East African Safari

We spent the day shopping and Joe took us for another drive around Nairobi and the Shanty Towns. We met Elsie for lunch in a shopping mall that was attached to the Exhibition Centre where the Orchid show was being held and Elsie had been working on her exhibit all morning. The theme this year is The Fairground. There was a book shop there that made us drool. It was incredibly well stocked. Also we bought some cushion covers to take home from an Indian craft shop. We left Elsie and went home. In the evening we returned to the Centre to see how the exhibitors were doing. Elsie’s exhibit was an Octopus Ride to me it looked very good. The other exhibits covered everything one would find at a fairground including a Fortune Teller. However there was a bit of a drama because the Emmett’s shamba boy had taken water from the local water supply to spray Elsie’s exhibit and when it dried the petals were covered in blotches as there was sediment in the water.

Later we went to an Indian Restaurant for dinner, it was packed with people and the food was excellent.

Wednesday, 15th October

It was the day for the Judging of the Orchid Show. The Judge was from South Africa and everyone was nervous and wondering whether they would have silverware on their stands this year. As we are flying out tonight we have to pack and be ready to leave the Exhibition Centre at 7.05pm. Elsie and I went to the Centre first followed later by Joe and John. Elsie a bit disappointed as she only had a Highly Commended this year. After speeches and presentations A buffet meal and wine had been laid on and the buffet food was scrumptious. The best! At the appropriate time and after saying our farewells, Joe drove us to Jomo Kenyatta Airport.

Once at the airport we had one suitcase hand searched, we were body searched three times and our luggage has been through X-Ray machines three times and we are now sitting in Departure Lounge waiting to be board. We finally boarded at 9.50pm. The plane is a Boeing 474-400, a double deck. Our section, World Traveller plus was practically empty, the seats were not comfortable as the plane is brand new. We had an irritating woman in front of us, her partner on the other side worked on his laptop throughout the flight.

On arrival at Heathrow at around 5.00am we found Jane, our daughter waiting to greet us it was a lovely thing for her to do as were going to take a taxi to her house. We spent the day recovering from the trip and the next morning Jane took us to Luton Airport to fly to Barcelona. As we couldn’t face taking the shuttle train to Barcelona Sants Station we decided to get a taxi home to L’Escala, on the Costa Brava. My sister had been house sitting an looking after our elderly dog.

Zanzibar:

My first impression from the air going into land was shock as all I could see were roof upon roof of rusty corrugated iron. Down on the ground it wasn’t so bad and driving into Stonetown there were wide areas of grass and large houses. In my imagination it appeared to be colonial planning. The town is made up of Arab style houses and narrow streets, there a lot of derelict houses with neither windows nor shutters in an advanced state of decay. The most pristine buildings have been renovated by the Aga Khan Trust. There is evidence there are a few houses being prepared for renovation.

The irritations were Taxi Drivers never left us alone and always had to run the gauntlet on every foot expedition we took having to refuse their offers politely and in a friendly manner. The people selling their handicrafts in the evening in the Forodhani Gardens were too pushy as they would never allow you to look quietly before choosing an item, they need to be told to back off and they might possibly sell more.

The people are very friendly and almost always smiling, a few words of Swahili is much appreciated. People in the street greet you with Jambo - hello, Karibu – welcome. What a pity it is so expensive to arrive in Zanzibar because the people are very poor, there is no industry, it needs Western Aid invested to start up industries to create employment. The people when they are sick or need operations cannot afford to go to the hospital only if a rich person offers to pay. In the market we discovered because of the price differentials between fish, meat and chicken the poor people could only afford to eat the cow’s stomach and intestines.

We fell in love with Zanzibar and its people and we left feeling we would love to return again one day.

Margaret Leigh
L’Escala, Girona Province, Spain.

