Posts

Showing posts from July, 2012

Last day in Mombasa

Image
Yesterday was the last day of the working party and it was a fairly easy day. For the most part it was a discussion of recommendations made over the first two days. The work day finished with some endless discussions about the semantics of various paragraphs in the report that will be submitted to the Scientific Committee. A tedious task but one that is very necessary to avoid any future problems. The working party hard at work I was invited to have dinner outside the hotel with the participants from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). Earlier in the day I had some discussions with one of the guys about where to go and we decided on a steak restaurant. This decision was, however, vetoed by one of the older guys who wanted to go to the Tamarind Restaurant. The Tamarind is probably the most expensive restaurant in Mombasa and is a seafood restaurant. I wasn't overly keen but had to go along with the plan. I nipped back to my room quickly to collect

Howling wind

Image
When I woke up this morning the wind was blowing madly and it is still blowing like crazy this evening. When today's work session ended I planned on going for a walk along the beach. Then I went outside and saw that it would just be a sandblasting session so I changed my mind and settled down with my Kindle to read until dinner time. Talking of food I am not overly fond of what is being served here for lunch and dinner. I wanted to have a carbohydrate free week but the food selection for these meals for Monday, yesterday and today has been: rice, potatoes, yams, ugali (pap or phutu for South African readers), spinach and a meat dish. At least it is a short trip! I thought today I would share some photos of my living quarters so here they are:   The sleeping area is nice and  spacious   The bathroom could due with some renovations. The blue tiles were at some time painted olive green but the paint is now peeling off giving a really shabby appearance. The gardens

Mombasa again

Image
Why is it that when you have to run to get to a boarding gate before it closes that the boarding gate is located at the opposite end of the terminal to where you are? I made my way to the airport early enough yesterday to be in good time for my flight but when I checked my suitcase in I was told that my flight had been cancelled. This flight was the first of three connecting flights so it was important that I get a flight that would allow me to get onto the second flight. The only way for this to happen was for me to get onto the flight that was almost ready to leave. I was given my boarding pass and told to run! As I got to the gate, the ground staff commented that I was the last passenger. This has only happened to me once before on a flight from Sydney to Johannesburg where the delay was due to a Qantas strike action of the ground staff. Anyway there were two benefits to getting on this flight: 1. I was bumped up to business class for that flight and 2. My suitcase got a priority

Beach and Carnival

Image
It has been a really relaxing weekend filled with going to the beach, reading and finally watching a carnival. The only downside was that the peace and quiet of Thursday and Friday have been shattered with endless parties that seemed start at lunch time on Saturday and went through the night until mid-morning today. While I don't mind the loud music at all, I do take exception to the yelling and shrieking laughter. I'm not really sure what they were up to last night. Initially it sounded like they were watching some form of sport and celebrating a goal or something - the music would get cranked up 10 more notches and the guys would scream madly. Eventually though I decided it couldn't be sport because it just went on way too long. There must have been some very sore heads today! So here follows some photos from the beach and the Flic and Flac Carnival which happened this afternoon.   The divers' departure point   A stretch of paradise   Some little fis