'm just going to say this upfront but this famaily..makes me eat so much that I gained at least 5 lbs in 4 days. Litterally. I forgot how it feels like to be hungry.

[Kenya] Last day

Safari #2
Since I took the bus to Mombasa ("Modern Coast" it was called), I decided to take the train on the way back. The train takes a longer time and is more expensive (Train: 1950Ksh/14 hrs Bus: 1200Ksh/11hrs) but I was told by a backpacker I met earlier that the train offers a whole different experience that is well worth the price (plus I wasn't all that excited about riding the purple and yellow bus again). With breakfast included and a sleeping couch, I look back and feel that it was the right decision.

The ride was from 7pm to 9am (initially), and there was an option to add dinner to that. Having a dinner on a train restaurant did sound appealing, but I decided to skrimp on that considering there's breakfast included in my purchase. So anyway, my 2nd class couch had 4 people in each room, but it wasn’t a full ride so it was 2 French men and myself. I don’t know if its just me but over half the backpackers I meet seems to be French.. anyhow, it was nice chatting with them and looking for animals from the window (3 grown up males looking for a giraffe is rather a rare scene).

So throughout the 14 hour trip, we were able to see giraffes, buffalos, wilderbeasts, deers, and zebras. So even though I spent 3 days in the Masai Mara safari looking for the “Big 5” and other wild animals, half of them I could of seen just by riding this train. So good that I didn’t see hippos and lions, cus then I would of sued the tour agency.

The Restaurant
…was awesome. Not like my expectations were particularly high, but I think the restaurant (breakfast) experience was well worth it. It also depends on what satisfies you. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend the meal to anyone expecting the perfect service and the tastiest meal. But for those who thinks perfection is, well, boring (as it is), and that each happening or accident shapes your own experience, then you might find it quite enjoyable. For instance, the person sitting next to me at the table said this to me after asking me whether I knew why the train stopped for 20 minutes last night; “It’s cus in the restaurant we were having soup, and the train needed to stop for a while so we can drink it”. Does that happen anywhere else? Certainly cannot image it in Japan.

Also, the fruit salad served in breakfast, was in fact the leftover of last night’s desert. The egg was dry and the sausage had to be the world’s crispiest. If you can’t handle that, then don’t take this train.

Otherwise, the scenery, the coffee, the sleep, and the overall ride was good and I definitely don’t regret the choice.

Score! Noma Noma
After arriving in Nairobi (2 hours late), I wondered the city for couple hours. Kenyans are just the most warm, welcoming people. Literally stopping every 15 minutes to talk to some random person on the street (though half of them were trying to sell me stuff), I ended up with 10 to 15 names, emails, and phone numbers that I must later contact. Even those sellers and taxi drivers were usually friendly and I realized it was wrong to just completely shut them out, assuming they were trying to get into my wallet.

Anyhow, after walking around, looking at street shops, and talking to random Kenyans for about 2 hours, I spot a café from a distance away. Though it was couple streets off from the main street, for some weird reason, I decided that I wanted to walk by it. So without thinking much wondered off towards the café, little did I know at the time that I would spend 4 hours there.

Why? Easy, IT’S THE ONLY CAFÉ THAT OFFERS WIFI. Score! Noma Café is the name (thus the title). The sign said that minimum of 350ksh must be ordered in order to access but I really didn’t give a d*mn. In the end I only ordered a house coffee (90ksh) and no one came to say anything, so I walked out of there at 8pm (4 hours later).

Don’t do this
Seriously. Don’t pull this on me. During the time I left Noma Café until I met Brian back in the village, the Kenyan people have completely changed my mindset not once, not twice, but three times. That's like once in 20 minutes..

1. The waiter: His name is Kenny. During the 4 hours in the café he was very kind and understanding. Most waiters wouldn’t allow someone to just order a coffee and sit at a 4-people table for 4+ hours. But he didn’t say a word, in fact he kept asking if I was okay and even helped me find the bus station by drawing a map. Plus if it wasn’t for him, I’d probably would have had to buy another 290ksh worth of food.
2. The nurse: Thanks to Kenny I found the bus station. Now challenge: getting on the right bus and getting off at the right stop. This is actually the hard part..since its nearly impossible to figure out which bus is yours without any signs or staffs. This nice lady walks up to me and offers me help. Turns out she’s waiting for the same bus and is getting off just a station after mine, so she grabbed me and took me to the right bus. Honestly, I was a bit worried if I was really on the right bus (trauma from India..), but she even negotiated with the bus driver to drop me off exactly where I wanted to and asked the person in the front row to switch with me so I can get right off. During the 45 minute ride back, we talked a lot about African history, some issues of African politics, and a bit about each other. The 45 minutes passed like a flash, and before knowing, I was off the bus, exactly where I got on 5 days ago.
3. Its been a while since being in the neighborhood, so I wasn’t completely sure of the way back to Brian’s house. By this time it's a bit past 9pm, and its pitch dark outside. Trusting my slight memory and instinct, I started walking towards the direction I thought Brian’s house was. Within 3 seconds I was stopped by two guys who both got off the same bus as me. Ready to scream any moment, I paused and waited for what they were going to say. I feel bad now for being that scared because this is what they said (or something close): “It’s dangerous to walk alone here. Where are you going? Here, use this phone..” and after I borrowed his phone to contact Brian, they waited with me until he came. Wow. Is this a joke? Amazing. I was speechless..

