Now we are all here, again a bit north of the equator ;-). After a long flight to Nairobi with a “reunification” of the group at Nairobi airport and a pleasant night there, we flew in the morning to Kisumu at Lake Victoria. There, phone cards were purchased, money exchanged and we studied the local press which reports quite critically about corruption and cases of environmental destruction and informed about the current political situation.
The small bus of the MMUST (the Masini Muliro University of Science and Technology, our partner university), steered resolutely and safely by Salome, came exactly correct, with African time buffer, in order to be able to do the above-mentioned things in peace.
The ride went quickly up to the highlands at 1600 m, over construction sites of emerging roads, past settlements with people, goats, sheep, cows and a variety of getting used to and unusual fertile landscape. Thanks to GPS, we did not miss the equator, which is not particularly marked on this road.
In Kakamega we moved into the hotel and discussed our strategy, plans and tasks for the next days, in combination with testing drinks (Kenyan tea, coffee and beer) and food (quite delicious fish, different types of meat, partly unknown vegetables, eg Kales and also Ugali, the local staple food, a maize mass which is without taste).
Tomorrow (meanwhile today) early at 9:00 African time it really starts. Discussions and lectures at the MMUST with our new, most unknown colleagues.
The eyes are slowly closing but a few slides still have to be made…