Travel like a Turtle

Thoughts on our travels to Kenya

Carla Inez Espost

Published in

Little Kidogo

6 min readMar 18, 2020

“A massive AI archive with gazillions of categories, my brain is constantly trying to curate my experience.”

Superbike_Z and I at the Rift Valley viewpoint, Kenya.

I’ve been planning and planning and thinking and dreaming — and here goes…

There’s so much I wanted to write down, but just now I realized that it’s more important to finish than to make it perfect.

Right, okay — so this is a newsletter/small beginning of something like a magazine, wait, names don’t really matter here, rather stories do. So, sawa (okay in Swahili), the story I will tell today, is as you all might have been waiting to hear, the story of how Superbike_Z and I managed to travel to and around Kenya.

Phew, there’s so much to tell though, I’ve been quite ‘scared’ to start, as you might have noticed, but here I am now, we are…

So the story I’m telling today, and probably why it’s been so hard for me to start writing, starts at a very grieving point in my dearest Zacck’s life. Zacck, the dearest dear, lost his father this February. Samuel Obare, whom I sadly only met briefly on a whatsapp video call, was a father, son, husband, brother, cousin and friend to many. This fact in retrospect really substantiates the turn of events that followed when he passed.

Life changed ‘head over heels’ and in more ways than one.

Zacck’s dad Samuel Obare: Left when he was younger and right a more recent picture.

You know, as I sit here now, looking at the little sentimental paraphernalias I brought with me (Some Lego and toys from my childhood that Zacck has also come to see as home, a book of SA cooking by my aunt Errieda du Toit, a funny little book cover with a big fat tabby ginger cat that resembles kitten and loveliest dear Neon whom we miss so much and a few more of my favorite things), all I can think of is how thankful I am to have memories, spaces, places, people and things to call home.

Left: My favorite spot to sit and watch the greenery at Twiga Place, our current home. Right: Words cannot describe how much we miss Neon, at least Chai her Siamese cousin is keeping her happily busy for now.

Things have really really come full circle. Phew, there’s actually so many stories to tell, but like the saying goes, all work is behind the scenes, lol I can’t remember the saying but it’s something I understand as thus — when the fat lady sings, you only hear the moment right?

You don’t think of all those practice sessions, rehearsals and preparation that it must have taken her to sing like this. For this special moment is all that everything has come down to. What is now is the result of what has come before.

So this current ‘now’ is our moment.

Left: Beers on the airplane, beets when we landed, beers, beers, beers for Zacck the beer bear. Right: Zacck taking a Maasai stance at ‘braaing’ (bbq-ing, or like they say here in Kenya, ‘nyama choma’).

Zacck and I have had a difficult time in South Africa.

Of course we had our fair share of beautiful moments too, but the cross cultural/racial/country relationship surely has its price, specifically from our combination of contexts it feels at times.

Even now where I sit, far from familiarity, the well known, etc. -

I have to keep reminding myself that this place, these languages, customs, cultures etc. is life from now on — another part of my life that I have chosen to add to the South African part of me.

What is strange, what is familiar, what is new, what do I like, what is uncomfortable, etc. All these questions come up, like a massive AI archive with gazillions of categories, my brain is constantly trying to curate my experience and ‘box’ my environment.

On another note, I find it funny how my experiences here can become ‘facts to share as truths’.

I mean I myself know how subjective my experience here is, it’s been only 3 weeks now and I laugh when some people consider my opinion to be valuable.

I can’t argue, I really appreciate the trust, but I have to be honest with myself, you and them, and say that I am only another individual, and just one of so many in the world, and here.

I am experiencing but a nano/micro (whichever one is smallest?) slice of what is really happening here — not that any one person can experience the essence of it all. For lack of such clarity I guess my experience isn’t worth nothing after all…?

Lol, I can only laugh at my own insecurities.

Perhaps you can see how I doubt myself and somehow relate, so I will leave my train of thought in this story, it makes me feel comfortable to be transparent, afterall, I have always worn my heart on my sleeve.

Zacck actually does this too.

Coming back to the two of us, I think this is one of the things that has contributed to making our lives so adventurous and fulfilling so far.

Both of us really strive to have true connections with people we meet, be it online or in the analogue world.

Connection is what drives life, no?

Middle: ‘SeeMew’ my sister’s cat loves lying in her basket on the highest cupboard. I took this screenshot as my sister was holding up arm with her phone to reach that high and couldn’t see inside the basket herself.

Ok so for the sake of an ending, I will add a choice for you below as a way of gaining more info on our adventures.

But first, thank you so much to each and every one of you who have connected with us so far, your effort, love and companionship is something we cherish above all!

After a long time of isolation in the digital realm, both Zacck and I have learned and started appreciating the authentic labors of love we have and still receive from each and every one of you.

It’s always nice to have pictures with your face in it. I never used to think so though, but now I truly value having ‘proof’ of myself having lived what I remember. Also we took these for you guys and gals ;)

This also brings us to the purpose and future of this (these) story (stories).

We would love to further welcome and usher you into our world of adventure, dreaming and finishing challenges we set ourselves up to.

Our aim is to write these stories as a way of starting to maintain and grow this community of lovely folks like you who inspire and incite us to dare step into our potential and live our dreams in reality.

However, in order for us to maintain and grow this community, we need your help to please choose a topic that you would like to hear about next —

*Please comment below to let us know the story number of your choice.

How I found Gluten free bread in Nairobi
Kenya and their Kids, an Anime inspiration
The Adventures of Hoonigan, the Subaru Legacy station wagon of Zacck’s teenage dreams
Roads, Taxis and Traffic, chaos in motion
Mountain Biking update and inspirations
Living and Hustling costs
Food and Dining in Nairobi and surrounds
Recommendations for a weekend in Nairobi
Animals
Cat update
Souvenirs, decor, fashion and architecture in Nairobi
Kenya’s Technology and Economy
Kenya and South Africa comparison
A bit of everything (choose a few you like)
Something else?

*If you are not a Medium member please send your opinion as a reply to this email (greetings@littlekidogo.co.za).

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We are forever grateful for your friendship, mentorship and ongoing support in this adventure of our lives and would appreciate it if you can share our story with those who you feel might enjoy it too!