KENYA - Animals are the luckiest in Kenya. This what I witnessed during my visit to Kenya, to which I was invited by the Kenyan Tourism Ministry and the Kenyan Tourism Activation Authority, in co-ordination with EgyptAir and Sarova Resorts Group. Every individual in Kenya - whether the government or people - is doing their best to save and preserve wildlife and nature in the widespread forests and jungles, and trying to prevent any human interference that could threaten the safety of the creatures and inhabitants living in these tourist attractions. One of the remarkable precautions taken to protect animals is the signage spread throughout the jungles warning safari cars that animals have the priority in these roads. What is more interesting is the distinctive lifestyle of tribes living in these jungles. One tribe that is notable for their red-coloured costumes is the Maasai, one of the best-known tribes living there. A member of this tribe told me that animals feared the colour red, and ran away when they saw red or smelled the distinctive smell that marked this tribe. The population of the Maasai tribe is about 1 million living in the Maasai Mara region, located in southwest Kenya. Despite the fact that some women and men of this tribe speak English fluently, they reject the lifestyle of the city and prefer to live their traditional lifestyle, keeping their rites and traditions. In one example of their distinctive lifestyle, children there are born and left to play and enjoy the wilderness until they reach the age of 14, when they undergo a circumcision ritual. At this age, each boy is left inside the forest away from his family, where he tries to hunt a lion, so that he could be allowed to return to the tribe as a warrior, but some of them are not lucky enough to return home. After returning home, he has the right to marry. In the Maasai tribe the man has the right to marry more than one woman. This tribe's traditions include that women are the ones who procure the necessary materials to build the marital house, which is built out of tree roots, branches and clay. The woman is also responsible for constructing the house. She may also work in agriculture, framing, or making crafts out of wood to sell to tourists. As for the man, his task is restricted to protecting the family from wild animals and beasts. Although the tribe is isolated from the city, they don't ignore their history, which is embodied in the establishment of a museum that includes hand-made paintings of their ancestors. What adds to my astonishment is the small primitive airports or airstrips surround the Kenyan jungles. They are characterised by a red sand runway and a small air-controlling tower that doesn't contain any equipment, as they mainly depend on eyesight in controlling carriers. These landing strips are used for transporting tourists aboard helicopters instead of using buses or cars. What is more curious is the Kenyan people who spread their hand-made goods on wooden tables inside the ‘airports' where you are welcomed by a sign reading: “Welcome to the duty-free zone”. These airports are a living example of the old-fashioned type of tourism that is admired by tourists all over the world. After finishing with our Safari trip we moved on to spend a night in Nairobi where I got to see a total contrast to what I witnessed in the woods. I was shocked when I saw how organised and clean the city was, as if I were spending a night in London. What is more interesting is that smoking is prohibited there in public places. It's only allowed in certain designated areas. Anyone who dares to smoke outside this area will be severely punished, either jailed or fined, and that's why I hardly saw a smoking Kenyan citizen. The Kenyan people are also very skilful in serving tourists, as they all work in the framework of a system that maintains this as a top priority. I truly enjoyed my exciting and adventurous trip to Kenya. [email protected]
