Eric Kimani's Motivational Lecture on Success & Significance For Young People

In the past I have confessed to being a big Eric Kimani fan. He is Kenya's answer to Steve Covey, in my humble opinion. I am glad that he is slowly, but surely branding himself a motivational speaker. I find every speech or writing he has generated full of lessons and wisdom that can be used by everybody to enrich their lives. Below is one of the oldest speeches he made(some 5 years ago)- long before he attained his now celebrity status in motivational speaking:- A MOTIVATIONAL LECTURE ON SUCCESS AND SIGNIFICANCE DELIVERED TO YOUNG PEOPLE It is my singular honour and privilege to give this talk. Many scholars and business writers have attempted to give out a definition of success. I do not boast to know how to define it, but I will try to provide some insights to what I consider are the basic ingredients to leading a successful and significant life. What is success? I define success as a journey towards having what you want and the experience of continuing to want and enjoy what you have. I call it a journey because success does not have a beginning and an end. Indeed success is more the journey than the destination. A significant life in my view is one that impacts positively on others. In other words a life of legacy. What then are the prerequisites of success? I will try and enumerate eight characteristics of successful people and where relevant will draw from my own experiences and those of other people. Successful People have a Dream Your dreams are central to your success. Martin Luther King’s is perhaps the world’s most famous dreams and I quote. “I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream tonight.” End of quote. Martin Luther’s dream changed much of the history of America. A dream by definition is a burning passion, desire or obsession. Dreamers will have a thousand and one ideas. Many would not stand up to any test but it is some of their dreams that changed the world. I recall the days I carried a tape recorder to capture my thoughts and dreams. To this day I still carry pieces of paper where I put down my dreams as they hit me. In 1993 I had a dream of setting up a milk processing plant. I went even to the local lending institutions but they could not buy into my dream. I had a dream of setting up a company to fill in a void that I saw being created by the eminent fall of the giant KCC. That dream today is a reality albeit small in the form of Palmhouse Dairies Ltd. Dreams require dream catchers. In my life some of my bosses have been great dream catchers providing great inspiration and support. My first employer, saw it in me; encouraged me to forego the then troubled University and set my career path towards professional Accountancy. In my first attempt towards this goal, so fierce was my passion that I was the best National student. I qualified as a CPA under the mentorship of my then immediate boss (now late), who not only became my dream catcher but a great friend – He was one of the best men in my Christian wedding – himself a Muslim leader! Dream catchers form a pillar of support for ones dreams and a useful sounding board. My next dream catcher came in 1987 when I joined a new employer and found the then Managing Director. He caught all my dreams. The years 1987 to 1992 were perhaps the years of my greatest dreams. You will need dream catchers in your life; men of vision, “can do” people. Men and women who see a mountain ahead and say; how can we get over it, around it, or even get rid of it!” Avoid dream killers who say “that it the biggest mountain I have ever seen and I bet people have died trying to get over that thing, probably some this very afternoon.” Dreams will often fail and this is part of the game of success, as I will mention later. Finally, fix your mind firmly on what you want to do; then go out and do it. The challenge is to find that dream; that thing that ignites the fire within you and the search is what makes life meaningful, interesting and challenging. Get rid of naysayers – those who throw cold water at your dreams. I recall in 1996, when I told one of my best friend, that I was setting up a milk processing plant in pursuit of my 1993 dream, he told me that the giant KCC was likely to wipe out the competition at a strike. I have reaped immense profits and benefits todate and six years later KCC is still a fallen giant. Naysayers are negative people who waste your time. Avoid sharing your dreams with them. Successful People have Fun To be successful it is important that you enjoy your work and your work environment. If you do not enjoy your work or your colleagues you are better off looking elsewhere. The writer in the wisdom book of Ecclesiastes says and I quote “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That every one may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his task.” I recall that my first and second change of jobs were precipitated largely by my failure at a point to enjoy the jobs. I recall vividly that even my wife and some friend’s thought I was crazy to leave some green pasture to pursue the unknown. In both cases my dream catchers gave up on me and the nay sayers took over. Indeed I recall at one of the companies the very top management had started to label my ideas as “the flavour of the month”. At that point they lost me. It was no longer fun working. Strains, pressure and tensions are danger signs that it is time to leave. It is not a disaster to take a job and find you did not want it; it is a major disaster if you decide to stay in a job you do not enjoy. In my last job I stayed two years; earning what I considered above industry average pay but left when I realised I did not enjoy what I was doing. It is impossible to succeed where you do not enjoy what you do and those around you. Having fun doing your work will make you truly excel. Successful People have a Vision A craving and burning desire to achieve what they are out to do. Vision is the ability to see is beyond the physical realm through creative imagination. Stories of men and women driven by passion abound. The power of vision is well demonstrated in the life of the late (died only last year) Victor Frankl an Austrian Psychologist who survived the dreadful Nazi concentration camps. While in the camp he observed that it is not the health, vitality, genetics, skill or intelligence that counted in survivors but a sense of future vision – some important thing to do on the future. A calling to the future. Mahatma Gandhi came from a background of timidity, scarcity, fear and insecurity and his vision brought the British government on its knees to liberate the world’s largest democracy; India. He said in his words, and I quote “I claim to be no more than an average man with below average capacities. I have not the shadow of doubt that any man or woman can achieve what I have if he or she would put forth the same effort and cultivate the same hope and faith”. End of quote. The passion for vision is expressed in hope and faith. You must seek to connect to your mission and