Convalescence

Is it bad that I didn't really know what that word meant before this whole drama?!

I thought that the hardest part of this episode would be when I was in hospital. And yes, to choose one particular time, the day post operation was very hard and the bleakest individual point. I was so nauseous, tired and had staff coming to observe me and my changing colour chest at 60 minute intervals. I so wanted a family member with me, even if it was just to keep people out! The funniest visitor that day was the insurance rep. I had started crying when she walked in and asked, "How are you?" Sweet intention I am sure, but asking my name as she wrote me my get well soon card....I stayed lying down, smiled bleakly and explained that today was not the best day to visit.

As time went on though my skin returned to its mzungu shade and the recovery began. As well as beating the infection I like to think that I have also beaten my phobia of needles. Perhaps beaten is too strong a word, but I am sure I am less dramatic and a bit calmer!

It has now been over two weeks since I was discharged and I can honestly say they have been the toughest. After a disastrous attempt at a return to work I was released and advised to return to the UK for rest and TLC. These past few weeks have been so boring! It drives me crazy when people tell me to rest and take it easy, when that is all I do and have done for the last 37 days, yet am so bored and frustrated, I want to be active and busy! I have never been a massive TV or film watcher and realize now that personally I need to be around people in order to stay sane and that there are reasons why my lifestyle is as it is, i.e. busy. As I have felt better my waking hours have increased which is great, except that my friends here work full time so it has meant more conscious time alone. My energy levels are still increasing but definitely limited so a trip to the supermarket and a shower may be me done for the day. Time management and forward planning when it comes to utilizing energy quotas have really come into play. My best friend turning 30 and me wanting to  celebrate her birthday took careful planning, but I managed it. Even if it did lead to staying in bed till 8pm the next day as was shattered.

I am still not drinking. Starting to miss wine, but don't feel my body is quite up to it yet. My Dr suggested a glass or two the day I left hospital, but decided to not take that advice!

So now to fly home. Kenya is crazily wet at the moment so hoping that British weather won't be too much of a shocker. The rain is set to continue till January so at least I won't miss the sunshine. As time has gone on and boredom has set in I have become down. I miss working so much, and being out and about. A change of scenery will do me good and I hope that I will be returning to Kenya energetic and positive in January as I decide whether my African adventure will end in July or continue for a year or two more.

A major positive and something I am both amazed at and also deeply appreciative of is the support and love I have received here. Often it has come from quite unexpected people and made me realize how manners, warmth and genuine friendliness are vital and offer such great reward. Yes, being away from the UK during this has been hard, but so many people here have offered their homes, families, prayers, resources and time to aid and support me. I have been told off for not taking more people up on their offers and of being too polite to not say when I really am down and in need of company or whatever else. It has made me realize, and I know this is a major cliche, how we can influence and touch people without knowing. My close circle of friends have been phenomenal but the support from people I know much less well has really boosted me too in knowing that they also care. 

Hospital adventures

My first hospital stay was a steep learning curve, I didn’t realise how much went on, and made a fair few mistakes along the way. I cannot fault the hospital though, the staff were amazing, and kept me in good spirits and I was comfortable and well cared for. The nurses in particular were very patient with the amount of times I accidentally set the alarm off. It was too easy to sit on/roll over/pull out. The button was so big, and right next to the bed controls which I found quite irresistible. Having to sit up on my own now is a bit of a struggle and a real hassle! (You can see why it was getting critical that I got out, hospital laziness was really setting in!) I was staying in the Princess Pavilion, what a cool place to be!

The excitement of being discharged is slowly wearing off. Not sure why I woke up at 5am and could not sleep yesterday as was so happy to be going home. My bed here is not as fun, and my back ached last night from being completely horizontal-I just could not resist those buttons! As much as people complain about hospital food, the fact that it is brought three times a day and placed right in front of you with a smile, and was done for me every day for ten days, often with ice cream is treatment I have never before received and sadly may never again. I do still find my left hand enchanting and alluring and like to look at it fully as much as possible (it is very distracting), and am so happy there are no tubes going into it. Grandma always used to say what nice hands I have, I never believed her until now. My left hand is the most beautiful hand I have ever seen, despite the little tube scar!

