I’m now in beautiful Zanzibar – but no time to write – the beach is beckoning and the sun too bright to use my laptop. Will write later….
:-)

Tanzania

So here I am sitting on a comfy couch in a cheap but beautiful and very randomly situated lodge in Arusha, Tanzania. I was originally going to head back to Nairobi after Rwanda, but since meeting Jo, and having a further 10 days up my sleeve before needing to be back in Kenya, I decided to press on to Tanzania. While on the road (and travelling in pairs), it is definitely cheaper to keep going and we get along famously well, it has been a brilliant choice. I also just found out that I am the only guest in the hotel tonight. I am currently looking at 7 different staff wandering the restaurant and lodge grounds. I don’t’ know whether to feel guilty for keeping them here or happy that they are being employed for a day. They are completely respecting my space but it feels kinda awkward.

The majority of the last 4 days have been spent on a bus travelling between towns. Tanzania is a massive country with absolutely horrendous roads. The days are dry and dusty, the nights very cool.

We had organised a bus from Kigali to the Tanzanian border the night before. When we arrived at 5.30am for a 5.45am departure and our bus wasn’t there – it was dark and we had a dozen Africans in our face trying to sell us tickets and grabbing at our arms for attention. Only when I yelled did they stop. At 5.43 our bus still hadn’t arrived, so we come to trust what appeared to be the ability to ‘transfer’ our tickets to another reasonable looking company and hoped we reached the correct destination. The bus screamed to the border in record time and we almost kissed the ground when we got out. We heard that there would be various bus companies travelling to Kahama at the border we could choose to buy tickets for.

Once walking the 800 odd metre crossing over the beautiful Kagera river bridge and waterfall, we found that the only bus to Kahama was full. We spoke to this guy at immigration who suggested jumping on a lorry for 2/3 the price. What a cack! We jumped at the offer and rode in this truck with a dozen other people in the trailer and fabulous George Michael picture behind us in the front (pictured). After about 40 min he stopped the lorry at a random little town (pictured) in the middle of bloody nowhere and suggested we get out because there was police ahead. After trying to convince him otherwise, we had no choice but to get out and hope to find other transport. Not a happy moment, but the lorry experience was great while it lasted. There was a Dalla-dallas (known as Matatu’s in Kenya) heading to Kahama, but we weren’t sold on the idea because the wait until they are completely full before leaving and it’s a very cramped, dangerous drive. It was our back up if nothing else turned up. Here were 2 white people drawing the attention of everyone in this tiny town sitting on their oversized backpacks flagging down anything that looked like a respectable and registered tour bus. About an hour later we jumped in the Dala-dalla. It was full, cheap and heading in our direction. On the way we were stopped at 9 or so police postings, a lot of which were not in uniform, but all, of course, they had to bribe. We dropped and picked up dozens of people, so it was a long drive, but we arrived safely. We had enough time to find the next bus company, buy our ticket, locate our accommodation that was recommended to us by Beth (less than $3.50 US ea), have a bite to eat and crash early ready for another 5.00am start.

We were at the bus by 5.30am and it went relatively smoothly, but not surprising, it took us 13 hours instead of the 9 we were promised. Although, once again, very rough dirt roads, it was one of our better trips. The last half an hour or so into Arusha was an excellent view of Kilimanjaro. What a mountain!! I tried taking photos today, but it was engulfed by heavy clouds.

Yesterday and today (24th April) I have taken the opportunity to completely chill out drinking coffee, catch up on my blog, sort through thousands of recent photos, responding to emails and reading. Blissful really.

This morning Jo left for a 4 day Safari and I am pressing on to Dar Es Salaam and surrounding areas before meeting up with her in Zanzibar. Ahhh, I’m so excited. Zanzibar was again a place I would really love to see but thought was impossible for location and expense. Before arriving in Kenya and doing research with other volunteers, I actually didn’t even know where Zanzibar was – only that, from photos I had seen, it was a stunning, exotic island somewhere in Africa. I am already in the country (it is off the East Coast of Tanzania) and have my visa (most countries only have single entry visa’s only unless you pay obscene amounts of money) and the 9 hour bus journey has only cost me about $18 AUD. All but 2 nights’ accommodation so far has been cheaper than what it is costing me to stay with my host family in Kenya, so I am very happy. It is the low season and most places are costing us about $6US a night – Zanzibar will be closer to $15, but I have no doubt worth it. It’s probably silly, but I am scrutinising and justifying every cent I spend – most meals cost less than $2US, again cheaper than Kenya. I do appreciate how privileged I am to travel and am so very careful not to touch my reserves I have for my work in Kenya. I am however, certainly enjoying the break and long for the real heat and beach again! Oh Zanzibar, here I come…….