So yeh that was my crazy 1-2 hour experience that completely changed my perspective towards…people in general, and especially Kenyans. Whatever view I had towards Kenyans were obviously wrong because I've been shocked continuous times by how they are and how they treat me.

Last night with Brian
I’m actually falling behind on this thing..I’m currently writing about the dinner with Brian 3 days after it actually happened, which means less detail and accuracy but ehhh bear with me.
When I got back to the village around 8:30pm I invited Brian for dinner. We promised to have Kenyan beer together before I left (which I deeply regret after drinking the dirt juice/beer in Masai village). So we went to this nearby hub that Brian supposedly goes to whenever theres a huge football match going on. He ordered us meat and ugali, which is similar to rice for asians. Basically flour mixed with water...eaten with salt. I told him that I'll treat him a beer, but I think he didn't understand me and thought that I was paying the whole bill. I didn't want to say anything so I just ended up paying for it. Didn't want to end it on a bad note with him, and he did let me sleep at this house twice so yeh.

The dinner was fun and we came home around 11 (all stores close at that time), and pretty much crashed right after that.

[Kenya] To Mombasa!

Saved by Chai
The restaurant/café that I walked into was called the “Suncross Café”. Wasn’t the cleanest of the nicest café you’d imagine, but it’s a typical café for ordinary people in Kenya. I ordered chai and rested a little after walking around the city. The waiters there and the chai they

served seriously saved me. I became friends with two of the workers there and we talked for about an hour (I guess that's okay for workers in Kenya). They advised me to not eat samosas on the bus when offered by people sitting nearby. I asked why, and then they said “because its usually drugged and used to steal tourists’ wallets and belongings”. Even besides that, they were really good to me and so I was going to give them a tip, but instead they said no and gave me a 5 shillings discount and said “we gave you a discount so you’d come again”. C’mon now, I almost teared up. Almost.

Snoop Dog
I only named this title this way because the bus to Mombasa was PIMPED OUT. I’ve never seen a bus with 5 different colors, purple lights, purple seats, and yellow carpets. Remember the movie “Soul Plane”? Well this was definitely Soul Bus, and more surprisingly, in Kenya. I’m pretty

sure it was imported and then madly fixed up by Kenyans. I later noticed that the bus had a Burberry sticker on the back window. Wow. Kenya..full of surprises.

Mombasa ain’t Nairobi
If the busy downtown city of Nairobi is similar to New York, Mombasa is comparable to Los Angeles or even Hawaii. Of course there’s the beach, but the people are much more relaxed and laid back. So laid back that the post office was only open until 1pm (and the lunch break is from 12-1, so technically it’s opened until 12pm). But the people were great. Quite different from Nairobi and far different from Delhi.

Lesson learned in Mombasa
The people in Mombasa taught me a valuable lesson; to mile. Its really a simple concept and we hardly think about it, but especially on foreign soil, it just might be the only asset you can rely on. It is hard at first, especially in an awkward situation or when people are staring at you from all directions, but it does work. Most the time, they’re just interested in what you’re about to do and why you’re here. Especially for Japan and other Asian countries, this should be no surprise because we do the exact same when we see foreigners in our countries.
So in Mombasa, I smiled and said “Jambo (hello)” a lot more than I did in Nairobi. Result, I felt more welcomed during the 2 hours there than in 8 days in India. I would describe all the nice people I met, but I would run out of time.

Mombasa
The city doesn’t have much tourist attractions or huge buildings. Reminds me of Redondo Beach (where I live), and that may be why I feel really comfortable. There are interesting buildings and markets however, that was perfect for my short stay there. I went to markets in the morning and to Fort Jesus around noon. Bunch of kids were playing soccer right outside of Fort Jesus, and they invited me to play when I was sitting on the side watching. Maaaaan that definitely would of made my day even better but I left my boots at Brian's so I couldn't..
I also completed a 3km trail by following arrows on the wall,

which was really awesome because I got to walk through some backstreets that I otherwise would not have passed by. Again, the people there were really welcoming and that itself made my short stay there much above my expectation.

