6:30am April 25th, 2009 – I’m sitting at home in Beaverton Oregon, with a sweatshirt on, on my own couch after getting 8 hours of wonderful sleep in my own bed, under my own down comforter. But still no shoes or socks.
The trip home started Thursday morning at 6am EAT (East African Time) which would have been 10pm local time. We awoke to an alarm, a rarity for us in Kenya as most of our days, other than at Christ’s Gift Academy) had little need for us to be up any particular time. Yet most days saw us up about 7am anyway. We finished the little packing that we had left, mostly just the last minute items needed for sleeping or getting ready in the morning. I tried checking in on line, but the connection was to slow and our time to get moving was approaching so I bagged it after 15 minutes when it started asking for every ones passport numbers.
Dick and Sandy were both up, ready to see us off. Dick made us eggs, laid by his chicks. They were tasty. I had my over-medium upon a piece of bread with some Greek seasoning sprinkled on top. Our last breakfast in Kenya.
Our travel plans had changed a couple days before. Originally we were to catch the 8am Easy Coach bus from Kisumu to Nairobi where Steve and Judi where to pick us up and take us to the airport. But the day before Steve called and said their plans had changed and they were going to come via Kisumu rather than risk the Mbita – Homa Bay road, possibly ending up in the ditch because of the muddy roads caused by all the rains lately. That was great by us as it meant riding and talking with them for 6 hours, and getting pit stops on demand.
We met Steve and Judi about 7:15 at their hotel, loaded our bags onto their Land Rover and sat down so they could have their breakfast. Morgan showed about 7:40. Even having arranged for the tuk-tuk the night before and having it arrive early did not work for her. She ended up having to call another one when the ordered one did not show. After a nice glass of mango juice for me it was time to say our final goodbyes to Dick and Sandy. Hugs all around and we piled into the car. I got the roomy shotgun position with Bea and Bea in the back. Yes, Steve and Judi’s girls have the same names, Beatrice. In fact their middle and last names are the same too. No, they didn’t do it intentionally. Judy adopted them about 10 years ago and they just happened to have the same names. They went with Big B and Little B for awhile until the younger one got taller then the older one. I guess this has caused some confusion at airports, showing up with 2 girls traveling together with the same names.
We had a pleasant trip into Nairobi. The road is much improved, with new tarmac most of the way and not many speed bumps. Only one stretch that we needed to take a side road to avoid the construction. A couple of potty breaks along the way and a stop at a nice resort next to a lake that had 1,000s of flamingo’s on it. A nice place, but the most expensive soda’s we’ve had all trip at a 100 bob apiece. A good 40 bob more than anyplace else. They also had ballooning available for just $420 US a piece. But the place did have a bar in the pool so I guess that justified the prices.
Boy, this is even boring me a little.
So moving on a little faster. In Nairobi, we found Nick, who happened to actually be staying pretty close to where Steve and Judi were going to be staying. Spent a few minutes repacking in a parking lot, getting the carry on bags lightened up and the check in ones stuffed, but fortunately not over weight. Had one last meal in Kenya, at the Java House by a Nakumatt, which happened to be the same place we ate when we met Heather and Brian in December. The food was good by Kenya standards, but only increased my anticipation to have some of the items I craved back home.
Off to the airport. Steve and Judi stayed with us until the end, the time we had to go through security to get into the checking counters. We didn’t know the routine, so were a little surprised when the time came to say goodbye. A few quick hugs and goodbyes and we were off to join our “real world” again. I guess the fast parting may have been a good thing, didn’t give us enough time to think about it and get emotional. This exit from Kenya was not like our other ones. Previous ones I always had more anticipation for, good or bad, looking toward being home and the need to get settled and back to reality. This one never struck me like that, still doesn’t as I sit here in my living room. This one is not like a new chapter in our life but like the sequel. We have disrupted our past like immensely with this adventure. Six months in a different land, Joyce leaving a job of 20 years, off in a month to a summer at camp in Colorado with nothing but getting resettle in between. And I’m glad I’m looking forward to it with more feelings of excitement than anxiousness.
We had 2 hours in the Nairobi airport before our flight and spent most of the time in the shops looking for items to spend our last few shillings on as we knew they were going to do us little good in the next few years.
Other than the bad layout for getting through the last security check the boarding process was smooth, the over head luggage room was available and the leg room seemed plentiful. This due to the fact that it was particularly room compared to all varieties of public transport in Kenya.
As we took off at 10:15 pm, I think I was not feeling much, mostly numb from not knowing how to think about what had just taken place the last 6 months, nor how the next 6 months would be. No personal video screens on this plane, only overhead ones. Didn’t matter as I hoped to sleep most of the way. After the meal was served I ordered a gin and tonic, popped an ambian and started reading. My hope for sleep was answered as I found myself 6 hours later waking up with my dinner tray and unfinished drink gone. Joyce was lying down on the 2 seats next to me. One of the advantages to being short is the ability to lie on just 2 airline seats. The large lady that was sitting next to us had fortunately moved. Most of the first leg was over, the second meal was about to be served and I was well rested.
In the Amsterdam airport we quickly sought out the reclined chairs in the quiet area by the meditation center. As the other laid down to sleep I walked on the next gate to verify its location and then hit the free shower. It water was warm and come in abundance.
With only a 5 hour layover we were soon boarding our last flight to home. The flight was only two-thirds full, the leg room was still good and we had our personal video screens. I spent the time eating meals, watching 3 movies and reading. Having slept on the last leg and know that we’d be home at noon, I stayed awake, planning on going to bed at a regular time in hopes of getting back in sync to Pacific Time.
We got into PDX 45 minutes early, clearing immigration and customs went smoothly with nothing being confiscated this time. We were greeted by Ruthie, Susy and Doug, Cindy (our ride home) and Morgan’s best friend Amy. After greetings and getting the chocolate chip cookies and dough Susy made for we that morning, we collected and bags and headed home.
It was a little disconcerting that things did not seem to be very unusual and strange to us. Other than the lack of not having car horns honking as we drove, it all seemed too familiar. As Morgan mentioned on the plan, the memories of our great times in Kenya seem to be fading and receding all too quickly. We’ll need to make very conscience effort not to let it slide away to quickly. As part of that effort, I’m planning on doing a few more blogs to recount some of the skipped items and to keep the memories fresh.
We got home and found the house in good shape with our renter just leaving to move on to temporary quarters until her next place is ready. It looked bare as many decorations and personal items had been packed and put away. The cats come and greeted us and both are fatter than ever. Even Jose who has always been skinny had bulked up and both will be going on a strict diet soon.
I’ll have no need to diet for a while. I finally got to weigh myself on my normal scale and was just over the 170 mark at 172.5 with cloths on. I’m hoping to keep a lot of that off. I hope to get into a regular exercising and put some weight on as muscle rather than flab.
The living room has exploding with unpacking. We’ve made our first trip to the store for provisions. Found mangos and pineapples available at 10 times the price we paid just a couple days prior. Joyce could not bring herself to buy tomatoes as they were $2 a pound (vs a nickel each) and didn’t look that good. We will miss walking down the road in Mbita and being able to purchase fresh fruits from the women in their rickety stands for just pennies.
