08 July 2007
Got back from camping in the bush today. We went off to the hills behind TPC, and
stopped off next to the road, well if you can call it a road. Got the
track uploaded if you want it. So, whil we stopped, three guys came walking
along, according to my perfect swahili, said that it was the only place where you
could get signal in the area. They where very friendly, and said they where from
the nearby village. If there where any problems he said we could give him a call,
and he politely gav us his number. The part that was a little dificult for me was,
if he needed to walk to where we set up the tent to phone, how would be get through
to him when he was at home (where he supposedly had no signal).
Any how, we asked for an askari for the night, and Juma very kindly offered his
services for Tshs 10 000/= which for most people in the area is a weeks work. But,
we wanted a quiet uninterupted evening. The Masaai have a habit to come and watch
people. Even if you do not talk, they come and stand and watch you as though you
where an artifact in a museum, and this is something we where not really keen on.
Well, Cristina and I left to fetch some firewood, and when getting back, Juma was
there, very helpful indeed, but thought his duties as an askari where to sit with
us, have a cigarette and join us for a beer. Our impression was, that he would be
patrolling, or stanfin away from us, not practically on our laps. After many attempts
of calling someone one how to tell this man politely to leave, I lost my patients
and tried my fluent swahili. I gave the guy an additional Tshs 5000 and told him
to go away to the pub and have a drink. He looked at me strangely, and shook his
head strangely not really knowing if he understood me correctly. Apparently I had
asked him if we could buy his sister for the night!!!!!! Definitely not something
we where wanting to do. :-)
After a while, we got him to understand and he left.
The following morning, off we went back to TPC. Th original plan was to go to lake
nyumba ya mungu, but the bumpy road was not such pleasantry. So off to TPC
and a relaxed evening.
12 July 2007
The pressure has fallen away a bit. I am very happy about that. Finally, 3 and a
half years later, the Garage here got the message that it is their duty to look
after the car, and it is not a favour they are doing for me. So now, the problems
may become a little less.
Having Craig here also helps. He deals with the mundane day to day items, and also
has bee able to spend a little time giving the much needed attention to my network.
Unfortunately, I will not be going to Kenya this weekend as there is just too much
work left for the factory project. They are starting to learn the amount of work
left to do - or at least realise that they do not have any clue about how much work
is left to be done. But asi es la vida! Looks like Craig will be staying longer
so that I can assist where needed in the project.