Monday 6 December 2010

Kenya - Last couple of days

Friday
I tried not to think about going home just yet I wanted to enjoy my last day with the Birds, we spent the morning painting pictures with Jacks feet. We did M&M's when Jack was asleep a bit later as he wanted to help and I think it could have ended in a bit of a disaster, as it was it was a bit of a military operation with just Candy and I trying to get 2 four month old babies to do feet painting!

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In the afternoon after finishing off a join effort Carrot Cake we went to a friend of Candy's for a get together with a few craft stalls which was lovely, the carrot cake went down very well and disappeared fast.  Mark joined us later and we headed off for dinner through rush hour Nairobi traffic :-( We got to our restaurant only to find out it wasn't open for another hour, we headed off to another cause it would not have been easy entertaining Jack and M&M for that long.  Unfortunately the next one was closed too so it was back home for a Chinese takeaway instead and feet up on the couch :-)

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Saturday morning Mima woke early so I headed off downstairs picking up Jack on the way for breakfast. It was lovely giving jack his breakie for the last time and Mima sat happily watching her cousin from the bouncy chair. After all the bottles and food was ready for the journey I packed up all our bits while Mima stayed downstairs with Candy and Mark.
After a very sad goodbye to Jack, Millie and Mark, Candy and I set off for the airport in the rubbish Nairobi traffic again, even on a Saturday morning it is bad!  The highlight of our trip  was not the fact that we nearly ended up in the middle of a taxi sandwich but the guy asleep in the rubbish truck, seriously!!!!  Needless to say there we enough tears at the airport for Candy and I to clear droughts in some countries but not so bad as it won't be so long this time before we see each other.
We had a good flight home, unfortunately there were no sky cots available for babies so Mima ended up in what I can only describe as her own little throne on the seat next to me made out of lots of pillows and covered in a blanket.  Everyone who walked past commented on how she looked like she had the best seat on the plane! The only bit that was a pain was every time the fasten seatbelt sign came on she had to sit on my lap and of course every time it happened to be when she was asleep!

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Gary was at the airport to meet us and I think he definitely missed us both loads as we did him.

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Saturday 4 December 2010

Kenya–Bits and Pieces

Monday - Gary's last day :-(

While Jack was at school we went for a lovely breakfast and Candy took us shopping to get an idea of what their idea of a supermarket is, the prices are much higher than the UK for the same products. We bought a couple of bits but nothing spectacular, I now know what Candy means when she says she misses Tesco!
Dinner that night was at a Brazilian Steak House called Fogo Gaucho (www.fogogauchonbi.com) This is by far the best meal out G&I have had in ages, the concept is a choice of about 20 different salads and then the meat is brought round to your table in skewers where they slice it for you there and then. They had every cut of meat including ribs and sausages as well as crocodile, fish and prawns. Let's just say we came out feeling VERY full, every time I thought I had had enough they would bring round something else and I thought one more little piece couldn't hurt surely!  ((Not great pictures but you get the idea))

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Tuesday was a quiet day, had to say goodbye to Gary as he had to get back home for work :-( Candy and I ended up in the car from home to the airport and back for 3.5 hours the traffic was particularly bad.  M&M once again were fantastic with me jumping in the back to feed both at the same time while we were still driving at one point, and also one bum change in the boot at the airport too!! Gary only just made the flight, they had closed checkin when he got there by 1 minute but they let him through, 10 mins later he text me from the plane.  Needless to say wee didn't do much else for the rest of the day as we had all had enough of the car.

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Wednesday
Candy and I headed of to one of the shopping centres for an African market, I managed to buy plenty of Afro-tat spending all of my money and Candy's too. The bartering with the stall owners was quite amusing but then having a local with me did help, she told them what for! There were a few more bits that we wanted but we would have to go back again as we both ran out of money... (I know that will come as a shock to some of you, hehe)

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Thursday
Jack does not go to school on Thursdays so he got to spend the day with us Girls :-) It was a bit of a squash in the car for us all but with Mima in the front and Me between Jack and Millie it wasn't too bad. Jack was happy to have me next to him and M&M asleep as usual we headed of to the baby group.  I got to meet loads of Candy's friends which was great, she has got some lovely friends which I am sure is a lifeline being so far from home.
After dropping Jack at home for his afternoon nap, we headed off back to the shopping centre to get some lunch and more bits from the African Market that we never got the day before. I was quite restrained even though I am sure I could have spent a fortune on stuff I don't need!
That night Candy, Me and Mima headed off for a Christmas Quiz while Mark stayed home with Millie and Jack.  The quiz was good fun, we came 8th out of 12 and Mima was fab she just sat there and took it all in.

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Kenya–Walking Safari

The following day we packed up and headed off early, not before Jack and Mark went exploring to see all the animals. He got to pet the goats, feed the horses and also the chickens, ducks and geese as the gorgeous piccies show, he has no fear!  ((The one of him sitting on the step is of him waiting for Gary to come back, sooo cute))

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We arrived at the Walking Safari place at probably not the best time of the day as it was soooooo hot! All the kids were put into their slings and off we went to look for Giraffes for Me and 'Ippos for Jack.

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About 30 minutes into the walk we had to stop to feed the Babies, Mima doesn't cry very often but when she is hungry you know all about it!

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While we were feeding Mark and Gary found someone to take us across the lake to go and find hippos, the boat was only little but we were up for it.  We managed to see a bloat (yep that is the posh name for a group) of about 7 hippos and then a little Nobby no friends one all on his own. Jack was happy with his hippos so we headed back to the shore, must say glad to be back on dry land...

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Next we set off to find the Giraffes but unfortunately it was soooooooo hot and M&M were both very heavy and hot after about 45 minutes we decided to turn around and go back to the car.  I was a bit disappointed but I figured there would always be next time :-(.

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We walked back next to the airfield (aka dirt track) as it was flatter than the way we had already come and lo & behold we found loads of Giraffes, YAY for Me!! They were absolutely exquisite and we managed to get quite close to them to get our photo's, it was amazing that we were so close and on foot to them in the wild.  While Mark and I were taking photo's in one spot, one of the biggest Giraffes came very close and just stood and stared at us, was definitely a highlight for me :-). ((Be prepared to be bored by Giraffes!!!))

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By now it was past lunchtime and we were all hot, sweaty and hungry, we headed back to the car and then on to a lovely campsite restaurant for a yummy lunch, Jack had what they refered to as a small pizza (looked like a large to me!) and managed to polish off half of it, must have been the sun that made him so hungry. After lunch it was back home for rest, baths and sleep. Fab weekend had by all xx

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