Angel's Bay Resort Malindi

... baptised with Digo names. 'Baraka' (Ant) and 'Amina' (Lucy) - meaning 'blessing' and 'amen' - by Ali the Shifoga chairman.

It now seems that after San Siro the whole town knows our names and we can't go anywhere without hearing "Baraka’ or 'Amina’ being yelled across the marketplace. Ho hum.

Last weekend we went up the coast to Gedi and Watamu. Gedi has some excellent ruins of a 15th century village which were really ...

... deep sea fishing and other water sports.

The Malindi Marine National Park is protected and has fine beaches clear water and a wide variety of very colorful fish.

Some places to stay in Malindi include:
Woburn Residence Club
Driftwood Beach Club
Hemingway's

... a 50p tip, walked us all the way there and sat outside while we ate, hoping to walk us home again, but we said no thankyou we would get a tuk tuk. He asked for our address and telephone numbers, but I am ashamed to say I think I made a mistake with the odd digit in both!
Before the meal we saw a local football match and strolled along the white sand beach dodging scorpions.

... also Tauchgaengen im Meer. Noch schnell prophylaktisch eine Tablette gegen Seekrankheit genommen (laut Lorenzo verstaerken Malaria-Tabletten die Anfaelligkeit fuers unfreiwillige Fischefuettern), und schon gings mit dem Boot raus aufs Meer. Schon das Setting von Bord aus war, wie soll ich sagen? Paradiesisch. Der Strand von Watamu ist markellos weiss, das Meer im Gegensatz zur Bruehe vor Malindi tiefblau und das Wetter fabelhaft. Doch ...

... etwas muerrischer Italiener in den Mit-Fuenfzigern, der mich nach dem Abkassieren der Euronen gestern Nachmittag gleich in den Filmraum zur ersten Theoriestunde gesteckt hat. Der Kurs - ein so genannter "PADI Open Water Diving Course" - besteht aus drei Teilen: dem theoretischen Hausaufgaben-Teil, dem theoretischen Filme-angucken-Teil und dem praktischen Tauch-Teil. Ersterer besteht aus dem Studium eines offiziellen PADI-Lehrbuches, womit mich die Tauchlehrer gestern gleich ...

... wanted to do was brighten up the place, and even before we arrived Jules stated she wanted to paint a rainbow somewhere. we went one or two steps further and painted the whole perimeter wall in sky blue and added rainbows, suns, stars, balloons, and a collection of hand prints from the kids. I like to think we made the most of both our time and (your) money, hope you agree

... and various other hiding places (fake wallet, camera bag, backpack) and converted it all into Rands. I had to include the cash withdrawals, US dollars, South African Rand, Zambian Kwacha, Tanzanian Shillings and Kenyan Shillings, and then do the math. I was bang on target, R140 or US$20 per day, without even looking or planning anything over the previous 26 days! I was so proud of myself, until I looked at the state of my backpack and the contents thereof ...

... I'm not sure what I've taught the kids themselves in all honesty but they, and Christine in particular, have taught me more that I have probably even taken in yet and will only look back on and realise days, months, years from now. (And not just that I'm really not cut out to be a teacher long term..!) Jambo Jipya is one of those places that touches your heart and I don't think leaves you ever. From the absolute lack of resources of any description, the excitement ...

... short time i have though. Playtime in the field is always the best fun of course. Playing football with them last friday I headed a ball away from goals and they looked at me as if i'd just parted the red sea or something - very funny! I'm enjoying the new found independence though - or at least most of the time anyway. I nver realised how much of a deterrent Dave was in fairness. You get constantly accosted by men, be they taxi drivers, other ...

... fantastic (that is the mix between the arab and african people)...but i am totally reminded of being in egypt when i am here....there is even an "old town" which i visited today...which looks exactly like the winding, narrow alleys and homes in the middle east....it was amazing....the culture here is so vibrant.... there is a huge indian population in kenya...but esp. in mombasa...so i fit in quite ...