Blog December 6th 2010

… and now just like waiting for a bus 2 come along together … here is another post ….

We were descended on by strangers yesterday (sons of friends of friends along with 2 German travelers who had rescued them)

We have had 2 hairy Belgian bikers sleeping in the maid’s quarters and the German couple in their German registered camper van in our front garden!! Their story is quite amazing and makes our trip from Zimbabwe to Kenya look very tame.

The Belgians were principally raised in West Africa, Niger and have been studying in Belgium. They are now on their way to South Africa where they will spend a year furthering their studies and decided to take a trip from Brussels to Cape Town www.ridebacktoafrica.blogspot.com Check out their amazing photographs and details of their fascinating story.

I received a message from friends in Ethiopia on December 1^st 2010 asking if we could help these guys…. They had broken down in a remote part of Northern Kenya in bandit country. I was asked could we maybe let them camp in our garden for a ‘couple of nights’ as they were going to try to get the bike fixed here. I passed on my phone number so that they could call me…..

After a couple of calls they arrived at lunchtime Sunday 5^th December 2010.

The bike broke down about 120 km North of Marsabit … this being seriously far from anything. They had hitched a lift with some Somalis in a truck and managed to put the broken bike and luggage on the truck and get to Marsabit … this is not a metropolis BUT there was civilization there.’ Luck’ was on their side as they bumped into some Germans who they had met on the ferry from Europe to Egypt. They are travelling from Germany to Cape Town in a 20 year old VW camper van … and I thought these sorts of people were fictional characters!!

The Germans offer to take Julien and the broken bike (bike partially dismantled and squeezed in the bedroom area of the camper van – with Julien also sat in a cramped space – reminded me of when we left Bulawayo and squeezed Harry into the car to get him to the kennels in Harare!) to Nairobi where they can get it all fixed, with Antoine following on his bike …

So, imagine, it is Sunday lunchtime and Steve is about to leave for a trip to Rome and we are trying to fit in a quick cooked meal BEFORE he leaves … about 30 minutes before we are ready to serve the meal the 4 travelers arrive. Following whispers in the kitchen about how much food there is and preparing a few extra veggies to increase quantities we offer them lunch – talk about feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish …. They seemed grateful for a home cooked lunch- the Germans, Andy and Veronica were a little overwhelmed with the hospitality. In true Twomlow style I offered the Germans to stay for a night in their camper van on the drive – this turned into 3 nights and they gratefully thanked me with some beautiful long stemmed thorn less roses! Must have worked out I was a sucker for flowers – very perceptive! They all went up to the Great Rift Valley for the day on Monday 6^th and took the twins (Anna’s mate’s visiting from Zimbabwe) This was very useful to me and they all seemed to have thought the trip was worth it for the stunning view – VW camper van broke down 3 times while they were out though.. Is this the curse of the Twomlows? On Tuesday they were able to get new shock absorbers for the VW – highly recommended for the speed bumps of East Africa. The Germans are planning to head for Amboseli having perused some of our safari photos and then to the coast when they will eventually meander down to Tanzania. They have all used the veranda as a dining room/ lounge and the staff quarter’s kitchen for cooking, so were able to be virtually independent as are the 2 brothers … yes ARE, the best laid plans of mice and men … December 10^th 2010 and they are still here (as it is getting towards the close of year I figured I should clarify that it is still 2010!!) – bearings arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday from Belgium via DHL and were collected from the EU offices yesterday BUT unfortunately only one bearing is correct (this was not a complete surprise as they had had suspicions but was still a big blow to moral I fear) … however they had a Plan B so hopefully the RIGHT parts will arrive with some travelers from Europe on Monday. Tried to lighten the mood with a communal dinner and movie night last night – Mugabe and The White African was maybe not a feel good movie BUT was fascinating to watch . tonight we will find something lighter….

Since being here they have discovered a problem with the functioning motorbike – so Julien is stripping the gear box today in the hope that he will discover and more importantly be able to fix the problem. Antoine has mainly stayed around the house catching up with computer work on the blog, sorting out photographs etc, etc. So he has evolved from sitting on the veranda working at his laptop to using the spare desk in the study and finally sharing the study this morning while I wrote Christmas cards …. I have enjoyed using my school girl French – but with me twittering away and being a dreadful middle aged distraction I must have driven him crazy! He has gone off in the tragedy car with the twins to the local Mall where he can use the free internet to upload photos to their blog and the twins are looking round the Masai Market – big help to me that they are all sorted out and I have the house to myself for a short time! I am old enough to be Mum to both (which has made me feel exceptionally middle aged!!) and I have been trying especially hard NOT to cluck like an old mother hen!! Probably failing miserably but airing on the side of the mature concerned!! Having spent much more time in Antoine’s company, it has felt like having an older son in the house who I have not seen in a LONG time – still would not want my dear Luke to get any ideas about motorbikes though – even after all these years bikes just do not do it for me – too scary!!