On a serious note, it was a really tough time and I am so grateful for all the support I received in so many different forms. The Dr said I was hours from the infection developing into septicaemia and me going into intensive care so was hugely appreciative and relieved that he saw me when he did. It is making more sense now why I am so tired and especially now that I am home and can really relax. I think my body is finally admitting that it had been sick for months but can now recover and chill! Last Thursday was a real shock, I really thought I was getting the all clear and would be going back to work full time and getting my life back. When the Dr didn’t even allow me to go home to collect my things, and insisted that the drip be started even before payment was sorted I was scared, but still didn’t quite comprehend that I was ill.

Being away from home was hard. I didn’t want people to know how I was really feeling as knew it wouldn’t help and that also my emotions were all over the place because of the drugs, so tried to at least appear strong and positive (this conscious effort was made after my initial call to Matt saying I was going in!). The nurses were great at boosting me and would often try to make me giggle. They also were jealous of my magazines and would go through them in the evenings choosing their favourites and then ask if they could steal them away whilst I was sleeping if they promised to return them before morning! When I went down to theatre I was wheeled down on a bed and then needed to be transferred to the operating table. I was lying on a blanket and four staff all picked up a corner. I quickly asked what was going on and exclaimed that I could just move over to save them lifting, explaining that I was also rather heavy! They dismissed my concerns and counted to three to all begin lifting. They then found it very funny to all heave and ho before getting the giggles as they lifted me onto the table. I was initially so embarrassed and shocked, before joining them rather nervously laughing. My sense of humour was rather strained with nerves! It did definitely ease tension until of course I had my next burning question. I was also struggling with trying to ignore a song that had got stuck in my head. Before being wheeled down I was watching the news to take my mind off things. REM had just announced that they had split and so there was an item about their career and playing clips of their songs. The last song I heard?! It’s the end of the world as we know it. Oh man, not helpful! But fortunately the operating table turned out to be a distraction. Now I realise that I am not the tiniest, skinniest child, but I am also not the widest, largest man either. The table was so small, and not much wider than me. This intrigued me and I asked if they have different sizes or how they manage. Apparently it is one size fits all (much like the pyjamas). This really baffled me as I imagined large people hanging over the edges and really having to balance body parts carefully which may not be very helpful during surgery. It was then that the anaesthetist, probably having had enough of my questions, picked up my hand…..

As well as getting lots better, my time there was hugely informative, and I feel it is only right to share some golden nuggets of wisdom to possibly save you any possible unnecessary embarrassment in future.

Hospital staff wear uniforms so you can distinguish between their roles

On my first day I was felling quite groggy and spent a while wondering how I was to get dressed with a drip attached. Such simple answers when you know, but it took me asking a nurse to realise that it could be detached! Anyway, my lovely school secretary rang and warned me that my Head and the bursar were on their way to visit and organise the finances. This was to my horror, I was wearing the one size fits all hospital blue pyjamas which were so big they kept falling down and I didn’t have the strength in my hands to pull them tight cos of the drip. My hair was a mess and still with tear stained cheeks from the insertion of the drip and various needles over the last 12 hours (yes, I know, big wimpy baby) I was desperate for a shower. I was hurriedly trying to sort everything, when I worked out that I could not do up my bra. I rang the nurse and almost immediately a lady walked in. I asked if she’d mind helping me and was busy rabbiting on about my boss coming in and how I had to look a bit more presentable than I had done ten minutes before. It was only then that the nurse walked in and asked how she could help in response to me pressing the button. I turned to see a lovely member of the catering team helping me dress. Oops!

Doctors have seen it all before

The night before my op the anaesthetist came to see me to talk me through what would happen. As this was my first time under a general I was pretty clueless. My friends had warned me that I would have to be naked, and I argued with them, saying it was ridiculous that I couldn't wear my underwear and pondered whether it was just females who had to go nude (apparently not!) so luckily that didn't come up again, but I was still feeling a bit shy. So when the anaesthetist said that they would put stickers on my chest in theatre, I happily exclaimed, “Ooh good, to maintain my modesty?!” You should have seen his face...and my poor male colleague who happened to be visiting! Sadly that was not the purpose of the stickers. Well, now I know!

Don’t double gamble food choices in one day.

This was very foolish. The hospital was amazing, more like a nice hotel definitely and the food was great. Every day they brought me a menu and I would order for the next day. This was tricky and led to another gem of wisdom; don’t ever skimp on ordering cos not feeing hungry right at that moment. A lot can change! My appetite varied massively but the disappointment came too often as some of the drugs made me ravenous! As Nairobi has a large Indian community, and the hospital is in a particularly Asian area, a lot of the dishes were Asian. Some of the names I couldn’t really work out, and after a few days of choosing everything I knew, I thought it was time to branch out. Definitely a good idea, but not the best one when I decided to try totally unknown foods for every meal of the day. My chocolate supply took a big hit that day!

