Journal: 7 days and 851 Km in Kenya with Eezer

This is a long article. I'm not a writer and these are just my notes and memories from an exceptional trip I have done with Eezer representing my company Pierce.

I do not get any money by you clicking on the links that I will share. What I share I just do it because I want you to know what I have lived.

It is impossible for me to express with words the feelings that I have experienced during the trip. Neither knowing that just a simple action, like buying a sticker (that proudly I show now on my laptop), can have such a great impact on someone else's life. After my trip, I feel grateful for everything I have and I'm eager to continue helping.

Almost a year ago, Pierce announced to the employees that we will have a Christmas campaign selling bikes-save-lives stickers and that the profits will be donated to Eezer to build an ambulance for Kenya. I automatically fell in love with the project and I started to coordinate projects between Eezer and Pierce sponsored by the Marketing Director.

As a result of the cooperation, Eezer share the willingness of taking one Pierce employee to Kenya and I was selected to represent the company. It has been a life-changing trip, and in this journal I have tried to put words to what I saw, experienced, and have changed me.

Now we are selling T-Shirts and all the profits will go to Eezer to build more ambulances. If you want to help buy it and share it with friends and family. The ambulances make a difference and they are possible because of your donation.

NOTE: I write it in the present tense as I wrote it during my trip, but please remember that English is not my native language, so forgive me in case of any mistake.

Day 1

The first day starts when I arrive at the airport to meet with the team that is going to Kenya. I arrive at the airport early because I don't like to be in a hurry when travelling. I only know Lars with whom we have collaborated from the very beginning but no one else on the team. When they arrive I realize that I'm the only one who doesn't speak Swedish so I feel a little bad about forcing everyone to speak English.

We do the check-in with some issues as we carry tools and aerosols. We get on the plane and have ahead a six hours flight to Doha, two hours at the airport, and an overnight flight of about five hours to Nairobi. Fortunately, the plane is empty and I can lie across three seats and sleep. We land in Nairobi at 7 am on Sunday.

Day 2

Our local colleagues Linashe and Dr. Panadol (Painkiller in Swahili) pick us up at the airport. At 9:30 we arrive at the hotel where we are able to take a shower, have a quick breakfast, and rest until lunch at 12:00.

At 14:00 we get on the bikes and begin the trip towards Naivasha, where we would spend our first night. A stop to refuel before starting and to the road.

The first thing you learn is that in Kenya you drive on the left, the second thing is that there are no rules (there are but nobody follows them), for example, there are not too many traffic signs, there are painted lines but as if they didn't exist. Everyone overtakes at any time and either you step aside or you die... not only you have to pay attention to those who come from the opposite lane overtaking but also those who overtake you because if there is no space and another vehicle is coming in the opposite direction, they run you over without a doubt when returning to the lane.

Leaving the outskirts of the city is a challenge: it requires total attention due to the great density of traffic, even more on a motorcycle that you don't know. Fortunately, we are on the outskirts because they tell me that traffic in Nairobi is pure chaos.

After a few kilometres of road and getting used to the bike suddenly we find ourselves stopped. Our van can't move forward because of the tremendous traffic jam in front of us and turns around to look for another route. The motorbike group keeps going. Cars overtake even if there is traffic coming from the other side, and many motorcycles, cars, and even small trucks, leave the road and circulate on a kind of unpaved shoulder on the left, so we do the same.

The traffic jam is monumental... I estimate between 20 to 30 km of traffic jam. It's crazy. While riding on the shoulder from time to time new cars and trucks suddenly incorporate without warning... You know that on Kenyan roads there are no rules when you go at 50km down an unpaved shoulder overtaking trucks and the horn of a truck sounds behind you warning you to step away because wants to overtake you... and you have to quickly step aside because the truck is not slowing... a real madness. To this scenario, we need to add as well the heat when the sun reaches the zenith, which is very early here close to the Equator.

After three and a half hours to make just 100 km, we arrive at our hotel, where we have a light dinner and retire to recover some of the sleep of the previous day.

