Mum's visit to Kenya!! :)

Wed 23^rd April

Picked mum up from the airport at 7.30am which was SO nice! We went back to Starehe and mum unpacked while I went to Nyao House and finally got my permit through. Wahoo officially a legal Kenyan resident! We spent the day sorting out safari and planning the trip and seeing the many goodies she had brought me from home, including the Easter bunny (Dad) chocolate surprises. My lovely neighbours made matoke (cooked bananas and potatoes in a tomatoes and onions), one of my favourite dishes, for mum to experience real Kenyan food.

Thursday 24^th April

We took a matatu to Ngara and walked 10 mins down to the museum and had a lovely time learning about Kenyan culture and history. Followed by a walk into town where we sorted mums phone out, went shopping, bought a toaster as mum thought it was necessary (am now so glad I have it!) before heading to Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant for mum to try Ethiopian, trying lots of small dishes with a njeera, all with your hands. True African food.

Friday 25^th April

We left mid morning for Ngong town and took a bike up to the Ngong hills gate. Only when we got there did we realise how expensive it was, especially considering we had to walk through construction works. However we still enjoyed our walk up the breezy hill and taking in the gorgeous views. Mum was astonished at how the Matatu conductors fought over our custom! We stopped off in Karen to go to the Karen Blixen Museum where we learnt all about Kenya before independence and Karen Blixen’s history, a recommended tourist attraction. It was so nice cooking dinner with someone else, makes eating more exciting!

Saturday 26^th April

Mum met me in town after I finished teaching but she was delayed getting in because she got on a matatu that got stuck in traffic! We went to Yaya Centre and wandered around where we met Steph for a late lunch and caught up with her. We then headed to Conservatoire orchestra where mum met lots of my friends, slightly overwhelming for her. After conserve we went for dinner with Carey, lovely string playing and teaching friend from the US, at Bridges Organic restaurant, I think one of my favourite places and as always delicious food.

Sunday 27^th April

Karura forest with Corrine, James and Ellen. This was one of the best days during my holidays for many reasons. Karura forest is beautiful and loved just wandering around, fresh air and exercise, for mum and me it felt like we were at home at the valley waterfalls! Also because I get on so well with Corrine, I love spending time with her too, one of my big sisters and good friends here. Spent a few hours walking to the waterfalls, caves and looking at all the pretty butterflies. After the forest we went for a well earned icecream in Village market, wandered around and saw how upper class it was and could only dream of shopping there before heading back to town. Stopping off at a busy City Park for mum to see the monkeys, unfortunately so busy that barely any were around! Called in to see Margaret so mum met the Korinko family including Seth the baby.

Monday 28^th April

Woke up to a happy text from Kizito saying Jenny had given birth to their son Joseph during the night! Started our long journey to Masai Mara when we left the house at 7.30am. After the bumpy ride after leaving the main road at Narok we arrived at our camp at 4pm ready for our evening game drive. In a 2 hour game drive we saw elephants, lions and giraffes, the main reasons I come on safari!! We also saw the beautiful sunset  while leaving the park. We met some lovely Europeans and Kenyans on our bus and in our camp who had a lot of questions for me, a westerner living in Kenya, I didn’t mind though.

Tuesday 29^th April

All day game drive and saw almost every animal, a lot of driving around empty land with lots of us falling asleep! Lots of photos, a picnic lunch and lots of animals, lots and lots! We were back at the camp at 5pm chilling before supper and an early night. Some funny moments such as mum being caught in her mosquito net and the generator being cut off before it’s meant to be, leaving us fumbling around our tent!

Wednesday 30^th April

Early morning game drive to see the sunrise, didn’t see many other animals, still no wild Rhino but got beautiful photos before heading back for breakfast and to leave the camp by 10am. We headed back to Nairobi for the long painful journey after stopping off in the awful services at Narok, which I believe is what later gave me food poisoning. I quickly left for Kenton for the NMS rehearsal but it took me 90 mins to get there so was an hour late for the rehearsal! Got a pizza on the way home to share with mam, a necessary end to a tiring day.

