Tana Rest House Mombasa

... be dinner sorted…..Time for sundowners…..As we prepare our seafood delicacy the sky turns a deep pink and the huge gold-silver full moon rises over the calm water in front of us. Life could really not be more perfect.

So the planned three nights turn to four, then six and finally after ten blissful days we sadly leave this slow moving piece of peace and drive back to Nairobi. Within three ...

... school! There is so much potential in their lives... so much wisdom in their minds... so many dreams ahead of them.

Soon after her return from Tanzania last year, Talia searched the internet for East African Education based non-for-profit organizations and found Matanya's Hope. As the founder of Matanya's Hope, Talia and I found each other. We talked about her dreams which are so close to my own. We agreed that the Matanya's Hope mission team ...

... only know me through Munyutu (incidentally, I was to find out that going around for dinner involves meeting the whole extended family, including aunties, uncles and cousins!) One feeling I have got is that it seems important to these people that I have a good time while i'm in their country. And because I am with a 'local' I am going to the places that locals go to like the bars and restaurants that we have been going to, which generally means I am the ...

... come back - right at the start of all the change, when the Government is finally ousted and the new Government turns it sights on the corrupt people who haven't by this stage fled - it would be amazing to witness this and needless to say I'd buy front row seats to witness it all unfolding. Has it been life changing for me - the proof is in the pudding let's see where I am in six month's from now! In the meantime I can safely say that I've had a great ...

... rather than later! Just a thought... Anyway; enough of the role reversal stuff; Dad I thought you'd like to see some nice photos; ones of me smiling and at ease with mother nature to keep your heart rate moderate. I took your advice and had a day of total relexation; bar paying off a few suspect Sisters who wanted 500 ks shillings for training a new sister into God's Church (two of whom I saw promoting other services in a Pool bar last week ...

... treating minor illnesses and referring people who needed greater medical care. We had a female politician come and speak as well as some performances and we closed with discussion groups about the topics covered in the workshop. We only started an hour late, which in itself is a HUGE success! ha ha. The highlight of the day was a women we'd met during the workshops spoke about accepting your status. Although we didn't understand everything she said since ...

... Kenyan shillings and the conversion rate is about 65 shillings to $1 CAD. That is by far the most expensive thing we've bought so far. For example, the internet cafe works out to about 50 shillings for half an hour - as you know I'm not very good at calculations on the spot but you do that math and you'll be amazed! The main form of transportation is matatus or tuk tuks which are both awesome and terrifying at the same time. Matatu's are the mini ...

... I paid 20 pin (TSh 20 000) for the expensive ticket. I had pre-booked my seat, right up front behind the driver. At first I was sat next to an Asian businessman, but he was soon replaced by 'Islamic Jihad'. I had seen this lanky Arab nervously puffing on a cigarette before boarding the bus. He was carrying nothing except his passport and a book called 'Divine Justice' I grew more paranoid as the trip progressed, as we hadn't said a word to each ...

... for a visiting nation. The marine exhibition was fascinating, with a dugong, coelacanth and most sea creatures displayed suspended in formaldehyde (pretty disgusting). While waiting for the ferry back to Kigamboni, I visited the fish market. Hygiene was nonexistent and the accompanying rotten smells were giving me uncontrollable heaving. There were some weird sea creatures on offer. The ferry was quite an experience - the actual journey only lasted 15 minutes ...

... were full. Not expecting to fly we had not "configured for aviation", i.e., shifted the pocketknife, syringes, scalpels, cigarette lighters and cutlery out of my day-bag. The security lady tried to confiscate it. I explained wanted to get it into my luggage (which I could see and which we would be carrying to the plane anyway and which would be in the cabin of the aircraft with us since there was actually no luggage hold) because I was not traveling in Africa without ...