たまには日本語
本来なら日本語をもっと頑張れなければ。。と思い日本語でのポストです。とは言ってもお題が思いつかないのでフリースタイルで。要するに思ったことはノープランで書きます。
①このブログってものを書いてるうちに自分に書いているのか、誰かに「伝えている」のか段々分からなくなってきました。自分の為に書いていたつもりだけど、もし自分宛なら今みたく敬語にする必要はないわけだし。よく分からないので急遽ですが「将来の自分宛」に書いていることにします。将来の彼は年上なので敬語ということで。
②突然ですが、やっぱり一人旅することに意味があると思います。集団でのバックパックと個人でのバックパックでは違いがいくつかあります。違いをリスト化してもキリがないので、一つだけ挙げると：人間、１対１の方が打ち明けやすい。そう、簡単なこと。友達と一緒だったら出会いの数は半減していたと思う。初デートの時、怖いからといって友達に｢一緒に来てくれ｣と頼みますか？そんな時の「連れ」は自分を守るための武器にすぎない。気マズくなったら音楽をつける。家族ゲンカの後は食事中テレビをつける。やめませんか！

受け入れられ、受け入れる為にはやっぱり１対１じゃないと難しい。。と思う。

[Kenya] The Safari Experience

Starting the Journey
The tour started next day. I set my alarm clock at 6 and left for the city around 6:30am. When I got to the agency office, other tourists were already there in the van because they were picked up at their hotels (a service which was in included in the plan but I didn’t get because Brian’s house was “too far”. I should of negotiated that price back..). The van was a 9-seater. The driver, the cook, and 7 participants. Later on I asked others how much they paid for their package, and found out that some of them paid 340USD, and some the initial 420USD. I felt bad telling them that they got ripped over 100USD (of course I waited to tell them until a later day).

Safari: an amazing experience
It was about a 5 hour drive out to Masai Mara. Which really wasn’t a pain because we spent most of the time talking and getting to know each other. I’ll talk about the people later, but looking back I think I was fortunate with the group I was put in. After getting to Masai Mara, we first stopped by our tents and had a cup of coffee. My initial skepticism towards this “tent” was completely blown away when I first saw the place we were staying. The tent, the dining area, shower, bathroom, bed, workers. Everything was great. It’s hard to describe how good a “tent” was, but I would definitely recommend the place to anyone who ever goes to Kenya and Masai Mara.

After settling in and having a cup of coffee (we had a cup, or more like cups, of coffee numerous times throughout the tour), we took off for our first drive in the safari at around 4pm. The entrance to Masai Mara park was literally right in front of our tents, which made it scary the first night while sleeping (especially when we there were security guards with rifles protecting our tents). So we entered, and that was my first view of Masai Mara and the vast African safari.

The van was one of those that you can stick your head out. Usually tourists only use it when they actually see an animal and want to take the best picture, besides that they’re in their seats enjoying the view through the side window. Not our van. (Despite not seeing anything for the first hour,) we were probably standing up for about 2 hours straights, like kids not wanting to keep still in their seats. I remember seeing zebras first, and then some of the Safari’s “Big Five” such as lions, elephants, and giraffes. Because the migration season is in July and August, we weren’t able to witness much chasing or killing in action, but we were able to see lions enjoying their meal.

The Camp
Again, the camp was great. I don’t know how else to describe it, so…bullet point time.
• Food was great, and our cook, Jacob, was the kindest guy.
• Tent was great, with a nice shower (by nice, I simply mean that there is warm water), and mosquito nets.
• Constant “coffee breaks”. We had coffee breaks between coffee breaks. The Kenyan coffee was one of the best I had in my life, and I’m seriously considering buying a small instant one back home..
• Fireplace. We didn’t know we can use it until the last night, but we enjoyed s’mores (well, the closest to s’mores we got to).
• The sunrise. No words can describe looking at the sun rise in the middle of the desert.
• The security. There were local Masai tribes with rifles who helped us stay safe from night attacks by animals.

Who invented bullet points? I will praise him forever and list him under my “people I respect” list along with Egyptians (inventor of coffee), Indians (inventor of curry), and Sadashi (inventor and the living proof of beauty). I would definitely Wikipedia it the next time I get internet.

