I’ve finally got myself a blog where I’ve written about my recent experiences in Loliondo. Though this is not a trip report, not even my kind of trip report, and it’s definitely not for literary critics. http://termitemoundview.blogspot.com/2010/...at-thomson.html

I'll be reading. Thanks for the link.

Thanks for this - interesting reading to say the least.

Nyamera, you set out the blog very well. A date line structured separately may help organise things in people's minds. It is quite hard to get around the chronological order when just reading these things.

Twaffle, first I need to write something shorter. It will be difficult as I already feel I’ve left out too much. Then I’ll think about a date line. Thanks for the idea.

Good reading. It wasn't too long for me, but I think it might be for some audiences. For you I think it is "tight and gripping".... I can tell you left out a lot. You could condense the events at immigration significantly - not much actually happened in the end, except for the stamp that we knew was coming. I know it would not have felt like that at the time, but the real action is in the very good potted history and the events before Arusha - your goose is clearly cooked once you get there and we just need to know you were not beaten or worse, or that sinister men didn't follow you around.

One suggestion: split it into two blog entries - the potted history and the report of your own experiences.

The name of the blog is excellent - much better than The Infamous Topi!

Thanks Paul. I think I need to condense everything to write something that “everyone” will read. Those days at immigration were really uninteresting, mostly walking uphill in the heat and sitting around waiting, but I could have made that part even longer writing about my surreal interaction with street businessmen.

The surreal businessman event happened during this trip but it's a separate (and I am sure very interesting) story. Paul's idea of splitting this into two blog entries is a good one. Serialization has worked well through the ages for complex narratives!

Thank you, Nyamera, for posting this. Interesting reading and a troubling situation.

Just wanted you to know I am in the midst of reading your report. Your determination to just head over there and find out what's happening is refreshing and admirable.

I've finished. I could not help contrast the tone and very serious undertaking with all the other typical reports, mine included.

You did what few people have done. Considering you were not back by any journalist organization, you might be alone on the planet in your pursuit.

I hope your brief time in Kenya was pleasant.

Thank you for sharing this experience.