Before I finish – a clarification – Hairy Bikers – the nickname has come from me, as I connected them to The British TV cooking show called the Hairy Bikers – motorbikes and beards appears to be about all they have in common …..

‘til next time ….

Greetings to friends and family – wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year 2011!!

When I start typing this annual update I often wonder how interested people really are in reading it – personally I find writing a time of reflection and maybe even a form of catharsis.

We are still in the same house – maybe by the skin of our teeth – our landlord wanted to put in a 20% rent increase with annual inflation les s than 5% - this was way over what we had anticipated and could afford. I wrote a polite e mail pointing out our good payment record and the fact that it was more a case of being unable to afford such an increase, rather than not wanting to pay … well something worked and a proposal came back which fell within our range – phew ! … for another year! (We understand that the next lot of leases, with 3 neighbours due to renew soon, will be subject to the 20% increase so sadly 2011 will probably see a movement and change in tenants)

We had new neighbours at #1 in June (previous tenants moving due to a fall out about their rent increase!) So now we have a family of 6 – Aussie Dad and Hawaiian Mum with kids ranging from aged 6 to a baby born in August. He works for Kofi Annan’s political office so keep joking that he should get his boss round for tea!! A family from Ecuador moved into #7 in August after the previous Nigerian tenants relocated to Ghana – Pedro works for the UN and they have 2 girls aged 10 and 8 who Luke enjoys playing with.

We have had lots of compound gatherings over the last 12 months including several Danish lunches hosted by #5 which should carry a health warning due to the amount of Akvavit (40% alcohol by volume) that is consumed !

In February we started a gym class 3 mornings per week in the clubhouse – we have a personal trainer visit and he runs a class – aerobics, step, weights, Swiss ball …- we pay him a monthly fee – and it works out to be very reasonable for a minimum of 12 classes per month. We reveled in the FIFA World Cup being hosted in Africa for the first time and attended an opening match event altogether and shared numerous matches at various houses until we slipped off to UK for the summer. We are once again looking forward to a Compound Christmas party – some adjustments have been made following lessons learned from last year and there have been some additions too. The compound kids are performing a nativity – patiently arranged by Angela #5…

We have also over the last few months met neighbours from nearby compounds so there is quite a decent social network locally for Braais (BBQs) and parties!

We were invited to an American household for Thanksgiving where the Brits dominated – quite ironic! We enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings. The following weekend we had Thanksgiving desserts at #1 – pumpkin, apple and pecan cappuccino pies were on offer.

Steve, as ever, continues to work hard and play hard. He turned 50 in June and enjoyed several celebrations – on the actual day we were in Amboseli (National Park in the shadow of Kilimanjaro) where a great time was had by all including seeing the best lions we have probably ever witnessed. He often cycles to work and continues to cycle with the ‘Mud and Blood’ group in the tea estates on a Sunday morning. His travelling has not been too hectic – a few trips in the first 3 months of the year ( last minute cancellation of a trip to Rome due to the Icelandic volcano ), a lull midyear and then a few trips these last 8 weeks – including Japan for 2.5 weeks which was new and different. The travelling year will end with a trip to Rome, an opportunity to replenish our parmesan supply! He is training hard to climb Mt Kenya in January – the school needed a parent chaperone on the Advanced Mt Kenya Inter Cultural trip – carry ALL their own gear including tents and food – Steve doesn’t do camping so will be interesting!

We have been richly blessed with visitors this year. Diane visited for a week in March – such a great week of catching up and discovering Nairobi’s tourist attractions together! Dad came in March and is due for Christmas and New Year. We have had various

x work colleagues passing through – from UK, Harare, x India, Australia – always great hosting such people for a dinner. My brother has just spent 10 days with us on route from Botswana - as usual he has attended to all the jobs and maintenance issues – including finally fixing my antique RESTORED Georgian corner cupboard to the wall – first time it has been on the wall since it left Grandma’s in 2003!

It looks magnificent. We also have the accompaniment of the Grandfather Clock’s dulcet tones once more, as John has tweaked it and got it going again - such a comforting sound with, for me, the reminder of many summers in Wales staying with Grandma..

