In early September, 2006, a group of us climbed Mt. Kenya with Evans, our guide. In addition to me (Tony), we were Jordan and Anne. I am American climate change scientist, living and working in Austria.
Jordan is a PhD student from the US working with me on a research project (on climate change), and Anne is from Denmark, whom Jordan and I met in Nairobi and decided to join up with for the Mt Kenya climb.
It was a great experience. I am writing this diary two weeks later both to keep the memories in my own mind, and also for Evans, so that he can share this trip with others.
He impressed me as a very good guide, for several reasons. First, he was simply completely competent.
He led us at a pace that was slow enough to appreciate the wildlife around us, and to stick to all day. He knew the wildlife, and the trees, and could explain everything to us if we asked.
We started each day early, so we never got wet. Second, he cared about the mountain. Other groups may have left litter behind, but ours left it cleaner than we found it.
The other guides we met seemed to really respect him. Third, he was just very nice.
He didn`t impose his personality on us, but it was a pleasure to talk to him about his experiences growing up at Mt Kenya, and living in Nairobi. I wish him and his family all the luck in the world.
He has started this business, to guide people up Mt Kenya, and unlike others, it is locally owned and operated, the equivalent to Fair Trade.
The money you pay him for the service goes directly to him and his guides, so that they can make a reasonable living afford education for their children, rather than going to a tour operator from outside of Kenya.
If we want to live in a world of greater equality, we need to make choices, and the choice to hike Mt. Kenya with Evans and his team seems like a right one. I would like to return to Mt Kenya some day, perhaps when my son is old enough to come along with my wife and me.
Next time, I would like to have some more time, and even try to the technical climb to Batian, and maybe also hike up Mt Kilimanjaro. I hope to see Evans again when I do.
It was a great experience. I am writing this diary two weeks later both to keep the memories in my own mind, and also for Evans, so that he can share this trip with others.
He impressed me as a very good guide, for several reasons. First, he was simply completely competent. He led us at a pace that was slow enough to appreciate the wildlife around us, and to stick to all day.
He knew the wildlife, and the trees, and could explain everything to us if we asked.