Rwanda

Oooohhhh I am desperate to tell you about the Gorilla’s, but must wait – there is an order in which I arrived and things that have happened! Ahhhh – the Gorilla’s……. I AM SOOOOO IN LOVE and valued this rare opportunity!!

One thing you notice about any form of transport in Africa is the ludicrous speeds at which the travel and unreasonable risks they take. If they are even 5 min later than anticipated (which happens 95% of the time) they are completely ridiculed by their colleagues. Pride gone completely stupid.

We left Kampala right on 10pm. Ladies with children were still not seated and were being flung around the cabin. The company didn’t care but we helped with their bags – other Africans did not. Once again, the road was rough but we were making good time (probably because we hadn’t stopped even once for almost 6 hours). The bus was humid and reeked of body odour and dirty nappies. At around 3.30 am and without warning, we stopped in the middle of no man’s land. Ahead you could see a massive line of traffic. Everyone was conversing loudly in Swahili and we had no idea what was going on. About 40min later and after lining our 5 female white butts outside to pee in the rain and dark ,we found out that there was a large tanker ahead that was stuck in the mud and waiting to be winched out. We took the opportunity to sleep and almost 5 hours later we were on the road again.

Crossing the border in Africa (by bus) can be awkward if you don’t do your research. Depending on what border, it usually costs you $50 USD and the immigration will typically only accept American dollars and ONLY if the notes were printed after 2006!!! Unbelievable. Anyway, between 7 of us, most managed to get through, but we were one $20 note short (we had hundreds but not after 2006) and our friend was refused entry. After some lengthy ‘negotiating’ and the bus threatening to leave us, we all got through.

Something I also found a little disturbing was when we got to the other side (everyone was told to leave our bags on the bus) and found the bus company and immigration staff riffling through our belongings – they had each of our bags open. Other than Francis losing a few mars bars (which were a mother and children blatantly eating them in front of her in the bus – the mum said ‘what do you want me to do about it?’ and rudely turned away), we didn’t’ have any belongings stolen, but without our permission (again African style) they confiscated every plastic bag they could find – including one I had all my dirty washing in and another with my muddy shoes (and now more muddy clothes) in them. We have since learned that plastic bags are strictly banned in Rwanda.

We arrived in Kigali around lunch time, almost 6 hours after our scheduled arrival and we scrambled to the nearest food place, scoffed down some food and sculled cool drinks. We eventually made it to a place to stay, dumped our bags and made our way to Kigali Memorial Centre. I am embarrassed to say that I knew next to nothing about the horrific genocide that brutalised this tiny country just over 16 years ago. The memorial was shocking - the stories about the families and children had me sobbing. So reprehensible, savage and disgustingly unnecessary. It was a struggle to read on through heavy watered eyes and a feeling of suffocating in despair for these people. I honestly had no idea how brutal it really was.

The following day, we visited churches about 40 min out of town where thousands flocked during the genocide in search of sanctuary but they were followed and hacked to death. It was a very disturbing site – there were thousands of bones and sculls piled up against the walls and mounds of dirty clothing. There were sculls so tiny it was sick to see, some only half there and others with spears through them. The saddest rooms were behind the first church which has been left barely touched – it was where whole families hid. There were parts of human vertebra, locks of hair, baby’s shoes and smashed sculls left to rot. A room just adjacent to this was where children went to Sunday school and you can see a massive permanent bloody stain where their heads were bashed to death against the wall. I couldn’t breathe. We were there just 1 week after the anniversary of the genocide – purple and white ribbons still man the sites. Absolutely devastating.

That afternoon we spent some time deciding what to do next. Anna, the lady who initiated this trip, received the news that her husband had broken his leg, so she had to fly back to Nairobi a little sooner than anticipated to be with him. Others also had commitments back in Nairobi and also decided to fly. Basically 3 of us couldn’t justify the cost and decided to still take the bus and possibly hang around for a few more days.

Before leaving Nairobi I had heard of others and spoken to one volunteer who had trekked the Gorillas in Rwanda. I was completely gripped listening to the remarkable encounter she had with these marvellous primates.

Most of you reading this will know I wanted to do some rehabilitation work with the Orang-utans in Borneo before I come to Kenya. Unfortunately it was too expensive. Ever since seeing Gorillas in the Mist so many years ago, it has been a very distant dream to see these charming creatures in the wild and knowing how mistreated Orang-utans also are, working with them definitely appealed to me. I honestly thought it was completely out of the question to actually ‘see’ the Mountain Gorillas in person. Until very recently, it wasn’t something I seriously entertained.

