Killer Tree!Last week started peacefully, on Sunday Kate, Jordan & I had a tour of Gede Ruins. It’s an ancient Swahili town (around 13th century) that disappeared after the Portuguese arrived. It’s mostly just old stones now but there are some amazing trees preserved there too including, the Baobab and a fig tree that survives by growing around another tree until it kills it and has to move on to another host.
On Monday morning I decided I was desperate for exercise. Despite the healthy food we eat here I’m beginning to feel like a bit of a balloon because it’s always too far or too hot to walk anywhere. There’s a small window just before sunset when it’s cool enough to jog along the beach but I haven’t been very disciplined about it and swimming is more like splashing about while you chat to people. So I was really pleased when Bernard leant me his bicycle (Bernard is another volunteer here from the Rift Valley Region in Kenya).
It’s a while since I’ve ridden a bike and the pot holes on the road make it interesting. Also the rules of the road here are such that if you hear hooting behind you you’re expected to get into the gutter quickly or get flattened by a Matatu. Still, it was great to have the freedom just to go to the end of the road and back. I must be very out of shape though because I was so tired I had to go and lie down during our Monday morning meeting!
Jo, another volunteer had been feeling unwell the previous day and also had to leave the meeting. She’d asked Henry to take her to the clinic but unfortunately this Monday the UNDP auditor (who’d been with us all weekend) was giving his all important feedback. Eventually Henry dropped Jo at the clinic and arranged for a taxi to bring her back.
At lunch time the taxi driver turned up alone to say that Jo had fainted and might need some help getting home. Aaron and I rushed back to the clinic in the taxi wondering what awful disease she’d come down with. It turned out the doctor had diagnosed a stomach infection. Then he’d given her a shot of something to take away the nausea which was so strong she’d passed out. Aaron then had to carry her to the car. Meanwhile 9 guests from a group called Earthwatch had arrived, one of whom was supposed to share Jo’s room. We had to ask her to repack so I could move in with Jo instead and keep an eye on her.
The rest of the week was much less eventful. I wrote blogs on Earthwatch and the end of term schools quiz from the week before and finished the E-news letter we send out every 6 weeks or so. I also went back to Mida Creek and replaced some of the signs on the information boards there and tried to work out what to put in a badly needed information display we’re going to put out the front here.
I continued to feel really tired, having sudden moments of just needing to lie down regardless of what I was doing. Jo got a lot better and even managed to leave for Nairobi on Wednesday for Thanksgiving but I was convinced I’d got what she had. I had incredibly intense heartburn which lasted for over 24 hours but managed to fight it off with Peptobismol tablets (Americans are great for carrying every medicine under the sun!) We’ve each complained of strange stomachs as if something is going round that we’re all trying to fight off.
On Tuesday Aaron also left for Nairobi, his parents and fiancée are visiting and they’re off on safari for a week. Earthwatch, (2 Kenyans, 4 Brits and 3 Americans) stay until next Thursday as do K&J and then it’s going to be very quiet here. The staff are starting to go on leave now. I don’t know if it’s normal to take a month off in the summer here or whether the ARK staff are just over due their holidays (Peter?)
Having Earthwatch has been fun they’re here for some ‘voluntourism’ monitoring Sykes Monkeys in the forest. I’ve got to sit in on a couple of evening presentations about Monkeys and one about Kenya’s endangered Black Rhino.
It’s hard to believe I’ve been here a month now it’s gone so fast. I’ve been thinking about what I do and don’t miss about home.
After a month I definitely miss:
Washing machines! – Not only does the centre not have one they’re apparently uncommon generally in this part of Kenya so at least 2 hours every weekend is taken up with hand washing my clothes. I never thought I was spoilt before now…
Being cool (but not cold!)
Cakes & biscuits (I am beginning to miss sweet things now)
Watching the news (seriously, please tell me what’s going on in the world!)
Walking to places
The bathroom at home (I’m jealous Barbara!)
Skimmed/semi skimmed milk – they only have full fat here
Broadband internet (a lot!!!)
My family and friends of course J
What I don’t miss:
The dark! – I find it so hard to imagine how dark it is in England these days when it’s so bright here all the time.
All the pre-Christmas faff – there’s none here despite the children having broken up for Christmas (summer) holidays already
TV – apart from the news (We watched a couple of films on Jordan’s laptop this week though which was fun)
The price of everything back home!
The commute to work
Being in a city away from the beach
Cooking for myself (strange because I thought I would)
Plans for this week might include…
Watching a Giriama dance (local tribe)
Going snorkelling with the Earthwatch group
Staring ARK’s annual newsletter
Making Banoffee pie for Katelin’s birthday
(Thanks Claire! I managed to get all the ingredients although in order to get the caramel sauce I had to ask the Italian ice cream shop if they would sell me half one of their bottles - which they import direct from Italy!)
If any of you have read all this way you deserve a medal!
Until next time…
For Those Who Pray
Thank you! I’ve felt close to getting sick more than once since I’ve been here but I haven’t so thank you so much for praying.
On Monday morning I decided I was desperate for exercise. Despite the healthy food we eat here I’m beginning to feel like a bit of a balloon because it’s always too far or too hot to walk anywhere. There’s a small window just before sunset when it’s cool enough to jog along the beach but I haven’t been very disciplined about it and swimming is more like splashing about while you chat to people. So I was really pleased when Bernard leant me his bicycle (Bernard is another volunteer here from the Rift Valley Region in Kenya).