Remember what you are wearing…or not!

When I finally came round on Sunday it was a little later than I expected, and I woke up to visitors entering my room. I was so supported by friends here and was overwhelmed by the number of people who came to see me which was amazing. On Sunday visitors kept overlapping so by mid afternoon I was keen to get up and needed the loo, but had forgotten that I hadn’t stood, nor dressed since the anaesthetic. I had four people with me, and so started getting out of bed. This was probably my greatest Bambi impression. My legs were just not moving as quickly as I wanted and were not that strong either! I looked down and realised that I was rather nude under my gown (apart from the stickers, though they weren’t covering what I wanted them to!) so pulled the top together, only to realise that the bottom was then gaping. Oh dear. I then swiftly grabbed the bottom only to reveal the top. Oh my word. Fortunately three visitors could only see the Bambi leg wobbles, but my one poor male colleague! He was sitting right in front of me so had a good view, or not! I went to the bathroom and had a silent cry. It was only later when talking to Toby who was also there that I embarrassingly confessed but managed to see the funny side. He could not stop laughing, and asked, “Upstairs or downstairs?” We were both gigging when I answered very red facedly, “Both!!”

There is a silver lining to not being able to walk:

Once I was admitted to hospital and my body started responding to treatment my energy was soon spent fighting the infection and I grew very weak. My Dr wanted me to go for tests at his office, but I was not strong enough to walk so they sent a wheelchair. I was quite teary (surprise, surprise, it is generally my first reaction!) but the man pushing me responded well and lent close to me whispering, “I have a confession, I just can’t stop going fast!” Then off we zoomed! It was so much fun!!! We sped through the corridors and weaved in and out of patients and staff. I loved it! I am now keen to be generous and push any wheel chaired people around as much as possible, and encourage others to do so too. What a way of spreading joy and fun! Babies don’t realise how lucky they are in their prams.

Let loose

Today was our annual fun run, a cross country event for all the children in the school. It usually goes for a few km outside the school grounds and around the various residential streets then back to the school. This year though it was held on the sports field, with the poor kids running round and round the track. A lioness escaped from the park a couple of days ago and is yet to be captured, so it was too dangerous to risk. A few of us thought that it may speed up the kids somewhat but probably best to be cautious. Kenya's on the news too much right now anyway!

Just finished teaching a lesson by candlelight. My poor students have been without power for 11 hours.

Just another day in Africa. 

Camel racing

The long awaited camel derby......

On Friday morning we set off, all rather excited and very unsure as to what we'd signed up for and why! I heard about the camel derby a year ago, when my friend Zoe took part, and I was desperate to go, so we organised a "coach" and about 25 of us, ranging in age up to 65! It took us nearly ten hours....the roads were incredible, the worst I've ever seen. Some had huge holes in the middle, you really have to see it to believe it!

I miss tarmac

 We only got stuck once, and so the journey was pretty good! A truck passed by soon after and kindly pulled us out.

Our "luxury" coach stuck in the mud!

On Saturday morning we all registered, I was thrilled to be 01!! Felt it would be the nearest to first I'd ever get!

Meredith and I sporting out gorgeous camel derby racing shirts and our "positions"

We then had the interesting task of choosing camels. Hmmm.... where to start? It was difficult to know whether to go for a feisty, spitting and growling camel, or a more placid one, and then is it best to go for a huge one or a smaller one?!

Cute camels....when they're not spitting!

 My friend decided to go for one with a good saddle, she is a genius!! I went for a camel with a wooden saddle with strong stirrups and fortunately have no cuts or scratches on my legs (the same cannot be said for most of the group!). We had to practice getting on and off and standing up whilst the camel was also standing. It was lovely to have camera crews filing during this! I got interviewed by two different TV channels, and was on TV on Sunday night!

The race began with a countdown and camels wandering round and bumping into each other.

I was shocked at how fast the camels set off. I had a camel leader and then 4 children with sticks willing the camel to go faster. I cannot describe the pain! My tail bone is so bruised! 11km of sitting/standing (it was a weigh up between aching legs in an uncomfortable position or bouncing hard on the camel) whilst gripping on, my hands soon blistered! I wanted to give up pretty much the whole time! We raced through small villages and across the area. There were lots of onlookers and crowds cheering us on.

