The Safari Train, The Midnight Train to Kisumu
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- January 13, 2024
Getting stuck in the middle of nowhere has never been my fear, because I’ve never even thought of it.
So one evening, last December, I booked the 1830hrs Kisumu Safari Train, It was my first time since it resumed its revamped operations.
I hadn’t intended to onboard the train but it was my last minute resolution since the visit was urgent and I was already late (All buses were fully booked for the entire week).
By 1800hrs I was already at the Nairobi Railway Station, and on my seat in the train, seat number 22, carriage 9 to be precise – Imma proud time keeper.
Without even seconds delay we set off to Kisumu, my Nirvana.
The chugging of the engine, the horn blowing, the wheels clacking on the tracks, and the brakes screeching when stopping, were all we could here now while in the train entering the dark, the voids of the countryside.
The journey was all well and soon I was asleep.
At around 0100hrs I was woken up by the noise of the other rail passengers, upon asking the ‘mama’ sitting next to me, she told me the train had an emergency stop around 10 to 15 minutes ago ( Wuueeh, aki usingizi wewe) and everyone had panicked exacerbated by the fragmentary communication we were receiving.
Shortly one of the cabin crew came and assured us there was nothing to be afraid of since everything was in control, only a slight technical hitch, with the information, everyone regained there cool, but on my mind, many thoughts started floating freely, I tried to escape the moment through my phone ,so I don’t overthink but there was no network, but I later learnt we were stuck in some bushes in Londiani.
Then a thought came into my mind, this could be a moment, a golden chance, God has given me for introspection.
And I thought of many things including the day I made my first journey to Nairobi to stay, the things I have done and where I am so far………
Many at times we get mentally overwhelmed in addition to physical exhaustion. We get lost in many things till we forget who we really are only to remember when we are at our our lowest and in rare and adverse scenarios on the death bed.
As an adult who is currently working day in day out, chasing the bag which are never enough……
How many times do you take a break from your job, just to have a solitude and think of how far God has brought you and if there is a necessity of refocusing your energy?
Sometimes we think the more we are doing, the more productive we are, only to get no results.
That day was such a day I will always be grateful I got a chance to relearn this lesson, it wasn’t a new concept but It came at the right time, a time that has always stuck in my mind.
It a challenge most of us should embrace. The art of taking a productive brake/rest.
To finish the story, 3 hours later at around 0347hrs we were all set and continued with the journey I never slept again through the trip. Unfortunately I arrived 4hours late but I enjoyed the journey, infact it was just an adventure, but my back lived to tell the tale of the 16hours journey (It’s a 6hour distance on the road).
via Hillary Kabillah