vision; your mission is what gives your life meaning. You could express it in a mission statement; How to develop and internalise a mission statement could be the subject of another talk. I recall in 1992, when I decided that I needed to look into building my own house and move out of the company house. A friend of mine pointed me to some properties that were on sale next to an upmarket area. The property was then bush – indeed very unattractive at the time. My vision saw beyond the bush. I bought with vision to one day develop it and build a home. My friends thought I was nuts – we even ate wild pig trapped on the property! There was an impassable 0.6 km and I bought at the middle of it. My wife confesses to me that when she saw the property her heart sank! By mid 1998, we had completed a house, the road was tarmac and the street lit! The power of vision helps one to see beyond what exists and create what does not. Successful People have Faith Faith is a belief that you can do it. Faith gives you life, power, a starting point. It removes limitations. It moves mountains. It enables you to hear the small voice that tells you that you can. Faith is persistence and perseverance. One Calvin Coolidge put it this way. “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not! Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with great talent. Genius will not! Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not! The world is full of educated failures. Persistence prevails. Determination alone makes you omnipotent.” End of quote. When I saw the job of a Managing Director from my current employer advertised in August 2000, I applied and besides my other qualifications, it is perhaps my faith that outranked all. I knew deep inside me that I could get the job. I trusted (and asked God) that I could. When it came, it only consolidated my faith in a most profound way. My faith is based on the believe that there is a higher being in God. From this faith and this God I draw my strength to press on. Successful People make their own Luck Many say successful people are lucky but nothing could be further from the truth! I define luck as “the ability to take advantage of opportunities”. Seeing a way where others don’t. Not blind hope. Work hard and put yourself in a position to capitalize on opportunities that come your way. Seek situations that provide the opportunity. I recall late 1992 when I was appointed Finance Director for one of my previous employers perhaps the first African to hold that position within that sector. Many may have thought I was lucky. What they may not have known is that I had written a cost reduction proposal with myself proposed as Finance Director which the principal shareholders naturally approved! It was a deliberately orchestrated move to make my own luck! Making your own luck is central to your survival. The best analogy to this is that of a striker in a soccer match. He does not waste his energy chasing the ball from goal post to the other. He looks out for that pass that gives him a break and sends the ball hitting the net like a bullet! That is not luck. You do not call lucky a fisherman who has studied the habit of fish and regularly takes home a large catch. You have to position yourself to make your own luck. Successful People are not afraid of failure Successful people believe in what Tom Peters describe as the 3 F’s – Fail, Fast, Forward. Sometimes you will fail and so what? Fix your mind not on your failure but on the next act. Pick yourself up. If you are not experiencing failure you are not working had enough. You must not confuse the fear of failure with failing. The former is dangerous and leads to paralysis. The fear of failure will lead you to loose the ability to have a rewarding, meaningful and enjoyable life. It is a dangerous emotion that breeds indifference, indecision, doubts, worry and procrastination. These will lead to the window of opportunity to open and close without you taking advantage. Don’t be afraid of failure, it is part of the game of success. Perhaps the best-case example in my life here is my pursuit of studying law. Realising as I did that I had for good reason, missed out on University education I enrolled for an LLB degree with the University of London by correspondence in 1991. It was an uphill task. My wife went for a whole year 1992/93 and I was left to look after our three kids the oldest then 8 years and youngest 2! That year I could not study. But I did not give up! A promotion in 1993 derailed me. But I still did not give up. In 1995 I completed the LLB degree with honours. In the year 2001 just before I joined my current employer, I got an opportunity, after two earlier failed attempts to do my Pupillage and attended the Kenya School of Law where I graduated as an advocate in September 2001! To succeed you just cannot quit! Successful People do not Quit You will have bad times – at such times you will need to draw from the strength deep inside. Your passion for vision. People have seen their world fall apart – death, divorce, sickness etc, but in all this they find stamina, willpower, energy and the courage to go on. The only way you can fail is if you quit. So you cannot fail the last time you try. Winston Churchill said “There is only one answer to defeat, and that is victory. Successful People Persevere Persistently You will recall that the initial dream for the milk factory was 1993 – and it did not materialize until 1996. I recall days I thought that my investment in the milk processing was a wrong move. Sometimes the milk went bad in the market; there was too much of it and my bigger competitors were cutting prices beyond what we could stand. But we persevered and persisted and these bad times came to pass. At times we made no profit at all, but many times after persisting we made money. You will recall elsewhere in this talk I alluded to the fact that perseverance and persistence makes you omnipotent. Those who know Mukore Academy, now a fully fledged primary school and tertiary college will tell you what perseverance and persistence can bring your way. I have a dream that in the not too distant future, if we persist and persevere we shall be able to offer fully-fledged degrees at Githunguri campus from reputable Universities. In concluding my talk on success, I quote from one of the most inspiring sources of motivation; The Holy Bible in Luke 9:25 where it says “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self.” To be a success you must determine what really matters. Character and truth are cornerstones to true success. Your guide and compass will be your ability to educate and follow your conscience. Apply a commonsense approach to life. Common sense is defined as the coming together of experience, learning and talents and applying it. Finally, remember that as one scholar put it, life and success is not measured by duration but by donation – give it away. A life of significance and legacy is perhaps the greatest success any man or woman can have. Leave a lasting legacy. Ladies and Gentlemen I thank you very much E.M. KIMANI

