Part 11 - Big Lind and Tricky Visit Africa!!

Well so much for me not leaving it so long until I write my next post – time just seems to fly here and every time I sit down to write this I get distracted by something else. So since I last posted my mum and dad have been and gone L I have aged, and I am already 4 weeks down in the 3^rd and final term of the year.

Having Mum and Dad here was great it’s so easy to forget how little I knew before I came and when I arrived, so to hear certain questions being asked and to see their surprise at things like the roads etc was quite amusing it’s amazing how you just adapt to this way of life. I know for my Mum and Dad it was a big culture shock, particularly for my Dad as I think my Mum has read my blogs more so knew a little bit more what to expect but when I called him up 2 days before they were flying out and he asks me if I need him to bring biros out or batteries as he wasn’t sure if I could get them out here I understood that he perhaps thought he might be staying in a mud hut after all. He then advanced to the other extreme when he was here by saying “I’m not bothered about much for tea … a Fray Bento’s pie would do me … do they do them at the supermarket!!” “erm no!!!!”

I had lots planned for their visit and yet I still turned out to be the worst hostess ever, I am definitely not cut out for that role, I have noticed it in the past but it was so evident throughout their 2 week stint, they probably went home 2 stone lighter due to the lack of food on offer in my house, my rubbish cooking facilities and the fact I often forget to eat in the holidays so forget that others might quite like food. Despite having day trips planned I found it really difficult to fill the evenings, my accommodation is quite limiting – I don’t have a nice veranda to sit out on and have a BBQ and since I was sleeping in the worst bed known to mankind I was shattered by 9pm every night and suffering from a severe stiff neck.  Not only were my hostess skills appalling but my tolerance of mankind – I have become so used to living on my own and being self-sufficient and independent that I found it really difficult been around people all the time, leaving me absolutely racked with guilt, after all these are my parents, I am sure they have wanted to escape the realms of my sisters and I on numerous occasions throughout the past 32 years and yet we would never of known about those moments and yet here I am being ,in all honesty, a total cow after living with these very parents for 2 weeks. I learnt a lot about myself and not very much of it I liked!! L So I continue to apologise to my parents profusely and I am prepared for them to reciprocate the same behaviour when I crash into their world for weeks during the summer holidays. I think my 2 sisters will be very pleased to hear that I quite possibly lost my 26 year reign of favourite daughter within those 2 weeks.

Anyway looking on the bright side (which I hope my parents did at least experience at times during their trip) we had some really fun excursions which hopefully gave my parents a bit of a taster of what Mombasa and Kenya have to offer. I think just the trip from the airport to my house was a bit of an eye opener – the camera was out within minutes to take photos of half cars being wheeled down the road on wooden wheelbarrows, goats roaming freely and plenty of people just meandering around aimlessly. Well saying bright side I spent the best part of the first day walking them around Mtwapa where I live explaining how safe it is and how friendly people are, only to get a phone call that evening whilst out at dinner to inform me a hand grenade had been thrown into a Christian gathering by suspected supporters of Al Shabab – yes very safe 2 people died and 8 people were seriously injured!!!

Their second day they got to meet my not so mystery man, Alex we went for lunch and had a really nice afternoon and evening, followed by a day of fun at the local waterpark the next day. I have never in my life been to a water park with so few people in it! But that meant no queuing for the slides!! Woohoo!! Alex in true style cracked his head on the bottom of the pool during his first attempt at the head first slide!!I think it was either head butt the bottom of the pool or slam head first into my Dad’s buttocks!! He opted well!!  I thought our trip was going to be cut short with a trip to hospital for stitches but luckily it wasn’t as bad as it first appeared!!

We started with a trip to the shops for my Mum to visit a project in Shanzu which she had come across in her charity work with the lionesses. It was so lovely for her to see the work of these incredible women all working with disabilities and creating beautiful bags, purses, jewellery and clothing. We then headed to Bomboolulu another workshop for the disabled. We took the tour around the site which houses the workers, has a nursery school on site and numerous workshops from jewellery to wood carvings and also some interesting plants which apparently grow in colder climates. My parents love a challenge so my Mum was soon purchasing some seeds to take home (I must admit I was initially concerned that she may be smuggling some kind of drugs into the country on behalf of the disabled, I don’t think there would be much leniency with that in court!) I will be interested to see if these plants to indeed grow in my parent’s beloved green house that normally only house the rabbit on its rampage –well before it died!!

