31.01.10

Ooh, nearly February. So today I have done nothing much, but I did
remember a couple of things I saw yesterday which I had wanted to
comment on. Well ok I really only remember one of them at the moment.
Kampala city centre is so crowded, people, taxi minibuses and boda bodas
all jostling for space on the roads and pavements, the latter of which
is already crowded with shops spilling their contents into the streets.
It all gets a bit crazy trying to get anywhere, and I've seen so many
people carrying all sorts of stuff in their arms and on their heads
while easily negotiating these streets, the most bizarre of which was a
man carrying about 10 large mattresses all wrapped in polythene and tied
together and carried effortlessly on his head. It was pretty amazing.
Especially the way he nipped in-between pedestrian and motor traffic
with seemingly no difficulty.

Anyway, today I have done pretty much nothing. I have finally managed to
install Open Office on my laptop so that I can sort out my budget
(Humphrey sent me an excel spreadsheet which I have to fill everything
in to) and make the catalogue for the museum. I have written up most of
my notes, but I seem to have come to a point where I can't be bothered
to write up any more, and I really just want to go to sleep, so I might
go and get my book out and sit and read for the rest of the evening.
Going through it again has refined my PLAN (yes Phil, much like the
cyclons I want to kill off and enslave the human race, starting by
cataloging earth's historical findings, in Uganda) which now consists of
hoping the storeroom is indeed completely empty by Monday, and removing
every single labelled box and putting them in piles in the adjoining
room. Not sure it'll work but it's worth a try anyway.

So other than that, today I woke up and had breakfast (my usual coffee
and toast) while checking my emails. Then I went and showered, although
that nice clean feeling didn't last very long. Once a layer of insect
repellent is applied you just don't feel the same. Then I sat with my
book in the comfy chair and read for a while, before ordering lunch. I
was really hungry for a while, but when I actually sat down to eat I
really had to force it down. If I hadn't have paid for it I would have
left half of it. I think it might be the heat but I just don't feel like
I can eat as much as I should be. Anyway, then during the afternoon I
messed around on the laptop a bit, wrote some postcards, and then tried
to sort out OpenOffice. Then I realised I had run out of postcards for
all the people I wanted to send them to, so went to see if the gift
shops were open today, but because it's a Sunday they weren't. :(
So then I did my washing, and came back to sit on the laptop, typing up
the catalogue and having a wandering mind every 5 seconds. I spoke to
Ceilidh online earlier on in the afternoon. I said I was feeling fine at
the time, peaceful, content and stuff, but that I was dreading getting
to work because it's just depressing me. And it has, I now just feel
lethargic and no longer peaceful and contented. Maybe if I can find a
well lit corner to read in I'll feel better. I could sit in my room I
suppose, but that isn't exactly comfortable, and it's so bleak in there
I don't want to spend too much time in there.

ooh, an ant just appeared from between the keys on my laptop. *sigh* I'd
best get that book quick then!

blimmin brits

Ok, so the british crowd who turned up last night, have  I mentioned them yet? They arrived yesterday I think, seemingly from nowhere, actually a lot of people arrived yesterday, it's rammed here.  But anyway,  they seem to have an uncanny ability to chase people away from places. Last night they chased Irish man away from the table next to me (I heard him mutter something about going to talk to someone) and then I eventually left because listening to their conversation was getting boring. Then later I woke up to the room next to me being unlocked noisily, and then afterwards I could hear from somewhere else in the courtyard someone distinctly british having very noisy sex. Oh yes, yes yes yes, etc.  Anyway, when I came back from town earlier I sat in the sofa area, on one of the chairs next to  the nice sofa because this geeky american kid was on the sofa. Then when he went off to get something later I stole the comfy sofa so I could stretch out and watch Supernatural (sadly only one episode remained from what I'd managed to download, the b&w one, heh heh). And anyway, he came back and we exchanged a few vaguely humourous words about the seating arrangements. So he sat on the chair this time. Then a while ago the brits  started arriving, there really are tons of them. The geeky american left his laptop next to me (presumably to order food) and when he came back all seats were taken, so he took his stuff and disappeared. After hearing some rather annoying sex talk, I think initiated by a large girl complaining about her virginity, I decided it was time for me to move also.  But the only table with plug sockets free was the one that geeky american (Chris) was sat at, so we once again exchanged a few vaguely humourous words about getting rather crowded, etc, and then a few more on what we were doing here, or what he was doing here mainly. Shame it couldn't have been someone more interesting, but never mind. He's going to work on some water program or something, so he's here learning a laguage (one of the ugandan ones) beforehand. Now he's sat opposite me eating chips, it feels ever so slightly awkward, like I should probably say something. Bless his geeky soul.

Oh god I really need some decent entertainment. Or friends. Possibly both. I fished a fly out of my wine last night and then spent a good half hour sporadically watching it drunkenly wander around the straw wrapper I had used to rescue it with, frequently cleaning itself but with that slightly drunken air that you see in people who don't really realise they are drunk. Except it wasn't a person, it was a fly. *sigh* see what I mean?

Anyway, my laptop is behaving weird, it has gotten very hot with all this use. I'm gonna watch the Boat that Rocked now I think. Groovy.

 

30.01.10

30 January 2010, 1 day after my masters application deadline. I
completed my application form about 3 weeks ago, ref 1 was received not
long after, but then I had to wait for Matt to do his, which he didn't
do until Monday. And now it doesn't seem to have been processed in time.
And because I am out of the country and do not have access to skype I
can't call them to find out what the bleep is going on. I'm a little
annoyed, to put it mildly. This being in Uganda thing sucks. I can't
wait to get to Nairobi. I'm also getting sick and tired of the Foo
Fighters, which is something I never thought I would say. But they have
been played every evening for the last 3 days. Not sure I can handle
another week of this! Also Kampala is hot and uncomfortable. I went to
Garden City Mall today. Caught a taxi into town and then walked from
there, which was quite a way. There is a cinema there, and because I
went to check it out first before wandering arund the shops i managed to
catch Avatar. Which was awesome. Totally loved it. Then I wandered
around the shops, and went into Uchimi but couldn't find what I wanted
so I ended up going to the Nakumat down the road (not in the guide books
cos I think it only opened last year) and buying some stuff to take with
me for lunch in there. Then I walked a little way, and then caught a
taxi back into town, which was only 300UGsh, but then when I caught a
taxi back out to the hostel it was 1000!! And it wasn't even that far! I
could easily walk it if Uganda didn't make me so lethargic. Hmph.

Anyway, I'm back at the hostel now (obviously), still wanting more
emails. C'mon people, I want to hear about everything that is going on
in everybody's lives! Now I think I shall go have a read of the National
Geographic I found lying around and hope that the party for one of the
girls who used to work here who just graduated isn't going to be too
huge tonight. I'm such an unsociable sod sometimes.

Take care peoples.

29.01.10

Phew, this place is buzzing tonight. I've just been included in the
buying of a bottle of red wine with some random people sat at my table,
which is ace. Although will mean my food budget for the day will no
longer be just be under budget. Ah well. I also just had 'Mashed Potato
and bangers'. I felt most embarrassed ordering Bangers. I tried asking
for sausage but that just didn't cut it. Anyway, I really could have
just eaten a plate of mash. mmmmm.

So I met a lovely Irish man last night. He sat at my table just as I was
leaving and commented on my sci-fi mag which I had with me, so I lent it
to him. Then I saw him again today when I got back from the museum on my
way to the shower. He was doing his washing. So I had to stop and chat
for a while, before excusing myself to shower. I hoped he would sit at
my table again, but he sat with the bloke at the other one who he
already knows instead. Darn. I've ended up with some people, I think
they're dutch. And now we have wine. Woop!.

So this morning I tried to walk to the museum once again. Trying a
different route this time, or at least going down the road I should have
gone down yesterday. But I took a turn too early because the map looks
nothing like the actual roads, so I decided to catch a boda boda again.
Which was fine, but then he basically had no idea of where the museum
was. So we went off around all these back roads, then I showed him my
map, and then we set off again, but we had to go all around the houses
to get there because the main route had police on it who were stopping
boda bodas, apparently. So then he drops me off, finally, after what
should have been a 5-10 min journey taking about 25mins and has the
cheek to ask for more than we agreed on. I patted him on the shoulder
and just laughed at him telling him I wasn't giving him any more for
avoiding the police because he got lost! Silly man. Then I walked away.
While I was on the boda boda (and sexy Irish man also said this to me
earlier) I was thinking how you don't really need fairground rides when
you've got them around. It's kinda like having a bungee jump because you
want to get to the bottom of the building or something. Totally worth
the money. They should introduce them to the UK. That would be awesome.
Although you wouldn't be able to because you'd have to wear a helmet,
and that would cause all kinds of fuss. Shame.

So as for the museum. Umm, it was dusty. I'd rather not dwell on it.
Can't wait to get back to Nairobi. I've asked Matt if I can come back
after just a week instead of staying until weds the week after. Seems
silly to stay all those extra nights just for 2 days of work.

Right, I'm gonna write a couple more emails while I finish my wine, and
then I may be boring and get another early night. I would quite like to
have gone to see R-Kelly tonight actually.
Ah well.
xx

28.01.10

Blimey, I am so tired this evening. This is going to have to be a short
one. I am so very very sleepy. I think I am not sleeping overly well at
night, and I forgot to ask for a new pillow again today so I can either
awkwardly ask in a minute before I go to bed, or put up with the pillow
the size of a mountain again. It really is very thick, and not pliable
really. I wake up with a bit of a head dent but it's just too much, and
the bed isn't really soft enough to go without. *sigh* I almost bought
my emirates pillow with me, but between us Hannah and I decided it
wasn't needed. Hmph, always the way.