?Day 3

The plan for the day is during the morning to enter into the Masai Mara area, visit the Otiyani maternity clinic where there is one Eezer ambulance and go to the (religious) Community of the same area where there is another ambulance and where we will have lunch.

The first thing we do after jumping into the motorbikes is to join the "highway", cross the lanes of the opposite direction and take the first exit... this is how traffic rules are respected in Kenya... Stop to pour some fuel, get some hot water for the thermos, some fruit, and we are ready to go again.

The trip to the clinic is quite good, 50% pavement, 50% gravel in reasonable conditions. After some kilometres, we make a stop to pee in the middle of the road. While we are waiting for the van for coffee, Vincent (one of our local companions) comes over with two kids and introduces them to us. At that moment I do not doubt it: the sun is hitting hard and the dust gets into the bones so I take two of the neck warmers from XLMOTO and 24MX to protect them. I teach them to wear it and they look very grateful.

The van arrives and after taking a coffee, we sing happy birthday to J?rgen because is his birthday. We continue our ride and for a few kilometres, we go next to the van. Suddenly the van slows down when crossing an animal reserve and we see the first zebras, giraffes, and baboons. It is curious to see these animals in freedom and riding a motorcycle.

We continue directly to the clinic. The road get bumpier and we immediately overtook the van and accelerate the pace. With the irregularity of the track and with so many potholes it is best to stand up for much of the trip. When we approach a truck on the road to overtake it, the dust it raises is huge and you can hardly see. However, the pleasure of riding a motorcycle on the unpaved roads, focus on the irregularities of the terrain, the movements of your companions, and the African landscape, is immense and time flies by.

Suddenly, a local dressed as a Masai tribe member intercepts us on the way and we stop. He is part of the community we go to and is here to accompany us, so we decided to wait for the van. We wait for a couple of hours and the van does not arrive. In the meantime, we chat with some of the locals that are taking care of the animals close the road, and I take the opportunity to establish a better relationship with Vincent from the Boda Boda Safety Association (a kind of taxi drivers on motorcycles). After some nice talks about the needs of motorcycle riders in Kenya, I decided to give him one of our neck warmers.

When the van arrives, they tell us what has happened. The Eezer ambulance that was in the trailer got untie and they stopped to tie it up. While tidying it again a vehicle hit them on the wheel of the trailer and got a flat tire so they needed to change it. Every day something out of plan happens here. We start the engines and head toward the clinic. Both the group of motorcycles and the van arrived at the clinic at the same time.

There is a group of women with their babies sitting in groups in front of the clinic, where all kinds of interventions are performed (except those of life or death that are transferred to the closest city). On the other side of an esplanade is a building that looks like a stable that is the maternity clinic, where women give birth.

Entering and seeing the conditions of the maternity clinic shocks you. I'm not going to describe the details, but it is enough to say two things: the first is how tremendously grateful I am to have been born in Europe, the second thing is that when we left the clinic and we were told that we were going to eat when arriving at our next stop in the community, both Ida and I commented that our stomachs had been turned upside down.

Without a doubt, we must value the work done by doctors, nurses, and motorcycle drivers with the Eezers. It is certainly better to have a clinic and a maternity clinic even if the conditions are terrible than to have nothing. The truth is that they tell us that complicated cases are transferred to the nearest hospital (which is really far away) so in this clinic, there are only happy stories.

We left the clinic to the annexed neighbourhood, tremendously poor, full of garbage, and where many children go barefoot or wear only one shoe. We make a quick stop to get the motorcycle off the trailer so that Panadol can drive it. As soon as we stop we are the center of attention, and I have to admit that I do not feel comfortable being the center of attention. Panadol's motorbike does not have gasoline so we have to wait for someone to bring it.

While we are standing a very tender scene arises. Ida, who is part of the group, and who won the trip in a fund rising contest for Eezer is surrounded by children laughing. She teaches them to clash their fists and to have five. Nor can I resist and I approach riding my motorcycle to take photos and videos. It's a really tender scene in a very hostile and poor environment.

Finally, the gasoline arrives and we get going. From this moment we do not see asphalt again until the afternoon when we arrive at the hotel in the city of Narok, and the road is complicated so the motorcycles get ahead of the van.