Kenyan Pancakes
Oh, the breakfast. Definitely one of the best meals I had throughout ATW.5. Though the fact that half of my meals being airplane and train food may be part of the reason why..
Felt like the food was somewhere between American and Kenyan. So I’m not saying that I had the best Kenyan meal (because it’s not), but the food was so good that I probably gained back the weight that I lost in India (from walking forever in the heat).
All of us went back for seconds, some of us thirds. There were pancakes, toasts, eggs, and sausages like western breakfasts, but there were also really good beans and other local dishes that just made the meal feel more exotic and exceptional.

The Big 5
So the “Big 5” animals in the safari consists of the following:
- Lions
- Elephants
- Giraffes
- Rhinos (I think)
- Buffalos (I think)

Fortunately we got to see all of the Big 5, which sometimes doesn’t happen in the lower seasons. We also saw many others such as monkeys, foxes, zebras, deers, donkeys, hippos, and crocodiles.

Tanzania
On the second day of the safari, we stopped for lunch by a river that separated Kenya and Tanzania. We were able to enter the Tanzanian boarder (for a couple steps) and took some photos. So technically, my goal to enter Tanzania has been accomplished (disregarding the climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro)..

First Beer in Kenya
Surprising, the first beer I had in Kenya was in the safari. More surprisingly, I exchanged cheers with the Masai tribe leader’s son. I was inviting into their home when our group visited their village. Well, to be accurate, I didn’t actively have the beer. First of all, I’m not a huge fan of beer. At all. Second, water and food in the safari is often times not very safe when you’re body isn’t used to it. Third, the beer had dirt in it and looked more like lake water than beer.

What went through my head at the time:
• It’s rude to say no to the offering, and I wasn’t going to risk offending them when there’s only one of me, and 4 of them. In their home ground (house). In a room with no lights. When lion heads are hanged on the wall for decoration. When they all have knives on their waist (I didn’t have my katana at the time)
• There wasn’t another person with me who would be pressured to drink it along with me. So if anything happens, it’ll only happen to me.
• Knowing my own personality, I knew that I refuse and I’d end up drinking it in the end. So, I drank it.

Result: tasted like beer and dirt juice.

Another reason for me to not enjoy beer in the future. Oh well.

Jacob
All these great experiences at the camp (the food, security, and such) makes me question myself once again. Will I be able to experience this without the money paid? I don’t necessarily mean the food served, or the coffee offered, but the kindness of the cooks, and the smile of local security guards. Will it still be there if I wasn’t a member of the tour?

During one of the coffee breaks, I was in the dining area with other members. Some of them went back to their tents to take a shower or for a short nap, and after a while it was just me in the dining room, which was good because I had magazines I wanted to read (and with coffee I was living the good life). So I was in Masai Mara safari, in Kenya, reading “The Economist” with coffee in my left hand. But right after, I noticed Jacob and other cooks preparing for dinner. I collected everyone’s coffee mugs and spoons and brought took it over to the kitchen and asked to let me help prepare the meal. Jacob, with his trademark smile, said no. No? Why? I asked to at least let me wash the mugs. Another “No”. Seeing no hope, I sat back down.

I thought about and came with 2 hypothesis of why Jacob said no.
1. Pride as a cook and not wanting “customers” help him in the kitchen.
2. A barrier that prevents us to stand at the same level
I hope it's the former. I hope it’s because of his pride as a cook. I hope it’s because it says “do not let tourists reading ‘The Economist’ help in the kitchen in the employment contract and manual. I hope it’s because he would get in trouble by the company if he was caught letting me help. I hope it’s not because of any cultural or historical barrier.

Just imagine. 4 or 5 Kenyan workers preparing the meal for tourists (you), and you’re in the dining next door reading a magazine with a cup of coffee.

Is that right?
It’s disgusting.

“Well you paid for it”
No, that's missing the point. Money does not justify.
This is exactly why I would prefer to not use tours as much as possible in the future.


Vegetarian
Another interesting perception I gained being both in India and Kenya, vegetarianism. I’d like to know the trend and the statistics of number of vegetarians around the world (which I can’t right now without internet). We all heard of people becoming a vegetarian due to some kind of experience, and many times it happens when it is least expected. I’m not trying to say I’m thinking about becoming a vegetarian (at least not yet), but I do have a new sensibility. Before elaborating, I’d like to tell myself: “You’re only at your second stop, quit looking for conclusions”. Alright, now..

Obviously, in India a great majority of people are vegetarians. I also refused to eat chickens and beefs when asked on planes and trains while I was in India, which really wasn’t a problem for me (at least for 8 days). And now, Kenya. People eat whatever meat that's available (goats and sheep, no questions asked) and the Masai tribe still hunt and eat animals on a daily basis. I think I’ve seen close to both extremes. I was never a huge meat eating anyways, and somehow I feel that it wouldn’t be hard for me to stop eating it. As I write this I’m more and more becoming a (mental) vegetarian..