So today not much happened. I have a PLAN. For how we're going to tackle
the museum. And I'm going to have at least three students helping me
from next week, and possibly some of the archive staff. It's a rather
daunting task, as it will probably take several months for it to be done
properly. I should probably discuss with Matt on whether he wants it
done properly or just done as best we can and then our involvement
finished asap. I think I can guess where his opinion will lie.

This morning I decided to walk to the museum. I left late, so by the
time I had been walking for about 45mins I decided to accept the ride
from a boda boda who offered for only 1000 UGsh. It was my first boda
boda experience. Quite exciting. I sat side saddle, as I'd seen many
ladies doing, because I was wearing a skirt and didn't want to straddle
some strange guy rather inappropriately. Anyway, he was very nice, and
it was really only a short distance to the musuem that way, but it would
have taken a lot longer on foot. Tomorrow I shall try walking it again,
and I might have to forgoe breakfast as the guy hadn't arrived by the
time I wanted to leave this morning. I have many biscuits. Or biscwits
as the ugandan guys trying to sell them on the streets say (reminds me
of Ignacio). So anyway, boda boda experience was fun. I might do it
again tomorrow. I was shaking from the adrenaline when I arrived at the
museum. I think next time I'll wear trousers and sit properly!

So I also had to come back this afternoon via a foreign exchange bureau.
I caught the shared taxi into town, saying I wanted to stop at Kampala
Road and we went yet another strange route into town. Just as we were in
sight of Kampala Road (I could see the Crane bank building) the driver
pulled into the side after going past some police, and backed up into a
space. So the police woman was checking some stuff with him, and then
she walked away and someone else said they wanted to get off, so when he
opened the door I got off as well, and just as I did the police woman
came up again and tried to usher me back on the bus. I said 'no I was
only going here' and she said I was free to go, and then I think she
made everyone else stay on and she got on as well. I'm not entirely sure
what was going on, as I speak no Bugandan, but a similar thing happened
to Sarah in Eldoret in Kenya. Apparently they were very big on wearing
seatbelts or something, and they also check matatus for illegal people
or something. Anyway, they basically arrested the whole matatu but
allowed Sarah and the guys she was with to get off. So I'm quite glad I
got off when I did anyway, and I think I shall avoid travelling on the
in the future. Although I did take another one back to the hostel
afterwards, and I even got off in the right place this time.

So yes, those are my stories for today. Kampala is very hot. My feet
swelled up most attractively within hours of arriving and have pretty
much stayed that way all the time. I'm not expecting it to change any
time soon. Also my mint choc bars melted upon arrival, as it seems has
my face cream, and I am expecting the same from my vaseline although
fingers crossed it might still be useable.

I had a shower at about 6.30 tonight and am now basically just waiting
up in the hope that my hair dries before going to bed. Also I met
another Jessica. Or Jessie. And what is it about men who are travelling
who feel the need to grow the biggest beards they possibly can?

27.01.10 More Kampala

So, Let me begin with the bus trip from Nairobi to Kampala. I met a
young boy (he looked about 17, I felt very old) wearing a scraggly
t-shirt that hung off him making him look very gap-yeary. His name was
Joe and he'd just come from Mombasa overnight (must have been a bus
journey as that would have been bizarrely early for the train) and
hadn't actually spent any time in Nairobi, and then there were a dutch
couple who had also just arrived (from dutchy-land) and come straight to
catch the bus t o Uganda. I think her name was Fleur, but his I can't
remember. They leaped off the bus just after we passed the Nile (ah the
Nile :) looking very excited at their spontaneity. I made some wibbly
wobbly notes on the coach as we went along. I was on the Akamba bus, for
all those interested for future use. 2000 Kenyan shillings and it only
took 13 and a half hours...... *yawn*
About half an hour after we had left we were stopped by the police. I
think the driver was supposed to have stopped sooner, because the big
man policeman came and stood alongside the drivers window, a couple of
meters away so he could see him (it was a proper coach hight bus) and
pointed at him while shouting a stream of very angry kiswahili at him.
Eventually another police woman arrived, looking oddly familiar (I might
have seen them on the way back from Pokot a couple of days earlier, it
was the same route) and then the akamba guys who were on the coach got
off, as did the driver, and they were all having a rather heated
conversation, although the one akamba guy was laughing quite a lot. Then
at some stage through the shouting and arm waving the angry policeman
grabbed the driver by his belt (he had his arms in the air for some
reason, so his belt was exposed) and dragged him off with the others
following once they realised (and stopped laughing) to somewhere out of
sight. So we were sat there for a while and then the bus started and the
other akamba guys came back up the inside of the bus laughing their
heads off - they must have all got on at the passenger entrance - and we
were back underway. So, at some stage in about the first hour I got
bored and realised that my travel sickness tabs were working quite well,
so I got my book out, which I managed to finish before we got to the
border even though I was only halfway through. Good book. Saving Grace
it was called. Set in Ireland. Made me cry a bit though, even on the bus
(I was very sneakily trying to wipe the tears from my face but I think
the bloke next to me still thought I was nuts). It was very funny, but
also very sad in places, which I think make the sad bits even sadder.
She was trying to get over her brother's death y'see, but she didn't
really know it, and she was also in a relationship with a guy who was a
bit of an arse, and yeah, very good book. Anyway, once I'd finished I
was back to watching the sights as we drove through Kenya. It was very
green. And there was a really strange part which looked like the hills
had been made by someone piling up loads of large boulders which stood
with grass growing up around them at odd angles all over the place.
There were also lots of people by the sides of the road breaking up
rocks into mounds of glittering grey gravel.
I also listened to my iPod. I had it on shuffle and listened to some
great stuff on the way, including some common rotation which I hadn't
heard for ages, and listening to Jordan's sax solo while watching Kenya
went past was pretty amazing. I could have listened to him all day, just
amazing. Something also came on that I thought, ooh, what is this, I
don't know what it is yet but I know I really like it, and then it
turned out to be Revolution by Marconis Voodoo which I realised once
they started playing. Aw, I wish they'd recorded more stuff, they could
have done great things *puts on melodramatic voice*.
Anyway, we finally stopped at the border at about 3.30 I guess. We had
to queue up with leaving cards and get our passports stamped, and then
walk across a small patch of ground, through another gate at the other
side, and queue up again on the Ugandan side. I gave the woman my
passport and then he demanded $50 and disappeared with them both. When
she eventually came back (by which time I'd instructed Joe and the
dutchies that they just needed to queue up and give them money and they
let you in) I had a brand and possibly spanking new Ugandan Visa in my
passport. So now I have about 5 pages taken up by multiple Ugandan and
Kenyan visas. Thankfully I won't have to have a new one when I go back
into Kenya as my single entry one will still be valid and they don't
count going to Uganda leaving properly. Which is ace. Not that I'd have
to pay for it again, but it was bad enough trying to convince the guy
last time that I really was just a tourist, I don't want to try it again.

We finally left the border at about 4pm, while I craved ready salted
hula hoops. Then we stopped after a few meters. I think we'd lost
someone. So I ate my packet of salt and vinegar lays, which tasted
vaguely stale and were only a month away from their munch by date. Just
as we started to hear the call for prayer (presumably from a nearby
mosque) another couple of people got on and we left. Again. This time at
4.15pm. Then we were on the road non-stop apart from letting people off
and on until Kampala. As we came in I saw big signs advertising flights
to Juba for $150. We did meet a lot of Ugandans working there.

Anyway, so I arrived in Kampala, Joe was heading off to the Red Chilli
Hideaway (which has a pool, I almost wish I'd gone there now, must find
one near here) and I found a taxi to bring me here. So I arrived at
Kampala Backpackers hostel at about 9pm and checked in. The reception is
also the bar (I'm sat next to it at the moment) and there is music which
started out quite quiet earlier, but is now reasonably loud. So she
showed me to my room, which is, umm, quite small. It looks a bit like a
cell, no windows and the bit where it connects to the room has an open
barred space at the top. Nice. Just space for a bed, a plastic chair and
a small coffee table about a foot square. I just about unpacked enough
to get cleaned up and go to bed and then collapsed under the (slightly
smelly and patched up with duct tape) mosquito net. I didn't have the
greatest night's sleep, I might try the ear plugs tonight. As well as
the eye mask, or I could just see if I can turn the light off in the
adjoining room. Hmm, how thrilling is my train of thought!?

So I awoke before my alarm this morning. And eventually decided to get
up when I heard other people moving around. I had a cold shower, whoever
claimed there was hot water was cruelly stretching the truth. I think
there might have been hot in the one next to me though. But apparently
there is in the showers around the other side of the building. I would
have to take clothes with me there though, no running back to my room in
a towel if I have to come all the way through the bar! Lol. Then I had
coffee, and mooched around checking the place out. Then I saw someone
order tea and toast, so I found out that toast was also only 1000
Ugandan shillings (UGsh from now on! The sign for shillings is actually
a slash and = or possible -, but my slash key doesn't work any more so
I'll just write UGsh, oh, and it's approx 3000Ugsh to the pound - my
pound sign seems to have been replaced with a # which is most annoying)
and ordered some of that. It was quiet nice, I had it with jam so I
can't be sure, but I think it was sweet bread again. Fab. So that will
be my breakfast from now on.