In the afternoon of deciding what to do, I made a few enquiries into availability to do the Gorilla Trekking. No one else in our group was able to join me. Everyone then went to the main tourist office to enquire about travel. Sitting at the Gorilla permit desk was a lady by the name of Beth. As soon as we walked in the door and one of the others walked to the desk thinking it was for general enquiries, Beth hopefully asked, ‘oh hi, are you all doing the Gorillas?’ They said no, but mentioned that I was looking into it. Long story short, we got talking and I found out that she had a permit for the very next day. I also signed up and within 10 min we gelled remarkably well and had organised to travel by bus for the next 2 hours together to the town (Musanze) in which the park was nearest too and sorted some accommodation.

I arranged to meet the others in Gisenyi that same day after my trek. While out to dinner with Beth that night, we were discussing how to get to the park (you can hire a driver for $80USD but found it ridiculously expensive - they charge astronomical prices as they know how much each individual spends on a permit), so we planned to wing it and hoped for the best. Then we saw a group of white tourists, so Beth decided to approach them hoping they too were doing the Gorillas tomorrow and perhaps we could share a ride. There was only 1 lady in the group (Joanna) also doing it on our day and she already had a car (and she too freaked out about the cost) so we shared the price 3 ways. Perfect. Each of us hardly slept a wink. We met at 6.00 sharp the next morning bursting with anticipation.

We arrived at the park headquarters super early. This is where you are divided into groups. There are 7 different habituated groups they follow and a maximum of 8 people per group which means strictly no more than 56 permits are given out each day.

Holy crap, I still can’t’ believe I have seen them!!!

There are thought to be fewer than 350 Mountain Gorillas left in the world, although I believe the numbers are slowly increasing. Dian Fossey is an extraordinary woman who I believe almost independently saved the lives of all that currently remain.

The group she followed and worked with ever so closely (as seen in Gorilla’s in the Mist) was called the Susa Group. Thanks to Joanna, the 3 of us were the first to be locked into seeing this extremely popular group. It is undoubtedly the most difficult to get to and only the fittest are selected. The Susa Group is also the largest group with almost 40 members but the group has recently split into 2. There is only 1 member of the original Susa Group that Dian died trying to save and that was Poppy. She (yes she) is still alive but split with the other group so we didn’t see her.

The track was pretty rough and the mass of stinging nettles were unforgiving and pierced even through light clothing. In summer, the trek to find them can take up to 6 hours, but in the rainy season, they take to lower ground closer to the park perimeter so we reached them in less than 2! We ascended just over 300 metres in this time. It had rained heavily in the morning so we were extremely fortunate to find them playing and sunning themselves in open ground. There were 29 members in total including 3 massive Silverbacks.

Although extremely slippery, getting there wasn’t too bad. Getting out on the other hand was a bloody mission. They had massive machetes to slice through the thick shrub – looking into the dense forest; I would have thought there was no way of getting through. I was horribly wrong.

Anyone seen Gorilla’s in the Mist? No? YOU SHOULD! Yes? I was there! Really there!! We were so close, if we did not move out of there way on half a dozen occasions; they would have pushed right through us. The guides were obviously experienced enough not to panic, but there was once where a Silverback come from nowhere and split our group in 2. There were 3 guides and 2 trackers. The front guide calmly but quickly said ‘move, move, faster, faster’ then with the Gorilla’s barging right between us, he again softly said ‘stop, move back now, now, now!’ Yeah, we almost shit ourselves.

These animals are absolutely massive. The Silverbacks are more than 200kg and when they lock eye contact with you – your heart simply disappeared. The overwhelming feeling is still so surreal. There were babies messing with us jumping between branches above our heads and mature males play fighting in the open. The second ranked Silverback had a lovely time playing with himself sprawled out to an area that looked bigger than a family car – the arms on them are like trees! We heard one of the Silverbacks before we saw him and his chest pounding episode had me gasping. The tiny boys had a go too which was comical. I’m sure they clowned around just for our benefit.