The landscape and the ride are overwhelming and joyful.

When we arrive there are women and children waiting for us. The priest receives us and asks us to please sit down because they have been waiting all morning for us... that's when I look at the clock for the first time: it's 3 in the afternoon! and we were supposed to be there at 12:00... A few opening words from the priest and the community thank us for the Eezer Ambulance and how it is saving lives. Quickly they send us to the "chapel" and serve the food they had prepared for us. We take some time after the meal to check and repair the community's Eezer. We decide that we are going to leave the Eezer that we carry on the trailer and take with us the one that is here because it is in poor condition. We also use some time to tighten the seat of the new Eezer that is very loose.

After the repairs and putting the old Eezer in the trailer, we turn on the engines and head towards Narok, where we will spend the night.

The road is again very pleasant, although with more dust than we had seen so far. The group has to separate a bit to gain visibility. Curves, potholes, ditches are linked to one another. The bike and I became one.

I go the third of the group and I see in the distance that the first brakes and the bike begins to stir like a snake, the same does the second... sands! a real sandy area! I know that if I slow down I will not pass them. I see that there is a gap to the right of the road, I put one gear down to gain some power, I move to the right and accelerate to enter the sand. The bike stirs but I hold it tight and continue with constant gas. Suddenly I see that to my left the ground rises... I'm in a ditch! I battle to escape to the left and the bike resists. The rear wheel constantly crosses and forces me to lower my feet to gain some stability, all without having cut off the gas since I entered the sand. Finally, I take it out and see Lars overtaking me screaming:?wahoo! What an adrenaline rush!

As soon as we enter an asphalted road we make a stop to share the experience. Everyone is up to dust and with a smile on their faces. It is almost night when we arrive at Narok and the city is in traffic chaos to us, but for locals is a normal situation. We have to cross the city and it is very demanding because we need to be 100% focus. We finally arrive at the hotel without too much time. Quick shower, dinner, and to the bed.

Day 4

The day starts hectic... we have a slight delay because the van has gone to change the wheel that was damaged yesterday, and when arrives we load everything to start the day. Suddenly Tomas, our engineer, sees that the right wheel of the trailer is not vertical...We dismantle the wheel and the union of the wheel with the axle is broken, it does not adjust and the potholes have caused the nuts and bolts to come loose... We must understand one thing, the trailer is handmade, our local colleagues have done it before our arrival, and "the axis" on which the wheel turns around is from a car.

We begin the repairs and start helping Tomas polish and adjust the parts. The sun at this latitude rises rapidly and from early in the morning "itches". In fact, the day before at the stop waiting for the van and at the community, I burned my neck and ears, so today I decided to wear a hat and neck warmer to protect myself.

After about an hour of hard work under the sun, the axis is fixed and we can turn on the engines of our motorbikes.

Red gravel all the way. In the end, the reddish colour of the earth makes you fall in love. The paths are hypnotic: the Crassulaceae of the size of trees, the Acacias trees with African shape, the mountains, the Masais in their colourful clothes herding cattle... On several occasions, we have to stop because cows, goats, or sheep cut the road.

At one of the breaks, we stop in front of a school and the children get crazy when they see us. Some of us come to greet, to clash fists, and to make the wave with the children. It is a curious scene that for many is the image with which they stay of the day.

At the next stop in a village (again we are the center of attention) we see that the trailer has lost a shock absorber. Four of us turn around searching for the shock absorber, but we find nothing and we decide to take the trailer to the local welder to fix it. The motorbikes continue and we arrive where we will spend the next two nights.

It is a kind of enclosure with cabins and large tents on the limits of the Masai Mara National Reserve, so close to the limit that they have to escort us at night when we go to the tents and they recommend us not to leave the tents at night because there are always animals. They ask us not to panic when we hear something at night.

It is relatively early and after a quick shower the Masais of the camp are going to make us a tour of the surroundings, they teach us the traditional use of the plants around us and how they use some of their weapons. They take us to their village, show us their typical dances and what their houses are like.