We spent the day shopping and Joe took us for another drive around Nairobi and the Shanty Towns. We met Elsie for lunch in a shopping mall that was attached to the Exhibition Centre where the Orchid show was being held and Elsie had been working on her exhibit all morning. The theme this year is The Fairground. There was a book shop there that made us drool. It was incredibly well stocked. Also we bought some cushion covers to take home from an Indian craft shop. We left Elsie and went home. In the evening we returned to the Centre to see how the exhibitors were doing. Elsie’s exhibit was an Octopus Ride to me it looked very good. The other exhibits covered everything one would find at a fairground including a Fortune Teller. However there was a bit of a drama because the Emmett’s shamba boy had taken water from the local water supply to spray Elsie’s exhibit and when it dried the petals were covered in blotches as there was sediment in the water.

Later we went to an Indian Restaurant for dinner, it was packed with people and the food was excellent.

Wednesday, 15th October

It was the day for the Judging of the Orchid Show. The Judge was from South Africa and everyone was nervous and wondering whether they would have silverware on their stands this year. As we are flying out tonight we have to pack and be ready to leave the Exhibition Centre at 7.05pm. Elsie and I went to the Centre first followed later by Joe and John. Elsie a bit disappointed as she only had a Highly Commended this year. After speeches and presentations A buffet meal and wine had been laid on and the buffet food was scrumptious. The best! At the appropriate time and after saying our farewells, Joe drove us to Jomo Kenyatta Airport.

Once at the airport we had one suitcase hand searched, we were body searched three times and our luggage has been through X-Ray machines three times and we are now sitting in Departure Lounge waiting to be board. We finally boarded at 9.50pm. The plane is a Boeing 474-400, a double deck. Our section, World Traveller plus was practically empty, the seats were not comfortable as the plane is brand new. We had an irritating woman in front of us, her partner on the other side worked on his laptop throughout the flight.

On arrival at Heathrow at around 5.00am we found Jane, our daughter waiting to greet us it was a lovely thing for her to do as were going to take a taxi to her house. We spent the day recovering from the trip and the next morning Jane took us to Luton Airport to fly to Barcelona. As we couldn’t face taking the shuttle train to Barcelona Sants Station we decided to get a taxi home to L’Escala, on the Costa Brava. My sister had been house sitting an looking after our elderly dog.

Zanzibar:

My first impression from the air going into land was shock as all I could see were roof upon roof of rusty corrugated iron. Down on the ground it wasn’t so bad and driving into Stonetown there were wide areas of grass and large houses. In my imagination it appeared to be colonial planning. The town is made up of Arab style houses and narrow streets, there a lot of derelict houses with neither windows nor shutters in an advanced state of decay. The most pristine buildings have been renovated by the Aga Khan Trust. There is evidence there are a few houses being prepared for renovation.

The irritations were Taxi Drivers never left us alone and always had to run the gauntlet on every foot expedition we took having to refuse their offers politely and in a friendly manner. The people selling their handicrafts in the evening in the Forodhani Gardens were too pushy as they would never allow you to look quietly before choosing an item, they need to be told to back off and they might possibly sell more.

The people are very friendly and almost always smiling, a few words of Swahili is much appreciated. People in the street greet you with Jambo - hello, Karibu – welcome. What a pity it is so expensive to arrive in Zanzibar because the people are very poor, there is no industry, it needs Western Aid invested to start up industries to create employment. The people when they are sick or need operations cannot afford to go to the hospital only if a rich person offers to pay. In the market we discovered because of the price differentials between fish, meat and chicken the poor people could only afford to eat the cow’s stomach and intestines.

We fell in love with Zanzibar and its people and we left feeling we would love to return again one day.

Margaret Leigh
L’Escala, Girona Province, Spain.