Cute kids excitedly cheering us on

When the finish line came into view I thought it was a mirage, I cannot describe the happiness and relief.

Woohoo!!

 I came third out of the women and 7th out of 35 overall-completely shocking! I got a lovely medal, with a classic misspelling of derby as deby! I now have aching shoulders, sore legs, a very painful bottom and cut, blistered hands. Was it worth it? Yes. Would I do it again? No!

Meredith and I showing off our medals. Beer has never tasted so good!

We were on TV! Click to see!

In the evening there was an awards ceremony and a lot of speeches.....favourite quote: "Samburu (the county where the camel derby is held) is one of the most beautiful places on earth, but it does have its criminals." Ummmm.....ok.

One year post veggie

I ate eland yesterday and it was delicious!!!!!

YUMMY!!

Lake Baringo

My friend Sue and I went to Lake Baringo on the weekend, a few hours north of Nairobi. It was my first tented camp experience, and was wonderful! Waking up as the sun rose and seeing the view from your bed without having to go outside was amazing, especially as it was a proper bed and not a mat!

View from our tent

The lodge was lovely, and was on an island on the lake, so there was really nothing to do! It was amazing!! There were some lovely families there who had brought an array of fun inflatables so I enjoyed befriending the kids and playing with their toys in the pool whilst sipping on a chilled glass of wine! I couldn't believe how hot it was, absolutely scorching, a welcome change from cool Nairobi.

The lake has crocodiles and hippos so I was regularly checking and looking out, but sadly I never got a glimpse...everyone else did though. I did have crocodile dreams every night though so do feel I got my fair share of sightings! Poor Sue had to put up with my sleep talking....

There was limited power and no television on the island so I did disappointingly miss out on watching the Wales game (as SJ wasn't playing I was slightly less gutted), though I met another rugby fan and so we made the best of our resources and used his internet dongle to check the 2 minute updates on the BBC websites to see the scores.....not the same exciting adrenaline pumping experience but was definitely novel and fun!

Village trip

This weekend I went to visit a friend from the UK who is volunteering in Kisii, Western Kenya for the summer. My Swahili teacher, Jonah is from Kisii, so we decided to travel together for the weekend. We boarded a matatu from outside our house then got a coach for the 5 hour journey. I was pretty impressed with the comfort of the coach and the safe driving, until we decided to go off road, down a rather steep bank to avoid a hold up in the road......

Kisii is beautiful. It is so green and lush, especially as it generally receives daily rainfall. It is such a contrast to many parts of the country which are suffering terribly with drought and failed rains. We saw some amazing storms, with near constant lightning at times. It was actually really helpful as the town had a power cut, and the lightning really illuminated the place, though momentarily, which helped with finding the path when trying to get back to the hotel!

Jonah's family were so kind and welcoming. We prayed together a lot which was so nice. They all live in a village outside the town, and it was lovely how the extended family all live nearby. We met cousins and great uncles....the whole lot! They own quite a lot of land which they farm so we ate lots of lovely fresh produce and left with a rather heavy pumpkin which we had eaten the leaves from. They don't have electricity or running water yet, though there is hope that this will be set up soon. There were constant sounds of ring tones though (not mine!!!) They charge their phones at little dukas in the town, and just sit and wait until they're done. Jonah's dad asked me if there were any parts of the UK without electricity. Our worlds are so different.

One thing that is amazing about Kenyans is how friendly they are, and how much they smile...that is unless they are being photographed.

Jonah with some of his family members in their garden

We were served a huge amount of food. Tactical plate swapping had to occur at times! It was great to try some new traditional Kenyan dishes, though it made me realise just how different the British palate is. My favourite novelty drink was definitely the sour milk. I asked how it was prepared. The response was quite simply  pour milk into a bucket, cover it, leave it for a few days, then serve! Ooh lumpy! It really highlighted a big culture difference for me, in that if guests popped round to my house they would be lucky to get a cup of tea and possibly a biscuit, but here we were given hot meals irrelevant of the time of day. Some communication would have been appreciated as we would leave one house and promptly pop next door ready for round two!

Enjoying some delicious pumpkin in Jonah's house

On Saturday we went on a little trip to Tabaka, which is famous for soapstone carvings. We took a shared public car, there were 11 of us inside. 4 in the front (don't know how the driver managed to drive, as he was so pressed up to the window!), 4 in the back and 3 in the boot. Wow. Cosy! My shuttle bus home was the best though. It was quite smart, and we all had a seat each, well apart from the chicken that rather quietly sat underneath a seat.

