18th September 2011. After nearly 5 months in Nairobi we finally spent today discovering the gem on our doorstep (15km away from home to be exact) – the Nairobi National Park. What a super day out! Within half an hour of entering the park we found ourselves watching a pride of lions feasting on a zebra they’d just killed (the second time in two weeks we’ve been lucky enough to see this) and we just continued to see more and more as we drove. Giraffe, heaps and heaps of zebra, ostrich, gazelles, wildebeest, warthog and more. The glimpse of the city skyline you get every so often is the only clue that you’re driving around in the middle of a capital city. It may have taken us a while to get into the park, but now that we have – I’m pretty sure we’ll be fairly regular visitors. I think I’m going to have to work hard not to turn this blog into a travelogue with all the wonderful stuff we’re getting to do and see in Kenya.
In other news, we have Mark’s mum here from South Africa at the moment. She is visiting us for a month and enjoying her time with Evan and with Percy. We’ll spend most of her month here in Nairobi – which is a great excuse to visit the giraffes at the sanctuary again, feed some elephants, visit the crocodile farm etc. – but we have got a trip to Nakuru planned for the last weekend of the month, which will be great. Before today, Fuzzy (Mark’s mum) hadn’t been to a game reserve in over 20 years – so we’ll overload her with wild life and safaris this month to make up for all she’s missed.
Evan is back at school and settling in steadily. He still has ‘moments’ and has on some days point blank refused to take part in the activity planned. That stubborn streak is showing itself more and more! There are more kids in his class now but I’ve only met one of the mums so far as none of them ever seem to be there when I drop Evan off or pick him up. Anyway, I’m sure the birthday party circuit will start before long and we’ll meet up with everyone that way
I didn’t start the job that I spoke about in a previous job. In the end, it wasn’t really the right thing for me for a whole heap of reasons. I was really looking forward to working, but at the same time I’m glad that I discovered it wasn’t for me in good time. I’m still hoping that some other contacts here work out and I can get some consulting work for a few hours a week in another way. I would like to find a way to keep my brain in gear (even low gear) while we’re here, but still don’t want to return to a full time position yet.
What I did start this week was volunteering at a horse riding school for disabled children. My role is as a ‘side walker’ and just as it says, I walk along beside the child on the horse and keep a hold on their leg, making sure they retain their balance on the horse and encourage them to take part in the activities during the lesson. The children who were there on the day I volunteered are mentally (and some also physically) disabled, but they are such happy little people who just love the horses and the riding classes. I had such a good time and so enjoyed the experience that I’m most definitely going to keep doing this and more than likely get just as much out of it as the kids themselves do. I have to say though, that seeing these kids makes me tremendously grateful for all the health and opportunity that we’ve have in our lives. A clear reminder to count my blessings.
I also started Zumba classes this week. It is aerobics really (although with much cooler music and rhythm) and I haven’t been to an aerobics class in more years that I’d like to admit. I thought I did okay though and managed to mostly keep up with all the moves – just had a little problem coordinating my arms with my legs in some places – and made it through the hour class. I’ll go to a class every week going forward and hopefully get it all sorted before long.
Okay, that’s it for now. Over and out from Nairobi xxx.
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