Holiday project

First stop: Nanyuki

Part way between Korr and Nairobi is the town of Nanyuki. Nick and Lynne rent a house in there.Nanyuki is on the equator and beside Mount Kenya. The highest mountain in Kenya is normally hidden in clouds and it became a joke about whether there is actually a mountain there. One day I did get a peek at the peak but I didn't have my camera with me. 

Despite being on the equator it is cooler in Nanyuki than in Korr, and also wetter, because of the altitude; a bit like a normal summer day in the UK!

This part of Kenya has very good farmland and there are lots of Indian and British owned farms in the area. There is also a British army base (where soldiers do desert and forest training) so there are lots of coffee shops and facilities for expats.

Shopping was strange, after weeks using what I had I suddenly had the opportunity to go shopping and also had choice. In a few weeks I will have the challenge of shopping for the next stretch in Korr.

Nanyuki was a pleasant re-introduction to downcountry ways of life. It felt like a treat to have mains electricity and water (rather than Korr’s solar and bore hole) and television, although there were power cuts and variable water pressure. I was able to eat out, ride in a tuk-tuk and go to an English speaking church.

Next stop: Nairobi

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drive downcountry (flash flooding field trip)

Last week I left Korr and travelled southwards overland. The first few of hours’ drive is on unmade roads and travel is tricky at the best of times but even more unpredictable in the rainy season. Riverbeds that are dry for most of the year become soft and muddy and we did quite a lots of slipping and sliding. We were pleased to cross straight through a major river that was in flow without much trouble. Soon after, though, it started to rain heavily and we rolled down the flaps on the back of the Land Cruiser to stop getting too wet!

There’s not much vegetation to intercept the rainfall, the ground quickly becomes saturated and infiltration rates slow down. We watched as the water flowed straight over the surface and into channels. Water levels in these channels rises very quickly to flood the land and roads but fortunately they also go down quite quickly.

We came to a place where the road was blocked by one of these fast moving flows. Whilst they are not necessarily very deep, they are fast and could easily sweep a vehicle away. An army truck had already stopped to wait which was a real blessing as we were able to follow them as they picked the best route through the water and back onto firmer tracks.

While we stopped for the water to go down enough for us to cross we were able to stretch our legs. You can see a wave of water coming down the channel.

We called in to visit the Form 4 students who were almost at the end of their final exams and not long afterwards we reached proper tarmacked roads. The journey in the back of the Land Cruiser was much smoother after that although it got noticeably cooler as we climbed higher. I put on a jumper for the first time in three months!

Along the way we spotted an elephant and ostrich.

In my first 12 weeks in Korr I didn’t …

…wear long sleeves
walk or drive on tarmac
use a washing machine
print anything or use a photocopier
go out in trousers
use a white board
wear a seatbelt
go upstairs
make or received a telephone call
have clean feet for any length of time
buy anything from a shop
get cash out
walk on carpet
wear socks
see a snake (yet!)

These are just some of the things that are very different about life in Korr. I thank God he has helped me cope with the various challenges and adapt to the differences. Now I am away from Korr I miss the wide open skies, the bright sunshine, the simplicity of life and how very friendly everyone is! I look forward to going back next month but am enjoying city life for a while first.

Hot!

 

 

 

It is about this hot every day. Now it is the school holidays I can have a nap after lunch when it is hottest. Going to bed it is mid 30s. In the morning it is cooler - high 20s.

This week is the first full week of the big end of year school holidays. I have enjoyed cooking, baking and reading - things that I have less time to do when school is on (just like at home!)

Tomorrow I am heading out of Korr overland. This could be an adventure as the rains make the roads unpredictable. On the way to Nairobi we are calling in on the Form 4s in Laisamis for their leaving party as their exams are almost finished. Lynne is taking a big goat stew and I have made cake.

Superb starlings

These birds, called superb starlings, are brilliant flashes of colour.  Unlike other wild animals, they do not blend in with the brown landscape. They are the most common bird that I have seen. When they get the chance they come to drink from the dogs’ water bowl outside the back door. They are very bold and seem to take the welcome mat as a personal invitation to come into the house!

Have you heard the raindrops drumming on the rooftop?

This morning I was woken up by the sound of rain on the metal roof of my room. It was quite soothing until I realised rain was blowing on my bed through the open window. Putting on my waterproof and rolling up my pyjama bottoms to trek to the toilet in the wet made me feel like I was camping in UK! It was almost cold – about  20°C.

The Night of the Scorpion

After nine weeks in Korr I have at last seen my first scorpion. I was just walking back from the shower and saw the elusive creature in my torch beam. He was about 10cm long and a light orangey colour. I quickly ran to tell the others and Nick jumped up to come to my rescue. However, I’d run not out of fear but out of excitement; I wanted to share my discovery! It took some time to relocate Mr Scorpion who then came to a sudden death under Obailey the night watchman’s sandal! In the drama of it all I forgot to take a photo.

Fear not, unlike in the poem with the same name as this post, I wasn't bitten!