The Whitehead twins are expected from Bulawayo very soon for a 2 week visit – they have just finished A levels at the Convent and will go to University in South Africa next year.

We have had several trips to the coast – with Steve in Japan during October break I was even brave enough to drive to the coast and back – took another Mum and 2 kids and met with 3 other Mums and kids down there – had a great time!

Last Christmas we went to the Masai Mara and stayed in the West of the park – negotiating our way through metres of black cotton soils and at one point broad siding down the track with Luke shouting ‘Cool’ from the back – I was not so impressed. I t rained a lot while we were there and we all worried about the drive back to Nairobi so literally put a damper on our stay! We revisited in September for the Great Migration and saw thousands of wildebeest queuing in lines across the savannah rather like ants trail through the dirt. Unfortunately we did not see a river crossing as at the point when a couple of animals started to cross there was a surge forward of some 20 or so safari vehicles which seemed to spook them and put them off. There were A LOT of angry tourists – including ourselves who had stayed back watching and waiting for several hours from a safe distance. On the plus side we were the only private vehicle and we had our own real Masai guide for the day – the Mara is not well signed and it would have been virtually impossible to find the good places had we decided to go it alone!

In June and July once the school year had come to a close we visited UK. I went to Wimbledon with Diane and had Centre Court tickets – same day as the Queen – and we saw Nadal, Murray, Wozniaki and a ladies doubles – such a great day. We saw Sister Act at the London Palladium and for the first time in my life stayed in a Youth Hostel ,in Earls Court – cheap, cheerful and functional – and conveniently on the same tube line as Wimbledon so an easy journey including the short walk to and from the station at either end…

We took Steve’s parent’s on a trip to Wales – my first time in 10 years – the weather was fairly kind and we managed a few hours on the beach, fish and chips on the prom at Criccieth along with Cadwalladers ice cream, a trip down a slate mine, a ride on the Festiniog railway and a nostalgic trip to Nefyn, taking tea with Brian and Doris Jones, Grandma’s old neighbours.

We squeezed in a trip to Scarborough to see the Lumley family (Steve only took 2 weeks leave in UK so time was short) and shared a day at their beach hut on North Bay – nobody was foolish enough to brave the North Sea though! We also went to Old Trafford to see England beat Australia in a 50 over match – Luke’s first live match in UK – a great day was had by all.

The return to school in August brought Anna into Grade 11, equivalent of Lower 6 in UK, and the first year of IB. Luke started Grade 5 – the final year of elementary – this is the same as finishing Primary school in UK. It has been a busy semester for the PTO – with 2 fundraisers including International Day celebrating the cultural diversity of the school with 85 countries represented at a parade of nations. There was a buffet with all manner of dishes from all over the world, an international program of entertainment and cultural activities and displays. We managed to borrow the hugest Union Jack flag I have ever seen, from the British High Commission. It has been a semester of networking the new parents and many planning meetings. I will be finishing at the end of the school year as secretary with the intention to take a back seat next year – yeh yeh yeh!

Anna is doing very well and is taking IB in her stride – she is taking Biology, History and Geography at Higher Level, with French, English and Math’s at Standard level. Her extended essay will related to Zimbabwe and her community service is going well so far. She took a role in the latest drama production of Once upon a Mattress as the jester – and following hours and hours of rehearsals – managed an excellent 3 nights on stage. She has joined the Jazz Band which rehearses before school 2 mornings per week and they perform quite frequently. In February she went to Zambia for a Global Issues Summit and is probably off to Mozambique in 2011 for a similar summit. In March she went snowboarding and managed a broken left wrist on the second day! She spent a week in France acting as an au pair for Belgian friends in July and this has really improved her spoken French.

Luke enjoyed Grade 4 and continued with his piano lessons – mastering a song from the Lion King. Six weeks after Anna he managed to break his right wrist following a bad fall at school. He went off to a weeks summer camp in York, UK and although did not relish the separation from me he coped well and reluctantly admitted he had enjoyed the week.

He was invited to become a Peer Helper at the beginning at Grade 5 (ISK equivalent of a prefect) He has joined the swim team and trains early 2 mornings per week and once a week after school. Other activities include basketball, gardening and yearbook club. This semester he has really taken to reading – has read the whole Percy Jackson series, 4 books within the literary circle at school and I am trying to guide him to some genres other than fantasy without discouraging the appetite! Academically the reading has had a positive impact on his work and attention to detail.

Well that just about brings you up to date with us.

Thinking of you all across the miles this Christmas and sending blessings for 2011

Love Steve, Lindsay, Anna and Luke xxxxxxxxxx