We return at sunset to the camp which permeates my retina some beautiful pictures of the African sunset. When we arrive at the camp and to make time before dinner, we sit by the fire. The locals tell us how delighted they are with what the Eezers (the ambulances) are achieving, not only by themselves but also as a lever for more changes by putting in contact different organizations that are gaining traction in the change, such as members of Boda Boda Safety Association, the Union of doctors and nurses for good praxis, and even a candidate for the parliament. We also shared our impressions of the day. Then we have dinner and go early to bed because the next morning begins at 5:30.

Day 5

It is still dark and after a quick coffee we take the motorbikes to the closest door of the Masai Mara National Reserve. While on the way the colours of down in the sky are spectacular and I can't hold myself to take the phone and make a video (difficult operation by the way). It's overwhelming...

This morning is going to be our tourist morning and we are going to do a safari, so we park the motorbikes at the entrance, jump into the 4x4 and enter the park. Nor is it worth dwelling excessively in this section, just comment that there are many animals and are very accustomed to the hustle and bustle of tourists. I admit it's shocking to see lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, and a lot of other African animals together and so close, but I'm a little disappointed. I guess that after what I have lived so far, a tourist activity doesn’t fulfill me.

At noon we leave the reserve and eat something fast at the door before going to the Koiyaki Community Clinic, where they have two Eezers and where we will meet Dr. Jackson or as he is also known "the motorcycle doctor". As he told us, his father died before he was born and they were so poor that they could not afford the school, so he abandoned the school. It was then when an American missionary mentored him, made him go back to school and he ended up studying medicine and saving lives. This missionary was and still being passionate about motorcycles and Dr. Jackson became another passionate, so he has always gone on a motorcycle to take care of his patients.

On the way to the clinic, it is time to cross a river and in doing so I get water in the carburetor. Starting the bike again becomes an ordeal, but after many attempts I get it.

As soon as we arrive to the clinic we get in groups to work with the Eezer because they need to change bearings on the axles. Tomas, Lukas and me in one, and J?rgen and Anders in the other, they disassemble the wheels and bring them to Tomas to fix them.

The atmosphere is relaxed, we are under a large tree that is located in the center of the clinic grounds. It is a nice place and the clinic is in good condition. It was founded by the Mama Zebra Memorial Fund, a Swedish Foundation with a sad history behind it. As we were told, it all starts with two Swedish couples who were very involved with the Kenyan community and were well known and loved. One day an elephant attacked them and ended the life of one of the women. The Foundation is in her honour.

When we finish with the Eezers, Dr. Jackson gives us a little speech very quickly because a storm is approaching at a dizzying speed. We quickly put on the gear and Dr. Jackson leads the way on his own motorbike. Leaving the clinic a flash of lightning and thunder bake the sky and begin pouring rain. We have the storm right on top! We accelerated the pace and although we got a little wet we managed to overtake the storm. The gear got little wet but the very wind of the movement with a pleasant temperature makes the clothes completely dry fast.

We arrive at our camp, a quick shower, and a special dinner prepared by the Masai. They are cooking goat on the fire, Goat Barbecue! They dance while we have dinner and once finished we sit around the fire for Dr. Jackson to tell us some stories and to share the impressions of the day. We retire early to bed because the next morning will also begin at 5:30.

?Day 6

The alarm sounds and tired I pick up the equipment. A quick coffee and documentation check before getting on the bike. I can't find my passport, it's not in the pocket that always is. I check the tent, the camp, undo my luggage twice to check. Nothing. I have already delayed the team quite a bit and after 45 minutes I decide that there is nothing more to do, I will talk to the Spanish embassy throughout the day.

The plan for the day is to go to an esplanade where there are usually wild wildebeests and have breakfast under a tree, then go to the Enturoro Community Clinic, where there is the motorcycle and the Eezer that donated by our customers and the Marketing team after the Christmas campaign with the stickers. We will end the day back in Narok.

We leave and on the way to the tree we have to cross the river we have already crossed a couple of times (and in which I had problems), but after yesterday's rains, it has grown... Lukas is half-hearted when trying to cross it and the next one is me. I'm going slowly to try not to get water back into the carburetor. Constant gas and... I'm out!