First Anniversary

One year and seventy-five posts later, the blogging experience has been fulfilling and fun-filled. At an average of 1.4 posts per week, I am off my target of at least two posts per week. This will be reviewed in the coming year. Other shortcomings in the last one year, include the fact that I never got to register and share in the Kenya Unlimited fraternity. This will be rectified soon too. Otherwise it has been a joyful journey. Thanks to all the good people who make regular visits here. I look forward to another fulfilled year in blogsphere!

Goodbye..........

After a decade plus working in a city-based company, mid next week I will be starting a new phase of my career in a new organisation and environment. Having spent over 34,000 hours of my life in this big family, I am leaving with fond memories, a national network of friends, a global view to business and no regrets. My brief in this company was challenging, but I took it up and gave my all. I never once lost hope or motivation during my time there. However the need for personal and professional growth beckoned and I heeded. Below is my paraphrased farewell message to my friends and former colleagues. I will keep you posted on the new job across town.

In the same way that Shakespeare saw the world as a stage, this company too can be likened to an arena in which each plays their part. Having played my part for a decade plus, my time to exit has come. I will soon leave to seek another stage and another role. As I leave, I borrow and paraphrase the recent words of Jose Mourinho, thus, “ I am very proud of my work in this company and I have never regretted my decision to work here. It was a beautiful and rich period of my career. I want to thank all my peers, colleagues and directors for what I believe is a never-ending love story. I wish greater successes to the company, a company that will be forever connected to me for some historical moments. I wish you all happiness and fulfilment in your work and in your family life.”

Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending. ~Lazurus Long

“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages”. -William Shakespeare

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning. ~Ivy Baker Priest

Man's feelings are always purest and most glowing in the hour of meeting and of farewell.- Jean Paul Richter

“Those to whom we say farewell, are welcomed by others.”- Author unknown

Adieu

Moto Poa

During the recently concluded Nairobi International Trade Fair (popularly known as Nairobi Show) I happened on this very innovative cooker at the Tanzanian Stand. Selling under the brand of Moto Poa, the cooker uses a molasses jelly as fuel. The attendants at the stand didn’t know a word in English and they only volunteer that the bottled fuel is made from miwa. As they go on about this nishati mbadala (alternative fuel) I ponder about chances the East Africa Community has of integrating the three countries with such a wide gap in articulation of the same language spoken! I thought the jiko is innovative- once you load the jelly into the tray; you light up and get a blue flame with no soot at all. A one litre bottle of molasses costing 100/= can last a week of cooking for a family of four. They promised that the fuel would be available at Nakumatt soon. I tested the cooker last Saturday and it passed my test- no soot, no smell and no spills. My only problem is that I have no information on what the fuel is and whether it has any chemicals that could be harmful in a domestic setting. I have written to the manufacturers in TZ and hope to hear from them soon.