It’s a while since I’ve ridden a bike and the pot holes on the road make it interesting. Also the rules of the road here are such that if you hear hooting behind you you’re expected to get into the gutter quickly or get flattened by a Matatu. Still, it was great to have the freedom just to go to the end of the road and back. I must be very out of shape though because I was so tired I had to go and lie down during our Monday morning meeting!
Jo, another volunteer had been feeling unwell the previous day and also had to leave the meeting. She’d asked Henry to take her to the clinic but unfortunately this Monday the UNDP auditor (who’d been with us all weekend) was giving his all important feedback. Eventually Henry dropped Jo at the clinic and arranged for a taxi to bring her back.
At lunch time the taxi driver turned up alone to say that Jo had fainted and might need some help getting home. Aaron and I rushed back to the clinic in the taxi wondering what awful disease she’d come down with. It turned out the doctor had diagnosed a stomach infection. Then he’d given her a shot of something to take away the nausea which was so strong she’d passed out. Aaron then had to carry her to the car. Meanwhile 9 guests from a group called Earthwatch had arrived, one of whom was supposed to share Jo’s room. We had to ask her to repack so I could move in with Jo instead and keep an eye on her.
The rest of the week was much less eventful. I wrote blogs on Earthwatch and the end of term schools quiz from the week before and finished the E-news letter we send out every 6 weeks or so. I also went back to Mida Creek and replaced some of the signs on the information boards there and tried to work out what to put in a badly needed information display we’re going to put out the front here.
I continued to feel really tired, having sudden moments of just needing to lie down regardless of what I was doing. Jo got a lot better and even managed to leave for Nairobi on Wednesday for Thanksgiving but I was convinced I’d got what she had. I had incredibly intense heartburn which lasted for over 24 hours but managed to fight it off with Peptobismol tablets (Americans are great for carrying every medicine under the sun!) We’ve each complained of strange stomachs as if something is going round that we’re all trying to fight off.
On Tuesday Aaron also left for Nairobi, his parents and fiancée are visiting and they’re off on safari for a week. Earthwatch, (2 Kenyans, 4 Brits and 3 Americans) stay until next Thursday as do K&J and then it’s going to be very quiet here. The staff are starting to go on leave now. I don’t know if it’s normal to take a month off in the summer here or whether the ARK staff are just over due their holidays (Peter?)
Having Earthwatch has been fun they’re here for some ‘voluntourism’ monitoring Sykes Monkeys in the forest. I’ve got to sit in on a couple of evening presentations about Monkeys and one about Kenya’s endangered Black Rhino.
It’s hard to believe I’ve been here a month now it’s gone so fast. I’ve been thinking about what I do and don’t miss about home.
After a month I definitely miss:
Washing machines! – Not only does the centre not have one they’re apparently uncommon generally in this part of Kenya so at least 2 hours every weekend is taken up with hand washing my clothes. I never thought I was spoilt before now…
Being cool (but not cold!)
Cakes & biscuits (I am beginning to miss sweet things now)
Watching the news (seriously, please tell me what’s going on in the world!)
Walking to places
The bathroom at home (I’m jealous Barbara!)
Skimmed/semi skimmed milk – they only have full fat here
Broadband internet (a lot!!!)
My family and friends of course J
What I don’t miss:
The dark! – I find it so hard to imagine how dark it is in England these days when it’s so bright here all the time.
All the pre-Christmas faff – there’s none here despite the children having broken up for Christmas (summer) holidays already
TV – apart from the news (We watched a couple of films on Jordan’s laptop this week though which was fun)
The price of everything back home!
The commute to work
Being in a city away from the beach
Cooking for myself (strange because I thought I would)
Plans for this week might include…
Watching a Giriama dance (local tribe)
Going snorkelling with the Earthwatch group
Staring ARK’s annual newsletter
Making Banoffee pie for Katelin’s birthday
(Thanks Claire! I managed to get all the ingredients although in order to get the caramel sauce I had to ask the Italian ice cream shop if they would sell me half one of their bottles - which they import direct from Italy!)
If any of you have read all this way you deserve a medal!
Until next time…
For Those Who Pray
Thank you! I’ve felt close to getting sick more than once since I’ve been here but I haven’t so thank you so much for praying.
Thanks too if you prayed about creep crawlies - so far no nasty encounters in the night long may it last.
Keep praying for my relationship with H and B its still difficult sometimes but they are going on leave soon so I'm trying to make a special effort until then.
Pray for Jo who I now share a room with and who comes back from Nairoboi today/tomorrow (if she comes back) I think she may have some issues that go deeper than a stomach infection and has certainly found her time here more difficult than I have so far (more detail another time)
thanks again!
rx
2 comments:
Hey Rosie, it's Jeremy here from Staffs. Remember me?
Quite exciting that you're off on an Arocha adventure. I'm a supporter and a fan myself, of both Arocha and Kenya, so that's kind of cool.
My brother is a conservation and biodiversity student, and is looking at volunteering opportunities for the summer. With your insider knowledge, would you recommend Arocha? And how does it work with expenses? I presume you have to pay for flights and stuff, but what about living expenses?
Hi Jeremy - thanks for your post. What's your email address? I'm not sure of the best way to reply to your questions. If you want to email me I'm at:
rosaliefaithfull@yahoo.co.uk
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