That evening I took them to Volleyball to meet the crowds and to experience the white sands of Nyali beach, I think my Dad was happy he managed to unintentionally rip off the bar – he hadn’t become accustomed with the money yet so it was allowed.

The first week we also visited Haller Park to feed the giraffes, watch the hippos and crocs being fed and also to become a main attraction for all the local school kids that were visiting. Secretly I think those children made that day trip for my parents, they were all very sweet and we gave them some food to feed the giraffes and even helped many to brave their long, wet tongues whilst feeding them.

When they originally booked their flights my Dad was adament he wasn’t too fussed about going on a safari but after my photos from a previous trip he changed his mind so at the start of their second week we headed off on our planned safari - camping in Tsavo East for 1 night taking the same route I had taken during Hannah’s visit in a hope we would see just as many animals. We packed up the night before ensuring we had enough to survive but also not too much that it wouldn’t fit in the car. I love my little Delilah but seriously her boot is ridiculously small. My Dad made sure that I didn’t overfill the coolbox so he could fit in his beers but also had a back up plan, and carried a bottle of red wine for safe measure. My poor Dad ended up sharing his back seat with some mattresses and pillows but we eventually made it safe and sound to Tsavo East.

Within a few minutes we were spotting herds of elephants, zebra and impala. Already an entrance fee well worth paying.

Whilst we were driving along, we hadn’t seen a car for about 40 minutes. I approached what looked like a stretch of sinking mud, it had very deep tyre marks right through the middle – clearly made by a larger vehicle than my own. The mud looked wet and thick and clay like. I sensibly asked my parents for some wisdom and advice as how to handle this situation – My Dad’s response “erm well erm you’ll just have to go for it” I didn’t really fancy my chances going through the middle so the sides looked slightly drier. I decided to drive up the side of the bank unfortunately too steep to go around the road. I got half way through and yes as you all probably guessed the left hand side of my car got stuck – My Dad’s response “bloody hell Steph, I knew it!!” erm well if you knew it why not advise me against it in the beginning I sensibly suggested putting my car into 4 wheel drive – My Dad’s response “ bloody hell Steph nooo (in a very yorkshire accent) I’ve seen cars do that and they just get more stuck”. Right so we are in the middle of a game park where there are lions, leopards, cheetahs and elephants to name but a few animals which could harm us. I am now feeling about 12 years old again after getting shouted at by my dad and frantically try to think of a way of getting us out! I hop out of the car and decide I will dig us out I pick up a wooden sign at the side of the road (which could of said ‘beware lions eat humans’ but it didn’t.) I then proceeded to try and dig my wheels out of the wet thick cement like mud. My Dad decides that he will drive and Mum and I will push!! I’m not been funny but I don’t think me or my Mum could push a fat kid in a pushchair never mind a car! Anyway whilst still on the lookout for animals and with my Dad safely tucked up in the driving seat myself and my Mum try to push the car whilst getting splattered with more mud. Whilst I was on the periphery of an emotional breakdown suddenly the car jolts forward!! Yey I was delighted I asked my Dad “what did you do?” – My Dad’s response “oh I just put it in 4 wheel drive!” aarrrrggghhh did I not suggest this in the first place!!! Anyhow there was no time for standing around, Mum and I had spent far too long outside in the danger zone but according to my Dad not long enough “ Steph just run up there and move that log, otherwise that will be the next bloody thing, we’ll hit that and get stuck again!” hang on a minute can I just run up there 50 metres away? in lion infested lands? and move some wood which you can drive around!?!? I don’t think my

Dad was getting the whole danger issue. So I have a quick look around and start trotting up to the log my Dad then proceeds to drive past me and as I turn I see my poor little mum running behind the car as my Dad has failed to actually let her back in!!!! You could not make this stuff up!! There was a very sombre atmosphere in the car after initially getting shouted at like a 12 year old, however 5 minutes on and we could see the funny side!! We even discussed what a shame it was we hadn’t taken photos – I definitely think that would of tipped my Dad over the edge if I’d of whipped out my camera and asked for a family pic!! We did however reinact the scene safely from the camp site – minus sinking clay!!!