I will test it further when I go camping in the next few weeks and I hope to see how the cooker copes outdoors. When I googled moto poa, I stumbled on an editorial in the Tanzanian Daily News with a commentary on the cooker, thus:-

Yes to alternative fuel sources

The initiative by a local company, Trade Networks Limited (TNL), to produce ethanol-based jelly for cooking should be encouraged by both government authorities and consumers.
According to TNL officials, the company’s plant at Mikocheni in Dar es Salaam can produce about 2,000 tonnes of the fuel daily at full capacity, which is six times the nation’s current daily demand of kerosene.
In effect, the new energy source can replace kerosene, which is widely used for cooking throughout the country. When the bureau of standards and other agencies verify the efficacy of the fuel known as ‘Moto poa’ as well as its impact on the environment, there would be no reason why consumers should not adopt it instantly.
Apart from providing an affordable and user-friendly alternative to fuel wood and the now scarce kerosene, ‘Moto poa’ is used in stoves made by small industries, which would create several thousand jobs once the cooker becomes popular.
Consumers should likewise warm up to charcoal made from waste by a Tanga-based company, East African Briquettes Limited, which was showed at the just ended Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair.
The energy ministry and other relevant authorities should provide the necessary support to that company to expand production and marketing of the fuel source as directed by the Prime Minister, Mr Edward Lowassa.
The initiatives by the two companies should challenge scientific researchers in this country to re-orient their work towards resolving specific problems facing consumers.
Having said that, we should emphasise that the acute shortage of kerosene following the drastic reduction of levy on the imported petroleum product is scandalous and should be addressed urgently.
A survey carried out in Dar es Salaam by the Daily News showed that oil traders were avoiding the product because it was no longer profitable. Some claim they would incur big losses by selling old stock under the new lower price while others are reported to mix it with diesel to maximise profits.
The association of oil marketing companies has even suggested that some traders have re-exported old stocks to fetch higher profits across the border. All these are unfair and criminal practices, which must not go unpunished.
Oil trade is, indeed, lucrative, but supplying kerosene is also an essential service to consumers and protection to the environment.

http://www.dailynews-tsn.com/news.php?id=2246 Tuesday Oct 16, 2007

The big four-O

I am not big on special days, but for the sake of peace and order, I have learnt that I should never forget my wife’s birthday, our wedding anniversary, the kid’s birthdays, the specific time, day, weight, weather, name of midwife on duty, billing details, meals ordered in the hospital during their delivery. I have even gone further and familiarized myself with the news headlines for the day, the hit song reigning that month and a hundred other details during the week they were born! You never know when your claim to serious parenthood will be called to test! My auspicious days however rank very lowly in my list of priorities. So when it was time for the significant 40^th birthday, I had no illusions that it would be any different from all the previous 39.

My family, however were busy plotting behind my back about a surprise birthday party. Actually it was Georgina and Gregory at the centre of the conspiracy. Natasha was excluded after her loyalty and ability to keep a secret longer than a minute was questioned!

So on the morning of my birthday, which was a Sunday, I was woken by Natasha’s scream rushing towards my bedroom with her brother hot in pursuit and attempting to gag the incoherent words coming out of her rapidly and breathlessly. Poor girl had just woken up and as is her habit, stumbled to the sitting room in search of the television when she bumped into the two conspirators putting candles on a cake in the sitting room and putting together gifts! So much for the surprise.

I was pleasantly surprised and thanked them profusely after I had eaten the cake and sang for until Natasha was hoarse. After church I was treated to a sumptuous lunch in a 4-star hotel. How I wish every other day was my birthday. I don’t know how I will ever repay them for making my fortieth so special and different.

My friends had no qualms using my aging as the butt of their crude jokes. I was honoured with a month-long celebration and will do my best not to let them down. I am the first in my circle of friends to turn 40, though at least another four or so will follow in quick succession in the next six months. They can rest assured that I will be at hand to “celebrate” with them! Any untoward action on my part is now met with retorts of how I am expected to behave my age. A few are now questioning my faculties on account of “age”! In response, I can only demand that that the “elderly” deserve to be respected!

Some of the advice I got for my troubles included:-

• Lovemaking tips for older persons - Put bifocals on. Double check that you're with the right partner.- Set alarm on your clock for 2 minutes... in case you doze off in the middle.- Set the mood with lighting. Turn 'em ALL OFF !- Make sure you put 999 on your speed dial before you begin... just in case!- Write partner's name on your hand in case you can't remember what to scream out at the end.

• Our brother has turned 40 years old today. He is the first of the brother hood to turn 40. He opens the door for many others to follow. A pioneer in his own right.