Vegetarian (5 minutes later…)
I still have this vague and gray mindset of officially becoming a vegetarian, but I think I’ve been able to clarify some points.
• Not a religious motive. That's means that I’m not a complete vegetarian (as in I won’t face punishments or other consequences if I do eat it). So when I feel that I should eat it in terms of respect and social manners, I will (like when I’m treated to dinner or its been served by someone).
• Group meals. Usually when eating in a group, we often order big plates and then share it to enjoy variety of dishes. When there is a vegetarian person, it probably causes difficulties and more careful considerations for others when ordering. Obviously I wouldn’t want that (at some point, I won’t be invited to eat out), so at those times I will eat what is ordered as a group.

So technically, I’m not a vegetarian. Considering factors above, I don’t think I can ever be in the states or in Japan (where walking into a vegetarian person is still a rare occasion). But, I have some grounds as a vegetarian, and I probably will order more often from the vegetarian section of the menu.

Safari: in conclusion (+ the group)
So the safari was awesome and was definitely worth the (heavily bargained) price. I realized that my satisfaction comes not only from the accommodation and tours in the safari, but equally due to the people that I was able to meet and the time spent together. It was remarkable how well the group got along and got to know each other during the 3 days. The diversity was also an attraction of our group, which made it easier for us to give nicknames and uniquely characterize each person. So here, I’ll introduce our group.
• The Mama: Wow...full of energy and sarcasm. I wouldn’t guess her to be 43 if I only heard of her through another person. Not scared to yell or scream at the local villagers or cooks. “Are you really volunteering at an orphanage?”, was the image I had of her throughout the trip. Always with a bag of munchies, she’s our Big Mama.
• The Gay: Where to start with this guy. Non-stop jokes, stories, and gayness. He left a gay footstep in all of us. Never will I forget this guy, mainly because I’ve never met anyone like him. He’s a very successful (as he says) tour operator/entrepreneur back in his home in Mexico. Really a glue of our group.
• The Fresh Air Inspector: An ozzie whose been away from his homeland travelling the past 3 years. A nice guy head to toe. He got this nickname because he’s 25 and not employed. Not like he can’t get a job (has a degree in business), but he’s been too much into travelling. I see him and see freedom. Really respect what he’s seen and his down-to-earth perspective of life. A big-hearted man who saves the world everyday by making sure the air is clean (that's a sarcasm for not having a real job btw).
• The Columbian: Not really a Columbian, but we just call her that because she only wears Columbia University shirts. Studies law there in the graduates program (wow). If I knew her longer I would feel more comfortable calling her a bitch , but I’ll refrain from that because it’ll just offend her. But she is one of those bitchy (not a bitch, but bitchy), speak-my-mind type of girl, but really nice when she’s on your good side. She even made s’mores for the group at the last night and nearly cried when the tour was over and we were separating.
• The Dawson: The first one to get a nickname. The only reason was because the Columbian decided that he looks like the guy from Dawson Creek (the show?). 23 years old and a fellow ozzie of the FAI (fresh air inspector). A huge, buff guy is an ex-rugby player whose more like a over-sized puppy now. Always nice and eased tensions between Big Mama, the Gay, and the Columbian.
• The Doctor: Along with Big Mama and the Columbian, another volunteering member of the orphanage. The Scottish doctor finished her education in Scotland and came to Kenya to gain work experience. Quiet but passionate. Really respect her efforts and she was obviously one of the mature ones in the group.
• The Economist: Well that's me.. I got this because I was reading the “The Economist” when everyone else was attached to the giraffes in the safari. I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize to all Asians for once again earning us an image of nerdy and serious people. Asians, please, look at the giraffes and put down “The Economist” when you’re in a safari.

Back in Nairobi
After separating with the group, I was back in the busy city (other members were dropped off at their hotel). I called Brian and told him that I was back, and to ask to meet up like we have planned couple days before. Turns out he’s “occupied” with a meeting so he couldn’t come. “But you don’t work” is what ran through my head, but I had no choice but to say alright and that I’d wait. My guess is that his “meeting” is with one of his girlfriends. Since I had time, I went to the bus station and checked the schedule for the bus to Mombasa. Turns out that there is an over-night bus to Mombasa that leaves at 10:45pm (the exact one that is not recommended to tourists), so I took it. Notifying Brian that he can continue on with his “meeting”, I now had about 4 hours to kill before the bus left.
For the first 2 hours I let myself get lost in the city of Nairobi, which lasted until it became pitch black outside around 7pm. Honestly, I almost shiet my pants. One of the most scariest experience I’ve had during this trip. In terms of just walking, it was the scariest by far. I felt like I was in a movie scene. Not happy and cheerful movies, but movies like “City of God” and other slum area setting movies. Streetlights don’t exist in 99% of streets, and by 7pm there are no more tourists walking outside, no stores are open, and everyone is looking at you. I went into one the very few restaurants opened and waited there for 2 hours.