We arrived at the tree, but on the esplanade there are no animals today, it is what nature has. While we wait for the van to bring breakfast I call the Spanish embassy and they tell me that I have to be in Nairobi tomorrow morning to get a temporary passport, they also tell me the steps I have to make before showing up. The trip is over for me, today will be my last day on the motorbike.

The breakfast arrives and we sit down to enjoy it all together: a boiled egg, a butter sandwich (yes, a sandwich just with butter inside), some sweet potato, a crepe, a mini sausage and a coffee; we are ready to head to our next destination.

This time the landscape is quite poor. Typical savannah, an esplanade that goes beyond where the view reaches and with very few trees. It does not become a desert landscape because there is herbaceous vegetation that serves as food for animals, but it is a slightly monotonous landscape. In addition, it is very windy which makes driving difficult.

We arrived at the Enturoto Community Clinic and they are just there waiting for us. We park the motorbikes and the director gives us a small speech thanking the help and change that the motorcycle and Eezer have caused in the community. The lead doctor introduces us to his team and Lars, after a brief introduction, gives way for me to speak to the community. I tell them that makes me very happy to see them healthy and strong, and that the Eezer has had such a positive impact. That we must thank our customers and our Marketing department for having made the donation and that I hope that in the future we can continue to collaborate and help. Lars takes out some stickers from bikes-save-lives and we put one on the community motorbike and another on Dr. Jackson's. Once the speeches are over, they show us the clinic.

Then the women who are in the clinic tell us about their experiences with the Eezer and how it has changed their lives. It's wonderful to see that what you do, or what you collaborate with, has a real impact. This motorbike and Eezer is our contribution as a company and that people convey their happiness and gratitude for helping them is incredible and gives you the strength to continue working and helping.

At a certain point, the women ask us who visit Kenya for the first time. We approach the oldest woman of the community and she gives to each of us one typical Maasai clothing. It fills me with pride to wear the garment of the tribe.

We have a little free time and I take the opportunity to ride the motorbike with the Eezer. After a couple of laps I give it to a teammate.

I also take advantage of the free time in the community before the meal to do something that every petrolhead has to do: share the passion for motorcycles. I approach Ida, who has never ridden a motorcycle, and ask her if she wants me to teach her how to ride a motorbike. With a smile, she jumps onto my motorbike. We both sit together, I explain the gas, clutch, gear change and brakes. I ask her to feel the gas and the clutch. She engages first gear and after a couple of attempts, we are riding! Her next reaction is "I have to get my license and come back here to make this trip on a motorcycle". Job done!

It's time for lunch and they take us to an adjacent house where they serve us the best they have and we eat it (maybe it's here where there was something in the food that made me ill).

After lunch, we set off to Narok. On the way back to Narok, we allow ourselves the luxury of getting out of the road and do a little offroad. The landscape has changed again and we are in a terrain of white sands and arboreal Crassulaceae that is like a desert.

Soon the landscape changes again and we could be anywhere in Europe or America. Fields with plantations and livestock with hardly any native vegetation. It's a strange sight knowing I'm in Kenya.

Suddenly the weather changes and it starts to rain. We accelerate the pace to try again to outrun the storm. We manage to overtake it and stop just before leaving the gravel roads to enter asphalt in front of a school and the scene of a few days ago is repeated. After a couple of hours, we arrive at the hotel in Narok.

Knowing that it is my last day on the motorcycle when I park it I take a picture of the kilometres and there are 580.9 Km of experiences that have changed me.

While the others enjoy a beer, a shower and some free time, Linashe accompanies me to the local police station to report the loss of my passport and to a photography studio to have passport-size photos. He also arranges for me a driver to take me to Nairobi tomorrow at 5 am. He has helped me a lot.

During the dinner we meet Amos Kipeen, who is running for the Kanyan Parlament and is also involved in the Eezer project. Once the dinner is over I have a couple of beers with the group before going to bed at 12 (later than usual) I go to bed to try to get some sleep.

