The Initial Journey 2013

I decided to come to Africa in 2013 when I got an opportunity to take over the operations of a learning company in Africa. Coming to Africa was always a desire I had, but so long was not expressed by me, neither I did get an opportunity to leave the shores of India. 

My coming to Africa was not at all liked by my wife who is simple Indian lady with very little wants in life, as a Bengali girl growing up in Calcutta in the post partition period one was given an education, but not a desire to dream big, as everything in those days were scares, even vision and dreams. In those times a boy desired to get a government job which may be clerical in nature, was seen as a very big victory as it meant steady earnings and for a girl it was to get married to a person who could take care of her, that meant feed her and clothe her.

My wife in her thoughts, fueled by her upbringing was of the opinion that I needed my freedom from her, hence was running of to Africa. While my heart pulled me to meet people in a different parts of the world and learn about their custom and cultures, while the job was an addition bonus

I was born in a Bengali Hindu family of immigrants who had to come over to India leaving there thriving business in Kamalghata in erstwhile newly formed East Pakistan, earlier East Bengal and now Bangladesh. My love for travel picked up from the days I traveled with my father who was a doctor in Army Medical Corps, in my initial years I grew up in the army cantonments with the fading flavors of the British Raj and later in my formative years was put in a Christian boarding school in Calcutta now Kolkata. In those days the Christian missionaries were also in a confused state, as the Britishers had left and those who stayed back were mainly for maintenance purposes and making plans to hand over to the locals, the so called Indianisation of the missionary schools were underway under the supervision of the Britishers . Hence was schooled by teachers who were Britishers, Anglo Indians, local Christians and local Hindus. The school education was very interesting in those days as there was a transition in the students way of expression, from English thinking English speaking to Bengali thinking English speaking. As a student we could hear our English teacher Mr William Torrick shout in English 'Think in English to improve your grades in English language'. The British and Anglo Indian teachers were mainly teaching us languages and arts while the sciences were the bastion of the Indian teachers. While I was lucky to learn drawing from Mr Sanat Kar who later joined Shantiniketan and later went on to become a leading painter in India. Hence my background of  being born in an immigrant family, raised partially in a Army environment trying to hold onto the fading Raj, studying in a boarding school entailed me to travel 3 times a year during holidays over long distances in India and abroad. This probably gave birth to a travel bug inside me. Even in may late 50's you cannot stop me getting me excited, if travel is discussed.

Hence when the offer was made, I could not refuse, as my inner heart wanted it, while I was in a confused state for some time, as it meant leaving my aged mother and family with a darling granddaughter Sophia to live in Nairobi, Kenya, at first I was under the impression that my wife would succumb to my wishes and will join me there. But she is a person of strength and she kept her word of not setting foot on the African continent, stating that she would like to cover India her motherland first then other places of the world. The belief she holds till date.

Hence, after lot of internal questions answered, I finally decided to come and work in the fag end of my career. Today when I look back after 3 year travelling through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Madagascar, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Burkina Faso I find it satisfying. Different cultures, different languages but love and bonds are the same. (See the map below)

My job made me base myself in Kenya at Nairobi, the first place I set foot on the African soil was at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [JKIA] at Nairobi. The experience was very overwhelming and learning too.

I took the Kenya Airways flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi to JKIA, Nairobi. The flight landed on time at 0540 hours in mid month of October, the dawn was just breaking in and the equatorial sky was in a riot of colors and the weather was cool 16 degrees Centigrade. It was a relief from the extreme weathers of India. The flight though uneventful was cramped due to the service being done by Boeing 737.

The Kenyan officials at the immigration and customs counters were very courteous, that was my start of learning that Kenyans are a wonderful set of people. At that time the arrival terminal of the airport was a temporary one, as the terminal had burnt due to a fire. As soon as the airport formalities were done I met up with the company taxi driver Francis Mburu Gitau a pleasantly stubborn guy who dropped me off at Hotel Ole Sereni. The drive in the morning was very heavenly and inspiring, it got me hooked to Kenya. The weather is Nairobi is just awesome.

One learning which helped me in my travels is, I didn't treat Africa as Country and but as a Continent. While most of the people visiting Africa, treat Africa as a country and hence are surprised with such diversity and cultures, which leads to many of the travelers not coping up with the stress it brings. But for me more the diversity more challenging and fun it is. Which made my adaptation to Africa very smooth

On reaching the hotel Ole Sereni in the morning it was very pleasant, as there was a cold nip in the air and I enjoyed the weather, but was tired with the seven and a half hour flight from Delhi. As Ole Sereni faces the Nairobi National Park was fortunate enough to have a park facing room.

This was my 1st day in Africa and I will continue to write of my experiences.