Warriorbern on the Move

Last night Kizzie and I went out for drinks, a late night snack and a good chat. We went to a local restaurant/pub and settled down with a Tusker each. I like going to the local hangout places but seldom do it because without some local input it could be a dodgy experience. The place we were at was good though, clean with cold beer and really tasty chicken. It was a good evening out filled with conversation about Kenya, South Africa and the normal solve the world's problems. He dropped me off at the hotel just before midnight and I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow. When the alarm went off this morning I could feel the late night but nothing a cold shower couldn't sort out :-) At work we put our noses to the grindstone and finished all the reviews by lunch time. The afternoon was spent digging through as many scientific papers as we could find to try and beef up the information that is in the database. Tomorrow morning we are going to try and get hold of someone...

This morning when I awoke it was overcast and during the day the wind picked up. This is supposed to be the start of the rainy season but as yet nothing has come. Selfishly, I hope it holds off until I have left since it won't be great walking to work in the morning and getting drenched. This morning was exceptionally difficult - like pulling hens' teeth. Eventually we got into the swing of the work but a lot of lessons need to be learnt and hopefully have been. It is really important to have the correct people involved at these workshops and this one has always lacked that but this year the absence has been more noticeable than previously. Hopefully they will sit up and take notice and next year will be a very different story. I'm waiting to hear from my friend Kizzie about going for a beer or two tonight. It will be good to get out a bit and just kick back and relax. I received a message from home today that my favourite food is waiting for me in the freezer - CAN...

Two days of work are done and the going has been good. We are not halfway through our time but are almost halfway through the review process. I have really enjoyed staying at my current hotel because it is so convenient to get to work and back - just a 10 minute stroll. No waiting for taxis, then been terrified as those taxi drivers try to defy death along the roads. Just a calm walk and I am there or home! I have also really enjoyed getting back to the hotel, throwing down my stuff and enjoying a wonderful relaxing swim. The only downside to the hotel has been my expectations of hot water. The shower is fitted with a water heater but it doesn't seem to be effective and the one time I did try it out I got a slight electric shock when I touched the tap - not a feeling anyone wants when standing in water. Fortunately it was mild and that was the end of my switching the heater on so it is cold showers until I get back to Nairobi on Friday night. Tomorrow is probably going to be the ...

Finally a day without any must do things like flying to a new destination or working! I woke up, showered and went down to try out the breakfast. It was good - fruit, bread (the electricity was out so no toast), an omelette and 2 sausages all washed down with a mug of coffee. I have decided to definitely stay on here for the rest on my time in Mombasa so I paid for the remaining nights and then went for a long walk. I wanted to see how long it would take to walk to KMFRI (where I will be working) so wandered down that way. It is not far maybe only about 10 minutes at an amble. Once at KMFRI I just carried on walking on the same road looking at all the new seafront apartments and hotels that are being built and I eventually came out at the beach. Standing there looking at Mombasa old town brought back wonderful memories of my late grandmother. When I would tell her I was going to Mombasa her face would light up. She had been to Mombasa during the second World War to visit my grandfathe...

After a really good night sleep I woke up, packed my things and headed off to the airport for the Zanzibar - Nairobi leg of the trip. First I had to find a taxi to get there and fortunately just as I was walking up to where the taxis park one came by. I asked him how much to the airport and he said $10. Despite knowing that the exchange rate is $1 = TSh1500, I asked what he wanted in shillings and he told me TSh22000 so we had a brief argument about that with him consenting that it should be TSh15000. It really makes me mad that these people try to milk the tourists so unnecessarily. The $10/TSh15000 is a fair price, why spoil it by trying to dupe the tourists out of more money. Anyway he got me to the airport quickly and safely so I was happy. I could book in straight away for my flight and was given the boarding pass for the Nairobi - Mombasa flight too. Going through security in Zanzibar used to be really painful but they seemed to have ironed out some kinks. I still had to accompa...

Today started off excessively hot and got more so as the day progressed. There were huge clouds about and I thought that today would be the day I got wet on the way to work. Fortunately the rain held off though and eventually the clouds evaporated. There was little to do regarding work today, just three fisheries to be reviewed. We had a bit of a late start as the power cut out for a while but as soon as this was sorted out we were up and running. The two groups reviewed a fishery each and then the final one was done all together. We finished in time for an early lunch and for the men to go to Friday prayers. I went back to my hotel and had a shower. It was so hot that I didn't even contemplate going out for a walk and spent some time catching up on a bit of admin for the trip. I had to return to the institute at 4pm to sort out all the finances with Narriman. On the way back to the hotel I stopped by at Livingstone's Beach Restaurant and decided that I would return in the eve...

Today was another good working day. We did, however, finish half an hour early due to the wish of some of the local participants to attend a funeral. I finished up verifying the data that they had entered during the day so in the end did not get away all that early but it was still good to leave even only a few minutes before normal. I celebrated my liberty by going for a long walk around Stonetown. I had two objectives, firstly to find the hotel that Jo and I didn't stay at in December 1998 .... we had booked to stay there but when we arrived we discovered that it was Ramadhan and the hotel owners/managers wanted us to pay for bed and breakfast but only get the bed. We found another place instead and that is a whole different story. My second objective was to find the Anglican cathedral. Back to the hotel: I was unsuccessful for two reasons but mainly because I don't remember where it was. I have this vague idea in my head but the roads I take never seem to lead me to the pla...

Today was just another work day so not much to say. Instead are a some photos from around Stonetown. Going fishing Going fishing too Not going fishing :-) The beach in front of Africa House Africa House Hotel - I was going to have sundowners here but was too late and all the good seats were taken The Palace Museum At the waterfront  The sun setting behind a restaurant that is closed for refurbishment The night market gets underway Banana/Chocolate pizza anyone? Kids will be kids The market Mister in his bow-tie waiting for dinner