• Happy Birthday and Long Live Raphael. As they say Life begins at 40. The man has just started living.- Signed

In response, I said; Guys, Thanks for the felicitations, I look forward to the next forty with enthusiasm in the knowledge that with friends like you, it will be bearable and lots of fun. I hope to see the universal request to all younger people to “respect their elders” being put in practice. Below I share some fine quotes on the subject of growing older. Enjoy.-Signed

Forty is the old age of youth; fifty the youth of old age. ~Victor Hugo

~o~

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter. ~Mark Twain

~o~

Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative. ~Maurice Chevalier, New York Times, 9 October 1960

~o~

Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. ~Author Unknown

~o~

A man's age is something impressive, it sums up his life: maturity reached slowly and against many obstacles, illnesses cured, grief’s and despairs overcome, and unconscious risks taken; maturity formed through so many desires, hopes, regrets, forgotten things, loves. A man's age represents a fine cargo of experiences and memories. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wartime Writings 1939-1944, translated from French by Norah Purcell

~o~

A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams. ~John Barrymore

~o~

The first sign of maturity is the discovery that the volume knob also turns to the left. ~Jerry M. Wright

~o~

Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle. ~Bob Hope

~o~

Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart. ~Caryn Leschen

~o~

Years ago we discovered the exact point, the dead center of middle age. It occurs when you are too young to take up golf and too old to rush to the net. ~Franklin Adams

~0~

Everyone is the age of their heart. ~Guatemalan Proverb

~o~

We are young only once, after that we need some other excuse. ~Author Unknown

~o~

Old age is fifteen years older than I am. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

~o~

To be seventy years young is sometimes for more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

~o~

From forty to fifty a man must move upward, or the natural falling off in the vigor of life will carry him rapidly downward. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

~o~

Life is one long process of getting tired. ~Samuel Butler, Notebooks

~o~

Don't worry about avoiding temptation - as you grow older, it starts avoiding you. ~Author Unknown

~o~

At 20 years of age the will reigns; at 30 the wit; at 40 the judgment. ~Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac

~o~

A person is always startled when he hears himself seriously called an old man for the first time. ~Oliver W. Holmes, Sr.

~0~

A man is not old as long as he is seeking something. ~Jean Rostand

~o~

The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been. ~Madeleine L'Engle

~o~

Youth disserves; middle age conserves; old age preserves. ~Martin H. Fischer

~o~

One of the best parts of growing older? You can flirt all you like since you've become harmless. ~Liz Smith

~o~

Men at forty

Learn to close softly

The doors to rooms they will not be

Coming back to.

~Donald Justice, "Men at Forty"

Canned Wisdom VI

“Don’t complain, don’t explain”- Disraeli

“Age is the price you have to pay for maturity”- Dr. Karim

“The more they tighten the chains, the more they loosen”- Steve Biko

“You are a feminist (whether you are a man or woman) if you are concerned about equal job opportunities for women, equal pay, quality care for the girl child and other issues concerning women”- Vinita Dawra Nangia

“It is want of imagination that prevents people from seeing things from any point of view but their own and it is unreasonable to be angry with them because they lack this faculty”- Somerset Maugham

“The difference between a good man and a bad one is the choice of cause”- William James

Pain overcome is battle won When you start thinking about people, it sets your heart to bleeding Came into the world-breathed-ate- and all for nothing”- Maxim Gorky

“That scientific study has proved, that the larger the bra size, the lower the IQ”- Rush Limbaugh

Daily Metro - The Newest Kid On The Shelf

The Daily Metro is the newest entrant in the already crowded market for dailies. What with the dominant Daily Nation, resurgent East African Standard, the content-revamped duo of Kenya Times and People and Nairobi Star, the recent and noisy pioneer of the soft news genre.

Its common knowledge that NMG have had this project in their plans even before they launched the Business Daily but may have developed cold feet over this venture and even shelved it until Nairobi Star sneaked in and created a niche for itself selling as “a magazine in a newspaper’s body”. It is interesting that NMG are the printers of Nairobi Star and must have watched incredulously at the growing popularity of their client. Selling at 20/=, the Daily Metro is being positioned as a daily targeting the youth.

I believe there is a market for each of these new publications and even as we experience recovery of most sectors in the economy, growth in the print media has lagged behind their counterparts in the electronic media who have been on a boom mode for the last ten years or so.

I wish them luck and healthy readership.

Day Twelve - Back 2 Life, Back 2 Reality

We wake up at 7.00 am. The kids go to the beach to bottle some sand, shells and other memorabilia. I am busy packing and loading the car. Our host Kazungu we must see the other four cottages under his care. There is one that costs US $ 200 a day with four bedrooms and all amenities one can imagine. Its worth the money and we vow to be back for a visit. He also has four big pet geckos in his kitchen that scare the wits out of George.

We start our journey at around 10.00 am, but our smooth ride is interrupted by a traffic hold-up caused by the First Lady’s motorcade. She is in town for a charity function. Along the way, the kids are sending flying kisses to all the establishments we visited.

We drive to Mazeras where we branch to Rabai village for a visit at the National Museums of Kenya’s Dr. Krapf Memorial Museum. It’s a wonderful place with buildings, churches, furniture, organs, cemeteries, etc dating back to 1846 when Krapf and Rebman came here on a mission to spread Christianity inland. There is a mango tree in the compound that is from back in the day.