We spent the day shopping and Joe took us for another drive around Nairobi and the Shanty Towns. We met Elsie for lunch in a shopping mall that was attached to the Exhibition Centre where the Orchid show was being held and Elsie had been working on her exhibit all morning. The theme this year is The Fairground. There was a book shop there that made us drool. It was incredibly well stocked. Also we bought some cushion covers to take home from an Indian craft shop. We left Elsie and went home. In the evening we returned to the Centre to see how the exhibitors were doing. Elsie’s exhibit was an Octopus Ride to me it looked very good. The other exhibits covered everything one would find at a fairground including a Fortune Teller. However there was a bit of a drama because the Emmett’s shamba boy had taken water from the local water supply to spray Elsie’s exhibit and when it dried the petals were covered in blotches as there was sediment in the water.

Later we went to an Indian Restaurant for dinner, it was packed with people and the food was excellent.

We slept well and quite late. On walking out of the front door we found Captain Bubu waiting for us. The tide was out and we had to walk across the sand and board the Dhow. No problem for John wearing shorts but a bit difficult for me in a skirt. As the tide was out we had to take a longer route to Manda Island. We began with the sail hoisted and to balance the dhow the mate had to sit on a plank over the water. Manda Island is like paradise, white sand stretching off into the distance with low growing vegetation. On the beach there are woven hammocks suspended with the roof covered with coconut fronds. Further along a bar made from an old boat and on the black-board a list of exotic cocktails, but there were no people to take advantage of the amenities. We had a couple of swims and a walk met a young man who tried to sell us illegally some shells. He didn’t want to understand when we told him we had no money we were wearing bathing gear!!
At noon we boarded the dhow and returned to Lamu Island. We could see children swimming quite far out from the shore however as it was low tide, quite safe. When we arrived back the mate gallantly carried me off the boat to dry land.

At lunch the receptionist, Maureen asked us if we could be out of our room next morning by 10.00am because they were going to have an important visitor and all his retinue, it wasn’t certain but a maybe to which agreed of course. There was a bit of a stir afternoon when the hotel boat arrived bearing an Italian father and his two daughters. One was dressed becomingly the other wearing only a bikini top and short shorts. I said to John that something would be said, because the girl was upsetting the sensibilities of the Muslim population. The guide arrived to take them out on the town tour and Maureen said to him, “Go to the shops and for goodness sake, get that girl covered up”.

Later in the afternoon we decided to go and visit Swahili House. It is a house as would have been lived in by a family a century or more ago. Apart from the marital bed there were two others on display, one a birthing bed with an open weave base, after the delivery of the baby, to stop the bleeding a charcoal fire would be lit beneath the bed for the mother to sit over. Ingenious! The other bed was for laying out the dead. The bath was the same as the one we saw at Gedi, it was also filled from outside, there is always residue water and the bottom with fish swimming in it, these eat the mosquito larvae. Upstairs the kitchen which was very basic, the cooking done over a fire set in a stone base with the few utensils required.

Lamu is famous for the cats which live feral and breed there. They strongly resemble the ancient Egyptian cats of the Pharaohs with small heads and long tails. It is believed that they were originally brought from Oman a few centuries ago. They live in ‘prides’, the fishermen and the inhabitants give them food but they belong to no one. Unfortunately some of them are mistreated and there are two living at the Lamu Palace Hotel, one called Mrs. Juma who had boiling water thrown over her, she is recovering, she and her friend have settled into hotel life very nicely with all the comforts and food they desire.

Up early, we went for a swim before breakfast, quite cool this morning. After a shower and breakfast we packed and were ready to leave at ll.00am. There were a few spots of rain and the sun was becoming very warm. When we went to the office to pay our bill, we were told that our plane from Malindi airstrip would now not leave until 4.00pm. We had vacated our room and now had a lot of time to kill until departure at 2.45pm. So sat in the lounge area, read had a drink and then lunch. At the appointed time John, our taxi was waiting for us and on arrival at the airstrip we didn’t have to long to wait until our tickets were checked and we were issued with boarding cards. As there was no X-Ray machine to put the luggage through, it was all opened and searched by hand. We had to sit in a waiting room for a time before boarding the plane. The flight took 15 minutes and we were met at the Lamu airstrip by a guide and a Captain? We had to walk quite a long way and then because we had to cross the sea to Lamu we boarded a very long narrow boat powered by an outboard engine. On arrival at the Lamu Palace Hotel we were greeted by the Manager and a glass of juice brought by a waiter called Daniel.