Day 7

It's 3 in the morning and I'm shaking... I have fever. My heart goes up to 120 bpm and the watch gives me high heart rate warnings... I get up and vomit, which I haven't done in 10 years... I didn't remember it to be so unpleasant. I also have diarrhea... I go back to bed to see if I can sleep an hour more...

It's 4:30, I get up and I'm still feeling bad. I get dressed, take my things and get in the car which arrives at 5:15. I ask Martin, the driver, if he cares if I fall asleep (the body only demands more sleep time) and I go dozing to Nairobi, where we arrived at 8:30 to the Spanish embassy. After all the arrangements at 10:30 I'm out and Martin takes me to the hotel (I also sleep on that trip). I arrive at the hotel, take a shower and go back to sleep until 19:30 when my colleagues arrive.

They have today ride to the top of an ancient volcano. Gray dust (a lot) and a spectacular road as I am told. However, they have a really hard time arriving to Nairobi at night and with the madness of the traffic.

We go for dinner together. I haven't had breakfast or lunch, but my body doesn't ask me to eat. I force myself to eat some chicken and at 21:00 the 4 of us who return to Sweden leave to the airport.

After several explanations at the airport and a bit of tension with my new passport, they let me get on the plane. I have a horrendous flight (actually two flights) with my state of health. I spend almost every hour dozing.

We landed in Arlanda on Saturday at 14:30 and an hour later I'm at home, where I shower and go back to bed to sleep. Another night with fever...

The gear

For those of you interesting in the gear I was wearing during the trip here you have the list and links.

Course Surfer Full Face Helmet: I was surprised by the quality of this helmet. I can’t say (fortunately) about the safety. The helmet is not heavy, it is very comfortable (no pressure in the ears) and the ventilation is good for worm conditions but in the morning and when raining you need to open the visor to avoid condensation. I know that it is Pinlock prepare, so I guess that will solve the problem. I can’t say about noise because the top speed was 105 km/h and usually in my experience noise starts to bother around 120 km/h.

Course Vento Mesh Motorcycle Jacket: I have to say that this Course summer jacket is perfect for hot conditions. It is not heavy but feels strong and it is extremely well ventilated, so once you are riding the motorbike you can feel the air going through the jacket. Even in the morning and evening, the ventilation is so good that you feel a bit cold and you need to wear a huddie or sweater underneath (check how I wear one in one of the videos). The fit is good and allows a good degree of movement.

Course Vento Motorcycle Gloves: very comfortable and well-ventilated gloves. Good grip and sensitivity on everything. They are soft, not like other gloves that I have, leather ones, that are so hard that the hand is in pain after few kilometres of closing the fist. They also look amazing and the combination of black-red is very aggressive and cool.

Course Fasttour Motorcycle Boots: I have a very wide foot (I aim to minimalism shoes or even barefoot) so I always struggle with normal shoes and boots when I wear them for a long time. Because I know I tend to always have one size bigger than the correct one, but even with that strategy, not always is working. For the Fasttour Boots, it worked perfectly. Very wide and comfortable boots. Amazing to do a lot of kilometres. They are not adventure books but they defend themselves in the hard conditions of the trip. Waterproof as no water gets into when crossing rivers and good protection to impacts. On the other hand, they are extremely warm for Africa… clearly, they are made for spring/summer conditions in the north of Europe or autumn/winter in southern Europe

Raven Storm OTB Enduro Pants: these pants are not for what I use them. Enduro is not the same as Adventure. Knowing that, here are my impressions. The two zippers for extra ventilation on the upper part of the leg are super good. As soon as the sun was up in the sky I open them and when standing on the bike, the cooling of the legs was refreshing. It is a bit strange the difference between the adjustment in the hip and on the boots (more loosely) but the design is made for Adventure or Motocross boots, so makes sense. The fit in the hip is not super good but it works. From time to time you need to pull the pants up. Perhaps suspenders are a good complement.

24MX X-Mudder Pro Hydration System 16L: amazing backpack for riding a motorbike. Even with the waterbag full (like 2 littles) you still have space for a lot of things. Multiple pockets and zippers. It is also very comfortable.