Then after fuffing, going online, having a gander at the uganda guide,
and brushing my teeth while trying to explain to a pretty african girl
in a towel what my listerine was so she could translate it to the lady
who was replacing the toilet rolls, I set off for the museum. This
required a 'taxi' ride into town (these taxis are actually the same as
kenyan matatus, so a minibus which is falling apart that they cram full
of people, only in Kenya they have route numbers, and where they go is
written on the matatu, even if sometimes they decide not to - the other
day James got on a 48 to get to Kileleshwa which instead of turning off
went all the way up some other route so he actually ended up near Othaya
road instead - but the Ugandan ones are called taxis, or shared taxis,
and they have nothing on them to indicate where they are going, you just
have to stop them and ask, and hope) followed by a walk through one of
the most crowded streets I've ever seen past some shops which were
spilling out onto the pavement, and matatus that were parked spilling up
onto the pavement, and 'ooh, that's a pretty skirt' until I got to a bit
where I decided to cross the road and ask, and got pointed, and so
followed a line of stationary matatus until I found the beginning, which
was (I believe) the 'Old Taxi Park' and after some asking around I found
one to take me to the Musuem. I was the last person on so we left
straight away, and the tout stopped us in the right place and pointed me
in the right direction. Lovely. By this time though it was getting on
for 10am. So I walked past the familiar craft shops and thoughful
statues and went round to the entrance where I was told that Jackie was
out. Damn. So anyway, i had a wander round until she arrived. Much
better to look around when you haven't just been on an overnight flight.
Then we chatted, she told me what was happening with the stores, took me
down to see it etc. The old store room is next to another room which is
currently used by a carpenter, who was being asked to move by tomorrow
so we can get started. Hmmm. The room is full of tables and wooden
things all over the place at the moment. Not sure why a museum needs an
on-site carpenter, but hey ho. Just outside the entrance to the store
room is a big pile of boxes, and a smaller pile of black bags, which are
all splitting open spewing their pottery contents all over the place.
Very sad sight. And apparently that is the stuff without records.
Amazingly, all the stuff IN the room has records. Apparently. Shelves
and shelves and piles and piles of boxes of all shapes and sizes, in no
particular order. So then we went back up to Jackie's office where she
showed me the records, which consist of one large book where everything
that was left in the museum from about 1959 until 1974 has been entered
in there, and then it stops. There is also a paper folder with pages and
typed pages of columns of numbers preceded by A (I think these are the
accession numbers) with occasional headings like 'Ntusi'. Although
nothing seems to be in any particular order. And then there is the index
card catalogue. Which seems to just be a load of index cards, some with
things written on them which could be of use, some with nothing but
'handaxe' written on them. And that is it. Oh, unless you could the
loose papers in the back of the accession record which consists of
letters and random stuff, including a letter from Justin Willis (former
director of the biea) about an unspecified artefact that had been found,
and one from Andrew Reid asking permission to remove some stuff from the
country for analysis. All veeery interesting. Or should I say
terrifying. From this and the occasional scribble on the boxes
downstairs I have to put together a comprehensive catalogue. Eeek!

Anyway, bla bla bla. Went and met with Rose (who everyone refers to as
'Madam') and then was promised lunch after Jackie had just written one
email sending something to someone. But the attachment wouldn't attach,
so I was waiting for at least half an hour before we left. We went over
the road to have a buffet lunch which consisted of the typical Ugandan
fare. I even got some nut sauce in there. Then we came back over to the
museum and Jackie took me in to the museum restaurant where museum staff
have their food subsidised, and she introduced me to a couple of people
there so that I can also get cheap lunch (a plate from the buffet for
3000 UGsh) one of whom is called Maureen, must remember for tomorrow.
Then I headed off into town as there was nothing for me to do until the
carpenter has vacated the space. I managed to get the taxi into town,
although I'm still not certain where it dropped me off. But I found
myself on Kampala road, so had a wander around trying to familiarise
myself with where things are. I now know where the market is and I even
found the shoprite supermarket and bought some juices and stuff, I was
very thirsty at the time and the cold juices were so good. Then I found
the new Taxi Park, and asked around until someone pointed me at the one
that was gonna go past the backpackers hostel when it finally left. But
there was no tout around for it, so I just got on. Silly. I won't make
that mistake again. The guy, despite me telling him I was going to
Backpackers and him nodding, didn't stop when I should have got off. I
was looking out for it, and we didn't go past it, but I realised later
that it had turned off just before it, so I ended up on the fecking
thing all the way into nowhere, and then back out again. On the way back
out it picked up a new load of passengers, one of which insisted on
talking to me. He was a middle aged guy who claimed he went to Oxford to
study engineering or something and who asked if he could pay my dowry,
and if I would come and live with him in Kampala. Then when I got off he
was asking when he was going to see me again, etc. I'm kind of getting
used to this kind of attention over here, and I don't mean that in a
vain 'everyone loves me' kinda way, because it's all a game for them.
It's just like a big joke, and I just go along with it now and laugh
along with them, because it saves getting frustrated. However, nothing
will ever compare to my first "I love you more than chicken" from the
guy on the way to Baringo. There has never been a compliment like it! :)
Lol.

So anyway, I have basically spent the last 5 hours sat here, at this
table in the bar of the hostel, because there are no plug sockets in any
of the rooms, so to go on my laptop I have to plug in to one of the two
tables here. The guy on the other table has been here equally as long as
me, possibly even longer. I'm curious as to what he is doing. I've been
trying (unsuccessfully) to download and install open office on this
laptop. For some reason the download didn't work or something, and my
airtime is limited as I have to pay for it, so I guess I will just have
to make my list in notepad and transfer it into an excel sheet when I
get back to Nairobi. I have an exercise book with me so I will just use
that and type up in the evenings or something. At least it gives me
something to do other than ramble away on here. Although I do still have
most of those emails left to write. I'll get round to them slowly maybe.
I am planning to walk to the museum tomorrow. I have poured over the map
and written down detailed destructions. I reckon it's about 5kms. At
least. hmmmm. Well if it's too far then I can catch taxis back here in
the afternoon, but at least I will know then, and it'll give me some
exercise, and i'll be getting to know kampala a bit better as it's
always hard when you're trying to peer out of a matatu window.

Right, well I suppose I should send this and then go and attend to the
mound of clothes and products that is all over my bed. I didn't really
feel like unpacking neatly this morning. I think I will try and put
things neatly on the chair or something. That room is so cell like I
don't think i'll be spending much time in there, but when I don't need
to be plugged in there are comfy sofas, well, maybe only one that
actually looks comfy, where I can sit and read, or whatever. One thing I
might try and do is organise all of my photos into folders that can just
be uploaded onto tinternet with a few easy clicks. But that might have
to be done on another computer as this one won't instal the Jalbum
program James recommended because of my Java issues. Damn Java. But
hopefully I'll get them uploaded before I head back home and things get
really hectic anyway!!!

Right, Night folks. Sorry this has been another really long one! And I
haven't even really done anything yet!!!
xx

Kampala

Oh dear, I have a feeling staying here could be not as nice as I
expected. For a start I had no hot shower. And it's a bit noisy in the
evening. I was shattered last night so basically just went to bed as
soon as I got here. Also the website was misleading about the internet.
I'm debating going to have a look at Red Chilli but that would mean
paying more for a single room and I would have to somehow get my stuff
all the way across town again trying not to pay for a taxi. Hmm.
Alternatively there is somewhere behind the museum which they will show
me today, so I might see how much that is and if Matt is ok about me
going over my meagre accommodation budget. Well actually I'm allowed up
to $20 a night but I didn't bring that much with me, so we'll see what I
can do.
Right, I suppose I had better finish my coffee and head off. I wonder
how much toast is...
Send me lovely messages people! I feel the need to hear from friends
already!
xx

Back to Nairobi cont...

So, we drove back to Nairobi. We listened to random stuff on my iPod with me trying to judge what Matt might want to listen to, occasionally chatting about various random things. We didn't stop for lunch so that we would get back in good time, and then when we were about 2hrs from Nairobi we hit rain. And I really mean RAIN. It was chucking it down for a few miles as we went over the higher ground. And the landrover isn't exactly waterproof. I got leaked on. Made it back in about 7 hours, and then hit traffic as we came into Nairobi so it was about 2.45 when I got dropped off at the guest house. Matt took the packed landrover home as he couldn't be bothered to unpack it then, especially I think as there were only the two of us by that point (he dropped Chris off down the road, where the cheeky bugger asked for money for lunch despite being paid more than the majority of kenyan's even dream of being paid while being away, I think he actually got more in one day than my entire allowance for the whole two weeks) and even with the help of Bernard (the askari) it would have been too much effort.
So, I got back in, sat down and had a brief relax. There was no-one around so I unpacked all my bags (very rare for me to do that straight away, but I figured because I'm going away again so soon I probably should) and put some washing on. I went to the Kasuku centre to buy some stuff for dinner, and mince was on offer at the butchery so I decided on spag bol for dinner. Umm, then I think I came back and read a bit while my washing was finishing then hung it out. When I came back in I heard noises from my room upstairs so I went up and found Hannah was back, so we caught up. Basically it was a slow evening. I met the new guy, Jacob (pronounced Ya-kob) who is dutch with a very lovely ducth accent. I think I've decided I like the dutch accent. Anyway, we were all (me, Han, James & Jacob) sat chatting downstairs, and at about 9pm I decided I needed my bed, so I went up to get an early night. Definitely worth it. Not sure why I was so tired, but I slept a good 10 hours.