In 2003, we had spent our Christmas day in Rabai village hosted by family friends, but we never got an opportunity to visit the museum. We call on them, but cannot stay for long due to time constraints.

We are back on the road at 1.00 pm and we seem destined to arrive home very late. We briefly stop at Voi for liquids and Mtito Andei for lunch. The ride is smooth until we encounter the rough part after Sultan Hamud that take us to Mlolongo. It is an agonizing 100 kilometres. After Mlolongo, we are rudely welcomed to the notorious Nairobi jams even though it is well past 8.00 pm. Talk about realities

Day Eleven - Finishing Touches

We are supposed to travel back to Nairobi today, but on further consultations with the family we decide to extend our stay by one more day. Kazungu, the cottage’s caretaker, lays an elaborate breakfast that impresses my daughter. She thinks he is better than all the waiters she saw last week in the hotel we stayed in! After breakfast, we go to town to shop at Lulu Centre, No Maneno and Nawal Centre. We have an invitation to a friend’s restaurant at 2.00 pm. We follow that with a swim at Kigothos, where George opts to lounge in the shade while I frolic with the children. While at it, Natasha even learns how to float without the aid of a floater. She is overjoyed, as is a boy who I teach to float after suffering from the fringes of the pool! His mother is overjoyed too. As the late afternoon turns to the evening, we order some tea to chase the chill. The beverage turns out to be the best tea I have ever taken in the coast region. I will be back here, if for nothing, for the cuppa. For dinner we have burgers and pizza at the Mobil Galitos before we retire early to prepare for the long drive back to reality. Yes, the reality of unpaid bills, the reality of at least two months of brokenness, but also the pleasant reality of good memories to last the family a season.

Day Ten - On the Road again

We are all up at 5.00 am. After bidding the folks kwaheri, we hit the road using three bicycles. I ride myself in my mother-in laws bike, Daniel, the family poet, takes Georgina, while a neighbourhood lad takes Gregory and Natasha on one bike. We are riding to a bus stage called Peleleza to intercept the bus from Mukowe at 8.15 am. The Falcon bus seems to be stopping at every imaginable place on the whole way to Mombasa where we arrive at 3.00pm

A friend picks us up at the Bondeni bus terminal and drives us to our car. We proceed to the Bamburi Beach are where we are staying for the night in a delightful cottage on the beach. After showers and a walk on the beach, we go for dinner at the Kigotho’s Hotel & Apartments on Nyali Links Road. It is my first time here. They have reasonably priced cottages and excellent nyama choma. They also have an enticing swimming pool. We retire at 9.30 pm.

Day Nine - Lamu Island

We are leaving Gregory and Natasha behind with their grandparents since the sojourn to the Lamu Archipelago 55 kilometres away is a rushed affair. We leave the house at 7.00 am and cycle to Mpeketoni town some 45 minues away where we board a rickety Nissan matatu (the only one in a radius of like 300 kilometres) that packs 18 passengers. There was rain overnight and our driver is careful in the muddy conditions. This matatu compliments about 10 buses that ply back and forth between Mombasa -Mukowe routes daily. We have a very slow 2 hour drive passing through Mkunumbi and Hindi townships.

On reaching the Mukowe jetty, we find it under construction. There is not much of a town here, but half the government ministry offices are based here rather than on the island. If you are going to the islands, this is where you part with your four-wheeled contraptions. There is a big parking yard with vehicles of all shapes, size and nationality. Most are large 4 x 4s, government and parastatal registered and buses that leave for Mombasa the next morning.

From Mukowe, you can clearly see the Manda island a kilometre or so away. Mangrove forests fringe the whole island as all others in the archipelago. To get to Manda Bruno (the main settled island) you travel 5 kilometres northwards where the sudden and splendid view of the sea front full of white-washed Swahili-cum-Arabic style houses. The jetty is a beehive of activity with speedboats and ancient sail-driven dhows offloading supplies and passengers. Every imaginable supply for the 17,000 residents of Lamu has to be “imported” from the mainland. It costs 50/- to cross the channel by the matatu-like big wooden boats that pack in as many as 50 passengers or 100/= for the more exclusive fiberglass speedboats that take less passengers..

Lamu is laidback and easy. There are no beach boys, as one would expect with all the interest that UNESCO’s branding of these islands, as a World Heritage Site would generate. All the important government and leisure establishments are to be found on the two-kilometre sea front area. The DC’s office, Kengen power station, Lamu Museum, Airline booking offices, hotels, like Lamu Palace, Petleys, KPA, KAA, Catholic Church, numerous mosques, the King Fahd District Hospital, Fisheries Department, Public Works Department and KCB- the only bank here. We are lucky to see all the three motorized vehicles on the island- the DC’s land rover, the Municipal Council’s garbage removal tractor with its trailer and limo stretch tuk tuk that acts as the island’s only ambulance.