Last night we spent over at our good friends Paul and Cindy for dinner and the Blazer play-off game. Had pizza and salad, both fabulous. I ate to much, will have to watch that going forward. My plan to be extra tired worked and I missed most of the second half of the game having temporary narcolepsy, falling asleep instantly many times and awaking to them all laughing at me. Made it home without falling asleep at the red lights (wow driving for the first time in 6 months).
Hit the wonderful bed and cozy comforter and soon fell asleep for 8 hours of not even moving.
In the next few days I plan on re-purchasing my car, unpacking both my luggage and stored items, re-arranging the garage so we can get into the freezer and reading all the e-mails I skipped while we were gone. And mostly just catching up with the many family and friends we’ve missed so much to see how they are doing.
Reporting from Beaverton,
Paul
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
News Highlights
April 19th, 2009 – An article about aging, winkles and age-spots shows a picture of an older Kenyan woman holding up 2 double edge razor blades. No explanation about the blades, I only assume that they are used to cut off the age spots.
Picture accompanying article about Kenya cricket shows a 2003 photo the captain while taking about the 2011 world matches. I guess they camera broke a while back and they have no current picture of him.
The Somalia pirates make the news everyday. Interesting that the US only got involved in this battle after one of their ships got taken. It has been going on for months. Bold moves are needed to combat this. These pirates are making millions using small speed boats.
Seventy-five percent of those polled do not think the coalition government will make it until the next election in 2012.
Bone (boo-knee) the 4 and a half year old of the housekeeper can name Obama when he sees a picture of him in the paper. He also calls him a Mzungu.
Obama may be here in Kenya twice in the next few months. There are two conferences coming up that he will get formal invites to from president Kibaki. Neither sounded like real possibilities to me, but I’m sure the Kenyans are thinking he will come and all their problems will go away and they will become a world power.
Thirty-five year old Kenya man killed by neighbors after making comments about doing away with his 73 year old sugar mama.
Kenya and Uganda are still fighting over the fishing island of Mgingo. I understand this is a very small island, but both countries want it, probably just because the other does. They have been battling and harassing each other over it for months. They are now going to spend $1.2 million on doing a survey. Both sides agree to pay half, but Kenya as put aside the full amount in case Uganda does not come up with their share by the deadline. Knowing that, why would Uganda add anything? I think I’ll offer to do it for a 3rdof that and by myself a nice GPS unit and go surf to the island and Google Earth. Should take me about a day counting the time to have an eight hour lunch.
And the top headline of the day “Church Loses Battle for Sarah Obama’s Soul.” The Second Day Adventist church come within moments of baptizing and converting Barack’s grandmother. She was even dress and ready to attend the service. But her family stepped in to stop it, saying that she was Muslim and that she did fully understand what they SDA was intending to do.
On to other items.
Joyce is really enjoying Bone here, she still needs her kid fixes and he’s the only one around. He’s going to be missing her big time when we leave. She has been working on colors with him. Like most small kids here, it’s more of running through the list of colors you know until you hit the correct one when you are shown a color. Joyce finally decided to concentrate on just one color, yellow. After a couple of days I think he finally may have that color down.
Joyce announced to me this morning that she was going to take a job at a primary school so she can work with kids. I thought that was quite a revelation, but did not surprise me after seeing enjoying her time with the kids here and at Christ’s Gift Academy. But she decided not to since it would interfere with her going back to work for Lee. It took a moment until I realized that she was telling me about a dream she was having. I think this one could be very prophetic.
There is a young lady and her child, maybe younger sister, out on the back patio right now. They were having a cup of tea just a moment ago. Joyce asked Dick who they were and he didn’t know. Maybe related to Peterlyse, the Sunday yard man he thought. People just show up here and of course think they are entitled to whatever is sitting out to drink or eat. Dick says we’ll make sure to lock everything up when we leave. That would drive me crazy. I don’t mind visitors but I’d like to know who they are.
Joyce got excited this morning on collecting the eggs from Dick’s chicks. She and Bone went out to gather them up. Even better was the fact that they laid them for her on the spot. Three of them came out as she was picking up the ones that were already laid. So fresh they were still moist on the outside. An interesting note here is that eggs are not refrigerated here. They sit out for days without any adverse affects. So does the milk for that matter. But the milk is high temperature treated to make it stable at “room temperature”.
It seems 70 percent of Kenya is not getting the rain that is needed. Kisumu area is not one of those. In fact, people have mentioned how much and hard the rains have been here in the last week. Areas nearby are even having problems with flooding which has washed away many homes and caused several deaths. When it rains it pours.
Went out to Hippo Point this week. It’s a place where hippos regular come ashore at night to graze and know for having great sunsets. The hippos didn’t come and the clouds floated in and just covered the sun. Fortunately we only got a few drops of rain while we waited. Saw a great tree for climbing while we were there. A short trunk, many branches, most coming straight out and then gradually sloping up. Went to investigate and discovered this tree had thorn like spikes all over it. They were sharp and hard enough to go through most soles. I stayed on the ground.
We have made a few trips here on bota botas (bike taxis – you sit on the cushion over the back fender). Mostly Dick chauffeurs us around. So we know the ropes and the cost. Usually we just tell them the location and get on, no price negotiation before hand. Coming from Tusky’s market to Dick and Sandy’s is a 25/= ride. We went to fetch a ride yesterday and the driver told us his price as we started to board – 50/= each. We laughed and said that was a Mzungu price. They insisted and we walked away, the other end of the lot had more available. For fun we asked them the price – got 30 from one and 40 from another. The 30/= guy tried to quickly tell the other that 30 should be fine. We said 20 was the correct price and walked away again. The next two we simply told the location we wanted, hopped on and paid our normal 25/= when we got off. No complaints from the drivers and they seemed pleased with the extra 5 above the common price.
Five days and counting,
Paul
Picture accompanying article about Kenya cricket shows a 2003 photo the captain while taking about the 2011 world matches. I guess they camera broke a while back and they have no current picture of him.
The Somalia pirates make the news everyday. Interesting that the US only got involved in this battle after one of their ships got taken. It has been going on for months. Bold moves are needed to combat this. These pirates are making millions using small speed boats.
Seventy-five percent of those polled do not think the coalition government will make it until the next election in 2012.
Bone (boo-knee) the 4 and a half year old of the housekeeper can name Obama when he sees a picture of him in the paper. He also calls him a Mzungu.
Obama may be here in Kenya twice in the next few months. There are two conferences coming up that he will get formal invites to from president Kibaki. Neither sounded like real possibilities to me, but I’m sure the Kenyans are thinking he will come and all their problems will go away and they will become a world power.
Thirty-five year old Kenya man killed by neighbors after making comments about doing away with his 73 year old sugar mama.
Kenya and Uganda are still fighting over the fishing island of Mgingo. I understand this is a very small island, but both countries want it, probably just because the other does. They have been battling and harassing each other over it for months. They are now going to spend $1.2 million on doing a survey. Both sides agree to pay half, but Kenya as put aside the full amount in case Uganda does not come up with their share by the deadline. Knowing that, why would Uganda add anything? I think I’ll offer to do it for a 3rdof that and by myself a nice GPS unit and go surf to the island and Google Earth. Should take me about a day counting the time to have an eight hour lunch.