Sunday - I woke up at about 7.30 this morning, but stayed in bed until about 8.30 when hannah's alarm went off. I was planning on sleeping more but as I hadn't fallen back asleep since I first woke up I decided I might as well get up and get things done. Not sure what happened about that. I had a leisurely breakfast and then awkwardly washed my hair over the bath as we have no hot water at the moment. They're fixing things apparently. Which obviously means that more goes wrong in the meantime and we have holes in walls and wires hanging out all over the place. I also put another load of washing on, and Hannah invited me out with her and James as they were going to meet up with Amber and Neil (a couple, both of whom stayed at the guest house indiviually last year). So at about 12 we all set off for town, we were meeting them by the National Archives at 1pm. We decided to walk, which was nice, and were only about 10 minutes late meeting them. Then they took us on another walk to an indian place for lunch where we had the most delicious chick-pea curry ever. It was so so tasty. Not too hot at all, just really tasty. So we were actually there for about 2 hours mainly chatting, and we had Masala chai. Then we left and Hannah, james and I were going to go into Eastleigh, and as I hadn't been I said I would go. But we popped into Amber & neil's place first to see where they live. It's a very cute little place. Two rooms, an itty bitty kitchen and smaller bathroom which they (I say they, I mean probably just Amber, she seems like the kind of person who just has exquisite taste) have decorated beautifully.

From there we caught a bus to Eastleigh, which is the more Somali area of Nairobi. It was very very dusty. And very muslim. It was thriving and bustly, even on a Sunday while the centre of Nairobi was dead, and the sights and smells kept making me think of Egypt. We didn't stay long, just had a quick look around, James was looking for shorts and I was looking for a skirt, but the others weren't really hanging around when I wanted to stop and look at things so I didn't have the chance to find anything. We stopped at a cafe, where we were ushered into a curtained room, which we figured later is probably for women to be hidden away in, and drank watermelon and avocado juice, which was really tasty, although we then all got a bit paranoid about if it had been watered down and we were going to be really ill from it. Well, the other two were, I wasn't really bothered. I've eaten so much local stuff in the last couple of months it probably wouldn't have much effect on me. Anyway, then we got another bus back into town, James bought some shorts from a woman while we were stopped in traffic, and we stopped in nakumat on our way through town to buy wine and beer, and I also offered to cook James dinner, although I can't quite remember why.
So we decided to walk back to the guest house, and along the way James said he was going to go and meet Reynolds in a pub around the corner from the Kasuku centre and asked if we wanted to join him. I said no because I really had to get back and carry on with this, and then the power was off, and you know the rest. And now it is 11.59pm, and I'm quite sleepy, and have to be up early for work tomorrow. Fun times.
I have just downloaded something called JAlbum though, which James promises will revolutionise my ability to post photos for everyone to see, so as well as reply to everyone who has emailed me I will also attemt to upload all my photos while I'm in Uganda. I envisage many lonely nights in on my own. Of course I will probably end up being busy the whole time, but here's hoping for an even balance.
Night folks
x

Eldoret and return to Nairobi

Well, I don't really have that much time to update at the moment. Being back in Nairobi suddenly means I'm being invited out to places, and I'm trying to change my habit of saying no when invited out. Being here means I seem to be very busy without really having time to do very much, because people are always demanding of time.

I managed to write about half a sentence before having to go put my washing out and then it was time to go, at about 12. Now it is 6.40 and I've just got back. It was a nice day actually. Will maybe get to that later. But now we have no power, so I only have about 40 minutes to write as much as I can. Hmmm.

So, My last morning in Kapenguria consisted of breakfast at the "Royal Hotel" where there is nothing even remotely royal about it. I wanted to try and have coffee without quite so much milk, as usually they just serve you hot milk with a sachet of coffee, so I asked for black coffee with a little milk. Which he didn't understand. But we got there in the end. So then we walked back to the hotel and the others were going to be pot and bone washing while Matt and I went to the museum. (btw, has anyone else EVER had to wash bone before? I've always been told not to!) So he asked me to get them started cos we weren't going to go to the museum for half an hour, so I did, and we got all set up, eventually, despite Emmanuel disappearing and Chris behaving like a twit (Leila's words not mine, but very true) which I can't be arsed to go into because it was just so pathetic. The staff were most interested in what we were doing and pronounced it as something mzungu mzungu, which basically meant it was very very white person, or strange even for a white person, or something like that. Amused us at the time anyway.

So Matt and I went to the Museum, 10 minutes late cos he seemed incapable of being on time that day, to meet with Onjala (sp?) who is head of the area for NMK, and Phoebe who is in charge of Kapenguria Museum. So we had our little meeting, and it all went well, we discussed ideas for what needed doing, quotes for things, timescales and what I was going to do and what Phoebe was going to do. Then we had a walk around the museum and we suggested a few things and talked about ideas. Then back to the office to talk about the relaunch event, which I am not going to be there for. *sniff sniff* It's going to be at the beginning of April, and I'm going back in March. So it's kind of sad that there was still stuff I could be doing and yet I didn't feel I could extend my stay for any longer, and now I sort of wish I were going to be here longer. Actually, even without anything else, with even the slimmest possibility of me getting funding for the MA, if I were to get an interview it would be in the first few weeks of March so I should really be around just in case. Also I do really miss home now, and I am looking forward to being back, but for the ability to stay longer missing home is a sacrifice I could make.
Anyway, back to the museum. We discussed the relaunch, and then were leaving at about 12.45 and Onjala asked if we wanted to go to lunch, which Matt agreed on but he would have to bring the rest of the team along as well. So we went back to the hotel, but because of how long it was going to take me to get to Eldoret and how little time I would have with Sarah as it was I left almost straight away. I packed up the last of my things and put my back in Leila's room for her to pack, and went to ask Grace if I could buy the popples pillowcase from the hotel (have I mentioned the Popples pillowcase? In the room I was moved to it was on the pillow! I got very excited and had to show Leila, who had obviously never heard of popples being 5 years younger than me). She wouldn't take anything for it though, so yay! I have a popples pillowcase! If I had had more time I would have asked if she knew about the rest of the bedding, if there were a duvet cover or anything. But the thought of trying to explain 'duvet' to someone who might not have ever seen one in that part of the country, put me off slightly, I just didn't have the time!

So I finally got on a matatu bound for Kitale where I would change at about 1.30, and it was leaving imminently so that was very good. Got to Kitale in about 45 minutes and the a matatu for eldoret was right next to me, so I got on there, although it was practically empty so I had to wait 15 mins for it to leave. The journey was really short though, it only took about an hour and a half so I was with Sarah before too long. And i got to meet the legendary Fawouse (sp? again!) who is her contact who gets her interviews, and translates and stuff. He's VERY charming, I can tell why Sarah gets her little giggle on when she's talking to him on the phone. So he was telling me stories about himself for a little while, staring intensely into my eyes (he does have quite nice eyes) all the time. Crazy guy but apparently he calms down once he knows you and I can tell he's actually quite nice, even with his scary past (I won't go into it now, but Sarah is doing research into the post election violence).

So then Sarah and I wandered off in search of somewhere to stay. We asked in the White Castle Motel but it was 3000ksh for a double room which was a bit too much, and it was on the main road so would probably be noisy. So we walked to find the White Highlands Inn, which was much more reasonable at 2000ksh, and seemed quieter as it was on a quieter street out of the centre. It was a nice room actually, seemed like luxury. Well, it only had the one damp patch on the ceiling and the bathroom actually had a bath in it, this equals luxury.
< right, I'm back for a third burst. The power is back on and I have both cooked and eaten dinner, I even cooked for both myself and James, and it wasn't too bad. The problem with trying to cook British things here is that I can never get the right ingredients to make it taste nice. anyway...>
So after finding our hotel, unpacking our few clothes and having a quick look in the guidebook, we decided on a Plan Of Action. This involved going into town and going to Nakumat to buy wine and junk food, which we did. We also had to buy a corkscrew as we had no other means of opening the wine. Then we went down the road a bit further and found Will's Pub and Restaurant, which the Lonely Planet guide had billed as being like being in an English pub. It wasn't. The upstairs was slightly cosier, with wooden tables, but that was full so we had to go downstairs (where Nyama Choma - roast meat - was available!) with plastic tables and a big sign for a disco around the corner in bright lights. We had steak, which we were unsure about what it was going to be like, or even if we were going to get the right food as the waiter didn't seem to understand a word of english, even english pointing. But we were pleasantly surprised when the food arrived. Mine was a bit chewy but tasted amazing. And I ordered it with mash because the menu said I could have it, but the waiter came back and told me there was no mash. There were roast potatoes though, although why they can have potatoes but not be able to do mash I don't know.
Anyway, we ate, and chatted, and then ate some more (we had ordered chips on the side and the roasties were huge and many so I ate a LOT of potato) then went back to the hotel. We caught a taxi as we weren't sure if it was safe to walk around or not after dark, and it only cost 150ksh so it was ok. Then back in the hotel room we went down to reception and had to ask for an extra towel and an extra glass. They were most confused. Strange mzungu. So we chatted and drank, and ate our chocolate and chocolate hobnobs (amazing) with snippets of tuning in to the rubbish tv that was on the one channel that our tv could pick up. Some strange soap slash crime drama thing with a few people, including two british guys, who looked so familiar and we cursed not being able to imdb them. All in all we had a very good evening and didn't get to sleep until 1am, which was actually a good thing as there was a very rowdy crowd outside making loads of noise until not long before then anyway.