[Kenya] Yes Kenya, Yes

Thank you Kenya Airways
I didn’t really know what to expect riding Kenya Airway. I sure didn’t assume it to be one of the best flying experience in my life. First of all, upgrade. I was waiting at the lobby and suddenly my name was called in the announcement. The lady asked for my ticket so I gave it to her, then she crossed off 18D (my original seat), then rewrote “1A”. She noticed I looked confused, so she smiled and said “magic”. I felt cold eyes looking from behind, like “whose that asian kid getting upgraded”. Surprisingly, it didn’t bother me at all after receiving similar, if not much worse, attention on the streets. I happily accepted the upgrade.

Even during the flight, I couldn’t of been more satisfied. I know that sitting in first class costs money, thus, my satisfaction was purchased, not earned. Despite that, it felt nice to be “accepted” and treated with respect, which I learned can be sometimes asking for too much in foreign countries.

Brian, Martin, and Cyrille
Arriving at Nairobi Airport at 6:30am, I went down to the arrival gate and waited for Brian to come pick me up. Brian is a local Kenyan who I met through couchsurfing, and he was supposed to allow me to stay at his place while in Nairobi. I felt bad to make him wake up early to come, so our meeting time was 10am at the only coffee shop in the airport. There was a post office right next to the shop, so I sent some souveniuers and books that I no longer needed on my travel. Probably the most expensive thing I did on this trip yet…

At 10:15ish Brian came and he took me to his home. It was in a village a bit off from the core city center of Nairobi, which was nice because I get to see the normal village life. There were 2 other couchsurfers staying at Brian’s place, Martin and Suel, but they were leaving that day back to France. They were in Kenya for 2 months, so they gave me all kinds of advices and useful tips (for backpackers), which really helps when you’re almost clueless in a country. For example, unless I didn’t have legitimate information, I would have paid 1000 Sch for a bus when it only costs 30 Sch. So these kinds of things they were able to tell me. We got along well, and now I have a place to stay in France, Belgium, and Germany! (because they’re French but lives in Belgium and Germany).

I also made a small friend at Brian's house. She's a guest from next door.

Kenya after India
Needless to say, Kenya and India is very, very different. Brian told me that Kenya and India are both still developing and are thus often compared. This may be true to a degree (that there are similarities), but I noticed some general differences, especially amongst the people.
- India: People are always busy and they really don’t know how to take a breather. Kenya: More relaxed, everyone has their own pace.
- India: Felt like the people are being pressured by the economic development. Money is the most important. Kenya: People is the most important.
- インド：必死。人は周りが見えず、金の為ならプライドでも犠牲に出来そう。ケニア：一生懸命（必死とは違う）。着々と地道に努力している様子。インドと違って必死ではないかわりに、諦めてのんびり過ごしている人も。

Getting better at “negotiating”
One thing Martin and Seul advised me on (and I can’t thank them enough for it) is the Masai Mara safari park tour. The other is the about transportation to Mombasa. Being in Kenya for 2 months, they already experienced what I was planning to do. For the Masai Mara Tour, they told me that they paid 260USD for the 3-days 2 nights package. So with this information, I went to the tourism agency and asked for all packages they offer (my Negotiation class taught me that I should get all information first). And this is what they offered.
Option 1: 4 days & 3 nights, 485USD
Option 2: 5 days & 4 nights, 585USD

Damn..why do they do this.
After 60 minutes of ”negotiation”, I walked out with the deal I wanted: 3 days & 2 nights, 280USD.

[India] In Conclusion

India in Conclusion

スタートがよすぎた？
そう、スタートが良すぎたんではないか疑惑である。一週間を振り返り、純粋に良かったと思える出会いは全てインドに入国後５時間以内に起こっている。泊まらせて頂いた先輩は勿論だが、そのほかにもサニーや飛行場からのタクシーの運転手など、インドでの時が過ぎれば過ぎる程、彼等の心暖かさを再度実感する。その最初の５時間のせいなのか、後に受けるショックが大きく感じた。それにしても想像していたインド人の人間性と実際とではあまりにも差あった。

なぜ信用させてくれないの？
でもインド人、決して暴力は振らないんだね


Economic Growth doesn’t suggest anything
I say all these things how India wasn’t as good as I imagined, but that may simply be because I had a biased perception from the beginning. Quite frequently we hear about the economic growth and the increasing influence of India on the news, and I personally haven’t heard much political or economical challenges that the country struggles. So automatically, I imagined that the country is peaceful and the people are satisfied with the status quo situation.