We all made a conscious effort to pop the cameras down and simply enjoy the once in a lifetime experience. It really was awesome. I know it’s only new but my heart still skips a beat each time I relive the experience. I just wanted to jump in and give them a big Tarsh hug. When I arrived back to the car and I received my trekking certificate (corny but fabulous souvenir), I squealed with joy. To witness such extraordinary beings is sensory overload; nature at its absolute best and one hell of an experience I could never forget. Whoa, breathe girl…

Another remarkable sight was while visiting the town Gisenyi, a place very close to the border of DR Congo. I witnessed the glowing lava plume from Nyiragongo Volcano that destroyed half the bordering Congo city Goma in 2002. It was pretty damn amazing. This photo was taken right out front of our accommodation at 5.00am – I got up to go to the loo, glanced out the window and there it was – I almost wet myself. Strikingly beautiful. Earlier it was so cloudy we couldn’t see a thing. Today (18 April) was also my brothers birthday – happy birthday DJ, sorry I couldn’t’ call, I have no phone access in Rwanda. But I was thinking of you while sipping Primus Beer in a bikini on the shores of Lake Kivu. :-)

Most of my long bus journeys have been in the dark, so it was absolutely amazing to see a lot of Rwanda in the day and equally amazed to see how simply stunning the landscape is. Surprisingly different from Kenya. Absolutely everywhere there were people of all ages, sex and religion lining the roads carrying massive amounts of everything on their heads or even bigger loads struggling on bikes. We saw masses of worshipers chanting their religion beliefs, workers with food to restock their stalls and prisoners getting exercise. When there was traffic coming the other way, the driver basically sat on the horn and people were getting out of the way just in the nic of time. You quickly get used to the noise and avoiding eye contact with the road ahead, it can certainly get the adrenalin pumping. At one point we were just above a mass of clouds with a few mountains poking through. Again, nature at it’s very best. I simply love the tropical setting of this country, albeit small. I will be sad to leave.

My friends have now made their way back to Kenya and as I don’t start my next placement until early May; I have decided to continue slowly through Tanzania with Joanna, one of the ladies I saw the Gorillas with. After 2 great nights in Gisenyi, we made our way back to Kigali where we stocked up on travel supplies (snacks) then enjoyed a cocktail and beer at the famous hotel Rwanda (Hotel des Mille Collines). It is here that Jo filled me in on what the movie ‘Hotel Rwanda’ was about. I can’t believe I haven’t seen it and again knew so very little. Shocking to look around at this surprisingly beautiful spot knowing what took place here.

Early to bed as we are very early to rise. Off to Tanzania tomorrow. I am so pleased to have visited this astonishing country and if I wasn’t heading to somewhere I am sure is just as precious, I would be even gloomier to leave. Rwanda is so very beautiful in so many ways.

Get out of town – I still can’t believe I have seen the Mountain Gorillas! Ahhhh, simply awe-inspiring!!!!!!!! To have lived another dream…. Do I even need to say how very grateful I am for my amazing life? Nope, didn’t think so! Hehe :-)


Since completing this entry, I have been in Tanzania for almost a week and loving it. I have almost completed my next post, so will update soon. I will also upload a few photos - the connection is currently too slow.

Uganda

Last Monday night (12th April) we got an overnight bus from Nairobi to Jinja. One unforgettable bus trip. Most of the journey was on dirt road and there was a stretch that lasted about 45min where we spent most of it airborne. With no seatbelts or handles it was an awkward trip. We spent most of it giggling like school children on a rollercoaster. We were thankful 2 hours later for the 5 min break for a wee stop – our bladders were screaming.

We then drove on a not so rough road for about 2 hours where we got some broken sleep before getting to the border. At the border (3am), we had to get out, line up, stamp our departure card and passport, then walk about 1 km over this dodgy bridge with no lights and gaping holes through the boards and potholes filled with muddy water on the dirt track. Walking in pairs and once your eyes adjusted it was fine, but the line up on the other end to enter Rwanda and getting completely ripped off with the entry fee had one of our members a little fired up. We kept quiet, jumped on the bus then drove on to Jinja where we arrived about 6.30am.

Here we witnessed the most stunning sunrise I have seen here while riding a boda boda (motorbike). There are no helmets and with the driver wriggling forward enough while straddling 1 full backpack, he fit 2 of us behind him plus another backpack strapped to the front, me at the rear also with my backpack containing my computer and camera. Amazing 10 min trip and sorry I didn’t get a photo of the 6 of us crammed onto 3 bikes. Funny site – kids were screaming with hysteria on the sides of the roads as we rode through their unadorned villages.

Apart from the fact that I could not grab my camera safely while riding, the main reason I did not take a photo was the breathtaking view we had when we arrived at our accommodation. The River Nile was right there, literally sprawled out in front of us. I had no idea that was where we were staying. Out of this world stunning. I was simply mesmerised.