At 5.30pm the guide returned to the hotel to take us on a Town Tour. We started off in the Swahili quarter, walking through very narrow streets and occasionally we were offered the opportunity to visit varying shops selling silvery jewellery, clothes, wood carvings, haricot beans, lentils and chick peas. We then came into a huge square with an imposing building. It was the old Fort and once the sea came right up to it. John remembered this and having seen monkeys there in 1949 when he visited Lamu the last time and we have a photograph to prove it. We then had a guided tour, there didn’t seem to be too much there apart from an exhibition for school children. We were told that there were 46,000 inhabitants on Lamu with 26 mosques. After 35 minutes we decided enough was enough and returned to the hotel via a Donkey Sanctuary provided by a British charity. There are many donkeys on Lamu used as beasts of burden and there are only 3-4 motorised vehicles on the island. Along the sea front there are many buildings, The Post Office that used to have a garden at the front, the District Officers House and many other imposing Victorian buildings, but all are now in various stages of decay. The drainage around the town consists of open drains running alongside the footpaths, no sewage though, I’m not sure, but washing water which all runs into the sea. At the hotel we were introduced to Captain Bubu who would take us to Manda Island in the morning for an agreed price. Our captain wanted to take us at 9.30am but we said that was too early and postponed it for one hour.

The Lamu Palace Hotel is situated right on the water front and there is a constant stream of people and donkeys passing the door. When we were shown to our room we found that we were at the front and could see the sea when lying on the bed which was very good. After showering and changing we went downstairs to the bar for a restorative Gin & Tonic. We got talking to the barman who told us about himself and how difficult it was to find work in Kenya. There are five children in his family and his father could only afford higher education for one at a time but as he has a twin brother he made a deal with him. The brother could go and train as a doctor but on completion of his studies he should finance his twin to go through his chosen subject which is IT and Business Studies. We then had dinner and went to bed.

Up early, we went for a swim before breakfast, quite cool this morning. After a shower and breakfast we packed and were ready to leave at ll.00am. There were a few spots of rain and the sun was becoming very warm. When we went to the office to pay our bill, we were told that our plane from Malindi airstrip would now not leave until 4.00pm. We had vacated our rooms and now had a lot of time to kill until departure at 2.45pm. So sat in the lounge area, read had a drink and then lunch. At the appointed time John, our taxi was waiting for us and on arrival at the airstrip we didn’t have to long to wait until our tickets were checked and we were issued with boarding cards. As there was no X-Ray machine to put the luggage through it was all opened and searched by hand. We had to sit in a waiting room for a time before boarding the plane. The flight took 15 minutes and we were met at the Lamu airstrip by a guide and a Captain? We had to walk quite a long way and then because we had to cross the sea to Lamu we boarded a very long narrow boat powered by an outboard engine. On arrival at the Lamu Palace Hotel we were greeted by the Manager and a glass of juice brought by a waiter called Daniel.