Despite all the sense of isolation and distance that one feels, there is a functioning ATM machine at KCB bank and I use the Visa Electron-enabled facility to withdraw some money. You also notice a large number of satellite dishes on most rooftops assuring one that contact with the outside world is made possible by technology. How comforting that modern technology lives side by side with a culture and buildings that date back six centuries.

Although it is raining, we walk the sea front all the way to Shella beach, then return through the narrow streets of the town where we dodge the famed Lamu donkeys and kids playing in the rain. The whole experience transports me back to numerous old Indian cities I have visited in the past. A host of other towns along the coastline including Malindi, Mombasa Island, Dar-es-salam and Zanzibar enjoy similar seemingly disorganized layout and architectural features. They are unique and should be protected as part of our national heritage.

We are sooner back on the sea front where I meet and make acquintance with one Mzee Farhan Shaban, a 75 year old care taker in a local mosque. He also takes care of the historical Peleleza House. He gives us a discourse on the island history, rulers and settlement from 1350 to the present day. He is proud of having “retired” from three jobs. He was once a guard on a Mau Mau camp on the island, then worked for a mzungu and finally in government service. He is on a pension and happy that all his children are able to take care of themselves. I promise to seek him out the next time I am on the island. After walking around in the wet condition, we decide to have lunch at the Hapa Hapa restaurant where we have snapper fish and rice.

At 4.30 pm, we cross over to Mukowe to catch the 5.00pm bus back to Mpeketoni. We reach Mpeketoni at 6.30 pm and cycle back to Bomani in moonlit roads and paths. The children, we learn, have had a packed day. We shower, dine and chat the night away. Tomorrow we leave for Mombasa at dawn.

Day Eight - Village Royalty

As usual, I am up early. Natasha has a swollen eye from some sort of infection. Eye drops from her grandma sort the problem out and she soon joins her cousins feeding chicken. Gregory is somewhere in the vast compound learning how to milk goats. After showers and breakfast, grandma is off to the shamba to plant maize with Gregory. The smaller kids are left at home riding bikes and swinging under the strategically placed mango tree. I chat with my father-in-law in the shade of the same tree as we prepare to slaughter a goat in honour of the visit. Despite my rusty skills, I am bestowed the privilege of being the lead goat killer and skinner. In less than one hour, we manage to skin, dismember, roast and boil the former goat. It is a lot of fun for the kids learning the goat’s anatomy. Natasha in her blissful ignorance thinks that the he-goat’s testes are the udder-and no one disputes or volunteers otherwise!. A sudden rainstorm disrupts our barbecue briefly, but we are undeterred. We use the house’s verandah to finalize. The rest of the day is spent around home chatting, receiving visitors and enjoying each other’s company.I am planning on taking Georgina for a daylong tour of the Lamu Island tomorrow.

Day Seven - Road to the South-East of Kenya

We wake up at 5.00 am to be out at 6.05 am and be in town at 6.30 am for a 7.00 am departure to Lamu. Being a weekend night, a few beach parties were taking place in our hotel’s neighbourhood last night and sleep was hard to nurse. Our taxi is on time and we make to Bondeni on time. Our bus also leaves on time though there are many empty seats to be filled further out at Mtwapa, Kilifi and Malindi.

The road to Malindi is the worst I have used anywhere outside the Nakuru-Kericho-Kisumu, Mau Summit-Eldoret stretches. It is a shame when you consider the potential for tourism. At Kilifi at least six tourists board the bus. Outside Maasai Mara, Lamu must our other important Kenyan selling point. The backpackers especially love Lamu. I know the CIA masquerading as tourist have also developed a keen interest in these parts due to the threat of “terrorism”. The road from Malindi to Garsen turn-off is bitumen standard and has little traffic. Police escort here is mandatory due to banditry, though there is now a good flow of personal 4x4 vehicles (probably tourists or NGO types).

My relatives live in the Bomani area of Mpeketoni and we drop off at Kibaoni area some 8 kilometres from Mpeketoni town. Since the Tawakal bus bypasses the town and goes straight to Mukowe Jetty some 55 kilometres away, we are shuttled home by three boda boda motorcycles. Motorcycles are now a very common feature in this area as elsewhere in the country, especially the cheaper variety coming out of China and India. The flat landscape here suits this mode of transport. Previously bicycles were king here and even the more wealthy in this society were hardly be distinguished by their means of transport. Today a few wealthy residents have motorbikes for their leisurely use though majority of the bikes are commercial. There are no tuk tuks (three wheeled taxis) in sight though it seems like they could do very well here.