And the top headline of the day “Church Loses Battle for Sarah Obama’s Soul.” The Second Day Adventist church come within moments of baptizing and converting Barack’s grandmother. She was even dress and ready to attend the service. But her family stepped in to stop it, saying that she was Muslim and that she did fully understand what they SDA was intending to do.
On to other items.
Joyce is really enjoying Bone here, she still needs her kid fixes and he’s the only one around. He’s going to be missing her big time when we leave. She has been working on colors with him. Like most small kids here, it’s more of running through the list of colors you know until you hit the correct one when you are shown a color. Joyce finally decided to concentrate on just one color, yellow. After a couple of days I think he finally may have that color down.
Joyce announced to me this morning that she was going to take a job at a primary school so she can work with kids. I thought that was quite a revelation, but did not surprise me after seeing enjoying her time with the kids here and at Christ’s Gift Academy. But she decided not to since it would interfere with her going back to work for Lee. It took a moment until I realized that she was telling me about a dream she was having. I think this one could be very prophetic.
There is a young lady and her child, maybe younger sister, out on the back patio right now. They were having a cup of tea just a moment ago. Joyce asked Dick who they were and he didn’t know. Maybe related to Peterlyse, the Sunday yard man he thought. People just show up here and of course think they are entitled to whatever is sitting out to drink or eat. Dick says we’ll make sure to lock everything up when we leave. That would drive me crazy. I don’t mind visitors but I’d like to know who they are.
Joyce got excited this morning on collecting the eggs from Dick’s chicks. She and Bone went out to gather them up. Even better was the fact that they laid them for her on the spot. Three of them came out as she was picking up the ones that were already laid. So fresh they were still moist on the outside. An interesting note here is that eggs are not refrigerated here. They sit out for days without any adverse affects. So does the milk for that matter. But the milk is high temperature treated to make it stable at “room temperature”.
It seems 70 percent of Kenya is not getting the rain that is needed. Kisumu area is not one of those. In fact, people have mentioned how much and hard the rains have been here in the last week. Areas nearby are even having problems with flooding which has washed away many homes and caused several deaths. When it rains it pours.
Went out to Hippo Point this week. It’s a place where hippos regular come ashore at night to graze and know for having great sunsets. The hippos didn’t come and the clouds floated in and just covered the sun. Fortunately we only got a few drops of rain while we waited. Saw a great tree for climbing while we were there. A short trunk, many branches, most coming straight out and then gradually sloping up. Went to investigate and discovered this tree had thorn like spikes all over it. They were sharp and hard enough to go through most soles. I stayed on the ground.
We have made a few trips here on bota botas (bike taxis – you sit on the cushion over the back fender). Mostly Dick chauffeurs us around. So we know the ropes and the cost. Usually we just tell them the location and get on, no price negotiation before hand. Coming from Tusky’s market to Dick and Sandy’s is a 25/= ride. We went to fetch a ride yesterday and the driver told us his price as we started to board – 50/= each. We laughed and said that was a Mzungu price. They insisted and we walked away, the other end of the lot had more available. For fun we asked them the price – got 30 from one and 40 from another. The 30/= guy tried to quickly tell the other that 30 should be fine. We said 20 was the correct price and walked away again. The next two we simply told the location we wanted, hopped on and paid our normal 25/= when we got off. No complaints from the drivers and they seemed pleased with the extra 5 above the common price.
Five days and counting,
Paul
This and That
April 16, 2009 – I took April 15th off from blogging so I could do my taxes. Not really, I filed an extension last month. Should be an interesting couple of years for taxes for us, with the long stretch of not having any income. Hopefully the stretch won’t last real long once we get back to the states. Of course Joyce was wise enough to line up a job for herself shortly after we get back.
I went to get cash out of an ATM yesterday and it didn’t work. The receipt said that the amount would be credited back to my account which is a little reassuring. I’ll check our account in a couple days and see if it all worked. If not, I guess I go to the bank and see if they can push it through. I’ve heard a horror story about the run around when something like this happens. It is Barclay’s so at least it’s not a Podunk local bank.
Haven’t been able to get to the internet as much as I expected the last week or so, so I have a few blogs to post all at once.
We painted individual blackboards for the pre-school today. Dick cut up some boards and Joyce and I sanded and painted 80 little blackboards for the kids to use. I hope it works, I’ve never used blackboard paint before. They do it all the time here in the classrooms, right onto the plastered wall. My main concern is that the surface is smooth enough. We’ve also been asked to but lines on the board for the kids to write on. I can’t see doing that very easily with white enamel paint and a small paint brush.
Have I mentioned how bad the paint is here.
At this time in 7 days, just one week, we should all be on the ground in Nairobi getting ready to get to the airport for our 10pm flight. Time flies. We hope to have one last dinner with Steve and Judi and kids as they have offered to pick us up in Nairobi and drop us off at the airport. They sure have been generous in doing things for us. They have 3 of our bigger bags we are to check at the airport so we haven’t had to worry about hauling them through Kisumu with us.
Cont’g April 18th, 2009 – Have I mentioned how bad the paint is here. Maybe I’m not use to using enamel paint, but the stuff just does not cover.
Here are Dick and Sandy’s the power has been pretty flaky of late. May have seen why yesterday as we walked up to catch a bota bota. We came upon a repair main at one of the main power poles. The one with multiple transformer on it and a bunch of other wiring boxes all in a jumble. The repair man was standing atop his pickup, or more precisely, the canopy of his pickup bed. He had a 20 foot pole in hand that had a small hook on one end. He was reaching up to the top of the poles to some connections and ‘jingling’ the wires. Whatever was moving occasionally hit something and let off a small shower of sparks. I’m a little surprised we have power as often as we do.
Yesterday we were painting (have I mentioned how bad the paint is here?) and needed a few more supplies. I think it took 6 or 7 trips to the hardware store to get what we needed. Not all because we forgot something, but because they needed to get it from a ‘supplier’ because it was not in stock. If you don’t want cream or white paint you are probably out of luck of it being in stock. Morgan finally got back after one of the trips with the signal red paint we needed. We are going through much more paint than expected, some from the old wood soaking it up and also because it does not cover well. It was a different brand then the other paints we were using. We opened the red to find it like water color paint. Using it made the panel appear like we were looking at it through rose colored glasses. So off Morgan was again to exchange it for the brand we had before, which she had to make another trip for since they had to go find it.
Dick raises chickens and turkeys. The area around them smells terrible, putrid, I need to gag bad.
If you are ever in Kisumu on a Friday night check out the Simba Club. It has a terrific Indian buffet for only 500 kshs. Good food, includes dessert that includes ice cream. Careful on the drinks, they as spendy – Joyce’s double tot of Armarula was as much as the dinner. Located on the main road between the stage area and Tusky’s.