Couldn’t have been more wrong. Most people I’ve talked to were still struggling. Many beggers and store clerks weren’t taking advantage of tourists, they we’re striving to feed themselves and family members. I wasn’t “targeted” by

Goodbye India. Next stop, Kenya
Total Steps in India: 22361

[India]

Back in New Delhi
Coming back from Agra, I had time to kill (about 7 hours) until my train to Varnasi. Seeing most of what Delhi has to offer, I decided to walk around the station, walk through the main bazaar, and check out the CP (Connaught Place). CP is basically a huge shopping/business area that looks like a circle on the map. It's a popular place for tourists and locals since its a lot like an outdoor mall.

Shakti: C’mooooooonnnnn
As I walked through the main bazaar and towards CP, I was caught by a red light. Waiting to cross, I realized a boy was looking at me. He said “Japan? Konichiwa. I like Japan!”. Oh dear here we go again, I thought. I told him “REALLY? Let me guess, you have a friend in Tokyo, and his name is Yushi? Congrats, you’re the 10th one today”. He didn’t get my sarcasm, so I just continued walking.

Couple minutes later another boy approached me. Shakti. This time I decided to try to trust these Japan-loving-Yushi’s friend-boys and see how things go. I just had to make sure not to pay money in the end, simple. First he took me to where I wanted to go (Citibank), then he said he had time so he took me to this famous tea shop. I was forced to try different ones and had to sit through long explanations of how great the tea is. I kept saying no (because I already bought tea for souvenieurs), and after 30-40 minutes I was released. Hey, I got to try like 8 different teas, for free!

Then Shakti took me to a small café and treated me chai. I was honestly surprised by this (but looking back it may have been his strategy to get gain my trust..). Then he took me to another shop that supposedly all Japanese tourists like. He didn’t follow me into the shop because he had to call his girlfriend. By this time I was enjoying the fact that these people actually believe I’m just another dumb, rich tourist. By the way, the workers in this mall also used “mirudake” in every other sentence. Having had enough, I fought my way through store clerks and went outside, where I saw Shakti just chilling and talking to someone else (at this time I was sure that he sent me in there alone on purpose).

Enough of this topic. So in the end, he asked me if I was happy (he probably meant “are you happy with my service?”). So I said yes since he took me to places and treated me to chai. Then he asked me to buy him a textbook for his English class in return. “….No”. I thought in my head “C’moooooonnnnnnnnnnnnn” because I was disappointed in not being able to trust anyone. Why won’t they let me trust them? Not a single person has actually helped me or talked to me out of pure goodness. Seriously, c’mon.

Thank god for MNC
By MNC (Multinational Corporations), in this case I strictly mean McDonalds. India doesn’t have Subways, Burger Kings, or Subways, but it does have ‘em golden archs (aka backpacker’s heaven in India). McDonalds has its issues and I’m not the biggest customer, but the brand and familiarity gave me a feeling of comfort and trust. I walked in, ordered a large coke, and as I looked around I realized that there were several other backpackers like myself. I talked to a Swedish couple who was backpacking for 2 months, and they told me some useful advice for the next city I was going to (Varnasi).

Where the hell is 2A?
The title explains itself. Once again I couldn’t find the right couch on my train. I asked the worker and he told me to go in the front, but when the train actually came the couch wasn’t 2A. I asked another worker and he told me that it's the last couch, so I had to run back across the platform. Good thing the train doesn’t leave on time, or else I would have been stuck in Delhi..

Backpackers
I don’t know if its true for all backpackers, or if its just me being exhausted by constantly being lied to by the local people, but all backpackers I’ve met so far have been really good people. Again, I don’t know if that's actually the case or if its me being biased. On the ride from New Delhi to Varnasi, I met a French backpacker and a Japanese backpacker. Both were great people and I spent most of the 18 hour ride talking to them (it was supposed to be a 13 hour ride but it was delayed). Heard some crazy stories from the Frenchman. A true backpacker.

That's it, I give up
Arriving at Varnasi Station at 10:30 (scheduled for 5:30am), I decided to walk to the Ganges River since I had time (and also because of my hatred towards being treated at “easy” target by Rickshaw drivers). However that meant I had to ask for directions from time to time. Needless to say, I was told false directions almost every single time. I finally realized that I was going the opposite way when after 2 hours a military official told me that I was about 2 hours away (it was initially supposed to only take me 1.5 hours). Honestly, its almost obvious to me now when people are lying (because it’s every time), but the street itself if too confusing for finding my way through just by guessing. I don’t see why they can’t just help. I don’t see the benefit in them lying. I think it's a waste that even kids are taught to treat foreigners like this. I’m sorry India, I think I lost trust in you.

