Great travel - a memorable trip, short but special.
It was a long trip, there and back. From Cape Town to Joburg for the flight to Nairobi and the connection to Kisumu. From there an hour-long mutata to the ferry on the lake, and then another hour across the lake to Rusinga Island and Mbita. Finally a Landie drive to Rusinga Island Lodge, on the north of the island. The lodge was tranquil, simple and relaxing. Semekiah took me to Ruma National Park for roan and (missing) rhinos and then out to the fishing village where the kapenta fishing boats (hardwood from Uganda) dock during the day. The work is done in the night, lanterns to attract the tiny sardine-like fish. Women carry the fish up to the drying fields and birds gather in their hundreds to try and steal the catch.
A tranfer to Mfanango Island and the camp there. Much wilder, steeper and more alluring than Rusinga, the chalets thatched and large. The guys didn't have enough to do so paid too much attention to me - bit trying, but Sam on the boat was fun. He took me fish eagle fishing, buying fish from the locals on the lake and then throwing the tilapia out for birds. They know him. Swoop, snatch, click. great shots but fuck, I lost half of the trip's photographs transferring them to my computer.
The caves of the rainmaker were less thrilling than hoped for, but next morning, wow, a wall of lake flies, big as smoke from a bush fire, blowing across the lake. Strange weather too, wild wind, no rain and thick haze. On the trip back to Kisumu the weather finally broke - as did the mutata. Late, he rushed for the airport over the speed humps. Oh dear.
Finally, an overnight sleep at OR Tambo and lekker BRT trip back to the city. Good fun.