Thursday night we went to a Rotary Dinner at Club 0, a new place in town. One of the members, a retired Indian engineer alcoholic, made some good curry chicken. We, being Americans, showed up on time, maybe a little early. The next person was 30 minutes late I think. Just over a dozen showed up. Four whites, two blacks and the rest Indian. Supposedly the club has been going down hill since they have let nationals in. They are just looking for handouts or ways of scrounging (scamming) money from it. The cook, Konie, started throwing brain teasers at me, so that kept me occupied for the 1 or more hours between the time others showed up and dinner was finally ready. Only one I did not get was the 5x5 square of dots that could all be gone through with just 8 straight lines. Another fun one was how to add one line to the equation 5 + 5 + 5 = 550 to make it correct. Good food, the rest of the side dishes were not much to write about.
There are movie theaters here, showing second run US movies and Indian films. Currently the one close by is showing The International, Revolutionary Road and an Indian film. The theater is even mildly air conditioned. I think the popcorn and other concessions are a little over priced for this area, but not as bad as the US concession stands. The Tuesday special is admission, soda, popcorn and a hotdog for just 280/=. Just 80/= more than regular admission. No economy hours here. The seats are like US ones and both theaters in Kisumu have stadium seating. Still looking forward to going to a few movies once we are back home.
Dinner time, got to run. Mashed potatoes and local grown turkey.
Gobble gobble,
Paul
I went to get cash out of an ATM yesterday and it didn’t work. The receipt said that the amount would be credited back to my account which is a little reassuring. I’ll check our account in a couple days and see if it all worked. If not, I guess I go to the bank and see if they can push it through. I’ve heard a horror story about the run around when something like this happens. It is Barclay’s so at least it’s not a Podunk local bank.
Haven’t been able to get to the internet as much as I expected the last week or so, so I have a few blogs to post all at once.
We painted individual blackboards for the pre-school today. Dick cut up some boards and Joyce and I sanded and painted 80 little blackboards for the kids to use. I hope it works, I’ve never used blackboard paint before. They do it all the time here in the classrooms, right onto the plastered wall. My main concern is that the surface is smooth enough. We’ve also been asked to but lines on the board for the kids to write on. I can’t see doing that very easily with white enamel paint and a small paint brush.
Have I mentioned how bad the paint is here.
At this time in 7 days, just one week, we should all be on the ground in Nairobi getting ready to get to the airport for our 10pm flight. Time flies. We hope to have one last dinner with Steve and Judi and kids as they have offered to pick us up in Nairobi and drop us off at the airport. They sure have been generous in doing things for us. They have 3 of our bigger bags we are to check at the airport so we haven’t had to worry about hauling them through Kisumu with us.
Cont’g April 18th, 2009 – Have I mentioned how bad the paint is here. Maybe I’m not use to using enamel paint, but the stuff just does not cover.
Here are Dick and Sandy’s the power has been pretty flaky of late. May have seen why yesterday as we walked up to catch a bota bota. We came upon a repair main at one of the main power poles. The one with multiple transformer on it and a bunch of other wiring boxes all in a jumble. The repair man was standing atop his pickup, or more precisely, the canopy of his pickup bed. He had a 20 foot pole in hand that had a small hook on one end. He was reaching up to the top of the poles to some connections and ‘jingling’ the wires. Whatever was moving occasionally hit something and let off a small shower of sparks. I’m a little surprised we have power as often as we do.
Yesterday we were painting (have I mentioned how bad the paint is here?) and needed a few more supplies. I think it took 6 or 7 trips to the hardware store to get what we needed. Not all because we forgot something, but because they needed to get it from a ‘supplier’ because it was not in stock. If you don’t want cream or white paint you are probably out of luck of it being in stock. Morgan finally got back after one of the trips with the signal red paint we needed. We are going through much more paint than expected, some from the old wood soaking it up and also because it does not cover well. It was a different brand then the other paints we were using. We opened the red to find it like water color paint. Using it made the panel appear like we were looking at it through rose colored glasses. So off Morgan was again to exchange it for the brand we had before, which she had to make another trip for since they had to go find it.
Dick raises chickens and turkeys. The area around them smells terrible, putrid, I need to gag bad.
If you are ever in Kisumu on a Friday night check out the Simba Club. It has a terrific Indian buffet for only 500 kshs. Good food, includes dessert that includes ice cream. Careful on the drinks, they as spendy – Joyce’s double tot of Armarula was as much as the dinner. Located on the main road between the stage area and Tusky’s.
Thursday night we went to a Rotary Dinner at Club 0, a new place in town. One of the members, a retired Indian engineer alcoholic, made some good curry chicken. We, being Americans, showed up on time, maybe a little early. The next person was 30 minutes late I think. Just over a dozen showed up. Four whites, two blacks and the rest Indian. Supposedly the club has been going down hill since they have let nationals in. They are just looking for handouts or ways of scrounging (scamming) money from it. The cook, Konie, started throwing brain teasers at me, so that kept me occupied for the 1 or more hours between the time others showed up and dinner was finally ready. Only one I did not get was the 5x5 square of dots that could all be gone through with just 8 straight lines. Another fun one was how to add one line to the equation 5 + 5 + 5 = 550 to make it correct. Good food, the rest of the side dishes were not much to write about.
There are movie theaters here, showing second run US movies and Indian films. Currently the one close by is showing The International, Revolutionary Road and an Indian film. The theater is even mildly air conditioned. I think the popcorn and other concessions are a little over priced for this area, but not as bad as the US concession stands. The Tuesday special is admission, soda, popcorn and a hotdog for just 280/=. Just 80/= more than regular admission. No economy hours here. The seats are like US ones and both theaters in Kisumu have stadium seating. Still looking forward to going to a few movies once we are back home.
Dinner time, got to run. Mashed potatoes and local grown turkey.
Gobble gobble,
Paul
Ten Days to Home
April 14, 2009 – Just 10 days from now we should be home, not counting the 10 hour time difference. That seems a little hard to believe. I’m not thinking about it to much right now, it least not to many vitale things, more of the things I want to do and eat when I get home. Lasagna, a good hamburger, some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, or perhaps some B & Rs. It’ll be tough to choice the flavor. A tender steak, maybe polish sausage with sweet hot mustard. Even sushi is sounding good to me. To do – visiting people is the biggest item on the list, at least during the first few days in-between jet lag naps. My parents, Joyce’s mom. Bros and Sises on both sides of the family. Some of those little ones I’m sure are going to have changed a lot. Friends from church and work places. Neighbors. Others a-list items – the praise service at church, getting a few pictures printed. Many more items will be joining the list, but most can wait to be put onto it until we actually arrive home.
Follow-up on the last story – no critter in the ear, that leaves old age as the most likely candidate.
Joyce and I are now in Kisumu. We’ll be here until a day or two before our last day. We are not sure whether we want to spend a couple days in Nairobi at the end or not. Will play that one as it comes. We are slowing working on helping out at the Kiwanis Pre-school. They plan on moving during the break and we are helping with painting, both the new place and some of the old furniture.
The paint here is painful to work with. I don’t do much painting back home, but I know it’s never been this tough to get a decent coat on a piece of furniture, no matter how rough or dirty it was prior to starting. We did find out one secret we didn’t now before – use water base emulsion paint first on bare wood before covering it with the enamel paint. I wonder it this would have helped us in Mbita painting the Polytechnic doors and signs. At least the tables will look ‘fresh’ for now.
