Train Across Kenya

For several years the Kenyan government, with the help of the Chinese, have been building a high speed railroad from Mombasa to Nairobi.  This will eventually be linked to railroads in all the 'land locked' central African countries so that they will have access to the port of Mombasa.  Brent, Carolyn and I decided to check out the train trip rather than flying from Nairobi to Mombasa.

Welcome to Nairobi! 

The train was fast and comfortable.

Pretty amazing to look out the window and see elephants, wildebeests, giraffe, and zebras.  Our own safari!

Another amazing thing about this trip was a conversation we had with the Kenyans sitting across from us.  The youngest of the three men, accompanied by his father and uncle, were on their way to the ancestral home of the woman he hoped to marry.  They were traveling to negotiate the dowry.  This is still very much a part of tradition in Kenya. Prospective bridegrooms are expected to give the family of the bride either money or goats or cows or some combination of the three.  This age-old custom is regarded as a show of appreciation to the bride's parents for the way they have raised her and also as compensation for the loss of the girl to her family as she joins her husband's family. As we talked to the young man we learned the he lives in St. Louis, Missouri and owns a trucking company.  While talking about travels in America he mentioned that he had recently traveled from Dallas to St. Louis on Interstate 40.  There was a big snow storm just as he passed through Little Rock so he pulled off at a truck stop just past North Little Rock and spent the night.  In the morning he continued on Interstate 40 for a few miles but was advised that it was best to get off the interstate and continue on Hwy. 70.  He did this and drove through many little towns. 

I know exactly where he was and what little towns he drove through....my own little town of Lonoke, Arkansas!  Isn't that amazing that I'd meet someone on a train in Kenya who had recently driven right through my home town!  Talk about a small world!