There had been a lot of talk to do white water rafting and bungy jumping on the Nile but I had already decided no because it was too expensive and I had rafted the Tully in Cairns numerous times. We met our friends here in Jinja, who were waiting to do the rafting and they were 1 person short (need a minimum of 5 in the boat) I was simply gobsmacked by this mass of water and sheer beauty of the Nile and completely caved. I had to be part of this amazing piece of nature. Upon paying, another member had also decided to do the trip, but my heart and soul had already committed and I was desperate to be out there, so 6 awesome people shared this flimsy little dinghy.

Of course, the melodramatic side of me would say I nearly died. I swear I drank half the Nile. I’m probably still peeing it now! On the second category 5 rapid, we all flew out of the dinghy and were instructed to hold onto the boat if possible. Most people managed to, but one of the guy’s paddle had me wedged under the boat (only for a second or 2 but felt like 30min) so he had to let go in order for me to get free and much needed air. I come up gasping and flailing like an idiot – the guide swung me into the boat like I was a rag doll. Mmmm, cute AND strong! Our guide, Josh (I think), is the head guide here and also the guy who took Ewan McGregor and Charlie Borman on the very same trail in the long way down. It was terrific to learn that and chat about it!

The morning was hot and we spent a lot of it swimming alongside the boat (that was until we saw a sea snake) then in the last hour, the clouds brewed black from nowhere, thunder and lightning started almost instantaneously and it absolutely poured down. It was unreal – until we got to the biggest rapid of the day. This was one place we didn’t’ want to flip (the first part of the rapid was category 6 that we had to get out and walk around) Josh shouted his instructions; we went down and right at the start, the dinghy literally folded in half when Loren and I fell out. OUCH!! We are both pretty strong but being in the middle of the boat, we had nowhere to go and our fingers were painfully ripped from our wrist. I shot down like a plastic bottle before being grabbed by a medic guy in those tiny little kayak things – I straddled the front of it (with what must have been 700 gallons of water shooting up my nose) to safer waters then spent the next 500m being rowed to the banks of the mighty river.

Immediately upon reaching the banks, we enjoyed a ‘Nile beer’ and headed back to camp. We were exhausted and all in bed before 8. Fanbloodytastic day!!!

I got up just after 6 to answer the call of nature then went straight to view of the River Nile where 2 hours passed me by before others started arriving for breakfast. Even with the roar of the Nile, it was undoubtedly one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to in the world. Dare I say it, it compares to the serenity of the Himalayas. I was extremely sad to leave and promise myself I will return.

This same morning, 6 of our group did the bungy jump. Absolutely brilliant to watch. We got everyone on video and I took a stack of sports action shots which are excellent. Haha, I had almost forgotten how terrifying it is, if it wasn’t’ for the swearing, praying, screaming and false starts that they had, it might have even looked easy. Superb close to a brilliant couple of days.

We left Jinja around 2 and made our way to Kampala for our overnight bus to Kigali. Our bus didn’t leave until 10pm so we had some time to scout around. It is an extremely busy city and we weren’t disappointed to leave the capital. Looking forward to visiting Rwanda.

I should have better internet access in the next few days, so hope to update Rwanda and Tanzania journeys soon also. I have so much to write about!

Free Medical Camp

Yesterday was the end to a free 3 day medical camp Cim and I organised for Fremo’s Medical Clinic. It was an amazing success. We had around 300 patients come through our doors (being such a new clinic, they only average 4 consultations on a normal day). For the free testing, we offered HIV, TB, Blood Sugar, Blood Grouping and Blood Pressure. We had 3 stations inside and 2 outside. I started Friday doing blood pressure and blood sugar, then around lunch I moved to the HIV testing area where I stayed (my station is in the photo). We did almost 200 HIV tests which was fantastic. I was a master by Sunday afternoon after doing just over half of the people who were tested. So many people are petrified of having the disease so refuse to be tested. In Africa, to have HIV is to have a death sentence. People don’t’ get it that you can live a normal life with the right medication. Thankfully there were only 7 who tested positive – 4 who were with me. I am still amazed at how well they took the news. Immediately after discovering the second line on the test strip, we did a second and different test to confirm and while waiting for the results, got the trained counsellor to speak with them immediately. I am blessed to have such a healthy body.

It is sad to learn how uneducated African people are about HIV/AIDS. There were so many of the people, women specifically, that wanted to be tested, not that they were concerned they had it, but to confirm that their partner was faithful or did not have the disease. One gentleman aged 43yo, who works a respectable office job, was deeply concerned that he may have contracted HIV because a guy with HIV he was speaking too in church spat in his mouth by mistake while they were talking. This happened almost a year ago and he has been getting a test every 2 months fearing he has caught it. This is one of many outrageous stories I come to hear. Even though we had 2 dedicated counsellors for pre and post HIV therapy, I found myself counselling these people on how to and not to contract the disease. They seriously have no idea. They seemed to gain a certain comfort hearing it from a white person.

