Discovered Paradise

I don’t know why it took Liz and I two months to go to Amarula Lodge.  We eventually made it and there will be no stopping us now.  It’s a Kenyan-run lodge a few kilometres out of town where they have a pool, a good but expensive restaurant, a decently stocked bar and if you really want to you can use the gym but when it’s over 35⁰ its preferable to cool off in the pool.  The only problem is getting there.  We have been going in a rickshaw but it’s expensive. However, we have just been informed that our request for bicycles has been approved so if the heat doesn’t beat us we will cycle there.  The other luxury there is wi-fi, not quite the same as at home but I can send photos one at a time and John can post them on the blog for me.

The college has been a little unsettled recently.  Sister has just left and will not be returning for some time.  We have also had a lot of holidays, often without prior notice, which disrupts teaching plans.  I think I’m the only one that has teaching plans here.  We had a thank-you celebration for the Kenyan UN battalion who support the college.  It was a great day. The students performed a “Dinka Dance” and sang a lot of songs.  It was really entertaining.  Our language teacher appears to have done a bunk with our money and without completing the course.  Watching paint dry would be preferable to attending his lessons so there is no great loss but a lesson not to pay upfront.

I think my battle with frogs and horrible beasties at night is over.  My door has been repaired and the gaps filled in so hopefully there is no way in for them anymore.  It’s amazing how much noise a frog can make trying to get out of your room.  I didn’t fancy any of the creepy crawlies getting into my bed, or standing on them in the dark, so I’m pleased that the door has been fixed.  Smokey continues to greet me every morning and anytime he thinks I have food.  A feral cat has given birth to 4 kittens in Liz’s garden.  I’m really looking forward to seeing them.

Liz and I were invited to visit a community farming project last weekend.  It was my first trip out of town, apart from going to Amarula.  We can only travel to secure areas on authorized trips so we don’t often get the opportunity to see the countryside.  We also visited a monastery which was abandoned during the war in an area where many people were killed in a massacre.  We were filthy when we got back from all the dust, our hair and skin turned orange and dust clouds rose from our clothes if we touched them.

I’ve continued to support the students at the hospital.  I’ve never seen such terrible conditions.  Yet despite it all there is some good work there, particularly surgery although there are no anaesthetics so they use horse tranquilisers during surgery.  The TB and anthrax wards are the saddest places to visit.  Nurses give the drugs then leave the patients unattended.  I think they are afraid of catching TB.  A lot of these patients are HIV positive and they are afraid of that too, but there is no excuse for leaving the patients in such appalling conditions, uncared for in filthy wards with no water or sanitation.  People know about it but blame others. No one accepts responsibility.

On a brighter note I’ve booked to come home for Christmas.  The college will be closed for a month.  I’m really looking forward to the cold weather and hope for some snow and ice.  I’m looking forward to catching up with everyone..