I texted Matt at about 11pm asking him to let me know when they were leaving the next morning and if they could pick me up from the police station as it was closer, and we'd already agreed that I would be at the meeting place for 9.30. I didn't hear back from him in the morning, and so we got up at 8am ready to shower and go down for (included) breakfast. We had a couple of issues as the shower didn't work so we had to have a couple of quick warm baths instead, and quick doesn't really work with running a bath. So it was about 8.40 by the time we got down for breakfast, and I still hadn't heard from Matt. So we ordered and were sat chatting, and then Sarah rang Fawouse to see when their interview was, and while she was on the phone Matt rang me. At about 8.50. To tell me they were going to be there in 15 minutes as the drive had been quicker than expected and could I be there for then. I said we'd just ordered breakfast but that I would try and he moaned something about wanting to get back on the road as fast as possible to get back early. Twit. If he'd texted me when he left like I asked him to then I would have been ready already! Grrrrr. The whole reason I asked him to was because it had even been quicker than expected for the matatu so I wanted to know how much time I had. Gah, men are annoying. Anyway, we decided not to wait for breakfast and got up to leave, just as breakfast arrived. So we wolfed down our egg and sausage, leaving the tea and coffee *sniff* and then legged it back upstairs to grab bags and run. By the time we got there I was about 5 minutes late and Matt had been around the block once, but 5 mins is nothing really so never mind. Said goodbye to Sarah (*more sniffs*) and the got in the landrover for the long drive back to Nairobi. Luckily in the front though. The back was rammed full of stuff, but as Chris was the only other person travelling with us he offered the front to me.

Anyway, gonna go make a quick phone call if tinternet allows, and be back to finish Saturday later.

21/01/10

Oooh, well now. Today Leila and I went to site because it was the last day of excavations. They had gone down loads in the extended area, but then we went down even further. We basically did a lot of me & Leila trowelling for a bit, and then Chris, Matt or Abel hacking at the solid stuff with a jembe, and then we’d swap again. Fairly dull day until the end really. We came down on the exciting layer, just as we had to close the site cos it was getting too late. It was full of bone, and Matt took a charcoal sample to date so he can see if it’s exciting enough to go back and hack out the rest of it.
So then we covered it, which was difficult as it was no longer a trench, it was just sort of an open void. But we did the best we could, I don’t think the covering will last though. But yeah, it was very dusty work. And then we had the blessing, which Emmanuel took some photos of with Matt’s camera so I’ll try and get them off him at some point. So the mzee and a couple of other fairly old guys were there, and one of their wives, and a 10 litre jerry can of beer. It was millet beer brewed locally by the guy who lived next to the school or something. Anyway, the mzee took some branches and chanted some stuff while we sat with our hands out and he kinda slapped the branches (just small leafy things really) onto our outstretched palms, and then onto our heads, and the other guys chimed in for the odd word. No idea what he was saying, but it had something to do with asking the ancestors to bless us or something. All the while the others were drinking much beer. And then one of the other guys came up to chant some stuff. And then Emmanuel came over to translate that we were welcome for bringing knowledge, and they hoped we would remember them and stuff. It was all quite lovely at the end. Then we drank some pombe. Well, I had a couple of sips because it still tasted like beer, although not as bad a s some. Because it was made of finger millet it was browny and cloudy, and it also tasted faintly lemony. It would have been quite nice if it weren’t for that distinct beer taste. We drank it out of small calabashes though, which was cool. Except for the mzee, who was pouring it into a water bottle and must have had about 5 in the short time we were there.

Anyway, that was about it today. We were quite late back so everyone else was late for dinner. Emmanuel and I ended up eating by ourselves for a while. Which was a bit awkward as I think he finds it hard to talk to me. Which isn’t unusual. I find it hard to make small talk generally, when it’s someone as random as Emmanuel it’s even harder.

Ah, early night for me I think. Utterly shattered today. Tomorrow I have a busy day of museum meeting and then getting a bus to Eldoret. And then Matt is picking me up at about 9am on Saturday morning! Yikes that’s early! Should mean we get back to Nairobi in fairly good time though. So no update tomorrow. Then over the weekend I have many many things to do. Including making a couple of calls. Mum, I shall call you either Saturday or Sunday!
I’m quite looking forward to Eldoret now. My first solo journey, and it’s not even that solo really. I’ll just be catching the matatu on my own, and then meeting Sarah as soon as I get there. We haven’t booked anywhere to stay but we have names of a few places and it should be easy enough to find somewhere once we get there. Excellent. Right, bed soon. Although I have a late start tomorrow. Breakfast isn’t until 8am. Woop! Lie in!

Night all
x

20/01/10

Right then. Good morning folks, although I don’t intend to go online to post this until tonight, so perhaps Good evening would be better.
I’ve had a fairly busy few days. Although I find that when I’m here all day I don’t write an update in the evenings like I do when I’ve been on site all day. Which is why I’m doing it now at the beginning of my procrastinating. On Monday I got dropped off at the crossroads by Matt and walked to Kapenguria to finish the note taking and photo taking. It’s quite a nice walk and I didn’t get too much hassle. So I was there for the morning finishing up, and then caught a matatu back to Makutano.
I came back to the hotel and did a little bit of work before lunch. Leila made food and directed me in chopping. She really is amazing with food. Really nice fresh stuff that just makes you feel good about eating. I think we had avocado, and leftover rice egg fried with some cabbage and carrots and stuff. Lunch takes quite a while with both of us, as we inevitably end up chatting quite a lot. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon until dinner time on the laptop, half writing up my notes and half emailing. Then dinner and Leila and I went and sat round the back of the kitchen building where there is a ledge with a drop down to some gardens, and we talked about all sorts of stuff. I’m so glad she’s been around these last two weeks. I would have gone insane if I’d just had Chris, Emmanuel and Matt for company.

So yesterday I basically spent the day writing up notes again. In-between emailing again. I had a productive morning but then Leila and I went out at about 12 to buy some stuff around the town, and had a wander around the market looking at clothes. They’re all pretty gastly here. Then we came back and made lunch, again a Leila concoction involving avocado and a carrot, tomato and cabbage salad, with a dressing which was just squeezed lemon with salt and pepper, but so tasty! And she made Ugali chips (she wants to patent the idea) which is basically leftover ugali cut into slices and fried in oil that you’ve flavoured with garlic. Amazing. So by the time we had finished lunch it was 2pm, and I was quite sleepy (I had been up since 6 after not getting to bed until late) so I had a little nap. Or tried to anyway, it’s hard when you brain is reeling at 90miles an hour. So then I carried on writing up notes until dinner again, but because I wasn’t going to finish in time I had to make a brief list of stuff to talk to Matt about.
So after dinner, which was nowhere near Leya’s normal standard (she’s the lady who works here, who cooks for us every night) I went and had a quick natter to Leila over a cigarette behind the kitchen again (it’s a really good place to sit and chill) before going to talk to Matt about the museum stuff. So Matt and I were talking museum for ages, with a couple of brief stops while Laura rang him (his wife) to tell him the car had broken down while she had no battery on her phone, but luckily after sitting there panicking for about 20 minutes someone from school came along and rescued her. And then later Sarah rang me back as I’d tried calling her earlier to tell her that I can visit her on Friday. So Matt and I finally finished discussing museum stuff sometime after 9pm. Then we got Leila in cos we want her to do a couple of things for us while she’s doing her market project over the next few weeks. Then I sat while she showed him her interview and survey sheet things she’d put together, before realizing how tired I was and going to bed. Of course, I had to read for a while in bed, so it wasn’t until nearly 11 that I actually went to sleep. And then up at 6am again this morning!

I went into the museum to get a couple of last minute photos, and I was going to talk to the guide but he was nowhere around and I couldn’t be bothered to wait to see him, so I’ll talk to him when we’re there tomorrow as that should be a little more or a sociable time. I caught a matatu back here and was back by 9am! So I sat and had some tea while reading for a bit before starting work. Which technically I haven’t actually done yet. So today I need to finish my notes, go through Matt’s many photos he’s given me to find anything that might be relevant, and try to make a comprehensive list of suggestions. And possibly start to decide how the boards could be re-arranged in the Pokot gallery. Fun times. I’m avoiding then internet today though, so I might get more done. I’ll just write a list of all the things I want to do later, like look up somewhere to stay in Eldoret.

So yeah, I’m going to leave on Friday instead of Saturday so that I can meet up with Sarah in Eldoret. She’s having a difficult time at the moment, finding her research hard to do without being able to understand much Swahili, and she’s just getting really frustrated and generally longing for a friendly face. So I’m going to stop by on the way through. I’ll get a matatu from here at lunchtime on Friday, although I’ll probably have to change in Kitale, but hopefully it should only take 3 hours at the most. Then we’re going to catch a film, or buy a dvd or something to watch with a bottle of wine and have a girly night in, and I’ll try and convince her to stay with me so she gets a proper night off from being with the guys. Then I’ll be picked up by Matt when he passes through Eldoret on the way back to Nairobi on Saturday morning. Hopefully not too early though.

Right, now for a cup of coffee and then I really will start working.