For someone who came here with the intention to do orphanage work, I absolutely love the medical side. I initially inquired about medical when I applied to do volunteering but because I have no qualification or currently studying, it was impossible for me to have a placement in this area, but once arriving here, I discovered the need and availability to do HIV/AIDS work and through doing this, I have done more than I could possibly have imagined in the medical field.

Over the next 3 weeks, I will be doing a combination of different things including travel and with the clinic, but I still have an incredibly strong desire to work with children so from the 1st of May, I am heading to the Maasai Mara to do some work in school in what I believe is a very remote area. A change from the slum I am really looking forward to.

Tonight 6 of us are leaving on an overnight bus to Uganda where we’ll meet up with a few more. We will spend a couple of days in Uganda before making our way to Rwanda then back to Nairobi. I’m going with a brilliant bunch of volunteers, so should be a lot of fun.

OMG…………… You will never guess what just happened!! I was on getting ready to make my way to the internet café to post this blog when the house lady (Virginia) yelled ‘Natarsha, Natarsha, kudja, kudja (come, come). She grabbed my hand and took me to the family goat who was wailing. She was having a baby!!!! Holy cow it was intense, I have the whole thing (27min) on video and took 196 photos!!! I have some seriously awesome pics, but may be a little too graphic for some people – our baby house goat is proudly pictured and yet to be named. The sex is also to be confirmed. Sooooo cute! Now must go, going to be late getting tickets to Uganda.

Mwahh

I cut the umbilical cord!

Over the past 24 hours, I have tried finding the words to describe what I experienced yesterday. In our home stay there are a 2 other American ladies who work in a different clinic. This is their second time to Kenya (supporting the clinic) and they have seen so many different things. We talk for hours a day and share stories.

Yesterday (Wednesday), we were walking to Fremo’s for a meeting about this weekend (free medical camp) when I got a call from Jenny – an American lady from Dr George’s clinic and she casually said ‘we’ve just had a mother come in about to give birth if you would like to come and observe. Dr George says it’s about 30 min before she has the baby.’ I just about walked into the traffic. OMG! We rushed to Fremo’s explained our news, re-arranged our meeting and shot over to Dr George’s (2km or so away).

Fremo’s prides itself in having a good maternity ward (a room with a birthing table and bed for her to rest) One thing Cim and I have been waiting for is to see a baby being born. Here in Kenya, the experience is very different to that I have heard of at home. They also encourage us to be in the room and close to the action. They completely understood our desire to shoot off and see what we had worked up to be a much anticipated event.

We arrived hot from walking so fast and the mother started giving birth less than 10 min after we got there.

The most amazing experience! All mothers go cold turkey here – no drugs whatsoever. Once again, Cim and I were literally 2 feet from the action. The mother was pushing, but with trouble. A nurse was also pushing on her stomach to urge the baby out, it looked painful. After a short while, and identifying there was a problem, Dr George then also pressed her stomach and pushed on it so damn hard the baby shot out at quiet a speed. Unfortunately the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck which is why the mother was finding it so very difficult. The baby wasn’t breathing when it first arrived, but with a few knocks to the back it got a little whale happening. The ONLY thing the mother said was ‘Jesus’ at the point when she couldn’t push past the head. With no ultra sounds or mod cons of any sort, it’s very difficult for the team. Early in the process Dr George had us put on gloves. He clamped the cord, and then asked me to cut it, me! Brilliant! This monstrous boy was a healthy 8 pound 8 ounces. It was quite a shock when the mother didn’t want to see the baby – but common. All mothers rest first, then, when they are ready, look at their baby and the sex for the first time. They still don’t hold the child. After the baby, she then had to deliver the placenta; Dr George inspected it while explaining bits and pieces to us then showed us how to locate the tight uterus in her stomach and massaged it to help it relax. There simply are no words. A very different experience from the circumcision last week.

Completely elated, we skipped home; I washed a few clothes and went for a beer with a friend to celebrate.

It’s been an exceptional week.

Safari

OMG, OMG, OMG!!!! Does it get better than this?? I saw like a million Giraffe’s and the car got so close we almost kissed. We are so exposed in this small van that has a pop up top and we went bush bashing for wildlife just before sunset. There are 2 vans, 7 excited onlookers in each and we all had a ball. I’m sure everyone else in the van could better explain how excited I was. I just love them. Beats a zoo any day!