“Excuse me! Wait!”
After 4 hours of wondering through the city of Varnasi (in the 43 degree heat), my legs slowly started to give up on me. Seriously, how hard can it be to find a huge river? Turns out that its so hard that without a tour guide, rarely can foreigners get to it.

Sitting down on the sidewalk, half broken hearted, I saw two backpackers. That's when I yelled and ran up to them, and asked me how to get the river. Turns out that they finally figured out the route and they were on their way. Yes..

So after walking through back alleys and small paths for about 10 minutes, we finally see the famous Ganges River. Too tired to fully understand the significance of what was in front of me, I then looked for my hotel.
he

Hotel Alka
There’s so much to write.. but I should do this for my own record. I stayed at Alka Hotel. The Swedish couple recommended this hotel so I decided that it should be worth taking a shot rather than picking out a random one. As they told me, the hotel was nice. Probably better than many other ones in the area. I stayed in the cheapest room (400 Rupees) but still had a decent view of the river. There was also a roof-top restaurant and computers with internet (though it froze on me). I guess the location made up for most of its flaws.

Fight? Bring it
I’m slowly starting to have fun messing with beggers and tour offerers. On the Ganges river, there are numerous ghats. Many people often visit the Dashashwamedh Ghat, which is one of the main ghats on the riverside and often where tourists come first. Here, it is okay to take pictures and surprisingly, its rather an open atmosphere. Couple ghats down there is the Manikamika Ghat, and this is where things get a bit more tense. This is where bodies are burnt and turned into ashes. Smokes are seen here non-stop for 24 hours. Being a very sacred place, it is prohibited to take pictures here. I’m not sure if that is the case by law, but people will definitely come asking you for money if you do. That's exactly what happened to me.

This one kid was following me from the moment I stepped out of the hotel. Probably for 30 minutes in total. Come to think of it, he was probably trying to make me go to Manikamika Ghat and waiting for me to take a picture. I took a picture anyway, and I thought I could get away with it because I was still far from the ghat, but I was wrong. Within 2 seconds, the kid who followed me there and 4 other kids ran up to me and got in my face, telling me to pay money or else they will call the police. They also threatened me that god will kill me. I’d like to refute their argument. First, police officers can’t hold custody without any proof, and so in this case the 5 boys will have the burden to prove that I broke the law (and taking a picture doesn’t go against any law, so I’d have the upper hand). Second, I don’t believe in god. Third, I’m not big, but I could have still whooped them. So again, I can’t believe how well I understand these people now. Please be careful if anyone goes to the Ganges.

Anyway, I thought about seeing the Manikamika Ghat by boat in order to avoid seeing the 5 boys again (though it would cost money). So I was just walking around my hotel, waiting for someone to offer me a ride. It didn’t take long, a boy came from behind and said “Konichiwa, 100 Rupees?”. I turned around and was just about to say “okay”, until I realized that it was one of the 5 boys from earlier. Shiiiiiiet, so I gave up the boat ride until tomorrow monrning.

Ghaats
Other than being threatened and having to explain why they shouldn’t call the police, the river was amazing. I woke up at 5am next morning to see the sunrise from a boat. By the time I got out of the hotel around 5:10, there were already people outside, some of them in the river, some looking for tourist customers. A boy approached me and offered me a ride for 200 Rupees. Its more expensive to ride in the morning than night because there are less customers in the morning, and sometimes the boat doesn’t even fill up so each person has to pay more. It’s not rare for there to be only one customer on the boat. That was my case. It was just me and the boy (actually, he was 19 years old). I personally enjoy talking to kids my age because 1. The more you can relate to them, the harder it becomes for them to lie to you, and 2. Adults can be intimidating, but kids the same age, I can probably handle.

Anyway, the boat ride was good and I bought him chai at the end as a tip. I also wanted to thank him for letting me actually…whatever its called to control the boat. m

Off to Varnasi Airport
After the boat ride it was only 7am. Still enough time until I head to the airport at 9:30. After all the trouble yesterday getting to river, I wasn’t going to try getting out of here, and to the airport. The hotel offered me a ride to the airport for 550 Rupees. I’ll take it.

So until 9:30 I took a shower and chilled on the rooftop. I had mango lassi (which sounds very India-like), but it wasn’t cold at all and wasn’t that good. It's just the matter of attitude of workers in India. They really don’t care.