At 5.30pm the guide returned to the hotel to take us on a Town Tour. We started off in the Swahili quarter, walking through very narrow streets and occasionally we were offered the opportunity to visit varying shops selling silvery jewellery, clothes, wood carvings, haricot beans, lentils and chick peas. We then came into a huge square with an imposing building. It was the old Fort and once the sea came right up to it. John remembered this and having seen monkeys there in 1949 when he visited Lamu the last time and we have a photograph to prove it. We then had a guided tour, there didn’t seem to be too much there apart from an exhibition for school children. We were told that there were 46,000 inhabitants on Lamu with 26 mosques. After 35 minutes we decided enough was enough and returned to the hotel via a Donkey Sanctuary provided by a British charity. There are many donkeys on Lamu used as beasts of burden and there are only 3-4 motorised vehicles on the island. Along the sea front there are many buildings, The Post Office that used to have a garden at the front, the District Officers House and many other imposing Victorian buildings, but all are now in various stages of decay. The drainage around the town consists of open drains running alongside the footpaths, not sewage, I’m not sure, but washing water which all runs into the sea. At the hotel we were introduced to Captain Bubu who would take us to Manda Island in the morning for an agreed price. Our captain wanted to take us at 9.30am but we said that was too early and postponed it for one hour.

The Lamu Palace Hotel is situated right on the water front and there is a constant stream of people and donkeys passing the door. When we were shown to our room we found that we were at the front and could see the sea when lying on the bed which was very good. After showering and changing we went downstairs to the bar for a restorative Gin & Tonic. We got talking to the barman who told us about himself and how difficult it was to find work in Kenya. There are five children in his family and his father could only afford higher education for one at a time but as he has a twin brother he made a deal with him. The brother could go and train as a doctor but on completion of his studies he should finance his twin to go through his chosen subject which is IT and Business Studies. We then had dinner and went to bed.

After breakfast and collecting our luggage we went down to Reception paid the bill and waited for our Taxi driver to come and collect us for our onward trip to Malindi. We had agreed a good price with him for transporting us. The journey was uneventful, though the roads were not very good but not as bad as the roads to Pangani or Ngorongoro. The trip took one and three quarters of an hour, on the outskirts of Mombasa were the usual shanty towns but nearing Malindi the scenery was stunning, it almost resembled a rain forest and set on either side of the road were a continuous smattering of villages, it was all green and verdant.

Arriving in Malindi the driver had to ask directions to the Driftwood Hotel, once we were on the right track we passed many small hotels and growing on either side was bougainvillea in the usual variety of colours found everywhere in Kenya. An Askari opened the gate for us and we were very pleased when we saw the hotel it was all so beautiful. The rooms were individually built small bungalows as bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, the beds had mosquito nets suspended from the ceiling above them, with a small terrace to the front, the roofs thatched with coconut palm fronds. In the main building is a Reception area to one side, a lounge area with a bar open on all sides looking out onto the garden, swimming pool and on the other side of a wall the Indian Ocean then there is a dining room open to the front.

We sat down and ordered a beer and a snack ordered from the bar for lunch. At 4.00pm the tide was in and we went for a swim the water was as warm as a bath. The tide begins to go out early in the morning until it comes to a coral reef which is way out, then it turns and comes in again. The sea is almost up to the hotel wall and the beach is engulfed by the sea. Afterwards we lay in the sun but there was a stiff breeze, we ordered tea as you would have done in the days of yore. After getting dressed we went for a brisk walk along the beach, it was great to get some exercise. As we were on half board we had to have what was on the menu board for dinner, it was very good. On going to bed we were told that a tea tray would be brought and left outside our bedroom if we wanted it.

On the opposite side of the road from the hotel was a large building I noticed yesterday with a flat rooftop. I had seen an African hanging out the washing and later a woman wearing a sari collecting it in. Now I realise it is a school for Indian or Asians only. Cars were arriving and an African girl stepped forward and collected each child then took them inside to a courtyard. The children arrived in all forms of transport including the back of a utility from where three of them were lifted out. I felt sorry for one mother who had walked her child to school, to then have a screaming child clinging to her removed. At 9.00am the children all gathered into a circle, holding hands they began to sing My Darling Clementine. It amused me as it was unexpected and because the children were very small.