Catching up

Wow, it has been a while. Life flies past at an incredible rate, and I find African time is on another level. Mid July already!!

So, the first year at school in Nairobi has finished. It has been brilliant. I have thoroughly enjoyed it. My class have been fantastic, such good fun, and through hard work there has been real progress. The school is amazing in its happiness and laid back approach. Sunny days definitely help, and there is real feeling of the children being children which is wonderful.

I moved house at the beginning of June. I feel so much happier. I now live more centrally, about a 30 minute commute to work (though it was 2 and a half hours for 3 days due to a Cow Show, only in Africa, or maybe rural Wales….). My cottage is sweet and quirky. It has been likened to a caravan as it is long and thin! Crazy big bedroom though with amazing storage, my shoes are now displayed as they always deserved to be! I feel very safe here and find the location very convenient. I have swapped the cockerel for yapping dogs. I stay sane and calm remembering that they are there to protect me, as opposed to just annoy as the cockerel did! My landlord is a dentist (and this week has transformed my black tooth, no more the daily question of, why do you have a black tooth Miss Gregor?!) and visitors to my house always ponder whether this house used to be a dental practice! There is a definite waiting area feel to the living room! But, it is mine, it is secure, private and I love it!

The last few days have been quite mixed. For the most part I love Africa, particularly Nairobi, but there are times when I desperately miss the safety, order and fairness of the UK. I had a bad experience yesterday at the garage whilst they were sorting something on my car. Being a female at the garage is intimidating enough anywhere in the world and their assumption that I am clueless when it comes to cars is perfectly correct. But being a white female here worsens things. Principles perhaps are difficult to develop when the leaders of a country don’t easily share them and corruption is all around. The droughts in the north of the country, the distrust of others that the majority of people share and propagate, the police force, the frightening stories, they are a daily challenge, and one that usually I can overcome without giving my notice and returning, most probably to London (still in my view, the most beautiful, fun and enchanting city in the world!). But there are many pulls here, and after nearly a year I feel settled and have made some fantastic friends to share the adventure and struggles with!

Yesterday I went hiking in the Ngong hills with some friends. The views were beautiful and it was a gorgeous day for walking. 

We had to take two armed guards with us-we asked why two and were told that they were there to also protect each other! Not so great when one of the guards was so unfit that they had to stop on the third out of 5 hills and wait for us to return! I was quite worried when the guard would rest his tummy on the gun point, and just hoped it wasn’t loaded at that point! How different to childhood walks with Dad as our guide, with not even a slingshot!

I am spending the long holidays (not the summer holidays as I keep saying, as it is of course winter here now, though I have tan lines from the hike yesterday, so define winter!) in Nairobi, working as a tutor and English language trainer. I have got some lovely students, and the first week has gone well. I’m hoping to do some weekend trips to see more of Kenya and stay quite flexible in my timetable. Looking forward to racing some camels at an international derby in August. Sure there’ll be lots of tales and mishaps! It’ll be an interesting month or two.

One of the great benefits to my new house is the lack of insects here. Not sure if it’s the change of weather the last few months, but I haven’t need mozzie spray or nets yet. I had a lovely friend staying with me last week, I now am for ever indebted to her! We had just come back from a lovely evening out, and were getting ready for bed when I spotted the biggest cockroach on the floor next to my bed. I tried to calmly call for her assistance. Practical as ever she came with a mug and a piece of paper, and through muffled screams and squeals we managed to get the cockroach outside with just a few slimy remains on my floor! I text her today, fondly calling her my brave cockroach fighter. Brave? she giggled, no, it was the G&T!! I am not sure what it is about Nairobi but everyone here loves G&T, except for me, but if it makes you brave, then I am a new convert! But, yes do not forget that Africa has changed and hardened me and I am less scared…..a spider walked across the kitchen cupboard today and I didn’t even bat an eyelid! You just have to remember where I came from-there has been definite and pronounced progress, it just may seem like none when compared to everyone else here!

Hitch hikers, sun cream and the fourth wheel

I have two Welsh friends staying for a few weeks, so we’re having fun exploring Kenya. Instead of flying to the coast we thought we’d drive so we could see more of the landscape and save a few pennies. The journey down was interesting…..a few challenges which make life exciting and a couple of wrong turns leading down to the ferry terminal all woke us up and made us giggle. So the return journey we reckoned would be the easier one. We were more confident with the route and knew where the petrol stations were (some are few and far between!). The weather wasn’t really on our side though with torrential rain in places which made driving very difficult as there was so little visibility, but again, Vixy proved herself as a wonder car as she waded through a foot’s water and battled the roads. When we stopped for lunch we were all pleased by how smoothly the journey was going. Hmmm….