When we get home at 11.45 am, the folks are out for church and I leave the family at home to visit Mpeketoni town in the company of my brother-in-law, who runs a business there. The town has recently been growing rapidly thanks to 24 hours of electricity from a Kengen generator in town. Previously power was generated and distributed by an individual and only provided to the jua kali sheds and a few other clients in the one kilometre radius of the town. Everybody else used solar energy. For many Kenyans, life in this part of the country would be unbearable, what with no power, no daily newspapers, TV or radio save for the weak signal of the KBC.

I tour the whole town by foot for about half an hour and see the sparkling new sub-district hospital complete with two ambulances. There are new businesses everywhere and brisk construction is evident as are numerous guesthouses. I wish them luck. We retire from the late afternoon sun into the local VIP pub that is frequented by the town’s big people. After two beers, we leave for home where I chat with my father-in-law till late. He is a good man who has lived a full life characterized by service to others and awesome dedication to his family.

Day Six - Water Amusement Park

I have to pick a friend at the airport at 9.00 am. Traffic on this Saturday morning is heavier than I would have expected. Back from the airport we are caught in slow traffic. I rejoin the family at noon and we head straight to the Wild Waters. I am impressed by the concept, set up and quality of services. The whole range of products from Lazy River, Waterslides, Fun Floats, Rain Dance, Food Courts, Video Arcade and Bars are worth the Kshs. 1000/= and 300/= fees for swimmers and spectators respectively.

During the lunch hour the food court becomes chaotic due to the impatience of Nairobians who cannot stand the laidback, almost lucklusture service by the staff. We bump into very many familiar faces from Nairobi. After lunch the kids go back to the water- Gregory cannot get enough of the slides while Natasha seems like she could happily live in the rain dance enclosure for the rest of her days.

Friends join us late in the afternoon, which makes the lounging in the fringes bearable. At dusk we leave for the hotel where we freshen before going for dinner at the Nyali Beach Hotel. A couple we offered best maid and best man services is hosting us. Talk about fringe benefits! At the hotel our laid back attire of shorts and sandals is declared unfit by their dress code. We are consigned to the informal Mchana Bistro. Though the pulling force for this Saturday dinner is a live band, we have to do without the view of the neither stage nor dance floor. The babies hardly touch their dinner due to fatigue.

Tomorrow, we leave at seven in the morning for Lamu- some 350 kilometres away. We are leaving the car in Mombasa because the trip is best taken by bus due to insecurity in the Malindi-Garsen-Witu-Lamu section.

Day Five - Day on the Island & Southwards

We are running late today. Gregory needs to link up with his schoolmates at Ukunda’s Word of Life camp. George and I also need to see and feel the place because we have promised Gregory the holiday camp for 2009. We also need to visit Wild Waters, Bamburi’s forest trails and their butterfly farm. Its now seems like our plans to visit Shimoni, Wasini, Shimba hills and Lunga Lunga will have to wait for another time.

After breakfast we head straight to the beach for a swim. The water is calm and our friend Tony is waiting for us. Seems like his pal- Uncle Nutty may have drunk his pay packet from yesterday and seems to have taken the day off. We proceed to enjoy two hours of fun in the ocean. I learn a few strokes from Tony. Seawater has higher buoyancy and may cheat the novice swimmer that it’s easier to float. George is in such a state; yelling in delight at her new prowess.

After the swim and a photo shoot, we are off to Bamburi Forest Trails to see their butterfly farm and jogging/cycling trail. Gregory and I hire two mountain bikes to attempt the 10 kilometres trail while the girls take the 3.6 kilometre leisure-walking trail. We don’t go very far in the humid weather and after the 3 kilometre mark we take the “Back to Reception” shortcut route. We let the children play in the cool playground for a while before we visit a friend at the Milele Beach hotel (formerly Giriama Beach), now owned by the PCEA Church.

After lunch we head to South Coast via the Likoni Ferry. The road beyond the crossing point is under construction in parts after the devastating floods early in the year. At Diani we visit Word of Life camp where 70 kids from Gregory’s school are on a one-week camp. We needed to get a feel of the place before we can allow Gregory to be on his own next year. We are taken for a tour of the facility and fall in love with the place. We agree that he can now be allowed to come here.

We drive back to Mombasa through the horrendous evening jam at the ferry channel. We dash back to the hotel, freshen up before going for dinner at the Whitesands hotel. Walking through the massive two part dinning area one gets a feeling of being in a boomtown. It’s packed to capacity with local tourists of the ostentatious consumption school. You can smell money in the air and I can bet Sarova do not mind that stench. I meet a handful of hotshot city lawyers who are here for a conference with their families. Earlier in the day we had booked for our bus tickets to Lamu. Our regular bus company is fully booked due to the now tired refrain of “high season”!