We are staying with Dick and Sandy Schabel. They are the owners (renters really) of the first place we stayed when we hit Kenya 5+ months ago. We met the finally in late January when we returned from Uganda. The timing makes sense since they were in India during our first stay but graciously invited us to stay at their place anyway. Here is one of those God putting the right people in your life connecting stories. Last summer Joyce had a Partners in Kenya booth at the Day of the African up at the Forestry Center. Kelsey, a New Yorker who happened to be spending the summer in Portland with her aunt, attended. She and Joyce had a chat and she told Joyce to e-mail Rachael, a mazungu living in Kisumu that she had met in a trip to Kenya last year. Joyce e-mailed Rachael asked about a place to stay in Kisumu for a couple of night when we first arrived. She knew Dick and Sandy from Bellingham Washington where she first worked marketing Sandy’s Chiropractic business and soon became fast friends. Separately from each other they decided to come to Kisumu. They offer up their home for us when we first arrive. We hit it off with them when we did finally meet and they made that ‘anytime you are in the area offer’ you can stay with us. We’ve taken them up on that a couple times already. Careful what you offer us once we are back. We seem much more likely to take people up on offers then we use to.
More critter stories or a non-critter story. I’ve not been feeling up to par for over a week, mostly a rumbling stomach and the fun intestinal things that go on with that. When we hit Kisumu we decide to go to the clinic to have ourselves checked out for little critters – amebas, worms, parasites including the infamous Lake Victoria Bilharzias, and malaria. Happy to report we gat a clean bill of health. We were a little surprised based on our swimming, bathing, drinking cooking with Lake Vic water and all the other not quiet sanitary situations we have been in. I may still take the worm and Bilharzias meds we bought in Arusha after we get home.
Easter, like Christmas, was anti-climatic here. We had discussed various options here in Arusha with Dick and Sandy. Lutheran, Catholic, Sikh and others. Come Sunday morning we bagged all of them and decided to stay home. Until about 10:30am and Sandy suggested going to the Catholic Church because they often have good music, and sitting in the rear so we could exit if it got way to long. Didn’t work out so well and the church was overflowing and it was standing room only pouring out onto the steps. So not to waste the trip, we did the vegetable shopping at the open air market across the street. According to Dick, it is the largest open air market in East Africa.
10 days – that’s less than 1 ½ weeks.
Reporting from Kisumu,
Paul
Follow-up on the last story – no critter in the ear, that leaves old age as the most likely candidate.
Joyce and I are now in Kisumu. We’ll be here until a day or two before our last day. We are not sure whether we want to spend a couple days in Nairobi at the end or not. Will play that one as it comes. We are slowing working on helping out at the Kiwanis Pre-school. They plan on moving during the break and we are helping with painting, both the new place and some of the old furniture.
The paint here is painful to work with. I don’t do much painting back home, but I know it’s never been this tough to get a decent coat on a piece of furniture, no matter how rough or dirty it was prior to starting. We did find out one secret we didn’t now before – use water base emulsion paint first on bare wood before covering it with the enamel paint. I wonder it this would have helped us in Mbita painting the Polytechnic doors and signs. At least the tables will look ‘fresh’ for now.
We are staying with Dick and Sandy Schabel. They are the owners (renters really) of the first place we stayed when we hit Kenya 5+ months ago. We met the finally in late January when we returned from Uganda. The timing makes sense since they were in India during our first stay but graciously invited us to stay at their place anyway. Here is one of those God putting the right people in your life connecting stories. Last summer Joyce had a Partners in Kenya booth at the Day of the African up at the Forestry Center. Kelsey, a New Yorker who happened to be spending the summer in Portland with her aunt, attended. She and Joyce had a chat and she told Joyce to e-mail Rachael, a mazungu living in Kisumu that she had met in a trip to Kenya last year. Joyce e-mailed Rachael asked about a place to stay in Kisumu for a couple of night when we first arrived. She knew Dick and Sandy from Bellingham Washington where she first worked marketing Sandy’s Chiropractic business and soon became fast friends. Separately from each other they decided to come to Kisumu. They offer up their home for us when we first arrive. We hit it off with them when we did finally meet and they made that ‘anytime you are in the area offer’ you can stay with us. We’ve taken them up on that a couple times already. Careful what you offer us once we are back. We seem much more likely to take people up on offers then we use to.
More critter stories or a non-critter story. I’ve not been feeling up to par for over a week, mostly a rumbling stomach and the fun intestinal things that go on with that. When we hit Kisumu we decide to go to the clinic to have ourselves checked out for little critters – amebas, worms, parasites including the infamous Lake Victoria Bilharzias, and malaria. Happy to report we gat a clean bill of health. We were a little surprised based on our swimming, bathing, drinking cooking with Lake Vic water and all the other not quiet sanitary situations we have been in. I may still take the worm and Bilharzias meds we bought in Arusha after we get home.
Easter, like Christmas, was anti-climatic here. We had discussed various options here in Arusha with Dick and Sandy. Lutheran, Catholic, Sikh and others. Come Sunday morning we bagged all of them and decided to stay home. Until about 10:30am and Sandy suggested going to the Catholic Church because they often have good music, and sitting in the rear so we could exit if it got way to long. Didn’t work out so well and the church was overflowing and it was standing room only pouring out onto the steps. So not to waste the trip, we did the vegetable shopping at the open air market across the street. According to Dick, it is the largest open air market in East Africa.
10 days – that’s less than 1 ½ weeks.
Reporting from Kisumu,
Paul
And the Critters Go Quiet
April 11, 2009 – One of the great things about leaving in a place with little power and not many cars is the quiet that comes over the Town of Mbita as the darkness falls. More accurately, the sounds of human activity dissipates out as sounds of nature amplify. As the sound of the wind running through the trees dies down the sounds of the little critters are revealed. It’s dark so the critters can not be seen, but sound mostly like small birds chirping and large bugs twittering.
These sounds of small critters were most obvious as we laid in bed at night, with the windows wide to catch the few small breezes that might pass by, fading into or out of sleep the several times a night. Occasionally, as I repositioned myself on the thin, concave mattress, accented by the wood slates protruding, I’d marvel at how at times the whole of nature ceased and slept all at the same time and not a sound could be heard. The entire world of critters all observed a few moments in silence all listening for the sound that was not coming.
And then during the next restless tossing so get blood back to the arm that had fallen asleep, they were alive again, talking and telling each other many delightful stories.
And this was consistent happening many of the night where sleep did not come easy.
Of the places we were, this was most obvious in Mbita with its fewer modern developments. This was brought home to me after we returned from Tanzania to Mbita and were resting very comfortably at Steve and Judi’s.
One morning I was flipping sides looking for the perfect comfortable position and noticed again that the critters had gone quiet. I flipped one more time to my other side and they all awoke, waking just as the morning light was breaking through. The other side was better I thought, so I flipped back and the critters faded off again. Wow I thought I never noticed the abruptness of the critters slumber and waking before. I lifted my head off my pillow and the critters awoke, place my head down again and they slumbered off to silence. Ah-ha, I had some loss of hearing in my left ear. When I slept on my left side with the right ear exposed, the critters chattered. One the other side with the right ear tight against the pillow, they silenced.
