Ben Wilhelmi

Kenya, roadside photography

 

a typical large painted advertisement.

 

Elections in Kenya were violent and ugly in 2007. Let’s hope for some improvement and restraint for the next one in March. In the meantime, these political ads are to be seen on every empty space.

 

Typical scene, and sometimes there is a passenger sitting on top of the load.

 

A venerable and rare Peugeot 404. They used to be so common across Africa...

 

Political activity on the road. In case of heavy braking or accident, these guys will have about one second to learn to land…

 

 

Motorbike taxi. Masai men feel naked without their legendary stick.

 

typical shanty huts stuck side by side. Usually they are about business.

 

Masai man in sport shoes.

 

derelict fruit and vegetable stalls.

photography on the Kenyan roads

 

After a venerable Peugeot 504, we spotted this hardly younger Datsun. Notice the thin spare wheel. Those cops are definitely not equipped for car chases…

 

Always keep your eyes open when crossing a village. There always details to spot, like bright fresh colors on shanty buildings.

 

Pupils on their way or away to school. It’s hard to say which sometimes as pupils can be spotted wandering any time of the day. Same situation in Tanzania.

 

Masai on the phone in front of a cellphone network advertisement.

 

Cows, donkeys, goats are numerous on the roads. Sometimes they’re just grazing and one can’t help wondering why they seem to choose the very edge of a highway to do so whereas the infinite grassy savannah is just there…

 

An alluring restaurant.

 

Another die-hard Peugeot 504. I’m always amazed that the French carmaker managed to lose its African market to Toyota when they had such great cars.

 

A discreet butchery, no sign but the meat is obviously hanging on a hook, in the sun attracting flies. A common scenery…

 

I can’t help wondering what can be so extreme while having a haircut in this hair salon.

 

A ‘mishkaki’, nickname for these overloaded motorbike taxis. Or bodaboda in local language.

As said before the African roads are rarely boring.

Roadside photography, between Arusha and Nairobi

 

The road used to be awful but has just been resurfaced last year. So the trip is now smooth, for now as cracks on the surface already appear. Thanks to Chinese quality… The scenery is pleasant but the real show happens nearby villages and towns. I always check the names on shops, bars, hotels etc. Originality and the no fear no shame concept are common. I’m sure diplomats would love this place.

Karine loves to drive herself, so I just keep my camera handy and snaps away.

 

The Kenyan cops could be nicknamed Starsky and Hutch...for the age of their cars. This is a picture from last week but that venerable Peugeot 504, station-wagon, has been on the roads for much longer. Kenya used to manufacture various Peugeot models under license after Peugeot stopped the by-then current model. So this one must be from 1980?

 

How many 20 liter containers on this cart? This man doesn’t need a gym membership.

 

A mentally challenged woman, she was behaving strange on that main road.

 

Elections in Kenya are planned for the 4th March. Let’s hope we will not witness the same violence as in 2007.

 

 

Masai man in white sneakers watching life goes by.

 

At the border post, Namanga, that’s where the show is. Seriously I could spend hours there just watching. Various business places, various people like Somalis, a lot of activity, bright colors hardly cover the poverty. I’ll make a special post on Namanga soon.

More names: why beehive for this highly 'hygienic' butchery? Another common scenery: those carcasses hanging on a hook. We also were so sad to miss a chance to sip a cup of tea in that lovely tea room.

 

We spotted 2 of these cyclist within a week, on the same road. I was a bit drooling, remembering my own bicycle trip from Arusha to Cape Town some 10 years ago. My bike looked like this one but I was not sporting the same funny outfit. The face was entirely covered too, maybe a Japanese biker, but we think it was a she. And alone on the road.

The second biker was cycling on a dirt track towards Amboseli park, very isolated so we stopped for a chat, gave him water, a newer map of East Africa, some fruit. We were heading to a nice lodge, he was planning to camp under the starry night. We could give away our reserve.