If only it lasted….20 minutes on there was a big pothole, then a few shudders. I pulled over and we all got out to survey the damage. The front wheel wasn’t looking good so we unpacked the car and went to find the tools. Amazingly, a man was walking along the road past us and even without us asking he picked up the tools and began to jack the car up. There are so few pedestrians along this highway so it was incredible timing. Now I’m not saying that we would be unable to change the wheel but he definitely saved us a lot of time…well, until it came to the last wheel lock. It was just not shifting. He asked if we had any oil….hmmm, no, but the girls came up with the genius idea of using sun cream! The comical aspect of watching him squirt sun cream onto the wheel nut took away any desire to cry!! But it was Becci who really helped and pointed out that he was using the wrong wheel lock. We were so grateful to him, and so when he asked if he could have a lift we were happy to oblige (thinking he meant 20 minutes up the road). As we got into the car we then worked out what he said….he wanted a lift to Nairobi. How we howled!!! The poor man was walking back from Mombasa-it would take about 2 weeks! So we all clambered into the packed car with nervous giggles as we explained his responsibility of changing the CDs and teaching us various Swahili words for the next few hours. The spare tyre limited us to 50kmp/h, so progress was slow, but Wamboa, our new travelling companion was a massive help and showed us where we could get the wheel fixed at a Kenyan rate and then be on our way again…..at speed.

All the tools needed to change a wheel in Kenya

It took about 5 more hours and was a long journey, but was definitely unforgettable. The poor man could not remember Natalie’s name (many Africans struggle with it) so we wrote it down on some paper for him. Watching how he had to take a quick look at the paper ever time he addressed her was so funny. Driving in the dark was tough, I have never felt so grateful to see road markings, though sadly their presence wasn’t consistent. Two weeks previous a truck had collided with Vixy on the same highway…not sure she’ll be going down there again any time soon! The poor thing has had four new wheels in 6 months....the joys of Kenyan driving. 

Wamboa, our Kenyan angel

Mountain Trekking

Before I came to Kenya, one of the things I planned to do when living here was to climb Mount Kenya. So, to mark one of the last things I do at 27, and to tick it off the list, a group of us began our climb on Monday.

We were named Haraka Pole pole Moron (fast slow carrot) and the team was great. Lovely mix of characters which meant morale stayed high even though the temperatures didn’t. We trekked through some gorgeous scenery, really diverse and varied and like I’ve never seen before. The first day was relatively easy; we were ahead of time by an hour and feeling good! It became very windy in the evening and so we were advised not to sleep in the tents (Wahay!) but to sleep in the huts. It did us good and we woke ready for a long day’s hike. The altitude began to affect me despite taking tablets and the last few hours I had a bit of a headache (my fingers really swelled up too-very attractive!) I happily slept for a few hours before tea, and then at 7.30 we all headed to bed. Kara was getting something out of her bag which was on the bunk next to mine when a mouse scrambled out. I was so cold, wearing all my clothes, pjs on top, plus then my coat and scarf that I managed to go to sleep consoling myself with the thought that if a mouse did come into my sleeping bag then it would be extra body warmth! I was very cold. I made everyone call mice and rats Care Bears to take away fear! Not sure if it was my eyesight but I fortunately didn’t see any Care Bears the whole trip.

At 2.45 we woke up and started popping pills and rehydration fluids before we began our climb up to the summit. The stars were incredible, they absolutely filled the sky and there was a gorgeous crescent moon, and Jupiter was visible. We were well wrapped up ready for the freezing temperatures and walked one behind each other, staying very close, as the only lights were from our head torches. About twenty minutes in I was really struggling. The air was so thin, and my poor asthmatic lungs, which had had quite a beating over the last few days, were close to giving up. I formulated two strong arguments in my head to give to the members of my group who would encourage me most persuasively to stay, and told them that I was returning to camp. However instead of them arguing for me to stay, they suggested I try going to the front behind our guide and set the pace. I don’t know how or why, but it was then easy. I was still def the runt of the group, asthma pump at hand always, and also the pace slowed, but I felt more in control. The guide, Frances held my hand at times for further encouragement (yes, I did feel about 5, but I also made it!! Whatever it takes…). It was snowy but that was all we could tell really as it was so dark out and our heads were just focused on following the footsteps of the person in front. As the sun began to rise we hit some big rocks. I am so thankful for the Climbing course I did in London, and the bouldering section. We had to proper scramble and it was a bit hairy at times as they were so icy but thankfully we all safely made it and reached the top.