Not all sounds disappeared, it only seemed to be the chatty critters that silences, the roosters and dogs still came through. I can not say when this loss actually occurred. I remember the silent critters at the parish, but can not say for certain if it started there or I came from home this way. Maybe I just have a critter stuck in my hear, hindering my hearing.
Coming to you from Kisumu,
Paul
These sounds of small critters were most obvious as we laid in bed at night, with the windows wide to catch the few small breezes that might pass by, fading into or out of sleep the several times a night. Occasionally, as I repositioned myself on the thin, concave mattress, accented by the wood slates protruding, I’d marvel at how at times the whole of nature ceased and slept all at the same time and not a sound could be heard. The entire world of critters all observed a few moments in silence all listening for the sound that was not coming.
And then during the next restless tossing so get blood back to the arm that had fallen asleep, they were alive again, talking and telling each other many delightful stories.
And this was consistent happening many of the night where sleep did not come easy.
Of the places we were, this was most obvious in Mbita with its fewer modern developments. This was brought home to me after we returned from Tanzania to Mbita and were resting very comfortably at Steve and Judi’s.
One morning I was flipping sides looking for the perfect comfortable position and noticed again that the critters had gone quiet. I flipped one more time to my other side and they all awoke, waking just as the morning light was breaking through. The other side was better I thought, so I flipped back and the critters faded off again. Wow I thought I never noticed the abruptness of the critters slumber and waking before. I lifted my head off my pillow and the critters awoke, place my head down again and they slumbered off to silence. Ah-ha, I had some loss of hearing in my left ear. When I slept on my left side with the right ear exposed, the critters chattered. One the other side with the right ear tight against the pillow, they silenced.
Not all sounds disappeared, it only seemed to be the chatty critters that silences, the roosters and dogs still came through. I can not say when this loss actually occurred. I remember the silent critters at the parish, but can not say for certain if it started there or I came from home this way. Maybe I just have a critter stuck in my hear, hindering my hearing.
Coming to you from Kisumu,
Paul
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Joyce vs Paul
April 8, 2009 – This is not a Battle Royal between us. Today I just noticed another difference in how we approach life here in Mbita. I’d say I’m the cautious one to Joyce’s ‘let’s do it’.
Today was Closing Day at Christ’s Gift Academy. That is the last day of the term. It’s a shorten day with a special schedule. CGA today started with assembly for a couple songs and the flag raising. They then had bible education followed by porridge. It was back to classes for a short while followed by chapel where it was girls against boys in putting together a timeline of biblical event. Joyce got to lead a few songs during this period. Then a few long-winded remarks by the head master and most of the kids were excused for the term. A few selected kids, usually the best in the classes, got to stay around to help clean up their classrooms. This includes moving the desks outside and mopping the floors with rags. The cleanup crews got to have a special lunch, one that included both eggs and meat (beef), two items that are never served to the whole school.
Junior, one of our kids, was around for the lunch and Joyce started hatching her plan of inviting a few of our kids up to our current living place for a visit. Not all of them, just a few. Nice idea I do admit, but the logistics seem a little forbearing to me. My reasoning is – if not all the kids are going to be invited, how do you decide who gets to come. So as not to show too much favoritism or hurt feelings, how do you get the word out to the selected without the others knowing. And what about the one that you know will be waiting at the gate of ICIPE for us as we arrive home already? My solution, don’t invite anyone. While I call this cautious, others would call it the easy way out. This is probably true.
To Joyce, it’s this would be a nice thing to do, I want to do it, I can make it work out. So as we were walking home, she sent Junior ahead to slyly invite a couple of the other kids that he wanted to and to meet us at the gate. Sure enough, 4 other kids were waiting by the gate for our arrival. We stop and talk to them for a few minutes and I take the easy way out by heading in and leaving Joyce to explain to the extra kids that they can not all come in. Sure enough, about 5 minutes later she shows up with just 4 kids and I’m sure the others didn’t have their feelings hurt too much. That’s Joyce and her ability to make situations work and to be very polite and tactful and handle others very gently.
This is also why she got 95% percent of the requests for “assistance” from many local people and I only had to field the other 5%. This I did not mind at all.
I must say that the kids had a wonderful time visiting us. They got soda and biscuits, got their picture taken and got to look at pictures of themselves from days past on the computer. It was a special treat for them, it was the right thing to do, the logistics is just an excuse us cautious types use.
There are many of these stories. As we were clearing out of the Parish housing and heading to Mombasa, she was giving away many items we no longer needed or wanted to carry with us on the rest of the journey. Of course we didn’t have enough of everything to give all the kids the same thing. Nor was it only our kids. At the parish there were always extra kids around, which was fine, but special things we preferred to treat our kids to. I would have just not given out anything. Joyce gave out everything and then some. Like her mother, Joyce is one to be concerned about making things ‘even’. Of course it all worked out for the best. New item -----
Bryon continues to pull at our hearts. This 3 year old speaks about 5 words of English. While he probably understands a few more, he has only learned a few all since we have been around. But we all love him. At time he will not give us any acknowledgement, other times he throws small temper tantrums especially when it’s time to go home. But all that pales in the comparison to the times when he greets us with his huge smile and the fat dimpled cheeks. When he calls out your name to show you something. When he see’s you coming and takes off running the other way with his laughter trailing behind, looking forward to the chase.
During swimming this weekend when Morgan visited, we noticed his ear was oozing quite a bit, dripping out of his ear actually. This has been a recurring problem and we’ve seen it several times while we have been here. A few times we gave him Children’s Tylenol because he was listless and was very hot. But we heard his grandmother had medicine for him and he was usual back to his self in a day.
This time Joyce decided it was time to have him seen by a doctor and to find out for sure what his problem was. So Monday she tracked him down to take him to the clinic at ICIPE. She left school early and wondered down to where he lives and hangs out. She found him. Leaning against a building, crying loudly without either his grandmother or Magdalene (his older ‘sister’ that is usually caring for him) around, with his pants full of poop. How sad it is to think that this is not an unusual situation.
Joyce didn’t have much time as the clinic was closing soon. Fortunately the used clothing spot had a new load in and was selling on the street before ICIPE. So Byron got a new pair of shorts. At the clinic she took him into the restroom to clean him up and a kind lady helped out with some cloth to wipe with.
Turns out that Byron has a very serious ear infection, one that could result in the lost of hearing if not treated. And it takes not just a few days of medication, but 21 days. Twenty-one days of medicine 3 times a day and of cleaning out his ear, having him lay down for 5 minutes to let it wick out. Joyce got all the medication needed and directions written in Luo as his grandmother knows little more English then Byron does. Joe’s housekeeper, Rose, happen to come around shortly after Joyce got back from the Clinic. She was giving Byron a full bath which was probably his first time in a real bathtub. Rose knew Bryon and his grandmother. She went with Joyce to take Byron home and explain what needed to be done with the medications and ear cleaning. Rose even offered to take Bryon for his follow-up in 21 days.
This is all good, I just wish I’d really thought everything would be followed through. Twenty-one days is a long time. My fear is that once he and his ear seems better that the 3 times a day will decrease to one or stop all together. Why not, the extra medication could be used the next time it happens. Secretly I was wishing it would have been even more serious, something that only could have been treated in the US. This would have been door to get him home with us. I’ve imagined several times how taking him home with us would be. Us not knowing Luo, him not knowing English. Even here I lose my cautious stance and figure we’d make it on smiles, hugs and made up sign language.