We went down to the First Floor for breakfast and then John arranged for some washing to be done. As prearranged the taxi driver came for us at 10.20am. Our first port of call was Forex in order to change some money. We then headed out on the Malindi road to visit Haller Park. There has been a cement works in this area for years and as the works move on an unsightly scar is left on the landscape. The Cement Works funded Dr. Haller, a Swiss, to give nature a helping hand and introduce plants and animals. Firstly quick growing pines were planted and other species of trees and flora later. There are now lakes due to excavations down to below the water table. The first animals we saw were three Waterbuck standing in a lake chomping the water lilies, swimming around were varying sizes of Talapia and Catfish. In a compound, being viewed by a school party of small people with their teachers, were giraffe, oryx and eland. There were giant tortoises wandering around, for commerce there are large fish tanks containing Talapia, which are sold to the local people and restaurants for cash. In pits live 500 crocodiles of varying sizes from very small to very large. The eggs are incubated to control the sexes, 30ºC produces males and 28ºC females. Now the numbers are high enough to enable them to be sold for meat and skins for shoes and handbags. There are segregated snakes and their own accommodation with quite a few varieties. Living there also are three hippos, one a pair the other solitary as its partner died. The park is quiet and lush with many varieties of birds.

Afterwards, stopping on our return journey we called in to a place for a drink, inviting the taxi driver to have one also. Quite near the hotel we noticed that there were many people in a small park listening to a Speaker. On asking out driver what it was all about, he replied, “They are hearing about God”. We then had a small lunch that turned out to be a substantial lunch. It is always assumed, it seems that Europeans have enormous appetites. We then spent the rest of the afternoon reading. On going up to dinner we saw that Katherine was there again and already had a beer. Afterwards we sat out by the pool under the stars before retiring to bed.

On arrival at Mombasa Railway Station on disembarking we arrived at the exit we couldn’t find the tickets, even though we knew we had them somewhere. Finally the ticket collector got fed up with us and waved us through. We found the tickets later in the mobile phone pocket of my handbag. Outside the station we hired a taxi and he drove us to the Royal Court Hotel we had booked in advance. We were disappointed with the location and we found it was a hotel that was used for conferences etc., however we were here now and made the best of it. We had a room choice, standard or executive and we chose the standard. The bathroom was not wonderful, the shower head needed to be cleaned or replaced and there was no shaver point which might be a draw back. John booked for us via the hotel staff to lunch on an Arab Dhow that sailed around the harbour. We had booked the taxi driver to come back at 11.00am as away from the coast the area we were in didn’t look to safe to be out unaccompanied. The driver duly arrived and as requested took us to Fort Jesus. The fort is the old town’s biggest attraction dominating the harbour entrance. It was built by the Portuguese and begun in 1593. It changed hands nine times variously used as a garrison and a holding place for the slavers. As usual an unsolicited guide showed us around which proved beneficial. The taxi driver who had waited for us then drove us to the Tamarind Hotel from where we would be leaving for lunch on the dhow that was moored at the end of the jetty.

The Tamarind Hotel was beautiful and we sat outside in a lovely garden and had a drink. We thought we had a long time to wait and then found the dhow was due to leave one hour earlier than we were told, 12.30 for 12.35pm. The dhow was extremely large and very comfortable and on being seated we were offered a drink of mineral water, lime, ice and honey and it was very refreshing. Sailing did not take place on time as there were some late arrivals they had obviously been misinformed also. On board was a live band and they entertained us for most of the cruise.
For lunch there were two choices, seafood or steak and we chose the seafood. The platter that was placed on our table was enormous consisting of lobsters, crabs and prawns with a dressing it was as good as it looked and tasted out of this world, this was followed by Tropical Fruit salad. We were offered CDs of the music, played on board, to buy from the band but we had already bought one at Fort Jesus. Our taxi driver was waiting for us when we got back and returned us to the hotel. Mombasa, like everywhere else run down and dirty. The coast is beautiful and this is where the normal tourist stays seeing exotic plants, white sand and lovely hotels.

