There are two ways to the Kenyan border town of Moyale.
The first is by driving due north. The proposed Cairo-Cape Town Highway passes through two towns: Isiolo and Marsabit. Isi is ironically called the “crossroads of Kenya” because the road forks to the east and the west. But, neither fork could be called anything other than a sand track.
The eastern fork continues to Marsabit. This town is the last stop before Moyale. And the only thing in-between is desert and bandits. The road is reportedly “safer” now. But, one truck owner was disconcertingly proud of his already loaded platoon of armed soldiers.
The second way to Moyale is a detour. You go northeast through Garissa and Wajir. The road to Garissa is sealed and thus heavily traveled. After passing through, though, it’s the return of the sand track for hundreds of kilometres.
You can’t avoid the sand track. All of northern Kenya is scrubby desert. There’s barely foliage enough to feed and cover the wildlife. Great for the game-watcher, however, as you can’t miss countless camels, giraffes, buzzards, leopards, warthogs, goats, storks, cows, and other animals we couldn’t identify.
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