It was incredible to summit. It was a clear morning and the views were stunning.  It was so beautiful, and really surreal to be so high, above the clouds in parts. The Welsh flag came out!

Toby and I, layered up Welshies

The way down was hard. Seeing the slope in the light, and realising how steep and rocky it was, was scary! I couldn’t believe it was the same route that we had walked up earlier. Fortunately another guide took me under his wing and held my hand the whole way down to stop me slipping as the snow and mud often gave way. My team took the mick a bit, but I think they were just jealous as they had to battle alone!! We returned for brekkie and then began the rest of the hike back to the gate, which had taken us a day and a half to climb. This was when I realised that there is a new type of tiredness. The last two hours were really tough. Having to concentrate on footing when walking downhill, as well as having had such an early and physical start left 7 rather tired people! We decided to stay locally for the night. Oh the joys of showering and falling asleep without winter coats and hats on!

We drove back this morning, and crossed the equator back into the southern hemisphere. We stopped to take some pics and watch the water experiment. I was very impressed, and would def recommend it! It is really cool!

I’m waiting for my water tank to heat up now to have a soothing bath, walking like a granny at the mo, reminds me of my post marathon walk-I’m happy to be living in a bungalow! Not sure I am tempted to climb any more mountains. As we were going up to the summit I told the team that I was def not up for Kili and needed to remember the feelings of how much I was not enjoying it so as not to do it again…..but when I went to the front I had to try hard to suppress the enjoyable feelings! As wicked as it was, and as much I would recommend others to do it, altitude and asthma is hard work!! Think I’d like to do Snowdon next. 

Candles and sunglasses

I started learning Swahili this year and am really enjoying it. My friend Slavica and I go, and we have a fab teacher, Jonah, who somehow puts up with our giggles and tangents.

Tonight there was a power cut in the area where our class is, so driving there was a bit of a mission…and in true Hannah form I also struggled to find the place (don’t want to mention how many times I have previously driven there, it doesn’t make me look good). After a few wrong turns and phone calls to Slavica I pulled over to re trace my route. It was then that a car pulled alongside me, beeping and flashing. Then the window went down and I could see an African man motioning to me. I was so scared, believing this was a car jack! Hahahaha brave African Hannah you see?!  It took Slavica to call me to tell me it was her and Jonah, who were out to find me, for me to calm down and follow them! Oh how we laughed and laughed and laughed. In the school we had a lesson by candlelight in true African style. It was so hard to read the board, especially as I had left my glasses at a friend’s house so was trying to make do with my prescription sunnies, which in my defence would have worked fine if there was lighting (I have had to wear them to watch a few rugby games here when I have forgotten my glasses so they are tried and tested for evening wear when needed!) but in a very dim room with just a couple of small candles it was a nightmare! I pulled my desk right to the front too, but to little avail. And today we started on Swahili grammar…..it was hard going! Slavica and I kept remembering the car jacking or sunglasses wearing and so the giggles continued. Poor Jonah, he kept asking what was so funny, and didn’t seem to see how we were still finding the evening’s events so amusing.

I am happy to be home and with electricity, but will leave Swahili study for tomorrow…..

Hot hot hot!!

Do kinda feel that a pic of Enrique would be quite fitting here but I will resist!!

This afternoon I took my class around campus to measure the temperature in different spots. We started off with ice, then moved to the swimming pool. Those of you who have swam in the swimming pool here will agree that at times it does feel like ice! We all sat on the edge with our thermometers in the pool....as I had flip flops on I thought it fitting to dangle my feet in the pool. It was hot today! 12 children then followed suit, or asked to.....as they all had their shoes and socks on I suggested they put a hand in....or jokingly, suggested maybe a nose! I could not believe when suddenly there were 12 little noses in the pool! So sweet! The kids loved it, and was so funny! Fortunately none of them fell in, and they all seemed quite refreshed afterwards! On the Astro turf we measured 51 degrees C so they soon dried off. It is crazy hot today!! Have new respect for the children who have to run around playing hockey on it. No wonder Kenyan runners are so successful!

How Kenya has changed me...