Next item ---
Another major church holiday is coming right up. Easter week is here and it is approaching as stealthily as Christmas did. There is not a marshmallow bunny in sight and I have not seen one colored egg. The church services we’ve attended over the last couple of weeks have barely mentioned it. While this is not a joyous occasion with the unjust crucifixion of our Lord Jesus, it was a necessary one. At the morning devotions are CGA we have been studying the Israelite’s escape from Egypt. This included the laws for sacrifices needed to atone for sins. Since we as humans, sinful by nature, can not live a life that can offer eternal life nor sacrifice enough, God had to send the perfect sacrifice. Yet is was not the just His death, but his rising, showing his power over death and sin that is truly important. Without the resurrection, the rest does not matter. This being the conclusion that brings about our salvation, I don’t understand why Easter Sunday is not a much more joyous occasion.
Blessed Easter,
Paul
Today was Closing Day at Christ’s Gift Academy. That is the last day of the term. It’s a shorten day with a special schedule. CGA today started with assembly for a couple songs and the flag raising. They then had bible education followed by porridge. It was back to classes for a short while followed by chapel where it was girls against boys in putting together a timeline of biblical event. Joyce got to lead a few songs during this period. Then a few long-winded remarks by the head master and most of the kids were excused for the term. A few selected kids, usually the best in the classes, got to stay around to help clean up their classrooms. This includes moving the desks outside and mopping the floors with rags. The cleanup crews got to have a special lunch, one that included both eggs and meat (beef), two items that are never served to the whole school.
Junior, one of our kids, was around for the lunch and Joyce started hatching her plan of inviting a few of our kids up to our current living place for a visit. Not all of them, just a few. Nice idea I do admit, but the logistics seem a little forbearing to me. My reasoning is – if not all the kids are going to be invited, how do you decide who gets to come. So as not to show too much favoritism or hurt feelings, how do you get the word out to the selected without the others knowing. And what about the one that you know will be waiting at the gate of ICIPE for us as we arrive home already? My solution, don’t invite anyone. While I call this cautious, others would call it the easy way out. This is probably true.
To Joyce, it’s this would be a nice thing to do, I want to do it, I can make it work out. So as we were walking home, she sent Junior ahead to slyly invite a couple of the other kids that he wanted to and to meet us at the gate. Sure enough, 4 other kids were waiting by the gate for our arrival. We stop and talk to them for a few minutes and I take the easy way out by heading in and leaving Joyce to explain to the extra kids that they can not all come in. Sure enough, about 5 minutes later she shows up with just 4 kids and I’m sure the others didn’t have their feelings hurt too much. That’s Joyce and her ability to make situations work and to be very polite and tactful and handle others very gently.
This is also why she got 95% percent of the requests for “assistance” from many local people and I only had to field the other 5%. This I did not mind at all.
I must say that the kids had a wonderful time visiting us. They got soda and biscuits, got their picture taken and got to look at pictures of themselves from days past on the computer. It was a special treat for them, it was the right thing to do, the logistics is just an excuse us cautious types use.
There are many of these stories. As we were clearing out of the Parish housing and heading to Mombasa, she was giving away many items we no longer needed or wanted to carry with us on the rest of the journey. Of course we didn’t have enough of everything to give all the kids the same thing. Nor was it only our kids. At the parish there were always extra kids around, which was fine, but special things we preferred to treat our kids to. I would have just not given out anything. Joyce gave out everything and then some. Like her mother, Joyce is one to be concerned about making things ‘even’. Of course it all worked out for the best. New item -----
Bryon continues to pull at our hearts. This 3 year old speaks about 5 words of English. While he probably understands a few more, he has only learned a few all since we have been around. But we all love him. At time he will not give us any acknowledgement, other times he throws small temper tantrums especially when it’s time to go home. But all that pales in the comparison to the times when he greets us with his huge smile and the fat dimpled cheeks. When he calls out your name to show you something. When he see’s you coming and takes off running the other way with his laughter trailing behind, looking forward to the chase.
During swimming this weekend when Morgan visited, we noticed his ear was oozing quite a bit, dripping out of his ear actually. This has been a recurring problem and we’ve seen it several times while we have been here. A few times we gave him Children’s Tylenol because he was listless and was very hot. But we heard his grandmother had medicine for him and he was usual back to his self in a day.
This time Joyce decided it was time to have him seen by a doctor and to find out for sure what his problem was. So Monday she tracked him down to take him to the clinic at ICIPE. She left school early and wondered down to where he lives and hangs out. She found him. Leaning against a building, crying loudly without either his grandmother or Magdalene (his older ‘sister’ that is usually caring for him) around, with his pants full of poop. How sad it is to think that this is not an unusual situation.
Joyce didn’t have much time as the clinic was closing soon. Fortunately the used clothing spot had a new load in and was selling on the street before ICIPE. So Byron got a new pair of shorts. At the clinic she took him into the restroom to clean him up and a kind lady helped out with some cloth to wipe with.
Turns out that Byron has a very serious ear infection, one that could result in the lost of hearing if not treated. And it takes not just a few days of medication, but 21 days. Twenty-one days of medicine 3 times a day and of cleaning out his ear, having him lay down for 5 minutes to let it wick out. Joyce got all the medication needed and directions written in Luo as his grandmother knows little more English then Byron does. Joe’s housekeeper, Rose, happen to come around shortly after Joyce got back from the Clinic. She was giving Byron a full bath which was probably his first time in a real bathtub. Rose knew Bryon and his grandmother. She went with Joyce to take Byron home and explain what needed to be done with the medications and ear cleaning. Rose even offered to take Bryon for his follow-up in 21 days.
This is all good, I just wish I’d really thought everything would be followed through. Twenty-one days is a long time. My fear is that once he and his ear seems better that the 3 times a day will decrease to one or stop all together. Why not, the extra medication could be used the next time it happens. Secretly I was wishing it would have been even more serious, something that only could have been treated in the US. This would have been door to get him home with us. I’ve imagined several times how taking him home with us would be. Us not knowing Luo, him not knowing English. Even here I lose my cautious stance and figure we’d make it on smiles, hugs and made up sign language.
Next item ---
Another major church holiday is coming right up. Easter week is here and it is approaching as stealthily as Christmas did. There is not a marshmallow bunny in sight and I have not seen one colored egg. The church services we’ve attended over the last couple of weeks have barely mentioned it. While this is not a joyous occasion with the unjust crucifixion of our Lord Jesus, it was a necessary one. At the morning devotions are CGA we have been studying the Israelite’s escape from Egypt. This included the laws for sacrifices needed to atone for sins. Since we as humans, sinful by nature, can not live a life that can offer eternal life nor sacrifice enough, God had to send the perfect sacrifice. Yet is was not the just His death, but his rising, showing his power over death and sin that is truly important. Without the resurrection, the rest does not matter. This being the conclusion that brings about our salvation, I don’t understand why Easter Sunday is not a much more joyous occasion.