We left the house at 7.30 this morning, grabbed a coffee, a quick bite to eat and hit the road. Including various unexplained hold ups, minor break downs, petrol stop and lunch, it took us around 7 hours to get to the Maasai Mara National Reserve (it usually takes around 4 – but this is Kenya time)

The dirt track off the main road/highway that lead through the Maasai villages to the park was long and a little rough, but nothing compared for what we will experience tomorrow I guess. Today we spent less than 2 hours in the park, tomorrow we are out in it all day!! Fingers crossed we get to see a Leopard. They are hard to spot and average a sighting once every month or so. The group last week saw one – hope we are just as lucky. In saying that, today was out of this world amazing. I still can’t believe I was so close to the most beautiful creatures on the planet – I simply love Giraffe and they are everywhere here! Desperate to see more tomorrow – if I was going home today, I would have left bloody happy! Today we also saw Ostrich, Buffalo, Wilder Beast, Gazelle, and the most beautiful Lions – 5 adults, 3 cubs in total. The Lion was most impressive. Don’t know what I’d do if he stared at the van the wrong way though. We (and every other form of transport) have every window open and the top extremely exposed that they could seriously leap in at any moment. I cannot believe how many other tours there also were – around 25 different ones I suppose (Easter is extremely busy) and they weren’t bothered by us at all.

We are staying in tents on the outskirts of the park and next to a Maasai Village (we have fence, albeit tiny, surrounding the compound). The tents are amazing, they are permanently fixed with cement flooring a flush loo, electricity - AND running water (all work between 6.30 am/pm and 10.30am/pm daily)

Tonight we had a warmish shower (yay), a great dinner of potato, ugali, rice, spinach and a meat dish – beef we think. A few of us then played Uno – stupid game, I lost, but a super end to a super day!

It’s 10.18 and the power will be cut off in 12min, so best be off! I’m excited about tomorrow – hope I can sleep!


Saturday
Well actually YES – yes it definitely does get better!!! We were up early, scoffed breakfast and within 10 min of leaving the camp, we saw some more Lions, Giraffe, Wilderbeast and plenty of other animals. THEN shortly after that, we saw a Cheetah – uhuh! Amazing! It was surrounded by over a dozen vans and didn’t flinch. We all stayed a respectable distance (about 50 metres away), then when the drivers were satisfied that everyone in a short radius had seen it (before we potentially frightened it off), we all went in for a closer look – what beautiful creatures. It was so lazy and didn’t care that we were literally feet away. We were all staring and clicking away when our driver (Steve) shot off without warning ‘rangers are coming’ he said ‘must find the road’ so we just shut up and sat down very pleased and grateful for the find.

We then found another few groups of loins and the partners – we got even closer than yesterday and were about to take some brilliant shots, when Steve drove off again. We all shouted ‘stop, stop, stop’ as we weren’t ready but he was talking really fast in Swahili on the radio. He then politely yelled ‘please sit and hold on, there may be a leopard’. Holy cow, we were so excited, sat down, shut up as he screamed around both on road and off to get to what we hoped was a Leopard. It reminded me of spotlighting after foxes at home, it was cool!

Then the most amazing thing – we saw a Leopard in the tree with a chunk of meat it was trying to feast on (yes that is my photo – very proud) we made it just in time for it to grab its kill and swagger off the branch. Another 40 seconds and we would have missed the whole thing. Damn lucky!!! I simply can’t believe how many ‘wow’ moments we have already had.

We went to a river that borders Tanzania and Kenya and saw Hippos and Crocodiles. Again we were extremely lucky seeing so many, and an entire family. We then drove, found a tree on the side of the road and parked the cars to have a picnic lunch. We all sat with our backs to each other examining the tall grass.

In the afternoon, we spent almost 4 hours looking for another tour group who were bogged somewhere in the absolute middle of no freaking where! We had the kindest drivers you can imagine. At the time they told us we were ‘searching for Elephants’, but even though we hadn’t seen any by this point, no one had a worry in the least. We had already had the most amazing day and what’s a little more country side between friends; it really is so very beautiful.

