Product 11/82
I am standing on the Equator. Facing west to the setting sun, the chill of the evening at my back, I stand on the Eastern rim of the Great Rift Valley. A prehistoric fissure that runs the entire length of the African continent, the Rift is three thousand feet deep and many miles across in some areas. To the north I can see Longonot, the dormant volcano that is testament to the violent birth of this land. Further north are the sanctuaries of Lake Naivasha and Lake Kakuru, home to millions of flamingos. Even further north, and east of the rim lies the town of Meru, under the wing of the northern foothills of Mt. Kenya. I know that workers are meeting with friends in town to have one cool drink before heading home to their families. Thousands of feet down, almost directly below, are the rising ribbons of smoke from the villages. As the night descends I become aware that the flicker of these fires is the only light in this part of the valley. Turning my gaze back to the setting sun, I feel certain that I can reach out my fingers and touch the rocks on the western rim, but I cannot." ~ Chris Michie, Kenya, 1967