Blessed Easter,
Paul
Monday, April 6, 2009
A Few Random Thoughts
Apr 4, 2009 – It’s Saturday morning and I just got back from my fifth and final anti rabies shot. For you oldies out there, the shots are in the arm, not the stomach like we heard of when we were kids.
It’s a glorious morning and not too hot yet, but it is not 10 am yet and we aren’t out in the sun. It has rained heavily the last 3 of 4 nights. Heavy enough to actually leave mud on the roads. A welcome sight for people here as they need to get the crops growing. It’s late in coming, hopefully it will continue. There has already been a couple false starts this season. Unlike the Oregon downpours these are in the form of thunder storms, huge thunderstorms relative to what I’m use to.
One comic thing to us here are how the motorbike drivers dress. A lot of them wear heavy jackets and caps, sometimes even gloves. Ski suits are not that uncommon. The most comic are the drivers with chest protectors. At least that is what they look like. Usually a bright florescent color, lime green or neon orange. My guess would be softball varieties and not high end. Not sure why they wear them, maybe a fashion statement.
The rains bring out moving meals for the gathering. Walking down the roads you see bands of kids scurrying about with pails and bowls gathering tasty creepy crawlies. They say they are best fried, but they’ll eat them raw and live, after pulling the wings off. According to the kids, these are flying insects that burrow into the ground, shed their wings and come out as a crawly bug. So there are hundreds of thousands of the wings all over the ground. They don’t create a solid cover, but you still wonder where they all come from and can there really be that many bugs around to drop them all. See the pics of these at http://picasaweb.google.com/MaiersInAfrica.
I can across a note I made a year ago after our cruise – I weighed 215 pounds. That’s 40 pounds more than I am now. I should market this Mbita diet, I could make a fortune.
We were just down at the lake with the kids, the last swimming safari. Morgan is in town for the weekend to say goodbye to the kids. We walked down to their main hangout by Father’s and Uncle’s place and soon had found most of the gang. We headed off through the parish to gather the last couple. We cut through the back way so not to draw a unwanted crowd of kids and sent a couple by the church to round up the last couple.
Byron was there. Poor kid, he has a chronic ear infection, often with quantities of white puss flowing out to the point of dripping. We have noticed this every since we first got here. Anyway, he had a great time playing with Morgan in the water, floating and splashing and having a great smile on his face. After a while and sat on the dock with Joyce. After he dried she tried a few times to get his cloths back on him, which he would have none of. None of that is until Morgan started putting her cloths on, then he was fine with it.
The best pictures don’t get caught on camera. This is for a variety of reasons, not having the camera with you, not being quick enough to get it out or getting pointed and focused, it not being an appropriate place or time or as today, the battery running out. We often talk of needed an eye-cam, where you can just blink and record the shot. Missed some good ones today – he bike driver in his winter cost – wearing it backwards for some reason Morgan burying kids in the sand and making mermaids out of them. Kids running and flipping into the water. The fisherman whacking the mostly dead fish with a 1x3.
We had spotted a fish 10 yards off the dock. Couldn’t figure it out at first, but then realized that a fish was floating on its side with his fin sticking into the air. Occasionally it would flap. I pointed it out and the kids took out after it. The first time they moved to swiftly and it dove under the water. It surfaced a moment later and the next attempt they approached more slowly and Magdalene got a hand on it before it submerged. On the third try the fisherman shooed the kids off and took out after the semi-dead fish in his boat. He paddled up next to it, grabbed his 1x3 stick and whacked it, knocking it under the surface again. He waited another moment for it to resurface and then scooped it up with a bucket. Think of the lucky person that gets to have this prime Lake Victoria tilapia for dinner.
Time to go work on pictures. I’ve been shooting birds again, which means a few hundred shots to go through for a very few good ones.
Reporting from Mbita,
Paul
It’s a glorious morning and not too hot yet, but it is not 10 am yet and we aren’t out in the sun. It has rained heavily the last 3 of 4 nights. Heavy enough to actually leave mud on the roads. A welcome sight for people here as they need to get the crops growing. It’s late in coming, hopefully it will continue. There has already been a couple false starts this season. Unlike the Oregon downpours these are in the form of thunder storms, huge thunderstorms relative to what I’m use to.
One comic thing to us here are how the motorbike drivers dress. A lot of them wear heavy jackets and caps, sometimes even gloves. Ski suits are not that uncommon. The most comic are the drivers with chest protectors. At least that is what they look like. Usually a bright florescent color, lime green or neon orange. My guess would be softball varieties and not high end. Not sure why they wear them, maybe a fashion statement.
The rains bring out moving meals for the gathering. Walking down the roads you see bands of kids scurrying about with pails and bowls gathering tasty creepy crawlies. They say they are best fried, but they’ll eat them raw and live, after pulling the wings off. According to the kids, these are flying insects that burrow into the ground, shed their wings and come out as a crawly bug. So there are hundreds of thousands of the wings all over the ground. They don’t create a solid cover, but you still wonder where they all come from and can there really be that many bugs around to drop them all. See the pics of these at http://picasaweb.google.com/MaiersInAfrica.
I can across a note I made a year ago after our cruise – I weighed 215 pounds. That’s 40 pounds more than I am now. I should market this Mbita diet, I could make a fortune.
We were just down at the lake with the kids, the last swimming safari. Morgan is in town for the weekend to say goodbye to the kids. We walked down to their main hangout by Father’s and Uncle’s place and soon had found most of the gang. We headed off through the parish to gather the last couple. We cut through the back way so not to draw a unwanted crowd of kids and sent a couple by the church to round up the last couple.
Byron was there. Poor kid, he has a chronic ear infection, often with quantities of white puss flowing out to the point of dripping. We have noticed this every since we first got here. Anyway, he had a great time playing with Morgan in the water, floating and splashing and having a great smile on his face. After a while and sat on the dock with Joyce. After he dried she tried a few times to get his cloths back on him, which he would have none of. None of that is until Morgan started putting her cloths on, then he was fine with it.
The best pictures don’t get caught on camera. This is for a variety of reasons, not having the camera with you, not being quick enough to get it out or getting pointed and focused, it not being an appropriate place or time or as today, the battery running out. We often talk of needed an eye-cam, where you can just blink and record the shot. Missed some good ones today – he bike driver in his winter cost – wearing it backwards for some reason Morgan burying kids in the sand and making mermaids out of them. Kids running and flipping into the water. The fisherman whacking the mostly dead fish with a 1x3.
We had spotted a fish 10 yards off the dock. Couldn’t figure it out at first, but then realized that a fish was floating on its side with his fin sticking into the air. Occasionally it would flap. I pointed it out and the kids took out after it. The first time they moved to swiftly and it dove under the water. It surfaced a moment later and the next attempt they approached more slowly and Magdalene got a hand on it before it submerged. On the third try the fisherman shooed the kids off and took out after the semi-dead fish in his boat. He paddled up next to it, grabbed his 1x3 stick and whacked it, knocking it under the surface again. He waited another moment for it to resurface and then scooped it up with a bucket. Think of the lucky person that gets to have this prime Lake Victoria tilapia for dinner.
Time to go work on pictures. I’ve been shooting birds again, which means a few hundred shots to go through for a very few good ones.
Reporting from Mbita,
Paul
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