After lunch: Well, I have done some work. I’m completely finished with all the writing up, and I even have the beginning of a list of suggestions. The meeting with the museum guy is now back to Friday, but it’s going to be at 10am so I should be able to go straight from there to catch a matatu so it shouldn’t be too bad. I’m quite looking forward to getting back to Nairobi though. My skin has taken a bad reaction to something or another here, and I’m longing for my e45 cream which I stupidly left at the guest house. I also can’t wait to have a nice long bath. Once back on Saturday I will then have two days before I go to Uganda. In which time I have to unpack, do all my washing, go to Adams arcade and buy a pair of converse (there’s a stall in the middle of the market which must have about 100 pairs of converse of all different styles hanging from each other by their laces) as the converse type things I bought with me have all but died now. There are so many holes in them that there barely any actual shoe left. But I’ll only buy them if they are either very cheap or quite nice ones which I will then bring back to the UK with me. I’m already planning what I’m going to take and what I’m going to leave behind. And god knows when I’ll get the chance to buy all the presents I wanted to buy. I was hoping to get stuff from the markets up here but I haven’t actually had the chance to go to any yet. Maybe when I come up next time I’ll find somewhere. Anyway, I digress. Before Uganda… I then have to make a budget, book my bus ticket, get all the money I will need to take with me, pack again (I really hope it’s not going to be raining still in Nairobi – I need my clothes to dry!) and try to figure out what they hell I’m supposed to be doing out there. Eek!

Even later (about 5pm): So Leila and I went shopping earlier, talking constantly the whole time. We were talking about masters and applications and stuff, and I barely noticed where we were going so we ended up going in the wrong direction for the market. We bought loads, carrots, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, bananas, avocado (they have huge ones which are 20shillings but so tasty that they are worth every penny) and eggs (10 shillings each! So expensive! And we bought 20!) and meat, oh and milk. And we spent 560 shillings, which is about £4.70. Would sound a lot cheaper if it weren’t for the mega expensive eggs I suppose. In the process of all this shopping I became very jealous of Leila’s ability to speak Swahili. She has been learning a lot longer than me, and she’s a very confident type of person so she uses it quite regularly even if she’s getting things wrong. But yes, very jealous because she’s already built up relationships with all the people she goes to for particular food stuffs because she can just speak that bit of Swahili. I was hoping to go back to Nairobi and have 3 weeks worth of lessons after Uganda, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to as Matt is talking about being here again for 2 weeks, which would be impossible because I have so much research to do back in Nairobi before I can come up.

Anyway, I’ve been going through photos that Matt has given me most of the afternoon, picking out stuff that we might be able to use in the gallery. It’s quite cool. There are some really good ones, and some interesting ones from the Kapenguria Museum so I could see how some of the displays have changed, although he didn’t have any of the Pokot gallery which would have been useful! It was good seeing some of the photos from the excavations he did before though, seeing as I’ve heard so much about them already. And seeing pictures from the first time he came to Morpus. I’m intrigued to see how much the site has gone down now actually, they’ve taken out the whole other side of the site where it went into the gulley apparently. Interesting. Maybe I’ll go back tomorrow. I also found some photos of Dave when he was here a few years ago. Very funny, he really looked like a rugby player back then! Huuge shoulders and neck. Heh heh, talking of people looking funny, the guys just came back from site and Matt was orange from head to toe. The wind had been blowing the dust back at him from the section and it was a particularly orange bit, so his hair and face and beard were all orange, as were his clothes. Leila and I wished we’d taken a photo.
I also had some guy who works for the Ministry of Education talking to me earlier. I know I have the door to my room open but it’s mainly for light and ventilation, it doesn’t really mean please come and talk to me. Anyway, he might be a useful contact as he works with the schools in Pokot and one of the sections we want to update is finding out how many Pokot kids go to school now and what kind of things they have gone on to do. Anyway, we chatted about our respective work that was bringing us here, and then he had to run off to the post office but promised to come back for ‘more discussion’. I’m hoping that by that time I’m safely ensconced in the kitchen. But he gave me his card anyway, so I will probably get in touch with him to find out if he can help at all.

Anyway, now I’m going to go online, post this, and look up somewhere to stay in Eldoret. Just spoke to Sarah and she was trying to phone round places, but then she just texted and said no one was answering. So I’ll see if there is anything online which isn’t too expensive. Would be nice to stay somewhere with a bar though….

17/01/10

Good evening everyone. I have about 10 minutes before dinner but I can’t really be bothered to go over there just yet so I’m just gonna sit in my room and listen to the rain. Well, it’s not technically raining at the moment but the water is running off the roof into tin containers so it sounds like it still is. I’ve just put my purple shirt on and realised I’ve eaten too much since being here. Gonna have to tone down the carbs. Although some of it is a little bit of muscle, that’s really not enough of an excuse. Damn these Kenyans and their mountains of carbohydrates.

So today I went to site. It’s Sunday though, so we had a lie in, breakfast was supposed to be at 8.15 but we didn’t get out Uji porridge until about 9am, so we were quite late in leaving. Finally got to site at about 10am I think. We had Josie (sp?) and his wife and little girl with us as well. Matt was round the other side (at Morpus South) of the rock with Chris, Abel and a couple of the local guys. They were excavating the furnace that they found. I went to see it just before lunch. It looks quite cool; a big bowl with a lump of stuff in the middle and loads of slag around the place. I was carrying on excavating the trench at Morpus North. On my own. Well, I had Emmanuel, the Mzee (the old guy who owns the land) and another local guy doing the sieving for me, but I basically spent the whole day digging on my own in my little patch of dirt. Lol. I went through context 17 which was a grey ashy smear that was left over from what they did yesterday, then I went onto 18. Which covered the whole available part of the trench, which is only half of it as some of it is covered by the large rock which just kinda juts out of the section over half the trench so we couldn’t dig underneath it. And then next to it on the SW side is context 2, which I don’t think is completely sterile, but it’s very very hard, and seems mostly sterile. Matt thinks what we’re digging through used to be a gully which has since been filled up with sediments and occupation layers before being eroded by another gully. Anyway, 18 went on a bit. And it was very hard in the inner section. The outer section is being eroded and is very fragile in places. But yeah, 18 was a pain. I think I may have found the end of it but only in a small patch and under some very hard stuff which looked at first glance to be the same as 2, but can’t be. So I’ve left that for Matt to do tomorrow.

We left relatively early, packed up at about 3.40 and were down at where the car should have been to meet Matt at 4pm as he’d gone next door (about 5 mins walk) to the school (in the car) to see some of the kids he’s sponsored to go to school. He has this thing about street kids so some of them he’s sponsoring to be put through school. I met one the other day, she seemed very nice and excitable. He finally came back at about 4.30 and we came back to Makutano. There’s a police road block on the way, which we usually go through just fine, but apparently yesterday they were stopped and the car was scanned with something, and they searched the back and looked very aggressive at Matt with their guns. But let them go on their way anyway. Today they just let us through. Weird. Anyway, Matt dropped us off and then went to take Josie, wife & child home. He arrived back as I was stood chatting to Leila outside our rooms and came over to see how Leila had got on. Then he very sincerely thanked me for being there today, especially as I was on my own for most of it, which was very nice.

So now I’m up to date again. I’ve emailed to book my room at the Kampala Backpackers place in Uganda. I’m going for about 2 weeks from the 26th. Tomorrow I’ll be back at the museum, and then I’ll be writing up my notes, probably in the afternoon and the next day. Hopefully not too much longer though. Then hopefully I’ll get to see the site before they close, although if I go on Thursday then I will probably have to help close. :-/ Friday Matt and I are having a meeting with the museum peeps and then I’m going to see if I can go to Eldoret to see Sarah and get picked up on Saturday when they come back through. But we’ll see. I’ll need somewhere cheap to stay in Eldoret and for sarah to not be too busy, and for our meeting to be on Friday morning otherwise I won’t make it in time.

Ok, I think I should go to dinner now! Must post this quickly!

15 & 16/01/10

16/01/10

So yesterday I didn’t get the chance to update, so I’ll try and do both today. It was generally a pretty standard day of excavation. I was on site again, it was very dusty. Matt was trying to dig over our side as well as supervise Joe (Matua) and Chris over the other side where they were looking for furnaces and other interesting stuff. Umm, more planning, more digging. We got to the bog ashy block we could see in the section, and so Leila and I had the fun task of digging through it. It was inches thick in some places, and had some interesting stuff in it. Including some lithics which both Matt and I were very confused about. They look like lithics, but they feel as though they are made out of some very different material. I guess maybe it’ll become clearer once that have been cleaned properly. They were so very ashy that you could barely tell what they were. I may also have enjoyed myself slightly at one point, but we all agreed not to mention it again and forget it ever happened. :P

The only other things that happened on site were us forgetting the drawing kit. No pens, no finds bags, no planning equipment. So Joe had to drive all the way back to Makutano to fetch it, and while he was away we had an eclipse. Well. We didn’t see the eclipse, but he did, because the sun was hidden behind the mountain (Mount Moropus). Apparently he had two shadows!

