We left aat 7.30 a.m. and soon reached the police checkpoint. We were greeted by a massive Kenyan policeman with a big booming laugh just like Frank Bruno. He and his colleagues questioned us about why we wouldn't take the armed guard as this is seriously dangerous territory with a lot of tribal conflict still in existance. There are often armed bandits along the road and during the last few years the inhanitants of a small village we passed through had all been massacared in a tribal dispute. Whilst these disputes still exist and were obviously a worry for us the bandits are really only interested in other tribes and steeling their cattle and they realise tourists do not carry masses amounts of money with them and we couldn't realise visualise them driving off in a red Nissan 4x4 with a house on top!!!! When we said we didn't want the guard Frank Bruno gaave a huge belly laugh and saide 'I hope you are good fighters' He gaave us his phone no in case we met trouble on the way and moved the tyre piercing stingers out of the way so we could pass.

Immediately the road turned to black shatterved lava which literally shook the truck and camper to death. You feel like your fillings are going to fall out and your brain is rattled from side to side it was horrendous, just as bad as everything we had ever read. There is no let up it us just continuous shudder and judder all the way over the volcanic rocks and small boulders, Peter had blisters on his hands at the end trying to keep the steering wheel in line.

The scenary is absolutely spectacular but one of the most amazing sights is the tribes people walking along the side of the road in full tribal gear, especially the young men with brightly coloured beards and body painting and red mud in their hair many carrying spears or rifles. One thing that amazed us was the number of camels along the route. We thought we had seen the last of camels in the Middle East but we saw more travelling down this road than anywhere else.

Towards the end of the day a cloud of dust appeared at the side of us and a vehicle juddered to a halt, it was Stuart and Natalie our friends we shared the room with in Wadi Halfa, Sudan who had taken a side trip by plain to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda and were now back in Kenya. We said quick hellos and arranged to rendevous in Marsabit at another popular overlanders campsite run by 'Henry the Swiss' from Basel, Switzerland (Do you know him Jurg??) Two bone shattering hours later when we felt we couldn't continue any further as we had been on the road for 10 hours we pulled into Henry's field where Stu and Nat were waiting with cold beers. After too many beers and a tasty meal cooked by Nat over the fire we retired to bed at 1.30 a.m. much the worse for wear which was definately not a good idea seeing as we still had half of the rough road to cover.