Thursday 1^st May

Mam’s last day which we spent around Starehe. Mum met all the staff she hadn’t already, we had late lunch at Shivembe’s , her famous chapatti’s and supper at Margaret’s ugali and tilapia (fish from Lake Victoria) Yes for those of you that know me I tried fish, still can’t eat it though. We bought sandals with the help of Onyango and the girls at Karikor for Jade at a much cheaper price than what they wanted me to buy them for and what I have already paid for mine months ago, stupid white skin!

Friday 2^nd May

Left at 5am to take mam to the airport, very sad to see her go but we had a great time and life must go on! Roll on my visit to the UK with the Starehe Boys in September when I’ll get to see her again.

I love you mum :) 

A short holiday in Kisumu

Thursday 17^th April

Left misty and wet Nairobi on the 9am Coach enjoying the beautiful scenery through Western Kenya. I was met by the lovely Ben Eder, fellow KOP volunteer, at 5pm and went back to the Duke of Breeze. We went to Buddies, a popular restaurant in Kisumu, for delicious pizza and wine, a real treat, after all this was my holiday! It was so nice to be back at the Duke and in Kisumu.

Friday 18^th April

We went to Laughing Buddah for the famous brownie and oreo milkshake, here the oreo love began! It was so nice to just chill and be away from Nairobi in the Kisumu heat as man it is much hotter there! Also spending evenings in the rooftop bar of the Duke is always fun.

Saturday 19^th April

We walked to the stage, took a matatu to Thomas’ village and a Piki to his house. Thomas is one of the amazing KOP minders during the Student Programme who has a heart of gold and knows anything you need to know about Kisumu. It was so nice to see Thomas again at his home with his family. So much had improved at his compound since we were there last year; he’s started foundations for his new bigger house and has some of the bricks ready. He says it’s a four year plan as he can’t build during rains and he’s doing it himself as well as working. We shared stories over a soda, saw his sheep and all his vegetation. His boys are growing up so quickly, so polite and funny. We returned to town to pick Ellen up from the coach and we went to Alnoor, Indian restaurant in town for dinner. Discovered a love for paneer as well as oreos in this trip! We had a drink on the rooftop which was much busier than Friday night.

Sunday 20^th April

A chilled day at Kiboko bay for midday and went on a choppy boat ride on Lake Victoria, largest Salt Water lake in Africa, but we unfortunately didn’t see hippos but  enjoyed the beautiful views. Our guide offered us a free ride if we came back the next day early as we would definitely see them then. Ate my favourite tortilla chips and guacamole and an amazing paneer samosa, yes it’s too good! We returned to the Duke for the Kisumu Jazz festival premiere, poorly attended but enjoyable! Ellen and myself had a nap, too much time in the sun, before heading back to the roof for more music while we had dinner, sharing more travelling and world stories.

Monday 21^st April - Kochogo ICD Centre

Returned to Kiboko bay in the morning to see the hippos and my gosh did we see them! The lake was calm and so beautiful. The guide Maurice is really good so took his card as when I’m next in Kisumu I’d like to do a sunrise ride and organise something with him for KOPpers. We took a matatu to Ahero and then a piki to Kochogo, taking just over an hour. We arrived before midday and was greeted by Gordon the Gardener with the other workers. I saw the cookers and got rather emotional and happy. Talked with the gardeners about their future plans to be more sustainable when they get the good water supply and then when Elizabeth and Alice arrived we talked lots with them. We received a full Kochogo update, some good news, particularly with the health of the children and their school grades, but a lot of unfortunate things have been happening too; the water pump had broken, the big tank had blown away and broke, there is still no electricity and KOP had to cut back funding due to less income from the Student Programme. After midday the children started to arrive in stages. As soon as I saw how well these beautiful children and the elders were it made me so happy to be there. Ben interviewed George a young man who was supported through his teenage years at the centre and had an emotional story to tell. We walked through the community and visited Kalinda Health Centre, which I had visited before but was more interesting when just 2 people were there. Kochogo truly is an incredible and inspirational place and cannot wait to go back there in August and see how everyone is doing.

The video and some of the photos show the cookers that were bought by many of your generous donations during No Shoes November. 

I really do love being in Kisumu, it's quieter, beautiful and almost feels safer. Every holiday that I'm living in Kenya my friends in Kisumu will get a visit :)