We were at site a bit late as Matt wanted to get through something or other around the other side, or plan it or something, so they rest of us waited by the car for a while. Finally got back to the hotel at about 6pm. They were supposed to be moving me rooms, but they hadn’t, so I had to fuff around for ages waiting to find out which room was available. Then I finally got a new key for room 105, bottom floor, which means squat toilet, but it has a shower which works which is all I care about when I come back dusty and tired! So I had a shower and then we had dinner, and then went out for a drink courtesy of Matt. But unfortunately we didn’t have a joyous evening. Joe had a phone call and some very bad news. We’d just had drinks delivered and he came in declaring he’d had some bad news as he poured some of his beer into a glass, and then onto the floor and angrily lit a cigarette. It took him a minute but he finally told us he’d been told his dad had died. Very sad news, especially with him so far away. He decided to go back to Nairobi today and apparently he left at 10 to 5 this morning! He’s the oldest of his brothers so he’s now the one who has to do everything. I feel so sad for him, but I learned quite a lot about his family in that short time because of it. One of his brothers is a magistrate in Lodwar (even further away than we are) and his children are away at boarding school. He was talking fondly of how he was there for Christmas, and that they’d all had a great family gathering, and that only earlier on in the day he had driven himself to the chemist to get his medicine (he had problems with his lungs or something) but then stayed at Joe’s house with his wife instead of going the km back to his own house. He called Joe’s wife to ask him to get him some water, and when she came back minutes later he was gone. So sudden!
And so on to happier things, like my day today. Today Leila and I had the day off from the site. Leila was doing application stuff, and I was at Kapenguria museum. We both had a lovely lie in, although we both woke up at 6 when we would have normally, and then heard loads of noise as after 6 it seemed everyone in the hotel left rather noisily. We got up and went to have breakfast at 8. It was nice, the boys had left the place in a bit of a mess, and they’d eaten all the eggs we’d cooked to have for our breakfast so we had to boil some more. But Leila made fruit salad and we had a relaxed coffee. It was lovely! I headed off to the museum at about 9.30. I had to walk left out of the hotel and down the hill, and then back up a bit to where I found the matatus that were going to Kapenguria. They were small car ones rather than big Nissan minibuses. I found one going in my direction and got in the front seat. The driver was most amused at having a mzungu in his car and kept telling people something that had ‘mzungu’ in it. I felt like a celebrity. Especially when a girl got in next to me when we stopped at the petrol station and wanted me to give her my watch to remember me by. I told her she’d have to just keep me alive in her head, to which she replied that she has a bad memory. So I said so do I and what was she going to give me to remember her by. Then she said something to a guy outside, and pointed a guy called Philip out to me and said something about him wanting me or something to that effect. I just laughed along. Then as we got going again she got out. And amazingly I still had my watch on my wrist and everything intact in my bag. They guy in the bag said something like, African are very naughty aren’t they? I said sometimes. And then mzungu are very naughty sometimes too. Hee hee, I was pleased with myself for my small bit of conversation, or at least sticking up for myself a little bit. I really wish I understood more Kiswahili so I could know what they were saying presuming I don’t understand.

So, we got to Kapenguria and I got out and paid my 30 shillings and even recognised where I was going to get to the museum. When I arrived they had been told to expect me, so I got started straight away. I went around the Heroes Gallery taking copious notes and photographs. I had got about halfway when an American couple turned up being guided around, so I stopped for a bit to let them pass. Had a quick chat to the guide whose name might be Andrew, it sounded a little bit like Andrew, but you never can tell here. Then I did the Cherangani Gallery just taking notes first, and then went for lunch before taking the photos. I went and asked Andrew where would be a good place to take lunch, so he took me took a hoteli. Apparently the good one was shut today, so he took me to another one and sat me down outside and went off to send the guy over to take my order. I had ended up sat outside the room with the pool table and was in full view of all the boys inside who I could see kept staring out at me for a while. I had chapatti and sukuma and chai. It was very nice. And only cost me 50 shillings, although I think I may have been overcharged. I went back to the museum, Andrew asked if they had treated me well, and I had a little wander around before going back to photograph the cherangani gallery. I went to see the baboon and vervet (or colubus, I can’t remember what it’s called now) monkeys in their cages. The baboon looked just as crazy as last time.

After I’d finished in the Cherangani Gallery I moved on to the Pokot one. I was very pleased with the amount of notes and ideas I managed to come up with while going around. They are all really small things that either need changing or adding to, but it builds up to quite a lot. I think everything will have to be taken out, the place cleaned, repaired and repainted, and then everything put back again but better and with better labelling. I have a feeling I’m going to play a major role in this. :-/ I only managed to get halfway around with the photos before my battery was on its way out, and there was a bee which kept following me around and so I couldn’t concentrate on what I was doing. I went through the photos when I got back and I’m going to have to redo a few because they were blurred but because I was distracted I didn’t notice. Hmph. I also had a couple of kids come in who pestered me to take photos of them. I took a couple and promised to get them printed and bring them back for them in February. So I left the museum not long after 4 as I was chased out by the bee. Caught a matatu back into Makutano centre and so moseyed around a bit on my way back to the hotel. I bought some Vaseline as my lips and hands are so dry from being on site, and some conditioner as my hair is also very dry and I didn’t bring enough with me. It was only 65 shillings, but I hope it’s good anyway. It’s by a brand called Nice and Lovely. Heh, it had better be!
I’ve not done much this evening. I went through my notes adding the photo numbers from the Pokot gallery that I hadn’t done earlier. I had a quick chat to Matt and offered to come to site tomorrow and then go back to the museum on Monday. He said that would be very useful and he’s gonna have me in charge of one side so he can be round with the furnace they found on the south side. Then I started to read through my camera manual (yes I did bring other reading material with me, but I figured I should learn exactly what everything does at some point as I found a new thing today which allowed me to tell it that I’m on holiday and where I am and stuff. It now keeps telling me I’m on my 93rd day in Kenya) but then Leila came to give me the laptop so I’ve been emailing ever since. In between having dinner and chatting to Leila. She just popped in to see if I’d finished and I’ve just noticed the time, so I’d better get online and actually get all these emails sent!

14/01/10

Not much to say from today really. Although I could find stuff if I had the energy. Done more digging. Innit. I've also been showing Leila what to do, and helping Matt teach her how to plan and level, and why we do it. So he's making me go back tomorrow because I know what i'm doing, instead of going and starting at the museum. I was bored of it by lunchtime today. Tomorrow is going to be so tiresome. The strat is complicated, and confusing, and neither of really know what is going on. But I've been correcting him on a couple of things so I guess I remembered more than I expected to. I put up the dumpy in no time and planning was a lot easier than I remember finding it. Probably because we're doing it at 1:10, and molas was always 1:20 I think. I have trouble with scales sometimes. So yeah, he asked me to go again tomorrow, and said I knew what I was doing despite claiming not to before we started. Which is not technically true. I said I didn't like excavating, and that it's been a couple of years so I wasn't sure how much I would remember. But at least I seem to be doing an ok job.

Back tomorrow, maybe we'll finally figure out what is going on. I just hope that the headache I have that's been building since lunch has gone away by then. Must be up early to make sure I get a large cup of coffee in the morning. I don't think only having tea this morning helped.

Also I have so many injuries. It's just silly. I'm covered in cuts and grazes from god knows what, and puncture wounds from acacia thorns and cactus spikes! I leant on an acacia thorn earlier and it went in my finger. They have this coating which makes it sting even more than it should. My whole finger went numb but very painfully so, for about 10 minutes, and then was absolutely fine. Now I can't even tell which finger it's on.

Right, see, I managed to ramble on about a pretty boring day. The most trying part of which was having to wait until 1.30 for lunch. We were expecting it at 12.30. We were hungry. Very hungry. But I must stop eating so much. Honestly, if there aren't least 3 carbohydrates it just isn't a Kenyan meal. maize, chapatti and potato for lunch. Only pasta and matoke for dinner though. She wanted to do ugali as well but matt convinced her that the pasta would be enough. Thank goodness!

Bed now. I really hope I get an uninterupted night of sleep tonight. This place is far too echoey.
Night all.

13/01/10

13/01/10
I think I might have to finally take my Glastonbury band off. One day of excavation and it’s looking rattier than a very dirty rats tail. Actually it’s not so dirty any more, but I scrubbed it so it’s looking very dishevelled. And more than a little threadbare. Sad times.

So today we were all up early, had our wimby porridge (tastes good with banana, something we never tried in Uganda) and coffee and packed the landrover with everything we would need for the site. Only Matt forgot the folder with the previous stuff and the context sheets, so we’re going to have to catch up on some levels tomorrow morning. We got to site and Matt gave Leila some instruction. Bless, she’s never done any practical archaeology before, doesn’t even know what contexts or stratigraphy are, even though she’s done a year of archaeology at Cambridge! Cambridge is rubbish it seems. Then we removed the spoil from last year’s excavations, making a big heap over to the side. I was carrying buckets for a while which were far too heavy for me, so then I managed to get hold of a shovel. It was a very light one so I was surprised at how easily I managed the shovelling. Molas obviously just has uber heavy shovels. Then when that was cleared we planned out another trench, or rather an extension to the first one, which I discovered later had been measured wrong so was actually about 15cms too wide so all our plans were wrong. I think they’re going to continue to be wrong as well. Tut. Sooo, Leila and I were taught how to sieve, and how to tell what was pottery, bone and lithics. Bless. I think (hope) he was only including me so Leila wouldn’t be the only person getting lessons. So Lei and I did that until lunchtime. We each had two people on the sieve and we basically just had to look as well as them to make sure nothing got missed.

We had a break for lunch of chapatti and bananas, they go surprisingly well together. Then Leila, Chris and I were on the excavating team. First Matt taught Leila how to plan (this was actually before lunch but never mind) and I helped with a few pointers and tape holdings once I had sorted out a bag of bone. Then we excavated, carefully, with jembes (hoes). Lol. They had taken the first context off of the extension (T2) so we were going down through context 3. I had a huge rock through most of my half, then we found a hearth. So we carried on taking c03 down, and Matt, under guidance from me (I made him feel guilty because he wasn’t giving the hearths a context number of their own) gave the hearth a context and then quickly planned it before getting me to dig it out. It was actually very interesting and he was glad he gave it its own context in the end. He even took all of the spoil from it for soil samples. Ooh, so then we kinda dug out more of context 3 (the strat really isn’t going to make sense when he has to sort it out, but never mind. Not my job. JJ) and then cleaned it up for him to take pictures and me to plan. I was very proud of myself for remembering how to plan so well, and also for noticing the glaring error that was the wrong size of the trench. Although I have forgotten the conventions for cuts and stuff. I might try and remind myself, or we can just draw arrows and label everything, which will probably help Matt as he has no idea what they are either.

