neilpaul.

Hello again,

So I will finally have pictures this time :D

Today was Saturday and at the orphanage I am staying at this is also known as the Sabbath..something that is followed pretty strictly here! So, we had a church service today that was in both Swahili and English (there was someone translating). Something you learn here is that Christianity is much more prevalent in Kenya than it is in Australia. It's almost as if everyone you talk to is a pastor of some sort! After the service we all went into town and had a goodbye lunch for Nikki because she is leaving tomorrow. So today has been nice and relaxing..but yesterday was much the opposite...

I spent half the day painting the pre-school that is being built here. We are having to do like 20,000,000 coats of paint on all the shelves and cabinets..and it is taking ages! Anyway, later that day when all the kids were in bed, I walked past the kitchen to see my wallet sitting on the counter. When I asked why it was there, someone said the kids had stolen it, and so I opened it and saw that my debit card was missing! So I had been pick pocketed by a bunch of 5 year olds...but I eventually found it :). The other news for the day was that it was Philip's birthday (someone who lives here @ MIA), so in Kenyan tradition we all surprised him with hoses and buckets of water! But, a few of us got caught in the crossfire... :



good news is there WAS a bday cake :D

On thursday I got to drive one of the big van/12-seater buses around the village. Here is proof:

All the roads were actually dirt roads that were quite rough, wet and bumpy..which was quite fun! So I went with a local elder and pastor to deliver food and clothes to people who have neither. Below is a picture of one of the families we visited:



I thought i wouldn't fit in the photo..but i think i could've stood up a bit more in hindsight. The lady to the right of me called herself a shosho (granny in swahili) and apparently she is over 100 years old! And the lady to her right is her daughter. The Shosho was also quite a character... she poked me with her walking stick when i arrived because I only shook her hand but I ended up kissing her on both cheeks like we were happy happy frenchman.

Here are some random photo's from my travels too:


Us at Lake Nakuru with a nice view: Luke, me, Tim, Jason, Tim and Ivan


Tim and I.. with another view but from the Menengai crater (which is on the other side of nakuru from lake nakuru)


And me being bored before i reversed out of a really thin road

Well, I better be off. Hope you are all well and happy :)

Neil -