`Safari” is Swahili for ”journey,” an appropriate word for any trip to Africa, but particularly for Kenya, nesting as it does in the geographic cradle of the human evolutionary journey.
What richness the Leakeys and others have found in archeological digs, visitors for decades have been finding in live form in the game parks and preserves across this country, and more recently, along its beautiful eastern coast.
Kenya is one of the most stable countries in Africa, and one that has been accustomed to foreigners since the colonial days of the British East Africa Association. English is spoken widely here. Kenya is generally an easy country to travel in, although special care must be taken to watch out for thieves in the capital city of Nairobi, once called the ”Paris of the East African Coast.” Kenya, with the world`s highest population growth rate, has had economic problems in recent years, leading to an increase in street crime.
Most people come to Kenya for a safari or the beaches. For the first-time visitor on safari, it makes sense to go with an established group or guide, of which there are many. You can travel in luxury, staying in fixed lodges or tents, or you can camp in rougher style. Be sure to bring more film than you think you`ll need. Chances are you`ll shoot off more than you would imagine, and it is very expensive to buy once here.
Kenya has a diverse topography, from desert to lush coast to cool highlands, and an equally diverse climate. Plan to dress in layers, and preferably in cotton. Remember that the equator bisects this country, so the sun is very strong.
There are a few health matters to bear in mind. A yellow fever vaccination is required and anti-malaria precautions must be observed. A strain of malaria resistant to chloroquine (the standard preventive treatment) is active in Kenya, so in addition you must carry Fansider or an alternative. Consult your doctor before you leave.
Be careful swimming and avoid slow-moving or muddy water or bathing in shallows. Bilharzia, a parasite from snails, may be in the water. In the north, a special caution for the alluring waters of Lake Turkana, or ”Jade Sea,” as it is also called: Those logs in the water may be crocodiles. While they are supposed to be fish-eaters, you would hate to be the exception that proved the rule. Go swimming, but be careful.
It should also be noted that AIDS is more of a heterosexual problem in Kenya than a homosexual one. Avoid all but a serious romantic liaison.
Trade and export of ivory, rhino horn and animal skins are forbidden, so beware of the enterprising con artist who tries to sell them to you anyway. You could end up in jail.
If you decide to rent a car and explore the countryside on your own, check with locals for road conditions ahead and with the Automobile Association of Kenya (AA). Driving in the northern part of the country should be done in convoy and not by newcomers, particularly on the road from Isioli to Marsabit. Armed gangs have been known to prey on the solitary driver. Land borders to Tanzania are open.
While the Kenya of today differs considerably from that of Isak Dinesen`s ”Out of Africa,” it is still Africa–unforgettable.
Worldwide updates:
ASIA
Pakistan: Check with the U.S. Consulate in Karachi before traveling to rural areas of Sind Province because of incidents of banditry and kidnaping of travelers.
MIDDLE EAST
Oman: The government has forbidden marriage to foreigners, with the penalty being loss of citizenship.
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–Saudi Arabia: The 15-mile causeway between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain is finished, but its opening has been postponed until the end of this year because of the Bahrainis` concerns about the cultural and economic impact it will have on their tiny country.
AFRICA
Egypt: Security forces rioted around luxury hotels near the pyramids outside of Cairo because of changes in work conditions.
–Liberia: A curfew is no longer in effect. It takes seven days to obtain an exit visa to leave the country.
–Nigeria: All currency and traveler`s checks must be declared on arrival. No more than 20 nira may be imported or exported. Violators may be severely punished. All land borders are closed. Recommended vaccinations include cholera, yellow fever, tetanus and typhoid, and gamma globulin if traveling to northern Nigeria through May. Anti-malarial precaution advised. Nigeria recently became the first African nation to attempt to settle its national debt by dealing directly with it creditors, bypassing the
International Monetary Fund, following the lead of Peru and Colombia.
EUROPE
France: Security has been tightened in and around Paris, the result of a wave of bombings believed to be the work of a terrorist group tied to the Middle East.
SOUTH AMERICA
Peru: President Alan Garcia Perez imposed a state of emergency and a 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. curfew in Lima to combat mounting urban terrorism. Terrorists continue to be active, recently throwing dynamite at seven embassies, including the U.S. Embassy, and at three buildings owned by the APRA ruling party. No injuries were reported in the blasts.
CENTRAL AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
Costa Rica: A passport is not necessary to enter this country, but U.S. citizens cannot extend their stay beyond 30 days without one. Last month Costa Ricans elected peace candidate Oscar Arias president, and the government recently took steps to establish an international peace-keeping force along its border with Nicaragua in cooperation with the Contadora group and the Sandinista government of Nicaragua.
–Haiti: Because of continued turmoil resulting from the toppling of the Duvalier regime, avoid travel here until further notice.
SOUTH PACIFIC
Papua New Guinea: The 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew is no longer in effect.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Indonesia: Rabies is active in 21 of the country`s 27 provinces, despite a campaign to slaughter stray dogs.
–Thailand: A sign in Bangkok`s Immigration Department warns that aliens with ”hippy characteristics” will be deported. According to the 1979 Immigration Act, a hippy is a person with untidy long hair and a dirty-looking manner, one ”who wears silk pants that do not look respectable, a person who wears just a singlet or waistcoat without underwear.”
HEALTH NOTE
From Immunization Alert and the Centers for Disease Control: Australia and Christmas Island (between Australia and Java) are not bound by the International Health Regulations, and everyone over one year of age who has within the six previous days been in any part of Burkina Faso, Gambia, Nigeria or Zaire, or in a yellow fever infected area of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru or Sudan, may be detained in quarantine if they do not have a valid international yellow fever certificate.
For a summary of global travel conditions, contact World Status Map, P.O. Box 466, Merrifield, Va. 22116. Because conditions can change overnight, always make your own inquiries before you visit troubled areas. In the United States contact your local U.S. Passport Agency office or the Citizens Emergency Center at the State Department in Washington, D.C.; 202-647-5225. Abroad, check in with the nearest American embassy.