After two matutu (minibus), one boda boda (motorbike), and another matutu ride, 7 hours after I left Mbale, I arrived in Kisumu. I walked to the de-facto hostel which was really a hotel that was reasonably priced, in a good location and had a great rooftop overlooking Lake Victoria and checked myself in. The room was very small, being a single, but relatively clean and the staff were nice. But, it wasn’t exactly the comfort I had been craving after camping the last 78 out of 90 days. I decided to check out another guesthouse farther out of town where I could have a large room, soft bed and save a bit of money.

In the meantime, I stayed put to get laundry done (the situation was desperate after so many muddy hikes) and read on the roof. Despite being downtown, there was a distinct lack of eating options near my original hotel in Kisumu. Even the two other backpackers that I met remarked upon it. I resorted to deli style food from a local supermarket. I already missed the ubiquitous and varied street food of Uganda, particularly the chapattis and rolex (omelette rolled in chapati). Although the fish from Lake Victoria was pretty good.

I moved to the larger room and further location, where I spent a lovely two nights talking to a funny man from Germany who was retired and dating a 22 year old local woman in a very contractual manner (they would be married next year to ensure she was taken care of in the event of his death, but he would keep his own place and she would not visit Germany), going to the movies, and resting in my own room. The weather at this point was improving, but there were still sudden downpours and I was happy to not be camping for once. But it was clear the end of rainy season was nearing.

From Kisumu, I took the bus to Nairobi, where I spent one night near the airport and headed to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to meet up with my sister Cheryl.