After winching this guy and his 2 foreign tourists, we travelled towards the road (about 1 hour bush bashing away) and in the process we proceeded to get bogged and needing winching out a further 3 times. After our final bog, in the distance we saw a group of cars and discovered another serious bog! This time, it was a bigger vehicle and seriously stuck – they had mud up to the doors on the left side. A vehicle like ours couldn’t pull it out, not even with more than a dozen of us rocking, pushing and pulling in succession. They had been there getting into deeper trouble for more than an hour before we arrived, 6 vehicles in total trying to budge this beast. I suggested shoving rocks, sticks, logs and anything else under the wheels to provide traction to get it out. They looked at me a little strange, but I got a couple of us together and collected enough rocks and logs, then whala – it budged without too much effort on its first attempt. I still cannot believe they didn’t think of it – thanks for the training Dad. X

Great dinner, but no water all day for showers – they say we should have water in the morning. Don’t mind going to bed a little dusty and smelly (as we were all doing the same) but it would be nice to flush the loo.

Sunday
This morning was another early start – we were on the road before 6.30am (still no water) hoping to witness a live kill. We spent a gorgeous morning wandering between masses of Gazelles’, some Zebra, Jackal’s and Water Buffalo but no carnage today. Yesterday will forever remain one of the greatest highlights of my Safari Adventure.

We then went back to camp and taken to the local Maasai Village where they performed their local dances, showed us their mud hut homes (manyta), how they light fires and, of course, their presentation of local jewellery and ornaments. We had breakfast around 10am, packed our things and made our way to Nakuru for the final park visit. We had a fabulous hot shower, brilliant buffet dinner and rested for the evening. A few of us stayed up talking until 1am – at 12.30, one of our drivers staggers into the bar, looks at us and says ‘I just got back from washing the vans’. It was raining outside. Funny bugger.

Tomorrow we will be looking for Flamingo’s and hopefully find a Rhino or 2.

Monday
What a brilliant end to a 4 day Safari. Lake Nakuru National Park was breathtakingly beautiful. The Flamingo were absolutely everywhere in great sea’s of pink! The Zebra, Rhino, Hyena, Water Buffalo, Giraffe and Baboons roamed far and wide. It was very peaceful and calming. At one tense moment, we thought we were about to be charged by a Rhino, but he was flicking his rear feet making way for poop. Thank god. The hours passed us by and before we knew it we had to leave.

We went back to the hotel, had another wonderful buffet lunch and made the slow trip back to Nairobi – we slept most of the way. I also started the book ‘The White Maasai’.

One of my dreams since visiting a zoo as a child was to see the wildlife in their home country and own environment, not in a cage. Every time I have refused in the last 25 years to go to a zoo was absolutely worth every single nanosecond I was there. One hell of a journey I will never forget. A must for everyone’s bucket list!

I’ve been back in the busy polluted city of Nairobi for just over an hour now and miss the country already. I will definitely be back to the Maasai. Soon I hope.

Week 2 in Kenya

The school project was a great success. The children decorated their chosen coloured cards and I was busy drawing fish, flowers, houses, balls and kites for them to colour in. It was a lot of fun and they adored their photos. To have a photo, was a first for most of them. Those who are not orphans will take them home to their families. Time extremely well spent.

Yesterday, I witnessed a Circumcision on a 6 year old boy. We have since learnt that most circumcisions take around 10 min, can be painful for them but bearable. If they feel the boys cannot cope emotionally or physically, they are put to sleep or given additional anaesthetic. This procedure took almost 1 hour. The tiny child was in excruciating pain. Cim and I watched the entire thing, just feet away in from his teeny body in the small consultation room. Able (the young boy) was given 5ml of (Lidocaine and Adrenalin) which clearly didn’t work. The moment I found the hardest was when his ear splitting cries turned to uncontrollable screams for his mama. With each snip and suture, he howled. His father had to gag him with his arm while holding his entire upper body as still as possible. Another nurse had his legs. We bought him a couple of chuppa chupps in an attempt to do I don’t’ know what... I had to dress him – he couldn’t bend down, let alone walk. I don’t’ need to sit through another one of those.

Following the procedure, the Administrator of the clinic took us to Nairobi city to meet with the marketing company he uses to design and print their flyers. We are getting 2,500 pamphlets and posters done for the free medical camp we are holding next weekend. We are hoping it will be a busy 3 days.

The gorgeous lady in the photo was a patient from the IDP Medical Camp last weekend. She was simply beautiful but refused to smile for her lack of teeth.

It has been sad to learn recently that an extremely talented member of the Southern Highlands Cycle Club (James Williamson) passed away in his sleep last week while competing in South Africa. My condolences go out to his family, friends and the club.

Tomorrow morning we are leaving for a 4 day safari. A trip I am really looking forward to. If I wasnt' reminded by other volunteers that Easter was this weekend, I would not have remembered. Unlike Australia, it's not very big deal here. In actual fact, I dont' even think I have seen an easter egg enywhere..