We continued towards camp after stopping for what I advised as a quick stop to clean our shoes out the window (after they were caked in mud) but what my dad took as get out the car and spend 15mins scraping all the shoes with a knife and cleaning them with baby wipes – still not sure the whole lion thing has sunk in!!!!

After another couple of hours and many more sightings of warthogs, elephants - including heaps of tiny (well tiny for elephants) baby elephants, zebra, eland and giraffes. We were trundling along the road when my mum claimed to see something – now bear in mind that my mum had previously shouted quite excitedly to stop the car on approximately 150 occasions claiming to have seen elephants that turned out to be mounds of sand, lions that turned out to be logs and giraffes which turned out to be trees! My dad and I were a little sceptical when she claimed she may have seen a cheetah!!! I went along as I had done previously stopped the car and put it into reverse. To our amazement – just sitting there 30 metres from the roadside was a stunning cheetah, she looked uncomfortable and breathless and in no hurry to move despite her clearly laying her beady eyes on us. I questioned whether or not she was pregnant because of the way she was sitting, and as if she had heard at that very moment she should up and turned side on to reveal her big baby bump, no wonder she was so nonplussed by our presence. In my caring ways I decided we should move on so she does not become distressed – my dad’s idea “can’t you get any closer??” My mum had finally redeemed her animal spotting and we spent the rest of the trip hearing about it J.

We finally reached camp after stopping to look through the binoculars at another one of my mums “lions” which then attracted attention from a bus load of tourists – well what actually attracted the attention was my mum shouting – “Stop – LION!!!! To which the bus responded by putting it’s foot down and pulling up alongside us – 6 people hanging out their windows with binoculars and cameras – as we discreetly rolled away a nice shade of crimson after discovering once again it was a log.

We reached camp greeted by a mass of baboons – wonderful!! But there was a very nice man who helped us with our tents, wanted to share his wine with us and would also be keeping watch whilst we slept!! Again I say slept but once again I barely got any sleep largely due to the panic that my parents might get eaten by a lion. We had a steak dinner – well a rock hard lump of meat that was supposed to be steak and played cards by torchlight!!

Once I was tucked up in my tent, my dad decided to come and ask how dangerous red and black snakes were, I was caught off guard of my apparent Bear Grylles knowledge – seriously how the hell would I know which snakes are dangerous. I then panicked “have you been bitten dad?” “Oh no I just looked at it and it slithered off” “hmm don’t think you have anything to worry about then!!!!” With my mums least favourite animal on my mind I struggled to sleep worrying that if she got up to go to the toilet and saw a snake she might die of a coronary!!.

Morning finally arrived and we headed out on a morning game drive – no lions but Jekyll’s, buffalo and some massive elephant bones at the side of the road. Once we got back to camp we packed up tents and cooked cremated sausage sandwiches for breakfast before heading out of the park.

On proceeding to the exit gate we approached an area popular with lions – unfortunately the lions must of heard we were coming so decided to hide or not show up, literally 30 seconds after pointing out the area we saw the lions last time my dad piped up “Steph, just pull over for a minute will you, let me get out and stretch my legs, my bloody back is killing me!!!!!” “Erm dad we’re not at the zoo you’re in a game park there are lions that will eat you” “what? Where? Well I haven’t seen any bloody lions” “yes dad just because you have not seen any does not mean that they are not there.” So we continued to the gate with no leg stretching!!!.

I don’t think I will ever get bored of safari’s seeing such beautiful animals and their offspring in their natural habitat is amazing!! Next time I must go with someone more experienced who can show me a new route and give me some cooking and camping tips!!

The final few days with my parents were spent revisiting preferred places, chilling and tanning – before bidding them farewell on an early morning flight! L Luckily not too long until I see them again and I can allow my mum to teach me a thing or two about hosting.