So yeah, that was pretty much it for today. We packed up and decided what would come back with us and what would stay, then we took it all back to the landrover while Matt, Matua and Chris planned a new trench on the other side of the rockshelter. On the way back to Makatano (sp? The name of the place we’re staying) we picked up some more fruit for tomorrow, and also some maize, which is basically like bbqed corn on the cob, only not as soft as sweetcorn, it’s tougher and tastier.

Now we’re back at the hotel. I found yesterday that I have no hot water, and in fact my shower only spurts out the smallest jets of water so that you can’t even have a decent cold shower. Especially not to wash my hair, so I’ve washed as best I can and then when we get power I’m going to borrow Matt’s shower. He’s in the room I was in last time, so if it’s still as good I’ll be having a luscious hot shower later tonight. Although that does mean I’ll have to sleep with damp hair. Ah well, small price to pay. Not sure when dinner will be tonight, but if the power comes on at the same time as yesterday then I’ll be showering later. Tonight I also have to write Norah something saying what I did while at uni. Not that even I can remember, but I’ll have to give it a go. Sooner the better I think, I’m getting quite sleepy. I’m starting to ache a little already, at least, I can feel that I’ve done hard physical work today. And my skin is so dry. I’d forgotten what the dusty sand can do to it. It’s like being back at Buendia in my first year again! Best get on with some work now then...
Yay! As I am about to post this, the power came on! It’s not steady yet though, everything is flickering rather wildly! Yay! Shower time.

New adventures in the rift valley...

Hey!! Check this out, I’m actually updating while I’m away! Although I think I’ve still missed out on the last week few weeks, but I’ve not done much, at least not that I can remember. I have drunk quite a lot of wine though....

So, onto the write up:
Well, it’s the end of my second day out in the field (as it were). We’ve actually not done a whole lot yet. Yesterday we left the institute at about 8.30am. We drove up and had an early lunch in Nakuru, before carrying on up to Kitale. Then we stopped in Kitale to have coffee at this amazing coffee shop run by an English woman and a Kenyan man. The guy used to be a chef at the Sheraton Hotel in Nairobi (v.v. posh) and cooks amazing food. They own a guest house, and now they have a coffee shop. It’s really good, cyber cafe and a ‘cinema’ (??) and downstairs a library. And you can tell it’s run by an English woman as the toilets (apart from being gender specific) are sit down ones with toilet roll and a mirror, and even soap! Amazing. So anyway, we had coffee there and then continued up to Kapenguria. We’re staying in the hotel we stayed in last time, which overlooks the church and even has hot showers, although I will be testing whether my water has actually got hot in a few minutes. We arrived and then unpacked the landrover, and negotiated use of the kitchen, which is brilliant. Not only that but we have someone who is cooking for us. But last night we had to go out for food. So we got into our rooms at about 5.45, and then I spoke to Sarah on the phone for a while who just wanted to have a rant to another mzungu really. Bless. She’s in Eldoret at the moment and I was hoping to visit on my way back but I’m not sure I’ll be able to now. We had dinner at a place down the road, which was very good even though it was only beef stew and chapatti. Then I had a fairly early night. I think it was about 9ish. I was very tired.

Then we were up and out at 7.15 this morning. We went to another place down the road for chai and mandazi (tea and a puffy doughnutty/croissantey thing), and then went to briefly see the lady at the museum whose name I have forgotten again. It was a very quick chat in which we just said that I would be coming back, probably on Friday as that is when she will be back from her meeting, to start recording the displays, and we’d be having a meeting on Friday with someone else (her boss from NMK from elsewhere) and possibly be there on Monday for something as well I think. Something was happening on Monday but I can’t remember what.
So then we drove, and drove, and drove, and I clung to the rails in the back of the landrover and feared for my life as Matua rally drove us around twisty mountain roads all the way past Morpus (where the rockshelter is), through Marrich and turned back to go down to Sigor which was where the DC is now based. The meeting with him went quick, I think Matt was out by about 10 or just after, but then he was going to have a talk with the local chief who was heading to his office ‘in about 10 minutes’... 10 kenyan minutes that is. Matt finally found him and went for his chat at 12.30! By this point I had already finished my book (Eclipse, third in the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer – wasn’t so keen at the beginning but once Jacob came into it more and Edward stopped being such a twat, and all the action started happening, then it got much better) and then sat people watching for a while. I took a couple of notes to remind myself about them. There were lots of quite young girls very brightly dressed with pleated knee length skirts and luminous lime green or orange kangas wrapped around them with varying degrees of beaded jewellery. Apparently one of the girls who was stood near our car was wearing a necklace which only married women are supposed to wear, but it could have just been something similar and not really the same thing, she looked way too young to be married! Also as we were driving out (Matt let me sit in the front after my fear-ridden ride up there) Matua said it was their uniform, which I suppose it could have been, although all the other school kids were wearing yellow shirts with blue shorts or skirt. These were definitely more traditional Pokot (maybe pastoral from the outskirts rather than kids belonging to town families..?) The boys were the best, they wore brimmed hats which were all varying shades of red, and most had feathers in them (to show they’ve been circumcised? As I asked Emmanuel and why there was a woman with a biiig feather attached to a band around her head, and he said it’s because her sons are circumcised, so perhaps that is why the Pokot boys, and men, wear them as well. Also circumcision might be a possibility with the girls’ jewellery maybe) with a normally brightly coloured shirt, and a skirt. I don’t know what the skirt is technically called, but it appears to be a Maasai blanket or similar, which they have wrapped around as a skirt. Only they are shoooort! It reminded me of the schoolgirls at schools in Britain who roll their school skirts up so that they are very very short, because they were doing the same! One of the guys had a huuuge roll of fabric at the top of his! And damn they have good legs! Talking about legs, there was also a really old man sat under the shade of a tree next to us who got up at one point and I thought his legs looked as though they might snap! They were so thin with knees knobbling out of the middle. Heh, also as we were going to take lunch a police car rolled up, a pick-up type thing, with the back absolutely heaving with people. All passengers! I wonder if the police were getting some money in or just doing their good deed for the day. The latter doesn’t really seem to fit with Kenyan police but they looked like fairly nice guys actually.

So anyway, then we went for lunch. We had chai, maragwe (beans) and chapatti. Yums, Although the beans were rather hard. I also had the pleasure of wandering off to find a toilet and ended up at the back of the market which was the only one in the area. I really wanted to have a wander around the market and pick up a bargain or two. I could easily fill my bags with brightly coloured kangas to bring home with me. But then I forget, being amongst all these brightly dressed people, that people in the UK tend to wear black. And grey. And maybe some dark reds or purples as well. It’s bad enough wearing my red monsoon skirt – I usually stick out a mile. But no, I went back to the hoteli for lunch instead. But when we left we were running a bit late, and I got to sit in the front so I didn’t mind anyway. We also picked up the lady who runs the Marrich Pass campsite and gave her and all her food a lift back. She’s very lovely. So friendly and sweet, waving at everyone she recognised, and even those she didn’t. There was a police post on the road to the campsite and the policeman had to move the road block to let us past, and she smiled and asked him how he was (habari yako?) and he just blanked her. She huffed a little and said ‘well, i always feel I have to say something!’ Heh.
Then we went to Morpus and had a look at the rock shelter that we’ll be excavating. I’m actually looking forward to it a bit more. The stratigraphy as seen from the gully cutting through it is very interesting. Although it’s a lot smaller than I envisaged. But yeah, it looks good. We’ll see how I get on anyway. He went down to layers about 180 years BP last time (for the uninitiated –mum- that’s Before Present, which technically stands at 1950 so it’s actually 180 years before 1950) but hopes that one of them that he was pointing out in the strat which wasn’t too far down, will be about 500 bp. You can see where the old trench was still, and because the small area that is left is eroding away still we’re going to extend it out to the gully so we can try find the interesting layers seen in the strat. Marvellous.
So, tomorrow we start on that. But then it was getting on for 5pm so we came back to Kapenguria. I was immediately sent out on a shopping trip (yay! Oh, not that kind of shopping) to buy supplies for the coming week. Finally got back at about 6.30 but no one was around, although Leila had arrived, so I went back out with Emmanuel, Chris (guy from NMK) and Matua to try to find Matua some cigarettes. Matua was being nervous about going up to ask at a shop as he thought it was embarrassing to ask if they didn’t have any, so I said I would do it, but he came up with me and asked himself. I think he found it easier with someone else there so he could pretend that maybe they were for me! They didn’t have but he go directions, so him and Emmanuel went off to find them while Chris and I walked back to the hotel as it was getting close to dinner time. Just after I got back Leila came up looking for her bag, so I accompanied her downstairs with it on the way to dinner. The lady had cooked really good food for us. The meat was really yummy, proper good stuff and only chewy in a couple of places, and in a really amazing sauce. Mmmm. And sakuma wiki (a greens a bit like cabbage but takes longer to cook) and ugali. I even went back for seconds of ugali! Well of everything really. But I would usually have avoided the ugali,. I found that dipping it in salt and mushing it around in my fingers really improved the flavour.

Anyway, now I have come back to my room, found that I have no hot water and am just about ready to drop off completely. I’ll get online quick to send this and then sleep. So tired and we’re having breakfast at 6.30 tomorrow morning. Ah, don’t you just love excavations.

Night folks!