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This month has really flown by. A crucial development was finally getting my work permit. Apparently this was never in doubt, but I still had a niggling fear of a sudden policy change on ex-pats, or even just that the guy processing the applications might be having a bad day! Now that I have got it I have been busy looking for cars and houses (I am currently still living with a long-suffering colleague and over-using his car as well as the ancient work jeep, which gets shaken one step nearer to total collapse each time I fail to spot a speed-hump or pot-hole). I almost succumbed to the temptation to buy a soft-top 4x4 the other day, but practicalities, security concerns and a ridiculously high price convinced me to resist. So it's back to the 'car-bazaar' this Sunday, which is basically a large field full of people dozing in their cars waiting for people to show an interest in buying them. House-wise I'm looking for a 2-3 bedroom bungalow or cottage with a bit of a garden, not too far from work, which shouldn't be too hard to find. You have to furnish from scratch here (including oven, fridge, curtains...) but nothing is expensive and due to the high turnover of ex-pats there are frequent 'house-sales' where you can pick up all the basics. I'll probably rent out a room to have some company, at least to start with, but should have plenty of space for anyone who wants to come and visit...
Half the problem with house and car hunting is of course that I have been far too busy doing other things. A couple of weekends ago I ended up at the "Lake Naivasha Yacht Club Ball". It was a really fun evening (it helped that I had been squeezed onto the 'under 50s' table!) with plenty of dancing, and by the end of the evening I was doing my usual trick of teaching somersaults to people who had had a few too many Tuskers (the local lager) to make it an entirely sensible idea. At 3am a few stalwarts were still leaping around the dance-floor, by this time disguised as milk-maids for some unknown reason, but the DJ sadly did not share our energy and enthusiasm, so with no more music and the staff packing up around us we were obliged to call it a night. On the way back to the tents we kept a good eye out for hippos, and I had a moment of concern when I mistook someone snoring loudly for the sound of one. They are certainly not to be messed with - I've just heard that an Australian tourist was killed by one last week not far from where we were staying. Amazingly, after the excesses of the previous night, we were up bright and early for the racing on Sunday. Even more amazingly, we won. Well, that is to say, over three races we beat the only 2 other directly comparable boats, which sounds rather less impressive, but it was great fun all the same.
The next weekend I was back at the lake for an open-air performance of Don Giovanni in Hell's Gate National Park. The Opera was an unexpectedly modern take on the story with some really good performances, topped by a white-stiletto-booted Brummie bride! The incredible scenery, the zebras wandering past behind the stage, the setting sun, and plenty of red wine made the whole experience truly magical. After the show our group headed back to the lakeside where we were camping for a huge BBQ, nearly running into a couple of giraffes as we pulled up beside our tents. The setting was stunning and the next morning we saw flamingos on the lake and colobus monkeys in the trees around us, as well as fresh hippo tracks down to the water, and the tell-tale ears, eyes and nostrils breaking the surface a little way out. As if that were not enough for one weekend, the CDC team (Rob the boss, Rob housemate, David & I) then decided to go and climb a nearby volcano, Mt Longonot. After a brief lesson en route on what to do when you have forgotten to check the water and the engine overheats, seizes up and grinds to a halt, we made it to the foot of the volcano at the optimal climbing time of 12 noon. Sure enough, everyone else was sensibly on their way down at this point, and gave us smug grins as they bounded past, but loaded up with water and suncream we managed the hot, dusty 4-5hr slog up to the crater rim and all the way around.
Back in Nairobi life chugs along, with BBQs, more running, a bit of climbing at an indoor centre a little way out of town, evenings at the 'Mountain Club of Kenya', trying out more of the local bars and restaurants, and plenty of things still to do or try (Swahili lessons, the diving club, perhaps riding lessons...).
Last weekend I sneaked home (without telling many people - sorry!) for my father's 60th birthday. The snow was a bit of a shock to the system but far better than the expected drizzle, the party was fun, and it was great to have a few days of catch-up at home, not to mention the chance to bring another load of junk out here - I'm refusing to contemplate the logistics of my return! I had some fantastic views on the flight back as well, flying directly over Fonty, Geneva (causing a moment of ski-envy), and the Sahara.
And I thought I would write less as time went on... |
