Comments on: More ‘lunatic’ than ‘express’ – a train ride through history

By: the muzungu

the muzungu — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 08:15:33 +0000

In reply to Peter Montgomery. Great to hear your memories of Kenya, Peter. The term muzungu certainly sticks doesn't? But it's not a bad thing. The Lunatic Express is one of the best adventures I've ever had. I particularly love that people still comment on this blog post :) Your truck expedition to Lake Turkana sounds very cool. That's my kind of travel! Nairobi's Hotel Embassy still seems to be going strong, which is interesting considering the vast range of hotels there now. I don't think you would recognise much of the city: it's huge and very fast. It reminds me of London. Amazes me to think that Nairobi didn't exist just a century ago, pre-railway in fact!

By: Peter Montgomery

Peter Montgomery — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 07:47:38 +0000

yes i remember being called MUZUNGU in kenya . in late 1980 i took the LUNATIC EXPRESS from nairobi to mombassa [ later returning the reverse journey ] . my memories from the train journey were waking up in the morning in tsavo national park and seeing wild animals . the silver service in the dining car was an eye opener .
mombassa was a nice change from nairobi , fair bit of history there . from mombassa i travelled up the coast to the island of LAMU . this is very arabic compared to the rest of kenya , nice waterfront and beaches there .
while in kenya i visited the MASAI MARA national park , took a truck expedition upto lake tukana .
in nairobi i stayed at the EMBASSY HOTEL , its central nairobi with a market over the road where you could buy ready rolled “joints” from memory . the embassy in those days had a reputation for having a lot of “working girls “.
all in all . kenya was a great experience .

By: the muzungu

the muzungu — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 06:42:21 +0000

In reply to Patricia. Hi Patricia. Your comment has made my day! I LOVE the thought of seeing a flock of ostriches running - I bet they were faster than the train.... "only 13 hours" to Mombasa. LOL. (The new SGR train is very boring by comparison! Have you been on it yet?) Thanks for sharing your story.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 06:11:36 +0000

I took the trip in 1991. The train ride was just 13 hours and the scenery was remarkable. I remember seeing a large flock of ostriches running. They were enormous and fast! At the time I thought, “This is their territory, we’re just passing through.” At the port I took the boat to Mombasa.

By: the muzungu

the muzungu — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 06:26:01 +0000

In reply to Gideon Mwanjila.

Gideon, I couldn’t agree more. In these days of global corporate blandness, travellers are looking for authentic experiences. The Lunatic Express has it in buckets!
I’m not sure whether Kenya Railways Corporation would be the right company to do this however. Relaunching the Lunatic Express would require significant investment and a whole new approach. I think a Public Private Partnership would be a far better route for this kind of project. (I used to work for an infrastructure company – roads, rail etc – in a previous life in London).
Around the world, there is a growing interest in unique luxury train travel experiences that ‘take you back in time.’ Please reserve me a seat on the first train out of the sidings 🙂

By: Gideon Mwanjila

Gideon Mwanjila — Sun, 25 Aug 2019 19:12:27 +0000

The Lunatic Express should be refurbished by Kenya Railways Corporation for the purposes of adventure and heritage for the local and international tourists who will love the adventure of the old Lunatic line and for the historical experience for the new generation who now use the new SGR. The Lunatic Express Experience is very different from the new Madaraka Express Train of the SGR. So, Kenya Railways should consider that. Very Important.

By: Brief Encounter. Of romance & railways - Kenya's SGR train ride - Diary of a Muzungu | Uganda & East Africa Travel Blog - Diary of a Muzungu | Uganda & East Africa Travel Blog

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 08:59:16 +0000

[…] and had me researching the Uganda Railway and its history. This led to a far bigger adventure: traveling from Nairobi to Mombasa on the infamous Lunatic Express – a journey many had warned me against taking. It took us an incredible 23 hours… in a […]

By: Brief Encounter. Of romance & railways - Kenya's SGR train ride | Diary of a Muzungu | Uganda & East Africa Travel Blog

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 17:03:13 +0000

By: the muzungu

the muzungu — Wed, 04 Jul 2018 17:02:25 +0000

In reply to David Palmer. Hi David, thanks for sharing your wonderful memories. Oh how I wish I could have seen the steamer! The new Standard Gauge Railway train is a very convenient way to travel to and from Nairobi to the coast but I dearly hope that one day an investor will revamp the old line so we can imagine ourselves on the Lunatic Express as was. I'm sure some tourists would pay a premium for it! Fascinated to read you worked on Out of Africa. What was your role exactly? When I visit Karen (the place!) I'm always gobsmacked to think of the impact her book has made on tourism to Kenya, even Africa as a whole. Funny that few of my African friends have ever heard of her though!

By: David Palmer

David Palmer — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 12:57:02 +0000

I was very lucky to visit the workshops of the Lunatic Line in Mombasa, Nairobi and Kisumu. Kisumu was the most nostalgic because they had the old sail/steamer tied up at the dock. It was heart-breakingly beautiful! And, tragically, rotting! I also enjoyed the spiral descent on the way to Mombasa where the train completes a circle! I had read about this and on one sleeper trip I happened to wake up at the perfect moment to look out of the window and see both ends of the train above and below me! The service on the train and in the restaurants in Nairobi & Mombasa was definitely from another age. Immaculately white-coated waiters and ancient silver service with bleached linen napkins. The locomotive used to have a bench seat in front over the cowcatcher and white hunters would shoot game on the Athi plains – with the train stopping to collect the trophies. (When I worked on Out of Africa they shot this scene with Robert Redford but I am not sure if it made the final cut.)