In the evening, not being too hungry we took the lift up to the roof of the hotel where there was a bar, a swimming pool with tables and chairs surrounding it, this lead off from the restaurant. We sat at a table for a pre-prandial drink and on either side of us were sitting large parties of African families. Then looking slightly out of place a young African woman appeared, she was wearing a suit and a pink straw hat which was a bit odd. Firstly she sat at a table solo and had a beer beside the swimming pool as the bar at that time was surrounded by a party of Germans and when they left the girl moved swiftly to a bar stool. John and I passed her going to the dining room, stopping to sign for the drinks. The girl struck up a conversation such as, “What is you name etc.”, her name was Katherine and had recently moved to Mombasa from Nairobi where she used to sell tomatoes from the roadside, and was now in the beauty business. She then asked John to buy her a beer which he did, and then we left her. We saw her talking to a man at the bar and much later found her walking along the corridor on our floor. Draw your own conclusions.

Joe decided to take John and me out in the car to drive around yet another Shanty Town. It was very large and it stretched back a long way from the road. There is no sanitation, no running water and yet the people look clean and well dressed. There is a tanker that provides the people with water which is removed from a source that other people have to pay for. We then drove around Nairobi city, Joe discovering all the landmarks that John could remember. The Stanley Hotel is now totally different and the Norfolk Hotel still recognisable. The headquarters of the Land Survey department John’s HQ still exist and looks out of place in a modern city.

Then we were off on our travels again. Joe took us by car to Nairobi Railway station as we were catching the overnight train to Mombasa, it hadn’t arrived yet so we sat and had a beer. When the train came in John went off to check where our berth was situated and found it was right next to the dining car. A porter took our suitcase and John gave him a dollar note. He came back and asked for Kenya shillings because he was broke. The train left punctually at 7.00pm. Having settled ourselves in we then went to have dinner. All the tables were for four people. John and I sat down on one side of the table and waited to see who would join us. Firstly one African diffidently sat down opposite and presently another joined him. The first arrival was in construction and loved travelling by train. He was married with three children and loved custard. The other used to be a train driver and now worked in railway administration, he was a bit shy but soon we were all asking and receiving information about each other and it was an enjoyable time. The food was passable but not memorable.

It was a very long train, when it went round bends you could see both ends of it. The interior of our berth could be best described as tatty with faded elegance of another time. The leather seats were cracked and worn with kapok poking out, the melamine wall covering missing in places, the fan doesn’t function and there used to be drinking water available once. The toilet at the end of the corridor used to have a soap dispenser and paper towels and no water comes out of the tap over the small sink. During the night the door was opened and a steward told me to lock it for my safety as I was on the bottom bunk. However the journey was an experience despite everything and breakfast was adequate. The next morning we were able to watch the landscape and villages with people along the track.

A lazy day, Elsie and Joe were choosing and totting up how many orchids they would be exhibiting at the Orchid Show the following week. We went for a drive in the suburbs of Nairobi.
We visited the Safari Park Hotel, in John’s time it was called the Spreadeagle Hotel it struck me as very colonial in concept. In the foyer to reception there was a full size elephant made from papier mâché, as I was looking left at the reception area I didn’t even notice it!!!! At the back was an interesting swimming pool with a water slide chute for the children to slip into the pool, a gymnasium and restaurant. Many nationalities were using the facilities. We then went on to the Windsor Golf Club on the way many new houses were being constructed with complicated roofs and there were still some coffee plantations. The Gold Club apparently was virtually unchanged since Independence. In more or less the same area were all the Embassies, the new American Embassy is surrounded by a high wall after the bombing of the glass building in Nairobi that caused so much damage, deaths, blindness and suffering. Nearby is an enormous UN complex.

We then decided to go and have a meal at an Indian Restaurant, on the way were held up by the biggest traffic jam ever, with the Matatus, in order to keep on schedule took to the verges to arrive at the head of the traffic!! Finally we arrived at the restaurant, we were the only diners, the food was enjoyable if quite different to any other Indian food I have tasted.