The other day I was in the shower and realised that there were quite a few spiders...now, rewind a few months and I would have been out like a shot, calling for help!! I hardly batted an eyelid and this made me smile as I thought of how brave I had become. Hahahaha you really have to do a before and after comparison to describe me as brave!!

A few examples:
Geckos have become my friends-is quite easy to love them when they eat mozzies.
Camping is no longer an absolute no chance possibility when going away.
I am no longer a veggie....not even close. No excuses either actually  as veggie food is great here, but the 4 days that I lived in Africa as a veggie I did get a lot of hassle and stick!
My driving has def changed....cutting people up is no longer a thing to worry about...instead it's watching out for traffic coming towards you in your own lane, fog lights blinding you, baboons crossing in front of you...

Major exception to the new brave Hannah was my first Kenyan cockroach sighting....in my bath. I shrieked and ran out...came back a few hours later and fortunately there have been no future sightings. There are def a few areas where I refuse to become fully Africanised.....still wear heels every day, still love nail varnish, still won't have pets, still hate mozzie nets and try to avoid them as much as poss but I do feel the change is very admirable!!

Kenyan sweetness

The last few weeks have been filled with experiences of Kenya that despite some rather crazy things happening, are endearing and kinda refreshing....

I went to the cinema and for once was really late so got to see the trailers! When they finished, on came the national anthem! Sadly no-one stood up which I have heard is the normal thing (there was only about 6 of us in the cinema and I wasn't going to lead the standing-I thought my friend was joking about it!), thought this was incredibly sweet!

Next followed our school trip to the Railway Museum. It was on this day that my job really felt poles apart from working in the UK. I don't think we saw any signs of keep off, or out of bounds...the kids were completely free to jump all over the trains, climb on the roofs.....at times I couldn't watch!! Amazingly we returned with no casualties.

Yesterday to conclude our Kenyan History topic in school our year group held a Jamhuri day. It was so fun! The kids dressed up in traditional Kenyan clothes, brought in various flags and cakes decorated with the Kenyan colours and we celebrated! We had a Masai jumping competition for the boys to prove their strength whilst the girls hummed and did a shoulder dance, entered a spear (ruler!) throwing and long jump contest and tried to learn the anthem and had Kenyan quizzes. This was after monkeys jumped over the roof and played in the trees at lunchtime (not so keen on the warthogs at the mo-one gave me quite a fright the other day, and they have gotten huge, they are absolute beasts!) and so despite the crazy storms that have been disturbing our sleep the last few nights (I have never heard such loud thunder) I am feeling rather endeared to Kenya at the mo! The fact that our mini half term break has just started may also be a contributing factor...and the fact that in about 12 hours I will be on my way to the airport to pick up my dear older brother, yay!!

Re adjusting....

So after a few junk food filled weeks (totally self induced!) in the UK it was time to return to Kenya. It is good to be back!

Leaving was sad...I was determined not to cry in front of Mum and Matt....so just about held off until I walked round the corner to security-two different security guards came over to check I was ok...managed to talk through my sobs to explain I had just said goodbye to my mum! Hahahaha such a baby! My hand luggage was routinely checked...and had to be emptied...rather embarrassing when I had a load of tupperware containers and my stereo in there hehe was not what they were expecting! Sadly though, it did not contain my house keys....anyway, mishaps make life more interesting-thanks to all for your help in getting me into my house the next day!

The heat is unbelievable. Was a bit of a shock when I arrived-coaching games in the afternoon is hard! I have massive respect for the kids who have to run! It is beautiful though, and really enjoying the sun and the bright days. Working out is so difficult though...perhaps due to the altitude-rubbish you have to readjust, and also the lack of exercise and major McDonalds intake in the UK! Do not regret it though, was amazing! (Is it bad that I can't actually remember what being a vegetarian was like...?)

Really struggled with what I like to call jet lag...a few people understand, many though have made fun of me! I think that a 3 hour time difference is significant! My sleeping patterns are finally back to normal, though still enjoying afternoon naps!

Went to a proper African church on Sunday-two non-Africans present-me and my friend! Was such a happy and active service, was great fun, and only lasted 90 mins, bonus! Loved the way they clap for and want to appreciate everything, so sweet!

Today I had one of my, wow, I live in Africa moments-we are studying habitats, so I took my class on a walk around campus to identify animals and their habitats-we spotted bugs and things, then some rather exotic birds, warthogs, chickens and a monkey! Love it!

It is good to be back!!