The following week was my birthday and I was looking forward to finally spending some proper time with Alex, he had originally booked a week off work so we would get plenty of time to make some memories, however at the end of march that was cut short to a 5 day stay I was disappointed but knew it was out of his hands due to having training on the Monday and Tuesday. The Monday of his training arrived only for him to be told the training was cancelled but he now had another meeting on Friday – my birthday!! So not only could he have come the Friday before but now we was having to leaving the morning of my birthday I was very annoyed and unfortunately Alex took the brunt of it!!! Jees the things the guy has to do to get out of spending time with me!! We ended up having 3 days together which we managed to fill with lots of fun, laughter and adventure. We celebrated my birthday on the Thursday.  I was awoken to find presents including champagne (which tasted amazing – it’s been way too long and he might regret reigniting my love!!) Ray Ban aviator sunglasses, 2 bracelets a necklace and then he whisked me away for a full body massage at a beautiful spa (which after my back and neck problems during my parents visit, was the most painful massage I have ever had, yet so necessary!) We then went snorkelling which was not the most successful but still highly amusing all topped off with dinner at my favourite sushi restaurant! J all in all a very good birthday eve. Followed by a lovely chilled birthday with friends, puppies, food and baby cuddles on the Friday and a mountain of cards and gifts from home J Thank you!!

Unfortunately it’s now a long time until I get to see Alex again he travels to the UK for his sister’s wedding at the end of May so by the time I see him it will have been nearly 9 weeks L but it is all going well despite the distance. I am planning a trip at the end of august when I return from the UK, then we are planning on climbing Mount Kenya in October. Also I won a night for 2 at a Beach club resort in Malindi on a raffle so we are heading for a romantic night away in June when he next visits. Exciting times!!!

I have some very distressing news to announce – Delilah has been taken ill and has spent the past 4 days in the car doctors!! She is recovering well but costing me a fortune!!!! Due to Delilah’s condition I have to rekindle my relationship with matatu’s and boda boda’s. I have made 4 trips on a matatu and have seen 3 fights, nearly crashed into a tuk tuk and been touched up by an overweight priest who kept coughing like he was bringing up a hair ball and could at any point follow through a little bit of vomit!!! I know what you’re thinking why would I ever want to drive again!!

Spent the last few days helping my friend plan her wedding, and house hunting, which is very exciting. I have decided to finally leave Mtwapa as the road is driving me nuts and the drive to get anyway is beginning to turn me into a hermit!! So I have decided to move in with a friend and colleague so that we can put our allowance together to get somewhere bigger and in an ideal location. After looking at many apartments some disgustingly under budget some amazing but over budget and some ideal but with greedy landlords we think we may have found our new home. It is a 3 bedroom furnished apartment in Bamburi which is close to all our friends, Nakumatt supermarket and the new school. Fingers crossed everything goes to plan.

Really really looking forward to my trip home in the summer I have so much to fit in but can’t wait. Still missing food quite a lot I think after family, friends and working internet food is my biggest loss. My mum and dad brought some cheese out! WOW! Amazing!! I’m still pining for Chicken Parmo but also looking forward to orange lucozade, my mum’s homemade panacotta, bacon sandwich in a soft bun with HP fruity sauce, something from the bakers i.e sausage roll, cheese straws, yum yums … the list could go on!! Ooh nearly missed off a Garthway sandwich!!! Anyone I am visiting when I am back if you could make sure you have some food delights in then that would be most appreciated!!! J

I am not looking forward to the weather but will be nice to wear normal clothes, be able to get properly dressed up on a night out and to sleep under a duvet and without a mosquito net caging me in and not get bitten by mosquitos or any other little critters!

Most of all excited to see my family, catch up with my girls, meet the new babies joining the group and be bridesmaid at both my sister Deborah’s and my friend Claire’s weddings!!

Final thought ‘feeling old so decided I need to stop being so sensible so that when I am 80 I look back and can say I lived life for those who don’t get the chance – which means I’m back on the idea of a tattoo and want a puppy!!! J ‘

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Steph xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx