We chose Kenya from a list of 22 countries with which FIENS (Foundation for International Education for Neurological Surgery) has a presence, and we chose the small city of Eldoret, so that we could make personal connections and feel at home. We made the right choice.
The weather was superb; always sunny, slightly cool to lower 60’s at night, and mid-70’s in the daytime. The roads were bumpy and the pot holes were bigger than bath-tubs (anyone who has traveled to Third World countries will know what I mean; they defy description). Eldoret ,a city of 250,000, did not have a single traffic light nor stop sign. It was always a wild ride. Luckily, the hospital gave us a wonderful driver, Kirui, who kept us safe while maneuvering thru the onslaught of “bike-taxi’s”, or “matatus”. These mini-vans have small seats and can hold 12 passengers for a nominal cost. They are run independently by a driver who buys the vehicle, then hires an “engineer” who collects the fare. They have no schedule, but the more frequent runs they make, the more fare is collected. So speed is essential. When they are full, which they always are, they will still pick up another passenger, and have the engineer step outside and ride on the running board. When even MORE passengers want to ride, they can also stand outside on the running board and hang on for dear life, as they zip along at 40-50 MPH. These matatus drive very fast and are known to be reckless. Most highway fatalities are due to them, and we vowed never to ride in them; thanks to Kirui, we didn’t need to.
The roads into town are generously dotted with street vendors and shops that sell everything from big yellow water jugs for water, to fresh fruit. Toilets are a true rarity, only those with a generous income have plumbing. But one little shop was happy to cater to those with substantial financial resources (mainly businessmen from India) who longed for the “boudoir” of their dreams.
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| Bycycle taxis for rent; you get the back seat and no helmet. |
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| Very, very can afford this. Most don't even have running water or electricity. |
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| Friendly fruit sellers, whenever our car stopped in traffic. |
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| YES! We're here!!! |
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